Mary Soon Lee's Blog, page 16
July 12, 2017
Rhysling Awards, 3rd place
My poem Not Like This has won 3rd place in the 2017 Rhysling Awards in the long poem category :-) :-)
"Not Like This" is a poem about King Xau from the perspective of one of his guards. It was first published in Apex Magazine.
"Not Like This" is a poem about King Xau from the perspective of one of his guards. It was first published in Apex Magazine.
June 4, 2017
London
I grew up in London. It will be in my heart today, in the wake of another horrible attack.
April 25, 2017
Strange Horizons
My poem "The Sign of the King" is online at Strange Horizons. The poem is a favorite of mine, and centers on Li, captain of King Xau's guards. It also contains a MAJOR spoiler about what happens in The Sign of the Dragon.
If spoilers do not worry you, then the poem may be read by clicking here Warning! Poem with Major Spoiler!
If spoilers do not worry you, then the poem may be read by clicking here Warning! Poem with Major Spoiler!
February 20, 2017
Poetry Nook
My poem Hero just won the latest Poetry Nook contest.
"Hero" is part of The Sign of the Dragon, and has a more feminist slant than most of the tale. It's written not from the perspective of the hero, or one of his comrades, but rather from his wife. (Specifically, Queen Shazia, Xau's wife.) The poem originally appeared in Star*Line.
N.B. I highly recommend Poetry Nook as a place to send previously-published
poems. They are open to reprints, there is no entry fee, and they have a $100 prize each week. On the other hand, I do NOT recommend it for unpublished poems, as all the week's entries appear on their website, which means they are effectively published, and you could therefore not sell the first rights to anyone else.
"Hero" is part of The Sign of the Dragon, and has a more feminist slant than most of the tale. It's written not from the perspective of the hero, or one of his comrades, but rather from his wife. (Specifically, Queen Shazia, Xau's wife.) The poem originally appeared in Star*Line.
N.B. I highly recommend Poetry Nook as a place to send previously-published
poems. They are open to reprints, there is no entry fee, and they have a $100 prize each week. On the other hand, I do NOT recommend it for unpublished poems, as all the week's entries appear on their website, which means they are effectively published, and you could therefore not sell the first rights to anyone else.
February 15, 2017
Analog
I am delighted to report that I've had a short story accepted by Analog, which will be my second story to appear there.
The first story appeared back in 2003, after which I wandered off into the wilds of writing mainstream poetry. In 2013 I found my way back to the realms of fantasy, but it took me until late 2016 to resume writing some science fiction.
The first story appeared back in 2003, after which I wandered off into the wilds of writing mainstream poetry. In 2013 I found my way back to the realms of fantasy, but it took me until late 2016 to resume writing some science fiction.
February 10, 2017
Heroic Fantasy Quarterly
My poem Seventeenth Lesson has been published online at Heroic Fantasy Quarterly.
"Seventeenth Lesson" is a poem about King Xau's eldest son, Keng, and the dragon, with the dragon in the role of teacher.
A poem about the dragon's first lesson to Keng appeared last year in Silver Blade, and was recently nominated for the Rhysling Award.... Imaginative titles are not usually my strong suit, and neither of these two poems are among the happy exceptions. The earlier poem, First Lesson, may also be read online.
"Seventeenth Lesson" is a poem about King Xau's eldest son, Keng, and the dragon, with the dragon in the role of teacher.
A poem about the dragon's first lesson to Keng appeared last year in Silver Blade, and was recently nominated for the Rhysling Award.... Imaginative titles are not usually my strong suit, and neither of these two poems are among the happy exceptions. The earlier poem, First Lesson, may also be read online.
February 8, 2017
Rhysling nomination
My poem Returning has been nominated for the Rhysling Award :-)
"Returning" first appeared in The Open Mouse, and is a poem about King Xau riding through the night to get back home.
Recently I spent quite a few hours reading SF/F poems so that I could make my own Rhysling nominations. I drew up a shortlist of my favorites, found that several of them had already been nominated ... which made my choice slightly easier, but by no means easy.
"Returning" first appeared in The Open Mouse, and is a poem about King Xau riding through the night to get back home.
Recently I spent quite a few hours reading SF/F poems so that I could make my own Rhysling nominations. I drew up a shortlist of my favorites, found that several of them had already been nominated ... which made my choice slightly easier, but by no means easy.
February 3, 2017
Dreams & Nightmares
My poem "Daunted" has just been published in Dreams & Nightmares, issue 105.
"Daunted" is set seventeen years into The Sign of the Dragon, and is one of the longer poems (134 lines). It features the dragon, Captain Li, and King Xau, all of whom I am very fond of. The poem's failings are mine, not theirs.
While the poem isn't available online, a pdf of the whole issue can be ordered for $1 from Dreams & Nightmares, and includes poetry by Ann K. Schwader and Marge Simon. Dreams & Nightmares is a long-running SF/F poetry magazine, worth supporting.
"Daunted" is set seventeen years into The Sign of the Dragon, and is one of the longer poems (134 lines). It features the dragon, Captain Li, and King Xau, all of whom I am very fond of. The poem's failings are mine, not theirs.
While the poem isn't available online, a pdf of the whole issue can be ordered for $1 from Dreams & Nightmares, and includes poetry by Ann K. Schwader and Marge Simon. Dreams & Nightmares is a long-running SF/F poetry magazine, worth supporting.
January 26, 2017
Rhysling nomination
My poem Not Like This has been nominated for the 2017 Rhysling Award :-)
The poem is written from the perspective of one of King Xau's guards, Atun. I am very fond of several of Xau's guards, Atun among them.
"Not Like This" first appeared in Apex Magazine.
The poem is written from the perspective of one of King Xau's guards, Atun. I am very fond of several of Xau's guards, Atun among them.
"Not Like This" first appeared in Apex Magazine.
January 24, 2017
F&SF acceptance
F&SF has accepted my poem "The Path to Peace," which makes me very happy. This will be the second poem from The Sign of the Dragon to appear in F&SF, the first being "Kingship" in the current issue (Jan/Feb 2017).
