RIP — Realms of Fantasy, III
SF Scope reports that Realms of Fantasy, which was previously purchased from Warren Lapine by the people behind Damnation Books (Lapine had purchased it from the original owners), is once more closing its doors. Citing financial problems, the current owners said During our time with the magazine we picked up without missing a single issue and were lucky enough to produce the 100th issue. We were able to introduce poetry and bring back the table top gaming column. We have been truly amazed at the positive feedback on the issues we have produced from all of the fans. This is what makes this decision so painful for us. As we were considering closing the magazine we thought it was important for the October 2011 issue to be released in print for the fans. We did this knowing there would not be a return on the investment, but did it simply because we felt it was right. This does mean the October 2011 issue will be the last issue. The issue did go to newsstands and we have copies for those who are not active subscribers. Realms of Fantasy will be available for sale from the current owners, who can be reached here: support [at] rofmag [dot] com. Other inquiries can be sent to the same address. Editors Shawna McCarthy and Douglas Cohen have posted their fairwells here and here. Needless to say, I’m quite sad about this. I was excited when they announced they would open to electronic submissions in the near future, since it would make RoF top on my list for my fantasy work. But now we’re one major market short in the short story world, which makes writing short stories with reckless abandon. Something tells me that the future of the short story isn’t looking very good. There’ll be plenty of places to submit to, of course, but the value of the short story in the SF/F field may fall to the wayside. Then again, I may be a little pessimistic. What do you all make of the announcement?
Monthly Movie Madness #4 — October 2011
http://media.blubrry.com/skiffyandfanty/dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/www.archive.org/download/TheSkiffyAndFantyShow–MonthlyMovieMadness4–October2011/Sandf–MonthlyMovieMadnes4–October2011.mp3Podcast: Play in new window | DownloadSubscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Android | iHeartRadio | Podchaser | Podcast Index | Email | TuneIn | Deezer | RSSAh, Halloween. That means scary movies, right? Sorta… This month’s MMM feature looks at all of the genre-related movies hitting theaters in the month of October, some of which are bound to be terrible horror movies not worth seeing… Tune in and enjoy Here’s the episode: MMM #4 — Download (MP3) The Movies: Real Steel The Thing The Skin I Live In Paranormal Activity 3 The Three Musketeers In Time The big question: which movies do you want to see and which would you rather throw in the dumpster?
Tobias S. Buckell Hits Kickstarter with New Xenowealth Novel
Caribbean-born Tobias S. Buckell hasn’t published a new book in his Xenowealth saga since 2008. Fans of Crystal Rain, Ragamuffin, and Sly Mongoose have been hoping for another book in the series, particularly since Sly Mongoose ended with a huge plot shift that opened up Buckell’s “universe” to an infinite number of new stories. But publishing is a wicked beast, and things don’t always go as planned. That is until Kickstarter showed up and started changing the game for writers. Buckell has taken the next installment of the Xenowealth saga to the indie funding/incentive platform and is calling on fans to help him reach his $10,000 goal: One of the most frequent questions I get is this: ‘When will you write a sequel to Crystal Rain/Ragamuffin/Sly Mongoose?’ The truth is, I have most of the outline for the fourth book already written, as well as a chunk of the opening already done. And I think it would be great to see it fully written. Using Kickstarter, it seems to me that we can put together a very cool project. One where I can present readers of this existing series with a sequel, while allowing everyone to basically pre-order the novel. If enough people commit to backing it, readers will get an awesome eBook (I create eBooks for freelance income on the side), or a great hardcover (with the help of a great designer), with even cooler rewards for those who want to read the book as it is being written or who want to leave their mark on the Xenowealth universe. The Xenowealth novels have always been fairly unique with their diaspora characters in the future, bringing a range of diversity to straight up adventure novels, with bits and pieces of Caribbean inspiration folded in for good measure. Allowing readers to pre-purchase the next Xenowealth adventure is an exciting prospect, and I hope that many of the dedicated readers of the first three books are as as excited as I am about a chance to come back to these worlds and characters. If we can raise $10,000, upon completion of the novel (I will start writing it January 1st at the latest, and will finish in June), backers receive their rewards (those backing the project for above $250 get to read along live, however) once the book is finished and turned into an eBook and limited edition hardcover. The project has to meet its minimum funding goal by the 19th of October (by 2:56 PM EDT). And what’s in it for readers? Depending on how much you give, you can receive ebook or hardcover copies of the finished product, have a character or spaceship named after you, or even have a short story set in the universe written specifically for you. There are also incentives to publicize the hell out of the project. Buckell has set a series of goals above $10,000 that, if reached, will result in lots of cool extras for everyone who donates (artwork, etc.). But the main goal is that $10,000. So the question is: are you going to donate? Because I am…as soon as I get my next paycheck. ——————————– P.S.: You can check out our interview with Tobias S. Buckell here.
Eric Brown to Head Abaddon's Weird Space Series
Abaddon Books has announced a new shared-world space opera series called Weird Space. The series is set to begin in Summer 2012 with Eric Brown’s The Devil’s Nebula as the opening installment. Here’s the synopsis for the series and Brown’s introductory novel: Starship Captain Ed Carew and his crew of two – ex-marine Lania Takiomar and ex-convict Gord Neffard – lead a carefree life of smuggling, gun-running and other illicit pursuits in a far future ruled by the fascistic Expansion Authority. But when an Expansion judiciary ship captures Carew and his crew leaving the planet of Hesperides, an out-of-bounds world governed now by the fearsome Vetch extraterrestrials, Carew, Takiomar and Neffard are sentenced to death… Unless they agree to travel through Vetch territory in pursuit of an human colony vessel which set off for the Devil’s Nebula one hundred years ago. But why are the Expansion authorities so eager to track down the ship, will Carew and co. survive the journey through Vetch territory – and what might they find when they arrive at the Devil’s Nebula? The Devil’s Nebula is the first book in a thrilling space opera series, Weird Space. An evil race is threatening not only the human Expansion, but the Vetch Empire, too – an evil from another dimension which infests humans and Vetch alike and bends individuals to do their hideous bidding. And only if humans and Vetch cooperate to fight off the fearsome Weird do they stand a chance of ensuring their survival… Sounds interesting, no? And the cover is bloody gorgeous! Good on Abaddon for taking a shot at space opera!
Terry Pratchett Has Begun the Doctor-Assisted Suicide Process in Switzerland
Take this news how you will. Pratchett has been a fervent defender of doctor-assisted suicide in the last year or two, spearheaded, we can assume, by his diagnosis with Alzheimer’s. The Guardian reports that Pratchett received the forms from Dignitas, a clinic in Switzerland: Pratchett, whose BBC2 film about the subject of assisted suicide is to be shown on BBC2 tomorrow, revealed he had been sent the consent forms requesting a suicide by the clinic and planned to sign them imminently. “The only thing stopping me [signing them] is that I have made this film and I have a bloody book to finish,” he said during a question-and-answer session following a screening at the Sheffield documentary festival Doc/Fest. I can’t speak for everyone who has been on this show, but I’m sure we all wish Pratchett the best, whether he goes through the process or not. Let’s hope that no more fantasy icons have to experience the same similar things and that a cure is found (sooner rather than later).
Episode 44 — The Newsies, Atlantis, and Gender Problems
http://media.blubrry.com/skiffyandfanty/dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/www.archive.org/download/TheSkiffyAndFantyShow3.2–TheNewsiesAtlantisAndGenderProblems/Sandf–Episode3.2–TheNewsiesAtlantisAndGenderProblems.mp3Podcast: Play in new window | DownloadSubscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Android | iHeartRadio | Podchaser | Podcast Index | Email | TuneIn | Deezer | RSSWe’re back with a heavy hitter. This week we talk about upcoming movies, the discovery of Atlantis, some stupid universities and their anti-library nonsense, and the recently released review/gender statistics from Strange Horizons. Feel free to shoot us an email at skiffyandfanty [at] gmail [dot] com, leave a comment, or follow us on Twitter. We hope you enjoy the episode! Note: If you have iTunes and like this show, please give us a review on our iTunes page, or feel free to email us with your thoughts about the show! Here’s the episode (show notes are below): Episode 44 — Download (MP3) Intro and News (0:00 – 36:10): Alcon Entertainment is Acquiring the Rights to Blade Runner (Somewhere Philip K. Dick’s alternate personality is talking to itself.) The University of New South Wales is Killing Their Libraries (Books rise up and finally start the revolution.) Archaeologies Claime to Have Found Atlantis in Spain (Weirdos from Arkansas say the same about aliens…) Bioware Tells Straight Male Gamer to “Get Over It” (Everyone but the angry straight guy has a good laugh. The extended cut can be found here.) Paolini’s Final Book is Coming Soon! (Haters everywhere collapse into comas) Anarchy Books Opens For Business (Andy Remic takes a swig from the Awesome Sauce bottle) Strange Horizons and the Gender Count (36:11 – 53:44): The Gender Count Check it out! Shaun’s first blurb! Our new intro music is “Time Flux” by Revolution Void (CC BY 3.0). That’s all, folks! Thanks for listening. See you next week.
