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Ahoy, Critterfolk!
New entry May 28
Critter Notices
Books from Critters!
Check out Books by Critters for books by your fellow Critterfolk, as well as my list of recommended books for writers.
How to Write SF
The Craft of Writing Science Fiction that Sells by Ben Bova, best-selling author and six-time Hugo Award winner for Best Editor. (This is one of the books your ol' Critter Captain learned from himself, and I highly recommend it.)
(Also via Amazon)
Interviewed!
I was interviewed live on public radio for Critters' birthday, for those who want to listen.
Free Web Sites
Free web sites for authors (and others) are available at www.nyx.net.
ReAnimus Acquires Advent!
ReAnimus Press is pleased to announce the acquisition of the legendary Advent Publishers! Advent is now a subsidiary of ReAnimus Press, and we will continue to publish Advent's titles under the Advent name. Advent was founded in 1956 by Earl Kemp and others, and has published the likes of James Blish, Hal Clement, Robert Heinlein, Damon Knight, E.E. "Doc" Smith, and many others. Advent's high quality titles have won and been finalists for several Hugo Awards, such as The Encyclopedia of Science Fiction and Fantasy and Heinlein's Children. Watch this space for ebook and print editions of all of Advent's current titles!
Book Recommendation
THE SIGIL TRILOGY:
The universe is dying from within...
"Great stuff... Really enjoyed it." — SFWA Grandmaster Michael Moorcock
Announcing ReAnimus Press
If you're looking for great stuff to read from bestselling and award-winning authors—look no further! ReAnimus Press was founded by your very own Critter Captain. (And with a 12% Affiliate program.) [More]
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FEATURED BOOK
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Weekly Notes
Notes for 24-Jul-2024... This week's Critters Fund Drive is featuring another book from ReAnimus Press... THORNS by (SFWA Grandmaster) Robert Silverberg ReAnimus Press Store: www.ReAnimus.com/1624 Amazon: www.amazon.com/dp/B086G342HP/?tag=critters3a-20 (available in paperback) In a world where humanity has colonized the solar system and begun to explore more of the local galaxy, a vast audience follows real-life stories presented by wealthy media mogul Duncan Chalk. To satisfy his audience's voyeuristic needs--and his own appetite for others' pain--he pairs Minner Burris, an emotionally withdrawn space explorer who was captured and freakishly surgically altered by aliens, with Lona Kelvin, a suicidal seventeen-year-old girl who donated eggs for a fertility experiment that produced one hundred babies, none of whom she has been allowed to adopt or even see. Chalk promises to solve their personal problems in return for a joint performance tour. Though the love affair doesn't last, Chalk keeps the couple on the hook by making new offers. While Minner and Lona struggle to cope with their newfound celebrity and Chalk's broken promises, they will uncover the true nature of their manipulator--and risk everything to regain the humanity that has been stolen from them... An early exploration of media exploitation and a deep look at freak-show entertainment on a mass scale, this novel was one of the earliest of Silverberg's mature masterworks. "Masterful... This is a sophisticated novel, beautifully written, intelligent and insightful, with wonderful dialogue and a satisfying conclusion." --Fantasy Literature "Silverberg's brooding, post-utopian, rumination has the makings of a great science fiction novel.... A worthwhile read which rambles along a dark path... Well done." --Science Fiction Ruminations [Disclaimer: Ye Olde Critter Captain also runs ReAnimus Press, sales from which help him keep Critters going as a free site.] -+- Thanks for the donations, folks! (No donations this past week, sad minion face.) :[ [See http://www.critters.org/donate.php for more information.] -+- Woohoo! Congratulations to... - Stephen W. Chappell, whose (Critter'd) short story, "A Random Act of Kindness" is now out in the current issue of Dark Horses Magazine, Issue #30. - Dale Cozort, whose short story, "The First" is now out in the current issue of Fantastic Schools Anthology (volume 8). - Renan Bernardo, who reports "My novelette "A Short Biography of a Conscious Chair" is a 2024 Ignyte Award Finalist!". {My Nebula-nominated novelette is now also a Ignyte finalist among so many wonderful works! Voting is open until August 31st for all categories. https://ignyteawards.fiyahlitmag.com/vote/} Please report your Woohoo!s via the www.critters.org/telldaworld.ht web page. -+- This week's Most Productive Critter award, for 6 critiques (at time of judging), averaging over 900 words each, goes to... Chris Hepler To redeem an MPC, visit: www.critters.org/usempc.ht Congratulations! To everyone else -- Crit early and often! (For an explanation of the MPC award, see the www.critters.org/award.ht page.) -+- Recommended Reading... One of the best writing books - Secrets from the 6-time Best Editor Hugo Award Master, Ben Bova: THE CRAFT OF WRITING SCIENCE FICTION THAT SELLS https://ReAnimus.com/store?item=1144 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Critters Workshop ---------------------------------------------------------------------- This week we have... [get from https://www.critters.org/private/mss.php ]... Title Author --------------------------------------------------------------------- Week of 24-Jul-2024 (Crits due 31-Jul-2024): SF Mark of the Predator, Chapters 19 & 20 [mpc] Brian Sellnow -#31512 F A Pair of Short-Shorts and a Brace of Weenies - A Flash Collection Russell Adams -#31513 F The Gods Need Nukes Chapter 02 Robert Harpold -#31514 SF The Agentic Necklace F.B. Hughes -#31515 H Breathless J. Gale Bloom -#31516 H Gift of the Swamp, Chapters 1-3 Eli Cepeda -#31517 SF Excerpts from an Engineering Prayerbook Kate Kelley -#31518 H Miles End Jess Taylor -#31519 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Recommended books on writing: THE CRAFT OF WRITING AND SELLING SCIENCE FICTION by Ben Bova ReAnimus Press Store: https://ReAnimus.com/store?item=1144 Amazon: https://Amazon.com/dp/B006MAZPEI HOW TO IMPROVE YOUR SPECULATIVE FICTION OPENINGS By (Critter member) Robert Qualkinbush https://ReAnimus.com/store?item=1184 | https://Amazon.com/dp/B007O272ZI STAYIN' ALIVE - A WRITER'S GUIDE by three-time SFWA President Norman Spinrad How things really work in the art and commerce of publishing https://ReAnimus.com/store?item=1179 | https://Amazon.com/dp/B007SIC4I8 EXPERIMENT PERILOUS: THE 'BUG JACK BARRON' PAPERS by Norman Spinrad (A 99cent essay on SF and writing) https://ReAnimus.com/store?item=1180 | https://Amazon.com/dp/B007MF3MS8 Because you might enjoy it... STAR BRIDGE by JAMES GUNN AND JACK WILLIAMSON James Gunn and Jack Williamson's celebrated classic space opera https://reanimus.com/store/?item=1635 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Pieces up for critique in other workshops... In the lit workshop - https://critique.org/lit : L The Conqueror's Tongue Julia nolan -#31453 In the nonfiction workshop - https://critique.org/nonfiction : NP I *Experience*, Therefore I Am Robin niCathain -#30061 In the script workshop - https://critique.org/script : SC Cupidity Kathleen C -#31276 In the kids workshop - https://critique.org/kids : YA Marionnette KibÅ Kurayami -#31472 In the comics workshop - https://critique.org/comics : CG Magna. logline/ synopsis Brent Claridge -#28885 In the western workshop - https://critique.org/western : W Currently Untitled Aleksandr Vincente Hoang -#30472 In the romance workshop - https://critique.org/romance : R For Her Honor Chapters 1-5 Morgan Stevens -#31119 In the video workshop - https://critique.org/video : VS The Gallery of Henri Beauchamp Jay DeTalente -#21424 In the music workshop - https://critique.org/music : MP The Shade Riders and Nocturnal Ned song Beth Zurkowski -#21675 In the photo workshop - https://critique.org/photo : PH Tea and Gossip Sandy Kulhavy -#30875 In the art workshop - https://critique.org/art : AH Art Man, a portrait Robert J Cleary -#27847 In the website workshop - https://critique.org/website : WW Franklin's Palindromedary Ray N. Franklin -#29498 In the critters workshop - https://critique.org/critters : SF Mark of the Predator, Chapters 19 & 20 [mpc] Brian Sellnow -#31512 F A Pair of Short-Shorts and a Brace of Weenies - A Flash Collection Russell Adams -#31513 F The Gods Need Nukes Chapter 02 Robert Harpold -#31514 SF The Agentic Necklace F.B. Hughes -#31515 H Breathless J. Gale Bloom -#31516 H Gift of the Swamp, Chapters 1-3 Eli Cepeda -#31517 SF Excerpts from an Engineering Prayerbook Kate Kelley -#31518 H Miles End Jess Taylor -#31519 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- You might also like... THE ALTERED EGO by JERRY SOHL Why would anyone murder a man marked for full body and brain restoration? https://reanimus.com/store/?item=1360 Standard notes: HELP: If you need help with anything, see https://www.critters.org/help -- there are FAQs and a form to ask questions. HELPING CRITTERS: Critters is donation funded & volunteer run, so if you'd like to help out with our current fund drive or otherwise, please visit https://www.critters.org/donate.php -- Thanks!! HOW TO SEND CRITIQUES: Remember to send the critiques directly to me, critters@critique.org, so I can forward them to the authors _and_ give you credit for your effort. Please send only one critique per mail message (makes it easier to archive). Please make sure the "#" symbol and manuscript number are in the email Subject: line, like Subject: #1234. (Conversely, if you want ol' Aburt to personally read the message, i.e., it's _not_ a critique, don't put a "#" in the subject or I won't see it. Also -- put my current anti-spam code word in there: see https://www.critters.org/antispam.ht .) You may also send your critiques via https://www.critters.org/webcrit.ht . Note that all critiques will be available to everyone to read the next Saturday. DIPLOMACY: Remember, authors and critiquers, we're all friends here. Be polite. Be considerate. Be tactful. You can say you thought a story was drivel in a courteous way. Try to point out the good and the bad; offer alternatives if you can. Never, ever, attack the author -- only the story. Authors: Remember that some reviewers may lack tact. Try to be understanding, but if you get any that you feel are just plain mean-spirited, too short to be of any use, or too "feel good," let me know and I'll withhold the reviewer's "credit" for that story and/or cajole them into something more insightful. See https://www.critters.org/diplomacy.ht for more... CRITIQUE LENGTH: If you want to send a short critique that you know is too short for credit (200 words or less of your own meaningful content) please put "NC#" in the Subject (NC=No Credit, like Subject: NC#1234) -and- say something like "not for credit" inside your critique. (Remember also that for MPC purposes, a critique must be 300 words or more.) CHATTING: Comments -other- than critiques (such as discussion of the critiques, or Woohoo! announcements, or chit chat) should be posted to one of the official Critters discussion forums (See the https://www.critters.org/newsgroups.ht web page for full info, guidelines, etc.) Don't post stories or critiques (mail those to critters@critique.org). QUOTING: Please pare the ms. down if critiquing in-line (don't quote the whole ms.!). Other format rules are at https://www.critters.org/format.ht . EVERYTHING'S ON THE WEB: Past reviews are on the web page. The current week's manuscripts are also there, as are prior mss. and even some rewrites. There's a Master Page Index (site map) with tons of links to common items. AUTHORS: Authors for this week -- if you aren't getting email'd critiques from me (as they come in) within a couple days -- ask me and we can verify I'm sending them to the correct address. (Send me a phone# in case I can't get email to you.) Check the format of your story ASAP to make sure it's all there and readable. EMAIL ISSUES: If you want to change your email address or preferences (# mss. emailed, SF/F/H type, or whether you get the huge critique batches at week's end), point your browser to https://www.critters.org/admin.ht . Please don't ask me to do this by hand, it's quite a chore! (E.g., if you're going on vacation and want to suspend mail from me -- do this before/after your trip.) BACKUP SITE: If you're unable to reach www.critters.org to get manuscripts, I've set up an emergency backup site at https://backup.critters.org where you can get the week's manuscripts (but not much of anything else :-). Speaking of backups -- don't forget to back up your own manuscripts so you don't lose them! QUITTING: If you want to quit or go inactive, drop by https://www.critters.org/admin.ht . DONATIONS: Critters is funded by donations, so visit https://www.critters.org/donate.php if you'd like to help out. Because you might enjoy it... HOW TO IMPROVE YOUR SPECULATIVE FICTION OPENINGS by ROBERT QUALKINBUSH The secret that separates the pros from the newbie https://reanimus.com/store/?item=1184 -- You received this email message because you signed up for the Critters Writers Workshop. If you want to stop getting these emails, please visit https://www.critters.org/email.ht .