Neil Clarke's Blog, page 40
July 8, 2013
Back to the cardiologist again…
This Friday will mark the first anniversary of my heart attack and today was first visit to the cardiologist’s office since December. I went through the standard routine of take my shirt off, laying down, being wired up for EKG, getting monitored for a few minutes, having the sticky pads pulled off, and then waiting for the doctor to come in and chat with me.
Nothing unusual to report, but I receive more reinforcement of just how severe things are. The new doctor (my old one moved away, but I previously met this one when I was in the hospital) has recommended that we replace one of my medications with something that shows more promise, so after Readercon I’ll make the switch. Otherwise, no changes. I had thought that I would be dropping a few of the medications, but given the severity of the existing damage and the likelihood of surviving another heart attack, he’s recommending a more conservative approach. I’m inclined to go with whatever keeps me the safest.
I go back again next month for an evaluation of how well the new medication works. Yay.
July 6, 2013
Clarkesworld Year Four Review Copies
My shipment of CLARKESWORLD: YEAR FOUR arrived last week. I’ll be informally launching the book at READERCON. (Clarkesworld was born there.)
Anyhow, a few of the copies had covers that failed quality control, so I have extra review copies. If you want one, simply be one of the first three people to comment on this post. To be eligible, you have to include WHERE your review will appear.
Sorry, US addresses only.
UPGRADED News
I am very pleased to announce that three more authors have agreed to write stories for UPGRADED:
Pat Cadigan
Caitlín R. Kiernan
Peter Watts
The Kickstarter campaign ends this FRIDAY and we are $96 shy of our first stretch goal: four more stories!
I’d like to give a big thank you to everyone that has helped spread the word about this campaign. Hopefully it isn’t too much to ask that you continue to do so. The stretch goal for the audio book (everyone at the $25 and up level gets it free) is still lurking out there and I’ve been told a lot of you would like to see it happen.
Have a great weekend!
-Neil
July 1, 2013
UPGRADED will be published!
WE’VE BEEN FUNDED!
Now we’re tackling the stretch goals!
$12500 – FOUR MORE STORIES!
$15000 – AUTHOR PAY RAISE! (Because they deserve it!)
$17500 – AUDIO EDITION BY KATE BAKER!
July 2013 Issue of Clarkesworld
The July 2013 issue of Clarkesworld Magazine is now available. You can get the issue:
Online at www.clarkesworldmagazine.com
Via podcast subscription (free)
or help us pay the bills by purchasing Clarkesworld:
Via subscription at Amazon.com
Via subscription at Weightless Books
or as a single issue ebook from Amazon, B&N, Kobo, Weightless, Wizard’s Tower and direct from us at Wyrm Publishing
JULY 2013 – ISSUE #82
FICTION
“Pockets Full of Stones” by Vajra Chandrasekera
“I Tell Thee All, I Can No More” by Sunny Moraine
“Across the Terminator” by David Tallerman
“The Illustrated Biography of Lord Grimm” by Daryl Gregory
“The Dust Assassin” by Ian McDonald
NONFICTION
Spock’s Pops: How Operational Research became Wartime Magic! by Jason S. Ridler
Giving Birth to the Dark Monster: A Conversation with J. M. McDermott by Jeremy L. C. Jones
Faulty Memories of a Time Long Past: A Conversation with Richard Ellis Preston, Jr. by Jeremy L. C. Jones
Another Word: My Own Private B-Movie by Genevieve Valentine
Editor’s Desk: Taking Back July 12th by Neil Clarke
PODCAST
This month’s stories will be released in audio form over the course of the month. Read by Kate Baker.
COVER ART
The Land of Lost Dreams by Dan Osborne
If you enjoy what we do, please consider supporting us by spreading the word about our subscription options on Facebook, Twitter or your blog. Your subscriptions make everything we do possible.
Thanks!
June 28, 2013
UPGRADED Cyborgs Racing to the Finish Line
With only two weeks to go, my Kickstarter campaign to fund UPGRADED is just over 75% funded! A big thank you to everyone who has pledged or helped spread the word. It’s beginning to look like we’ll make it, but I don’t want to take anything for granted. Please continue to spread the word via your blogs, Facebook, mailing lists, Twitter and at conventions.
Now that we’re closer to the end, I’ll be moving onto phase two of the story solicitations, which will include some authors that I’ve never had the pleasure of working with before. If we reach our goal, phase three (an open call for submissions) will begin in early August.
June 26, 2013
Clarkesworld is looking for a few slush readers
Clarkesworld Magazine is once again looking for slush readers. If you are interested, please fill out this application.
A few notes:
This is an unpaid volunteer position.
Slush readers & other staff are prohibited from submitting stories or articles to the magazine.
You will be expected to read and provide comments on an average of at five stories per day.
June 25, 2013
My Readercon Schedule
Just received my schedule for Readercon:
Sunday July 14
9:00 AM CL Kaffeeklatsch.
Neil Clarke, Amanda Downum
10:00 AM G Digital Marginalia: A Conversation with Your Future Self.
Neil Clarke, Michael J. DeLuca, David G. Shaw (moderator), Ruth Sternglantz, Gayle Surrette.
Electronic reading devices allow us to carry huge libraries wherever we go. They also provide us with the ability to highlight, annotate, and share what we read. In a 2012 blog post, Clive Thompson described this enhanced reading experience as “a conversation with the author, with yourself, and in a weird way, if you take it along as a lifelong project… a conversation with your future self.” According to Craig Mod, “The book of the past reveals its individual experience uniquely. The book of the future reveals our collective experience uniquely.” What tools will we embed within digital texts to signal this shifting relationship with literature, and how will readers use them?
I’ll also have a table in the Dealer’s Room, so you can find me there on most other days.
June 21, 2013
Coming soon…
Barring unforeseen problems, CLARKESWORLD: YEAR FOUR (ebook and trade paperback) should be available in time for Readercon.
CONTENTS
Introduction by Neil Clarke
Between Two Dragons by Yoon Ha Lee
The Cull by Robert Reed
The Mermaids Singing Each to Each by Cat Rambo
Of Melei, of Ulthar by Gord Sellar
Night, in Dark Perfection by Richard Parks
The Grandmother-Granddaughter Conspiracy by Marissa Lingen
Brief Candle by Jason K. Chapman
All the King’s Monsters by Megan Arkenberg
Torquing Vacuum by Jay Lake
The Language of the Whirlwind by Lavie Tidhar
A Sweet Calling by Tony Pi
Alone with Gandhari by Gord Sellar
The History Within Us by Matthew Kressel
January by Becca De La Rosa
Messenger by J.M. Sidorova
A Jar of Goodwill by Tobias S. Buckell
Futures in the Memories Market by Nina Kiriki Hoffman
My Father’s Singularity by Brenda Cooper
Beach Blanket Spaceship by Sandra McDonald
The Association of the Dead by Rahul Kanakia
Spar by Kij Johnson
Paper Cradle by Stephen Gaskell
Thirteen Ways of Looking at Space/Time by Catherynne M. Valente
The Things by Peter Watts
Clarkesworld Citizens – Official Census
About Clarkesworld
End of Week Kickstarter Update
UPGRADED, my Kickstarter cyborg anthology is off to a great start this week. After four days, 156 backers have contributed over 58% of the funding I need to make this book a reality. I want to thank everyone that has contributed and/or spread the word about this one.
This is my first Kickstarter campaign, so I’ve never seen the back-end before this week. I’m very impressed by the amount of data they provide. For example, I know that Twitter is sending me far more backers than Facebook and just how many people have watched the video to the end. I could get lost analyzing the data here. Must resist.
