tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-54813396510309778512024-03-13T00:42:54.198-04:00S E LindbergThis focuses on Beauty in Weird Fiction, <a href="https://www.selindberg.com/p/interviews.html"> with interviews</a>. S E Lindberg is the creator of <a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B078MFZQHB">Dyscrasia Fiction</a>, <a href="https://www.blackgate.com/">a Managing Editor at Black Gate</a>, an intern for Tales From the Mag.’s Skull, and moderator of the <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/80482-an-earthier-sort-of-fantasy-sword-sorcery">Goodreads Sword and Sorcery Group</a>SE Lindberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08511576266035113852noreply@blogger.comBlogger601125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5481339651030977851.post-73166076027258808572024-02-18T14:16:00.019-05:002024-03-05T18:35:39.536-05:00 Lovers in Hell - Book Tour and Giveaway<table class="wsite-not-footer" id="blogTable" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #525252; font-family: Lato, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; table-layout: fixed; width: 700px;"><tbody><tr><td valign="top"><div class="blog-body" id="656248098709115997-blog" style="float: left; width: 600px;"><div id="wsite-content"><div class="blog-post" id="blog-post-832029555626481486" style="position: relative; zoom: 1;"><div class="blog-header" style="border-bottom: none; border-image: initial !important; border-left: none !important; border-right: none !important; border-top: none !important; border: none; line-height: 1.5; margin: 0px auto 2em; overflow: hidden; padding: 0px; width: 740px;"><h2 class="blog-title" style="border: none; color: #641491; font-family: Montserrat, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 1.5; margin: 0px auto 1em; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-size: 26px;"><a href=" https://www.silverdaggertours.com/sdsxx-tours/lovers-in-hell-book-tour-and-giveaway" target="_blank">Lovers in Hell - Book Tour and Giveaway (link)</a></span></h2><div><span face=""Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #050505; font-size: 15px; white-space-collapse: preserve;">An excerpt of my story "Lovers Sans Phalli" is showcased on this Blog Tour and Book Giveaway for Lovers in Hell! Check it out!</span></div><div><span face=""Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #050505; font-size: 15px; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span></div><div><em style="font-family: "Droid Sans"; font-size: 15px; position: relative; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #ff3333;"><strong>**On Sale for Only $2.99 until the end of the month!** </strong></span></em><strong style="font-family: "Droid Sans"; font-size: 15px; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Lovers-Hell-Heroes-Janet-Morris-ebook/dp/B07H7W58SN" style="color: #902ce7;">Amazon</a> * <a href="https://www.bookbub.com/books/lovers-in-hell-by-janet-morris-and-a-l-butcher" style="color: #902ce7;">Bookbub</a> * <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/41808739-lovers-in-hell" style="color: #902ce7;">Goodreads</a></strong></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVw_-XIXy_dq5I4xfSEM8IEBxdDVycje3k8vD8RIKDvqH2J0hVKlaZl_hwGlbwPv71r7xAjm0g9his4LTUCxXX2dBK3a5mqp5LtOztCrM_SHyLFUjd2ppGYFvkjzinPCW2R6OJGYp-u17Ra4NquR1wjniXhq2j1IBaZgP7ltpAFpoaDSg8y5XNUJdJ81M/s600/319344126.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="400" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVw_-XIXy_dq5I4xfSEM8IEBxdDVycje3k8vD8RIKDvqH2J0hVKlaZl_hwGlbwPv71r7xAjm0g9his4LTUCxXX2dBK3a5mqp5LtOztCrM_SHyLFUjd2ppGYFvkjzinPCW2R6OJGYp-u17Ra4NquR1wjniXhq2j1IBaZgP7ltpAFpoaDSg8y5XNUJdJ81M/w516-h640/319344126.png" width="516" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><h2 class="wsite-content-title" style="border: 0px; color: #641491; font-family: Montserrat, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 1.25; margin: 0px auto 1em; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 0px; text-align: center;"><strong>Lovers in Hell<br /></strong><span style="font-size: small;">A Heroes in Hell Anthology<br />by Janet Morris<br />Genre: Dark Fantasy Anthology </span><br /><br /></h2><div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="wsite-image wsite-image-border-none" style="margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-top: 10px; position: relative; text-align: center;"><a style="color: #a6a6a6;"><img alt="Picture" src="https://www.silverdaggertours.com/uploads/8/2/5/5/82557464/883085707_orig.png" style="border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-style: initial; border-width: 0px !important; border: 0px; margin: 0px; max-width: 100%; padding: 0px; width: auto;" /></a><div style="font-family: Lato; font-size: 16px;"></div></div></div><div class="paragraph" style="border: 0px; font-family: "Droid Sans"; font-size: 15px; line-height: 29px; margin: 0px auto 1.6em; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 0px; text-align: center;"><br /><br /><span style="color: black;"> Only fools fall in love, and hell is filled with fools. Our damned lovers include: Christopher Marlowe and Will Shakespeare, Napoleon and Wellington, Orpheus and Eurydice, Hatshepsut and Senenmut, Abelard and Heloise, Helen and Penelope, Saint Teresa and Satan's Reaper, Madge Kendall and the Elephant Man, and more . . . -- all of whom pay a hellish price for indulging their affections.<br /><br />Shakespeare said "To be wise and love exceeds man's might," and in Lovers in Hell, the damned in hell exceed all bounds as they search for their true loves, punish the perfidious, and avoid getting caught up in Satan's snares. In ten stories of misery and madness, hell's most loveless seek to slake the thirst that can never be quenched, and find true love amid the lies of ages.<br /><br />Includes:<br /><em style="position: relative;">Never Doubt I Love</em> – Janet Morris and Chris Morris<br /><em style="position: relative;">Love Interrupted</em> – Nancy Asire<br /><em style="position: relative;">Lovers Sans Phalli</em> – S. E. Lindberg<br /><em style="position: relative;">Fume of Sighs</em> – Janet Morris and Chris Morris<br /><em style="position: relative;">Calamity</em> – Michael E. Dellert<br /><em style="position: relative;">Love Triangle</em> – Michael H. Hanson<br /><em style="position: relative;">A Hand of Four Queens</em> – A. L. Butcher<br /><em style="position: relative;">Devil’s Trull</em> – Andrew P. Weston<br /><em style="position: relative;">Withering Blights</em> – Joe Bonadonna<br /><em style="position: relative;">Wrath of Love</em> – Janet Morris and Chris Morris<br />Excerpt from<em style="position: relative;"> Hell Gate</em> – Andrew P. Weston</span></div><div class="paragraph" style="border: 0px; font-family: "Droid Sans"; font-size: 15px; line-height: 29px; margin: 0px auto 1.6em; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 0px; text-align: center;"><br /><em style="position: relative;"><span style="color: #ff3333;"><strong>**On Sale for Only $2.99 until the end of the month!**</strong></span></em><br /><strong><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Lovers-Hell-Heroes-Janet-Morris-ebook/dp/B07H7W58SN" style="color: #902ce7;">Amazon</a> * <a href="https://www.bookbub.com/books/lovers-in-hell-by-janet-morris-and-a-l-butcher" style="color: #902ce7;">Bookbub</a> * <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/41808739-lovers-in-hell" style="color: #902ce7;">Goodreads</a></strong><br /></div></div></div></div></div></div></td></tr></tbody></table>SE Lindberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08511576266035113852noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5481339651030977851.post-37847336266985518962024-02-17T14:11:00.003-05:002024-02-17T14:40:20.283-05:00Charles Gramlich of The Swords and Planet League highlights Dyscrasia Fiction<p><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-size: 15px; white-space-collapse: preserve;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-size: 15px; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-size: 15px; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_7geSjMul8FUyaZZNNDW3ly42UTI7yb73iRvPquElT5DBtWhld2Zd2c557R0fNN_O7DPVNI-WYfmIHv05mRVgImTgXV_FNWBwTD9ywghK7ozjHyV6FUVzbzzHne1Cu1QxfLqlGVoemVt54X80XfOJ4iELd2EuHjT5z4GY2t9VqbYZwoYRS1O1KkwrDuc/s1229/428432453_781883767300925_2093210815617823526_n.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1229" data-original-width="843" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_7geSjMul8FUyaZZNNDW3ly42UTI7yb73iRvPquElT5DBtWhld2Zd2c557R0fNN_O7DPVNI-WYfmIHv05mRVgImTgXV_FNWBwTD9ywghK7ozjHyV6FUVzbzzHne1Cu1QxfLqlGVoemVt54X80XfOJ4iELd2EuHjT5z4GY2t9VqbYZwoYRS1O1KkwrDuc/w438-h640/428432453_781883767300925_2093210815617823526_n.jpg" width="438" /></a></span></div><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-size: 15px; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Author Charles Gramlich just </span><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 15px; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="color: #050505;">posted a Dyscrasia Fiction highlight in the Facebook Group: </span></span><a class="x1i10hfl xjbqb8w x1ejq31n xd10rxx x1sy0etr x17r0tee x972fbf xcfux6l x1qhh985 xm0m39n x9f619 x1ypdohk xt0psk2 xe8uvvx xdj266r x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r xexx8yu x4uap5 x18d9i69 xkhd6sd x16tdsg8 x1hl2dhg xggy1nq x1a2a7pz xt0b8zv xzsf02u x1s688f" href="https://www.facebook.com/CharlesGramlich?__cft__[0]=AZWzGrJbcvEPKboJxUopIiA_9c4c1eE7wYdAlzOkzZhL02JrPtJlNIlYswMkcGSlEjPWiEDH-b2SwxHjZeY6FIOUQXq0JxMvOcYdgtPAaAToR3m5u9ZtM8nrIy0s3lHHWWG529cJR4eR8iwjxOXztu-v&__tn__=-UC%2CP-R" role="link" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; border-style: none; border-width: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; cursor: pointer; display: inline; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-weight: 600; list-style: none; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-align: inherit; text-decoration-line: none; touch-action: manipulation;" tabindex="0"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The Swords & Planet League</span></a> on Feb 17, 2024<p></p><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: inherit; font-size: 15px; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Link to post (<a href="https://www.facebook.com/CharlesGramlich/posts/781883803967588?ref=embed_post " target="_blank">click here</a>)</span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: inherit; font-size: 15px; white-space-collapse: preserve;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjB027ElNElF3CsdAqBBWLZNL_HN-ZxHNfRzrhxnJWRbZXlQrOa0jgUoXb6qSeJms7JwEb8j0U0u0PwFV0e51CRwwzI5Xn5D5XRoDCB0ZgharkHp4yiA-kw32VtrsCZL5v7d2j4HTezwYFPT-H9ve6YQ3J_GMaLY6_-kDNaiT90KTQsRjxT5HR5EsxaVIU" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="98" data-original-width="1022" height="62" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjB027ElNElF3CsdAqBBWLZNL_HN-ZxHNfRzrhxnJWRbZXlQrOa0jgUoXb6qSeJms7JwEb8j0U0u0PwFV0e51CRwwzI5Xn5D5XRoDCB0ZgharkHp4yiA-kw32VtrsCZL5v7d2j4HTezwYFPT-H9ve6YQ3J_GMaLY6_-kDNaiT90KTQsRjxT5HR5EsxaVIU=w640-h62" width="640" /></a></div><p></p><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: inherit; white-space-collapse: preserve;">One of the most unique voices working in Sword & Sorcery today is S. E. Lindberg. I met Seth a few years back and we’ve corresponded frequently as well as running into each other at such sites as Black Gate and Goodreads. Lindberg has put together a unique setting for what he calls “Dyscrasia Fiction.” Dyscrasia means “a bad mixture of liquids,” which is related to the Greek concept of the four “humors” of Blood, Phlegm, Black Bile, and Yellow Bile. In Dyscrasia fiction, these humors are sources of magical power and often soul and body corrupting influences. </span></p><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The three novels available now are Lords of Dyscrasia (2011), Spawn of Dyscrasia (2014), and Helen’s Daimones (2017). Although Helen’s Daimones was the most recently published, Lindberg suggests new readers start with it since it sets the tone for the other books. Wherever you start, though, you’ll find a combination of beautiful language and powerful imagination. <b>These works are hallucinogenic, dream-like, full of wraiths and apparitions—and sometimes horrors. Ideas and images pile one on top of another with an intensity that is far from common in fantasy literature. I admire the author’s ability to maintain that intensity throughout his works; his world-building never stumbles, and the result is a unique fantasy vision that rises to the level of art. </b></span></div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto"><span style="font-family: inherit;">A word about the covers for these books. The first was created by Lindberg himself, who also has other artistic skills in addition to writing. Spawn of Dyscrasia has an amazing cover by Ken Kelly, and Helen’s Daimones has a great cover by Daniel Landerman.</span></div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto"><span style="font-family: inherit;">There are also a number of short stories tied to the Dyscrasia setting. For more information, check out Seth’s webpage at: <span><a class="x1i10hfl xjbqb8w x1ejq31n xd10rxx x1sy0etr x17r0tee x972fbf xcfux6l x1qhh985 xm0m39n x9f619 x1ypdohk xt0psk2 xe8uvvx xdj266r x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r xexx8yu x4uap5 x18d9i69 xkhd6sd x16tdsg8 x1hl2dhg xggy1nq x1a2a7pz xt0b8zv x1fey0fg" href="https://www.selindberg.com/p/about-s-e-lindberg.html?fbclid=IwAR0jlB0WOVvNj72h5SBI41E3gE944KosXZNnGaQkBMJ-G3MoFNsfpwn8Cb0" rel="nofollow noreferrer" role="link" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background-color: transparent; border-style: none; border-width: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; cursor: pointer; display: inline; list-style: none; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-align: inherit; text-decoration-line: none; touch-action: manipulation;" tabindex="0" target="_blank">https://www.selindberg.com/p/about-s-e-lindberg.html</a></span> or his facebook page <span><a class="x1i10hfl xjbqb8w x1ejq31n xd10rxx x1sy0etr x17r0tee x972fbf xcfux6l x1qhh985 xm0m39n x9f619 x1ypdohk xt0psk2 xe8uvvx xdj266r x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r xexx8yu x4uap5 x18d9i69 xkhd6sd x16tdsg8 x1hl2dhg xggy1nq x1a2a7pz xt0b8zv x1fey0fg xo1l8bm" href="https://www.facebook.com/DyscrasiaFiction?__cft__[0]=AZWzGrJbcvEPKboJxUopIiA_9c4c1eE7wYdAlzOkzZhL02JrPtJlNIlYswMkcGSlEjPWiEDH-b2SwxHjZeY6FIOUQXq0JxMvOcYdgtPAaAToR3m5u9ZtM8nrIy0s3lHHWWG529cJR4eR8iwjxOXztu-v&__tn__=-]K-R" role="link" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background-color: transparent; border-style: none; border-width: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; cursor: pointer; display: inline; list-style: none; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-align: inherit; text-decoration-line: none; touch-action: manipulation;" tabindex="0"><span class="xt0psk2" style="display: inline;">https://www.facebook.com/DyscrasiaFiction</span></a></span></span></div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 15px;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px;"><br /></span><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 15px;"><br /></div></div>
SE Lindberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08511576266035113852noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5481339651030977851.post-27360930146560569492024-02-15T14:34:00.001-05:002024-02-15T14:34:00.141-05:00Gen Con 2024<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgkS8A83zv17SBdAQpM2cdc0wGhEGusgTM_o4Xu-LN660SxGId1FqNWY7K0yOwKwBtsea3S8HhNXh4m6N1PmDQfQX3v0n9auLiJEuHWwLCRQ0Y2LboFiKruDzvSE7qnUsLmKBmXTto5BKvMApKBeg30ltO-jr7SbTtnrmfC0ht15nYDMTpu0QvL1l58CBI" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgkS8A83zv17SBdAQpM2cdc0wGhEGusgTM_o4Xu-LN660SxGId1FqNWY7K0yOwKwBtsea3S8HhNXh4m6N1PmDQfQX3v0n9auLiJEuHWwLCRQ0Y2LboFiKruDzvSE7qnUsLmKBmXTto5BKvMApKBeg30ltO-jr7SbTtnrmfC0ht15nYDMTpu0QvL1l58CBI=w640-h360" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><a href="https://genconwriters.org/ " target="_blank">The GenCon Writers' Symposium is getting ready for 2024 </a>(click to go to the main website)</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;">I'm on the <a href="https://genconwriters.org/contact/" target="_blank">committee</a>, but not chairing as I did in 2023. </span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">The team just announced the </span><a href="https://genconwriters.org/guests/" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;" target="_blank">guest list </a><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">and special guests </span><a href="https://genconwriters.org/2024/02/01/linda-d-addison/" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">Linda D Addison</a><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"> and </span><a href="https://genconwriters.org/2024/02/01/mikki-kendall/" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">Mikki Kendall</a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p style="text-align: left;"></p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-size: 18px; margin-block-end: 0px; margin-block-start: calc(2 * var(--wp--custom--gap--baseline)); margin-left: auto !important; margin-right: auto !important; max-width: 920px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Gen Con 2024 will be held August 1-4 in Indianapolis, Indiana.</span></p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-size: 18px; margin-block-end: 0px; margin-block-start: calc(2 * var(--wp--custom--gap--baseline)); margin-left: auto !important; margin-right: auto !important; max-width: 920px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-size: 18px; margin-block-end: 0px; margin-block-start: calc(2 * var(--wp--custom--gap--baseline)); margin-left: auto !important; margin-right: auto !important; max-width: 920px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">We’ll be on the second floor of the <strong style="box-sizing: border-box;">Indianapolis Downtown Marriott </strong>(i.e., <em style="box-sizing: border-box;">not the adjacent JW Marriott</em> ). Head to our event at the Indianapolis Downtown Marriott @ 350 W Maryland St, Indianapolis, IN 46225.</span></p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-size: 18px; margin-block-end: 0px; margin-block-start: calc(2 * var(--wp--custom--gap--baseline)); margin-left: auto !important; margin-right: auto !important; max-width: 920px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-size: 18px; margin-block-end: 0px; margin-block-start: calc(2 * var(--wp--custom--gap--baseline)); margin-left: auto !important; margin-right: auto !important; max-width: 920px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><strong style="box-sizing: border-box;">The Gen Con Writers’ Symposium </strong>is a semi-independent event hosted by Gen Con and intended for both new and experienced writers of speculative fiction. All registration is handled through the <strong style="box-sizing: border-box;"><a data-id="https://www.gencon.com/indy" data-type="URL" href="https://www.gencon.com/indy" style="box-sizing: border-box; text-underline-offset: 0.15em;">Gen Con</a></strong> website.</span></p></div><p><br /> </p>SE Lindberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08511576266035113852noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5481339651030977851.post-55503442525953011412024-02-12T13:41:00.033-05:002024-02-12T13:41:00.152-05:00WFC 2010 - Reflections on Convention Attendance and Networking<p>McKiernan was a draw for me to attend World Fantasy Convention 2010 in Columbus OH (<a href="https://www.selindberg.com/2024/02/wfc-1996-selfie-with-dennis-l-mckiernan.html" target="_blank">I had seen him in WFC1996</a>). Also, a draw for me was S.T. Joshi, writer of weird fiction and nonfiction. I tracked him down to sign a copy of <b><i>Atheism</i></b>; he was walking with Darrell Schweister in the vendor room. At that time I didn't know who Darrell was. It was years later when I learned to love his weird fiction (he eventually ran the programming for <a href="https://www.selindberg.com/2016/11/world-fantasy-convention-2016-wrap-up_12.html" target="_blank">WFC 2016</a> and got me to moderate a few panels, and I interviewed him too in <a href="https://www.selindberg.com/2018/09/darrell-schweitzer-interview-by-se.html" target="_blank">2018</a>)</p><p>I discovered Howard Andrew Jones here as he talked on a panel about <b style="font-style: italic;">Black Gate Magazine. </b>He got me hooked on it, but it ironically was nearest the end of its print era. I got HAJ to sign a copy of Issue 15 2011 when I met him at <a href="https://www.selindberg.com/search/label/GenCon50_2017" target="_blank">GenCon 2017</a>. HAJ encouraged me to get involved with the GenCon Writers Symposium (I volunteered since then, even chairing the event in <a href="https://www.selindberg.com/search/label/GenCon56_2023" target="_blank">2023</a>) and interned with HAJ's <a href="https://www.selindberg.com/2022/12/happy-holidays-from-orphan-maker.html" target="_blank"><b><i>Tales from the Magician's Skull</i></b></a>. Via GenCon and several connections with John O'Neil and HAJ, I took on an editing role at the <a href="https://www.blackgate.com/" target="_blank"><b><i>Black Gate website</i></b></a> in 2019.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-style: italic; font-weight: bold; text-align: center;"><br /></div>John R. Fultz was there, but I didn't know him at the time. Fast forward to 2024 and I'd write a <a href="https://www.selindberg.com/2024/01/the-magical-power-of-art-foreword-and.html" target="_blank">foreword to his re-release of <b><i>The Revelations of Zang</i></b></a>. Found some recordings of his panels (<a href="though:https://fantasyhotlist.blogspot.com/2010/11/continued-viability-of-epic-fantasy.html " target="_blank">here</a>)<p></p><p>At the time I was beginning to look for markets for my Dyscrasia Fiction worked. I was eyeing ChiZine Publications and EDGE -Tesseracts; the latter invited me to hear readings from their authors. </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjl-mPyvHDhSoUTqafO1Ijfhdk9Dm8PMRQrf68HyXLia0cLnBb-dVyuqwT60q_fYbnb9MFVfx4szLn7u9r0TormAmxc28MdKxLRuc13tmTHLMM0_meRjy7aCi93n0wsXbmFtKkAieoHlOq5WoqRnJiVWJq4jQvDVJKVSLWY9tHKXl41A5vVZ7XWmxFoFi0" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="314" data-original-width="474" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjl-mPyvHDhSoUTqafO1Ijfhdk9Dm8PMRQrf68HyXLia0cLnBb-dVyuqwT60q_fYbnb9MFVfx4szLn7u9r0TormAmxc28MdKxLRuc13tmTHLMM0_meRjy7aCi93n0wsXbmFtKkAieoHlOq5WoqRnJiVWJq4jQvDVJKVSLWY9tHKXl41A5vVZ7XWmxFoFi0=w640-h424" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;">Michael Stackpole and Dennis L. McKiernan</span></div><br /><br /><p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEguLHXvFUUJ3erWVPPiijFMIVFTXhnFCRWrksjxRt_XMuKuROjghW5_smiAJQkINffDzTdydDh5BB6wztWCDFKj5dnBdf-3TNiSULfRQtXpeAV82VwVFQSmKP0QPBfHS1t0q9BYGZPSAu0J39_44XOCVxXK-5ajjU2NQYPEF0PrwR0qmIeQv6lYJv60o3U" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="314" data-original-width="457" height="275" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEguLHXvFUUJ3erWVPPiijFMIVFTXhnFCRWrksjxRt_XMuKuROjghW5_smiAJQkINffDzTdydDh5BB6wztWCDFKj5dnBdf-3TNiSULfRQtXpeAV82VwVFQSmKP0QPBfHS1t0q9BYGZPSAu0J39_44XOCVxXK-5ajjU2NQYPEF0PrwR0qmIeQv6lYJv60o3U=w400-h275" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">S.T. Joshi </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhyVZFIhOhoe9FhNJcIhnZGTjStw20A0D47YfYFUOP_Aa-TFOqxSt0SIqOFh3oC6bg1ItFSBjDgmXk38ogqrMenuIqlojYjob_5-4kjbwOP3cdVmwqYxppvZHvG9uKNQUg-kAUjV4m782ez_AMA4h8fL2qUtX8w7BFOBfYDhaEuX5jMp6_-P9gE7vQVhw0" style="font-style: italic; font-weight: 700; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhyVZFIhOhoe9FhNJcIhnZGTjStw20A0D47YfYFUOP_Aa-TFOqxSt0SIqOFh3oC6bg1ItFSBjDgmXk38ogqrMenuIqlojYjob_5-4kjbwOP3cdVmwqYxppvZHvG9uKNQUg-kAUjV4m782ez_AMA4h8fL2qUtX8w7BFOBfYDhaEuX5jMp6_-P9gE7vQVhw0=w300-h400" width="300" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiGuLEwa9Z048UFaME6B3k-S3OJgMZiCseiXd6d3ioc9qWtYAVYB192pj_GJF3FrGMlFzje60Jr9M7r7Be-Qz6CBw2zfrNBd2Ghdq7CBVqsmUWWwIG3SwZDMe7hegpnPVDYm8DciAYiKf1ZldhXOX58yIHjdS9KtQstAr4Xjl8KU-blEl8KFW7oGMP09b8" style="font-style: italic; font-weight: 700; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="3000" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiGuLEwa9Z048UFaME6B3k-S3OJgMZiCseiXd6d3ioc9qWtYAVYB192pj_GJF3FrGMlFzje60Jr9M7r7Be-Qz6CBw2zfrNBd2Ghdq7CBVqsmUWWwIG3SwZDMe7hegpnPVDYm8DciAYiKf1ZldhXOX58yIHjdS9KtQstAr4Xjl8KU-blEl8KFW7oGMP09b8=w240-h320" width="240" /></a></div><p><br /></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEijOJ2O6M5RYyY9SMrBNTt3S1LJjVghXVlSzmfqWIQVCG-QRHO-CUdzy1yzEvBmXaYLEzUAd09cNyXnfKxNU2PqBftwtrN27rLIDhjv5UvlAH1CbpEwDT8IFJclEC5bLE8rXDYUAZ_wSJs8Gxb_JvO36VvU4VJf95W2uKUJLEN-IYETFc9PQj_iWgjLHUY" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="2074" data-original-width="1876" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEijOJ2O6M5RYyY9SMrBNTt3S1LJjVghXVlSzmfqWIQVCG-QRHO-CUdzy1yzEvBmXaYLEzUAd09cNyXnfKxNU2PqBftwtrN27rLIDhjv5UvlAH1CbpEwDT8IFJclEC5bLE8rXDYUAZ_wSJs8Gxb_JvO36VvU4VJf95W2uKUJLEN-IYETFc9PQj_iWgjLHUY=w579-h640" width="579" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">EDGE and Tesseracts reading</div><br /><br /><p></p><p><br /></p><br /><br /><p></p>SE Lindberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08511576266035113852noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5481339651030977851.post-38961128707289595432024-02-11T13:40:00.004-05:002024-02-11T13:40:55.254-05:00WFC 1996 - Selfie with Dennis L. McKiernan<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Reflecting on my first literary convention, the 1996 World Fantasy Convention.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I was able to have Dennis McKiernan sign my copy of <b><i>The Dark Tide</i></b> (Book #1 of the Iron Tower Trilogy). I'd get to meet him again in Columbus OH at the WFC 2010, where he spent a good portion of his life.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The Alan Lee covers really drew me into that series, as well as the Foul Folks, especially the Ghuls. I read that series before Toliens Lord of the Rings (which inspired McKiernan to write his work).</div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjQgjM5jzJLcmPYXJecr0tByBt2nu2qjk2FcOA0odCA_9lV2G6bdbbE6MOjQEMm6YC0D-KA69M4B2XJmA6U0gN95NKt3XxTjdejf1JXhyUt7FP-NJ301IAHFnlx1IXfjc2oSrsaH8YlSbPwZ-7sScXTB5HjknYTKYXTJHJVjxG_bstixsUcjVYyyJBjIx8" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></a><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjQgjM5jzJLcmPYXJecr0tByBt2nu2qjk2FcOA0odCA_9lV2G6bdbbE6MOjQEMm6YC0D-KA69M4B2XJmA6U0gN95NKt3XxTjdejf1JXhyUt7FP-NJ301IAHFnlx1IXfjc2oSrsaH8YlSbPwZ-7sScXTB5HjknYTKYXTJHJVjxG_bstixsUcjVYyyJBjIx8" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1125" data-original-width="1058" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhHqdX2DJnCQDY4ygewJjK-Qr5NaNDbmmvyy6cP5kiMjwxZ2uD53jECUYw1Kaxs9GlGpsa7kbeDTS_omjkc1fdZIYtu0brYGlGqkS4THAHNHCkgBvAF9gO7sCRjXpdvViM-p2NR-6b2kFafMYltoaR3UGDCoKHCOPnVDH9ECAOtNXyUek5LSt7P4E3x6t4=w603-h640" width="603" /></a></span></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjQgjM5jzJLcmPYXJecr0tByBt2nu2qjk2FcOA0odCA_9lV2G6bdbbE6MOjQEMm6YC0D-KA69M4B2XJmA6U0gN95NKt3XxTjdejf1JXhyUt7FP-NJ301IAHFnlx1IXfjc2oSrsaH8YlSbPwZ-7sScXTB5HjknYTKYXTJHJVjxG_bstixsUcjVYyyJBjIx8" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjQgjM5jzJLcmPYXJecr0tByBt2nu2qjk2FcOA0odCA_9lV2G6bdbbE6MOjQEMm6YC0D-KA69M4B2XJmA6U0gN95NKt3XxTjdejf1JXhyUt7FP-NJ301IAHFnlx1IXfjc2oSrsaH8YlSbPwZ-7sScXTB5HjknYTKYXTJHJVjxG_bstixsUcjVYyyJBjIx8"><br /></a></div></div><div style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh2hNNRB8BEzGLoNOQ8Rng6AxA4LMw3xF3ygXKVLDo621sux4WIscMD9UdYDcGzgRZ1CqPOBWbA71Z1eHHqd74903ETWvvs9TZQmJEMTVOVvMKwc0nQB_Zu1LKMdv7jjEI_9MaL0YmbGEINcUCxA2akr0EfIs4fjBnVW8YYK-2NT3uFxSKUta6ERkUXAy0" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="2291" data-original-width="1700" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh2hNNRB8BEzGLoNOQ8Rng6AxA4LMw3xF3ygXKVLDo621sux4WIscMD9UdYDcGzgRZ1CqPOBWbA71Z1eHHqd74903ETWvvs9TZQmJEMTVOVvMKwc0nQB_Zu1LKMdv7jjEI_9MaL0YmbGEINcUCxA2akr0EfIs4fjBnVW8YYK-2NT3uFxSKUta6ERkUXAy0=w475-h640" width="475" /></a></div><p></p>SE Lindberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08511576266035113852noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5481339651030977851.post-60583788006101728232024-01-31T06:08:00.001-05:002024-01-31T06:13:29.956-05:00“The Magical Power of Art” - Foreword and Interview for The Revelations of Zang<p><a href="https://www.blackgate.com/2023/12/20/emthe-revelations-of-zangem-by-john-r-fultz-released-by-rogues-in-the-house-read-the-foreword-and-interview/" target="_blank">Black Gate simulcast Link</a>: THE REVELATIONS OF ZANG BY JOHN R. FULTZ RELEASED BY ROGUES IN THE HOUSE: READ THE FOREWORD AND INTERVIEW (Jan 2024)</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4KY0mSbpEuymeEo5oSK_C8CwFgEjj1kXriZfTSPeVnPkEIdaXZqblzsklIOneJxtdh4CIsmw8_ekLM1YVN72xmWZv0Mi5ut9nOt3AdXfivCvCoErZLzPFUkgMqz8vEd_r3A4d1zweb3dpZtRj1FsLTq9V6nSOSBO1HpBD9RM5haDI3gToMSFDiJ1Bu1c/s1500/812kf2kMguL._SL1500_.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="943" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4KY0mSbpEuymeEo5oSK_C8CwFgEjj1kXriZfTSPeVnPkEIdaXZqblzsklIOneJxtdh4CIsmw8_ekLM1YVN72xmWZv0Mi5ut9nOt3AdXfivCvCoErZLzPFUkgMqz8vEd_r3A4d1zweb3dpZtRj1FsLTq9V6nSOSBO1HpBD9RM5haDI3gToMSFDiJ1Bu1c/w402-h640/812kf2kMguL._SL1500_.jpg" width="402" /></a></div><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: center;"><b><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">The Revelations of Zang</span></i></b><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;"> by John R. Fultz. </span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">The Rogues in the
House Podcast (2023). John Molinero cover art.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;"> <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;"><a href="https://www.blackgate.com/2022/01/02/rogues-in-the-house-the-ultimate-sword-sorcery-podcast/"><span style="color: blue;">The Rogues in the House Podcast</span></a>, publishers of
the Sword & Sorcery anthologies <b>A Book of Blades</b> <b><i><a href="https://www.blackgate.com/2022/07/10/rogues-in-the-house-release-ema-book-of-bladesem/"><span style="color: blue;">Vol I </span></a></i>and <a href="https://www.blackgate.com/2023/06/24/new-treasures-ema-book-of-blades-vol-iiem-from-the-rogues-in-the-house-podcast/"><span style="color: blue;">Vol II</span></a>,</b> now bring us a re-release of John R.
Fultz's <b>The Revelations of Zang</b> (<a href="https://www.amazon.com/Revelations-Zang-Twelve-Tales-Continent-ebook/dp/B0CSWRJ6PB/"><span style="color: blue;">available now in Kindle, Paperback, and Hardcover</span></a>).
John R. Fultz is no stranger to <b>Black Gate</b> having published in the
hardcopy magazine and hosting his <b>Skulls</b> graphic story and two of his
short stories on the website. We recently highlighted a 2017 interview with the
author on his approach to creating weird worlds that are both beautiful and
dark (<a href="https://www.blackgate.com/2023/12/20/beautiful-dark-worlds-an-interview-with-john-r-fultz/"><span style="color: blue;">reposted on <b><i>Black Gate</i></b> Dec. 2023</span></a>).
I was honored to provide the Foreword and Interview for the re-release, and
provided those here to reveal what you should expect, and why you should read, <b>The
Revelations of Zang</b>!<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">John R. Fultz has a burgeoning library. His published novels include <b>Seven
Princes </b>(2012), <b>Seven Kings</b> (2013), and <b>Seven Sorcerers </b>(2013),
as well as <b>The Testament of Tall Eagle</b> (2015) and <b>Son of Tall Eagle</b>
(2017). His short stories have appeared in<b><i> Year’s Best Weird Fiction,
Weird Tales, Black Gate, Weirdbook,</i> That Is Not Dead, Shattered Shields,
Lightspeed, Way of the Wizard, Cthulhu’s Reign,</b> and plenty of other strange
places. His story collections include <b>World Beyond Worlds </b>(2021), <b>Darker
Than Weird </b>(2023), and <b>The Revelations of Zang</b> (re-released now,
2023)<i>! </i>Now, we will reveal to you the secret arcana of that
last volume...<o:p></o:p></span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-outline-level: 2; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 18pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">“The Magical Power
of Art” - Foreword and Interview for <i>The Revelations of Zang</i><o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">The uninitiated may ask: who the hell is Zang? What is s/he going to
reveal to me? Well, Zang is not human. It is the larger portion of the
‘Continent,’ a forest mostly; but the land is so rich in character, it might as
well be sentient. This foreword reveals what to expect in <i>The Revelations of
Zang</i> collection, avoiding spoilers, and it showcases the behind-the-scenes
context of the stories and the author’s rich history with creating illustrated
and fantastical worlds.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">If Karl Edward Wagner rewrote <i>The Worm Ourborus</i> (E.R. Edison,
1922) for fans of <i>The Dark Crystal</i> (Jim Henson, Frank Oz, 1982) you’d
get the Zang Cycle experience. It is tough to blend action-packed adventure
with weird milieus, with doses of royal intrigue and epic, elder lore. Wagner
delivered this well with his Kane character; i.e., in <i>Darkness Weaves
(1978),</i> and “Lynortis Reprise (1961). Fultz excels at this too. <i>The
Revelations of Zang</i> is an epic fantasy delivered in pulpy bites. All
episodes share a single, coherent story-arc; each successive tale unearths a
layer of Zang’s history with a single primary protagonist who performs as a
lone-wolf or general in a world war. Each sortie radiates heroic-fiction vibes.
Indeed, seven of the twelve were written as standalone stories and published in
esteemed journals such as <i>Weird Tales </i>and <i>Black Gate </i>print
magazines. Each episode delivers a wondrous ‘wow’, so expect twelve climaxes,
not one (as one would with a novel).<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">This collection follows this tradition with seven of its twelve tales
published in magazines. Conversely, there are five tales that are only
available in the collection and the sequence is greater than the sum of its
parts. The pages are saturated with sorcery and fantastical elements, but do <i>not
</i>expect classic tropes likes orcs and elves. The creatures here are freshly
crafted, often from corpses or alchemical elements. Lending awe to the world’s
gods and monsters is Fultz’s style, which portrays them with accessible, poetic
flare–descriptions reminiscent of Tanith Lee or Clark Ashton Smith. The pacing
is rapid, akin to Michael Moorcock’s Elric tales, who had a knack for creating
novels out of his short stories with his Eternal Champion cycles; Sword &
Sorcery readers will sense echoes of the Melnibonéans’ adventures as Quill and
Taizo, the two main protagonists, journey across the Continent. Incidentally,
there are some powerful, ancient jewels herein that reminded me of Elric’s
“Jade Man’s Eyes” (1973) journey, or even Kane’s titular <i>Bloodstone </i>adventure<i>—</i>hence
the call out to <i>The Dark Crystal </i>above. You’ll learn more about the
mystery of sacred, divine gems soon enough.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">In <i>The Revelations of Zang</i>, Artifice the Quill (writer of the <i>End
of Sorcery</i>) and Taizo (a thief of weird renown) are your tour guides, both
depicted by cover artist Josh Finney for the first publication of this
collection (2013, Fantastic Books). For this 2023 edition from Rogues in the
House Podcast, cover artist John Molinero focuses on Quill and beautifully
amplifies the demonic conflict the book delivers on. Meta-themes on how art
(theater and books) can affect the outcome of warring civilizations are
spotlighted–but don’t expect any less bloodshed and horror that one would get
while reading Robert E. Howard. As Don Webb notes in his hilarious foreword to
Fultz’s <i>Darker Than Weird - Fourteen Tales of Horror</i> (2022) where he
terms the Fultzian approach as being a one-two punch combination: “Come for the
horror, leave with deeper questions about history and metaphysics”, expect the
same from Fultz’s Zang Cycle.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">The back cover blurb hints at the deep undercurrents: “The exiled author
[Quill]… learns the magical power of art and the art of magical power.” In the
opening chapter, the royal sorcerers arrest Artifice the Quill because of his
book<i> The End of Sorcery</i> by sending out their Vizarchs (humanoids with
silver masks reminiscent of Fultz’s Skulls graphic novel 2010<i> Black Gate</i>
website)<i>. </i>Then characters in “The Liberation of Lady Veronique” story
explain the power of the written word; first, Veronique explains: “What is the
power of a mere fiction that it can inspire such hatred among the powerful and
such passion among the powerless”; and Arfos adds later, “The book [<i>The End
of Sorcery</i>]… is a tool… to free mens’ minds. To wake them from the false
dream woven about their hearts and minds.” Literally, both speak of Quill’s
banned tome, but figuratively the fourth wall is breached: by reading <i>The
Revelation of Zang</i> we are promised access to arcane secrets.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">Well, it would be evil to disclose actual spoilers ahead of the stories,
but we can gain a larger appreciation of the muses motivating the tales, and
perhaps enjoy the stories even more, knowing context. As I prepared for this
Foreword, I took notes with journalistic fervor, reading this collection, and
delving into my 2017 interview-with-Fultz and my review of his <i>World Beyond
Worlds. </i>Instead of reporting those notes directly, I used that material to
craft intense questions and re-interview the author. We’ll have the embodiment
of Artifice the Quill, Fultz himself, disclose over a dozen secrets:<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;"> </span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyKiAxHlD-QRjepPfbfYBZv4mKqRsNeEdKWAuTV6Rcqwx5Xf_pWTZkQ3j1zHpjp9jBHUHa-apGJKAw8QPevhxF1-rxLYYakroyiFpzytaIa24-Us5wZiV6ZulMiY0N-ebe96RbsXthMZVDk-SCXHBX-AzjOamDzFs594Lf8YlICJ-oFeIVjeUxdq7KsSI/s808/5-Returnof%20theQuill2-%20Kent%20Burles.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="808" data-original-width="478" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyKiAxHlD-QRjepPfbfYBZv4mKqRsNeEdKWAuTV6Rcqwx5Xf_pWTZkQ3j1zHpjp9jBHUHa-apGJKAw8QPevhxF1-rxLYYakroyiFpzytaIa24-Us5wZiV6ZulMiY0N-ebe96RbsXthMZVDk-SCXHBX-AzjOamDzFs594Lf8YlICJ-oFeIVjeUxdq7KsSI/w378-h640/5-Returnof%20theQuill2-%20Kent%20Burles.jpg" width="378" /></a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;"> Kent Burles' illustration for Black
Gate's presentation of "Return of the Quill" depicts a performance of
Artifice the Quill's Glimmer Faire, an event that prepares the City of Narr for
a mystical rebirth.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-outline-level: 4;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">SEL: Let’s discuss the origins of the
Zang Cycle. The story “The Persecution of Artifice the Quill” (<i>Weird Tales</i>
#340, 2006) opens the Zang Cycle. In our 2017 interview (<a href="http://www.selindberg.com/2017/09/john-fultz-interview-by-se-lindberg.html."><span style="color: blue;">link</span></a>), when asked about your ‘Weird Fiction role
models’, we learned this story catalyzed your publishing journey. Witnessing
the Zang Cycle, and your portfolio, grow is exhilarating. Please share insights
about this catalyst.<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">JRF: “The Persecution of Artifice the Quill,” which begins this book, was
my first professional sale. Not only did the story appear in <i>Weird Tales</i>
#340, but I’m pretty sure it got the cover illustration. A dark and menacing
piece by the great Les Edwards, which seems to capture the look of the undead
Vizarchs chasing after Artifice in his debut story. So, it’s a milestone story
for me. I had been trying for many years to sell a story to <i>Weird Tales</i>,
so mission accomplished. They bought two more Zang stories before the mag’s
management changed, and the next two were not published there after all.
Luckily, I moved the Zang series to John O’Neil’s <i>Black Gate</i>, where he
published several more stories. About half the stories in <i>The Revelations of
Zang</i> were never published outside of its pages—they were new to the volume
when it was first released ten years ago. That includes the climactic novella,
“Spilling the Blood of the World,” which winds up thematic threads sewn into
the first ten stories. I’m forever grateful that I got to be a part of <i>Weird
Tales</i> magazine, even if it was only a single story. It opened a gateway to
the rest of my career as a writer.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-outline-level: 4;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">SEL: Is ‘Zang proper’ just the forest,
or the whole Continent? I initially interpreted it as the latter, but I wanted
to be sure.<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">JRF: Zang is one half of a mega-continent, and this half is largely
dominated by the ancient Zang Forest (hence the name). The other half, Zin,
lies beyond the north/south running mountain range known as the Spine. There
may be one or more sleeping gods lying beneath those mountains…but no spoilers.
Heh-heh. Most of the stories in <i>The Revelations of Zang</i> take place in
the Zang area of “The Continent”—but when Artifice travels abroad with the
Glimmer Faire, they do a nice tour of the Zin regions. Only one story in<i>
Revelations</i> takes place in Zin, and that is “The Bountiful Essence of the
Empty Hand.” <i>RoZ</i> focuses mainly on what’s happening in Zang, including
the mystical advance and expansion of the Zang Forest. [However, there is one
more story set in Zin, “Where the White Lotus Grows,” and it appears in the <i>Worlds
Beyond Worlds</i> collection.]<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-outline-level: 4;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">SEL: To follow that, is <i>“Yael of
the Strings”</i> (2014, <i>Shattered Shields;</i> 2021,<i> Worlds Beyond Worlds</i>)<i> </i>a
Zang Cycle tale?<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">JRF: Well, it is a tale set in the World of Zang. So is “The Penitence of
the Blade” in that same collection. Neither of these Zang tales is related to <i>The
Revelations of Zang</i> story-cycle, they simply share the same world or
universe. And you could also consider “Where the White Lotus Grows” to be a
Zang tale, although it’s set on the other side of the Continent in Zin (as I
mentioned above).<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-outline-level: 4;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">SEL: Sticking with digging
into origins, let’s hit on the bonus tale: “The Vintages of Dream” (first
published in <i>Black Gate</i> #15, 2011). This twelfth story is the only one
not explicitly in chronological order or even part of the canonical Zang Cycle;
it is a fun piece that reveals how elements of Zang (i.e., carnivorous flowers,
thievery of magical potions, etc.) developed. It is dedicated to Brian
McNaughton (<a href="http://www.selindberg.com/2012/02/brian-mcnaughton-seelura-map-and-throne.html"><i><span style="color: blue;">Throne of Bones</span></i></a><i><u>,</u></i><u> Word
Fantasy Award-winning book, 1997</u>) whom you must have corresponded with. Can
you explain your interaction with him?</span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">JRF: I’m sure I’ve told this story before, but let me just say that Brian
was a huge fan of this story. After reading his World Fantasy Award-winning
collection <i>The Throne of Bones</i>, I became an instant super-fan. At some
point I tried to get “Vintages” published but nobody wanted it. I ended up
sending it to Brian, and he even called one mag’s publisher and asked them to
buy my story. It didn’t work, but I was astounded that he spoke up on my
behalf. Brian said my writing reminded him of Robert E. Howard, which was a
huge compliment for a young writer just getting started. When you’re first
starting out, you run on pure enthusiasm, and a kind word from an established
writer can really keep you going. Such was the case with Brian’s championing of
“Vintages.” It would be many years later when the story finally saw the light
of day in <i>Black Gate</i>. I really wish Brian had lived a few decades longer
so he could give us more stories of his wonderfully weird world Seelura. He was
a true modern master of the weird tale.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-outline-level: 4;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">SEL: McNaughton’s <i>Throne of Bones</i> sequence
is ostensibly ghoul-focused but has omnipresent themes regarding
being-an-abject-person and misunderstood-artist (perhaps offering more
depressing versions of your Quill who instead leans toward being an action
hero). As an artist yourself, creating protagonists who are also artists,
please discuss how you see artists as heroes?<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">JRF: Great question. Artists ARE heroes. Like heroes, they have fans.
Like heroes, they perform feats of wonder, courage, and bravery. My heroes have
always been Artists. (Sorry, Cowboys!) With the Zang stories, I wanted to
explore the link between Art and Sorcery. I believe that writing IS magic—I
teach writing, and I tell my students the same thing—I believe that all art
forms have the capability of altering reality in significant ways that we
mostly take for granted. Whether it’s a great novel sweeping you away to
another world, a film that transports you somewhere you’ve never been, or
simply a painting you could stare at all day, Art is a form of magic. It’s no
coincidence that when you write, you have to “spell” each word out. It’s no
coincidence that wizards “sing” their spells because music is a power all on
its own. Writing itself may be the Original Magic, so wizards draw runes and
sigils to concentrate their power. In the Zang stories, Artifice transitions
from an ivory-tower “scribe” to a wandering playwright whose sorcery manifests
in the transformational performances of the Glimmer Faire. I believe in the
power of Art to rewrite reality—to make it better—to transcend the mundane, the
organic, and the commonplace. To instill wonder, evoke awe, and elevate human
existence. Stop me before I get too deep… Heh-heh. I also have to mention that
the other “main” protagonist in <i>Revelations</i> is Taizo of Narr, who is <i>not</i>
an artist but a smuggler and a thief. At least that’s how he starts…but again,
no spoilers.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-outline-level: 4;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">SEL: McNaughton intentionally avoided
making a map for his Seelura milieu; there was no map for the Zang
Cycle/Continent in its first two printings, but there was for your <i>Books of
the Shaper</i> trilogy. Given your artistic skills and creativity, you are
likely to have had one. Did you have a map of the Continent? If so, do you have
thoughts on sharing maps for fantasy worlds?<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">JRF: Nice of you to point that out! I hadn’t realized it, but I guess I
did the same thing that Brian did with Seelura: no map. I have this “mental
map” of the World of Zang in my head, but I’ve never drawn it out on paper.
With the <i>Books of the Shaper</i> trilogy, the publisher (Orbit) asked me if
I wanted to do a map for the novels, so I did a rough and they hired a
professional artist to do the final version. It looked great. But I don’t think
a map is actually needed for Zang. As Brian said of Seelura, the lack of a map
keeps the invented world more mysterious. It’s more like wandering through a
dark and shimmering dream without any guideposts or direction. I dig that.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEim3pH-SlcTB1VdRsbt7TKirrMUHvebKtgBePQe8yluyyBbhAnRBwgBGmcfVTVOZuCo4zbVKZ614F_dONDLXG0ekjeX9DCPan457rWvNheQrkl9UEl1FZ9_RoSt1JgWkW-dOd2eXwyo2X1eLOztCb5w_TWuEA-t3g8WfyupLLV23XKWjvEJOO_BMWXuoAY/s950/gb-mark%20evans.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="592" data-original-width="950" height="398" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEim3pH-SlcTB1VdRsbt7TKirrMUHvebKtgBePQe8yluyyBbhAnRBwgBGmcfVTVOZuCo4zbVKZ614F_dONDLXG0ekjeX9DCPan457rWvNheQrkl9UEl1FZ9_RoSt1JgWkW-dOd2eXwyo2X1eLOztCb5w_TWuEA-t3g8WfyupLLV23XKWjvEJOO_BMWXuoAY/w640-h398/gb-mark%20evans.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">"Oblivion Is the Sweetest
Wine" introduced the Zang series secondary lead, a clever thief named
Taizo. Black Gate magazine commissioned two great interior pieces by Mark Evans
to accompany the story. (left) Syyra, Taizo's erstwhile love interest. (right)
The catacombs beneath the spider-worshipping city of Ghoth.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-outline-level: 4;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">SEL: I’m curious about inspirations
for the story “<a href="https://www.blackgate.com/when-the-glimmer-faire-came-to-the-city-of-the-lonely-eye/"><span style="color: blue;">When the Glimmer Faire Came to the City of the Lonely Eye” (<i>BlackGate.com</i>
2013,</span></a> available online) that involves Quill adventuring with a
troupe of powerful, weird actors led by the stage master & sorcerer
Mordeau; they venture into a haunted city with lofty goals and the reaction
from the crowd/world is beyond epic. Loved this story. The last time I remember
a troupe in adventure fiction would be the Grillards featured in James Silke’s <i>Frank
Frazetta’s Death Dealer</i> novels (Old Brown John being the stage master);
note, the Glimmer Faire is magnitudes more powerful and exciting than the
Grillards. Anyway, can you discuss your motivations/muses for creating a
theatrical group of heroes?<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">JRF: As mentioned previously, I wanted to explore the link between Art
and Sorcery. So, when Artifice learns to be a playwright (and simultaneously, a
sorcerer), it allowed me to explore how the magical power of Drama can
literally change the world. I’ve always been a big fan of Shakespeare, and I’d
have to say one of the influences for The Glimmer Faire was <i>A Midsummer
Night’s Dream</i>. The parallels are obvious, what with the Woodfolk musicians
being part of the troupe. I wish I could remember more about what inspired the
Lonely Eye concept, but I think the title came first, then the plot. I can’t
recall anything beyond that, except that I wanted this story to really show how
the Faire’s performance could work miracles and wonders—how their High Art
transforms an entire community. But in my ongoing quest to avoid spoilers, I
will say no more. Except this: Right around the same time I came up with the
Glimmer Faire concept (2003), I saw an excellent historical-drama film called <i>The
Reckoning</i> that sort of confirmed and inspired my approach. It stars Willem
Dafoe and Paul Bettany as members of a medieval troupe of traveling actors.
Fascinating movie. highly recommend it.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-outline-level: 4;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">SEL: In your <i>World Beyond Worlds </i>collection,
you have a story dedicated to <i>Kung Fu</i> actor David Carridine, “Where the
White Lotus Grows” (Monk Punk, 2011), that harmonizes demon-killing with the
ambiance of TV series. In the Zang Cycle, “The Bountiful Essence of the Empty
Hand” features a culture seemingly inspired by Kung Fu too. Any connection
there? Do you have martial art muses?<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">JRF: Absolutely. I grew up watching <i>Kung Fu</i> in the 70s. Revisited
it in the 90s, and eventually collected all three seasons on DVD in the 2000s.
Immensely inspiring show, and it introduced my young mind to Eastern
philosophy. It’s still one of my all-time favorite TV shows. I do sometimes
wonder how different it would have been if Bruce Lee (who co-created the show)
had been allowed to play the main role. That went to Carradine instead, but he
knocked it out of the park and became one of the biggest TV stars in the world
during the 70s. The tragedy is that David walked away from the show after
season three, when its popularity was white-hot, and he would never find that
kind of widespread audience again. At least not until 2004, when Quentin
Tarantino cast him as “Bill” in KILL BILL. But I also love old-school Shaw
Brothers Kung Fu films, and many other directors in the genre. <i>The Five
Deadly Venoms </i>has always been a favorite, and a few years back I discovered
the seminal genius of <i>Come Drink With Me</i>. I could go on and on about
martial arts cinema, but I prefer the movies that are set deep in the past.
They could very well be fantasy films set in alternate worlds, and they inspire
me in that way. In “Bountiful Essence” I got to explore the Zin side of The
Continent, and I wanted to explore a culture somewhat akin to the Shaolin monks
of ancient China, but not be limited to historical accuracy or concepts. So,
the residents of the Invisible City in “Bountiful Essence” are visited by the
Glimmer Faire in its tour of the eastern realms. Later, I wanted to explore the
fate of Kantoh, one of the monks introduced in “Bountiful Essence,” so I
returned to Zin and wrote “Where the White Lotus Grows.” It only seemed right
to dedicate the story to David Carradine, since he inspired me at such an early
age with his portrayal of Kwai Chang Caine. I love the martial arts films of
Zhang Yimou, Ang Lee, and Yang Lu. I also find the show<i> Warrior</i> to be
fantastically good and totally inspiring. It’s almost like an answer to my
above question since it’s produced by Bruce Lee’s daughter and based on his
writings. I can confidently say it’s the best martial arts show since the
original<i> Kung Fu</i>, and it’s set in the same time period. Great stuff.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-outline-level: 4;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">SEL: There seem to be crossovers or
tie-ins, such as the Ghothian spiders (that have a dominant focus in “Oblivion
Is the Sweetest Wine (Black Gate #12, 2008), but also appear in <i>World Beyond
Worlds</i> - ‘Yael of the Strings” (originally published in <i>Shattered
Shields</i> (2014)). Less explicitly, the nine Sorcerer Kings and Divine
Council of the Zang Cycle seems to resonate with the Seven Sorcerer Kings from
the Books of the Shaper trilogy. Does the Zang Cycle spill over to other Fultz
Universes?<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">JRF: No, no—very different concepts, and very different stories. The
kings in the novel<i> Seven Kings</i> are not all sorcerers. In fact, only a
couple of them are sorcerers if I recall correctly; they are the kings of
various nations allied and/or divided by a coming war. That book is a
completely different universe, totally unrelated to Zang in any way—except that
I wrote both of them. In <i>The Revelations of Zang</i>, there are <i>nine</i>
Sorcerer Kings who rule a single city (Narr the Golden) and its surrounding
empire. They are “the enemy” of our protagonists because long ago they cast
down the Gods of Zang and all their temples, replacing the worship of gods with
the worship of themselves. They even refer to themselves as the Divine Council.
So, a part of the journey in <i>RoZ</i> is the idea that you can’t really kill
the gods, so what if they decide to come back? That’s the kind of thing we call
an apocalypse…<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-outline-level: 4;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">SEL: Your Moroquin creatures remind me
of fleshy versions of the Garthim (Jim Henson and Frank Oz’s 1982<i> Dark
Crystal</i> movie) which are giant clawed, exoskeletal elite guards/warriors
serving the antagonists. Did the Garthim inspire the Moroquin?<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">JRF: No, but I do enjoy the original<i> Dark Crystal</i> film. At the
time there was nothing else like it. I just wanted the Moroquin to be
absolutely disgusting brutes—the tools of blind fascism and decadent sorcery.
Grotesque and demonic.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-outline-level: 4;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">SEL: You are an accomplished
illustrator. Early in your storytelling career you wrote <i>Primordia</i> for
Archaia Studios Press and wrote/illustrated the graphic novel <i>Necromancy/SKULLS</i>,
available on Black Gate.com (table of contents here: <a href="http://www.selindberg.com/2017/09/john-fultz-interview-by-se-lindberg.html."><span style="color: blue;">link</span></a>). Have you ever drawn Moroquin, Vizarchs, or
anything else for the Zang Cycle? Please discuss how drawing informs your
writing now. If you have illustrations, can we share?<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">JRF: Well, thanks for the kind words, but actually I’m an <i>amateur</i>
illustrator. I don’t have the skill to do professional illustration, but I’ve
always loved to draw. So, I indulge that fancy sometimes. In the case of<i>
Primordia</i>, I got the great Roel Wielinga to draw it and he did an amazing
job. In the case of <i>Skulls</i>, that was back when I was trying to break
into the comics industry and got tired of artists bailing out on pitches and
projects. So, I started drawing and inking myself. I learned a lot from doing
that, and I think my inking worked better than my pencils. Later, I
re-envisioned that story as a web comic and repurposed it to run at <i>Black
Gate</i>. I don’t really draw comics anymore. I’d love to <i>write</i> them,
however, if the opportunity arises.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-outline-level: 4;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">SEL: Any other behind-the-scenes
context you’d like to share about the Zang Cycle?<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">JRF: Just that I’m so grateful that the <i>Rogues in the House</i>
Podcast crew have decided to publish this second edition of <i>Revelations of
Zang</i>. It’s been out of print for several years, so it will be great to make
it available again for new readers. The Rogues also found a terrific artist,
John Molinero, to paint a brand-new cover for the new edition. It rocks!<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-outline-level: 4;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">SEL: We hope that this collection can
be an entry into published Fultz works, or perhaps future ones. On social
media, there was a tease about two new novels called the <i>Scaleborn</i>
series. Can you discuss future Fultz endeavors?<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">JRF: All I can say at this point is that the <i>Scaleborn</i> series is
looking for a home, and I’ve got the first two books already completed. I’m
hoping it will find a publisher before too much longer.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgucRYgnDE2nSviugFrUvpPxRGzLJJfIpKkzycx5dqwapSZiYIbxZq_AbQJg4_RB7Cg0k2Z1b_r8XEuUqNXp5sOuhNdbB6XUxAWP_IyHTdCjzb9X1AaTTDen0PxW0tAhIUT8Jb8yBROI-WJ-tCcRmJoEP30b-bBpyCPbf38z9e6onUxs8Aqci8aOZr4QDU/s950/bg_worlds.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="950" data-original-width="633" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgucRYgnDE2nSviugFrUvpPxRGzLJJfIpKkzycx5dqwapSZiYIbxZq_AbQJg4_RB7Cg0k2Z1b_r8XEuUqNXp5sOuhNdbB6XUxAWP_IyHTdCjzb9X1AaTTDen0PxW0tAhIUT8Jb8yBROI-WJ-tCcRmJoEP30b-bBpyCPbf38z9e6onUxs8Aqci8aOZr4QDU/w426-h640/bg_worlds.jpg" width="426" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-outline-level: 2;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 18pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;"><a href="https://www.blackgate.com/?s=Weird+Beauty"><span style="color: blue;">#Weird
Beauty</span></a> Interviews on <i>Black Gate</i><o:p></o:p></span></b></p><ol start="1" type="1">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">Darrel
Schweitzer <a href="https://www.blackgate.com/2018/09/03/the-beauty-in-horror-and-sadness-an-interview-with-darrell-schweitzer/"><i><span style="color: blue;">THE BEAUTY IN HORROR AND SADNESS: AN INTERVIEW WITH
DARRELL SCHWEITZER</span></i></a><i> 2018</i><o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">Sebastian
Jones <a href="https://www.blackgate.com/2018/10/21/the-beauty-in-life-and-death-an-interview-with-sebastian-jones/"><i><span style="color: blue;">THE BEAUTY IN LIFE AND DEATH: AN INTERVIEW WITH
SEBASTIAN JONES</span></i></a><i> 2018</i><o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">Charles
Gramlich <a href="https://www.blackgate.com/2019/01/21/the-beautiful-and-the-repellent-an-interview-with-charles-a-gramlich/"><i><span style="color: blue;">THE BEAUTIFUL AND THE REPELLENT: AN INTERVIEW WITH
CHARLES A. GRAMLICH</span></i></a><i> 2019</i><o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">Anna Smith
Spark <a href="https://www.blackgate.com/2019/05/18/disgust-and-desire-an-interview-with-anna-smith-spark/"><i><span style="color: blue;">DISGUST AND DESIRE: AN INTERVIEW WITH ANNA SMITH
SPARK </span></i></a><i> 2019</i><o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">Carol
Berg <a href="https://www.blackgate.com/2019/10/13/accessible-dark-fantasy-an-interview-with-carol-berg/"><i><span style="color: blue;">ACCESSIBLE DARK FANTASY: AN INTERVIEW WITH CAROL BERG</span></i></a><i> 2019</i><o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">Byron
Leavitt <a href="https://www.blackgate.com/2021/01/24/god-darkness-wonder-an-interview-with-byron-leavitt/"><i><span style="color: blue;">GOD, DARKNESS, & WONDER: AN INTERVIEW WITH BYRON
LEAVITT</span></i></a><i> 2021</i><o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">Philip
Emery <a href="https://www.blackgate.com/2021/06/10/the-aesthetics-of-sword-sorcery-an-interview-with-philip-emery/"><i><span style="color: blue;">THE AESTHETICS OF SWORD & SORCERY: AN INTERVIEW
WITH PHILIP EMERY </span></i></a><i> 2021</i><o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">C. Dean
Andersson <a href="https://www.blackgate.com/2021/07/29/c-dean-andersson-tribute-bloodsong-and-freedom/"><i><span style="color: blue;">DEAN ANDERSSON TRIBUTE INTERVIEW AND TOUR GUIDE OF HEL:
BLOODSONG AND FREEDOM!</span></i></a><i> (2021 repost of 2014)</i><o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">Jason Ray
Carney <a href="https://www.blackgate.com/2021/08/13/sublime-modernity-interview-with-jason-ray-carney/"><i><span style="color: blue;">SUBLIME, CRUEL BEAUTY: AN INTERVIEW WITH JASON RAY
CARNEY</span></i></a><i> </i>(2021)<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">Stephen
Leigh <a href="https://www.blackgate.com/2021/10/31/emimmortal-museemby-stephen-leigh-review-interview-and-prelude-to-a-secret-chapter/"><i><span style="color: blue;">IMMORTAL MUSE BY STEPHEN LEIGH: REVIEW, INTERVIEW, AND
PRELUDE TO A SECRET CHAPTER</span></i></a> (2021)<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">John C.
Hocking <a href="https://www.blackgate.com/2022/01/29/conan-pastiche-and-weird-fiction-an-interview-with-john-c-hocking/"><i><span style="color: blue;">BEAUTIFUL PLAGUES: AN INTERVIEW WITH JOHN C.
HOCKING </span></i></a><i> (2022)</i><o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">Matt
Stern <a href="https://www.blackgate.com/2022/02/24/beautiful-and-repulsive-butterflies/"><i><span style="color: blue;">BEAUTIFUL AND REPULSIVE BUTTERFLIES: AN INTERVIEW WITH
M. STERN</span></i></a><i> (2022)</i><o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">Joe
Bonadonna <i><a href="https://www.selindberg.com/2022/08/joe-bonadonna-interview-by-se.html"><span style="color: blue;">MAKING WEIRD FICTION FUN: GRILLING DORGO THE DOWSER!</span></a></i>
<i>(2022)</i><o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">C.S. Friedman.
<i><a href="https://www.blackgate.com/2023/04/23/beauty-and-nightmares-on-aliens-worlds-interviewing-c-s-friedman/"><span style="color: blue;">BEAUTY AND NIGHTMARES ON ALIENS WORLDS: INTERVIEWING C.
S. FRIEDMAN</span></a></i> <i>(2023)</i><o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">John R
Fultz <a href="https://www.blackgate.com/2023/12/20/beautiful-dark-worlds-an-interview-with-john-r-fultz/"><i><span style="color: blue;">BEAUTIFUL DARK WORLDS: AN INTERVIEW WITH JOHN R. FULTZ</span></i></a>
(2023 report of 2017 interview)<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">John R Fultz <o:p></o:p></span><em><a href="https://www.blackgate.com/2023/12/20/emthe-revelations-of-zangem-by-john-r-fultz-released-by-rogues-in-the-house-read-the-foreword-and-interview/">“The Magical Power of Art” – Foreword and Interview for The Revelations of Zang</a> (2024 Interview)</em></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list .5in;"><b><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">interviews
prior 2018</span></i></b><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;"> (i.e., with Janet E. Morris,
Richard Lee Byers, Aliya Whitely …and many more) are on </span></i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;"><a href="http://www.selindberg.com/p/interviews.html"><i><span style="color: blue;">S.E. Lindberg’s website</span></i></a><o:p></o:p></span></li>
</ol><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">
<hr align="center" size="2" width="100%" />
</span></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">S.E. Lindberg is a Managing Editor at </span></i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;"><a href="https://www.blackgate.com/"><i><span style="color: blue;">Black Gate,</span></i></a><i> regularly
reviewing books and </i><a href="https://www.selindberg.com/p/interviews.html"><i><span style="color: blue;">interviewing
authors </span></i></a><i>on the topic of “Beauty & Art in
Weird-Fantasy Fiction.” He is also the lead moderator of the </i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/80482-an-earthier-sort-of-fantasy-sword-sorcery"><i><span style="color: blue;">Goodreads Sword & Sorcery Group</span></i></a><i> and
an intern for </i><a href="https://goodman-games.com/tftms/"><i><span style="color: blue;">Tales from the Magician’s Skull</span></i></a><i> magazine. </i>As
for crafting stories, he has contributed six entries across <a href="https://theperseidpress.com/?mbt_author=s-e-lindberg"><i><span style="color: blue;">Perseid Press’s Heroes in Hell and Heroika series</span></i></a>,
has an entry in Weirdbook Annual #3: Zombies He independently
publishes novels under the banner <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Dyscrasia-Fiction/dp/B078MFZQHB"><i><span style="color: blue;">Dyscrasia Fiction;</span></i></a> short stories of
Dyscrasia Fiction have appeared in <a href="https://whetstonemag.blogspot.com/"><i><span style="color: blue;">Whetstone</span></i></a>, <a href="https://www.swordsandsorcerymagazine.com/index.html"><i><span style="color: blue;">Swords & Sorcery</span></i></a> online magazine,
Rogues In the House Podcast’s <i>A Book of Blades V</i>ol I and Vol II,
DMR’s Terra Incognita, and the 9th issue of <i>Tales From the
Magician’s Skull. </i>For several years he has played leading organizational
roles for the Gen Con Writers’ Symposium.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p>
</p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>SE Lindberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08511576266035113852noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5481339651030977851.post-44246904719620876902023-12-09T09:44:00.003-05:002023-12-09T09:44:30.392-05:00NEW EDGE SWORD & SORCERY MAGAZINE FIRST TWO ISSUES RELEASED<p><a href="https://www.blackgate.com/2023/11/05/emnew-edge-sword-sorcery-magazineem-first-two-issues-released/" target="_blank"> Posted originally on Black Gate Dec 6, 2023</a></p><br /><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUsrnhEvjh9M34JRNPATFs6FPD6tEPzqk_yunqTWFBo4DuKYwCWG8zhtcIZBLniIQI8ZX28g7RyDFTZ1peq8Qty5ZRr3dXZbTcAsoJxR8j0Od7orFykC9_onxDRjtBhCD0xW5tpuAZuxj9LyXTVDecFCkt0GR30PVu4guMPDhkVQqP74nmylJQ1JBsc-k/s950/New%20Edge%20Covers%202023.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="615" data-original-width="950" height="414" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUsrnhEvjh9M34JRNPATFs6FPD6tEPzqk_yunqTWFBo4DuKYwCWG8zhtcIZBLniIQI8ZX28g7RyDFTZ1peq8Qty5ZRr3dXZbTcAsoJxR8j0Od7orFykC9_onxDRjtBhCD0xW5tpuAZuxj9LyXTVDecFCkt0GR30PVu4guMPDhkVQqP74nmylJQ1JBsc-k/w640-h414/New%20Edge%20Covers%202023.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><span style="color: #00aaaa; font-family: "Source Sans Pro",sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: #00aaaa; font-family: "Source Sans Pro",sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 107%;">New
Edge Sword & Sorcery Magazine, Vol. I Issues #1 and #2. Cover art by
Caterina Gerbasi (Fall 2023); and Gilead (Winter 2023)<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: #00aaaa; font-family: "Source Sans Pro",sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 107%;">October 2022, Michael Harrington
hosted an interview with <a href="https://www.blackgate.com/2022/09/09/emnew-edge-sword-sorcery-magazineem-editor-oliver-brackenbury-interviewed-by-michael-harrington/"><span style="color: windowtext;">Oliver Brackenbury on Black Gate</span></a>;
Brackenbury is the editor and champion of <a href="http://www.newedgeswordandsorcery.com/"><b><i><span style="color: windowtext; text-decoration-line: none;">New Edge Sword & Sorcery Magazine</span></i></b></a>.
That post coincided with the release of the teaser <b>Issue #0</b> including
short fiction & non-fiction (free in digital format, or priced at cost on
Amazon Print-on-Demand, through <a href="http://www.newedgeswordandsorcery.com/"><span style="color: windowtext;">the
New Edge Website</span></a>). In Feb. 2023 <b><i>Black Gate</i></b> announced
the magazine’s <a href="https://www.blackgate.com/2023/01/28/new-edge-sword-sorcery-magazine-launches/"><span style="color: windowtext;">Kickstarter</span></a> which succeeded and
spurred the creation of the illustrated Issues 1 & 2 that are being
released now (Nov 2023). This post shares the official press release of
these issues and adds the Table of Contents for both. <b><i>New Edge</i></b> is
setting a strong foundation with these, with illustrations and heavy-hitting
authors.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b><i><span style="color: #00aaaa; font-family: "Source Sans Pro",sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 107%;"><a href="http://www.newedgeswordandsorcery.com/"><span style="color: windowtext;">NEW
EDGE SWORD & SORCERY</span></a> </span></i></b><b><span style="color: #00aaaa; font-family: "Source Sans Pro",sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 107%;">ISSUES 1&2 IMPENDING RELEASE!</span></b><span style="color: #00aaaa; font-family: "Source Sans Pro",sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="color: #00aaaa; font-family: "Source Sans Pro",sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 107%;">New Edge Sword &
Sorcery</span></i><span style="color: #00aaaa; font-family: "Source Sans Pro",sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 107%;"> will be releasing issues
#1& #2 in mid-November for <a href="https://newedgeswordandsorcery.com/"><span style="color: windowtext;">direct
sale through their website</span></a>. Until then, the new <a href="https://ness.backerkit.com/hosted_preorders/"><span style="color: windowtext;">issues
are available for pre-order through Backerkit</span></a>. Those who
pre-order issues #1 & #2 will be paying slightly less than final retail
prices, all the more reason to <a href="https://ness.backerkit.com/hosted_preorders/"><span style="color: windowtext;">run
over to the NESS pre-order shop now</span></a>!<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: #00aaaa; font-family: "Source Sans Pro",sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 107%;">Issue one features an original
Elric tale by Michael Moorcock! He joins twenty-three other authors across both
issues, such as Canadian horror master Gemma Files, Margaret Killjoy, S&S
veteran David C. Smith, Hugo Award-winner Cora Buhlert, Milton Davis, and more.
There’s also a tale by Jesús Montalvo, an author from the burgeoning S&S
scene south of the US border, translated from its original Spanish by Gonzalo
Baeza.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: #00aaaa; font-family: "Source Sans Pro",sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 107%;">Twenty artists are spread across
the two issues, including Morgan King, who directed Lucy Lawless in his 2021
rotoscope-animated Sword & Sorcery film <i>The Spine of Night</i>.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: #00aaaa; font-family: "Source Sans Pro",sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 107%;">Each issue features seven or eight
original stories and four works of non-fiction: one book review, one essay, one
in-depth interview, and one historical literary profile of figures like Charles
Saunders or Cele Goldsmith. All stories, essays, and profiles are to be paired
with two original B&W illustrations.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: #00aaaa; font-family: "Source Sans Pro",sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 107%;">“Made with love for the classics
and an inclusive, boundary-pushing approach to storytelling”, these Sword &
Sorcery tales take place in settings inspired by Asian, African, and Central
American, as well as European, cultures; featuring prominent disability,
neuro-divergent, and LGBTQ+ representation; all while delivering high-quality
writing in a wide variety of styles. Sword & Sorcery can be many things and
still be Sword & Sorcery.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="color: #00aaaa; font-family: "Source Sans Pro",sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 107%;">New Edge Sword &
Sorcery</span></i><span style="color: #00aaaa; font-family: "Source Sans Pro",sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 107%;"> #1 & #2 are available in
digital, perfect bound softcover, and sewn-stitched hardcover formats which lay
flat for ease of reading. Interiors are printed on eighty firm, 100gsm cream
paper pages sized at a spacious 8½x11 inches. The hardcovers are also enhanced
with bookmark ribbons in colors taken from the gorgeously painted cover art.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: #00aaaa; font-family: "Source Sans Pro",sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 107%;">Brackenbury has plans for
publishing further issues, as well as expanding into book publishing with a
line of themed anthologies & novella series. News of future crowdfunding
campaigns and more can be found via the New Edge Sword & Sorcery <a href="https://stats.sender.net/forms/dB2Xkd/view"><span style="color: windowtext;">newsletter</span></a>, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/newedgeswordmag/"><span style="color: windowtext;">Facebook</span></a>, <a href="https://www.instagram.com/newedgeswordmag/"><span style="color: windowtext;">Instagram</span></a>, <a href="https://bsky.app/profile/newedgeswordmag.bsky.social"><span style="color: windowtext;">Bluesky</span></a>, and <a href="https://twitter.com/newedgeswordmag"><span style="color: windowtext;">Twitter</span></a> accounts.
To help cut post-crowdfund turnaround in half, the NESS editorial team are
already editing stories for next year’s issues.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitrttImsd_XBhPQwqruP2lo6tkU6CQP52UPHbBp1cbXBTygBgzqFs-2CgbXL_eqWbDixwJrSNDgP0Y3JYpemH65yYjuabLhh7FhDLde9J9mPx4_Z3mAN6hOjcn9wzjYZfgCo_Hh9SAuPoHVNyCCwZXKk4KdK4s6lOEg6UoyyqdS6QjxwwQEluDGSkpJaU/s950/Vol%20-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="612" data-original-width="950" height="412" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitrttImsd_XBhPQwqruP2lo6tkU6CQP52UPHbBp1cbXBTygBgzqFs-2CgbXL_eqWbDixwJrSNDgP0Y3JYpemH65yYjuabLhh7FhDLde9J9mPx4_Z3mAN6hOjcn9wzjYZfgCo_Hh9SAuPoHVNyCCwZXKk4KdK4s6lOEg6UoyyqdS6QjxwwQEluDGSkpJaU/w640-h412/Vol%20-1.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><span style="color: #00aaaa; font-family: "Source Sans Pro",sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: #00aaaa; font-family: "Source Sans Pro",sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 107%;">Example
illustrations for New Edge Magazine Vol I, Issue #1<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="font-size: 27.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt;">VOLUME I, NUMBER 1 – MMXXIII</span></i><span style="font-size: 27.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: #00aaaa; font-family: "Source Sans Pro",sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 107%;">Cover art by Caterina Gerbasi<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 22.5pt; line-height: 107%;">FICTION<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: #00aaaa; font-family: "Source Sans Pro",sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 107%;">CARNIVORA by <i>Kirk A.
Johnson, Illustrated by Daniel Vega</i><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: #00aaaa; font-family: "Source Sans Pro",sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 107%;">COME LAY THE CRONE TO REST by <i>Margaret Killjoy, Illustrated by
Gary McCluskey </i><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: #00aaaa; font-family: "Source Sans Pro",sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 107%;">SISTER CHAOS – <i>Bryn Hammond, Illustrated
by Dan Rempel</i><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: #00aaaa; font-family: "Source Sans Pro",sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 107%;">CHAK MUUCH – <i>Jesús Montalvo, Translated
from Spanish by Gonzalo Baeza, Illustrated by Carlos Castilho</i><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: #00aaaa; font-family: "Source Sans Pro",sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 107%;">TEARS OF EB by <i>Sarah
A. Macklin, Illustrated by Trevor Ngwenya</i><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: #00aaaa; font-family: "Source Sans Pro",sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 107%;">THE PILLARS OF SILENCE by <i>Prashanth Srivatsa, Illustrated by
Hardeep Aujla and Gary McCluskey </i><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: #00aaaa; font-family: "Source Sans Pro",sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 107%;">THE FOLK OF THE FOREST – <i>Michael Moorcock, Illustrated
by Sapro </i><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="font-size: 22.5pt; line-height: 107%;">NONFICTION</span></i><span style="font-size: 22.5pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: #00aaaa; font-family: "Source Sans Pro",sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 107%;">WHY (NEW EDGE) SWORD & SORCERY?
by <i>Brian Murphy, Illustrated by Sara Frazetta </i><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: #00aaaa; font-family: "Source Sans Pro",sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 107%;">CELE GOLDSMITH LALLI—MIDWIFE TO
THE SECOND SWORD & SORCERY BOOM by <i>Cora Buhlert, Illustrated
by Chuah Shih Shin </i><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: #00aaaa; font-family: "Source Sans Pro",sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 107%;">FRESH BLOOD AND NEW THUNDER!
BRINGING NEW READERS TO SWORD & SORCERY, WITH SOF MAGLIANO – <i>Oliver
Brackenbury</i><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: #00aaaa; font-family: "Source Sans Pro",sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 107%;">REVIEW: <i>WOMAN OF THE
WOODS </i>BY MILTON J. DAVIS – <i>Robin Mar</i><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: #00aaaa; font-family: "Source Sans Pro",sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 107%;"> <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="font-size: 27.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt;">VOLUME I, NUMBER 2 – MMXXIII</span></i><span style="font-size: 27.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: #00aaaa; font-family: "Source Sans Pro",sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 107%;">Cover art by Gilead<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 22.5pt; line-height: 107%;">FICTION<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: #00aaaa; font-family: "Source Sans Pro",sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 107%;">THE DEMON OF TASHI TZANG by <i>Dariel</i> <i>Quiogue, Illustrated by
Aldo Ojeda</i><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: #00aaaa; font-family: "Source Sans Pro",sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 107%;">FANG by <i>Jacquie Kawaja, Illustrated by
Ursa Doom (Björn Magnusson)</i><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: #00aaaa; font-family: "Source Sans Pro",sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 107%;">REVELSTOKE by <i>Gemma
Files, Illustrated by Saprophial</i><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: #00aaaa; font-family: "Source Sans Pro",sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 107%;">A DEBT FORGOTTEN, A DEBT UNPAID
by <i>Jeremy Pak Nelson, Illustrated by Damiano Di
Marco</i><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: #00aaaa; font-family: "Source Sans Pro",sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 107%;">THE EYES OF THE DEMON by <i>J.M. Clarke, Illustrated by
Morgan King</i><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: #00aaaa; font-family: "Source Sans Pro",sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 107%;">WATER, WHICH LAUGHS AT ALL THINGS
by <i>T.K. Rex & L. Ann Kinyon, Illustrated by
Magda Kulbicka</i><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: #00aaaa; font-family: "Source Sans Pro",sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 107%;">ATONEMENT FOR A RESURRECTED GOD
by <i>David C. Smith, Illustrated by
Simon Underwood</i><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: #00aaaa; font-family: "Source Sans Pro",sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 107%;">HOW MANY DEATHS TILL VENGEANCE?
By <i>June Orchid Parker, Illustrated by
Matthew Spencer</i><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="font-size: 22.5pt; line-height: 107%;">NONFICTION</span></i><span style="font-size: 22.5pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: #00aaaa; font-family: "Source Sans Pro",sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 107%;">NEURODIVERGENCE IN SWORD &
SORCERY by <i>Jonathan Olfert, Illustrated by Remco Van Straten</i><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: #00aaaa; font-family: "Source Sans Pro",sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 107%;">SWORD & SOUL BROTHERS by <i>Milton
J. Davis, Illustrated by Chuah Shih Shin</i><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: #00aaaa; font-family: "Source Sans Pro",sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 107%;">SWORD & SILK: AN INTERVIEW WITH
DARIEL QUIOGUE by <i>Oliver Brackenbury</i><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: #00aaaa; font-family: "Source Sans Pro",sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 107%;">REVIEW: <i>RETURN OF THE
SORCERESS </i>BY SILVIA MORENO-GARCIA by <i>Kris Vyas-Myal</i><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: #00aaaa; font-family: "Source Sans Pro",sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 107%;"><i><br /></i></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPcxe101RHdrIytaaZnRnIes7p1KShjO6YYUR2eCaoR5HUeqqSYb-ONOYJIIU2-MAL7Cl1qQ0iQslKHPqKFkmY9u3vrIm664rfImTRQth_zS_4Kqi_EVXpusT-T8BATtRgjbm8Ystp0yPQp0d1pGOlhIr_hpum0ai569W_4LqodDxzaXHzQbU7UW3dxoE/s950/Vol%20-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="613" data-original-width="950" height="412" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPcxe101RHdrIytaaZnRnIes7p1KShjO6YYUR2eCaoR5HUeqqSYb-ONOYJIIU2-MAL7Cl1qQ0iQslKHPqKFkmY9u3vrIm664rfImTRQth_zS_4Kqi_EVXpusT-T8BATtRgjbm8Ystp0yPQp0d1pGOlhIr_hpum0ai569W_4LqodDxzaXHzQbU7UW3dxoE/w640-h412/Vol%20-2.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><span style="color: #00aaaa; font-family: "Source Sans Pro", sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Example illustrations for New Edge Magazine Vol I, Issue #2</span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: #00aaaa; font-family: "Source Sans Pro",sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 107%;"> <o:p></o:p></span></p><p>
</p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>SE Lindberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08511576266035113852noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5481339651030977851.post-78194005244353827392023-12-04T04:00:00.001-05:002023-12-04T08:43:11.427-05:00Happy Holidays from the Lindbergs - 2023<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkkIvoeY4dO-wdvRtNGJ0rp3OrR2W8xFP9d9d6HNJElRMw_nX_-lVFq0bzC474cwhqad5wmZXhkRoGK0CFO5sXpKPRvcE1cmcdmJuRvgtg_212U0c9-KKWh8hSAfkxbcob1dL2abpdwqYOcGM4-BLWQA1mxUDAJ07tCsgNrEt4WOG6MgxYIA1D_rLbM8c/s2100/Image.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="2100" height="458" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkkIvoeY4dO-wdvRtNGJ0rp3OrR2W8xFP9d9d6HNJElRMw_nX_-lVFq0bzC474cwhqad5wmZXhkRoGK0CFO5sXpKPRvcE1cmcdmJuRvgtg_212U0c9-KKWh8hSAfkxbcob1dL2abpdwqYOcGM4-BLWQA1mxUDAJ07tCsgNrEt4WOG6MgxYIA1D_rLbM8c/w640-h458/Image.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Happy Holidays 2023 - Card by Heidi Lindberg, 2023</td></tr></tbody></table><h2 style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #cc0000;">Happy Holidays 2023 </span></h2><p><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhh78PNA9vCLlqRyz9Jn5klmB4NCXNP1hj7Vwu8KFaqfjyxaL5ld9TmIvVJ176IH4IsLEbYSAuYpAaUrDuyD5_Z6XrK2fZy85E446Edxe2OSHPhqqqnHSpMTvQisbizk2qkGXyJbOevb10vMP-OaX_QKh4-t1CI6YTtD9dpmRoj1fqekZm_u5_d_CLMMZU/s1510/20231203_114233.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1510" data-original-width="941" height="340" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhh78PNA9vCLlqRyz9Jn5klmB4NCXNP1hj7Vwu8KFaqfjyxaL5ld9TmIvVJ176IH4IsLEbYSAuYpAaUrDuyD5_Z6XrK2fZy85E446Edxe2OSHPhqqqnHSpMTvQisbizk2qkGXyJbOevb10vMP-OaX_QKh4-t1CI6YTtD9dpmRoj1fqekZm_u5_d_CLMMZU/w212-h340/20231203_114233.jpg" width="212" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: inherit;">Heidi took the lead again on the annual card. She has a ton of material to choose from, including this cardinal she drew last year from a photograph she took in our backyard (photo below, along with two versions of the timelapse of her drawing in Procreate).</span><p></p><div><a href="https://lindbergcrafts.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Previous cards</a> (since ~1997) are displayed as a montage, and <a href="https://www.selindberg.com/search/label/Holiday%20Cards" target="_blank">posts</a> about each one. </div><br /><div><br /></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;">This past year, Connor completed a second rotation of co-oping at the Army Corp of Engineers in Louisville, KY (</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: inherit;">for his Environmental Engineering degree at the University of Cincinnati). Erin surpassed a year at P&G making Power BI Dashboards! Seth juggled authoring a few short stories outside of work and managed to Chair the Gen Con Writers' Symposium. Heidi continues to create lots of art while serving as a teacher's aide at Lakota.</span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: inherit;">Best to everyone in 2024. Peace, the Lindbergs</span></div><div><br /></div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMF4z4JH9q6d0CuvAXVNLXy9_Lo0yeFKCR9fPL_Fwhs0G9sfJq43fAim7OrRCsGO0wQsPirT-cmeNb_4jI0vLHA6PONPHTCLrDRLB3rOQ-UnI4lzQspz4sVe6UrqnMqllT1AqS6NGcIoEIYvhbDqT-tTs9rVmX1yF9NFPF7w6YQWKMp5mKGA87G8qmsjY/s1502/Inspiration.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1398" data-original-width="1502" height="597" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMF4z4JH9q6d0CuvAXVNLXy9_Lo0yeFKCR9fPL_Fwhs0G9sfJq43fAim7OrRCsGO0wQsPirT-cmeNb_4jI0vLHA6PONPHTCLrDRLB3rOQ-UnI4lzQspz4sVe6UrqnMqllT1AqS6NGcIoEIYvhbDqT-tTs9rVmX1yF9NFPF7w6YQWKMp5mKGA87G8qmsjY/w640-h597/Inspiration.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photography of Cardinal in Hawthorn Tree by Heidi Lindberg</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><h2 style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></h2><h3><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;">Time-lapse Videos - 30sec version</span></h3><h3 style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='490' height='407' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dzjetrh-z3F_EMjyCX_RvA066f4ZisSEtQrsKlQaja4OjvEqhTW04Roog1EqSbwK0RupZm77JYnESE5XGIukg' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe><br /><br /></span></h3><h3 style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;">~6min Timelapse below</span></h3><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='491' height='408' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dwSpMseMtBwdzjS2KBqjFBGhNTKk21BU1epYW7gCK-l4tLJ5mhkpoKAucvUMlu6QXb5FjwFIdCs4rYpiWsHDg' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><p><br /></p>SE Lindberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08511576266035113852noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5481339651030977851.post-45837356512858425522023-11-20T09:47:00.005-05:002023-11-20T09:47:43.995-05:00Good Vibes from Demons: Re-release and Commentary <p><br /></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6N1GBMb04OwNCdJom_8HuLnsdUYlGxZHM9hoeVtcsD2hB8X4mwqZix-hDdpaY_JWS3Oh1wv5K_cWuKOh7s3KBhAs4usipBHDWQu6xbgHA7op7kBIaJjTfjv7Pmigg7Evai3KXgkuZC69TgRygYGnf7ivMXAcvpxqoj0SzLAjErBe7N05tW3nb0it2S0o/s445/Demons%20(1).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="445" data-original-width="298" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6N1GBMb04OwNCdJom_8HuLnsdUYlGxZHM9hoeVtcsD2hB8X4mwqZix-hDdpaY_JWS3Oh1wv5K_cWuKOh7s3KBhAs4usipBHDWQu6xbgHA7op7kBIaJjTfjv7Pmigg7Evai3KXgkuZC69TgRygYGnf7ivMXAcvpxqoj0SzLAjErBe7N05tW3nb0it2S0o/w428-h640/Demons%20(1).jpg" width="428" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><strong style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #00aaaa; font-family: "Source Sans Pro", -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Oxygen-Sans, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Helvetica Neue", sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Rogue Blades Presents Demons: A Clash of Steel Anthology</strong><span style="background-color: white; color: #00aaaa; font-family: "Source Sans Pro", -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Oxygen-Sans, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Helvetica Neue", sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"> ISBN-13: 9798863079608 (</span><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Demons-Clash-Anthology-Blades-Presents/dp/B0CKRGPHBR/" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #dd8500; font-family: "Source Sans Pro", -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Oxygen-Sans, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Helvetica Neue", sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-decoration-line: none;">print</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #00aaaa; font-family: "Source Sans Pro", -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Oxygen-Sans, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Helvetica Neue", sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">) ASIN: B0045Y1LMS (</span><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Demons-Clash-Anthology-Blades-Presents-ebook/dp/B0045Y1LMS/" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #dd8500; font-family: "Source Sans Pro", -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Oxygen-Sans, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Helvetica Neue", sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-decoration-line: none;">Kindle</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #00aaaa; font-family: "Source Sans Pro", -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Oxygen-Sans, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Helvetica Neue", sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">); Cover Artist: Johnney Perkins. Interior Graphics: M.D. Jackson</span></td></tr></tbody></table><div><br /></div><a href="https://www.selindberg.com/2012/12/demons-clash-of-steel-review.html" target="_blank"></a><ul style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://www.selindberg.com/2012/12/demons-clash-of-steel-review.html" target="_blank"></a><li><a href="https://www.selindberg.com/2012/12/demons-clash-of-steel-review.html" target="_blank"></a><a href="https://www.selindberg.com/2012/12/demons-clash-of-steel-review.html" target="_blank">Dec 2012, I reviewed Demons: A Clash of Steel Anthology</a>.</li></ul><div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Dec 2023, through Black Gate, I broadcasted the re-release of Demons, which updated its electronic version (link): <a href="https://www.blackgate.com/2023/10/12/rogue-blades-entertainment-re-unleashes-emdemons-a-clash-of-steel-anthologyem/" target="_blank">ROGUE BLADES ENTERTAINMENT RE-UNLEASHES DEMONS: A CLASH OF STEEL ANTHOLOGY</a></li></ul></div><div><div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Jason M Waltz (Publisher of RBE/RBF) had dedicated the re-release to Robert Mancebo, author for several Rogue Blade Entertainment anthologies, who sadly passed away in 2023.</li></ul></div><div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>For this "Good vibes from Reviews" tag, note the response from Robert Mancebo's daughter in the Black Gate commentary. Breathtaking. Reviews and announcements rarely are emotive. Writing and reading is often a solitary hobby, but as Rachel points out, books bring us together in ways often not told.</li></ul></div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhmRbwDVza03yQOJkV-f2v5n6ez_6Mfjacu2FVQG5lgVipfVaQC5u2jEr-DwL9-OstlzH4Utw8NZkvf2-yjd9dnoKzNstUkO8_oqapyMAPb-tXaunTI6ePk22mT4CyZfBSAMDUI-8QZ-vWA9dYnb7Iqcz5ZoFQefhK0U9PElB9YlxuSuMX1gg9GFkwhobA" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1028" data-original-width="1352" height="486" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhmRbwDVza03yQOJkV-f2v5n6ez_6Mfjacu2FVQG5lgVipfVaQC5u2jEr-DwL9-OstlzH4Utw8NZkvf2-yjd9dnoKzNstUkO8_oqapyMAPb-tXaunTI6ePk22mT4CyZfBSAMDUI-8QZ-vWA9dYnb7Iqcz5ZoFQefhK0U9PElB9YlxuSuMX1gg9GFkwhobA=w640-h486" width="640" /></a></div><br /><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><h3 style="text-align: left;">Here is my mini-review and re-release notice:</h3><p class="MsoNormal">In 2010, <b><i>Black Gate</i></b> announced <a href="https://www.blackgate.com/2010/07/26/rogue-blades-entertainment-conjures-demons/">Rogue
Blades Entertainment Conjures <i>DEMONS</i></a>. This October 2023, the
third edition has been issued and with it a revamped Kindle version! The
original Kindle edition lacked a functioning, linked Table of Contents, but
that’s all brought up to modern standards. It is dedicated to Robert Mancebo,
author for several Rogue Blade Entertainment anthologies, who sadly passed away
in 2023.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal">Jason M Waltz is well known amongst adventure fiction
readers, especially the Swords & Sorcery crowd. With his <a href="https://rogue-blades.com/rbe/rbe-books/">Rogue Blades Entertainment Books</a> and
associated Foundation, he’s brought us the epic <i>Return of the Sword</i> <a href="https://www.blackgate.com/fiction-review-the-return-of-the-sword/">(<i>BG</i> review</a>)
and then <i>Rage of the Behemoth</i>, and <b>Demons</b>. He’s
edited/published a <a href="https://www.blackgate.com/2018/07/17/3-new-titles-at-once-rogue-blades-entertainments-ambitious-new-agenda/">variety
of other anthologies</a> with themes of Weird Noir, Pirates, and Sword
& Planet with <i>Lost Empire of Sol</i> (<a href="https://www.blackgate.com/2021/06/10/sword-planet-is-back-emscott-oden-presents-the-lost-empire-of-solem/"><i>BG</i> review</a>),
and splendid nonfiction like <i>Writing Fantasy Heroes</i> (<b><i>BG</i></b> <a href="http://www.blackgate.com/2013/03/06/rogue-blades-reveals-the-secrets-of-writing-fantasy-heroes/">review</a>)
and recently <i>Robert E. Howard Changed My Life</i> (<a href="https://www.blackgate.com/2022/08/02/book-review-of-robert-e-howard-changed-my-life-personal-essays-about-an-extraordinary-legacy/"><i>BG</i> review</a>).
He recently ran a successful Kickstarter for another anthology as spotlighted
on <b><i>BG</i></b>: “<a href="https://www.blackgate.com/2023/06/16/rogue-blades-entertainment-presents-emneither-beg-nor-yieldem/">Neither
Beg Nor Yield – A Sword & Sorcery Anthology with Attitude</a>.” As you
await <i>Neither Beg Nor Yield</i>, you’ll want to revisit <i>Demons</i>.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal">Demons: A Clash of Steel Anthology – Blurb<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal">When the gates of Hell open, who stands between Man and the
Abyss? From mankind’s infancy, people have huddled in the dark, drawing signs
in the air, muttering quiet prayers, quivering with dread at what roams in the
night. Demons. Creatures of the Darkness. Evil spirits riding dark winds. And
mankind trembled. Yet a few stood, drew steel imbued with magic to hue spirit
as well as flesh, and walked out into the night to meet the foes of mortal men.
Join the struggle in these 28 masterful tales of adventure and mayhem as
heroes, forged as strong as the steel they wield, defy foes from the realms of
nightmare.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal">Mini-Review<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal">In <i>Demons: A Clash of Steel Anthology</i>, Rogue
Blades Entertainment (RBE) delivers what it claims: a sampling of demon stories
and adventure. Your chance of finding appealing stories is decent with 28
entries. Chock full of demons, champions, possession, witches, etc.. Kudos to
RBE for keeping these tales alive from a 2006 publication (Carnifex Press). The
purpose of an anthology is to provide an array of options, allow new readers to
explore the genre, allow self-described “veteran readers” to identify new
authors, and enable reading in small doses (i.e. great for traveling or parents
with small children constantly interrupting their activities). “Demons”
delivers this.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal">For anthologies, we expect to experiment with doses of new
material/authors. For me, three stories that emphasized personal demons (or
personal challenges) were outstanding. They stuck with me and are worth
rereading; my favorites are in <b>bold</b> below in the Table of
Contents listing. But you may have your own favorites! Check them out:<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal">Demons: Table of Contents<o:p></o:p></p><ul style="margin-top: 0in;" type="disc">
<li class="MsoNormal">“Foreword”
by Armand Rosamilia<o:p></o:p></li>
<li class="MsoNormal">“The
Man with the Webbed Throat” by Steve Moody<o:p></o:p></li>
<li class="MsoNormal">“Imprisoned”
by Carl Walmsley<o:p></o:p></li>
<li class="MsoNormal">“Toxic”
by Steven L. Shrewsbury<o:p></o:p></li>
<li class="MsoNormal">“Azieran:
Bound by Virtue” by Christopher Heath<o:p></o:p></li>
<li class="MsoNormal">“Bodyguard
of the Dead” by C.L. Werner<o:p></o:p></li>
<li class="MsoNormal">“Kron
Darkbow” by Ty Johnston<o:p></o:p></li>
<li class="MsoNormal">“The
Vengeance of Tibor” by Ron Shiflet<o:p></o:p></li>
<li class="MsoNormal">“The
Beast of Lyoness” by Christopher Stires<o:p></o:p></li>
<li class="MsoNormal"><b>“Fifteen
Breaths” by Phil Emery</b><o:p></o:p></li>
<li class="MsoNormal">“The
Pact” by Jonathan Green<o:p></o:p></li>
<li class="MsoNormal">“Blood
Ties” by Trista Robichaud<o:p></o:p></li>
<li class="MsoNormal">“Zeerembuk”
by Steve Goble<o:p></o:p></li>
<li class="MsoNormal">“The
Fearsome Hunger” by Rob Mancebo<o:p></o:p></li>
<li class="MsoNormal">“The
Furnace” by Sandro G. Franco<o:p></o:p></li>
<li class="MsoNormal">“The
First League Out from Land” by Brian Dolton<o:p></o:p></li>
<li class="MsoNormal">“The
Sacrifice” by Jason Irrgang<o:p></o:p></li>
<li class="MsoNormal">“Son
of the Rock” by Laura J. Underwood<o:p></o:p></li>
<li class="MsoNormal"><b>“Into
Shards” by Murray J.D. Leeder </b><o:p></o:p></li>
<li class="MsoNormal"><b>“Through
the Dark” by Darla J. Bowen</b><o:p></o:p></li>
<li class="MsoNormal">“Joenna’s
Ax” by Elaine Isaak<o:p></o:p></li>
<li class="MsoNormal">“The
Lesser: A Swords of the Daemor Tale” by Patrick Thomas<o:p></o:p></li>
<li class="MsoNormal">“When
the Darkness Grows” by Frederick Tor<o:p></o:p></li>
<li class="MsoNormal">“Demon
Heart” by Bryan Lindenberger<o:p></o:p></li>
<li class="MsoNormal">“Azieran:
Racked upon the Altar of Eeyuu” by Christopher Heath<o:p></o:p></li>
<li class="MsoNormal">“Born
Warriors” by TW Williams<o:p></o:p></li>
<li class="MsoNormal">“Mistaken
Identity” by Robert J. Santa<o:p></o:p></li>
<li class="MsoNormal">“Box
of Bones” by Jonathan Moeller<o:p></o:p></li>
<li class="MsoNormal">“By
Hellish Means” by Bill Ward<o:p></o:p></li>
</ul><p>
</p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p></div></div>SE Lindberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08511576266035113852noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5481339651030977851.post-84094422677282317772023-11-18T08:50:00.007-05:002023-11-18T08:53:53.451-05:00Annual Barczak Retreat - 2023<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbOQDZG0dFgQonabhubHeezNdjoIfja-e-Z_9uzoG5nYTqJvzBSS7lI4Qid5K0SzIBGdSzffOsMbhJaUrWzPXgF4F8mBVlKHuwu25WcHI72PNI4u_MlR6B3bMwK1Xh2lqv2vGH2yaQKvKIojzLTpdbdemPxVoE8n4xhaxyBQyGBAFJWtNA2A1h2kmlSeE/s640/20231114_072333.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbOQDZG0dFgQonabhubHeezNdjoIfja-e-Z_9uzoG5nYTqJvzBSS7lI4Qid5K0SzIBGdSzffOsMbhJaUrWzPXgF4F8mBVlKHuwu25WcHI72PNI4u_MlR6B3bMwK1Xh2lqv2vGH2yaQKvKIojzLTpdbdemPxVoE8n4xhaxyBQyGBAFJWtNA2A1h2kmlSeE/w640-h480/20231114_072333.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;">During my annual trip to the <a href="https://www.ou.edu/coe/scbme/research/iasr">IASR</a> surfactant consortium meeting in Norman Oklahoma, well before breakfast was served, I sought out my author/artist friend <a href="https://www.selindberg.com/search/label/Barczak" target="_blank">Tom Barczak</a> (link to prior join-ups) and we snuck in a few minutes of drawing together. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;">This time we convened at the newly opened <a href="DIAK offices" target="_blank">DIAK office</a>, the architecture firm owned by Tom's wife Shannon Barczak. Their clients are mostly indigenous (Native American) communities. Below is a blurb from their website. </span></p><p class="font_2 wixui-rich-text__text" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 0px; line-height: 1.3em; margin-block: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; pointer-events: auto; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="color_18 wixui-rich-text__text" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="wixui-rich-text__text" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="wixui-rich-text__text" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 0px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="wixui-rich-text__text" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 0px; letter-spacing: 0em; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="wixui-rich-text__text" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="color: #7f6000; font-family: inherit;"></span></span></span></span></span></span></p><blockquote><span style="color: #7f6000; font-weight: 700;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">DIAK Architects is a Full-Service Native Woman Owned Architectural Firm, a leading design firm that specializes in producing a wide range of innovative architectural and interior design applications. </span></span></blockquote><blockquote><p class="font_2 wixui-rich-text__text" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 0px; line-height: 1.3em; margin-block: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; pointer-events: auto; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="color_18 wixui-rich-text__text" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="wixui-rich-text__text" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="wixui-rich-text__text" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 0px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="wixui-rich-text__text" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 0px; letter-spacing: 0em; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="wixui-rich-text__text" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="color: #7f6000;">DIAK is an Apsaalooke word, meaning “To make.” </span></span></span></span></span></span><span class="color_18 wixui-rich-text__text" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="wixui-rich-text__text" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="wixui-rich-text__text" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 0px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="wixui-rich-text__text" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 0px; letter-spacing: 0em; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="wixui-rich-text__text" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="color: #7f6000;"></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="color: #7f6000; font-weight: bold; letter-spacing: 0em;">To make something, to create something, that wasn’t there before, and to take on the honor and responsibility for its effect on everything and every life that it touches. It is a gift, and a responsibility not to be taken lightly.</span></span></p></blockquote><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyfHir9SDpuS8rEJWRf12bRIEa2nKZzHvtN8ULxPvp6iDhcSJiu2Yjaw4L69HMkdZnXx40J3_nmsOOF_V9VSPWxKFMKhcdW2ssBXjc8FLalwz52hDpMLgF4hgopNWQ2txR8tcYAWFEIQJ2ufBBPjBCabPGR4twbLlxhpaFDIurAzBZMgf1wTACtcqbmig/s640/20231114_070701.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyfHir9SDpuS8rEJWRf12bRIEa2nKZzHvtN8ULxPvp6iDhcSJiu2Yjaw4L69HMkdZnXx40J3_nmsOOF_V9VSPWxKFMKhcdW2ssBXjc8FLalwz52hDpMLgF4hgopNWQ2txR8tcYAWFEIQJ2ufBBPjBCabPGR4twbLlxhpaFDIurAzBZMgf1wTACtcqbmig/w640-h480/20231114_070701.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmGursu0BG3nRddzYy5kdrSco88lDRwM9s2SWKnLGtMnpy5DaBzOiOgTfMP3o7QkSHZqtrFycFeW-yjHy9IHKM9VrETjvUlytAtIuRwNcw2H7IazRYoe8_-kNj3G9Z_C50GSGx_Ih-QZ0_U4kZL-L2xmsMl8IHrzXGBsV2KZ4PwA-g9PPU2FXcwI7RzqQ/s640/20231114_072242.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmGursu0BG3nRddzYy5kdrSco88lDRwM9s2SWKnLGtMnpy5DaBzOiOgTfMP3o7QkSHZqtrFycFeW-yjHy9IHKM9VrETjvUlytAtIuRwNcw2H7IazRYoe8_-kNj3G9Z_C50GSGx_Ih-QZ0_U4kZL-L2xmsMl8IHrzXGBsV2KZ4PwA-g9PPU2FXcwI7RzqQ/w640-h480/20231114_072242.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhpNu9AmfkYq4g5VHz2t4CNOsImWGjFwhMX4vv-PP8MGieMksun-UHl8_03xy3DkVlht0hg6ZsO5_8PGw1uDTvkCXK3YCuy1kzt2QGc8mnACLbzguzCsXR7kRxzGUDmXs8PE3Gbq8lidDLcZhVvuMwY2p4WGr7wFniBsQkovbctBGul9Mr6JaQR3kfMeQs" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="286" data-original-width="286" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhpNu9AmfkYq4g5VHz2t4CNOsImWGjFwhMX4vv-PP8MGieMksun-UHl8_03xy3DkVlht0hg6ZsO5_8PGw1uDTvkCXK3YCuy1kzt2QGc8mnACLbzguzCsXR7kRxzGUDmXs8PE3Gbq8lidDLcZhVvuMwY2p4WGr7wFniBsQkovbctBGul9Mr6JaQR3kfMeQs=w400-h400" width="400" /></a></div><br /><br /><br /></div><br /></div><br /><p></p><a aria-label="Photo - Landscape - Nov 14, 2023, 7:23:33 AM" class="p137Zd" href="https://photos.google.com/photo/AF1QipO9ZT9nyTNil5SiSlsrqqZ7L0gEX8z5zBjCutTL" jsaction="click:eQuaEb;focus:AHmuwe; blur:O22p3e;" tabindex="0"><div class="RY3tic" data-latest-bg="https://photos.fife.usercontent.google.com/pw/ADCreHe8ol4m-EEkNPcTD_u1RuJ3GIrwjD1y3Aw9MnElD5-6e-wm-fm2pL4ECw=w298-h223-no?authuser=0" style="background-image: url("https://photos.fife.usercontent.google.com/pw/ADCreHe8ol4m-EEkNPcTD_u1RuJ3GIrwjD1y3Aw9MnElD5-6e-wm-fm2pL4ECw=w298-h223-no?authuser=0"), url("https://photos.fife.usercontent.google.com/pw/ADCreHe8ol4m-EEkNPcTD_u1RuJ3GIrwjD1y3Aw9MnElD5-6e-wm-fm2pL4ECw=w287-h215-no?authuser=0"); opacity: 1;"><div aria-hidden="true" class="eGiHwc"></div><div aria-hidden="true" class="KYCEmd"></div></div></a>SE Lindberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08511576266035113852noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5481339651030977851.post-66330755403920046562023-11-09T18:08:00.005-05:002023-11-12T14:26:30.501-05:00Authors serving the Skull meet at Dingles Irish Pub<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhYKeAQcLg4sMX0kdUBa7Kaq6elTQyD9TKptdj2hHR6pEKSvx9e3yp4fzcyRScNC6sCf6ft110STt8LBjc-bGZV1lQzEqg3mRYwo2o2wlc6m68RDmv2Ky-7fKf8UeaayrseR37C6TWrnaJjnZouyZt-U9oWzSMvNXdHEK7zEIl2LRmMfjOVivHUb0973zI" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1422" data-original-width="2048" height="444" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhYKeAQcLg4sMX0kdUBa7Kaq6elTQyD9TKptdj2hHR6pEKSvx9e3yp4fzcyRScNC6sCf6ft110STt8LBjc-bGZV1lQzEqg3mRYwo2o2wlc6m68RDmv2Ky-7fKf8UeaayrseR37C6TWrnaJjnZouyZt-U9oWzSMvNXdHEK7zEIl2LRmMfjOVivHUb0973zI=w640-h444" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505;">Had a blast meeting up with fellow Sword and Sorcery authors at the local pub. With </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505;"><a class="x1i10hfl xjbqb8w x6umtig x1b1mbwd xaqea5y xav7gou x9f619 x1ypdohk xt0psk2 xe8uvvx xdj266r x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r xexx8yu x4uap5 x18d9i69 xkhd6sd x16tdsg8 x1hl2dhg xggy1nq x1a2a7pz xt0b8zv xzsf02u x1s688f" href="https://www.facebook.com/ajfixer?__tn__=-]K*F" role="link" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background-color: transparent; border-color: initial; border-style: initial; border-width: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; cursor: pointer; display: inline; font-weight: 600; list-style: none; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-align: inherit; text-decoration-line: none; touch-action: manipulation;" tabindex="0"><span class="xt0psk2" style="display: inline;">Andy Fix</span></a></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505;"> and </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505;"><a class="x1i10hfl xjbqb8w x6umtig x1b1mbwd xaqea5y xav7gou x9f619 x1ypdohk xt0psk2 xe8uvvx xdj266r x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r xexx8yu x4uap5 x18d9i69 xkhd6sd x16tdsg8 x1hl2dhg xggy1nq x1a2a7pz xt0b8zv xzsf02u x1s688f" href="https://www.facebook.com/bill.pearce.3323?__tn__=-]K*F" role="link" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background-color: transparent; border-color: initial; border-style: initial; border-width: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; cursor: pointer; display: inline; font-weight: 600; list-style: none; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-align: inherit; text-decoration-line: none; touch-action: manipulation;" tabindex="0"><span class="xt0psk2" style="display: inline;">Bill Pearce</span></a></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505;"> ... we salute </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505;"><a class="x1i10hfl xjbqb8w x6umtig x1b1mbwd xaqea5y xav7gou x9f619 x1ypdohk xt0psk2 xe8uvvx xdj266r x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r xexx8yu x4uap5 x18d9i69 xkhd6sd x16tdsg8 x1hl2dhg xggy1nq x1a2a7pz xt0b8zv xzsf02u x1s688f" href="https://www.facebook.com/howard.andrew.jones.1?__tn__=-]K*F" role="link" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background-color: transparent; border-color: initial; border-style: initial; border-width: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; cursor: pointer; display: inline; font-weight: 600; list-style: none; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-align: inherit; text-decoration-line: none; touch-action: manipulation;" tabindex="0"><span class="xt0psk2" style="display: inline;">Howard Andrew Jones</span></a></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505;"> whom we've admired and perhaps even served as Skull Interns. All hail the Skull!</span></span></p><p><b style="background-color: white; color: #333333; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://www.selindberg.com/2023/09/gen-con-2023-tales-from-magicians-skull.html" target="_blank">With Bill Pearce who has a story in Tales from the Magician's Skull issue #11 </a>(link to Gen Con 2023 when we first met),</span></b></p>SE Lindberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08511576266035113852noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5481339651030977851.post-36986910232761232042023-11-07T06:08:00.001-05:002023-11-07T06:08:08.574-05:00OLD MOON QUARTERLY ISSUE V REVIEW PLUS A KICKSTARTER FOR VII AND VIII<p><a href="https://www.blackgate.com/2023/11/05/emold-moon-quarterly-vem-review-and-kickstarter-for-vii-and-viii/" target="_blank">OLD MOON QUARTERLY ISSUE V REVIEW PLUS A KICKSTARTER FOR VII AND VIII</a></p>Simulcast on Black Gate magazine Nov 6th, 2023.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLttQT-C2OAfpnww_tCwlOkc8t4iXfKWPHYbBVs_f_3FQBBiwZZBtWDfcQKAfITnSno8fp6j3y6qGSxToKT-yH91yHAV1oJtyMKnE3195O15_QjfcUIY-mLkIIamuUefVBfbvO7IfxfdNNGxoS7gQXz2INJ6h8toBNAYYN3VROsRUCgJs-YP_hxXeJQ_4/s950/BG_covers_old_moon_5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="697" data-original-width="950" height="470" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLttQT-C2OAfpnww_tCwlOkc8t4iXfKWPHYbBVs_f_3FQBBiwZZBtWDfcQKAfITnSno8fp6j3y6qGSxToKT-yH91yHAV1oJtyMKnE3195O15_QjfcUIY-mLkIIamuUefVBfbvO7IfxfdNNGxoS7gQXz2INJ6h8toBNAYYN3VROsRUCgJs-YP_hxXeJQ_4/w640-h470/BG_covers_old_moon_5.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div><div><p class="MsoNormal"><b><i><a href="https://www.oldmoonpublishing.com/">Old Moon
Quarterly</a></i></b> is a magazine of dark fantasy and weird
sword-and-sorcery. In the tradition of Clark Ashton Smith, Tanith Lee and Karl
Edward Wagner, it contains stories of strange vistas, eldritch beings, and the
bloody dispute thereof by both swordsmen and swordswomen. <b><i>Old Moon
Quarterly</i></b> emerged in 2022 led by Editor-in-Chief Julian Barona,
flanked by Assistant Editors Caitlyn Emily Wilcox and Graham Thomas
Wilcox. This May 2023, <b><i>Black Gate</i></b> <a href="https://www.blackgate.com/2023/05/20/new-treasures-emold-moon-quarterly-3em/">reviewed
Issue #3</a> (with an overview of #1 and #2). True to what the
editors promise, the magazine consistently delivers strong doses of weird Sword
& Sorcery.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">This post reviews <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Old-Moon-Quarterly-Magazine-Fantasy/dp/B0CH2FZ2BL"><b><i>Old
Moon Quarterly</i></b> Issue V;</a> shared below is the table of
contents with summaries of each story and excerpts (these were selected to
avoid spoilers while conveying the feel of each). As with previous
issues, expect stories that push the boundaries of uniqueness, blending poetic
writing with horror and adventure. If you read tropes they’ll lean toward the
twisted or bizarre.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">But first a quick call out to the ongoing <a href="https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/old-moon-quarterly-m/old-moon-quarterly-magazine?ref=user_menu">Kickstarter
for Issues VII & VIII; </a> This campaign runs now through Nov
31st, 2023 and, if successful, would fund two more issues paying contributors
professional rates!<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><br />
Here is a key blurb from and about the <b><i>Old Moon Quarterly</i></b> crew.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i></i></p><blockquote><p class="MsoNormal"><i>Old Moon Quarterly</i> is an award-winning print and
digital magazine of sword-and-sorcery and dark fantasy fiction, featuring over
20,000 words of original fiction as well as poetry and original nonfiction.
We’ve a love for the classics of the genre and a desire to push for some new,
strange takes on our old favorites. And of course, the magazine is made with a
particular love and affinity for the eldritch aesthetics and weird storytelling
of <i>Berserk</i>, <i>Bloodborne </i>and <i>Dark Souls</i>.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">We’ve published five issues so far, with a sixth issue on
the way. Since our inception in June 2022, we’ve increased our pay for authors
from 5c a word to 8c a word, making us the only sword-and-sorcery focused
fantasy magazine that pays what the SFWA considers a “professional” rate. We
firmly believe that dark fantasy and sword-and-sorcery authors deserve a venue
where they can receive fair pay for stories that are often very difficult to
place in other venues. We started <i>Old Moon Quarterly</i> to give
authors that venue.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">With the funding from this Kickstarter, we’ll be able to
maintain that payrate for issues 7 and 8, which will release in 2024. And not
only will we be able to maintain that payrate, we’ll be able to increase the
amount of fiction in each issue from 20,000 to 30,000+; we’ll be able to
include (for the first time) interior artwork in a classic black-and-white
style!</p></blockquote><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Old-Moon-Quarterly-Magazine-Fantasy/dp/B0CH2FZ2BL">Old
Moon Quarterly</a> </i>Issue V: Stories and Poems<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">1) “Together Under the Wing” by Jonathan Olfert<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The perspective and scale of this story are simply huge: the
protagonists are mammoths, and they pale in size versus their giant
antagonist! Epic duels drive this revenge
tale. Walks-like-a-Rockslide seeks revenge for the death of his mother (Grass-Wisper)
by the hands of the ancient Giant King.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"></p><blockquote>The matriarch Grass-Whisper had lived in a grove in the
hills, now stomped flat by vast human-like footprints. Her carved tusks lay in
cracked-off chunks; they and the blood were all that remained—that, and the
huge flint used to skin her before eating. A flint five times the size of the
quartz blades bound to his tusks… (p11)</blockquote><o:p></o:p><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">2) Champions Against the Maggot King by K.H. Vaughn<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Get ready for some Warhammer/Grimdark-Tolkien fare. The
soldier Grath narrates this tale. He details an epic battle against the Maggot
King. The titular, heroic champions lead an army of >60 thousand that ride
in landships made from living stone, armed with canons, and fueled by elemental
sorcery. The champions include the Dwarf Ko Mon who has a lengthy
morning-star-like prosthetic, the sword-wielding elf-who-never-smiles lIhar,
and their demoness leader Sergeant, the female Sorrow Mai.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"></p><blockquote>A wave of wild men break against the ship. They are
pathetic. Pale and soft, but secure in their sense of power, waving their
genitals at us as they come. They howl in impotent rage as they die, mowed down
by arrows and lances. The ship rolls over them and churns their corpses into
dirt. No one will find their bones or mourn their deaths. Where does the Maggot
King find them? There must be thousands of them in the dim light of
subterranean caves, thinking nothing but their eventual victory. (p49)</blockquote><o:p></o:p><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">3) “The King’s Two Bodies” poem by Joe Koch<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I enjoyed this so much, I read it three times to soak in the
words. It is beautiful, but too cryptic to understand on its initial
pass. Two souls with liquid properties are contained within one body. One
may exit the vessel via a ritual of exiting the body and filling a cup.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">4) “The Origin of Boghounds” by Amelia Gorman<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Samphire is a female bounty hunter searching out a snake-oil
salesman at the edges of Sichel, the stained city that radiates a New Orleans
swamp vibe. She’s not the only bounty hunter seeking a payout. Several other
hunters stumble into her and boghounds as they track down their prey while
unearthing mysteries and monsters.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"></p><blockquote>Samphire blows out her candle and sips into the dark corner
between the headboard and wall. She disappears into the dark sod and crouches
down in a knot in the tiny crawlspace, barely fitting with her giant pack of
unguents and vinegars. [A boghound] hops silently off the straw, pads over to
her and crawls under the bed, looking up at her with those affectionate golden
eyes like two stars in the dirty dark. As the dark obscured their faces,
Samphire catches voices she’s butted against time and again. (p56)</blockquote><o:p></o:p><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">5) “Well Met at the Gates of Hell” by David K. Henrickson<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">An amoral warrior arrives in Hell and is met at the entrance
by three antagonists (two humanoids, one not) seeking to duel. Lots of
banter makes this more of a light-hearted read.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"></p><blockquote><p class="MsoNormal">In that moment, the newcomer skims the plate he has finally
freed from his armor toward the giant’s eyes and throws himself in a roll.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Automatically, the giant flinches away from the spinning
metal. ‘Faithless!” he cries out, aiming a blow at the tumbling figure as it
dives past.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The newcomer is already inside and below the other’s guard.
His blade flashes out in a backhand swing, shearing through the giant’s thigh
just above the greave. (p73)</p></blockquote><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">6) “A Warning Agaynste Woldes” poem by Zachary Bos<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">As the title suggests, this poem has an Old Shakespeare
tone. It is cryptic like the previous poem. It conveys that nature, and its
forests, are a type of temple or church. Be wary of entering the forest, since
it is full of fear, faith, and spirits.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">7) “The Skull of Ghosts” by Charles Gramlich<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Confession: I’m a huge Gramlich fan and frequently seek out
his Krieg stories (<a href="https://www.blackgate.com/2019/01/21/the-beautiful-and-the-repellent-an-interview-with-charles-a-gramlich/">I
interviewed him for <b><i>Black Gate</i></b> in 2019, and we
discussed his Krieg character</a>). Here the sorcerer-warrior receives a
haunting call from “Amma”, so he seeks out his old acquaintance (of the same
name) in a plagued city. An evil sorcerer is seeking bodies to possess, and as
Krieg starts to put an end to the madness, he learns he’s jumped into a trap.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Krieg slipped to one side, caught the swordman’s hand and
twisted. A raw shriek burst from the man’s lips; bones ground audibly together
as his blade turned inevitably upward to point at his face.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"></p><blockquote>The assailant’s hood fell back, revealing swarthy skin
marked by plague skulls. A topknot of greasy reddish hair invited a hold. Krieg
grabbed it, slammed the man’s face forward onto the sword. Once, twice, thrice.
Wiping his hand on the man’s cloak, the black-eyed warrior let the body fall
like a burden he’d grown tired of… (p87)</blockquote><o:p></o:p><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">8) “The Headsman’s Melancholy” by Joseph Andre Thomas<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">This could easily be a <b><i>Twilight Zone</i></b> episode
written by Edgar Allen Poe. Executioner Jack meets a robber multiple times on
the chopping block. Written as a series of journal entries. The ending is
emotive, and a bit abstract, as Jack seeks peace by stopping his profession,
leaving town, or pursuing other options. Loved this.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The man screeched laughter as he eviscerated himself, His
blood poured down my face, into my mouth. It seeped between my teeth and
beneath my tongue.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I screamed.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"></p><blockquote>His smile was no longer cocky, but overjoyed. He reached
into his chest cavity and grabbed hold of something, pulled it out. His heart,
I realized, still attached to whatever tubes and capillaries govern the
viscera. He hung it out above me with one hand… (p129)</blockquote><o:p></o:p><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p></div>SE Lindberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08511576266035113852noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5481339651030977851.post-45096752999232082172023-09-03T12:08:00.000-04:002023-09-03T12:08:52.197-04:00Gen Con 2023 Game Playtesting and Playing<p></p><div><h2 style="text-align: center;"> Gen Con Writers Symposium 2023 - S.E. Lindberg Chronicles</h2></div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><a href="https://www.selindberg.com/2023/09/gen-con-writers-symposium-2023-overview.html" target="_blank">Gen Con Writers Symposium 2023 - Overview from the Chair</a></li><li><a href="https://www.selindberg.com/2023/09/panelssword-sorcery-handling-new.html" target="_blank">Panels<b>: </b>Sword & Sorcery & Handling New Releases</a></li><li><a href="https://www.selindberg.com/2023/09/gen-con-2023-tales-from-magicians-skull.html" target="_blank">The Skull from <i>Tales from the Magician's Skull:</i></a> Ziggurat, Gorgar Pinball, Shattered Lands, etc.</li><li><b>Playtesting & Previews: Dante, Conan, Scott Lynch, Bittcoin </b><span><b>Hodl Up <span style="color: red;">[you are here]</span></b></span></li><li><a href="https://www.selindberg.com/2023/09/gen-con-2023-connections-and-selfies.html" target="_blank">Selfies and Connections</a>: Peter Adkison, Fred Malmberg, many authors & friends</li></ul><p></p><span><a name='more'></a></span><div><br /></div><div><b>Dante: Invasion of Hell </b></div><div><a href="https://www.wearecgs.com/chronicles-of-drunagor/" target="_blank">Creative Games Studio</a> made chronicles of Chronicles of Drunagor, a miniature-heavy dungeon crawler. Since I watched their <a href="https://gamefound.com/en/projects/wearecgs/dante" target="_blank">Gamefound page</a> for their next project (Dante: Invasion of Hell) I was able to secure a seat to play with the developer, Mauro Carvalho (also joined by friend Dirk Domaschko). Dante currently has two phases: (a) a narrative choose-your-own-adventure phase followed by (b) a tactical boss battle. Very promising. </div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPyF2E1prVu6KXkZI970ocEdbSnl6lqICWYYQjWFrwPhjMgeBv_AMYOPjqL9mUcePog9ka9Q2UZkeVL08WiwRSAco5fc0G9F43FnlCQ2qwF9v9nphPep8SbQoa6opVzHTxszV2gT0gX1dgT98osn_dggyBGnvUI4qSvz8CLGToz97s10aVQqTcbXCvafM/s5904/dante.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="5904" data-original-width="2845" height="1195" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPyF2E1prVu6KXkZI970ocEdbSnl6lqICWYYQjWFrwPhjMgeBv_AMYOPjqL9mUcePog9ka9Q2UZkeVL08WiwRSAco5fc0G9F43FnlCQ2qwF9v9nphPep8SbQoa6opVzHTxszV2gT0gX1dgT98osn_dggyBGnvUI4qSvz8CLGToz97s10aVQqTcbXCvafM/w575-h1195/dante.jpg" width="575" /></a></div></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b>Hodl Up!</b></div><div><a href="https://www.freemarketkids.com/" target="_blank">Free Market Kids</a> game founder, Scott Lindberg plays his educational game Hodl Up: it is all about Bittcoin mechanics (the actual currency, not the investment in digital currency). The game is fun by itself, and since it is based on real mechanics it helps teach why things like 21 million, and halving events, and cold wallets matter! Turns out, Magic the Gather artist <a href="http://www.danscottart.com" target="_blank">Dan Scott</a> is into this topic, and they played a game.</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWmxi5JWXyldbKvmIUF9Kjo_DXzuBQVSSx-JprdxH2J972rT4E_9ii653xtqs1JhHXM09W9UACp5WNwZAk_0eKT716_69LkU4MZA4oWKX5FhqOgUnlks7XF_AQravbA9lEzUwMw2NhPW4L5517GxNFCEsNXKOEh0EbEyUO2ESoodKBv_JyuntGKcO6T50/s3510/Hodl%20Up%205.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3510" data-original-width="2737" height="782" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWmxi5JWXyldbKvmIUF9Kjo_DXzuBQVSSx-JprdxH2J972rT4E_9ii653xtqs1JhHXM09W9UACp5WNwZAk_0eKT716_69LkU4MZA4oWKX5FhqOgUnlks7XF_AQravbA9lEzUwMw2NhPW4L5517GxNFCEsNXKOEh0EbEyUO2ESoodKBv_JyuntGKcO6T50/w611-h782/Hodl%20Up%205.jpg" width="611" /></a></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div><b>Scott Lynch Game</b></div><h3 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">Yes, another "Scott" infiltrates my post, this time it is well-known author Scott Lynch and partner Elizabeth Bear. During our Writers' Symposium social event, he led a group of us through a comical, cooperative game he made.</span></h3><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKfX06qpoARFUv_cm5ArVlQ3pYDnBLP39M9CcPOUcYv-nisFKXnOWgQwMN4FchpXdE6CaZp0B1B5q7qZAgezqWUkuYp_3omGJmp6Sx7L4pHIjuy10jbFiYsrztmCHwH_Odn4IfHMgxaGRMTWOTo1d648J_Oc21-1xE3D-4GAIUvvIlVremx8nt6OUigNs/s7306/Lynch.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="7306" data-original-width="3450" height="1223" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKfX06qpoARFUv_cm5ArVlQ3pYDnBLP39M9CcPOUcYv-nisFKXnOWgQwMN4FchpXdE6CaZp0B1B5q7qZAgezqWUkuYp_3omGJmp6Sx7L4pHIjuy10jbFiYsrztmCHwH_Odn4IfHMgxaGRMTWOTo1d648J_Oc21-1xE3D-4GAIUvvIlVremx8nt6OUigNs/w577-h1223/Lynch.jpg" width="577" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><h3 style="text-align: left;">Conan Prototype?</h3><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5t-Xnx6SuimsAJEh2cViMQZYEEM2OGZaXIiLeZe-FW10Tu5RW93y4r0OCCi4il8GEwiK2R9nQ5xpwKGGlduXXA32wBhfQe8SEBXPNR2rPKBA0upsreFozPUTJF2Q37acduufiTVUuACowUblbuIXNY71FWxm6SD4KaiidS_BjdxRADXpbR1xFVUhN1zo/s4535/prototype-matthew%20john.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4535" data-original-width="3878" height="772" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5t-Xnx6SuimsAJEh2cViMQZYEEM2OGZaXIiLeZe-FW10Tu5RW93y4r0OCCi4il8GEwiK2R9nQ5xpwKGGlduXXA32wBhfQe8SEBXPNR2rPKBA0upsreFozPUTJF2Q37acduufiTVUuACowUblbuIXNY71FWxm6SD4KaiidS_BjdxRADXpbR1xFVUhN1zo/w661-h772/prototype-matthew%20john.jpg" width="661" /></a></div><div><br /></div><h3 style="text-align: left;">Even More Conan?</h3><div><h4 style="text-align: left;"><span face="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-size: 13px;">Heroic Signature's "consigliere" Steve Booth previewed a cool map that may be a portent of the future:</span></h4><span face="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-size: 13px;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiqzAsb-w3ohdy4e4Ru5MENGJPGT067lTXidFpiYJBv0LY7TgUHglTooY_j2VAEa6oAEhSAHFJPmOO-nVckHtVxPSfP21TfNlvgVHj55nlG-tkMkyiMkQ7xjmPvpxfcU6E5jsUUTFK9TRcVOB56yYk-UI2V1kMtBXPx5UPqcBmGPNVum_npVA0ZWghCPcU" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1510" data-original-width="2014" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiqzAsb-w3ohdy4e4Ru5MENGJPGT067lTXidFpiYJBv0LY7TgUHglTooY_j2VAEa6oAEhSAHFJPmOO-nVckHtVxPSfP21TfNlvgVHj55nlG-tkMkyiMkQ7xjmPvpxfcU6E5jsUUTFK9TRcVOB56yYk-UI2V1kMtBXPx5UPqcBmGPNVum_npVA0ZWghCPcU=w400-h300" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEidE4U2Y4Qtykc2ICUYKTCayytr5oEUTN1ECjZhnhdRO7i1lN-PJ_6-FNiIi_dtO79bKkjz0tKi6zKPBdxNj4RVcBnA5ln9tKZGs8OTHoUGj_nlQikhlprrqZYbQLvyl5Yg5lr_ZgkXsX_Nq_258P02yHKQk7whCFIPeL4b9u0GEdWj9hyx-usLc1iPkJQ" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1510" data-original-width="2014" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEidE4U2Y4Qtykc2ICUYKTCayytr5oEUTN1ECjZhnhdRO7i1lN-PJ_6-FNiIi_dtO79bKkjz0tKi6zKPBdxNj4RVcBnA5ln9tKZGs8OTHoUGj_nlQikhlprrqZYbQLvyl5Yg5lr_ZgkXsX_Nq_258P02yHKQk7whCFIPeL4b9u0GEdWj9hyx-usLc1iPkJQ=w640-h480" width="640" /></a></div><br /></span></div><div><span face="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br />SE Lindberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08511576266035113852noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5481339651030977851.post-17028687002857809942023-09-03T12:07:00.022-04:002023-09-04T09:05:50.273-04:00Gen Con 2023 - Connections and Selfies<div><h2 style="text-align: center;"> Gen Con Writers Symposium 2023 - S.E. Lindberg Chronicles</h2></div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><a href="https://www.selindberg.com/2023/09/gen-con-writers-symposium-2023-overview.html">Gen Con Writers Symposium 2023 - Overview from the Chair</a></li><li><a href="https://www.selindberg.com/2023/09/panelssword-sorcery-handling-new.html" target="_blank">Panels<b>: </b>Sword
& Sorcery & Handling New Releases</a></li><li><a href="https://www.selindberg.com/2023/09/gen-con-2023-tales-from-magicians-skull.html" target="_blank">The
Skull from <i>Tales from the Magician's Skull:</i></a> Ziggurat,
Gorgar Pinball, Shattered Lands, etc.</li><li><a href="https://www.selindberg.com/2023/09/gen-con-2023-game-playtesting-and.html">Playtesting
& Previews: </a> Dante, Conan, Scott Lynch, Bittcoin Hodl Up </li><li><b>Selfies: Peter Adkison, Fred Malmberg, many authors & friends <span style="color: red;">[you are here]</span></b></li></ul><span><a name='more'></a></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">This post captures myriad connections and selfies from Gen Con 2023.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Partaking in the <a href="https://www.dianajonesaward.org/" target="_blank">Diana Jones Award </a>celebration at the Slippery Noodle (known for their live music) I got to make funny faces with Peter Adkison (owner of Gen Con and first owner of Wizards of the Coast)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhbjAKpI1V9tdp-xN0iewW9f35M4G06Cb5jmnPpNuDcxlxmH-KmbI4-VxxlTF-Ipx-J_u4l02L0FhiLWTw4cmi_cwxzBxt3F1573R1aZRFjjp28DJaWXTsBxPkVlGmxnRpCV6pKJRvPzJzv8P-pA9rS5b5_5PqyNeWluD0mmhXDybnze1zpXsfdqbvu-NY" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1510" data-original-width="2014" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhbjAKpI1V9tdp-xN0iewW9f35M4G06Cb5jmnPpNuDcxlxmH-KmbI4-VxxlTF-Ipx-J_u4l02L0FhiLWTw4cmi_cwxzBxt3F1573R1aZRFjjp28DJaWXTsBxPkVlGmxnRpCV6pKJRvPzJzv8P-pA9rS5b5_5PqyNeWluD0mmhXDybnze1zpXsfdqbvu-NY=w640-h480" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p style="clear: both; text-align: left;">En route to the Heroic Signature social, Matthew John and I crossed paths with Joe Manganiello (Matthew John is >6' tall)</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiV-QD-2pC_d1DTgyujSAtcjcWpHdq2zF2wwem3Ba5nV4IG-ae3LMOOnijRtmssiNV-hxeSmT34v_q-Yuge6V5JKU4Of73v4VM9Isnk7xB5XT9fBETN1RHSWkowzbUJP4CTX-9FZoRJRv_f1wWy963wM9C56thDkF8lVM93UKxnHjqQZVWuQShhFO3kclQ" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1180" data-original-width="1024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiV-QD-2pC_d1DTgyujSAtcjcWpHdq2zF2wwem3Ba5nV4IG-ae3LMOOnijRtmssiNV-hxeSmT34v_q-Yuge6V5JKU4Of73v4VM9Isnk7xB5XT9fBETN1RHSWkowzbUJP4CTX-9FZoRJRv_f1wWy963wM9C56thDkF8lVM93UKxnHjqQZVWuQShhFO3kclQ=w555-h640" width="555" /></a></div><div><br /></div><p style="text-align: left;">At the Heroic Signature's social event with Matthew John (Monolith Games), Fredrick Malmberg (publisher, producer, and CEO of Cabinet Entertainment, which holds the rights to Robert E. Howard), Howard Andrew Jones (author; editor of <i>Tales from the Magician's Skull</i>)</p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgPLa3NgnIcEcHxI4v46CMXxwkKDa_fdteBFutbSi_Sut-iB0podRZEDAEFhpWcgyU8wB3R1f-5wLnOycF3pjklvhSDOxiH1CXggeS1oLw1MNHAe3Ed6UByxz8yPJ52BYw3aVPdWgYGnC75KG9zYe7ggNa5C0OqZ9-fNgOVjUfSVUMz5EADUkY1HZGB4sc" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1510" data-original-width="2014" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgPLa3NgnIcEcHxI4v46CMXxwkKDa_fdteBFutbSi_Sut-iB0podRZEDAEFhpWcgyU8wB3R1f-5wLnOycF3pjklvhSDOxiH1CXggeS1oLw1MNHAe3Ed6UByxz8yPJ52BYw3aVPdWgYGnC75KG9zYe7ggNa5C0OqZ9-fNgOVjUfSVUMz5EADUkY1HZGB4sc=w640-h480" width="640" /></a><h3><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqxXnNMngAKbHT1pEFGxnI8zuW8IjztTg78e9Yq3_ymj0upYjTv_JMEYHrJDOaxPhBV0DRxGt6m2a4gFB7Bj2w3uhZ1YUfad9L77c7ygNlnNFOJXUAtG8XEZN_U82T62eouXA9AhYQ73zbVES-U2qi4d8eRY66k8lPKVZr1VY9PkN3zEVPjsYtPALzW9U/s5176/Zub.jpg" style="font-size: medium; font-weight: 400; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2643" data-original-width="5176" height="326" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqxXnNMngAKbHT1pEFGxnI8zuW8IjztTg78e9Yq3_ymj0upYjTv_JMEYHrJDOaxPhBV0DRxGt6m2a4gFB7Bj2w3uhZ1YUfad9L77c7ygNlnNFOJXUAtG8XEZN_U82T62eouXA9AhYQ73zbVES-U2qi4d8eRY66k8lPKVZr1VY9PkN3zEVPjsYtPALzW9U/w640-h326/Zub.jpg" width="640" /></a></h3><h3 style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">Met Erik Mona, publisher and chief creative officer of Paizo Inc., and discussed gamifying events at Gen Con</span></p><span><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiunGPLdfsZzi6z2_zh8rcNau-7oVNwQV0D4g3cXWQ14tu-umfAwzJI4LYesbBbSCAkjIaXmuw_QE0-ZmlZjvAS8n7hRg1oWjKYYeH_B8WKlUDKp90GGDwTyxjpWC0vmdxpdHVyAmLau7ZBhtkCRMYhCa2kSNARgILKBMBSl0kSMAr624duWpeB-R00cmg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="775" height="372" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiunGPLdfsZzi6z2_zh8rcNau-7oVNwQV0D4g3cXWQ14tu-umfAwzJI4LYesbBbSCAkjIaXmuw_QE0-ZmlZjvAS8n7hRg1oWjKYYeH_B8WKlUDKp90GGDwTyxjpWC0vmdxpdHVyAmLau7ZBhtkCRMYhCa2kSNARgILKBMBSl0kSMAr624duWpeB-R00cmg=w400-h372" width="400" /></a></div></span></h3><h3><span style="font-weight: normal;"><a href="http://www.jeszika.com/" target="_blank">Jeszika Le Vye</a> - Got her to sign C. S. Friedman's new <i>Nightborn: Coldfire </i>book (which she did the cover art for!) </span></h3><div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><a href="https://www.blackgate.com/2023/04/02/new-treasures-review-nightborn-coldfire-rising-by-c-s-friedman/ " target="_blank">Review of Nightborn, Coldfire Rising by C.S. Friedman on Black Gate</a></li><li><a href="https://www.blackgate.com/2023/04/23/beauty-and-nightmares-on-aliens-worlds-interviewing-c-s-friedman/" target="_blank">Interview of C.S. Friedman "Beauty and Nightmares on Alien Worlds" by SEL</a></li></ul></div><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh1zbrVr7X98UDLIWE4WXxa_FpTR1u6PvlRGHUPUKnZ-yBAxNBLa__iVgfxnWNVtU-YDAwq6B92oGEZ6o_D58XU0Al4XmMOWQLUjUY6cbg-qh1Y2jhSTTeIZ04VWoG7N3PU7C0tWF-iDCXg8LOXcTfBfQ7H7nd2Cdyu-SDagbJXunf27sWwbcQQoGVHstE" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1510" data-original-width="2014" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh1zbrVr7X98UDLIWE4WXxa_FpTR1u6PvlRGHUPUKnZ-yBAxNBLa__iVgfxnWNVtU-YDAwq6B92oGEZ6o_D58XU0Al4XmMOWQLUjUY6cbg-qh1Y2jhSTTeIZ04VWoG7N3PU7C0tWF-iDCXg8LOXcTfBfQ7H7nd2Cdyu-SDagbJXunf27sWwbcQQoGVHstE=w640-h480" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Met Bill Pearce (contributor to <b><i>Tales from the Magician's Skull</i></b> #11) with HAJ</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjfxAJCazieSbKYjvTh3CpU7etUP5z2vXcPlDbTA25vSdP2Rodlc5vkPeo0O72A5_VoRfNpqZQJExR1YUuRY6bX0RkDJt-cfvJlbhqsyerx4fbrVMB3tiWsEDQW3zyUimzjUTe1Qpx8Jvf01WU6hH8BvTDIimx7qV4tL1UTE0amJQDyXJART3qSHeqB7F4" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="543" data-original-width="768" height="283" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjfxAJCazieSbKYjvTh3CpU7etUP5z2vXcPlDbTA25vSdP2Rodlc5vkPeo0O72A5_VoRfNpqZQJExR1YUuRY6bX0RkDJt-cfvJlbhqsyerx4fbrVMB3tiWsEDQW3zyUimzjUTe1Qpx8Jvf01WU6hH8BvTDIimx7qV4tL1UTE0amJQDyXJART3qSHeqB7F4=w400-h283" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p style="text-align: left;">Byron Leavitt, Diemension Games writer whom I've interviewed and contributed two scenario stories in their latest <a href="http://www.selindberg.com/2021/08/dimension-sickness-by-se-lindberg.html" target="_blank">Kickstarter and expansion</a> for Deep Madness.</p></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiZtYg9Be9eU2ZA1dkOUXHIfMVFFW9MQ7EcxJTXPltqEKBcopNW0uku8H9sFMdIcj_1E_G_aZBxNgw38PDof8d1KZy36iRVl6Ri-ckq-0RSJ1Ftyvuo946SBTiSVLQ0UAS2hjjOapeTedzbLEnZXhGRJHzkKHKgDh5FCShImlLx272FUtzmbUyhq3A-J6k" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><img alt="" data-original-height="343" data-original-width="457" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiZtYg9Be9eU2ZA1dkOUXHIfMVFFW9MQ7EcxJTXPltqEKBcopNW0uku8H9sFMdIcj_1E_G_aZBxNgw38PDof8d1KZy36iRVl6Ri-ckq-0RSJ1Ftyvuo946SBTiSVLQ0UAS2hjjOapeTedzbLEnZXhGRJHzkKHKgDh5FCShImlLx272FUtzmbUyhq3A-J6k=w640-h480" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><p style="text-align: left;">Fellow <a href="http://www.blackgate.com/" target="_blank">Black Gate</a> contributor, Brandon Crilly</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEipMOVPM5g-F5byxZaACFzGgqbm9Ewu4ZGOi4RDHnsBU6FFST8ns0xT3eeehMeGE0t1-1c-Cq-540jaKLYvDAi_vcMcgPXVhnulpNmlQn4ESXY7tY-2bQBHzNUzPbbusB0HMx92bj6wlkyM5OW8aiCvSqQqgrF793zj4G_qYrCSgFYXAlv5dyxsWxwT8to" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1510" data-original-width="1670" height="363" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEipMOVPM5g-F5byxZaACFzGgqbm9Ewu4ZGOi4RDHnsBU6FFST8ns0xT3eeehMeGE0t1-1c-Cq-540jaKLYvDAi_vcMcgPXVhnulpNmlQn4ESXY7tY-2bQBHzNUzPbbusB0HMx92bj6wlkyM5OW8aiCvSqQqgrF793zj4G_qYrCSgFYXAlv5dyxsWxwT8to=w400-h363" width="400" /></a></div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">Got to know Dedren Snead while on a few panels. Awesome Sword & Soul champion, and founder of <a href="https://www.subsumestudios.com/" target="_blank">Subsume Studios</a>! See <a href="https://www.selindberg.com/2023/09/panelssword-sorcery-handling-new.html" style="text-align: left;" target="_blank">Panels: Sword & Sorcery & Handling New Releases</a>.</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiuA5AcmAus9GLdjK1XK5J8Ii-h3oP3VCBmyOeF2Mmds7zBgnOb-ljSPtmeOB9CREnZT0HxR50IYe_3f9cIx-xfs4ezyijI9AJcRKT0QAeSRCoW7kOfGRECb1hGa6e4KcWqQfVjeSzAswjRt8cRZ69aDH4SWJeajCcoRssXBZnX8jtNoEF-SCHQBhEaJ6w" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1185" data-original-width="1162" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiuA5AcmAus9GLdjK1XK5J8Ii-h3oP3VCBmyOeF2Mmds7zBgnOb-ljSPtmeOB9CREnZT0HxR50IYe_3f9cIx-xfs4ezyijI9AJcRKT0QAeSRCoW7kOfGRECb1hGa6e4KcWqQfVjeSzAswjRt8cRZ69aDH4SWJeajCcoRssXBZnX8jtNoEF-SCHQBhEaJ6w=w392-h400" width="392" /></a></div><br /><br /></div><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">Howard Andrew Jones & Sean CW Korsgaard; blessed with the first-ever book signing of HAJ's new <i>Lord of a Shattered Land </i>book.</span></p><div><br /></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXzqj0ofbVHQZUrBnhw7sbNu9V-DttTOIzsYKfcPBnuN-gj4s3oNzeCTPgcVOTdCwabIn2Bq1M6crQU9sJxFcUTJzP7--L0U238uutC-ZRpHZ4GCwUVJYfZZnWeFAmMAdDd9bUoGNYK9armWQi74s8jD4iilekWh---JyZYD5fj8Oqyc3DlMDQwlUPPEc/s4288/Howard%20Andrew%20Jones%20and%20Sean%20CW%20Korsgaard.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4288" data-original-width="2907" height="920" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXzqj0ofbVHQZUrBnhw7sbNu9V-DttTOIzsYKfcPBnuN-gj4s3oNzeCTPgcVOTdCwabIn2Bq1M6crQU9sJxFcUTJzP7--L0U238uutC-ZRpHZ4GCwUVJYfZZnWeFAmMAdDd9bUoGNYK9armWQi74s8jD4iilekWh---JyZYD5fj8Oqyc3DlMDQwlUPPEc/w624-h920/Howard%20Andrew%20Jones%20and%20Sean%20CW%20Korsgaard.jpg" width="624" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div></div><div><div><a href="https://www.ohioaikido.com/p/about-mushinkan-dojo.html" target="_blank">My Aikido sensei and longtime </a>friend (who got me hooked on Gen Con), Dirk Domaschko, and my <a href="https://www.freemarketkids.com/" target="_blank">game-designing brother</a>, Scott Lindberg, blended well with the Sword & Sorcery group</div></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjejd64XX9F2l2_A3Y_I6-8s236w32q4bbwccwvESNBm-3YIcwZtFnUWS5dkWTG5DdgkcbJSLPquED1lo-VQqRK_l9t8eR2_nsQudhjmzqAYbmmZizISNLwdbcBZoA6sfLKhBOtVzTg6uqV4HoVkW72ZaHrEdBEj1PX1blHzQZ1DtXqFhSOK4b_u_2l2sM/s6185/mixing%20worlds.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="6185" data-original-width="3049" height="1325" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjejd64XX9F2l2_A3Y_I6-8s236w32q4bbwccwvESNBm-3YIcwZtFnUWS5dkWTG5DdgkcbJSLPquED1lo-VQqRK_l9t8eR2_nsQudhjmzqAYbmmZizISNLwdbcBZoA6sfLKhBOtVzTg6uqV4HoVkW72ZaHrEdBEj1PX1blHzQZ1DtXqFhSOK4b_u_2l2sM/w654-h1325/mixing%20worlds.jpg" width="654" /></a></div><br /><p style="text-align: left;">Visiting <a href="https://goodman-games.com/tftms/2023/08/31/the-skull-materializes-at-gen-con/" target="_blank">Joseph Goodman of Goodman-Games</a> in front of the Skull's Ziggurat</p><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj88qb-L6PA_4pcOLCVCXJcikLlCcGq27sSCq-HsLwLurL3l7IFCYEuGZMY6nglKAjRh4FGNm1376d-VmbNUWGo917ucrtie4FAIOUMHw569IyQpUt2lnZgUvedgTKQfMdTfDPOKGQFF-PZg2zHP_3bVEuzzjF8oMgjRAMHi9ZClODWrLYGBu55TqmBh9w" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1510" data-original-width="2014" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj88qb-L6PA_4pcOLCVCXJcikLlCcGq27sSCq-HsLwLurL3l7IFCYEuGZMY6nglKAjRh4FGNm1376d-VmbNUWGo917ucrtie4FAIOUMHw569IyQpUt2lnZgUvedgTKQfMdTfDPOKGQFF-PZg2zHP_3bVEuzzjF8oMgjRAMHi9ZClODWrLYGBu55TqmBh9w=w640-h480" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p style="text-align: center;"></p><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Playtesting Matthew John's prototype with Scott Lynch, Howard Andrew Jones, Sean CW Korsgaard, Elizabeth Bear, and the mad Canadian.</div><p></p></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg-BiZ8QTlBoIw7LuIsOLjRC2jHQTaFEPJXtEN4ETJjFjhYXw5RiRGLqvDiqM9Twehjh5KBv1ZWJmrutsizlI-X-PpJar-gQDMdpwgrEXueIu4rlBTSZTs4S3yAbhIpIiCidDL8W0JXHGzX3mYmnBSLEBav4hN396YPZaFmj9wvqsfcCzprCuhuOVpVRuU" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1510" data-original-width="2014" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg-BiZ8QTlBoIw7LuIsOLjRC2jHQTaFEPJXtEN4ETJjFjhYXw5RiRGLqvDiqM9Twehjh5KBv1ZWJmrutsizlI-X-PpJar-gQDMdpwgrEXueIu4rlBTSZTs4S3yAbhIpIiCidDL8W0JXHGzX3mYmnBSLEBav4hN396YPZaFmj9wvqsfcCzprCuhuOVpVRuU=w640-h480" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><p style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCkWKBx-tu7D7JZIlQnlIrmQ" target="_blank">Quackalope! </a> Stumbled across the game review couple in the JW Marriot</p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEggSSQHR4DpTkh_v0uHZBhHCVdGehb5uhgwT2B4vIokWEfwnBp6K3dTBa_U_cqCqMzZ5lsZKrBNFBwXCFNOS_oMqcPFFUzaxz47DiLLyP0kY4vVr0kZjQQCsq6ZYt47jFuHZ29Nwg_kQfoZhY4WYfJU_kYavloxR5gU9486qxhJe5zKigY7EYmfQsh2_Tg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img alt="" data-original-height="320" data-original-width="427" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEggSSQHR4DpTkh_v0uHZBhHCVdGehb5uhgwT2B4vIokWEfwnBp6K3dTBa_U_cqCqMzZ5lsZKrBNFBwXCFNOS_oMqcPFFUzaxz47DiLLyP0kY4vVr0kZjQQCsq6ZYt47jFuHZ29Nwg_kQfoZhY4WYfJU_kYavloxR5gU9486qxhJe5zKigY7EYmfQsh2_Tg=w640-h480" width="640" /></a><br /><br /><p></p>SE Lindberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08511576266035113852noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5481339651030977851.post-70869551419482806772023-09-03T12:07:00.021-04:002023-09-03T20:00:31.414-04:00Gen Con Writers Symposium 2023 - Overview<h2 style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"> Gen Con Writers Symposium 2023 - S.E. Lindberg Chronicles</span></h2><p></p><p style="text-align: left;"></p><p style="text-align: left;"></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><b style="font-family: inherit;">Gen Con Writers Symposium 2023 </b><span style="font-family: inherit;">-</span><b style="font-family: inherit;"> Overview from the Chair [<span style="color: red;">you are here</span>]</b></li></ul><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://www.selindberg.com/2023/09/panelssword-sorcery-handling-new.html" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank"><span>Panels<b>: </b>Sword
& Sorcery & Handling New Releases</span></a></span></li></ul><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span><a href="https://www.selindberg.com/2023/09/gen-con-2023-tales-from-magicians-skull.html" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank">The
Skull from <i>Tales from the Magician's Skull:</i></a><span style="font-family: inherit;"> Ziggurat,
Gorgar Pinball, Shattered Lands, etc.</span></span></span></li></ul><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span><a href="https://www.selindberg.com/2023/09/gen-con-2023-game-playtesting-and.html" style="font-family: inherit;">Playtesting
& Previews: </a><span style="font-family: inherit;"> Dante, Conan, Scott Lynch, Bittcoin Hodl Up </span></span></span></li></ul><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span><a href="https://www.selindberg.com/2023/09/gen-con-2023-connections-and-selfies.html" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank">Selfies
and Connections</a><span style="font-family: inherit;">: Peter Adkison, Fred Malmberg, many authors &
friends</span></span></span></li></ul><p></p><p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><ul type="disc"><span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span></ul></ul><div><br /></div><p></p><span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a name='more'></a></span></span><div><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjAIfHKKS6J3H2lQ43PdeIZTnEM-r1ER8nuLMy9JvxNTh6C6TTIp-a1XUagbIxB1NHMLEQGCRb5Ih4BbuEejaMdqjODm0GghgACZ_1ddYbktgMUTz333-9zcLKVsQzMlmb0kizhB-BQLZOpxxmRpVW2BEmZxJWxTn-TOZsPBw8EIJ5VzBSlVe3kdV-c0J4" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img alt="" data-original-height="953" data-original-width="1900" height="322" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjAIfHKKS6J3H2lQ43PdeIZTnEM-r1ER8nuLMy9JvxNTh6C6TTIp-a1XUagbIxB1NHMLEQGCRb5Ih4BbuEejaMdqjODm0GghgACZ_1ddYbktgMUTz333-9zcLKVsQzMlmb0kizhB-BQLZOpxxmRpVW2BEmZxJWxTn-TOZsPBw8EIJ5VzBSlVe3kdV-c0J4=w640-h322" width="640" /></span></a></p><h4 style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"> Gen Con <a href="https://genconwriters.org/ " target="_blank">Writers' Symposium</a> 2023 - Overview</span></h4></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span>Chairing the 2023 Writers' Symposium was an honor and privilege. </span>The organizing committee set out to double our attendance while growing the community and growing representation & scope. We more than doubled ticket sales (vs 2022) and grew our unique-ticket-purchasers by 50%. Being our second year post-covid, we created a strong foundation for success in 2024 and beyond.</span></div><div><span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span>Gen Con is a massive gaming event, the largest gaming convention in North America. This year they have over 70,000 attendees (nearly a record, and wonderful growth from last year's 50,000). One i</span>n every thirty (3.5%) attendees purchased tickets for the Writers' Symposium. We offered <span style="background-color: white; color: #333333;">70 Free Seminars, 60 Workshops, 20+ Signings, 65+</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333;"> </span><a href="https://genconwriters.org/authors" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; text-underline-offset: 0.15em;">Presenters</a><span style="color: #333333;"><span style="background-color: white;">; these were </span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333;">organized into different categories (tracks, </span>categorized sessions<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333;">) to promote longer stays. </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333;">We also featured the track Game Narrative (storytelling in video and tabletop games) l</span><span style="text-indent: -24px;">ed by Toiya Kristen Finley to better integrate with the larger event.</span></span></div><div><p><span style="font-family: inherit;">We had ~2,500 unique ticket sales, another ~500 walk-ins, and the average attendee purchased 2.5 tickets (up from ~1.5 last yr., indicating our move to "tracks" worked).</span></p><h4 style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://genconwriters.org/2023/05/06/special-guests-2023-gen-con-writers-symposium/" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Special Guests</span></a></h4><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg9yLzaPb70ixhowHsrgMhAS5Q0yWkeQSiGNYAoeAO29USHkyAMgULHPCQSXQ1T46d_o3Pr1jSlSUYFjAjbxpIzb42nP6z03cdXWJL1LhziPKVNUjI3dZSwgnF6pyydAbeX6-iyOPtw7TRGhOL_Nvu2x7ByAFzqqHHFcavfEXcUlMY1YncfvH9c2vA8Lvg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img alt="" data-original-height="2753" data-original-width="2087" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg9yLzaPb70ixhowHsrgMhAS5Q0yWkeQSiGNYAoeAO29USHkyAMgULHPCQSXQ1T46d_o3Pr1jSlSUYFjAjbxpIzb42nP6z03cdXWJL1LhziPKVNUjI3dZSwgnF6pyydAbeX6-iyOPtw7TRGhOL_Nvu2x7ByAFzqqHHFcavfEXcUlMY1YncfvH9c2vA8Lvg=w485-h640" width="485" /></span></a></p><p style="text-align: left;"><b style="font-family: inherit; text-indent: -0.25in;">With extra funding from Gen Con and a<a href="https://genconwriters.org/2023/04/18/announcing-legendary-sponsor-the-scalzi-family-foundation/" target="_blank"> </a>Legendary Sponsorship from the</b><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: inherit; text-indent: -0.25in;"> </span><a href="http://scalzifamily.foundation/" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit; text-indent: -0.25in; text-underline-offset: 0.15em;">Scalzi Family Foundation</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: inherit; text-indent: -0.25in;"> </span><span style="font-family: inherit; text-indent: -0.25in;"><b>(thank you!), </b>we hosted 4x Special Guests (John Jennings, Latoya Peterson, Diana Pho, and
Sheree Ren</span><span style="font-family: inherit; text-indent: -0.25in;">ée Thomas) and sponsored travel for several other authors.</span><span style="font-family: inherit; text-indent: -0.25in;"> Further emphasizing our focus on diversity, Maurice Broaddus continued his outreach program to bring in a dozen young, aspiring writers.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="border: none; margin: 0in 0in 0in 0.25in; text-align: center; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="border: none; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .25in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; margin: 0in 0in 0in 0.25in; mso-border-shadow: yes; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-padding-alt: 31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="border: none; margin: 0in 0in 0in 0.25in; text-align: center; text-indent: -0.25in;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbqG6x3BdR7g5AyC7-97S4ULJ_cdcUgDnOlxbh0wKwDw7DP71jMz9eyjvrKf71PuMg09cXPmrMsRAAWLPqsU7yXJ3r2amAftSlOeCoNOEmXaft09y8QQOMy6HQTAGGFpK9sckSpKG2-F3XR5AOAyb2_IcwIKuO-drqsai4tV9T1qDxUYgnd7veQAduQCk/s3921/_sponsors.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-indent: 0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1716" data-original-width="3921" height="243" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbqG6x3BdR7g5AyC7-97S4ULJ_cdcUgDnOlxbh0wKwDw7DP71jMz9eyjvrKf71PuMg09cXPmrMsRAAWLPqsU7yXJ3r2amAftSlOeCoNOEmXaft09y8QQOMy6HQTAGGFpK9sckSpKG2-F3XR5AOAyb2_IcwIKuO-drqsai4tV9T1qDxUYgnd7veQAduQCk/w555-h243/_sponsors.jpg" width="555" /></span></a></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="border: none; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .25in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; margin: 0in 0in 0in 0.25in; mso-border-shadow: yes; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-padding-alt: 31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt; text-indent: -0.25in;"><br /></p><p><span style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span></span></p><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">We strengthened our "writers helping writers" culture. For our complimentary book giveaway bags, e<span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">ach author was asked to contact their publisher for books, and many delivered a box </span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">(totaling several</span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;"> dozen); </span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">Catalyst stood out by providing >1000 books for the Swag Bag (for many authors not present). </span><a href="https://genconwriters.org/2023/07/18/we-thank-elizabeth-bear-scott-lynch-for-av-equipment-donations/" style="text-indent: -0.25in;" target="_blank">Elizabeth Bear and Scott Lynch donated </a><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">projectors and screens, enabling us to more efficiently use our rooms for workshops.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Working with Gen Con, we got approval to sell an <a href="https://genconwriters.org/2023/07/24/announcing-the-first-ever-gen-con-writers-symposium-collectible-drive/" target="_blank">eBook Bundle on a USB-drive</a> for attending presenters, with some of the proceeds going to 2024 travel for underrepresented authors (and some going back to the authors). This worked well, and you can expect an evolution of this in 2024!</span></span></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiPezYLst_3uYR-Km_3nktq1PCyv_Rqukxp3a7aAPTtPcvL_vAjhG4SA-q0e9y6dS3k83HmZP2E_lf2r4a1PttVphaTfdEssU88dDys5ddwdb2NRHAKI0kCcp-u1JT1sHn7Drp96cmwaoIWw1K7CJSfEVZT3ccYwFsghO3SxScmDcNCRoEH4iMEvDxS-2I" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img alt="" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiPezYLst_3uYR-Km_3nktq1PCyv_Rqukxp3a7aAPTtPcvL_vAjhG4SA-q0e9y6dS3k83HmZP2E_lf2r4a1PttVphaTfdEssU88dDys5ddwdb2NRHAKI0kCcp-u1JT1sHn7Drp96cmwaoIWw1K7CJSfEVZT3ccYwFsghO3SxScmDcNCRoEH4iMEvDxS-2I=w400-h225" width="400" /></span></a></div></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b style="text-indent: -24px;">We gamified our Hallway: </b><span style="text-indent: -24px;">W</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; text-indent: -24px;">e lured in two artists </span><a href="https://gracepfong.com/" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; text-indent: -24px; text-underline-offset: 0.15em;">Grace P Fong</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; text-indent: -24px;"> and </span><a href="https://www.jillianporter.me/" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; text-indent: -24px; text-underline-offset: 0.15em;">Jillian Porter</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; text-indent: -24px;"> to contribute two images each. Each piece of art was put on a poster with a QR code to enable submission of (a) micro fiction (300 words or less) inspired by the art or (b) a “caption” to explain it. Winners of the contest got their posters signed by the artists!</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><h4 style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Our Image Prompt Contest Posters:</span></h4></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgFzHt1JINbEEQjmGnMZ3KIjEM-cv6mYL2Kifk6fZXmUwzKR0_Cd_Z7BOLj53LTMaaY_bBG8rXX02vO-DLgzXScsVigv8FqJxlCsylP6eYSK41hCyjADzOVWdbeloNGbQjYwjvJkLQIii_1RCyTL_miiy0Uer4zJDtQukK1QjblOz4bXKrw5km8zeya9i8" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1908" data-original-width="1950" height="627" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgFzHt1JINbEEQjmGnMZ3KIjEM-cv6mYL2Kifk6fZXmUwzKR0_Cd_Z7BOLj53LTMaaY_bBG8rXX02vO-DLgzXScsVigv8FqJxlCsylP6eYSK41hCyjADzOVWdbeloNGbQjYwjvJkLQIii_1RCyTL_miiy0Uer4zJDtQukK1QjblOz4bXKrw5km8zeya9i8=w640-h627" width="640" /></span></a></div><h4 style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;">We even tidied up little things, like tweaking our name to have <span style="font-family: inherit; font-weight: 400; text-indent: -0.25in;">the apostrophe in the correct position (go “Writers’”!) and u</span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-weight: 400; text-indent: -0.25in;">pgraded our website: <a href="https://genconwriters.org/ " target="_blank">https://genconwriters.org/</a></span></div></h4></div><h3 style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Next Steps</span></h3><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><ul><li style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><strong style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 15.96px; margin: 0px;">Get ready, mark your calendars: Gen Con 2024 is</strong><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 15.96px;"> August 1–4 (Thurs--> Sun), 2024</span></span></li><li style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Follow the Writers' Symposium</span></li><ul><li style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Website: </b><a href="https://genconwriters.org/">https://genconwriters.org/</a></span></li><li style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Facebook:</b> <a href="https://www.facebook.com/genconwriters">https://www.facebook.com/genconwriters</a></span></li><li style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>X/Twitter: </b><a href=" https://twitter.com/genconwriters " target="_blank">https://twitter.com/genconwriters </a></span></li></ul></ul></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhTMlygJRfFkV2t3321VFFqMAhlML1bXc0saEdG67rA0L7naS-WB5ZI5XUUcLZoZZ6MDG30wbcPCgo8rSzDFWP9zdpAjuQFoT53EYsJSG6KclzVm7SJwdG4uaEPBdvmZoCdw_dEX5SCiIWhRqp_mMyVoZSWGd56JxCvvsy42pyLOAsYNDNdgISzOtol7Jk" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1175" data-original-width="1918" height="392" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhTMlygJRfFkV2t3321VFFqMAhlML1bXc0saEdG67rA0L7naS-WB5ZI5XUUcLZoZZ6MDG30wbcPCgo8rSzDFWP9zdpAjuQFoT53EYsJSG6KclzVm7SJwdG4uaEPBdvmZoCdw_dEX5SCiIWhRqp_mMyVoZSWGd56JxCvvsy42pyLOAsYNDNdgISzOtol7Jk=w640-h392" width="640" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhVr7nqeSlNt2lf9PACE8rBlat0y5G86spMY8GCnoSO7stfo5f7GK7b7qewzXWWobU-LeXzwGMmrJizKvCtQ4oZ5jBEBZ9nXC7weU1tJGkT6Ei8leHjIxWfx0k97NEBZjFK1euc_GFCC7anYU71_KjzNQmSmsRGfVAcwCZ-8dlUP3shPPxFiqdw2-RAMgo" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1510" data-original-width="2014" height="448" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhVr7nqeSlNt2lf9PACE8rBlat0y5G86spMY8GCnoSO7stfo5f7GK7b7qewzXWWobU-LeXzwGMmrJizKvCtQ4oZ5jBEBZ9nXC7weU1tJGkT6Ei8leHjIxWfx0k97NEBZjFK1euc_GFCC7anYU71_KjzNQmSmsRGfVAcwCZ-8dlUP3shPPxFiqdw2-RAMgo=w597-h448" width="597" /></span></a></div><div style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><h4 style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Thanks to all the volunteers, attendees, presenters, and sponsors!</span></h4><h4 style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">See you in 2024!</span></h4><div style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><h3><span style="font-family: inherit;">Organizing Committee Members</span></h3><p class="MsoNormal" style="border: none; margin: 0in 0in 0in 0.25in; text-align: left; text-indent: -0.25in;"></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="font-family: inherit;">Seth Lindberg (Chair)</span></li><li><span style="font-family: inherit;">Maurice Broaddus (Outreach Coordinator)</span></li><li><span style="font-family: inherit;"> Emily Bell (Programming and Communications Support)</span></li><li><span style="font-family: inherit;">Greg Wilson (Programming)</span></li><li><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">Toiya Kristen Finley (Game Narrative Track)</span></li><li><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">Chris Bell (Book Sales)</span></li><li><span style="font-family: inherit;">Matt Jarchow, Operations (Volunteer Coordinator)</span></li><li><span style="font-family: inherit;">Marie Bilodeau (Sponsors, Communications), could not attend in person</span></li><li><span style="font-family: inherit;">We also relied on 11 full and half-time volunteers, who were spectacular.</span></li></ul></div><div style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhvbFJWTOIk0IRbeecY7QzM-sM2jYkjn1lL0lPZ_sIDE6GZI6CUw9EUd316LHa036NsdAo8CWVwI9OHAEwWD_SFRTUWlFUu3DMBjO5BxPS27Z7moGBIlZr_6ZlXzosl5_UeNO8SVKmPsKcdWyymHHHkPgFetOfqq-sQqfGGmotKYKWSN2UsOzKz9KwTmFI" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img alt="" data-original-height="558" data-original-width="1467" height="244" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhvbFJWTOIk0IRbeecY7QzM-sM2jYkjn1lL0lPZ_sIDE6GZI6CUw9EUd316LHa036NsdAo8CWVwI9OHAEwWD_SFRTUWlFUu3DMBjO5BxPS27Z7moGBIlZr_6ZlXzosl5_UeNO8SVKmPsKcdWyymHHHkPgFetOfqq-sQqfGGmotKYKWSN2UsOzKz9KwTmFI=w640-h244" width="640" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><h4 style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">A behind-the-scenes peek at volunteering!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimz3kaFX0wz_z1NJYmnYTGauq0FgSgNGTF2Uglxqjq6EE2kLNVoLG03GrerYY8sRzxWa-P06QTqAIXNdSZlzJmKguQAcQ3TLc8jix86gOD0lI8NLYXNjQairZ0MO7nRl6YxSqiAdbxJmfbdSWuO0_iDi247zYOHt6rEwojjfzykR1lhaUT_6H8cGwwcwE/s5952/_BTS_volunteers.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="5952" data-original-width="3966" height="756" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimz3kaFX0wz_z1NJYmnYTGauq0FgSgNGTF2Uglxqjq6EE2kLNVoLG03GrerYY8sRzxWa-P06QTqAIXNdSZlzJmKguQAcQ3TLc8jix86gOD0lI8NLYXNjQairZ0MO7nRl6YxSqiAdbxJmfbdSWuO0_iDi247zYOHt6rEwojjfzykR1lhaUT_6H8cGwwcwE/w503-h756/_BTS_volunteers.jpg" width="503" /></a></span></h4></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br style="text-align: left;" /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><h3><br /></h3></div></div><p></p></div>SE Lindberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08511576266035113852noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5481339651030977851.post-5105451872028322462023-09-03T12:07:00.018-04:002023-09-03T16:57:26.249-04:00Gen Con 2023: Tales from the Magician's Skull<p></p><div><h2 style="text-align: center;"> Gen Con Writers Symposium 2023 - S.E. Lindberg Chronicles</h2></div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><a href="https://www.selindberg.com/2023/09/gen-con-writers-symposium-2023-overview.html">Gen Con Writers Symposium 2023 - Overview from the Chair</a></li><li><a href="https://www.selindberg.com/2023/09/panelssword-sorcery-handling-new.html" target="_blank">Panels<b>: </b>Sword
& Sorcery & Handling New Releases</a></li><li><b>The Skull: Ziggurat, Gorgar Pinball, Shattered Lands, etc. [<span style="color: red;">you are here</span>]</b></li><li><a href="https://www.selindberg.com/2023/09/gen-con-2023-game-playtesting-and.html">Playtesting
& Previews: </a> Dante, Conan, Scott Lynch, Bittcoin Hodl Up </li><li><a href="https://www.selindberg.com/2023/09/gen-con-2023-connections-and-selfies.html" target="_blank">Selfies
and Connections</a>: Peter Adkison, Fred Malmberg, many authors &
friends</li><ul type="disc">
</ul></ul><span><a name='more'></a></span><div><br /></div><div>This post focuses on the Skull (from <i>Tales from the Magician's Skull </i>magazine) appearing at the Goodman-Games publishing booth, Gen Con 2023. Check out the range of issues available from <a href="https://goodman-games.com/store/product-category/tales-from-the-magicians-skull/" target="_blank">Goodman-Games here (link)</a>. </div><div><br /></div><div>Witness the chaos unfold as the Skull appears from his ziggurat via this <a href="https://youtu.be/W3Z3jZT9mpo" target="_blank">4min footage created by mediocre interns with uncertain futures:</a><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>This is front-line reporting from the Booth-that-Goodman-Built around the Skull's Ziggurat (that was daring of Sir Goodman; tensions flare!) War-seasoned military liaison Sean CW Korsgaard from the land of Baen joined two interns to witness the chaos. </li><li>See the Skull emerge from the ziggurat, play pinball, battle interns, accept the tome of Shattered Lands, and then battle Sir Goodman for control of the Booth!</li></ul></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="466" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/W3Z3jZT9mpo" width="635" youtube-src-id="W3Z3jZT9mpo"></iframe></div><br /><h4 style="text-align: center;">See more photos at the<i> <a href="https://goodman-games.com/tftms/2023/08/31/the-skull-materializes-at-gen-con/" target="_blank">Tales from the Magician's Skull w</a></i><a href="https://goodman-games.com/tftms/2023/08/31/the-skull-materializes-at-gen-con/" target="_blank">ebsite (link)</a></h4><div><br /></div><h4 style="text-align: center;">The Skull blesses Matthew John (who has a tale in Issue #10) and wallops me in the head)</h4><p></p><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhw6Fz6PL__cl0EulxslaLbasX40cjVmB0fm6vVQm5gY46dJnDeAZp6BQv7DNVbw3DDV7z9vpXhSoKtiiWB8ZZQvcdmus-8LO5JIoaK8cCT6rBhHf0LfWzLRmEc7hV0cvBgq6Lrj3OXH1OU0Fd9I10_fPrvIIE5hvjvcKFJXe-V0IxyxRknYqPCLz-HjgY" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1510" data-original-width="2014" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhw6Fz6PL__cl0EulxslaLbasX40cjVmB0fm6vVQm5gY46dJnDeAZp6BQv7DNVbw3DDV7z9vpXhSoKtiiWB8ZZQvcdmus-8LO5JIoaK8cCT6rBhHf0LfWzLRmEc7hV0cvBgq6Lrj3OXH1OU0Fd9I10_fPrvIIE5hvjvcKFJXe-V0IxyxRknYqPCLz-HjgY=w200-h150" width="200" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhMRORbnFljO3DNT8nGfookAsWRFitZ0DtPuDQxn3VH2hkCGx3-OJSSVfolA9ubeBKc1GJU0VyfXGZcoskNFgh9NQ_IFKzcc9pfimT8EpqMpyda_HpArLnbI4M9BnZRrrvyRKBNKCbbbevkzq3R37krRnorQnl-Dy3QuHzRp4_0oX2YASmjX-dNgB__tg4" style="clear: left; display: inline; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1510" data-original-width="2014" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhMRORbnFljO3DNT8nGfookAsWRFitZ0DtPuDQxn3VH2hkCGx3-OJSSVfolA9ubeBKc1GJU0VyfXGZcoskNFgh9NQ_IFKzcc9pfimT8EpqMpyda_HpArLnbI4M9BnZRrrvyRKBNKCbbbevkzq3R37krRnorQnl-Dy3QuHzRp4_0oX2YASmjX-dNgB__tg4=w200-h150" width="200" /></a></div><h4 style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.selindberg.com/2023/02/preview-of-se-lindbergs-orphan-maker.html" target="_blank">The Skull materializes a copy of Issue #9!</a> <br />Therein my story 'Orphan Maker' appears. <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgiCBvGnLAKQLcEn2pzsxBg3EX_pAmjs37fANrGBj23XhuBXtxG0zyijL-E1xSUqQEZ_AggyrSebGHIiO_vcEvkDTv9ttk3MYbjGlXktVr5ymxh-Z9lUDJQCOl19hkW2GwUfXwTHbCyftvIA3d-3d_dvHoFYBfJIcb7cdb_S1brawL49zLJbVL6jSx3VSM" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1510" data-original-width="2014" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgiCBvGnLAKQLcEn2pzsxBg3EX_pAmjs37fANrGBj23XhuBXtxG0zyijL-E1xSUqQEZ_AggyrSebGHIiO_vcEvkDTv9ttk3MYbjGlXktVr5ymxh-Z9lUDJQCOl19hkW2GwUfXwTHbCyftvIA3d-3d_dvHoFYBfJIcb7cdb_S1brawL49zLJbVL6jSx3VSM=w400-h300" width="400" /></a></h4><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b>With Bill Pearce (has a story in issue #11) & the esteemed Howard Andrew Jones</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhP_BO7V2ukDyIJErigjrKd1jhJPzeKDYsbMpVwSnsuaUYKakKsXDmXESe06V2QSWKPkuFekx5d7OkXKbQhm0MCFyQKrXN2fbweajWXnqZ4QNTGKVwVKZVUZ5QM9KmtFH_mMHfc2ilBRmdUSubjZXu2o3DJVYzm4EmjuBl8Vd7O4qHK2z11xp6qg0ZJJUQ" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="543" data-original-width="768" height="283" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhP_BO7V2ukDyIJErigjrKd1jhJPzeKDYsbMpVwSnsuaUYKakKsXDmXESe06V2QSWKPkuFekx5d7OkXKbQhm0MCFyQKrXN2fbweajWXnqZ4QNTGKVwVKZVUZ5QM9KmtFH_mMHfc2ilBRmdUSubjZXu2o3DJVYzm4EmjuBl8Vd7O4qHK2z11xp6qg0ZJJUQ=w400-h283" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><h4 style="text-align: center;">Visiting <a href="https://goodman-games.com/tftms/2023/08/31/the-skull-materializes-at-gen-con/" target="_blank">Joseph Goodman of Goodman-Games</a> in front of the Skull's Ziggurat<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi9Npr6CKqn84s63DphL5RcL-BWtjSFUUPgEnj2-jyhpii1pm_FGeh5-P6VlnUFIXk4ROmYL4fcZpn9lz4FQ_BRure2UAZsJyFVE68TvX8HTpTdWPvAsopzfmFQAhWzNrruYcGXX0ILddJ0dDbXe1r76X7V4rymPSE9Iy3d1oGyVy2p1eUMC7g0d7R7S1Q" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1510" data-original-width="2014" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi9Npr6CKqn84s63DphL5RcL-BWtjSFUUPgEnj2-jyhpii1pm_FGeh5-P6VlnUFIXk4ROmYL4fcZpn9lz4FQ_BRure2UAZsJyFVE68TvX8HTpTdWPvAsopzfmFQAhWzNrruYcGXX0ILddJ0dDbXe1r76X7V4rymPSE9Iy3d1oGyVy2p1eUMC7g0d7R7S1Q=w400-h300" width="400" /></a></h4></div><br /><br /></div>SE Lindberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08511576266035113852noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5481339651030977851.post-28301404026361155952023-09-03T09:35:00.006-04:002023-09-03T16:56:19.620-04:00Panels: Sword & Sorcery & Handling New Releases <p></p><div><h2 style="text-align: center;"> Gen Con Writers Symposium 2023 - S.E. Lindberg Chronicles</h2></div><a href="https://www.blogger.com/blog/post/edit/5481339651030977851/4509675299923208217"></a><ul style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://www.blogger.com/blog/post/edit/5481339651030977851/4509675299923208217"></a><li><a href="https://www.blogger.com/blog/post/edit/5481339651030977851/4509675299923208217"></a><a href="https://www.selindberg.com/2023/09/gen-con-writers-symposium-2023-overview.html">Gen Con Writers Symposium 2023 - Overview from the Chair</a></li><li><b>Panels: Sword & Sorcery & Handling New Releases [<span style="color: red;">you are here</span>]</b></li><li><a href="https://www.selindberg.com/2023/09/gen-con-2023-tales-from-magicians-skull.html" target="_blank">The
Skull from <i>Tales from the Magician's Skull:</i></a> Ziggurat,
Gorgar Pinball, Shattered Lands, etc.</li><li><a href="https://www.selindberg.com/2023/09/gen-con-2023-game-playtesting-and.html">Playtesting
& Previews: </a> Dante, Conan, Scott Lynch, Bittcoin Hodl Up </li><li><a href="https://www.selindberg.com/2023/09/gen-con-2023-connections-and-selfies.html" target="_blank">Selfies
and Connections</a>: Peter Adkison, Fred Malmberg, many authors &
friends</li></ul><ul style="text-align: left;"><ul type="disc">
</ul></ul><p></p><span><a name='more'></a></span><p>Beyond chairing and assisting with daily logistics, I hosted a panel on the Leading Edge of Sword and Sorcery and moderated 4x panel on Handling New Releases. The audio of the S&S panel is available on Youtube; a portion of the New Releases was captured on video; otherwise photos captured them:</p><h3 style="text-align: center;">Sword and Sorcery Panel (<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WxD6HyMHcXw" target="_blank">audio available on Youtube</a>)</h3><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjszDZcTz0IFepefdvIXx2gwy4fgJXJVIJYbGCk--sdfzIMkhahGE2aODgpGen7gP0Z_6kuOjFQOxycQthSGoIZxvHljclRshS87PP9lJQmYvlYT6eZ9DHfeUwdSE8vDnUzNsYGDdFl6wiVs9BxFlhKXVb7ElwlKP0j3m7HMJoLwJs_FWjcOgwf54yA1Jc/s4410/SS%20panel%20Gen%20Con%202023.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4410" data-original-width="3393" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjszDZcTz0IFepefdvIXx2gwy4fgJXJVIJYbGCk--sdfzIMkhahGE2aODgpGen7gP0Z_6kuOjFQOxycQthSGoIZxvHljclRshS87PP9lJQmYvlYT6eZ9DHfeUwdSE8vDnUzNsYGDdFl6wiVs9BxFlhKXVb7ElwlKP0j3m7HMJoLwJs_FWjcOgwf54yA1Jc/w492-h640/SS%20panel%20Gen%20Con%202023.jpg" width="492" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="431" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/WxD6HyMHcXw" width="518" youtube-src-id="WxD6HyMHcXw"></iframe></div><p></p><h3 style="text-align: center;">Moderated 4x Panels on Handling New Book Releases</h3><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Dr. Chesya Burke &, K. B. Wagers</li><li>Erik Scott de Bie, Erin M. Evans, Howard Andrew Jones, Patrick S. Tomlinson</li><li>Dedren Snead, E.D.E. Bell, Gregory A. Wilson</li><li>Geoge Jreije, Sean CW Korsgaard, John Jackson Miller </li></ul><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhV2CKXF-t76cKi9t9inz7BcKB9vSLMbB3XQw4MiYgfN7o7LBK3pFNEYM4qnsvP6eEAhxc597svX9JMaIzlj7j1u_qN9XZNpQicff8VXWhXlQ342soTYoONdkT9BmHTlGxsnV5YeA-AzLPBVzUpMjRDfbgcYSawLL6-VwFkDTnSeLa074ckyL53IYsBktA/s5477/_HandlingNew%20Releases%20JPG.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="5477" data-original-width="5281" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhV2CKXF-t76cKi9t9inz7BcKB9vSLMbB3XQw4MiYgfN7o7LBK3pFNEYM4qnsvP6eEAhxc597svX9JMaIzlj7j1u_qN9XZNpQicff8VXWhXlQ342soTYoONdkT9BmHTlGxsnV5YeA-AzLPBVzUpMjRDfbgcYSawLL6-VwFkDTnSeLa074ckyL53IYsBktA/w554-h640/_HandlingNew%20Releases%20JPG.jpg" width="554" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Footage of the last half of one of these sessions on YouTube (filmed by Sean CW Korsgaard):</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="497" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/7LgE4p6vYgc" width="598" youtube-src-id="7LgE4p6vYgc"></iframe></div><br /><p><br /></p><div><br /></div><br /><p></p>SE Lindberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08511576266035113852noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5481339651030977851.post-72414233486229471842023-08-27T14:42:00.002-04:002023-08-27T14:44:08.257-04:00"The Last Witch of Salem" in WITCH WIZARD WARLOCK by West Mesa Press<p style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheumby9yKDnj-zE1AH_R3dCq1kHS06Tip7Jpou5ipGBs1sFgBsvT1CiP6iQLNo5XlA_52cAyKAHFMJNJ2tIxble64EVqoAfV11OBQaMUreNoRY5oDLQivPQiky4fx8iWNfuyp8azXn5eKK8deug-9lB9weT_hOOkVhQtVsZQ1kbR5K5wb31I3zcNiT0iQ/s4215/SELINDBERG.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3335" data-original-width="4215" height="506" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheumby9yKDnj-zE1AH_R3dCq1kHS06Tip7Jpou5ipGBs1sFgBsvT1CiP6iQLNo5XlA_52cAyKAHFMJNJ2tIxble64EVqoAfV11OBQaMUreNoRY5oDLQivPQiky4fx8iWNfuyp8azXn5eKK8deug-9lB9weT_hOOkVhQtVsZQ1kbR5K5wb31I3zcNiT0iQ/w640-h506/SELINDBERG.jpg" width="640" /></a></p><p style="text-align: left;">I am excited to have a short story ("The Last Witch of Salem") in <b><i>Witch Wizard Warlock</i></b>. </p><p style="text-align: left;">Wizardry is always a draw for attention. Halloween is around the corner too, and there will be special attention toward beloved (feared?) magical arts. Three Cousins Publishing (an imprint of West Mesa Publishing) gathered Carol McConnell, David Lawrence Morris and Robert Allen Lupton to collect tales of spellcasting with a global perspective from contemporary voices, and so <strong>Witch Wizards Warlock</strong> was conjured. It is available now in <a href="https://www.amazon.com/WITCH-WIZARD-WARLOCK-Robert-Lupton/dp/B0CGC5J7M3/">Kindle ($4.99), Paperback ($16.95), and Hardcover ($25.99).</a> An audiobook is in the works.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisc9BiV7ApxYjwr5-7O5-G2S3T3skkdlwTlXd9zaIBcGGirBbZ9aFsjh6ccFvadGobPlUpueS4bMUNBu9l1lA2FCMD2XkzbhB_mOGSa2F4Y2tjmdAQ1JozEEQJoJU0z9bI8qqmRk17LiGSwqa9VDXBFrZdxCLEYCRcFFvtIOERRDugdFCkHHXKS5QNy3s/s508/SalemWitchTrials.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="353" data-original-width="508" height="444" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisc9BiV7ApxYjwr5-7O5-G2S3T3skkdlwTlXd9zaIBcGGirBbZ9aFsjh6ccFvadGobPlUpueS4bMUNBu9l1lA2FCMD2XkzbhB_mOGSa2F4Y2tjmdAQ1JozEEQJoJU0z9bI8qqmRk17LiGSwqa9VDXBFrZdxCLEYCRcFFvtIOERRDugdFCkHHXKS5QNy3s/w640-h444/SalemWitchTrials.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div></div></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="color: #783f04;">Salem Witch Trial: This a public domain image via Wikipedia, by an unattributed artist from William A. Crafts (1876)<i> Pioneers in the settlement of America: from Florida in 1510 to California in 1849.</i></span><h2 style="text-align: left;">S.E. Lindberg's "Last Witch of Salem."</h2><p style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="color: #7f6000;">The "Last Witch of Salem" story revisits possible supernatural undercurrents behind the infamous town during the super-charged time of Leslie's Retreat.</span></b> That event (aka "Salem Gunpowder Raid") was a standoff between the British military and American colonists in Salem, Massachusetts. Here's the historical context before & after the "Retreat":</p><div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><b>1692 - 1693 The Salem witch trials: </b>These infamous Massachusetts: hearings and prosecutions of people accused of witchcraft in colonial Massachusetts between</li><li><b>1775 - 1778 Smallpox Epidemic: </b>The illness spread across the Americas and hurting indigenous cultures tremendously</li><li><b>Feb-1775 Leslie's Retreat: </b>The British sent troops to Salem to seize illegally held ammunition. They were repelled (i.e., the British forces under Colonel Leslie retreated), with only one person being officially wounded. The event somehow ended with a compromise, delaying the start of the... [sidebar: it is amazing that an account of this event is available via the Library of Congress, see below image for link]</li><li><b>Apr-1775 Revolutionary War </b>leading to the 1776 Declaration of Independence, of course!</li></ul></div><div><b><span style="color: #7f6000;">"The Last Witch of Salem" puts the Native American woman (presumed witch) <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Branwen ferch Gwynedd of Pinegrove<i> </i>in the middle of all this: smallpox, persecution, and impending war!</span></span></b></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi03h6BpB1m0wA4wSbN1s4XoF6eQpHSI7LS8OWNOeQZjXr3-eyWCbvAkLGkuWAncm9uaYr_LD9svC7zQeMbBCSIE0_GmAgQpzghnJ80a0NKqexr4ieEPoFxmaElNwL51v7Am7nSoIENJfqNuKbdPVKTCpMwddkfmMbDR9KJ-eWOMAhdWiNdozUCUQfmyTE/s3452/AccountofLeslie's%20Retreat.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2479" data-original-width="3452" height="461" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi03h6BpB1m0wA4wSbN1s4XoF6eQpHSI7LS8OWNOeQZjXr3-eyWCbvAkLGkuWAncm9uaYr_LD9svC7zQeMbBCSIE0_GmAgQpzghnJ80a0NKqexr4ieEPoFxmaElNwL51v7Am7nSoIENJfqNuKbdPVKTCpMwddkfmMbDR9KJ-eWOMAhdWiNdozUCUQfmyTE/w640-h461/AccountofLeslie's%20Retreat.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div><span style="color: #7f6000;"><b>Modes Endicott’s 1775 account of Leslie’s Retreat (<i>Account of Leslie's retreat at the North Bridge in Salem</i>) is viewable online via <a href="https://www.loc.gov/item/02002954/">THE LIBRARY OF CONGRESS</a>.</b></span></div><h2><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Back Cover Blurb</div></h2><blockquote><p><strong>The massive volume contains thirty-four stories about witches, wizards, and warlocks from the brightest talents writing speculative fiction today, writers from seven countries around the world. </strong>Horror stories, fantasy stories, adventure stories, some with a touch of humor, and some that shouldn't be read after the lights go out. Young witches, old witches, pretty witches, and ugly witches, along with wizards, good and bad, share stories with warlocks. Are there good warlocks - who knows?</p><p>Readers can attend wizard school, fight monsters and of course, evil witches and warlocks. They can journey on magical quests, seek true love, and even take sides in the American Revolutionary War.</p><p>Contributors to the anthology include the following, some of whom may or may not be a witch, a wizard, or a warlock, but they all have a magical way with words. Many of them have books available, If you like their story, consider one of their other works. Three Cousins Publishing would like to thank: Alyson Faye, E. V. Emmons, Campbell Blaine, S. E. Lindberg, Carol McConnell, David Morris, Shebat Legion, R. L. Meldrum, Rose Strickman, Lawrence Dagstine, Catherine Jordan, Tim Pulo, Judy Mowdy, Donna Garren, Shane Porteous, Ann Tjelmenland, Kay Hanifen, Ann Solinsky, Jason Battle, Dwain Campbell, C. J. Carter-Stephenson, AE Stueve, Dr. Ayman Kole, Josh Schlossberg, Rie Sheridan Rose, Chris Adams, George Jacobs, Darren Lipman, Bill Durfy, DW Milton, Yvonne Lang, and Robin Allison Lupton.</p><p>One has to be careful when dealing with witches and the like, because none of us is every quite as smart as we think we are, but hopefully that rule applies to those who seek to master the dark arts.</p><p>So here's the book, sit down and light a candle, and make sure to keep a bell within reach. You never know when you'll need to break a spell. Enjoy.</p></blockquote><p></p><h2>From the Foreword:</h2><blockquote><p>This anthology contains stories from writers around the world, the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, India, the United States, and the Bahamas. Each country has its own version of the English language, its own idioms, and its own way of spelling certain words. In the United States, the language varies from region to region. A Louisiana dialect bears no resemblance to what’s spoken in Boston. We’ve tried to respect and celebrate those differences. We learned that '<em>you lot'</em> in the UK apparently means the same thing as all <em>'y’all'</em> does in Mississippi. A pint in one country is a coldie in another. Innocuous words in one part of the English-speaking world are offensive in another. Our resident punctuation warlock insisted that we use consistent punctuation. Hopefully, we’ve accomplished that. So a quick toast before you start the first story, “To Witches, Warlocks, and Wizards; and to active verbs, proper use of conjunctions, and the Oxford comma. May all intransitive verbs, participles past and present, and gerunds rot away on some ancient alchemist’s shelf.”</p><p>... Whether you believe in witches, warlocks, or wizards, be nice if you meet someone who claims to be one. Politeness never hurts and you just never know.</p></blockquote><h2>Table of Contents</h2><ul><li>“The Old Magus” -- Alyson Faye</li><li>“Eggshells” -- E. V. Emmons</li><li>“Bad Ink” -- Campbell Blaine</li><li><b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">“The Last Witch of Salem” -- S. E. Lindberg</span></b></li><li>“If You Give A Mule An Apple…” -- Carol McConnell</li><li>“The Making of Martin” -- David Morris</li><li>“The Mother Garden” -- Shebat Legion</li><li>“Witch Stones” -- R J Meldrum</li><li>“Blood is Blood” -- Rose Strickman</li><li>“Family Ties” -- Lawrence Dagstine</li><li>“No Hands of Time” --Catherine Jordan</li><li>“Witch for Hire” --Robert Allen Lupton</li><li>“A Wizard, a Centaur, and a Harpy Walk into a Bar” -- Tim Pulo</li><li>“The Witch Covens of Oklahoma” -- Judy Mowdy</li><li>“Disappearing Act” --Donna Garren</li><li>“A Sandy Solution” --Shane Porteous</li><li>“A Question of Betrayal” --Ann Tjelmenland</li><li>“The Apprentice” --Kay Hanifen</li><li>“Alchemy” --Ann Solinsky</li><li>“A Deal’s a Deal” --Jason Battle</li><li>“Texaco Thaumaturgy” --Dwain Campbell</li><li>“Do You Really Want to Know” --C. J. Carter-Stephenson</li><li>“The Witches Lament” --AE Stueve</li><li>“Two Candles for Dennis” -- Ayman Kole</li><li>“Levi Cures the Plague” -- Josh Schlossberg</li><li>“Where There’s a Witch, There’s a Way” -- Rie Sheridan Rose</li><li>“The Sorceress Ring” -- Chris Adams</li><li>“Beyond the Edge of the World” -- George Jacobs</li><li>“Deadlock Magic” -- Darren Lipman</li><li>“Wizard School” -- Bill Durfy</li><li>“His Wire-Rimmed Spectacles” -- DW Milton</li></ul><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgBqaG0BtHt0OHaGGro9AwllBBcYzI3IsmjQcYx21-haXI3DP425V3O7zckLqjujH5ArCu974xLbZpqiqVyC-ufxQuAyMZKs1DJeV8NYDY5xSa_7AMKEoVLgiV7j4plcg-yLgMoTq4aOU6kNtWikBVm1A8vHecIUL58qOjdjvnAbfRf12c96i2NbYf-TJM" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="906" data-original-width="600" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgBqaG0BtHt0OHaGGro9AwllBBcYzI3IsmjQcYx21-haXI3DP425V3O7zckLqjujH5ArCu974xLbZpqiqVyC-ufxQuAyMZKs1DJeV8NYDY5xSa_7AMKEoVLgiV7j4plcg-yLgMoTq4aOU6kNtWikBVm1A8vHecIUL58qOjdjvnAbfRf12c96i2NbYf-TJM=w424-h640" width="424" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><p></p>SE Lindberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08511576266035113852noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5481339651030977851.post-20631700460119117152023-07-05T18:04:00.004-04:002023-07-05T18:04:00.148-04:00A Book of Blades Vol 2 - Features Dyscrasia Fiction<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg006ySEDTNgcYnvQ8p7EnskTamNUhpyJSVlkqBZBvjxv54AlQZktattgSc7t4cqu3z_2Md--_sOH4omXjya1IgqJ0G6BQWJMqQDocexfFWOx9St0U3X3n8MptiikACpow7Ul29l-Vks8wxaa5fgrZcFPGkEv4qzQyMQBlVm-CWH-8ZxfJH9oNsxUBEG0o/s797/BoB2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="797" data-original-width="526" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg006ySEDTNgcYnvQ8p7EnskTamNUhpyJSVlkqBZBvjxv54AlQZktattgSc7t4cqu3z_2Md--_sOH4omXjya1IgqJ0G6BQWJMqQDocexfFWOx9St0U3X3n8MptiikACpow7Ul29l-Vks8wxaa5fgrZcFPGkEv4qzQyMQBlVm-CWH-8ZxfJH9oNsxUBEG0o/w422-h640/BoB2.jpg" width="422" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-small;"><div style="text-align: center;">A Book of Blades Volume II (Rogues in the House Podcast, July 2023). Cover by Jesus Garcia.</div></span><div><br /></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div class="xdj266r x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-size: 15px; margin: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto">Check out the just-released <b><a href="https://www.blackgate.com/2023/06/24/new-treasures-ema-book-of-blades-vol-iiem-from-the-rogues-in-the-house-podcast/" target="_blank">A Book of Blades - Volume II!</a></b></div><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto" style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Book-Blades-Rogues-Podcast-Presents-ebook/dp/B0C9NK6SRN" target="_blank">ORDER now: </a> / <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/181718184-a-book-of-blades" target="_blank">BOOKMARK GOODREADS - Link</a></div></div></span></div><div><p><span style="font-family: inherit;">In 2022, Dyscrasia Fiction appeared in <a href="https://www.selindberg.com/2022/07/rogues-in-house-releases-book-of-blades.html" target="_blank"><i>Book of Blades Vol. 1</i></a><i>.</i></span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;">The necromantic Doctor Grave still struggles to "raise" three daughters; so the chronology of Ember, Leech, and Mel continues with <span style="background-color: white; color: #333333;">"Breaching Earth's Womb"</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333;"> appearing in</span> the just-released <i><b>A Book of Blades Vol. II</b></i>! </span></p><ul style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.4; list-style-image: initial; list-style-position: initial; margin: 0.5em 0px; padding: 0px 2.5em; text-align: center;"><li style="border: none; color: #333333; margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0.25em 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/18qAkYSuqMQglGtoSN-22_MwRHJuV7F0l/view" rel="nofollow" style="color: #28cde1;" target="_blank"><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><i>Raising Daughters</i> (2020) - </span></a><span face="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif"><b>Whetstone #2 S&S Magazine.</b></span><span face="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif"> Read for free via link!</span></span></li><li style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0.25em 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i style="color: #333333;">"Embracing Ember" (2022). </i><b style="color: #333333;">Rogues in the House Podcast's</b><i style="color: #333333;"> </i><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><u><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Book-Blades-Rogues-House-Presents/dp/B0B5KXB7YG" style="font-weight: inherit;"><i>A Book of Blades</i></a>.</u></span></span></li><li style="border: none; color: #333333; margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0.25em 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>"One Hive. Two Queens" (2022). </i><b>DMR Book's </b><a href="https://dmrbooks.com/terra-incognita" style="color: #28cde1; font-style: italic;" target="_blank"><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Terra Incognita (edited by Draa)</span></a></span></li><li style="border: none; color: #333333; margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0.25em 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><u><i style="color: black;"><span style="color: #333333;">"</span></i><a href="https://swordsandsorcerymagazine.com/archive/forging-independence-by-s-e-lindberg" style="color: #28cde1;" target="_blank"><i><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Forging Independence"</span></i><span style="color: #2b00fe;"> (2021)</span></a> </u><b>Swords & Sorcery Magazine Issue 114</b>; Read free via link!</span></li><li style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0.25em 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span><span style="color: #333333;"><i>"Breaching Earth's Womb" </i>(2023) </span><span style="color: #333333;">Rogues in the House Podcast's </span></span><span style="color: red;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Book-Blades-Rogues-Podcast-Presents-ebook/dp/B0C9NK6SRN" target="_blank">A Book of Blades Vol. II</a></span><span style="color: #333333;">!</span></span></li><li style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0.25em 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #333333;">More to come!</span></span></li></ul><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><h3 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">Contributing Authors to <i><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Book-Blades-Rogues-Podcast-Presents-ebook/dp/B0C9NK6SRN" target="_blank">A Book of Blades Vol II:</a></i></span></h3><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto"><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="font-family: inherit;">Charles Clark </span></li><li><span style="font-family: inherit;">T.A. Markitan </span></li><li><span style="font-family: inherit;">S.E. <a style="color: #385898; cursor: pointer;" tabindex="-1"></a>Lindberg </span></li><li><span style="font-family: inherit;">Scott Oden </span></li><li><span style="font-family: inherit;">Bryn Hammond </span></li><li><span style="font-family: inherit;">Jason Ray Carney </span></li><li><span style="font-family: inherit;">Z.S. Reynolds </span></li><li><span style="font-family: inherit;">Matthew John </span></li><li><span style="font-family: inherit;">Oliver Brackenbury </span></li><li><span style="font-family: inherit;">J. Thomas Howard </span></li><li><span style="font-family: inherit;">J.M Clarke </span></li><li><span style="font-family: inherit;">Kirk A. Johnson </span></li><li><span style="font-family: inherit;">John R. Fultz </span></li><li><span style="font-family: inherit;">Steve Dilks</span></li></ul></div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div></div><h3 style="background-color: white; color: #1c1e21; margin: 0px; position: relative; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">Go Rogue!</span></h3><p style="background-color: white; color: #1c1e21; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Join the critically acclaimed podcast focusing on Sword and Sorcery & Heroic Fantasy.</span></p><ul style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.4; list-style-image: initial; list-style-position: initial; margin: 0.5em 0px; padding: 0px 2.5em; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><li style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0.25em 0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #333333;">Podcast portal: </span><a href="https://anchor.fm/rogues-in-the-house" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Rogues in the House – the Ultimate S&S Podcast</span></a></span></li><li style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0.25em 0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #333333;">Facebook:</span><span style="color: #2b00fe;"> <a href="https://www.facebook.com/RoguesintheHouse" style="text-decoration-line: none;">www.facebook.com/RoguesintheHouse</a></span></span></li><li style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0.25em 0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #333333;">Twitter: </span><a href="https://twitter.com/rogues_podcast" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;">twitter.com/rogues_podcast</span></a></span></li><li style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0.25em 0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #333333;">Instagram: </span><a href="https://www.instagram.com/roguesinthehouse/" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;">https://www.instagram.com/roguesinthehouse/ </span></a></span></li></ul></div>SE Lindberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08511576266035113852noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5481339651030977851.post-11522638329291445052023-06-24T18:39:00.005-04:002023-06-24T18:40:36.533-04:00Rentschler Park - Earthworks, Deer, and Graves<p><span style="font-family: inherit;">From May 28th; <span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Family hike at Rentschler Park. Spotted a fawn in the Native American mounds hidden in the forest... and then we stumbled into an old graveyard. </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Folks buried there around 1830's. Many born about 1800.</span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjn9yq9J0X3tehA342Q4EERhkjmXY6eAeGCmA-Ncfsy-yVEXGXf1rlevrCgE1P3Y5-AvPS-nysaoySyM-rU5FhrTdhKSsQVOKN7mwy1n6ruhQaHYNYhJJjCIjRl7XNnuxYyYIkerhjsAU7efzcZuyt68Wjo1HsZUw_aHwdM3TeXZN_R0oQ47mvZDgr9zC8/s720/Tombstone.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="540" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjn9yq9J0X3tehA342Q4EERhkjmXY6eAeGCmA-Ncfsy-yVEXGXf1rlevrCgE1P3Y5-AvPS-nysaoySyM-rU5FhrTdhKSsQVOKN7mwy1n6ruhQaHYNYhJJjCIjRl7XNnuxYyYIkerhjsAU7efzcZuyt68Wjo1HsZUw_aHwdM3TeXZN_R0oQ47mvZDgr9zC8/w480-h640/Tombstone.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjY6LzrHL2bCijPUqr3FZahQH23GTE4kUvhQRr65eMK7PpZ9myDo-bsSCDqPMB7yENDhRf1K2vEWM84mJvLO6o9VGZB6FCbzX18fzc8rYlJSaBhj6IsggOzzntFt0PPFR4W7hzsF8L9VWLo6prOF1_TJxkWECutQYViZS1vRRSeejMzCGaF9UMkL1y19ck/s960/Graves.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjY6LzrHL2bCijPUqr3FZahQH23GTE4kUvhQRr65eMK7PpZ9myDo-bsSCDqPMB7yENDhRf1K2vEWM84mJvLO6o9VGZB6FCbzX18fzc8rYlJSaBhj6IsggOzzntFt0PPFR4W7hzsF8L9VWLo6prOF1_TJxkWECutQYViZS1vRRSeejMzCGaF9UMkL1y19ck/w640-h480/Graves.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWAEQJPBqPju3WB27g3cuK5Ae0kMePmInn8IYWwviMgnZamGcSfLLYoo4bAg6RQ_kKggSGsfmNnB9ewjgKPvWrK53T7c-9kcxyz7m24wSl_0KdnBAoxYyLZ2HLCDGh7atvTAQqvZbGJlkC63xx5bsUPFGfDVgjQQbbHlXSuPO9dgbZIgXozk4NeE8XVCs/s581/Family_Hike.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="581" data-original-width="436" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWAEQJPBqPju3WB27g3cuK5Ae0kMePmInn8IYWwviMgnZamGcSfLLYoo4bAg6RQ_kKggSGsfmNnB9ewjgKPvWrK53T7c-9kcxyz7m24wSl_0KdnBAoxYyLZ2HLCDGh7atvTAQqvZbGJlkC63xx5bsUPFGfDVgjQQbbHlXSuPO9dgbZIgXozk4NeE8XVCs/w480-h640/Family_Hike.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOkPlcMlsJUBFnqb42F7wZtPmAxkTkgtkvF4HaQSMRIy9_J4hvUmz22lF9ITibIY5LfxRxs7mqKOMZ2Lh7Cg6UMf_44aJ9TaZBhZgbp4FmUR2e1rrSqlaPcTK5druwYHjSRrBgmO9IsyLh1Lp3gaiBKyCGTCUa9WgiiztfYsmFfN6ROoGKmBcpJpKuRDE/s723/Deer.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="543" data-original-width="723" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOkPlcMlsJUBFnqb42F7wZtPmAxkTkgtkvF4HaQSMRIy9_J4hvUmz22lF9ITibIY5LfxRxs7mqKOMZ2Lh7Cg6UMf_44aJ9TaZBhZgbp4FmUR2e1rrSqlaPcTK5druwYHjSRrBgmO9IsyLh1Lp3gaiBKyCGTCUa9WgiiztfYsmFfN6ROoGKmBcpJpKuRDE/w640-h480/Deer.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><br /><br /></div><br /><br /></div><br /><br /><p></p>SE Lindberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08511576266035113852noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5481339651030977851.post-58099687678572205692023-05-29T07:26:00.000-04:002023-05-29T07:26:02.547-04:00Old Moon Quarterly Vol III - Review by SE<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.blackgate.com/2023/05/20/new-treasures-emold-moon-quarterly-3em/" target="_blank">Simulcast on Black Gate: </a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.blackgate.com/2023/05/20/new-treasures-emold-moon-quarterly-3em/" target="_blank">A SOLID DOSE OF WEIRD ADVENTURE: OLD MOON QUARTERLY #3</a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgga478mniPYejukT2U0RueWW24BFCr6HJN34sZslDTxLkrnzfOUE13bUnqTyt3FNsqGfOPZPbGzOVBYOfSpflrHSloAF05T6qZbsQUiWXw-mQaLDFhhEmaNxAewm88znyZWXa3CkMVvlaqYuBuXuRorOtoDVXn_0IKhh9yZDoJUN8Stn2czXdbLS2z/s950/OldMoon_3.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="696" data-original-width="950" height="468" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgga478mniPYejukT2U0RueWW24BFCr6HJN34sZslDTxLkrnzfOUE13bUnqTyt3FNsqGfOPZPbGzOVBYOfSpflrHSloAF05T6qZbsQUiWXw-mQaLDFhhEmaNxAewm88znyZWXa3CkMVvlaqYuBuXuRorOtoDVXn_0IKhh9yZDoJUN8Stn2czXdbLS2z/w640-h468/OldMoon_3.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p> Old Moon Quarterly Vol III — Winter (119p, March, 2023). Cover by Daniel Vega.</p><p> </p><blockquote><p>Old Moon Quarterly is a magazine of weird sword-and-sorcery fantasy. In the tradition of Clark Ashton Smith, Tanith Lee and Karl Edward Wagner, it contains stories of strange vistas, eldritch beings, and the bloody dispute thereof by swordsmen and swordswomen both.</p></blockquote><p><em><strong><a href="https://www.oldmoonpublishing.com/">Old Moon Quarterly</a></strong></em> emerged in 2022. This reviews the four stories inside the Winter 2023 issue (Vol III), which delivers solid doses of the weird adventure it promises. The Editor-in-Chief is Julian Barona, flanked by Assistant Editors Caitlyn Emily Wilcox and Graham Thomas Wilcox (who recently debuted here on <em><strong>Black Gate</strong></em> with his review of <a href="https://www.blackgate.com/2022/12/20/emcorpsemouth-and-other-autobiographiesem-by-john-langan/">John Langan's <em><strong>Corpsemouth and Other Autobiographies</strong></em></a>, so I gleefully checked this out). Excerpts best convey the style and elements of what to expect, so you'll get those here!</p><h1><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Old-Moon-Quarterly-Issue-Winter-ebook/dp/B0BYFG4MS9/">Vol III Contents:</a></h1><ul><li>"Evil Honey" by James Enge.</li><li>"Knife, Lace, Prayer" by T.R. Siebert.</li><li>"Singing the Long Retreat" by R.K. Duncan.</li><li>"The Feast of Saint Ottmer" by Graham Thomas Wilcox.</li><li>A review of Final Cuts: New Tales of Hollywood Horror and Other Spectacles, edited by Ellen Datlow.</li></ul><p></p><a name='more'></a><p></p><h1>"Evil Honey" by James Enge.</h1><p>"Evil Honey" reads as if Kafka rewrote his The Metamorphosis for a comedy club. <a href="https://jamesenge.com/">James Enge</a> dishes out another splendid Morlock Ambrosius adventure (these have six novels and are actively appearing in magazines such as <em><strong>Fantasy and Science Fiction</strong></em> and <em><strong>Tales from the Magician's Skull.</strong>) </em>Morlock is such a down-to-earth character one cannot help but empathize. I laughed several times. Excerpt:</p><blockquote><p>“You know my name?” Morlock asked the boy.</p><p>“I know everything,” the boy said impatiently. “Everything that crosses these fields, anyway. I am—Snatrec Sumitpo.”</p><p>“I am sorry to hear that.”</p><p>“Yes, and—Were you making fun of my name?”</p><p>“Not at all.” Morlock, scrupulously honest when sober, lied glibly when drunk." - p10</p><p> </p></blockquote><h1>"Knife, Lace, Prayer" by T.R. Siebert.</h1><p>Like the first entry, we have a protagonist contacting the gods but this tone is more serious and pits a girl against her own maker. This apocalyptic adventure resonates with elements of Grimm's fairy tales, and the elements of creating life are paralleled with that of creating art.</p><blockquote><p>“Her god was done with this world.</p><p>She tried to walk but her steps were clumsy, her balance off. She stumbled over the bones that used to carry her. The pelt, once fire, now lay dull and damp with Agatha’s blood. The claws, still sharp and gleaming in the fading light. And there, in the mess of it all, she spotted the small white square of Agatha’s prayer. The blood had left just the thinnest red line, a small mark on the edge of it. If she didn’t open it, she’d keep the prayer safe inside—Agatha’s drawings untouched.” p47</p><p> </p></blockquote><h1>"Singing the Long Retreat" by R.K. Duncan.</h1><p>As invaders crush the landscape, heroic warriors slow the advance. This reads like a retelling of the Battle of Thermopylae but with the Spartans replaced with magical poets, destined to become singing Valkyries. Emotive stuff.</p><blockquote><p>“None of the young ones would join the Prepared after the women who stood around Fatima died. This bitter generation would leave no legacy, and the tears shed for their deaths had already been drunk by the dry soil. That was their strength: to know that they would die, and to sing the glory of their endings as a sword of fire.” p56</p><p> </p></blockquote><h1>"The Feast of Saint Ottmer" by Graham Thomas Wilcox.</h1><p>The longest entry is a grimdark novella. If one were to mix Sir Thomas Malory's<strong> Le Morte D'Arthur</strong> with Clive Barker's <em><strong>Hellraiser </strong></em>script, then you'd get this wonderful amalgam of poetic, bloody chivalry. This pits our protagonist Hieronymus against his family's legacy, independence, and the Church. Given that I consume this blend of fiction regularly, and even interview authors on the topic of "<a href="https://www.blackgate.com/?s=Weird+Beauty">Beauty in Weird Fiction</a>", I adored this (i.e., I have the author on my radar for an interview). Excerpts below:</p><h2>Explicitly Awful & Beautiful</h2><blockquote><p>... I wondered then what devilry might await us.</p><p><em>Something awful,</em> a part of me said. My lesser humors, perhaps. Curs’d unknightly things.</p><p><em>Something beautiful,</em> offered a different part, <em>something glorious</em>. That part that thrills to taste blood, to rend flesh, to crack skulls like oysters and suckle upon the dark gore within.</p></blockquote><h2>Bloody Combat</h2><blockquote><p>“The knight of the Dragon kicked free his sword, the axe yet bouncing in his side like some obscenity from a passion play. Without fanfare he grabbed the haft, twisted, tugged and with a bloody pop—a metallic squeal—it uncorked from his body. The axe’s pike glistened, red to the root, but no gush of mortal liquor accompanied this chirurgery. Just a thin, brookish trickle, soon stoppered.</p><p>Among the carnage, a single Kienhorster remained …. “Yield,” he sobbed, “I yield.”</p><p>The knight did not hesitate… advancing, he took the weeping man’s face in his hands, smearing blood like Easter ash across his cheeks. A gentle touch, as of a father to his son.</p><p><em>“O quam misericors est Deus,” </em>the knight said, voice thick with something like sorrow, or hunger. The Kienhorster’s weeping stuttered to a halt. He gazed up at the knight, eyes shinning.</p><p>And the knight squeezed and the man’s head split…” p88</p></blockquote><h2>Weird Atmosphere</h2><blockquote><p>“On the walls around the yard, monks and priests clumped in fungal knots. Naked to the waist, their capirotes tall and pointed as spires, they whipped each other and growled strange prayers to an unquiet heaven. Above them, banners flogged the sky and the moon shone pale alongside its mated sun and below them all, corpses dangled from breaking-wheels. – p92</p></blockquote><blockquote><p>“I coughed up blood, and saw the men carrying me were no men at all but rather the ebon-armored dead of legend, smoking and hunched like the very sentinels of Pandaemonium, whose eyes catch within them something other than the stars. But I coughed again, and they became men once more, burdened and slouching amid the dripping stone…” p107</p></blockquote><p> </p><h1>More Moons</h1><p>Old Moon Quarterly is gaining inertia as it closes its first year. Vol IV is currently under construction. Check out their <a href="https://www.oldmoonpublishing.com/submissions">submission</a> tab to contribute for future issues.</p><h2>Old Moon Quarterly: <a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0B85PB887">Vol I, Summer 2022</a> Contents:</h2><ul><li>"A Town Called Trepidation" by Paula Hammond.</li><li><a href="https://www.oldmoonpublishing.com/stella-splendens">"Stella Splendens"</a> by Graham Thomas Wilcox (offered online for free).</li><li>"The Questing Beast" by Carys Crossen.</li><li>"Brightstar" by Mob.</li></ul><h2><strong>Old Moon Quarterly: <a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0BNLYLQM6">Vol II, Autumn 2022</a> Contents:</strong></h2><ul><li>"The Last Line" by Jonathan Olfert</li><li><a href="https://www.oldmoonpublishing.com/the-bloody-staircase">"The Bloody Staircase"</a> by Gabriella Officer-Narvasa (offered online for free)</li><li>"The Silence of the Rogue" by Jason Ray Carney</li><li>"The Hoard" by Matthew Castleman</li><li>Interviews with (a) acclaimed horror author John Langan and (b) prominent pulp author/editor D.M. Ritzlin,</li><li>Review of John R. Fultz's Worlds Beyond Worlds.</li></ul><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmogmsrtnM--sQYYY3TC7fMXR6XWwYGPnH_9syKY4TaHUBAR6wrMEv8UCWlzBuT4dpufPOIJGRMEqmIfUwPG51wWhqLQgdl1_6JfErgoBXaDOzCc6OBaiNbK2sIjeIFAYA6ASf2TvBQLthOmrqVnoE5XixsuahmLM1mfPqrTa8ZMb-x3tfQz6d-ibQ/s950/OldMoon_1_2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="609" data-original-width="950" height="410" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmogmsrtnM--sQYYY3TC7fMXR6XWwYGPnH_9syKY4TaHUBAR6wrMEv8UCWlzBuT4dpufPOIJGRMEqmIfUwPG51wWhqLQgdl1_6JfErgoBXaDOzCc6OBaiNbK2sIjeIFAYA6ASf2TvBQLthOmrqVnoE5XixsuahmLM1mfPqrTa8ZMb-x3tfQz6d-ibQ/w640-h410/OldMoon_1_2.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /> <p></p>Old Moon Quarterly Vol. I (left, art by Caitlyn E. Camp) and Vol II (right, cover art by Christopher Maxwell).[<hr /><div class="entry-content"><p><strong><em>S.E. Lindberg</em></strong><em> is a Managing Editor at </em><a href="https://www.blackgate.com/"><strong><em>Black Gate,</em></strong></a><em> regularly reviewing books and </em><a href="https://www.selindberg.com/p/interviews.html"><em>interviewing authors </em></a><em>on the topic of “Beauty & Art in Weird-Fantasy Fiction.” He is also the lead moderator of the </em><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/80482-an-earthier-sort-of-fantasy-sword-sorcery"><em>Goodreads Sword & Sorcery Group</em></a><em> and an intern for </em><a href="https://goodman-games.com/tftms/"><strong><em>Tales from the Magician’s Skull</em></strong></a><em> magazine. </em>As for crafting stories, he has contributed six entries across <a href="https://theperseidpress.com/?mbt_author=s-e-lindberg"><strong><em>Perseid Press’s Heroes in Hell and Heroika series</em></strong></a>, has an entry in <strong>Weirdbook Annual #3: Zombies</strong> He independently publishes novels under the banner <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Dyscrasia-Fiction/dp/B078MFZQHB"><strong><em>Dyscrasia Fiction;</em></strong></a> short stories of Dyscrasia Fiction have appeared in <a href="https://whetstonemag.blogspot.com/"><strong><em>Whetstone</em></strong></a>, <a href="https://www.swordsandsorcerymagazine.com/index.html"><strong><em>Swords & Sorcery</em></strong></a> online magazine, Rogues In the House Podcast’s <strong>A Book of Blades</strong>, DMR’s <strong>Terra Incognita,</strong> and the 9th issue of <strong><em>Tales From the Magician’s Skull.</em></strong></p></div><p> </p>SE Lindberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08511576266035113852noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5481339651030977851.post-88671213885745268402023-05-22T05:00:00.002-04:002023-07-05T09:52:20.969-04:00Gen Con Writers' Symposium - Special Guests and Program release<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQ4NxmfDqRpFgOqOyETEVf-eP7mnDBhyykTsS7QBYckzPl9fR5PQs88-2Qs3waA1cISdtyn0FgGQETJZrGC5nja-65NJ_5a2HjVnrzAiIQI221AM12pIKlopXyyvUrX8uTqtNf75SwFQgv0HTwfoZrgTSfmfv5jfBPkC03qB2cCkATG_NOb8DwY4NX/s2753/SG%20announcement%203.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2753" data-original-width="2087" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQ4NxmfDqRpFgOqOyETEVf-eP7mnDBhyykTsS7QBYckzPl9fR5PQs88-2Qs3waA1cISdtyn0FgGQETJZrGC5nja-65NJ_5a2HjVnrzAiIQI221AM12pIKlopXyyvUrX8uTqtNf75SwFQgv0HTwfoZrgTSfmfv5jfBPkC03qB2cCkATG_NOb8DwY4NX/w486-h640/SG%20announcement%203.jpg" width="486" /></a></div><p><a href="https://www.gencon.com/indy"><b>Gen Con</b></a> is the largest tabletop gaming convention in North America. In 2019, they welcomed over 65,000 unique visitors and offered over 19,000 events. By its nature, Gen Con attracts a large number of attendees who enjoy speculative fiction.</p><p style="text-align: center;">Gen Con 2023 will be held August 3-6 in Indianapolis, Indiana</p><p><a href="https://genconwriters.org/"><b>The Gen Con Writers’ Symposium</b></a><b> (GCWS) </b>is a semi-independent event hosted by Gen Con and intended for both new and experienced writers of speculative fiction. All registration is handled through the <a href="https://www.gencon.com/indy"><b>Gen Con</b></a> website. </p><p>Over the past 28 years, the <b>Writers’ Symposium</b> has grown from a small set of panels over a day or two to one of the largest convention-hosted writing tracks in North America, offering hundreds of hours of programming from authors, editors, agents, and publishers to nearly 3000 unique visitors per year on average. </p><p>We’re proud to announce that the <a href="http://scalzifamily.foundation/">Scalzi Family Foundation</a> will be this year’s Gen Con Writers’ Symposium Legendary Sponsor! This sponsorship will enable the symposium to support more writers to attend, creating a more representative and inclusive event.</p><p><a name='more'></a></p><blockquote><p style="text-align: center;">“The Scalzi Family Foundation is happy to be able to sponsor and support Gen Con Writers’ Symposium 2023,” says John Scalzi, “and to help it bring in more writers and voices to learn, to share, and to create a diverse and thriving field for all writers, and all readers. Let the writing flow!”</p></blockquote><p>If you’ve already purchased your ticket to Gen Con, you can now select which events you’d like to attend. And wow – do we have an amazing program for you at the Gen Con Writers’ Symposium, with more than 150 events, including:</p><ul><li style="list-style-type: none;"><ul><li aria-level="1">70 Free Seminars</li><li aria-level="1">60 Workshops</li><li aria-level="1">20+ Signings</li><li aria-level="1">65+ <a href="https://genconwriters.org/authors">Presenters</a></li></ul></li></ul><h2><b>SPECIAL GUESTS</b></h2><p>We’re very proud to announce this year’s special guests (in alphabetical order):</p><p><a href="http://johnjenningsstudio.com/"><b>John Jennings </b></a>is a Professor of Media and Cultural Studies at the University of California at Riverside. His work centers around intersectional narratives regarding identity politics and popular media. Jennings is co-editor of the Eisner Award-winning collection The Blacker the Ink: Constructions of Black Identity in Comics and Sequential Art and co-founder/organizer of The Schomburg Center’s Black Comic Book Festival in Harlem. Jennings is a former Nasir Jones Hip Hop Studies Fellow with the Hutchins Center at Harvard University. He is also a former mentor for the Sundance Institute’s New Frontier program. Jennings’ current comics projects include the horror series Box of Bones with Ayize Jama-Everett, the supernatural crime noir story Blue Hand Mojo, and the New York Times best-selling and award-winning graphic novel adaptation of Octavia Butler’s classic dark fantasy novel Kindred. He and Damian Duffy’s adaptation of Octavia Butler’s book Parable of the Sower has been nominated for the Eisner Award for Best Adaptation and The Hugo Award for Best Graphic Story. Jennings is also curator and founder of ABRAMS Megascope; a new line of graphic novels dedicated to primarily speculative stories entered around BIPOC people.</p><p><a href="https://twitter.com/LatoyaPeterson"><b>Latoya Peterson</b></a> lives at the intersection of emerging technology and culture. She is cofounder and CXO at Glow Up Games, a game studio centering storytelling around black and brown joy. Glow Up Games recently launched their first title set in the world of HBO’s <i>Insecure</i>. Previously, she was the Deputy Editor, Digital Innovation for ESPN’s The Undefeated, an Editor-at-Large at Fusion, and the Senior Digital Producer for The Stream, a social media driven news show on Al Jazeera America. In 2018, she soft-launched AI in the Trap, a collaborative art project that explores the future of artificial intelligence and predictive policing through a hip-hop lens. In 2016, she produced a critically acclaimed YouTube series on Girl Gamers that was highlighted on Spotify. She is currently on the advisory board of the Data & Society Institute and the board of visitors for The John S. Knight Journalism Fellowships. She is also part of the selection committee for the Museum of Play’s World Video Game Hall of Fame.</p><p><a href="http://dianampho.com/"><b>Diana M. Pho</b></a> (she/her) is a Hugo Award-winning editor with over 15 years of experience in publishing, most notably the Science Fiction Book Club and the Tor Publishing Group. Before landing her current job at Erewhon Books as Executive Editor, Diana served as Lead Creative Executive for Co-Productions & Partnerships at the podcast studio Realm Media. She has had the pleasure of working with household names like George R. R. Martin and the Robert Jordan estate for The Wheel of Time, as well as critically acclaimed writers such as P. Djèlí Clark, Bethany C. Morrow, Lara Elena Donnelly, Benjamin A. Wilgus, and Margaret Killjoy, among others. Books she has edited have won the Thriller Award, the Ditmar Award, the American Library Association’s Alex Award, the Nebula Award, and a Kirkus Best Book of the Year Selection. Diana herself is also the recipient of the Hugo Award for Best Editor, Long form, a two-time finalist for the Ignyte Award and a finalist for the Locus Award. More than anything else, she appreciates a good cup of tea.</p><p><a href="https://www.shereereneethomas.com/"><b>Sheree Renée Thomas</b></a> is a <i>New York Times </i>bestselling, two-time World Fantasy Award-winning author and editor. A 2023 Octavia E. Butler Award honoree and a 2022 Hugo Award Finalist, she is the author of <i>Nine Bar Blues: Stories from an Ancient Future,</i> a Locus, Ignyte, and World Fantasy Finalist, Marvel’s <i>Black Panther:</i><i>Panther’s Rage </i>novel, and she collaborated with Janelle Monáe on “Timebox Altar(ed)” in <i>The Memory Librarian and Other Stories of Dirty Computer</i>. She co-edited <i>Africa Risen: A New Era of Speculative Fiction, </i>a NAACP Image Award Nominee, and is the Editor of <i>The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction. </i>Sheree lives in her hometown, Memphis, Tennessee, near a mighty river and a pyramid.</p><h2><b>THE PROGRAM IS LIVE!</b></h2><p>We’ve organized our events into different categories (tracks) to help you home in your selections. Note that some seminars are on the schedule more than once with different panelists each providing a unique experience.</p><ul><li aria-level="1">A 2nd Floor Marriott hallway is dedicated for our events, conveniently connecting our seminars and workshops.</li><li aria-level="1">Signings are in the convention center Exhibit Hall (all free!)</li><li aria-level="1">The Meet-the-Pros event, where you can meet or shop from these amazing writers, is in the convention center.</li></ul><h2><b>GCWS Program: </b></h2><p>Check out our <a href="https://genconwriters.org/authors/">special guests, authors, game writers, poets, game designers, editors, publishers, RPG developers, and more</a>!</p><ul><li aria-level="1">Click here to view <a href="https://www.gencon.com/events?host=Writers%27+Symposium">all GCWS events</a> or search by day:<ul><li aria-level="2"><a href="https://www.gencon.com/events?day=3&host=Writers%27+Symposium">Thursday’s Aug 3rd Events</a></li><li aria-level="2"><a href="https://www.gencon.com/events?day=4&host=Writers%27+Symposium">Friday’s Aug 4th Events</a></li><li aria-level="2"><a href="https://www.gencon.com/events?day=5&host=Writers%27+Symposium">Saturday’s Aug 5th Events</a></li><li aria-level="2"><a href="https://www.gencon.com/events?day=6&host=Writers%27+Symposium">Sunday’s Aug 6th Events</a></li></ul></li><li aria-level="1">Check our website soon for a calendar-style grid of all events (<a href="https://genconwriters.org/program/">on our programming tab</a>).</li></ul><p>More pre-filtered links below to help you sign up:</p><h2><b>GCWS Tracks:</b></h2><p>Interested in a topic? Sign up for all the events in the category! Prefiltered Gen Con Registration Links for each:</p><ul><li aria-level="1"><a href="https://www.gencon.com/events?search=GCWS+Career+">Career</a> (managing the business of writing: e.g., publishing, publicizing, navigating change)</li><li aria-level="1"><a href="https://www.gencon.com/events?search=GCWS+Classroom">Classroom</a> (direct instruction by topic experts; come prepared to participate hands-on)</li><li aria-level="1"><a href="https://www.gencon.com/events?search=GCWS+Critique">Critique </a>(opportunities to present your work for direct review)</li><li aria-level="1"><a href="https://www.gencon.com/events?search=GCWS+Editing">Editing</a> (perspectives on editing work, designed for writers)</li><li aria-level="1"><a href="https://www.gencon.com/events?search=%22GCWS+Event%22">Event</a> (special sessions featuring individual writers, live entertainment, or interactive writing experiences)</li><li aria-level="1"><a href="https://www.gencon.com/events?search=GCWS+Game+Narrative">Game Narrative</a> (storytelling in video and tabletop games)</li><li aria-level="1"><a href="https://www.gencon.com/events?search=%22GCWS+Genre%22">Genre</a> (discussion on specific genres from experts in that genre)</li><li aria-level="1"><a href="https://www.gencon.com/events?search=%22GCWS+Multimedia%22">Multimedia</a> (crossing forms of storytelling)</li><li aria-level="1"><a href="https://www.gencon.com/events?search=GCWS+Signing">Signings</a> (all free, in the Exhibit Hall; swing by and say hello)</li><li aria-level="1"><a href="https://www.gencon.com/events?search=GCWS+Tech">Tech </a>(discussions on creative technologies)</li><li aria-level="1"><a href="https://www.gencon.com/events?search=%22GCWS+Writing%22">Writing</a> (nuts and bolts of the craft)</li><li aria-level="1"><a href="https://www.gencon.com/events?search=%22GCWS+Worldbuilding%22">Worldbuilding</a> (crafting the space for your words)</li></ul><h2><b>GCWS Panelists:</b></h2><p>Interested in following one of the 65 <a href="https://genconwriters.org/authors/">authors/panelists</a>? Search their names in the keyword field on the <a href="https://www.gencon.com/events?c=indy2023">Gen Con site</a>.</p><h2><b>Timing</b></h2><ul><li aria-level="1">Space is limited, so make sure to select your preferred sessions as soon as possible.</li><li aria-level="1">Registration opened May 21st! First come, first serve!</li><li aria-level="1">See you in Indianapolis this August 3rd-6th!</li></ul><h2><b>Learn more by visiting:</b></h2><ul><li aria-level="1"><a href="http://genconwriters.org">genconwriters.org</a></li><li aria-level="1"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/genconwriters">GCWS 2023 Facebook</a></li><li aria-level="1"><a href="https://twitter.com/writersymposium">GCWS 2023 Twitter</a></li></ul><blockquote><p style="text-align: center;"><b>See you in Indianapolis this August 3rd-6th!</b></p></blockquote>\SE Lindberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08511576266035113852noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5481339651030977851.post-62753218544431035752023-05-21T16:28:00.001-04:002023-05-21T16:28:06.193-04:00BEAUTY AND NIGHTMARES ON ALIENS WORLDS: INTERVIEWING C. S.FRIEDMAN<p>Simulcast on Black Gate: <a href="https://www.blackgate.com/2023/04/23/beauty-and-nightmares-on-aliens-worlds-interviewing-c-s-friedman/" target="_blank">BEAUTY AND NIGHTMARES ON ALIENS WORLDS: INTERVIEWING C. S.FRIEDMAN</a></p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQrgnPsW3v1iZYF7vBN6Ah2MveLtoyduZs-hBWkPFSXnbPuaxKcDYgUtnJRhXx-_n5J7Y1bzc5k3kh8Yse3aa630Ilh244yWtqNCOp_m8qTBvgxjBy4ek6_gbn1JXRnYXtvjMeVUMqsgsovH50KRvBdTDDJZWJEMIjqWGgM9pRZZV1c17gbq5sI82e/s950/Cover_2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="487" data-original-width="950" height="328" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQrgnPsW3v1iZYF7vBN6Ah2MveLtoyduZs-hBWkPFSXnbPuaxKcDYgUtnJRhXx-_n5J7Y1bzc5k3kh8Yse3aa630Ilh244yWtqNCOp_m8qTBvgxjBy4ek6_gbn1JXRnYXtvjMeVUMqsgsovH50KRvBdTDDJZWJEMIjqWGgM9pRZZV1c17gbq5sI82e/w640-h328/Cover_2.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p class="MsoNormal">We have an ongoing series at <b><i>Black Gate</i></b> on
the topic of “Beauty in Weird Fiction” where we corner an author and query them
about their muses and methods to make ‘repulsive’ things ‘attractive to
readers.’ Previous subjects have included <a href="https://www.blackgate.com/the-beauty-in-horror-and-sadness-an-interview-with-darrell-schweitzer/">Darrell
Schweitzer</a>, <a href="https://www.blackgate.com/disgust-and-desire-an-interview-with-anna-smith-spark/">Anna
Smith Spark</a>, <a href="https://www.blackgate.com/accessible-dark-fantasy-an-interview-with-carol-berg/">Carol
Berg</a>, <a href="https://www.blackgate.com/2021/10/31/emimmortal-museemby-stephen-leigh-review-interview-and-prelude-to-a-secret-chapter/">Stephen
Leigh</a>, <a href="https://www.blackgate.com/2021/08/13/sublime-modernity-interview-with-jason-ray-carney/">Jason
Ray Carney,</a> and <a href="https://www.blackgate.com/2022/01/29/conan-pastiche-and-weird-fiction-an-interview-with-john-c-hocking/">John
C. Hocking</a> (see the full list at the end of this post).</p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Inspired by the release of <i>Nightborn: Coldfire
Rising</i> (July 2023, see <a href="https://www.blackgate.com/2023/04/02/new-treasures-review-nightborn-coldfire-rising-by-c-s-friedman/"><i>Black
Gate’s</i> review for more information</a>), we are delighted to interview
C.S. Freidman! Since the late 1990’s she has established herself as a
master of dark fantasy and science fiction, being a John W. Campbell award
finalist and author of the highly acclaimed <b><i>Coldfire</i></b> trilogy
and <i>This Alien Shore (New York Times</i><b> </b>Notable Book of
the Year 1998).<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Let’s learn about C. S. Friedman’s muses & fears, her
experience with art, and tease a future TV series!<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>SEL: Tell us about your fascination with Human vs Alien
Colonization, and the struggle over shared souls/minds/psyches. That foundation
resonates across <i>This Alien Shore</i>, <i>The Madness Season</i> (the
Tyr’s gestalt-mind), the <i>Coldfire</i> series (via the ethereal
fae), and the <i>Magister Trilogy</i> (consumable souls!).</b><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">CSF: Science fiction and fantasy offer an opportunity for us
to step outside of our normal human perspective, questioning things we normally
take for granted. What better vehicle could there be for this than to have
humans confront a non-human being or force? Or to have two souls battle
over a single identity? Such stories invite us to question what
‘identity’ really means, and whether the assumptions we make about the world
are rooted in some kind of universal reality, or are simply a human construct.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">One of my favorite creations is the first story I decided to
publish, which wound up being chapter 11 in my first book, <i>In Conquest
Born</i>. Stranded on an alien world, a human telepath is forced to seek
mental communion with an alien race. In doing so, she must surrender her
human identity, because the manner in which these aliens perceive the world is
not something a human psyche can comprehend. One must see reality through their
eyes to understand them. That is a repeated theme in my work.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">One of my favorite stories that someone else wrote was
published many years ago in Asimov’s SF magazine. It was Nancy Kress’s “A
Delicate Shade of Kipley.” It takes place on a world where constant fog makes
everything appear gray, so that the entire world is drained of color. The
humans who landed there desperately hunger for color and treasure the few
colorful pictures of Earth that they have managed to salvage. To their
child who was born there, however, the grey world has its own kind of beauty,
and she relishes fine gradations of gray as her parents once relished the
brilliant colors of a rainbow. (“A Delicate Shade of Kipley” can be found in <i><a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/0883657139">Isaac Asimov: Science Fiction
Masterpieces</a></i>)<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>Jeszika Le Vye’s cover for <i>Nightborn </i>prominently
features the fae even more so than the striking trilogy covers by Whelan (more
on those below); we learn in the novella <i>Dominion</i> (bundled
with <i>Nightborn</i>) that the fae has colors (to those blessed to see
them). The alien energy seems to be both muse and nightmare, and we’d love to
learn your take on them. Do you envision your own nightmares and muses this
way?</b><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">No, my nightmares are much more mundane. The most terrifying
ones involve the American Health Care system <span style="font-family: "Segoe UI Emoji",sans-serif; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI Emoji";">😊</span>.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The fae is described: Earth-fae is a luminescent blue, dark
fae the intense purplish glow of a UV lamp, solar fae gold. One of the
opening scenes in Jaggonath takes place when an earthquake hits, and the wards
on buildings pulse with visible blue power. The fae is beautiful and
energizing and terrifying, all at once.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I was thrilled to find some pictures of bioluminescent ocean
waves while I was working on <i>Nightborn</i>. No doubt my cry of “Oh my
God, it’s the fae!” could be heard for miles. The eerie beauty of rippling blue
light as it ebbed and flowed with the waves was mesmerizing, and that will be
my image of it forever, now that I have found those videos (<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a47B2IGdmjE">here’s a link to sample
them)</a>.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEju795felg6mluZT0Vbj6MtrG1bDxhTwXiBpr2cszOk_belcibo0jEK-xk_PiE352J1m2_f_-d3xeOB7_38CI_Pf4swbTzRcIZe8QFuyLZMn46YjzvoQ-8vVUSMPqFUWT2lIQmqjCCg0Lmu2-rLBStNTaZq8zvKra29dYRZhEupxldPURLxNHozqkGX/s950/Coldfire_trilogy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="509" data-original-width="950" height="342" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEju795felg6mluZT0Vbj6MtrG1bDxhTwXiBpr2cszOk_belcibo0jEK-xk_PiE352J1m2_f_-d3xeOB7_38CI_Pf4swbTzRcIZe8QFuyLZMn46YjzvoQ-8vVUSMPqFUWT2lIQmqjCCg0Lmu2-rLBStNTaZq8zvKra29dYRZhEupxldPURLxNHozqkGX/w640-h342/Coldfire_trilogy.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal">The Coldfire Series,
cover art by Michael Whelan<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">What scares you? Is it beautiful?<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>“I was afraid that if I became a happier person I would
not be able to write dark fiction” — C.S. Friedman</b><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">What scares me most is the darkness in my own soul, the
capacity for depression that can cause me to sabotage my own life and undermine
my own spirit. The only thing positive I will say about it is that I drew upon
my experience with depression in my early books when I depicted psychological
darkness. In fact, I recall when I was first diagnosed and offered
anti-depressants, I was afraid that if I became a happier person I would not be
able to write dark fiction. And it is harder now, to be sure.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">There is a song by the band Renaissance, Black Flame. It
tells the story of someone struggling against inner darkness, in powerfully
evocative poetry. For me it has always reflected that terrible inner
seduction, the darkness that can drive a human soul to lose sight of its path,
and ultimately destroy itself. Here is the <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LfJ1-vfuLOU">song on Youtube</a>, and
here are <a href="https://genius.com/Renaissance-black-flame-lyrics">the
lyrics.</a><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FKb2VlcrRn8">Here
is another piece</a> they did in which psychological darkness becomes
hauntingly beautiful. (A radio contest declared it “the most depressing
song ever.”). I believe the original music is by Bach.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">There is a dark beauty in such songs, and I hope in my
writing.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>Do you detect beauty in art/fiction that appears to be
repulsive (weird/ horror</b>)? Any advice for writers on how to strike the
right balance to keep readers engaged?<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">What is beauty? Is it something that is “pretty?” or a
deeper, more visceral quality? Classically beautiful things transfix us, but we
will also stop at the site of a road accident, mesmerized by its horror.
Against our will, we <i>want</i> to see it.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Gerald Tarrant is the essence of human beauty, described as
nearly angelic in appearance. When he walks through a room, everyone notices
him, and women are magnetically drawn to him. But it is the horror of that
appearance being wedded to pure evil that makes us want to read about him —
that makes it impossible for us to look away. It is when the nature of
something horrific fascinates us that we cannot turn our eyes away, no matter
how much we want to.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>“… it is the horror of that appearance being wedded to
pure evil that makes us want to read about [Tarrant].” – C. S. Friedman</b><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>Fashion Muse: </b>You were formerly trained in <a href="https://www.csfriedman.com/works/costuming/"><b><i>Costume Design [link])</i></b></a>,
creating for professional theater, PBS, and all sorts of productions; you even
were a lecturer on the topic for years. Do you still dabble in fashion arts,
and how does that influence your prose and/or character design?<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Not really. I was in an abusive job situation for 13 years
and I burned out pretty badly. Knowledge of aesthetic principles and fashion
history inform my descriptions, of course, but I have left that field behind in
favor of writing and teaching. Sometimes I miss it, but what I miss is the
pleasure I originally took in it, not what it became. There are too many bad
memories now. I sew when I have to, not for pleasure.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">What other muses inspire you (i.e., for your <a href="https://www.csfriedman.com/works/glass-works/"><b><i>bead jewelry [link]</i></b></a><i><u>)</u></i>,
and does that creativity spill over to writing?<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I took up glasswork because it was different from my
writing, using different parts of the brain, explorations of color and texture
rather than language. It speaks to a different side of my creativity, which
is why I enjoy it.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>Do you identify with your protagonists?</b><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">No, and sometimes I feel like I am unique among writers in
not having a personal connection to my characters. I have been on writing
panels where writers talk about how they talk to their characters, or sense
what their characters want to do…I just write them. They are my creations. I
relate to them as I would relate to clay I was molding into a sculpture, or
glass I was wrapping around a mandrel. I am deeply invested in them as
creations, but not as people.<o:p></o:p></p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJ1OQOEU0ZDjH0WU2zTLb_P6WkT1SMxWrMBTq6WC4olPI2qulryw49q7vzH3FpVC6pBkgRL-BWVIN1rBSAdM3Ro6gRLVb2Bm_vnNlM3vv9eYGaL8uld-4udsUBpMdsDMh9IQ5JDD81-1gz7bgyI3n3C2QlEmvq3sCSngVbDMv6BJ4xwz1H93HT43gk/s766/the-magister-trilogy-cs-friedman.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="766" height="334" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJ1OQOEU0ZDjH0WU2zTLb_P6WkT1SMxWrMBTq6WC4olPI2qulryw49q7vzH3FpVC6pBkgRL-BWVIN1rBSAdM3Ro6gRLVb2Bm_vnNlM3vv9eYGaL8uld-4udsUBpMdsDMh9IQ5JDD81-1gz7bgyI3n3C2QlEmvq3sCSngVbDMv6BJ4xwz1H93HT43gk/w640-h334/the-magister-trilogy-cs-friedman.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal">The Magister Series –
cover art by John Jude Palencar<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Let’s talk about covers & how artists depict your
characters via illustrations. Gerald Tarrant was famously adapted in the
Michael Whelan cover for the <i>Coldfire trilogy</i>) and Kamala from the<i> Magister
Series</i> depicted by the renowned John Jude Palencar. Traditionally,
authors have no say in the cover art design, but I’m curious about your
experience. Did the costume designer in you have any influence or comment on
those?<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I have been permitted to offer input into my covers, to
varying degrees. This is something that evolved over time. I studied graphic
art in college, and of course I spent years as a theatrical designer, so I have
enough understanding of graphic design to offer meaningful input, and I have
always understood that the purpose of a cover is to help market the book. Over
time, my editor learned that I could offer meaningful suggestions in that
context, so I have been allowed to do so.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Any current or future endeavors we can pitch? More <i>Coldfire?</i> In <a href="https://deadline.com/2022/08/the-regulators-film-based-on-stephen-king-novel-in-works-at-bohemia-group-1235089181/">August
2022, <i>Deadline</i> </a>reported<i> The Coldfire Trilogy</i> may
become a TV series; also according to <a href="https://fantasyhotlist.blogspot.com/2023/03/nightborn-coldfire-rising.html?fbclid=IwAR1Xr3uR8i5_J-2vEglBbWQnbiLYHdoyEpei3wdCl5Q4lBPrAQe2kh5d0o8">Pat’s
Fantasy Hotlist</a>, you have plans for another <i>Coldfire </i>novella
will be focused on Gerald Tarrant bringing faith to his world, even as darkness
begins to take root within his own soul.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The most exciting news right now is my novel <i>Nightborn</i>, <a href="https://www.blackgate.com/2023/04/02/new-treasures-review-nightborn-coldfire-rising-by-c-s-friedman/">which
is coming out in July</a>. It tells the story of the founding of Erna and
mankind’s discovery of the fae, and is one of the most intense things I have
ever written. That volume will also include <i>Dominion</i>, a novella
dealing with Tarrant’s transformation from a simple creature of the night into
the Hunter. Both are compelling works that I know <b><i>Coldfire</i></b> fans
will enjoy, but also accessible to new readers.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">And yes, we are attempting to market a TV series based
on <b><i>Coldfire</i></b>, so fingers are crossed on that. I want to see
the fae in visual media! The next novel will probably be in my <b><i>Outworlds </i></b>series
(<i>This Alien Shore</i>, etc.) but I am considering shorter works in the <b><i>Coldfire</i></b> series.
There are so many interesting time periods and events in Ernan history! I
am working on a timeline that will enable me to offer many different stories,
all in the context of the greater setting. It’s all very exciting, and the
enthusiasm my fans have shown for all my <b><i>Coldfire</i></b> stories
has been downright inspiring.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">“And yes, we are attempting to market a TV series based
on <b><i>Coldfire</i></b>, so fingers are crossed on that. I want to see
the fae in visual media! ” – C. S. Friedman<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Lots of updates are forthcoming! How do we stay in touch
with the latest?<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Please join me on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100063621644548">Facebook, </a>and/or <a href="https://www.patreon.com/csfriedman">Patreon</a> for news, essays,
project excerpts, and of course conversations with my readers.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">C.S. Friedman<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">An acknowledged master of dark fantasy and science fiction
alike, C.S. Friedman is a John W. Campbell award finalist, and
the author of the highly acclaimed<b> <i>Coldfire</i> </b>trilogy<i>, </i><b>This
Alien Shore</b><i> (<b>New York Times</b></i> Notable Book of the
Year 1998), <b>In Conquest Born, The Madness Season, The
Wilding,<i> The Magister Trilogy</i></b><i>,</i> and the <b><i>Dreamwalker</i></b><i> </i>series.
Friedman worked for twenty years as a professional costume designer, but
retired from that career in 1996 to focus on her writing. She lives in
Virginia, and can be contacted via her website, <a href="http://www.csfriedman.com/">www.csfriedman.com</a>, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100063621644548">Facebook</a>,
or <a href="https://www.patreon.com/csfriedman">Patreon</a>.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://www.blackgate.com/?s=Weird+Beauty">#Weird
Beauty</a> Interviews on <i>Black Gate</i><o:p></o:p></p>
<ol start="1" style="margin-top: 0in;" type="1">
<li class="MsoNormal">Darrel
Schweitzer <a href="https://www.blackgate.com/2018/09/03/the-beauty-in-horror-and-sadness-an-interview-with-darrell-schweitzer/"><i>THE
BEAUTY IN HORROR AND SADNESS: AN INTERVIEW WITH DARRELL SCHWEITZER</i></a><i> 2018</i><o:p></o:p></li>
<li class="MsoNormal">Sebastian
Jones <a href="https://www.blackgate.com/2018/10/21/the-beauty-in-life-and-death-an-interview-with-sebastian-jones/"><i>THE
BEAUTY IN LIFE AND DEATH: AN INTERVIEW WITH SEBASTIAN JONES</i></a><i> 2018</i><o:p></o:p></li>
<li class="MsoNormal">Charles
Gramlich <a href="https://www.blackgate.com/2019/01/21/the-beautiful-and-the-repellent-an-interview-with-charles-a-gramlich/"><i>THE
BEAUTIFUL AND THE REPELLENT: AN INTERVIEW WITH CHARLES A. GRAMLICH</i></a><i>
2019</i><o:p></o:p></li>
<li class="MsoNormal">Anna
Smith Spark <a href="https://www.blackgate.com/2019/05/18/disgust-and-desire-an-interview-with-anna-smith-spark/"><i>DISGUST
AND DESIRE: AN INTERVIEW WITH ANNA SMITH SPARK </i></a><i> 2019</i><o:p></o:p></li>
<li class="MsoNormal">Carol
Berg <a href="https://www.blackgate.com/2019/10/13/accessible-dark-fantasy-an-interview-with-carol-berg/"><i>ACCESSIBLE
DARK FANTASY: AN INTERVIEW WITH CAROL BERG</i></a><i> 2019</i><o:p></o:p></li>
<li class="MsoNormal">Byron
Leavitt <a href="https://www.blackgate.com/2021/01/24/god-darkness-wonder-an-interview-with-byron-leavitt/"><i>GOD,
DARKNESS, & WONDER: AN INTERVIEW WITH BYRON LEAVITT</i></a><i> 2021</i><o:p></o:p></li>
<li class="MsoNormal">Philip
Emery <a href="https://www.blackgate.com/2021/06/10/the-aesthetics-of-sword-sorcery-an-interview-with-philip-emery/"><i>THE
AESTHETICS OF SWORD & SORCERY: AN INTERVIEW WITH PHILIP EMERY </i></a><i> 2021</i><o:p></o:p></li>
<li class="MsoNormal">C.
Dean Andersson <a href="https://www.blackgate.com/2021/07/29/c-dean-andersson-tribute-bloodsong-and-freedom/"><i>DEAN
ANDERSSON TRIBUTE INTERVIEW AND TOUR GUIDE OF HEL: BLOODSONG AND FREEDOM!</i></a><i> (2021
repost of 2014)</i><o:p></o:p></li>
<li class="MsoNormal">Jason
Ray Carney <a href="https://www.blackgate.com/2021/08/13/sublime-modernity-interview-with-jason-ray-carney/"><i>SUBLIME,
CRUEL BEAUTY: AN INTERVIEW WITH JASON RAY CARNEY</i></a><i> </i>(2021)<o:p></o:p></li>
<li class="MsoNormal">Stephen
Leigh <a href="https://www.blackgate.com/2021/10/31/emimmortal-museemby-stephen-leigh-review-interview-and-prelude-to-a-secret-chapter/"><i>IMMORTAL
MUSE BY STEPHEN LEIGH: REVIEW, INTERVIEW, AND PRELUDE TO A SECRET CHAPTER</i></a> (2021)<o:p></o:p></li>
<li class="MsoNormal">John
C. Hocking <a href="https://www.blackgate.com/2022/01/29/conan-pastiche-and-weird-fiction-an-interview-with-john-c-hocking/"><i>BEAUTIFUL
PLAGUES: AN INTERVIEW WITH JOHN C. HOCKING </i></a><i> (2022)</i><o:p></o:p></li>
<li class="MsoNormal">Matt
Stern <a href="https://www.blackgate.com/2022/02/24/beautiful-and-repulsive-butterflies/"><i>BEAUTIFUL
AND REPULSIVE BUTTERFLIES: AN INTERVIEW WITH M. STERN</i></a><i> (2022)</i><o:p></o:p></li>
<li class="MsoNormal">Joe
Bonadonna <a href="https://www.selindberg.com/2022/08/joe-bonadonna-interview-by-se.html">MAKING
WEIRD FICTION FUN: GRILLING DORGO THE DOWSER!</a> 2022<o:p></o:p></li>
<li class="MsoNormal">S.
Friedman. <b>Beauty and Nightmares on Aliens Worlds</b> 2023<o:p></o:p></li>
<li class="MsoNormal"><b><i>interviews
prior 2018</i></b><i> (i.e., with John R. Fultz, Janet E. Morris,
Richard Lee Byers, Aliya Whitely …and many more) are on </i><a href="http://www.selindberg.com/p/interviews.html"><i>S.E. Lindberg’s
website</i></a><o:p></o:p></li>
</ol>SE Lindberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08511576266035113852noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5481339651030977851.post-87741734154613802042023-04-03T19:30:00.010-04:002023-04-03T19:30:00.161-04:00Nightborn: Coldfire Rising by C. S. Friedman - Review by S.E.<p>As posted on Black Gate 4/2/2023: <a href="https://www.blackgate.com/2023/04/02/new-treasures-review-nightborn-coldfire-rising-by-c-s-friedman/" target="_blank">BEAUTY AND NIGHTMARE ON AN ALIEN WORLD: <i>NIGHTBORN:
COLDFIRE RISING</i> BY C. S. FRIEDMAN</a></p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgQg04leyujgtwSeQ2papj-r22KUqTz95U7E7OoXBDwPjSbIitvXBP0NS51QDrUKBuwk6nog5uHnqH2OhZ-0D5QpfJsBQ0oe5jLcGqjxLFa53PBlVagg--1oYTaosk32W_2Z3SnTtFfdHpRX3I7tv-pQPkJ4-FFA_iY4xnGEbp-pe25Kolc1utSCgGb" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="950" data-original-width="629" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgQg04leyujgtwSeQ2papj-r22KUqTz95U7E7OoXBDwPjSbIitvXBP0NS51QDrUKBuwk6nog5uHnqH2OhZ-0D5QpfJsBQ0oe5jLcGqjxLFa53PBlVagg--1oYTaosk32W_2Z3SnTtFfdHpRX3I7tv-pQPkJ4-FFA_iY4xnGEbp-pe25Kolc1utSCgGb=w424-h640" width="424" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Nightborn: Coldfire Rising</b> by C. S. Friedman. (DAW Books, July, 18th, 2023, 304pages).</div><div style="text-align: center;"> Cover art by Jeszika Le Vye.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div>
<p class="MsoNormal"> <o:p></o:p></p>
<h3 style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;">Every wonder if your feelings had shape and were visible?</div><div style="text-align: center;">What if you could see your nightmares manifest as they turn
on you?</div></h3><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">C. S. Friedman has published 14 novels, including the highly
acclaimed <b><i>Coldfire Trilogy</i></b> and the groundbreaking
science fiction novel <b><i>This Alien Shore</i></b> (New York Times
Notable Book of the Year -1998). Her <b>Nightborn: Coldfire Rising </b>novel
will be published this July, 2023 by DAW Books; this post reviews an advanced
review copy (<a href="https://astrapublishinghouse.com/product/nightborn-coldfire-rising-9780756410926/">preorder
from the publisher</a>).<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The stunning cover art by Jeszika Le Vye evokes and extends
the signature covers of the<b><i> Coldfire Trilogy</i></b><i> </i>crafted
by Michael Whelan; the trilogy was released during 1991-1995 followed by a 2012
prequel novella, <b>Dominion</b>. Note that a revised version of <b>Dominion,</b> starring
the Hunter himself, is in <b>Nightborn</b>.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">And stay tuned — <b><i>Black Gate</i></b> has an
interview in the works with C. S. Friedman (a perfect fit for our series
on <a href="https://www.blackgate.com/tag/weirdbeauty/">Beauty in Weird
Fiction</a>).<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><i>Coldfire Series</i></b><o:p></o:p></p>
<ul style="margin-top: 0in;" type="disc">
<li class="MsoNormal">#0 <b>Nightborn:
Coldfire Rising</b> 2023 (DAW, also contains <b>Dominion</b>)<o:p></o:p></li>
<li class="MsoNormal">#0.5 <b>Dominion </b>2012
novella (Tridac Publishing)<o:p></o:p></li>
<li class="MsoNormal">#1 <b>Black
Sun Rising</b> 1991 (DAW)<o:p></o:p></li>
<li class="MsoNormal">#2 <b>When
True Night Falls</b> 1993 (DAW)<o:p></o:p></li>
<li class="MsoNormal">#3 <b>Crown
of Shadows</b> 1995 (DAW)<o:p></o:p></li>
</ul>
<h3 style="text-align: center;"><i>Nightborn is Beautiful Horror Sci-Fi Infused with
Ethereal Nightmares</i></h3><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>Nightborn</b> will hook new fans while exciting
veteran <b><i>Coldfire</i></b> enthusiasts. The original trilogy
occurs hundreds of years after humans found a way to survive on the planet
Erna, whose energetic fae transform from an intangible mist into real
nightmares. You’ll experience the initial colonization with <b>Nightborn</b>,
before humans had any clue. Like Leo, Lise, and Ian (who all bring juicy,
haunting memories with them) you’ll get to witness the beautiful, and horrific,
wisps of fae manipulate and consume the crew. Friedman is a master at
interweaving perspectives so you should expect a splendid interplay between
every character’s personal trauma and that of Erna’s hungry energy.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The fae is the foundation of the <b>Coldfire series</b>,
it is the source of lore, conflict, religion, and magic. Its various flavors
ebb and flows with the moons/sun on Erna, but I won’t spoil the joy of
experiencing it any further. <b>Excerpts</b> (below) emphasize what
to expect: (1) Beautiful Nightmares (2) Weird Melee (3) Hypnotic Horror.<o:p></o:p></p>
<h3 style="text-align: center;"><i>Expect Beauty, Nightmares, Weird Melee, and Hypnotic
Horror</i></h3><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Already a fan of the series? Then read this to learn more
lore, the origins and coining of key terms, and enjoy watching fae-worship
evolve. Having <b>Dominion</b> bundled with <b>Nightborn</b> amplifies
their impacts since they both are highlights of critical events (humans
colonizing planet Erna and the Prophet of the Church for Human
Unification dominating the Forest); the <b>Book Blurbs </b>serve as
excellent summaries (provided below). Whereas the fae begins as nearly
indescribable, supernatural energy/evil (almost Lovecraftian) in <b>Nightborn</b>,
we learn that it can be manipulated and summoned with spells (aka Workings)
in <b>Dominion </b>(more Dark Fantasy).<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The role of personal sacrifice on how the fae responds is made
poignant and breathtaking. This powerful synergy builds in <b>Nightborn</b> and
sets up the epic prologue to <b>Black Sun Rising</b> (Book #1) that
defines Gerald Tarrant as a fascinating, immortal protagonist. In short,
be prepared to (re)read the <b><i>Coldfire</i></b> series!<o:p></o:p></p>
<h3 style="text-align: center;"><i>Be Prepared to (re)Read the <b>Coldfire</b> Series!</i></h3><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjWg68eO_bcNB2YZLOstXDB73S4NxG2ddWC3KGIezVnXcTUsXM53mKP6TjoUQDsADFinlxLg-9MfL3Us8tL-Fnti17E0wAfEFuudjW909sKFN7Opy4CiJgV6zFeY47l27n1iOreDvpjYFYCax05U3k0JOuz1EkkuzbcGgFT5REabzEF8j6dbhbRqqWJ" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="509" data-original-width="950" height="342" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjWg68eO_bcNB2YZLOstXDB73S4NxG2ddWC3KGIezVnXcTUsXM53mKP6TjoUQDsADFinlxLg-9MfL3Us8tL-Fnti17E0wAfEFuudjW909sKFN7Opy4CiJgV6zFeY47l27n1iOreDvpjYFYCax05U3k0JOuz1EkkuzbcGgFT5REabzEF8j6dbhbRqqWJ=w640-h342" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p></p>
<h2 style="text-align: left;">Summary Blurbs</h2><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Nightborn<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"></p><blockquote><p class="MsoNormal">A ship full of colonists arrive on a seemingly hospitable
planet, only to discover that it harbors a terrifying secret. Soon the settlers
find themselves caught up in a desperate battle for survival against the fae, a
natural force with the power to prey upon the human mind itself, bringing a
person’s greatest fears and darkest nightmares to life.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">As Colony Commander Leon Case and Chief Medic Lise Perez
struggle to find a way to control the fae before more people die, other
settlers have ideas of their own…and they may prove more of a threat to colony
than the fae itself.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Nightborn: Coldfire Rising is a tale that blends
sci-fi, fantasy, and horror, suspenseful and emotionally intense, as a handful
of humans struggle to survive on an alien world that seems determined to kill
them. In the end they will have to draw upon both scientific knowledge and
mystical traditions to save themselves.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Whether you’re just discovering the Coldfire universe
through this prequel or returning to it as a classic favorite, Nightborn:
Coldfire Rising is the perfect entry point to this unique, genre-blending
space fantasy epic.</p></blockquote><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<h3 style="text-align: left;">Dominion</h3><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"></p><blockquote>Four hundred years after mankind’s arrival on Erna, the
undead sorcerer Gerald Tarrant travels north in search of a legend. For it is
rumored there is a forest where the fae has become so powerful that it devours
all who enter it, and he means to test its power.</blockquote><o:p></o:p><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> <o:p></o:p></p>
<h2 style="text-align: left;">Excerpts:</h2><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> <o:p></o:p></p>
<h3 style="text-align: left;">A dose of Enigmatic Fae</h3><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"></p><blockquote><p class="MsoNormal">Light was rising now, as if flowing forth from the earth: a
strange blue glow, dim in illumination but intense in color. There were
currents visible in it now, and as the light intensified waves became visible;
they seemed to pulse across the ground in time to the pounding of Ian’s heart.
It was as if the entire field was a vast luminescent lake, and he was part of
it. The sight of it was mesmerizing enough, but the sensation— the sensation!—
was like nothing he had ever felt before…<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">“I was looking out at the land beyond the camp, when a
strange light seemed to rise up from the ground. A blue glow that rippled in
waves over the grass, like water. There were visible currents, and in a few
places it looked like they were flowing around invisible obstacles. It was . .
.” He drew in a deep breath. <i>Beautiful. Terrifying</i>.
“Otherworldly.”<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">—from <b>Nightborn</b></p></blockquote><p class="MsoNormal"><b></b><o:p></o:p></p>
<h3 style="text-align: left;">Weird Melee</h3><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"></p><blockquote><p class="MsoNormal">…A large beast was atop the table— twice the size of a man,
at least— and it was unlike any creature Leo had ever seen. Its head was
rat-like but its torso reptilian, and black spider legs jutted out on both
sides. Its tail had the diamond patterning of a snake, with a long stinger at
the end. A dark and viscous fluid dripped from that stinger, and when the tail
whipped toward a nearby colonist—who quickly jumped out of the way—drops of it
splattered across the table.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">All this Leo saw in an instant, and then he was running
towards it, Lise following close behind. What he was going to do when he
reached it, he had no clue.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">People were screaming and running in the other direction,
and one of them almost knocked him over. A few people were simply frozen, and
they stared at the beast in horrified helplessness as it grabbed Tom Bennet by
the neck and shook him from side to side like a dishrag. Several others had
pulled out their guns, and Leo did so as well…<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">As the creature turned towards him [Steve] thrust the black
rod into its chest—deep, deep into the hellish flesh. Whether he hit a vital
organ was anyone’s guess, but he must have stabbed something important, because
the creature howled in pain and rage, and stopped trying to attack people. It
began to draw in on itself, legs curling up against its chest like those of a
dying insect, neck and tail pulling back into its body, a grotesque contortion.
It began to shrink—no, dissolve—features running down its face in rivulets, legs
melting like wax, all of it sinking into a pool of undefined flesh that was
taking on a strange blue light… he watched in horrified fascination as the blue
light grew stronger, the flesh lost all definition—and then suddenly it was all
gone. Only Tom’s body remained, so mangled that it hardly looked human.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">—from <b>Nightborn</b></p></blockquote><p class="MsoNormal"><b></b><o:p></o:p></p>
<h3 style="text-align: left;">Hypnotic Horror</h3><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"></p><blockquote><p class="MsoNormal">But at last her fragile will gave way. She slashed downward
toward her left arm with the knife— fiercely, awkwardly— cutting deep into her
own flesh. Bright red blood gushed out of the wound, splashing down into the
tankard. A small moan of misery escaped the mother’s lips, and Tarrant could
see the father tremble as he fought to break free of the Binding, but from the
girl herself there was no sound, only a delicious admixture of resignation and
terror, as refreshing to him as the blood itself.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">—from <b>Dominion</b></p></blockquote><p class="MsoNormal"><b></b><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">C.S. Friedman<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">An acknowledged master of dark fantasy and science fiction
alike, <b>C.S. Friedman</b> is a John W. Campbell award
finalist, and the author of the highly acclaimed <b><i>Coldfire</i></b> trilogy<i>,
This Alien Shore (<b>New York Times</b></i> Notable Book of the
Year 1998), <b>In Conquest Born, The Madness Season, The
Wilding,</b><i> <b>The Magister Trilogy,</b></i> and the <b><i>Dreamwalker </i></b>series.
Friedman worked for twenty years as a professional costume designer, but
retired from that career in 1996 to focus on her writing. She lives in
Virginia, and can be contacted via her website, <a href="http://www.csfriedman.com/">www.csfriedman.com</a>.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>SE Lindberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08511576266035113852noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5481339651030977851.post-38384749352645480042023-04-02T12:55:00.007-04:002023-04-02T13:07:35.770-04:00The Citadel of Forgotten Myths - review by S<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj85bI-WdPZQs2kDOc3hxOESA7BJe3eF4CPGCWKAj34byXHNv6YsnoIMjrdCzq-C4PEotFZ4CiSXeOtN5EnwyP68obdMFnX7k2R8V39ESuN7R844_rgMTvNY9ZG4awf11LX9qK_QAxe90lz_mZoW-LwaItDsA1RrMOE_sAfFS59uGC0V9J6CbSXgZOw/s2097/the-citadel-of-forgotten-myths-9781982199807_hr.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2097" data-original-width="1400" height="396" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj85bI-WdPZQs2kDOc3hxOESA7BJe3eF4CPGCWKAj34byXHNv6YsnoIMjrdCzq-C4PEotFZ4CiSXeOtN5EnwyP68obdMFnX7k2R8V39ESuN7R844_rgMTvNY9ZG4awf11LX9qK_QAxe90lz_mZoW-LwaItDsA1RrMOE_sAfFS59uGC0V9J6CbSXgZOw/w265-h396/the-citadel-of-forgotten-myths-9781982199807_hr.jpg" width="265" /></a></div><p></p><div><br /></div><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/60321524-the-citadel-of-forgotten-myths">The Citadel of Forgotten Myths</a> by <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/16939.Michael_Moorcock">Michael Moorcock</a><br />SE rating: <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/4558001817">4 of 5 stars</a><br /><br />
This extension to the Elric saga is okay. <br /><br />New to Elric? Don't start here. Start with the Elric of Melniboné (1972). <br /><br />There are three books within <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/60321524.The_Citadel_of_Forgotten_Myths" rel="nofollow noopener" title="The Citadel of Forgotten Myths by Michael Moorcock">The Citadel of Forgotten Myths</a>, the first two being short stories that appeared elsewhere; revised versions of these are the best parts of this. In all parts, Moonglum travels with Elric to the World Above, a parallel realm where Melnibonean ancestry persists. <br /><br />Part 1: based on <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/7022843.Swords___Dark_Magic_The_New_Sword_and_Sorcery" rel="nofollow noopener" title="Swords & Dark Magic The New Sword and Sorcery by Jonathan Strahan"> Swords & Dark Magic: The New Sword and Sorcery</a> 2010's <b>"Red Pearls: An Elric Story"</b><br /><br />Part 2: based on <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6990582.Weird_Tales_349___85th_Anniversary_Issue" rel="nofollow noopener" title="Weird Tales 349 - 85th Anniversary Issue by Ann VanderMeer"> Weird Tales 349 - 85th Anniversary Issue</a> #349 2008's <b> "Black Petals" (Elric novella)</b><br /><br />These both have action, wild bits of over-the-top fantastical magic, and a decent dose of expanded lore. We get to learn more about the Phoorn (dragon relatives of Meniboné too). These are five stars....<br /><br /><br />Part 3: And...the disappointing Third Part...by itself a 3-star (at best):<br /><br />The third Book admittedly has a nice outline/scope with Arioch not responding when summoned, Xiombarg stirring up major trouble with Dyvim Marluc (introduced in the first stories); a cool bee-hive driven city called Karlaak that mirrors Elric's original city plays a major role. <br /><br />But the delivery is terrible.<br /><br />It is mostly exposition (all telling, little-to-no showing). It reads like an outline full of info dumps.<br /><br />There are more exclamation marks than periods (I didn't count them, but that statement is close to being accurate). It is truly bizarre to read! Really it is! Almost comical! Eh gad!<br /><br />Also, there is some forced romance? noble-blood incest? It comes across as just silly. Elric has some nice flashbacks regarding his first love Cymoril and his second (Zarozinia, who is still alive during this adventure into other worlds). Here, Elric feels like it is still "ok" to court a young, female Melnibonean noblewoman despite his genuine love for his other wives. I guess Zarozinia is cool with an open relationship, and Cymoril has long since passed. Anyway, the relationship falls flat/weird, and is not even developed well. I was reminded of Moorcock's weird, misogynistic entry for <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/201587.Ghor__Kin_Slayer_The_Saga_of_Genseric_s_Fifth_Born_Son" rel="nofollow noopener" title="Ghor, Kin Slayer The Saga of Genseric's Fifth Born Son by Robert E. Howard"> Ghor, Kin Slayer: The Saga of Genseric's Fifth Born Son</a>. <br /><br />Oh, then there is Orlando Funk. That is not a typo. Minus the "o" we have Orland_ Funk, who is one of Moorcock's heroes from his Runestaff series; this is the same dude. Moorcock loves weird cross overs.... but here Mr. Orlando comes across (at least to me, who was not aware of the character before) as a time-traveling, Floridian (i.e., from Orlando) who might as well have been wearing bell-bottom jeans. Every time I read his name, I had Bruno Mars' "uptown Funk" song trigger in my head. Orlando's presence added more silliness than it did mind-blowing plot twists. <br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><b> Blurb:</b> <blockquote>Elric along with his companion Moonglum return, in this prequel set within the early days of Elric’s wanderings, in order to investigate the history of Melniboné and its dragons, known as the Phroon, in this exciting new addition to the Elric Saga from World Fantasy Lifetime Achievement Award winner Michael Moorcock.<br /><br />Elric is the estranged emperor of the Melnibonéan empire, struggling with his nature while desperately striving to move forward with his dying empire alongside the constant thirst of his soul-sucking sword, Stormbringer. Elric is on the hunt for the great Citadel of Forgotten Myths while traveling through the remnants of his empire with his tragic best friend Moonglum, as Elric seeks the answers to the nature of the phroon of The Young Kingdoms. Taking place between the first and second book in the Elric Saga, The Citadel of Forgotten Myths is perfect for longtime fans and those new to this epic fantasy series.</blockquote>
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SE Lindberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08511576266035113852noreply@blogger.com