Aug 20 2008
Yesterday I had the first of four weekly tests to determine what I’m allergic to. This consists of getting five pieces of jagged plastic twisted into the sensitive pasty flesh of my forearm and waiting for the wounds to erupt.
I had mild reactions to cat and dog (bad for me, but manageable). I also reacted to household dust and molds. The worst, though, was histamine. My body is producing enough of the stuff to create a welt the size of a small volcano.
Aug 09 2008
Aug 04 2008
The Weird Tales Spam contest is now closed to submissions. They received 150 submissions, and the winners will be announced on Saturday at WorldCon. The winners of the Return to Luna contest will also be announced on Saturday at 4PM, also at WorldCon. We aren’t able to make the trip to Denver this year but I’ll be keeping an eye out for both announcements. I have a horse in both races.
This was a busy weekend for announcements. Two new contests and two new anthologies are on the horizon, all of which have peaked my interest. Details are below.
Shroud Magazine is holding a Halloween haiku horror contest. Better hurry, though. The deadline is August 8th.
Byzarium announced their latest Flash Fiction contest. The prompt for the contest is “Rebuilding” by Kiriko Moth. It’s a fabulous piece of art and should provide for some interesting stories.
John Joseph Adams, assistant editor of F&SF and editor of several of the anthologies on my bookshelf, has announced his latest project: Federations.
From Star Trek to Star Wars, from Dune to Foundation, science fiction has a rich history of exploring the idea of vast intergalactic societies, and the challenges facing those living in or trying to manage such societies. The stories in Federations will continue that tradition.
I’m fairly excited about this anthology. I have a few ideas bouncing around my head that may fit the theme. The reading period opens on November 1st and ends January 1st, 2009.
Hadley Rille Books has announced Footprints, an anthology to be edited by Jay Lake and Eric T. Reynolds.
Long after our species and all its works have turned to dust, the moon landing sites will still show evidence of our time here on Earth. Imagine future explorers from among the stars interpreting that. The astronauts’ footprints should last longer than the fossils in the Olduvai Gorge have.
Aug 02 2008
I did a double-take when I read the news on Slashdot this morning (the original article is on Aviation Week). The White House has been briefed by NASA officials concerning new data that is “much more complex” than the results of the test that confirmed water on Mars.
They’ve confirmed “Earth-like” soil and water. This latest news that has sparked intrigue may be related to the wet-chemical tests, where water from Earth is stirred with Martial soil. My mind is roiling with the possibilities. We may have to wait two to four weeks before an official announcement is made, though.
Go Phoenix!