2009 in short fiction

Well, I didn't have any super duper pubs this year, but without much effort had eight stories scattered around the place, to wit:

"Acroscaphe" (with Ed Morris) - Planetary Stories - January 2009

"The Silver Dollar Saucer" - Ray Gun Revival - January 2009

"Professor Malakoff's Amazing Ethereal Telegraph" - Science Fiction Trails No. 4 - March 2009

"Good News for the Dead" - M-Brane SF April 2009

"Airy Chick" - Alienskin magazine, June 2009

"Stairway to Heaven" (with Ed Morris) Encounters Nov. 2009

"Smoke Gets In Your Eyes", The Fifth Dimension, Dec. 2009

"Twilight on the Finger Lakes", Bewildering Stories, Dec. 2009

"Professor Malakoff" in Science Fiction Trails certainly got the best reviews.
Quoting Aaron Bradford Starr in Tangent On-line:

"Lou Antonelli’s story, “Professor Malakoff’s Amazing Ethereal Telegraph,” spends its opening building a single coherent setting, carefully working into the narrative both the political preoccupation of post-Civil War Reconstruction, and the growing public awareness of the advances of science. Mr. Antonelli is careful to explain scientific particulars to the reader only when his character, the rather dubiously-named Dr. Eustace K. Malakoff, can find a willing audience.

"And the details of Dr. Malakoff’s “ethereal telegraph” are very interestingly presented, making the so-called Professor less than a complete charlatan, but just enough of a trickster to intrigue. His ability to pull telegraph messages “from the ether,” as he claims, using just the power of his mind, is debunked for the reader before we ever see his show, and yet the potential for plot twists makes the story rumble forward unstoppably. Lou Antonelli has crafted a first-rate piece of historical science-fiction here, where the historical elements and scientific detail dovetail to make a strong, believable whole."

The latest

Not much to report - no new publications, acceptances or rejections. I'm especially busy because of the combination of work and guests, but things are going well.

Latest story

Bewildering Stories No. 365 will be going live tomorrow - Monday - and it features the first part of my story "Twilight on the Finger Lakes".

I got the idea from considering the fact that both O. Henry and Rod Serling died at 50 and both came from New York. What would have happened in an elderly O. Henry had been there to mentor Serling?

Of course, in tribute to both men, I had to set up a twist ending.

Go read. Hope you like it.

News from nowhere

Famed sci-fi author changes up name to make point
COLUMBUS, OHIO (The DisAssociated Press) - In the wake of a protracted public debate over the need for science fiction authors to be paid fairly for their writing, a world-famous author has said he is changing the orthography of his name to make a public point.

From now on, the best-selling author would like his name spelled John $¢a£zi, utilizing monetary symbols...

Black moods and Black Matrix

When I first read John Scalzi's abuse of Black Matrix Publishing earlier this week, the first thing I thought was "Wife must have made him sleep on the couch."

Over the years, I have seen time and time again that when someone blows up at someone else without a reasonable provocation, they're just in a piss-poor mood because of something or someone else that they can't attack directly.

There must be something bothering the guy. There's a certain entertainment value to these kind of blow ups.

Many years ago, when I was in college, I knew a young man who thought I was a loopy, misguided young man because I believed in God and America. He was fascinated that someone who was otherwise intelligent could believe in such superstition.

I was in the unusual position years later of working at the university I attended after my class graduated. One day that fellow came by, escorted by another former student.

He greeted me because I was the only former student from when he was in school. His demeanor was shy and not at all arrogant or dismissive.

I was rather surprised he even wanted to speak to me. As we talked, I was struck by the way the other former student acted.

After a bit, the truth came out - the second former student was escorting the first fellow around campus because he had a nervous breakdown and completely lost his mind. The visit was an attempt to help him recover - taking him to former haunts.

The mocking, self-assured all-knowing guy had suffered a total crackup. Like Icarus, he had flown too close to the sun, and crashed. Little old stupid Lou Antonelli was the same old working grunt, not trendy, smart or handsome. But I was OK.

As the second guy led the first guy off by the hand, I think I got an inkling of what hubris is - I guess.

Them's my thoughts for tonight.

Thoughts on Atomjack

I liked Atomjack, it was a neat little 'zine and published a lot of good fiction. I'll miss it. My story "The Amerikaan Way" was published in Issue Six, back in March 2007.

Aw, heck

Got an email from Adicus Garton at Atomjack. He said "Custodes" was next on his list to buy, but he's decided to close the 'zine.