Giving credit where credit is due

Apropos my Armadillocon schedule, I have to say I'm extraordinarily impressed with the programming — or at least how good they have been to me. After coming up with the original schedule, I had to tell them that because of changes in my work situation I can't attend Friday (I don't have any paid vacation time right now as a result of a change of ownership in the business where work).

They adjusted the schedule so that I have everything on Saturday and Sunday, and in place of one panel that is they couldn't replace they gave me an autographing – which is probably better for me.

One panel that I would have deeply missed was the one on SASS Friday evening, since I was one of the organizers of the writing group. But the programmers moved the panel to Saturday, so I will be able to participate!

I have to say I'm very impressed with their consideration.

LonCon, DetCon off

The newspaper where I work changed owners Wednesday; by Thursday I was told the new owners will not recognize accrued vacation time. It's up to the old owners to pay it out - if they can, I suppose. That's ten days I may or may not get paid for. Plus, as of my anniversary date with the company - July 31st - I would have gotten my two weeks again, but the new owners consider everyone a new hire, and no one will get vacation until June 11, 2015. So I've gone from two weeks annual paid vacation to none until a year from now, and then I get one week.

With no paid vacation time now, I notified both the folks in London and Detroit my participation is off. I still plan to go to SoonerCon, ArmadilloCon and Fencon - at the worst, I may only participate on Saturday and Sunday.

News from nowhere

The latest issue of the ezine The Creatives has a story about me by Todd Glasscock. I don't have a link yet - apparently it's been published on Apple Newstand (whatever that is), but here I've cut and pasted the text:

Author invites readers to strange new worlds, alternate histories
By Todd Glasscock
The Creatives

Lou Antonelli lives in at least two different worlds. He spends most of his time in the real world as managing editor of The Mount Pleasant Daily Tribune. In that world, Antonelli presents the “first rough draft of history,” as the old journalism adage says, of the lives and events of an East Texas town. That draft might tell you about the accomplishments of a local elementary school's students or about the local police captain leaving for a new job.

Antonelli also lives in the science-fictional world--or worlds--of his imagination. These worlds may present the first draft of the future or of an alternate history--of what could be or what could have been.

Antonelli's latest story collection, "A Clock Struck None," takes readers into worlds where magic exists in a modern setting and Kodak kiosks or airships appear from, well, elsewhere, or perhaps nowhere.

"Each of the stories are alternate history, which is news from nowhere," Antonelli says.

"A Clock Struck None" ($14.99, Fantastic Books, 274 pages) debuted Feb. 14, 2014. The collection features 28 previously published stories, including 2013 Sidewise Award finalist "Great White Ship." The Sidewise Awards honor the best alternate history stories.

His previous short story collections are "Fantastic Texas" and "Texas & Other Planets," each containing a selection of his more than 80 previously published short stories. Many of these stories are set in alternate versions of his adopted state, Texas.

Originally from Medford, Mass., Antonelli came to Texas in 1985 from New York, where he had been studying history at Columbia University. While set all over, the stories in "A Clock Struck None" have a consistent theme: What could have been?

The story "Double Exposure," for instance, is about a distraught man whose life changes when a Kodak film kiosk appears in a parking lot. The kiosk happens to have photos from the man's 1976 high school senior class picnic and can't close "until all the photos are picked up.”

Carefully crafted, well-told stories, along with a prolific output have kept Antonelli in the minds of readers and peers alike. His stories frequently get honorable mentions and placement in anthologies, and he was recently entered into the Encyclopedia of Science Fiction, an online compendium devoted to the genre and to those who have significantly influenced its development.

"In a spare, swift, convincing narrative style," science-fiction author John Clute writes in the entry, "Antonelli juxtaposes realities with very considerable skill, creating a variety of alternate worlds ... and making some sharp points about American history, race relations, dreams, and occasional nightmares in which the 20th century goes wrong."

Antonelli felt honored to be included in the encyclopedia. "John Clute gives a really good analysis. It’s not superficial; it shows he's familiar with my work."

Antonelli began writing science fiction in 2002 at age 45. "I had always read it," he says. "I had always wanted to write fiction but had never gotten around to it." As he recounts in the introduction to "Fantastic Texas," he took the plunge into fiction on a scorching August day with the air conditioning out, knowing that if he didn't start then he would never do it. He wrote and submitted a story to an online critique group, received some positive comments, and decided he might "have a shot at being an s-f and fantasy writer."

From that moment, he began writing and submitting stories regularly, and in June 2003, the Austin-based webzine Revolution SF published his story "Silvern." The title comes from his habit of carrying silver dollars in his pocket.

Jayme Blaschke, the magazine's fiction editor then, accepted the story because it was evident Antonelli had surpassed the novice stage as a writer. "Silvern" showed Antonelli understood that short stories became galvanized by two or more ideas resonating and playing off each other.

"I believe Lou instinctively grasped this concept, as every story he submitted to me boasted a confluence of concepts," Blaschke says. "New writers don't normally have such a sophisticated grasp of narrative structure." Blaschke also recognized that stylistically Antonelli's writing was polished and concise, a style Antonelli had developed as a journalist. "Not all journalists can make the transition to fiction, and vice versa. That Lou was able to do so, and make it look effortless in the process, impressed me."

Since Revolution SF took "Silvern," Antonelli began publishing regularly, but his breakout came in March 2004 when Gardner Dozois at Asimov's Science Fiction accepted his story "A Rocket for the Republic.” This was his first professional sale and he feels lucky about this break. It was one of the last stories Dozois accepted before retiring as Asimov's fiction editor.

In a curious twist reminiscent of his stories, Antonelli's career as a science-fiction writer blasted off because of a news item printed in the paper he was working for in 2003. "I was working at the paper in Malakoff (Texas) when ConDFW sent a news release,” he says. "I didn't know science-fiction conventions existed.”

He published the release in the paper and then attended the convention, held each February. He attended a panel of writing, and towards the end he asked “Am I too old to start?' and Jayme said, 'no.'" And so he submitted "Silvern."

Antonelli believes science-fiction conventions like ConDFW are good for beginning writers to attend because you get a chance to learn from experienced writers—not only what to do, but what not to do. "It's a great way to educate yourself."

At the conventions there are plenty of people to learn from, not only writers but also fans of the genre. He usually attends FenCon and ConDFW, both in Dallas, and the Armadillo Con in Austin. He moderated several panels at this year's ConDFW, held Feb. 21-23 in Dallas.

Antonelli has consistently published short fiction in paying markets, as well as anthologies. He also has been working on a book tentatively titled "Letters to Gardner" that uses his correspondence with Dozois as a source on writing fiction.

And while he continues to write short fiction, his next giant leap may be the one most writers aspire to—a novel. "I'm getting to the point where I feel I have time to write a novel."

As a science-fiction writer, he can only extrapolate what the future holds, but he has worlds and stories in mind, and perhaps a whole universe ready to expand.

More on "The Stinky Men"

A rare sight

Got an email from Bill Crider yesterday. He writes:

"I read "The Stinky Men" yesterday and got a kick out of it. Anybody who can write a story in a con dealers' room has my admiration, especially a story that mentions alligators and Dr Pepper. Thanks for sending it along."

 This is the story I wrote in the dealers' room at ArmadilloCon in 2011, using my Smith Corona Classic 12 portable typewriter.

 Bill at the time wrote: "We're back from Armadillocon, where we had a great time and saw a lot of friends. We also saw a rare sight, a science-fiction author banging out a short story in the dealers' room. On a typewriter. That's Lou Antonelli clicking the keys of his Smith-Corona, and he's composing a story titled "The Stinky Men." It if turns up somewhere, I'll let you know."

"Kindermarchen"

Howard and I at ArmadilloCon in 2010.

With the World Science Fiction Convention being held in San Antonio next year - LoneStarCon 3 -  there will also be an anthology issued in conjunction with it, called "Rayguns Over Texas". The deadline for submissions was Dec. 1st. I sent in a story, but I doubt I'll be included; my s-f is too old-fashioned for current tastes - i.e. I don't always make the white male hetero Christian the villain, the future dystopian and America the Evil Empire. I know a lot of s-f writers don't like me because I am so non-PC; I really don't care, I got a day job. anyway. For me, it's just meant to be fun.

One of the few authors who's always been nice to me is Howard Waldrop - Howard is a nice guy in general. After I wrote the story I sent to the anthology, I called Howard last week to get caught up. Howard had a big and arduous move to a new apartment as of Nov. 1st. and I was unhappy to hear that didn't send anything in for the anthology- he said he was too busy with the move.

Afterwards I had an idea. I felt bad that Howard might not be included in an anthology that highlights Texas authors - he's the real deal.

Back in 2007, when I published original fiction on my Sentinel Science Fiction blog, I bought and published a story Howard wrote called "Kindermarchen", which was done for Conestoga in Tulsa in 2006. I remember his reading it, and in 2007 when I was doing Sentinel S-F, I asked Howard it if had ever been published.

It hadn't, and so I did. I called Howard back last Sunday and asked if it had ever been published anywhere else. He said it hadn't.

Sentinel S-F went away in the fall of 2007; I fell behind in my hosting payments because of the expenses related to my move when I took my current job. So it hasn't been available on-line for over five years. Therefore it has a very minor publication history.

I went digging through a pile of manuscripts and at the very bottom I found "Kindermarchen". I scanned it through OCR software, made it into a Word file, and asked Howard if I could submit it. He said sure, and I also asked the anthology editor, and he said to send it along.

So that's my good deed for the week. I think any overview of Texas S-F should include something from Howard. I hope he gets in. Anyway, it was the best shot I had for him. I called him this afternoon and told him I had sent the story off, and he was thankful.