Paula’s Comments (group member since Oct 28, 2015)

Paula’s comments from the Science Fiction Microstory Contest group.

Yes, glad you guys caught that--and agreed, Bill, we'd do well to check out Carrol Fix's terrific anthologies. Oh, and where is Ms. Fix, by the way? Carrol, we miss you!
---And are delighted by *your* work and last year's anthology too, Carol S.!
Hoping we've all had fun opening presents, eating various birds and vegan substitutes, and doing what we can for persons now refugees or homeless today (or any day). Joyeux noel, and so on.

And thank you, Thaddeus. I think we've all encouraged you because your work IS so very good!

Joining in the well-wishing--to each of you here!--for belated Chanukah and solstice holidays, for Christmas and Kwanzaa, for the Gregorian or whichever New Year--wishing you each good health, happiness, and lots of new writing!
Shall we do year-end narratives? Sure, why not. Thaddeus's is inspirational indeed.
I received honorable mention in the annual New Millenium Writings Awards again this year, and this month completed--with the unmatchable, inimitable, etc. editing help of Andrew Gurcak and, earlier, Elizabeth Eyles--the really-near-final edit of my novel of the late 1960s Antiwar Movement. And meanwhile, for clients, edited 3 books, copyedited 2 books, and prepared manuscript evaluations for another 3 books during this past year. Oh, and a whole bunch of other projects, publications, and so on; need to get back on the mountain for more xc-skiing, like this week.
Best to you each for a great holiday!!!
Paula

See Jot's note to me on the "comments" discussion here, Dean.

Thank you--but anyway, I don't feel we're in competition with one another, Heather, other than insofar as this group is arranged as a monthly contest, and the orginal concept for that section of my story, and possibly one of the origins for Andrew's story, and possibly one for a couple of Le Guin's stories that touch on such issues, and also (I think) a couple of Benford's novels (in part), would lie in the "foundations of math"/"philosophy of math" area and the like. Each its own tale--none a "better telling." (Best may be Godel's. ) The Le Guin was in her first book of short stories, and f---d if I can remember the tale's title--anyone know? Thanks.

OH well, Heather and Andy, my Smittie character has some comments on math, Brenda, Barry or whateverhisname, and Manhattan (and nameless) signage, but she drowned in the viscous medium, or possibly median. *But actually very different stories/concepts, let me add.*
And Sharon and Ben and Jeremy--all great points re distribution. Do any of us know a reviewer for the trade media that librarians/library systems read? I ran once a literary mag/collective that one collective member's friend worked for, and he did one review and the mag got subs from hundreds of libraries, so this could be a very valuable resource if any of you know someone.

Jot, can we message you our votes on Goodreads or do we send them to (please repost your email for us)? Thanks.

good point about the Alzheimer's connection, Heather. Yes, I noticed that connection, too--interesting one, whether or not intended.

Just finished the most recent stories. Hey look, folks, we have a very respectable "anthology" just in this month's stories. Seriously, all or most of this and last month's stories are up to the quality of any equivalent-length selection of sf stories one's gonna find anywhere.

Jot, thanks. So, then, 81 (68 plus 13) pb copies plus the ebooks. That is actually not bad for a new group-self-publishing venture, as long as we understand we're not doing it for the money. Otoh, we want readers. Jeremy's suggestion here is super-good, that w buy--that is, we all contribute to a "budget item" to purchase and ship (which also costs money) 20 to 120copies to reviewers and major sf bookshops (Dark Carnival, Other Change of Hobbit (if still extant), and --?--) and to take to sf conventions.
Ben--great suggestion. Were you offering to handle the editing/production 4x/year, or only, say, 1 or 2 x/year, lol? Cool.
Jot, look what you have done! Remember 3 years ago when this was just a tiny contest you'd had the idea to start?!
In fact, everyone here look what we have done---keeping this going long beyond what groups like this usually get to. Nice achievement for, among other things, the holidays. . .

I can link here from my fb page, which has what fb calls 2000 "friends", so not quite what you mean re this GR page/site being private, Carrie--? Otoh, most of my fb friends, too, aren't interested in sf.
Marianne, can you handle the booktrope connection for us, since you're familiar with it?
Another thing we can--each--do is send a notice, link, and press release (or letter version) to sf blogs and book reviewers, especially if we've connection of any sort with them. But it really requires either a couple of people f/t for a couple of weeks when the book first comes out, or everyone putting in a few hours in those early weeks--followed by continued plugging.
My understanding is the average "self-published" book sells somewhat under 200 copies.
Thaddeus has the most extraordinary website, and beautifully, powerfully designed. If we do decide to move to a "private" website, then he would be ideal to design and handle it--with Jot, if Jot wants; that could be fine. However, we lose lots of visibility by such a move, at least for the first months--some good ideas here of how to regain it, but yes it would take time, need lots of work from each of us.

So we sold 13 printed copies, Jot? I think I bought 4 of those--and probably some others here bought multiples. Were any createspace ebooks sold, then? But maybe people preferred the smashwords sales outlets, let's hope.
Btw, renewing my offer, as posted above re Carol's request, to co-edit volume 3. Volume 1, as Carrol F. and I edited/produced it, worked well, I think. The sales problem was true with that volume too, of course; it's an issue endemic to US booksales (by non "major" publisher-pr-outlets), and the one way to overcome it is by lots of leg and kb work by everyone involved, which requires good strong morale--requiring everyone getting a sense of fairness--and everyone doing the needed work, not just a few.
Jot, if you--people, if anyone here--have a serious sf publishing or known-author or sf-scholar contact, this will be a time to use it, to blurb this book. Last year's was good, but do you know someone even more known?

Heather wrote: "An interesting discussion - which I like very much - seems to have arisen here on the merits and de-merits of both 'the darn good yarn' and 'the literarily skilled piece' (where I take it that 'lit..."
Heather, this will be a potentially important memoir if you can pull this to the level you're thinking to, yes. A good book/memoir authors' group, preferably actual rather than online, can be wonderful with that---if it's a good fit. In all events, sounds like a major work.

Marianne wrote: "I will say that things turn up in unexpected places. The Fairfax County Public Library in Fairfax VA has four copies of the first anthology for circulation, to my surprise. I thank the mystery pers..."

Good and surprising place for it to turn up (4 copies!), Marianne. Cool!

Okay, I volunteer as co-editor of Volume 3. With the understanding that, of course, all authors regularly participating in the contest will have an equal number of stories in the volume (unless an author wants fewer), and each editor, designer, coordinator, etc. will receive credit for the role, and no more than the role, each does. And that we'll work hard to make this volume a major success.
Thanks, Carol. I think we can work together well--especially you like the "darn good" ones and I like (those and) the "literarily skilled" ones---should give the anthology some form of balance, maybe.

Reality checks here. First, if some writers here get extra stories in the anthology, there will be fewer among the group intensively participating in the marketing than if all writers here get equal treatment/space. Second, the decisions/votes in this group, whether by one vote or even two votes' difference, pretty much divide into likers of "darn good story" vs. likers of "more literarily skilled piece," (the former group being usually in the majority), and thus an anthology based on vote count will skew toward "darn good, plain story" and away from "literarily skilled," also limiting the potential audience. Third, we can chat how we like on this, but, rightly or wrongly, won't it be Jot who makes the decision.

Just loving these end of life as we know it stories! Fun holiday stuff for our times, indeed. Seriously, some good writing here.

I'm not finding Marianne's comment re the anthology, other than "message 17" above, but I agree with Richard's (and my own) reasoning in messages 10 (and 9 and 12) above.

Variora: 3 Cantos and a Coda for the End of Our World
Copyright 2015 by Paula Friedman

“’TWAS LONG EXPECTED.”

I turned little Aruna over my arm. Njuna, my sister, stroked this small daughter’s head. “She’ll not know what it is.”

What it is to read, to swim a lake, ride a horse o' midsummer eve. My mind finished Njuna’s words. This tiny child beloved of all, even of my failing Jaryn, her father, never will hold her life. Nor shall any, soon, I deem. Yet had we not expected this? Since even first ’twas unleashed on our green world.

People in those times—the innocent nights and fabled days of shiny dwelling-towns and roads the Readers tell of—could not believe such evil might, in truth, be legacy upon our works and fields and mankind’s living joys. No, for folks’ minds refused what hearts well knew: such loathsomeness must end all fulsome life. Surely, they bethought, none could wield such folly but from greed and overweening pride; thus never could the evil become manifest.

So relieved, they set the evils aside, storing them with small fear any might be ever brought forth. Only in angry moments, over centuries might one be paraded—yet was always stored again. Until—

LaLeelie paused, dipped her head's traditional hairwig toward us each, chanted as every night have Singers since our grandparents’ grandparents’ days and back beyond into the “litrit” and “industryl” years of yore, back even to that Morning, called Until. “When,” LaLeelie chanted, shivering past her pain, “the evils awoke, stirred in their Earthy silos, leapt aloft, Became.”

We sang with her, knowing as our heartbeats the old tune just as we knew we grew but fewer every year, and those who lived on lived weaker, and less water dripped and no Traveler came anymore bringing word of fish or horse or human, from the glowing plains.

LaLeelie gestured. Njuna’s man limped forward carrying the beans. LaLeelie counted out the seventy, most to Njuna who might yet bring forth whole babes, briefly shore life.

A MINOR GLITCH

Smittie was tough. Smittie was the lady who solved all our computer problems. Smittie was Our Lady of the Motherboard.

And a solid 80 Earth-cycles if a day. Or then some. Again, “Just a glitch, Ted me-boy,” Smittie said, raising one hand to gesture me over. “See?”

(As I told you--“you” being plural, if singular--she was one tough lady. At least).

We were in the mothership, heading back to Casia after 393 bombing runs against the headchops of Big Klee who’d taken out 211—or 316?— planetaries of the Catrnapa system. Sadly, we had offed more than our SAAD (standard allowable ancillary damage) targets, our finders strangely wobbly, so I leaned over Smittie’s pretty neck in the tiny navigation cabin, asking “See what?” and she pointed to the lowest figure in the furthest column on her screen—“.159290596118035949. . .9329.”

“Yeah, so?”

“It’s wrong. That last digit.” Smittie ran a fragile index finger through her loosening curls. “Look, Teddie”—the diminutive now was not affectionate— “You try. Arithmetic’s changed, gone watery. Don’t take my word.”

Indeed. I got wrong answers too, in that final decimal place—then in the last two decimal places. “It’s not the machine,” Smittie whispered. She shivered. “Not the arithmetic. I called into Earth. Happening everywhere, they said.”

I lay my hand along her shoulder. “Smittie,” I whimpered. Because her body was coming apart. So were the walls.

“What arithmetic applies,” she moaned, “is changing. All wet.” Her head came off.

“Smittie,” I tried but we dissolv

OUR FATHER’S WILL

…and crossed the darkwood lake to bow my head to Father’s will.

“Behold, and answer.” His voice commanded what had now no answer, for the Sofar forces—his, as he whispered in our minds—had defeated Rostyn’s, my beloved’s. Rostyn and his people now lay drying, dead. “Answer.” My father rose full height. “Whose offspring, say, be this?” He gleamed full scorn.

I lifted my chin. In the stands ashore, watch-folk waited. Hearts athrob, yet no more so than mine.

“Name your paramour,” Father cried. I did not answer. No difference—we were all to die. I bowed my head anew.

Sorrowing for our life, our world, Rostyn’s and mine. As Father flung our egg, our seed, which IS this world and life, out into yon dryier, further, Other void.

ALARUM

Wake the fuck up, Shiva.
(748 words)

Agreeing with Jeremy--the Goodreads interface is really fine--from a desktop or laptop. This too, on Goodreads, one can spend enormous time listing books read, looking up books to read, discussing books, and so on--nearly as big a "time waster" as is Facebook. --But seriously, it is a wonderful site for our group, and gives it some elegance and strength that the tottering LI did not.