Two of my Nebula award nominees: "Paper Menagerie" by Ken Liu and "I Kill Monsters" by Nathaniel Lee

I don't do reviews for a variety of reasons. Mainly, I don't enjoy overthinking why I liked something (or didn't), then trying to explain it to someone else. People like different stuff, so why should they give a shit what I think? I also think BELIEVING someone should give a shit about what I like (or don't) is kind of pretentious. I know plenty of people who write detailed, thoughtful reviews, and that's fine. Whatever floats their boat. But that ain't me.

However, this year is the first year I'm eligible to nominate works for a Nebula award, so I'm tossing this blog post out anyway (so yes, I'm a hypocritical dick). First a caveat: I haven't completed all my Nebula reading yet, so my two recommendations below are by no means the only pieces I intend to nominate. And if you're eligible for the award, feel free to email me your best piece. Getting to nominate stuff (and letting people know you're doing it) is awesome. I've received so MANY amazing pieces of writing. My story, "Floaters," is the story I've been tossing around for consideration (appearing in Digital Sci Fi's Heir Apparent anthology).

Now to the awesome! (direct links to both stories provided below)

I will nominate Ken Liu's, "Paper Menagerie." There's pretty much nothing that Ken writes that I don't like, but this one moved me more than any of his other pieces. 

I will also nominate Nathaniel Lee's, "I Kill Monsters."  One of the criteria I consider when I decide if a story is "good" is whether or not I'd want to read it again. Nathaniel's story is full of fist pumping awesomeness, so you're damn right I'd read it again.  In fact, if you want a roller coaster ride of emotion, read/listen to these stories over and over, back to back.

Yeah, you're welcome.

RLR

Heir Apparent now on Kindle w/ stories from me, Eric James Stone, and...

Digital Science Fiction's 4th anthology, Heir Apparent is now available on Kindle. It includes my story, "Floaters," "A Lincoln in Time," by Eric James Stone, and...

• Father-Daughter Outing – Martin L. Shoemaker
• Ghostbook – Paul Cook
• Hooked – Cassandra Rose Clarke
• In the Arms of Lachiga – Alex J. Kane
• My Silent Slayer – Ed Greenwood
• Persistence of Memory – Brandon Nolta
• Philosophy – Ronald D. Ferguson
• To Titan on the Daily – George Walker

I'm really excited to be included in an anthology with these other great writers.  From what I understand, the anthology will also be available in print in the near future.

It's coming! Digital Science Fiction's 4th anthology! w/me!

Digital Science Fiction's 4th anthology is coming soon!

http://digitalsciencefiction.com/digital-science-fiction-anthology-4-story-author-list/

I'm really excited to be included in an anthology with these other AWESOME writers.  My story, "Floaters," is a story I started writing TWENTY years ago (damn, I'm old) and didn't take up again until little over a year ago. I'll probably talk about it a little more once the anthology goes live.

RLR

"Floaters" finds a home at Digital Science Fiction

I just received word from the editors at Digital Science Fiction that they'd like to publish my story, "Floaters."  "Floaters" was the story I received an honorable mention for in the Writer's of the Future Contest (2nd Q, 2011).  I'm breathing a bit hard from doing my happy dance.  This is my second "pro" rate publication.  DSF (not to be confused with Daily Science Fiction) publishes a series of e-anthologies which they later offer in print (so it will also be my second time in print, eventually).

RLR

"Floaters" receives an Honorable Mention, Writers of the Future Contest (2nd Quarter, 2011)

I just received an email saying my story, "Floaters," received an honorable mention in the Writers of the Future Contest (2nd Quarter, 2011).  While this means the story isn't getting published (yet), this is pretty prestigious as rejections go (and gives me something nice to add to my cover letter when I fire the story out again).

And this is what's going to drive me nuts:  Immediately after sending it out to the contest, I redid the ending and cut a few hundred words, slimming the story down (this is a pretty clear sign I should have held off).  I don't know if the new and improved version would have earned me more than an honorable mention (which I'm still fairly pleased about).  Serves me right for my impatience.

With any luck, I'll be ineligible for the contest soon.  You're only considered a "new" writer if you have fewer than three pro/semi-pro level publications, and I already have two (or one, depending on how many copies of Loco-Thology get printed), and I'm waiting to hear about a third story.

RLR