ARTIFACT #2, THE DEATH CARD, TESSERACTS 22 ALCHEMY AND ARTIFACTS

THE DEATH CARD FROM THE VISCONTI-SFORZA TAROT is one of the remaining cards from a collection of the earliest decks commissioned by Filippo Maria Visconti, the Duke of Milan, and his son-in-law, Francesco Sforza.

Back in the 15^th century, tarot cards were used to play a game known as Trionfi, then later Tarocchi, Tarocchini, and other names. In France, the game was known as Tarot. Decks consisted of 78 cards – 22 trump cards, of which Death was one, as well as 56 minor or pip cards numbering 1 through 10, plus four face cards – the King, Queen, Knight, and Page (or Jack).

According to most sources, tarot cards became associated with cartomancy in the 18^th century, but I wonder if they weren’t used for divination earlier. Here’s an intriguing fact. Of the remaining cards in the Visconti-Sforza collections, only two trump cards (or Major Arcana) are missing: the Devil and the Tower. Both cards depict ill circumstances (although in modern day interpretations, they also have less dire meanings). Back in the middle ages, the Devil card might have been seen as a literal indication of the Devil and his works, a foretelling of evil deeds, terrible loss, and damnation. As for the Tower, it pointed to accidents, disaster, and ruin; the mighty struck down by God on high for their power and pride. (Again, modern interpretations allow room for positive outcomes.) All said, it intrigues me that these two cards – the Devil and the Tower – are missing from the Visconti-Sforza collection. Why? Were they destroyed because some medieval soul feared what they might bring? Or could they have been used in a magical rite? And if they were, to what end? What was happening in Europe in the mid-1400’s?

In 1440, the printing press with movable type was born, which, on the surface, was a good thing, but also meant the birth of greater independent thought. Humanism encouraged the study of history and literature focusing on the ancient world, which would have loosened the Church's grip on the medieval mind - not a good thing in its opinion. In 1453, Constantinople fell to the Ottomans, ending the Byzantine Empire. In 1462, Vlad the Impaler invaded Bulgaria and impaled over 23,000 Turks and Bulgarians in what may have been a strike for Christendom (but more likely, Vlad was consolidating his own position). If these events were linked to dark magic, they would make for an interesting story. 

On a happier and more personal note, one of my best memories is of Robert Zelazny, who wrote many wonderful books, including his series, The Chronicles of Amber, of which The Nine Princes in Amber is my favourite. The Chronicles uses tarot cards as magical artifacts. The characters are represented through various trumps; the cards are also portals for travel and communication. Apparently, Roger was fascinated with the tarot (as am I). As Guest of Honour, he attended a convention here in Edmonton in 1993. After I was introduced to him, he asked me if I wrote. I’d just had my first short story published in On Spec Magazine. He had a copy of the issue and said he looked forward to reading my story. With that one kind comment, I learned that great writers are also great people, generous and supportive of newcomers. When he died in 1995, I was sad to hear of it. We lost a great writer and a great human being in his passing.

His series also inspired a modern day tarot deck - the Amber deck - created by French artist Florence Magnin. Here is her version of the Death card:

Until next time, may inspiration strike you.

Happy writing. - Susan.

ARTIFACT #1, THE AZOTH WOODCUT, TESSERACTS 22 ALCHEMY AND ARTIFACTS

IN ORDER TO PROMOTE TESSERACTS 22 Alchemy and Artifacts, one of the things Lorina and I felt we needed was an ‘unofficial’ symbol that conveyed the nature of the anthology, a bit of visual alchemy that appealed and challenged at the same time. After a bit of searching, I came across this artifact - a woodcut from Basil Valentine’s Azoth series, dated at around 1659; it's one of twelve pictures depicting the alchemical process of making ‘azoth’, a precursor to the Philosopher’s Stone or a universal medication or solvent – the Elixir of Life. It was often associated with the element mercury. This woodcut is the fifth or sixth in the series; as to which one it is, not all sources agree.

To me, it works well as a symbol for literary creation – the process of making story. One of the things I plan to do with this and future posts, is to present various artifacts that might ignite the imagination.

This Azoth woodcut contains a number of intriguing symbols. The first is the androgyne, the two-headed being. It represents a divine marriage between solar and lunar, male and female energies, which together, were seen as the highest form of spiritual attainment. Surrounding the androgyne are seven symbols for the planets (gods) and their metallic counterparts. From left to right are Venus (copper), Mars (iron), Sol or the Sun (gold), Mercury or Hermes (mercury), Luna or the Moon (silver), Jupiter (tin), and Saturn (lead). The androgyne also holds a compass and the set-square, two tools of architecture, important in Freemasonry.

Upon the androgyne’s chest is the sign, R.E.B.I.S. I’ve yet to find what these letters stand for. If any of you know, please enlighten me. As mysteries go, this is a good metaphor for the sense of mystery Lorina and I hope to find in the submissions we receive.

The winged dragon can be seen as an alchemical symbol for fire and volatile elements. The fact that the androgyne is standing upon the dragon, subduing it, is significant. This may actually point to a specific part in the alchemical process. The dragon is also associated with the element, sulphur.

Both androgyne and dragon stand precariously upon a Cosmic Egg. The egg is a symbol of both cosmos and creation – of potential. Lines and numbers intersect its surface. The numbers might stand for the four elements - air, earth, water, and fire - or have different meanings (ie., 1 to represent the primal force, 2, duality, etc.) There are many interpretations. 

Speaking of numbers, I came across this interesting titbit while looking into the above symbols. In numerology (whatever you make of it), the number 22 is considered the most powerful of numbers. It's known as the Master Number and Master Builder. As Master Builder, it takes fantastic dreams and turns them into realities. I can’t think of a better process to describe what Lorina and I plan to do with Tesseracts 22. 

One might say it's almost...alchemical.

Until next time - Susan.

TESSERACTS 22 - HISTORICAL FANTASY

IT GIVES ME GREAT PLEASURE TO FINALLY MAKE THIS ANNOUNCEMENT. Lorina Stephens and I will be editing Tesseracts 22, the theme Historical Fantasy, through Edge Books. The 'official' announcement will appear on the Edge site shortly. When it does, I'll post the link here. In the meantime, here's a little history about how it all came about. :-)

The idea for this anthology had its genesis over a year ago. The last book of my Tattooed Witch trilogy (The Tattooed Queen) was published in December 2016 through Five Rivers Publishing; I was thinking about what I might do next. Edge had not yet published an historical fantasy themed Tesseracts, so I considered with whom I might co-edit such an anthology. Of course, Lorina came to mind. After we talked about it, I pitched the idea to Edge. Brian Hades agreed it was a workable premise and so here we are. 

I can't tell you how excited I am about this. 

Okay, I can. I am very, very excited. The feedback we've received from writers who are about to start, or who are already working on a piece, makes me certain this is going to be an excellent collection.

If you're hearing about this for the first time, here is what we are looking for: 

Alchemy and Artifacts will examine the magic behind the history, the myths arising from the artifacts, the mysteries missed (or dismissed), but which lie at the root of world events. We are looking for tales that explore laws magical as well as physical, the manipulation of reality in the past, resulting in the present. History, sorcery, alchemy, mystery. What if?

For example:

·         What if the Black Plague was a curse unleased by Geoffrey Chaucer’s The Canterbury Tales?

·         What if Egyptian hieroglyphics were incantations that moved pharaohs into the future instead of an afterlife?

·         What if the terracotta army from the Qin Shi Huang dynasty were golem soldiers, waiting to be animated through magic?

·         What if Picasso’s Guernica was a magical attempt to fight Franco during the Spanish Civil War?

·         What if Paul Revere’s silversmithing was a spell enacted to fight England during the American Revolution?

·         What if Elizabeth I was a witch, employing Drake to find a forgotten, powerful artifact to grant her godhead?

·         What if Haida totems animated and walked the coast?

·         These are only a sampling of the sorts of story ideas we are looking for.

Alternate histories will be considered, but we are inclined to choose work that considers actual world events and characters, and how some form of magic has manipulated history in a subtle yet dramatic way.

Intrigued yet? Here are a few more guidelines:

Submission Guidelines:

·         Alchemy and Artifacts will reflect as broad a spectrum of stories as possible, highlighting unique styles and manners. The greater the magic or magical event and the subtler (yet dramatic) effect it has on history, the better. We want to raise questions about the reality of magic behind events.

·         We are looking to represent as many historical periods as possible, from places all over the world.

·         Submissions must be speculative in nature, including fantasy, dark fantasy, magic realism, slipstream, supernatural horror, weird tales, surrealism, mythic fantasy, etc. We will consider steampunk, but with an emphasis on magic rather than technology.

·         Short fiction may be up to 5000 words in length.

·         We will also consider poetry.

     Complete guidelines will be available on the Edge site shortly. 

     Stay tuned! More to come.

     - Susan.

WRITING HISTORICAL FANTASY: GUEST POST by BARB GALLER-SMITH

'Warriors', Book Three of the Druids Trilogy

THE FOLLOWING IS A GUEST POST BY BARB GALLER-SMITH on the ins and outs of writing historical fantasy fiction. Barb knows of what she speaks, as her Druids Saga trilogy, which she co-wrote with Josh Langston, deals with the Celts in Gaul, at the time of Rome’s campaign to rule the world. I have had the pleasure of working with Barb as a fiction editor for the past number of years. I am very happy to host her here, on Suzenyms.

MOST PEOPLE JUST WANT TO GET TO THE NEXT DAY in reasonable shape—alive with their families, not hungry or thirsty, and with reliable shelter and safety. That’s something we’ve had in common with humanity for millennia. What we don’t have in common is the gap between our 'civilization' and a way of life we can’t comprehend. Romancing or sugar-coating doesn’t work well for historical fiction.

Modern readers probably won’t accept how rough, dirty, dangerous, and unsanitary conditions in the past were, or how the world views of people have changed. We often have to tweak history so our readers can relate to our characters. It’s those details that can make or break an historical piece.

How do you pay attention to those little details?

For your story to ring true, you must do your homework. This means doing more than checking out a few photos on the internet or that informative Wiki article.

Learn as much as you can about the time period and its day-to-day life. What recorded history tells us is easily laid out. Read historical, anthropological, and archaeological papers. Visit museums and write letters to experts. When researching for the Druids Saga trilogy, I contacted many experts in the field on the use of stirrups and the types of grains and foods grown in France two thousand years ago. We researched weather patterns to find out if snow could be expected to fall in Brittany in 90 BCE. We studied the geography of the time, including ancient shorelines, and even discovered to our dismay that we had made a few errors in our draft because we’d failed to sketch a local map to make sure our characters were heading in the right direction!

When it comes to dead religions of people who left archaeological records and historical notes from other societies, it’s not a good idea to just 'make it up' wholesale. Your religion will seem truer if it's based on what is already known. We based our Celtic religion on aspects of many modern tribal-based spiritual systems and old Irish and Welsh myths. We examined, used, or altered many practices still in use today: drumming and spiritual journeying; diviners or seers; religious holidays based on the sun, moon, and seasons; tribal rites of passage for men and women, sacred objects and magical implements; curses; and the gender roles of men and women.

All societies have daily rituals that may be centuries old. Use them! Alter as your story requires. It seemed reasonable to us that societies have always had divisions of labour, partly based on ability and inclination. So we defined 'druid' as 'learned one'. That meant that women were not relegated to a subservient role and could be druids: healers, judges, advocates, and bards. This was the modern writer in action: taking what we needed from the past and trying to honour the truth. It is the author’s responsibility to be as accurate as possible. If you know the real history or the real way people behaved, try not to change it. If there is still a debate, pick the side that best fits your story and move on. And yes, we had to ignore certain truths that would have prevented our story from unfolding. Only one caution: do not include something that you know is untrue—you will be called on it. You’ll want  to be remembered for doing your best, not trying to fool uninformed readers.

You may make lots of mistakes because what is known keeps changing. New facts require new explanations or models. Nevertheless, keep writing, for in the end, it’s the story that must grab and hold the reader.

(Thank you, Barb. As a writer of historical fantasy myself, that's excellent advice.)

Barb’s Bio: Barb Galler-Smith lives in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. She is an award winning author and a long-time mentor of emerging speculative fiction writers. A fiction editor with On Spec: The Canadian Magazine of the Fantastic, she is also the author of numerous short stories and co-author with Josh Langston, of their historical fantasy/epic trilogy The Druids Saga: Druids (2009), Captives (2011), Warriors (2013), available through Amazon and Edge Books at: http://www.edgewebsite.com/books/warriors/war-catalog.html

QUICK TRICKS FOR THAT FINAL EDIT: GUEST POST by EILEEN BELL

AT THE PURE SPECULATION FESTIVAL,  I had the pleasure of sharing a Pure Spec Idol* panel with Eileen Bell (Barb Galler-Smith, Sandra Wong, and Billie Milholland were also part of our crew). During the panel, Eileen had some great things to say about the editing tricks she uses, so I asked her right then (nothing like putting her on the spot) if she'd do a guest post for Suzenyms. Eileen's a good friend; she said 'yes'. I'm happy to share her editing tips here, with you. 

BY THE TIME YOU GET TO THE FINAL EDITING STAGE of your manuscript, you've probably looked at it a hundred times and are heartily sick of it. You’ve used spell check, and you’re pretty sure there aren’t any other mistakes. Really though, you just want the thing to go away. 

In a perfect world, this is when you put the manuscript in a drawer for a while. When you look at it again, days or weeks or even months later, you’ll see the mistakes. The typos, double words, formatting problems, and the nasty way your main character’s name changed from Sally to Sylvia, and then back to Sally. In other words, you’ll see your work with fresh eyes. But what do you do if you don’t have the luxury of time? You fool your eyes into seeing your work in a fresh, new way, so you can catch those errors you just don’t see anymore. This can be done in four (sort of) easy steps: 

1. Find all the words you use far too often. They may be weasel words** (words that either serve no purpose, or show there might be a problem in your writing) or they might just be your new favorite words. (I got hooked on the word “cool” while I was writing a manuscript, and when I searched, I found out I’d used it 55 times. Really.) Everybody has them, and now is the time to root them out. 

Use the search function to find out how many of these favorite words you have, and how many times you’ve used them. You might have to give yourself a minute to get over the shock and horror of some of the numbers that pop up, but after that, go through your manuscript and either remove or replace these words, one at a time. DON’T just search and remove all of them at one go, because some might be fine where they are. This is the time to decide.

2. Once all the extra words are gone, it’s time to look for the tiny mistakes still strewn through your manuscript. If you have a proofreading function in your writing program, use it. It will catch some of the errors. Then, go over the manuscript again, and this time, change up the look so any mistakes that are left will pop out at you. 

If you edit on your computer, try using a different font, or a different color. Change the size of the page. I use the Zoom function on my writing program and make the page twice as large as usual. I can really see the typos and other mistakes this way.

Try reading your manuscript from the last page to the first. This trick breaks up the story so it can’t pull you in. This way, you can concentrate on the words—and the mistakes. 

Print out a hard copy, and edit it the old fashioned way. This is remarkably effective, because it  changes the medium (paper, not computer screen) and how you look at it (down at the pages, not up at your screen). You’ll be surprised at what you catch. 

I highly recommend reading your manuscript out loud. Every time you stutter, or slow down, recognize that there’s a problem. If you see what the problem is, fix it immediately. If you only know that there is a problem, mark it in some way (I use highlighting) so you can go back to it and fix it later. And if you ever catch yourself saying, “What I really meant was...” it’s time to rewrite that section. 

This should eliminate most of the mistakes you can see. This leaves the ones you can’t. 

3. Check for correct spacing between words, and between sentences. I use the “View Invisibles” function on my writing program, which shows me, with a nice little blue dot, every time I’ve pressed the space bar. It might seem silly, but I always find double and even triple spaces where there should only be one. And sometimes, I find other formatting issues, and I can fix them, too. 

4. Finally, check the publisher’s guidelines one last time, to make absolutely certain you have set up the manuscript properly. Fix whatever needs fixing and then, your manuscript should be ready to go. I know. Sounds like a lot of work for tiny errors you can’t even see anymore. But here’s the deal. They HAVE to be corrected, because even though you can’t see them, your potential publisher will.

**For an in-depth look at weasel words, go to Melissa Jagears’ blog. (link to http://melissajagears.com/writer-resources/writing-helps-links/weasel-word-list/)

Eileen's Bio: Eileen Bell (also known as E.C. Bell) has had her short fiction published in magazines and several anthologies, including the double Aurora Award winning Women of the Apocalypse (Absolute XPress) and the Aurora winning Bourbon and Eggnog. The Puzzle Box (EDGE Books Publishing) a collaborative novel she wrote with Billie Milholland, Randy McCharles, and Ryan McFadden, came out in August, 2013. Her first ‘I wrote this myself’ novel, Seeing the Light, will be available in November, 2014, through Tyche Books. When she’s not writing, she’s living a fine life in her round house (that's in a perpetual state of renovation) with her husband, her two dogs, and her ever hungry goldfish. Find Eileen online at: Webpage:  http://www.eileenbell.com/, Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/eileen.bell.90. Twitter: https://twitter.com/ApocalypseWoman 

Eileen’s Upcoming Release: Seeing the Light is a paranormal mystery novel to be released November, 2014, by Tyche Books (http://tychebooks.com/announcing-seeing-the-light/). The book is based in Edmonton—and the Palais office building is based on the Arlington Apartments, built in Edmonton in 1909 (and home, briefly, to a serial killer!): Marie Jenner has never had much luck. Her job sucks. Her apartment – the one with the unbreakable lease – has a ghost. And worst of all, her mother won’t let up about her joining the “family business.” Since that business is moving the spirits of the dead on to the next plane of existence and doesn’t pay at all, Marie’s not interested. She wants a normal job, a normal life. That’s not too much to ask, is it? Apparently, it is. Even when she applies for the job of her dreams, Marie doesn’t get what she wants. Well, not entirely. She does get the job – but she also gets another ghost. Farley Hewitt, the newly dead caretaker of the building, wants her to prove his death isn’t an accident, and she’s pretty sure he’s going to haunt her until she does. All she wants is normal. She isn’t going to get it!

(Thanks, Eileen! Really looking forward to reading Seeing the Light when it's available!)   

* If you're not sure what Pure Spec Idol is, it runs pretty much the same way the TV show does, except contestants submit the first few pages of their manuscripts anonymously. The editors put up their hands to stop the reader from reading further, when they hit a point where they would stop reading because of a writing problem. Once three editors put their hands up, they're expected to explain why. I've been on quite a few of these, the panel is usually great fun, and contestants usually find the feedback helpful. It's also a hoot for the audience if the reader throws in a few ringers for the editors. At this last convention, Billie Milholland tossed us the opening from J. D. Salinger's Catcher in the Rye. None of us recognized it, and we all criticized it. :-) 

A NICE REVIEW of THE URBAN GREEN MAN, including MY STORY, 'EVERGREEN'

I JUST RECENTLY READ A REALLY NICE REVIEW of the Urban Green Man anthology, written by friend and writer, Derek Newman-Stille. I featured Derek recently on Suzenyms: his guest post on writing horror has been one of the most visited on this blog. This is a short note, as I'm getting ready for the Pure Speculation Festival this weekend, but I thought I'd point you all to Derek's blog Speculating Canada, to take a look at what he says about the Urban Green Man anthology (Edge Books), and my story 'Evergreen'.

Here's the link to Derek's post where he talks about the anthology in, 'A Face of Shifting Leaves':

And here's the link to his previous post about 'Evergreen' in 'A Clear-Cut Future'.

Have a great weekend, everybody. Early next week, you're in for a treat. I'm guest hosting Hugh A.D. Spencer, who talks about writing humor in speculative fiction.

THE URBAN GREEN MAN ANTHOLOGY - INTERVIEW WITH EDITORS, ADRIA LAYCRAFT AND JANICE BLAINE

AS ONE OF THE CONTRIBUTORS to the Urban Green Man anthology, I'm excited about the book's launch this coming August through Edge Books. (I'm also thrilled that my story Evergreen is the lead and appears right after Charles de Lint's introduction.) I thought I'd pin down editors Adria Laycraft and Janice Blaine to talk about the anthology, how it came about, and what their experience was with it.

Ladies, your inspiration for the anthology was the Green Man in all of his (or her) manifestations. Question #1. In a nutshell, what is a Green Man? What drew you to this subject in the first place?

Adria: As a gardener, I’ve always been fascinated with the Green Man faces that are a popular garden decoration. As a writer, I had to know what the story behind the face was. The research taught me about the archetype of renewal and protection of all green growing things, and that many societies had their own version of this mythology. It seemed an obvious idea for a themed anthology, rich with symbolism and ripe for visual art as well. When I mentioned my idea to Janice when we worked in the EDGE office, her excitement led me to invite her to team up on the project and present it to Brian Hades—with very happy results.

Janice:  In college, I was introduced to the writings of Joseph Campbell and Dr. Clarissa Pinkola Estes. The universal myths and archetypes that they wrote about—the idea that we are connected by the stories we tell—fascinated me. I love stories that have a purpose, stories that explore the world and our role in it, myths as metaphors. The Green Man is one of those stories that shows up in many different forms all over the world. He is an Earth spirit who represents the connection between humanity and nature. He represents the cycles of life, renewal, and rebirth. He is often carved on old churches, surrounded by greenery with leaves protruding from his mouth. I've been painting and studying him for years, so I was thrilled with the opportunity to work on an anthology that celebrated him.

2). Before you received submissions, what overall ‘vision’ did you have for the anthology? Was there a particular message or theme you wanted to get across to the reader? Does your original vision reflect what the book has become? 

Adria: My original vision was simply to explore the mythology in all its facets, especially because many people I talked to hadn’t even heard of the Green Man. When we decided to narrow submissions to Urban Fantasy, the project took on a life of its own as we saw this myth brought into the modern day. Janice and I realized we wanted this be our way of being environmentalists of a sort, to talk about how the Green Man would feel if he ‘woke up’ to the world today. Our vision was met again and again in the stories and poems we received.

Janice: Because the Green Man is such a huge theme, we needed to narrow it down from the beginning. There seemed to be many Green Man books out there, but most of the ones we found explored the history of the archetype. We thought it would be interesting to bring the myth into a contemporary setting, to see how the Green Man might react to what humanity has done to his wild, natural world. For me, this anthology is an environmental statement. Some of the stories are hopeful visions of the future. Some are cautionary tales. All are explorations of green magic that can still be found in concrete jungles. 

3). Did the two of you two choose to work on this anthology together, or were you assigned to work on it? What do you feel you both brought to the process?

Adria: The original idea was mine, and as I said, Janice became an obvious partner because of her enthusiasm for the project, her knowledge of the mythology, and her strengths that were so different and complementary to mine. Janice turned this fantastic collection into a veritable work of art, enhancing our theme and making it something to collect and treasure. I can’t thank her enough for that. My job was to be a fast reader and to bring my writing, editing, and critiquing experience to the table. 

Janice: The idea was originally Adria's. She mentioned it to me one day while we were working at the EDGE office, and my excitement prompted her to ask me to partner with her. At first I was a bit hesitant, because I'm not a writer by trade. However, I am a storyteller, an illustrator, and an environmentalist. I've spent years studying and painting tree mythology and the Green Man legend. This anthology gave me the opportunity to explore these passions in a way I never expected. Adria and I come from very different backgrounds. Our skill sets compliment each other brilliantly. 

4). Of course, the stories you liked best were the ones you chose for the book. But what drew you to particular stories the most? Was it theme, characterization, plot? 

Adria: We had to reject some stories that we were very much in love with because they didn’t fit the theme. Once we were clear on our theme, we knew that we needed to stay true to it. At first we worried we might not get enough stories that fit—we shouldn’t have worried. The excitement over the project blew us away and provided enough amazing stories for several anthologies! I won't be surprised to see many of the stories we couldn’t keep appear in other publications.

Janice: The response we got to our call for submissions was incredible, not only in volume, but also in quality. We could easily have put together two full length anthologies with the number of excellent stories we received. This was clearly a theme that many people were very passionate about. In the end, we had to reject many excellent stories simply because they didn't quite fit the theme we wanted to reflect.

5). Were there any stories that surprised you? Why? 

Adria: Many of our stories go beyond the speculative fiction I expected to receive. Some of them expanded my mind and left me asking all the right questions, which is what good stories do. The book actually ends on a question, and it fits what the entire project was trying to do, overall. 

Janice: This was my first experience in this type of role, so I honestly didn't know what to expect. A part of me was concerned that there might not be enough interest in the project . (The humble side of me worries about that with every project I take on.) In this case, I had nothing to worry about. The submissions we received exceeded my expectations. I was most surprised by the volume and scope of the stories. We had people submitting from all over the world. 

6). What was the best thing about editing this anthology? The worst? What advice would you give to anyone who might consider writing for, or editing one?

Adria: There have been many wonderful moments. Reading through the stories the first time was a thrill and a privilege, and I enjoyed the process despite receiving three times as many submissions as expected. The worst thing by far was sending out rejection letters. I don’t like getting them, and now I know I don’t like sending them either. It got harder with every round. As to advice, I would say to be sure you’re up for the sheer magnitude of work involved. That, and don’t be surprised in how invested you become. When you write, your stories become your babies. This is no different.

Janice: I am an incredibly slow, meticulous reader, so the biggest challenge for me in this project was working through the volume of submissions. The majority of the slush pile was filtered by Adria. I loved watching our theme take shape as we added more and more stories to the "Interested" pile. I loved exploring creative ways we could arrange the final selections so that the stories would flow and complement each other. And, of course, I loved building all the visual elements. Creating the cover, illustrations, and layout was my role once the stories were chosen, while Adria had the job of editing and polishing the collection.

7). What’s next for you both? Another anthology, perhaps? 

Adria: I would be honoured to work with Janice again, but at this point we’re not sure what that might look like. I know we certainly work well together, but I also know the project has to be right before I would commit to it. I have my own novels and short stories I’m working on, including a middle grade science fiction series that I’d like to see in schools someday.

Janice: I would welcome the opportunity to work with Adria on another project. What that project might be, I can't say at this point.

Adria’s Bio: Adria Laycraft is a grateful member of IFWA and a proud survivor of the Odyssey Writers Workshop. She works as a freelance writer and editor of The Write Initiative. Look for her stories in Tesseracts 16, Neo-opsis, On-Spec, James Gunn's Ad Astra, DKA Magazine, Hypersonic Tales, The Alien Next Door, and In Places Between. Author of Be a Freelance Writer Now, Adria lives in Calgary with her husband and son. Learn more about Adria at www.adrialaycraft.com or at www.thewriteinitiative.com. 

Janice’s Bio: Janice Blaine is a professional commercial artist working out of Calgary. Throughout her career, she has worked on a wide variety of projects, ranging from pre-production animation to design and illustration of children’s books. Her illustrations have appeared on the covers of numerous magazines and books. Her cover illustration for Neo-Opsis's Issue #20 was nominated for an Aurora Award. She currently works as the Production Manager at EDGE Science Fiction and Fantasy Publishing. She also does freelance illustration and design work. Her personal work is fuelled by a passion for storytelling and a love of nature. Her paintings explore the universal language of myth and folklore. Her portfolio may be viewed a www.paintersblock.com. 

(Thanks Adria and Janice! For those who are interested, you can pre-order the book from Edge Books here: 

Next Post: Dropping the 'F' Bomb, Guest Post by Michael R. Fletcher

Stay tuned.

NEW BEGINNINGS - THE TATTOOED ROSE and THE ABC'S of How NOT TO WRITE SPECULATIVE FICTION

The Fool Card from Artist's Vision Tarot

SOME PEOPLE GET THEIR DAILY HOROSCOPES mailed to them. I get daily tarot cards. This morning, I received The Fool which is appropriate, considering I'm about to begin work on The Tattooed Rose. I always find starting a new book daunting. I have so much I want to say, I've scribbled down plot, but there are still many details I need to work out. Here's a short version of what my daily tarot reading said:

"The Fool card affirms that my alter ego today is a Quantum Leaper with a hero's heart. I am liberated by free will and trust, which lead me to explore simple speculations for their own sake. I can move beyond the fear factor. I don't know where I'm going, and I don't care where I've been. I only know that, as the hero of my own story, it's for me to find out. Like Alice, I'm on the verge of stepping into the rabbit hole, unless I stop short and play it safe. I'll know soon enough where following my own feet has landed me on this curious venture. So despite familiar warnings, irresistible promise draws my eyes wide open and away from domestic comfort zones. I'll never know until I try."

The Fool is always about beginnings.

Here's another 'beginning' that may interest some of you. I was thinking of re-vamping my non-fiction book on how not to write - The ABC's of How NOT to Write Speculative Fiction. The book will cover an A to Z span of all the writing errors I've encountered as an On Spec editor over the last twenty years. When I looked at the book yesterday, I realized there was so much more I wanted to say compared to what I wrote seven years ago. If I were to revise it in one go, it would take me several months to finish it. Sooooo...I've decided to post the ABC's as I rewrite them here, on Suzenyms. If you want some writing tips, or you want to make sure you're not committing the errors I'll be posting about, or if you're already error-savvy and have things you want to contribute for everyone's benefit, please feel free. Once I'm done, I may put all the new posts in a book and sell it on Amazon. So far, the book has had two small printings through On Spec, so why not publish it as an e-book?

And while we're on the subject of tarot cards, my story Evergreen (soon to be published in the Urban Green Man Anthology, Edge Publishing) opens with a tarot reading. Check out the link if you want to know more about the anthology or you'd like to pre-order. The collection is set to launch this August in Calgary at When Words Collide. I'll be featuring co-editors Adria Laycraft and Janice Blaine in a guest interview in the next week or so.

Next Post: Publicists, Part Three: What 'Exactly' Can a Publicist Do For Me, and How Much Will It Cost? by Rachel Sentes.

Stay tuned.

ME, MYSELF, AND I: A CLOSER LOOK AT ON SPEC EDITOR, SUSAN MacGREGOR

AND NOW IT’S MY TURN, to answer the questions I put to my fellow On Spec editors. I hope these posts are helpful and give writers a better idea of what we look for in submitted work: 

1). What kinds of stories appeal to you most? Do you lean towards a particular type of story or style? When I think in terms of what stories I want to see in On Spec, I think in terms of variety. Like some of my fellow editors, I prefer strong pieces told in a straightforward style, but I’m also as likely to choose prose that is more dense, more of a challenge to read, and—in my mind, more sophisticated in presentation. This also applies to point of view. I don’t prefer one POV over another. First Person works as well for me as Third Person Limited, Second Person, or (as long as it’s done extremely well), Omniscient. For me, variety is what it’s all about. I would hate for On Spec to be seen as one thing in terms of content or style. Differences in editorial taste mean a better selection for readers.

That said, I do have preferences. I love stories that make me laugh. We don’t get enough humor (and don’t tell me humor is hard to write. Like anything, you just have to know what works). I love fantasies set in historical settings in alternative or parallel worlds. I love pieces that mix genres, my personal favorites are Steam-punk and Weird West, but anything that’s unusual or new will catch my eye. Unlike Robin, I like a little romance thrown into the mix now and then, as long as the story stays true to its speculative nature.

Give me stories that are well-seasoned with vivid description, have a high emotional content and present characters who are quirky, passionate, and imperfect but not weak. Tell me a story where your protagonist wants something badly and risks a great deal to get it, where he changes as a result of succeeding or losing, and where I'm touched by his outcome (or entertained). 

2). What types of stories don't appeal to you? What are your pet peeves writing-wise? Characterization is so important. I hate weak characters—those who waffle, are acted upon without taking a stand, let cruel fate toss them around, or who bore me with unimportant detail (exposition). Think of who you'd like to chat with at a party. I don’t like Mary Sue protagonists who are sweet and good (a beginning writer’s mistake if there ever was one, but I’ve also seen the same thing done by authors who should know better). I don’t like unfeeling killers of any ilk, mostly because they’re uninteresting. Any brute can kill. If you want to have a protagonist like that, show me what makes him or her tick. Give me a reason to agree with what they do, even reluctantly. (Reluctantly might even be better).

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I can’t stand redundancy. Here’s an example: ‘They looked with their faces towards the moon shining in the night sky.’  If you don’t know what’s wrong with that sentence, send me a note and I’ll enlighten you.

3). What advice would you give to a writer submitting to us? Write every day, if you can. A writer’s ability improves over time in a strange, organic way that’s hard to pinpoint. Get feedback on your work, preferably from someone who writes at a higher level than you. Don’t be afraid to experiment—try working in different styles or genres; they'll broaden you. Take risks! (Write humor!) Make all of your work vivid and emotional, and let the reader in on your protagonist’s deepest thoughts and motivations. Most important: put your work away for a time before submitting it anywhere. A month’s absence often makes the errors stand out. Great work takes time to become that way. Trust your inner editor. She's probably right about what isn't working or what more needs to be done.

4). Please list any credits you'd like mentioned (ie. book pubs, editing/publishing involvement), followed by a small bio: I've been an editor with On Spec Magazine for over twenty years (since 1991) making me a member of the ‘old guard’. I love editing for two reasons: one—it gives me a lot of pleasure to look at a story and help the writer bring it to greater strength, and two, for some reason, I seem to be really good at this. I'm not sure why. However, I do see things others might miss, including what isn’t in a story and what should be. I see what’s outside the box.

As for my credits, I’ve edited two anthologies: Divine Realms (through the Ravenstone Imprint of Turnstone Press), Tesseracts Fifteen: A Case of Quite Curious Tales (Edge Books). My non-fiction book, The ABC’s of How NOT to Write Speculative Fiction (The Copper Pig Writers’ Society) has seen two printings, and I am revising it a third time as I present each section in this blog. I have had my short fiction published in On Spec, Northern Frights Five, and other venues, as well as in anthologies, A Method to the Madness (Five Rivers Publishing), and The Urban Green Man (Edge Books). Currently, I am working on the first draft of my third book, The Tattooed Rose. The Tattooed Witch, the first in the trilogy (of the same name), has been nominated for an Aurora award through the Canadian Science Fiction and Fantasy Association. I released the second book, The Tattooed Seer, this August. All three books have been, or will be, published through Five Rivers Publishing.

A CLOSER LOOK AT ON SPEC EDITORS: BARB GALLER-SMITH

As I did with Robin Carson, here are the same questions I put to Barb Galler-Smith. Barb has been a Fiction Editor with On Spec Magazine since 2008:

1). What kinds of stories appeal to you most? Do you lean towards a particular type of story or style? 

I especially like science-based stories and stories with realistic aliens who are not just people dressed up in rubber suits. A story can be either science fiction or space fantasy, but it must end with a positive emotional impact. I don't mean the end needs to be lovey-dovey or that the good guy wins; I mean that the end must be a logical one and it must satisfy, so I can say, "Yup, that's just right." As for style, I like it straightforward. Exquisite prose can woo me, but only if the story has a real engagement factor. A character without some kind of conflict that keeps him from getting what he wants will not work for me. I love getting to the end and saying, "Wow. That ended perfectly." I also like plot and characters in interesting settings. Lately, I've been drawn to stories based upon non-European myths. 

2). What types of stories don't appeal to you? What are your pet peeves, writing-wise? 

Most unappealing: stories with gratuitous violence, unnecessary gore, vulgarity (I will not read past the C-word unless it's in a context in which it's appropriate–that's never happened), or sexism, or racism for its own sake. I want a story, not a bunch of expletives that add up to nothing more than shock-value.

I am disappointed by stories that start strongly with a gripping first paragraph, and then back up to explain how the protagonist got where he was. If you need a back-story that's too big to tuck into the narrative, you're not writing a short story. I'm also not fond of present tense. If an opening is strong enough for me to read three or four paragraphs before I realize it's in present tense, the author has used it properly. Since I've been with On Spec, that's happened to me twice. 

Not so much a peeve is my desire for a complete story, usually with a middle. I hate HAITEs–Here’s An Idea, The End. Too many come across my desk. No development of plot or character means 'no sale' to me, no matter how well-written the story is.  Worse than that is a really good story that ends without a clear resolution. I'm left scratching my head and muttering, "WTF?"

3). What advice would you give to a writer submitting to us? 

Make sure we are the right market. Child protagonists are a hard sell to us, and we will never buy anything, no matter how fabulous, if it doesn't have at least a hint of a speculative element integral to the story.

Just tell the best story you can. Then make sure your punctuation and grammar are right. A lot of errors will get past me if I am engaged in the story, but there are a few things that will pull me out: wrong word usage, getting facts wrong (especially getting the science wrong), and too many fragments that suggest the author is unable to write a simple sentence.

4). Please list any credits you'd like mentioned (ie. book pubs, editing/publishing involvement), followed by a small bio: 

I've had a great working life: I've been a wildlife biologist, a librarian, a Humane Educator, a quarterly magazine editor, a science and language arts teacher, and a writer. I have both short and long fiction credits. My novels (in collaboration with US author Josh Langston) include an historical fantasy trilogy, The Druids Saga: "Druids" (2009), "Captives" (2011), and "Warriors" (forthcoming, August, 2013), through Edge Books Publisher, and, just for a change, a contemporary romantic comedy called "Under Saint Owain's Rock". 

Barb's Bio: Barb Galler-Smith loves all things science, living things, and history. And of course Shakespeare and her Super Spouse. They're all shiny.

(Thanks, Barb.)

Next Post: Barry Hammond, On Spec Poetry Editor

Stay tuned.

BACK FROM THE DEAD...

Yes, it's been two years or so, since my last post. What can I say? I've been busy. Lots happening, lots going on. Lately, I have two stories coming out in two separate anthologies - the first debuts this July, 2013: "A Method to the Madness, A Guide to the Super Evil" through Five Rivers Publishing. As part of the promotional process, I've set up a separate blog for my story, as have all the other contributors. The anthology is meant to be humorous, with stories along the same lines as the movie "Despicable Me". I hope everyone who reads the book (and my story) finds it enjoyable. My second story will appear in the "Urban Green Man" anthology through Edge Books, launching this August at When Words Collide, an annual writers' convention in Calgary. I was really pleased to learn that my story "Evergreen" has been chosen for the lead, following an introduction by Charles de Lint.

TESSERACTS 15 AUTHORS - HERE THEY ARE!

FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO ARE INTERESTED and have been waiting to hear, this is our Tesseracts Fifteen Table of Contents line-up:

A Safety of Crowds by E.L. Chen
Fragile Things by Amanda Sun
Just Dance by Erika Holt
Poem - adaptation by Francine Lewis
Saving the Dead, or The Diary of an Undertaker’s Apprentice by Jennifer Greylyn
Feral by Nicole Luiken
A+ Brain by Katrina Nicholson
The Road of Good Intentions by Cat McDonald
The Windup Heiress by Leslie Brown
The Bridge Builder by Kevin Cockle
My Name is Tommy by Mike Rimar
Darwin's Vampire by Elise Moser
Costumes by Shen Braun
Poem - Civility by J.J. Steinfeld
Take My Waking Slow by Michele Ann Jenkins
The Weirdo Adventures of Steve Rand by Claude Lalumière
Every You, Every Me by Virginia Modugno
The Oak Girl by Helen Marshall
Edge of Moonglow by Ed Greenwood
Split Decision by Robert Runte
Hide by Rebecca M. Senese
Four Against Chaos by Kurt Kirchmeier
Ice Pirates by Claire Eamer
Poem - You Always Knew by Michelle Barker
The Illumination of Cypher-Space by Lynne M. MacLean
The Tremor Road by Tony Pi
The Memory Junkies by K. Boorman

This is YA as you've never seen before. In the next day or so, I'll be posting about why we chose these particular pieces from among more than 250 submissions. Stay tuned.