Jibber Jabber - Q1 - 29

Rebecca told me that results were coming out and I had to come see. Then I see my favoritest thread of all time at the top of the page *complete with Chuck Norris jokes!!!*. Ahhhhh, love this place (sorry Gator).

323 posts/17.65% of posts ….but who's surprised at that? Certainly not me

*throws out mice and marshmallows and a few dozen flame-throwers and launchers all over the floor*

*sits in the middle of the floor beside a tower of chocolate and licks her paw*

Kitty!

Would someone please explain the difference between a flame thrower and a flame launcher? My cat TW thinks the distinction is nice. That's nice as in narrow not Nice as in Meece.

Would someone please explain the difference between a flame thrower and a flame launcher? My cat TW thinks the distinction is nice. That's nice as in narrow not Nice as in Meece.

Kitty clearly needs to work on her clarity with those furry paws. Launchers, I believe, are in reference to the marshmallows. Forumites seem to favor the marshmallow launchers, at least in the past. And the throwers are generally reserved for the fiery mahem. Some forumites abandon the trenches and battle positions and just go for the s'mores. I suppose those could still be made, if someone is so inclined to bring some graham crackers, but I'd like to see someone pry that chocolate from Kitty...

Just remember that what one person calls "fiery mayhem", someone else calls "a great time on a Saturday night".

Gator says she has an "important announcement." I guess we both do, actually. But Gator insisted on making it here first while this quarter refuses to die, in an attempt to exorcise her ghosts I think. So over to Gator.

Just made first pro sale! Me and Nice Elinor!

It's the infamous "hold pile" one, this wretched quarters', the one that got rejected but got a "send me more" from Analog.

Haven't signed the contract yet but all being happy snappy it'll be in the Strange Bedfellows anthology of Political SF (Bundoran Press).

It'll be our first print sale too! Just think, a real book!

Riverdance, riverdance.

Can I kill this thread now?

Death roll, death roll.

Well, you can try Gator...

She's dancing around the living room anyway, as am I.
I really like this story, it always has been one of my personal favourites despite its unhappy start in life.
Oh, and I'm obviously going the international route to publication! First Australia, now Canada! Where next I wonder? Mars?

Now that's an idea?

You wouldn't like it there, Gator.

No?

No water. And very cold.

Oh.

Congratulations, Elinor! That's awesome!!

And Tom: Yes, I do believe Kitty thinks flame throwers are the epitome of fun. A great way to spend a Saturday evening. And I support her fun, so long as she's aiming those launchers elsewhere. 😉

Grats, Elinor!!!

Thank you, happy snappy peeps!

What the green one said.

Yea Gator! How lucky Elinor is to have you around!

Yea Gator! How lucky Elinor is to have you around!

Yup, she's the one with the brains.

Congratulations, Elinor! Woo-Hoo!

Congrats to both Elinor and the Gator.

Congratulations! What a perfect place for such an announcement. Sniff. I'd love to hear how many other stories from the hold pile have also been published. Sniff... Aw, gee. I'm getting all nostalgic just thinking of it. Mmmmm, s'mores. Amor s'mores. I think I'll have s'mores for brunch in celebration. Plenty of Halloween chocolate left.

Congratulations! What a perfect place for such an announcement. Sniff.

I felt so too, Isto. I couldn't quite resist anyway.
If nothing else hopefully it'll demonstrate that a form rejection here doesn't mean your story is total pants. When I first was submitting here I admit I used to buy into that view, but now I understand how different editorial taste can be. I've had nothing but form rejections since KD Wentworth left us but I'm pretty confident now that doesn't mean I'm unpublishable.

I'd love to hear how many other stories from the hold pile have also been published.

Yes, I wonder that too.

I have the ToC now anyhow for Strange Bedfellows, and seeing it has made me even more thrilled. To be honest I thought it would mostly be full of total nobodies like me, plus Eugie Foster. But no! Googling this lot I think I'm quite possibly the most unknown one here! Nearly everyone has been pro-published before I think, many in the top places, Asimov, Analog, Clarkesworld, F&SF, Strange Horizons, Apex... D. A. D'Amico is a past winner of WotF I noticed. And Ian Creasey--I already knew the name, he's a fellow Brit--has been in Asimov's about as often as anyone. So I feel somewhat unworthy! As for the editor, Hayden Trenholm, he's won an Aurora award more than once (Canada's principal SF awards) so I can't help feeling I'm in really great company.

Strange Bedfellows
Table of Contents
Tried as an Adult by Eugie Foster
Candidate Z by Conor Powers-Smith
When This Peace Thing Blows Over by John Skylar
Occupy Asteroid by Trevor Shikaze
The Afternoon Revolution by Erica L. Satifka
Three Years of Ash, Twenty Years of Dust by Andrew Barton
The Shapes of Wrath by Ian Creasey
Gloop by Gustavo Bondoni
Homebody by Richard Harland
Capital Punishment by f. f. white
Entangled States by Jay Werkheiser
In Place of Darkness by Elinor Caiman Sands
Blocking by Juliet Kemp
Point of Ascension by D. A. D'Amico
Changing Body Templates by Bogi Takács
Elayen by Alter Reiss
Why Lily Left by Katherine Sparrow
Amateur Night at the GlobalMart by Craig DeLancey

Congratulations, Elinor (and Gator)!

*Gator takes a bow*

Maybe now this thread will die! Have I killed it yet?

Hmm. Possibly, Gator, possibly...

I recognize at least a few members from Codex on the list. Nice work!

Yay, go gator!

Hmm, you'd think at least ten percent of my posts would be in this thread. It is my most active topic, but still, I feel delinquent.

Thanks, chaps.

Hmm, Codex. I wonder if they'll let me in yet?
Probably not, I still haven't made a SFWA sale, I guess that's next on the bucket list.

Elinor,

Since you sent that message, I've been a busy, busy person. I finished next semester's syllabus, rewrote the ending of a story I've decided to send to WOTF (if it isn't accepted elsewhere first), worked the weekend, paid a sneak visit to your website (quite nice!), AND began doing research on your fellow writers of Strange Bedfellows.

Hayden Trenholm's publisher is open to international novel submissions until Nov 15th. Which means I have to get my buns in gear to make that deadline (I have three FREE days to get a packet together). For some reason, you have lit a fire under me when others could not. THANK YOU. (If I get a reading, the gator gets a boatload of fish).

Will you be ordering copies of your anthology to sell? If so, I'd love to buy an autographed copy.

Thanks, chaps.

Hmm, Codex. I wonder if they'll let me in yet?
Probably not, I still haven't made a SFWA sale, I guess that's next on the bucket list.

I'll ask Luc for you. I got in with a Penumbra sale and they're not SFWA either.

Elinor,

Since you sent that message, I've been a busy, busy person. I finished next semester's syllabus, rewrote the ending of a story I've decided to send to WOTF (if it isn't accepted elsewhere first), worked the weekend, paid a sneak visit to your website (quite nice!), AND began doing research on your fellow writers of Strange Bedfellows.

Hayden Trenholm's publisher is open to international novel submissions until Nov 15th. Which means I have to get my buns in gear to make that deadline (I have three FREE days to get a packet together). For some reason, you have lit a fire under me when others could not. THANK YOU. (If I get a reading, the gator gets a boatload of fish).

Will you be ordering copies of your anthology to sell? If so, I'd love to buy an autographed copy.

Go for it, Isto! Bundoran are currently small but look like a great little publisher to me. Hayden has great writing credentials so I'm hopeful the editing side of things will be very professional, as for the business side, he's an older, experienced guy so is probably less likely to have jumped into this whole publishing project rashly without thinking things through. The only thing I wonder about is the cover art to be honest. As far as I know they don't have art people like, say, Musa publishing, but hopefully that won't be a problem. Oh, and I'm sure I read somewhere they are planning to expand into a middle-sized publisher. They're already signed up with Diamond Book Distributors http://www.diamondbookdistributors.com/default.asp?t=1&m=1&c=53&s=660&ai=70695&ssd= which looks likely a thoroughly promising development to me!

As for selling copies myself I'm not sure if or how that's going to work yet. I figured I'd ask about it later. Bear in mind I live in the UK, so I'm doubtful sending *signed* copies back and forth would be practical because of postage costs, but if you or anyone really wants my scrawl in the book maybe something could be worked out with bookplates or something.

Thanks, chaps.

Hmm, Codex. I wonder if they'll let me in yet?
Probably not, I still haven't made a SFWA sale, I guess that's next on the bucket list.

I'll ask Luc for you. I got in with a Penumbra sale and they're not SFWA either.

Thanks, Stewart. Much appreciated.

Elinor,

Just an update. Made the deadline. Now the long wait.
I really haven't sent my novel out to many places... I get tied up writing the synopsis. I think I have a novel-worth of pages just trying to condense the interwoven plots into a few catchy phrases that represent the whole. I've heard it's a common problem. Other than Bundoran, I think the only other publishers I've sent to are DAW (not at all their cup of tea) and TOR (thought that might be a good match until I went to Chicon. Had my eyes opened there.) And I've sent to only two agents. So, I haven't exactly flooded the market. But the novel closely ties into the next two of the series and Bundoran expressed interest in a series. So it seems like a good fit. Since it takes place on Earth of the near future and has no aliens or space travel, it's not the classic Star Wars/Star Trek type of story.

I would like a signed copy (with bookplates or otherwise) if I can get it. I'll check back with you on that after publication of your anthology.

Isto

Elinor,

Just an update. Made the deadline. Now the long wait.
I really haven't sent my novel out to many places... I get tied up writing the synopsis. I think I have a novel-worth of pages just trying to condense the interwoven plots into a few catchy phrases that represent the whole. I've heard it's a common problem. Other than Bundoran, I think the only other publishers I've sent to are DAW (not at all their cup of tea) and TOR (thought that might be a good match until I went to Chicon. Had my eyes opened there.) And I've sent to only two agents. So, I haven't exactly flooded the market. But the novel closely ties into the next two of the series and Bundoran expressed interest in a series. So it seems like a good fit. Since it takes place on Earth of the near future and has no aliens or space travel, it's not the classic Star Wars/Star Trek type of story.

I would like a signed copy (with bookplates or otherwise) if I can get it. I'll check back with you on that after publication of your anthology.

Isto

Isto, grats on making the deadline, and good luck!
And certainly do get back to me about the signed copy nearer the time.

Hey! What's this? Two whole months with no posts on The Thread That Never Ends? This shall not stand!

This is the thread that never ends.
It just goes on and on my friends.
Some people started posting here not knowing what it was,
And they'll continue posting here forever just because...

This is the thread that never ends...

tee hee. *can't hold in laughter*

I can't believe we've let it go this long!

To your eternal vigilance, Martin!