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Ahoy, Critterfolk!
New entry Jun 06
Critter Notices
Critters is 25!
Last November, Critters turned 25 years old! Wow! Thanks so much to all of you, who've made it such a resounding success!
Books from Critters!
Check out Books by Critters for books by your fellow Critterfolk, as well as my list of recommended books for writers.
New Book from a Critter Member
**NOW IN
PRINT EDITION
TOO!** Awesome new book,
HOW TO IMPROVE YOUR SPECULATIVE FICTION OPENINGS,
from a Critter member who's unearthed a shard of The Secret
to becoming a pro writer. Really good piece of work.
"...if you're at all concerned about story openings, you'd be nuts not to read what Qualkinbush has to say." —Wil McCarthy, author of BLOOM and THE COLLAPSIUM
The Sigil Trilogy
If you're looking for an amazing, WOW! science fiction story, check out THE SIGIL TRILOGY. This is — literally — one of the best science fiction novels I've ever read.
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 31-May-2023...
For the benefit of the Critters Fund Drive, this week we have...
THREE NOVELS by (SFWA Founder and Grandmaster) Damon Knight - $3.99
ReAnimus Press Store: www.ReAnimus.com/1685
Amazon: www.amazon.com/dp/B08SJGRCG9/?tag=critters3a-20
(available in ebook + paperback)
An excellent collection of SFWA Grandmaster Damon Knight's always-excellent stories--three short novels in this case:
Rule Golden--what if the Golden Rule were enforced in reverse by some force--the bad things you do to others are done to you?
Natural State--are cities doomed by genetic engineering?
The Dying Man--what would it be like to be immortal... then suddenly find out you'd become mortal?
(Note that Rule Golden and Other Stories includes these same three, plus two more.)
[Disclaimer: Ye Olde Critter Captain also runs ReAnimus Press, sales from which help him keep Critters going as a free site.]
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Thanks for the donations, folks! We are 65.8% of the way to the fund drive goal with contributions from 94 donors, leaving about $1700 to go.
(No donations this past week, sad minion face.) :[
[See http://www.critters.org/donate.php for more information.]
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Woohoo! Congratulations to...
- Renan Bernardo, whose short story, "Eight Steps to Steal a
Yacht and Build a Hospital" is now out in the current issue of
Solarpunk Magazine #8. {It has also been optioned to be developed
into a screenplay!}
- James Hyde, who reports "I made it to the top ten in the
Open Contract Challenge writer's competition.". {I'm crossing
my fingers to make it to the top five in the semi-finals this
year. I'd like to go all the way. I want to get my novel critiqued
by Critters members and am working on raising my ratio so I can.}
Please report your Woohoo!s via the www.critters.org/telldaworld.ht web page.
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This week's Most Productive Critter award, for 2 critiques (at time
of judging), averaging almost 3200 words each, goes to...
Russell Adams
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.)
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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
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Critters Workshop
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This week we have... [get from https://www.critters.org/private/mss.php ]...
Title Author
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Week of 31-May-2023 (Crits due 7-Jun-2023):
F The Wizards from Beyond: Chapter 26 Eric Wilson -#31051
SF Song of the Kantari, Chapter 26 Brian Sellnow -#31052
F Bullet for Essata Morgan Nelson -#31053
F Soul Slayer, Chapters 1-3 Vidit Mahajan -#31054
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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... KINGDOMS OF THE WALL by ROBERT SILVERBERG
Not all is at it seems on pilgrimages up the gigantic mountain called The Wall
https://reanimus.com/store/?item=1621
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Pieces up for critique in other workshops...
In the lit workshop - https://critique.org/lit :
L A C L Jose Casillas -#30811
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 Should I Stay Ellis Clay -#30600
In the kids workshop - https://critique.org/kids :
YA A Tale of Kinderhaus, Chapter 1 Doug Stang -#30946
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 Faith, Love, and Obsession Chapters 8-9 Angie Mitchell -#30730
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 :
F The Wizards from Beyond: Chapter 26 Eric Wilson -#31051
SF Song of the Kantari, Chapter 26 Brian Sellnow -#31052
F Bullet for Essata Morgan Nelson -#31053
F Soul Slayer, Chapters 1-3 Vidit Mahajan -#31054
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You might also like... CREATING SHORT FICTION by DAMON KNIGHT
The classic guide to writing short fiction - Revised & Expanded 3rd ed.
https://reanimus.com/store/?item=1548
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... STAR BRIDGE by JAMES GUNN AND JACK WILLIAMSON
James Gunn and Jack Williamson's celebrated classic space opera
https://reanimus.com/store/?item=1635
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