World in the Satin Bag

Website Found: Worlds Without End

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It’s called Worlds Without End. What is it?A website featuring most anything an SF/F literature nut can want. It has:–A section about the top books in SF/F at any given moment, revolving around books that have won or been nominated for major awards and featured novels.–A section about authors, which lists nominations and wins, has featured authors, and loads of information about the folks that keep our imaginations soaring.–A section about publishers, which is basically like the books section, just about publishers instead.–A forum.–A store, featuring products for Worlds Without End.–An extensive resources sections, which lists magazines, conventions, and just about anything else you can imagine in relation to SF/F literature. Why is it cool?Because it is a remarkably well put-together website with a lot of valuable information for fans of SF/F literature. The owners have certainly put a lot of work into making it look professional and easy to navigate. Plus, it’s nice to know one of my favorite authors is pretty high up on the list of great authors. So, check this site out!(Don’t click the read more, there isn’t any more after this!)

World in the Satin Bag

Poul Anderson: One of the Greats

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If you’ve never read Poul Anderson, you’re missing out. I recently came across this article that profiles his work (discovered here).I’ve been a fan of Poul Anderson’s work for a long and have set out to collect all his printed works (I have most of them actually). His writing has always been inspiring to me. I first read “Call Me Joe” by him many years ago and it was the spark that got me into science fiction in the first place. It was a strange story, and I think that’s what made me so intrigued: it had that sense of wonder and amazement.Shortly after that I started buying up old SF titles and even spend quite a few bucks one christmas building up a collection of Analog SF backissues (from way back when, actually; I currently have two big boxes full of these things and they’re wonderful). I’m not as well read as most SF nuts (I’ve yet to reaed all the classics), but if it hadn’t been for Poul Anderson I don’t think I would have ever started writing SF. Maybe I would have if I discovered some of the writers I admire today, but that’s shaky at best. Poul Anderson was the catalyst for my newfound obsession with SF. Granted, other writers preceded him and it was them that got me to eventually read Poul Anderson (Richard A. Knaak, actually, was my introduction to fantasy literature, with the exception of a little Tolkien and some classics I had read, and without Knaak I probably wouldn’t have jumped into fantasy as much as I did; Knaak is one of my favorite fantasy writers and I’m somewhat disheartened by the fact that he doesn’t write enough of his own stuff and spends most of his writing time on shared world things, which sucks, cause the Dragonrealm books were good).So, here’s to Poul Anderson, a gem among gems, if that makes any sense. And now I’ll bring it back to you:What one author got you to read science fiction or fantasy? Or, what author got you interested in reading at all, since some of us have only recently realized the wonders of reading?

World in the Satin Bag

Website Found: Uchronia

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It’s called Uchronia: The Alternate History List. What is it?A website featuring extensive information on works of alternate history.Includes:–Lists of novels, anthologies, reference texts, and series that are printed in English and other languages.–Extensive introduction page which talks about the genre of alternate history, among other things. Plus there is a forthcoming page that lists all the works coming up, obviously.–Also is the home of the Sidewise Awards, which are given to the best novel and short form pieces of the year. Why is it cool?If you’re looking for a new alternate history stuff, this is probably the best place to go. Plus, it has its own awards. That’s cool in my book. So check it out! (Don’t click the read more, there isn’t any more after this!)

World in the Satin Bag

New Features

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I’ve decided to add some new features to this blog and discuss a couple things you may have noticed.First, on the right there you’ll see some contributors. Those folks are people who have been most generous in offering their talents for blogging while I’m away in a couple weeks. I appreciate their help. If you’re interested in guest blogging for WISB, just let me know. Send me an email (you can find my email on the left there in the My Links section). As for new features: I’m going to occasionally put up a random link to a website I’ve found that might be of interest. There are two coming up. This will likely be irregular. If you have a neat site you’d like me to blog about, send me an email and I’ll check it out. Doesn’t have to be specfic related, it just has to be really interesting. No guarantees I’ll blog about your site, but it’s worth a shot.I’m also going to start doing something similar that I’ve been doing, but hasn’t been named anything yet. The website one is called “Website Found”, obviously, so the video one will now be called “Video Found”. Perhaps you have a good video you’d like me to see? Well, email me. So that’s that. Enjoy what’s coming up (there may be other things that I can’t think of, but for now that’s it). And I mean it, if you want to guest blog, email me.

World in the Satin Bag

Science Fiction Meme

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This meme apparently was on SF Signal at some point, but I found it here. Consider yourself tagged! Science Fiction, Fantasy or Horror?Science fiction and fantasy, rarely horror. It’s hard for me to choose. I love science fiction very much, but I also happen to enjoy fantasy quite a bit too. I’ve read some amazing fantasy novels in my life and I did start with fantasy when I started reading more, mostly because science fiction seems so difficult to me for a long while. Hardback or Trade Paperback or Mass Market Paperback?Mass market, but only because they’re smaller and I feel like I’ve accomplished more reading each sitting. Heinlein or Asimov?I’ve read little Heinlein, though I plan to read more. So, Asimov. Amazon or Brick and Mortar?Brick and Mortar. Amazon doesn’t give the same browsing experience. Barnes & Noble or Borders?Borders. They have a FREE rewards card, and there isn’t a B&N here. B&N tends to be more organized and has more discount books (and a better selection for discount stuff too), but their rewards card sucks. Hitchhiker or Discworld?Hitchhiker. Bookmark or Dogear?Bookmark. Dogearing books should be illegal. How would you like it if I dogeared our arm when I wanted to pause while examining you? Exactly. Magazine: Asimov’s Science Fiction or Fantasy & Science Fiction?F&SF, because I’ve never read Asimov’s. Alphabetize by author Alphabetize by title or random?Depends. On my “to read” shelf it’s random, but everything else is supposed to be alphabetical (it’s out of order right now, though). Keep, Throw Away or Sell?Keep if I like it enough that I’ll re-read it, or sell it if I don’t. Year’s Best Science Fiction series (edited by Gardner Dozois) or Years Best SF series (edited by David G. Hartwell)?No preference, to be honest. Keep dustjacket or toss it?It came with the book. It stays. Read with dustjacket or remove it?Leave it on most of the time (unless it’s easy to tear, in which case it is removed). Short story or novel?Both. I like shorts a little better because they are short, but novels tend to be deeper. Harry Potter or Lemony Snicket?Harry Potter. Never read Snicket and don’t really want to. The movie did nothing for me. Stop reading when tired or at chapter breaks?Depends. Either or. “It was a dark and stormy night” or “Once upon a time”?Once upon at time…both are horribly cliche, though. Buy or Borrow?Buy. I’ll borrow sometimes, but rarely. Buying choice: Book Reviews, Recommendation or Browse?A combination of all of them. I buy more books via browsing though. I rarely buy or ead anything that is shoved down my throat, though. So if you want me to read something, stop pestering me about it. Lewis or Tolkien?I like Lewis’ writing style better, but Tolkien does have the advantage of a thoroughly fascinating world. Hard SF or Space Opera?Both, and even more so when they are combined. I love merged genres. Collection (short stories by the same author) or Anthology (short stories by different authors)?Both. Hugo or Nebula?Doesn’t really matter. I buy a book because it sounds interesting, not because it won an award. Golden Age SF or New Wave SF?Both, duh. Tidy ending or Cliffhanger?Absolutely no cliffhangers unless there is a book that follows immediately after. Tidy endings can be a little annoying if they’re too tidy. Leave a couple things unanswered with certainty. Morning reading, Afternoon reading or Nighttime reading?I read whenever I have a moment to spare for reading. Standalone or Series?Both are great, although superb standalones beat a series any day. Urban fantasy or high fantasy?High fantasy unless the urban fantasy is something not involving vampires or werewolves. New or used?Both. Sometimes you have no choice but to get used. Favorite book of which nobody else has heard?The Steam Magnate by Dana Copithorne. It’s good. Read it. Now. Or else. Top X favorite genre books read last year? (Where X is 5 or less)In no particular order:The Steam Magnate by Dana CopithorneCrystal Rain by Tobias S. BuckellRagamuffin by Tobias S. BuckellSpin State by Chris MoriartyLeven Thumps and the Whispered Secret by Obert Skye Top X favorite genre books of all time? (Where X is 5 or less)I’ll be honest, these five are just going to be “top 5 favorites that I can think of right now”. My top 5 changes quote a lot, to be honest. A top five list for me is really rather pointless. This should be a top 100 or something.Peeps by Scott Westerfeld1984 by George OrwellSly Mongoose by Tobias S. BuckellEon by Greg BearOld Man’s War by John Scalzi X favorite genre series? (Where X is 5 or less)Tobias S. Buckell’s scifi series (not sure what you call it, but they’re all good)Karen Miller’s Innocent Mage/Awakened Mage series.Leven Thumps by Obert SkyeDiane Duane’s Young Wizards (So You Want to Be a Wizard, etc.)Susan Beth Pfeffer’s series (Life As We Knew It and the dead & the gone) Top X favorite genre short stories? (Where X is 5 or less)“Call Me Joe” by Poul Anderson“Sandkings” by George R. R. MartinWork by Paul Melko and Zoran Zivkovic“The People’s Republic of the Edelwiess Village Putt-Putt Golf Course” by M. K. Hobson Currently Reading?Honeycomb by Israel Del Rio

World in the Satin Bag

New Fiction Markets

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Two new SF fiction markets, which look like they’re going to be awesome. First we have Federations from John Joseph Adams: Genres: Science Fiction only. Original fiction only, no reprints.Payment: 5 cents per word ($250 max), plus a pro-rata share of the anthology’s earnings and 1 contributor copy.Word limit: 5000 words. (Stories may exceed 5000 words, but $250 is the maximum payment per story, and stories 5000 words or less are strongly preferred.)Rights: First world English rights, non-exclusive world anthology rights, and non-exclusive audio anthology rights. See my boilerplate author-anthologist contract, which spells out the rights in detail.Reading Period: November 1-January 1, 2009Response Time: Most rejections will be sent out quickly, but stories that I like may be held until January 31 before a final decision is made.Publication date: May 2009Publisher: Prime BooksSubmission Instructions: Email your story in rich-text format (RTF) to John Joseph Adams at federations.anthology@gmail.com. Include the title of the story and your byline in the subject line of the email. I’ll be writing something for this one once I can think of a story interesting. Looks like something right up my alley though. Then there is Footprints from Jay Lake. I’ll try thinking up something for this, but no guarantees. Right now all I have are humorous ideas, which might work. Can’t copy and paste for some reason, so you’ll just have to click the link. Ther you go!

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