Interview: A.D. Spencer (FISH)

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Name: A.D. Spencer

Age: 24

Author of: “Fish Tears”

Current Geographic Location: Belgreen, Alabama

Twitter: @AriyanaSpencer

Website:
http://busyprocrastinator.blogspot.com/

Recent publications: ”Carnivores,” published in Menial: Skilled Labor in Science Fiction by Crossed Genres, “(Retro)Causality and Effect,” published in Vol 2 Issue 3 of Penumbra eMag, and “On the Unlawful Events Taking Place at Outcast’s Last,” available at Wily Writers Audible Fiction.

Which zodiac sign were you born under? I’m an Aries, born in the year of the Rabbit. Some would say this explains my temperament.

If a magic fish granted you one wish, what would it be? Since underwater reading material is rare, I’d try to politely stay away from the most obvious: “Please make my first novel a bestseller!” I think I’d ask for the ability to understand the language of fish (and sea mammals, too, since every dolphin I’ve met has had a great sense of humor). I’m sure pet goldfish, even with their horrible memories, have some really interesting stories to tell.

What inspired your story? My story was mostly inspired by my love for Egyptian mythology. I seriously have an entire corner of my room devoted to Egyptian replicas. I was also inspired by modern theories on ancient aliens. I thought, “What would it be like to apply these theories to a post-Apocalyptic future instead of the past?” “Fish Tears” was the result.

Did you listen to music while writing it? I always listen to music while I write because it helps me focus on the task at hand and blocks out the rest of the world. During “Fish Tears” I found myself listening to the band 30 Seconds to Mars. Their music seemed to add color to the environment I was creating for my setting.

How many rewrites did you do before submitting? My story was rather short, so I only did one rewrite before sending it. Usually my rewrites involve improving the beginning or the ending. In this case, it was the ending.

What is your favorite bit?

Hatmehyt’s step was slow, but her travel constant. The waters kept to her sides, flowing around her form like a second skin. They were filled with her children of many colors, of many shapes, of many names.

Want to read the rest?

Get the ePub (for nook and other readers) here and mobi (perfect for your Kindle) here. Only $4.99 each, instant downloads.

You can also get FISH as an ebook through Barnes & NobleAmazon, or Kobo.

Interview: Mjke Wood (FISH)

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Name: Mjke Wood

Age: 56

Author of: “The Last Fisherman of Habitat 37”

Current Geographic Location: Wirral, England

Original Hometown, if different: Douglas, Isle of Man

Twitter: @MjkeW

Website: www.mjkewood.com

Recent publications:Ship of Fools” Kasma SF Magazine; “The Third Attractor” Abyss and Apex.

Also, in print: ”Risqueman” published September 2009. Writers of the Future XXV (Galaxy Press); ”A Better Sense of Direction” published July 2008. The Best of Jim Baen’s Universe #2. (Baen)

Which zodiac sign where you born under? I’m a Virgo Fire Monkey.

If a magic fish granted you one wish, what would it be? More time. So, let’s see – if I could manage on only two hours sleep per night that might just do the trick.

What inspired your story? The idea didn’t come straight away. Members of my local writing group, Wirral Writers, were running an in-house competition at the time, to write a story that had to include 5 specific words. The story clicked when I added a sixth word – fish.

Did you listen to music while writing it? No, no, no! Not at all. I can write in crowded coffee shops. I can write on the bus. I can write standing up waiting at the bus stop. But I cannot, ever, write to music. I wish I could but I get too involved in what I’m listening to. I just stop, and I listen, and I…

How many rewrites did you do before submitting? I did a couple of tidy-up sessions on the first draft – a word here, a word there. Then I chopped out at least a third of it. The second draft pretty-well worked with just the odd tweak.

What is your favourite bit?

But that was a fate that would not befall Ed’s creatures. No, sir.

Ed’s fish were going back home.

Want to read the rest?

Get the ePub (for nook and other readers) here and mobi (perfect for your Kindle) here. Only $4.99 each, instant downloads.

You can also get FISH as an ebook through Barnes & NobleAmazon, or Kobo.

Our Spring 2013 Novella: KV Taylor’s “Inedible Sins”

Early today we tweeted that:

Our Spring 2013 novella is almost ready to go! “Inedible Sins” by @hawthornetaylor has history, romance, sex, violence… and a robot.

We were talking about this:

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click to see a larger, low-rez version

This Sunday, we’ll be launching our 2013 novella series with KV Taylor’s “Inedible Sins“. Set in Washington, DC, just before the civil war, it follows a seminary drop-out named Sebastian Jones as he navigates the intricacies of friendship, sex, love, morality, and the social circle to which he aspires.

Plus, there’s a clockwork robot named Brother Alfie.

Taylor’s been discussing the tale over on her blog, where she has a page set up for it. Read excerpts from the story, and her thoughts on the city and her characters.

Go on, now. Brother Alfie is waiting for you.

Interview: Claude Lalumière (FISH)

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Name: Claude Lalumière

Age: 47

Author of: “Xandra’s Brine”

Original Hometown: Montreal

Twitter: @cldllmr

Website: lostmyths.net/claude

Recent publications:

My most recent book is: The Door to Lost Pages (April 2011, CZP)

The most recent anthology I’ve edited is: Masked Mosaic: Canadian Super Stories, co-edited with Camille Alexa (Tyche 2013)

Recent stories include: “The Secondary 4 Class of Prettygood Park High School”: Ride the Moon (Tyche 2012), edited by M.L.D. Curelas; “The Ministry of Sacred Affairs”: Here Be Monsters 7: Tongues and Teeth (September 2012), edited by Duane Burry / Vincent Mackay / Alexander Newcombe; “Big Guy and Little Guy’s Survivalist Adventure”: Fungi (in the hardcover edition only) (Innsmouth Free Press 2012), edited by Orrin Grey & Silvia Moreno-Garcia.

Which zodiac sign where you born under? I fall on the cusp between Aquarius and Pisces. Kinda fitting for this anthology, no?

If a magic fish granted you one wish, what would it be? To immediately and permanently stop the enslavement and torture that humanity inflicts on other animals.

What inspired your story? My girlfriend, Camille Alexa, inspired the story itself (not that anyone should read too much into that; the “Camille” in the story is nothing like her), while a 2006 European trip inspired the setting of Venera. (This is one of several of my stories that revolve around the fictional European city-state Venera.)

Did you listen to music while writing it? Yes. My iPod or iTunes is usually on random, so whatever’s playing. Because music helps me tune out the distractions of reality and helps me get to that mental state that allows me to write. It also occupies a portion of my mind, allowing me to focus more on writing rather than get distracted or have my attention meander.

How many rewrites did you do before submitting? Only a light cosmetic clean-up.

What is your favorite bit? I always have a particular affection for beginnings and endings, so let’s go with the beginning:

The smell of brine wafted inland from the Mediterranean; Camille breathed it in, its pungent saltiness making her feel as if her bones had lost their solidity, adopting a malleability that held the promise of profound transformation.

Want to read the rest?

Get the ePub (for nook and other readers) here and mobi (perfect for your Kindle) here. Only $4.99 each, instant downloads.

You can also get FISH as an ebook through Barnes & NobleAmazon, or Kobo.

Interview: Jessie Kwak (FISH)

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Name: Jessie Kwak

Age: 30

Author of: ”The Needlepoint Fish of Azure City”

Current Geographic Location: Seattle, Washington

Original Hometown, if different: Harrah, Washington

Twitter: @jkwak

Website: www.jessiekwak.com

Recent publications: I’ve had a lot of travel writing and other articles published, but this is my first fiction piece (!!!).

Which zodiac sign where you born under? Pisces, though I’m actually not too fond of being wet.

If a magic fish granted you one wish, what would it be? Maybe it’s cliche to ask for more time, but I think that’s really what I need the most right now.

What inspired your story? I’m not entirely sure–I had an image in my head of embroidered fish slipping off a bride’s veil and frolicking in the hem of her gown, and I so I had to write the story to see why that had happened. Though I’m a seamstress, I’ve never dabbled in needlepoint, and I’ve always been in awe of the beautiful, intricate detail that people put into their work.

Did you listen to music while writing it? I don’t often listen to music while writing, unless I’m in a busy place and I’m trying to drown out my surroundings. I’ve found a couple things that seem to work for me in that case, mainly Gotan Project, Bach, and Arvo Part.

How many rewrites did you do before submitting? Three or four? I wrote the story in quite a few sittings, each time revising the parts I’d already written and adding a bit more as I slowly began to figure out what was happening. A story rarely comes to me all at once, and so I end up piecing it together through the process of tapping my fingers against the keyboard.

What is your favorite bit?

The Princess trailed off in her vows as she bent to pluck the terrified little fish from her skirt. It calmed in her palm, its chest spasming for breath. She turned slowly to look out at the scene behind her, her guests in poses of disarray as they chased after the final shimmering glitter of little fish disappearing into the floor vents.

“What is happening here?” she whispered.

Want to read the rest?

Get the ePub (for nook and other readers) here and mobi (perfect for your Kindle) here. Only $4.99 each, instant downloads.

You can also get FISH as an ebook through Barnes & NobleAmazon, or Kobo.

Interview: Mel Obedoza (FISH)

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Name: Mel Obedoza

Age: 31

Author of: ”The Fisherman and the Golden Fish”

Current Geographic Location: Manila, Philippines

Website: melobedoza.wordpress.com

Recent publications: “A Griffin’s Tale”, published in Here There Be Dragons Anthology, May 2012 by Wicked East Press; “Cygnus”, published in Father Grim’s Storybook, May 2012 by Wicked East Press; “The Jester”, published in Not Just Rockets and Robots: Daily Science Fiction Year One, June 2012 by Daily Science Fiction. Also available online.

Which zodiac sign were you born under? Scorpio / Year of the Rooster

If a magic fish granted you one wish, what would it be? This stumped me. I asked my husband for advice and he said he’d wish for a harem. So I suppose I ought to be asking the fish for a better husband.

What inspired your story? My family and I love this game where someone starts a story and another continues until you come out with something wonderful – or really absurd. We eventually came upon a talking fish, which got me thinking about the popular tale of “The Fisherman and His Wife”, and it all took off from there.

Did you listen to music while writing it? Yes, I always listen to music to put me in the mood to write. The type of music varies though. I think I was listening to the Glee albums during the final rewrite.

How many rewrites did you do before submitting? 5

What is your favorite bit?

“The following morning, the fisherman’s wife slowly made her way to the front door of their hut, hoping to catch a glimpse of her husband rowing back to the shore. She opened the door and blinked in surprise at the huge pile of pearls on her doorstep, tangled among a large amount of seaweed.”

Want to read the rest?

Get the ePub (for nook and other readers) here and mobi (perfect for your Kindle) here. Only $4.99 each, instant downloads.

You can also get FISH as an ebook through Barnes & NobleAmazon, or Kobo.

Interview: April L’Orange (FISH)

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Name: April L’Orange

Age: 36

Author of: “Quick Karma”

Current Geographical location: upstate New York

Hometown: Tucson, Arizona

Twitter: @aprillorange

Website:
http://aprillorange.wordpress.com

Recent publications: Mother of Waters,” published in the March 2013 issue of Crossed Genres Magazine; Magic Man,” published in December 2011 in the WTF?! anthology by Pink Narcissus Press.

Which zodiac sign where you born under? year of the Dragon

If a magic fish granted you one wish, what would it be? In the immortal words of my Very Godmother, a single-payer healthcare system.

What inspired your story? I told my husband about the call for submissions, and he got this very strange look on his face and said he’d visualized some poor kid actually talking with a goldfish. And then he let me steal it. ;-)

How much revision did you do? I did two rewrites on this one, the first to get it down to the word count limit and the second after having Jen, my “bestest beta,” look it over and tell me where what I meant to say hadn’t actually gotten onto the page.

Favorite bit:

I’m not your friend. Susan’s your friend. I’m Jiminy fucking Cricket.

Want to read the rest?

Get the ePub (for nook and other readers) here and mobi (perfect for your Kindle) here. Only $4.99 each, instant downloads.

You can also get FISH as an ebook through Barnes & NobleAmazon, or Kobo.