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Ahoy, Critterfolk!
New entry Jun 06
Critter Notices
Books from Critters!
Check out Books by Critters for books by your fellow Critterfolk, as well as my list of recommended books for writers.
A Guide to Barsoom
The ultimate, definitive
GUIDE TO BARSOOM from ReAnimus Press.
NOW IN PRINT EDITION TOO. The best guide to Edgar Rice Burroughs' Mars series.
The Sigil Trilogy
If you're looking for an amazing, WOW! science fiction story, check out THE SIGIL TRILOGY. This is — literally — one of the best science fiction novels I've ever read.
Interviewed!
I was interviewed live on public radio for Critters' birthday, for those who want to listen.
Free Web Sites
Free web sites for authors (and others) are available at www.nyx.net.
ReAnimus Acquires Advent!
ReAnimus Press is pleased to announce the acquisition of the legendary Advent Publishers! Advent is now a subsidiary of ReAnimus Press, and we will continue to publish Advent's titles under the Advent name. Advent was founded in 1956 by Earl Kemp and others, and has published the likes of James Blish, Hal Clement, Robert Heinlein, Damon Knight, E.E. "Doc" Smith, and many others. Advent's high quality titles have won and been finalists for several Hugo Awards, such as The Encyclopedia of Science Fiction and Fantasy and Heinlein's Children. Watch this space for ebook and print editions of all of Advent's current titles!
Book Recommendation
THE SIGIL TRILOGY:
The universe is dying from within...
"Great stuff... Really enjoyed it." — SFWA Grandmaster Michael Moorcock
Announcing ReAnimus Press
If you're looking for great stuff to read from bestselling and award-winning authors—look no further! ReAnimus Press was founded by your very own Critter Captain. (And with a 12% Affiliate program.) [More]
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FEATURED BOOK
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Notes for 01-May-2024...
This week helping out the Critters Fund Drive is...
ALPHA 5 by (SFWA Grandmaster) Robert Silverberg - $3.99
ReAnimus Press Store: www.ReAnimus.com/1717
Amazon: www.amazon.com/dp/B0B85GMN72/?tag=critters3a-20
(available in ebook + hardcover + paperback)
The fifth in a series of superb science fiction.
The Alpha series of anthologies center on no particular theme except that of literary quality.
Two criteria were used in the selecting of these stories--literary merit and importance to the genre. The result is that the variety of subjects is matched only by the richness and diversity of their handling--brilliant, frightening, clever, bizarre, powerful, witty, funny--and several steps in-between. Simply put, here is the best science fiction from the best science fiction writers.
This group of stories gives pleasure by demonstrating the richness and variety of the science-fiction form. The stories show the reader visions he has not previously had, and send him away transformed and enlarged. The fifth volume of this highly acclaimed series features stories by promising new talents and by several of the field's most honored writers. Some of the stories in this year's Alpha show us, with painful clarity, the approaching consequences of our most recent miscalculations; other stories take a longer view, portraying events in the remote galaxies that have only metaphorical applications to our immediate lives. Here are ten more visions of times to come, glimpses of the roads ahead.
(Alpha 1-4 and 6-9 are great too!) :)
[Disclaimer: Ye Olde Critter Captain also runs ReAnimus Press, sales from which help him keep Critters going as a free site.]
Thanks for the donations, folks!
(No donations this past week, sad minion face.) :[
[See http://www.critters.org/donate.php for more information.]
- Chris Hepler, whose (Critter'd) short story, "High Water Mark"
is now out in the current issue of the anthology "Paladins of
Valor" by Chris Kennedy Press. {A big thanks to all who critiqued
it, including Charles Botsford, Tim Nall, John Edlund, Brian
Sellnow, and all friends and family!}
- Robert Harpold, whose (Critter'd) novel, "When the Gods Are
Away" is now out from Dark Matter INK. {This novel was crittered
several years back and finally found a home! It officially comes
out May 7, but pre-orders are already shipping.
When the Gods Are Away: It is Blasphemer’s Week, an annual
period during which the gods vacation at Mount Olympus and ignore
the inconsequential mortals, and it always begins with blood. The
first victim is a former police officer getting butter from his
fridge. Virgil Glezos, the city-state’s first detective on his
first case, must track the killer by inventing his own techniques
combining magic and technology. He is aided by a professional
dance choreographer, a biowarfare expert who doesn’t want to be
there, two police officers who hate him, and a priest who might or
might not be incompetent and who might or might not be trying to
kill him. Virgil uncovers something deeper than a single murder,
and he is the wrong person at the right time to stop it.}
Please report your Woohoo!s via the www.critters.org/telldaworld.ht web page.
This week's Most Productive Critter award, for 2 critiques (at time of judging), averaging over 800 words each, goes to...
Patrick Tibbits
To redeem an MPC, visit: www.critters.org/usempc.ht
Congratulations! To everyone else -- Crit early and often!
(For an explanation of the MPC award, see the www.critters.org/award.ht page.)
Recommended Reading...
One of the best writing books - Secrets from the 6-time Best Editor
Hugo Award Master, Ben Bova: THE CRAFT OF WRITING SCIENCE FICTION THAT SELLS
https://ReAnimus.com/store?item=1144
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Critters Workshop
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This week we have... [get from https://www.critters.org/private/mss.php ]...
Title Author
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Week of 1-May-2024 (Crits due 8-May-2024):
SF At Home in the Cloud John Francis Willems -#31429
F Spelling Trouble, Chapter 6 Brian Sellnow -#31430
SF Nanite Wars: Earth chapter 9 Joel Stanley -#31431
SF Flower of Life Ch. 3-4 Kim Kupper Oshinski -#31432
SF Life for Prepared Stereo in Bb: Part 1 of 3 Matt Britton -#31433
F Do You Want to Meet Him Jason Gale -#31434
SF Retribution Will Be Swift Dan Bracewell -#31435
SF RIppling Ground, Chapters 1-5 Jeff Richardson -#31436
SF Lazer Guns and Fried Greebs Morgan Z Sowell -#31437
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Recommended books on writing:
THE CRAFT OF WRITING AND SELLING SCIENCE FICTION by Ben Bova
ReAnimus Press Store: https://ReAnimus.com/store?item=1144
Amazon: https://Amazon.com/dp/B006MAZPEI
HOW TO IMPROVE YOUR SPECULATIVE FICTION OPENINGS By (Critter member) Robert Qualkinbush
https://ReAnimus.com/store?item=1184 | https://Amazon.com/dp/B007O272ZI
STAYIN' ALIVE - A WRITER'S GUIDE by three-time SFWA President Norman Spinrad
How things really work in the art and commerce of publishing
https://ReAnimus.com/store?item=1179 | https://Amazon.com/dp/B007SIC4I8
EXPERIMENT PERILOUS: THE 'BUG JACK BARRON' PAPERS by Norman Spinrad
(A 99cent essay on SF and writing)
https://ReAnimus.com/store?item=1180 | https://Amazon.com/dp/B007MF3MS8
Because you might enjoy it... THE LIVING LABYRINTH by IAN STEWART AND TIM POSTON
Elzabet sticks her hand into an alien flower - and you won't believe what happens next!
https://reanimus.com/store/?item=1517
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Pieces up for critique in other workshops...
In the lit workshop - https://critique.org/lit :
L Jolie, Effy, & Amorette Daniel. A. Dunnham -#31322
In the nonfiction workshop - https://critique.org/nonfiction :
NP I *Experience*, Therefore I Am Robin niCathain -#30061
In the script workshop - https://critique.org/script :
SC Cupidity Kathleen C -#31276
In the kids workshop - https://critique.org/kids :
YP Dad's Old Guitar Tessa Stahly -#31422
In the comics workshop - https://critique.org/comics :
CG Magna. logline/ synopsis Brent Claridge -#28885
In the western workshop - https://critique.org/western :
W Currently Untitled Aleksandr Vincente Hoang -#30472
In the romance workshop - https://critique.org/romance :
R For Her Honor Chapters 1-5 Morgan Stevens -#31119
In the video workshop - https://critique.org/video :
VS The Gallery of Henri Beauchamp Jay DeTalente -#21424
In the music workshop - https://critique.org/music :
MP The Shade Riders and Nocturnal Ned song Beth Zurkowski -#21675
In the photo workshop - https://critique.org/photo :
PH Tea and Gossip Sandy Kulhavy -#30875
In the art workshop - https://critique.org/art :
AH Art Man, a portrait Robert J Cleary -#27847
In the website workshop - https://critique.org/website :
WW Franklin's Palindromedary Ray N. Franklin -#29498
In the critters workshop - https://critique.org/critters :
SF At Home in the Cloud John Francis Willems -#31429
F Spelling Trouble, Chapter 6 Brian Sellnow -#31430
SF Nanite Wars: Earth chapter 9 Joel Stanley -#31431
SF Flower of Life Ch. 3-4 Kim Kupper Oshinski -#31432
SF Life for Prepared Stereo in Bb: Part 1 of 3 Matt Britton -#31433
F Do You Want to Meet Him Jason Gale -#31434
SF Retribution Will Be Swift Dan Bracewell -#31435
SF RIppling Ground, Chapters 1-5 Jeff Richardson -#31436
SF Lazer Guns and Fried Greebs Morgan Z Sowell -#31437
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You might also like... RUSSELL RAVEN ISN'T SCARED ANYMORE by CRAIG STRETE
Russell Raven was afraid of... everything.
https://reanimus.com/store/?item=1734
Standard notes:
HELP: If you need help with anything, see https://www.critters.org/help -- there are FAQs and a form to ask questions.
HELPING CRITTERS: Critters is donation funded & volunteer run, so if you'd like to help out with our current fund drive or otherwise, please visit https://www.critters.org/donate.php -- Thanks!!
HOW TO SEND CRITIQUES: Remember to send the critiques directly to me, critters@critique.org, so I can forward them to the authors _and_ give you credit for your effort. Please send only one critique per mail message (makes it easier to archive). Please make sure the "#" symbol and manuscript number are in the email Subject: line, like Subject: #1234. (Conversely, if you want ol' Aburt to personally read the message, i.e., it's _not_ a critique, don't put a "#" in the subject or I won't see it. Also -- put my current anti-spam code word in there: see https://www.critters.org/antispam.ht .)
You may also send your critiques via https://www.critters.org/webcrit.ht .
Note that all critiques will be available to everyone to read the next Saturday.
DIPLOMACY: Remember, authors and critiquers, we're all friends here. Be polite. Be considerate. Be tactful. You can say you thought a story was drivel in a courteous way. Try to point out the good and the bad; offer alternatives if you can. Never, ever, attack the author -- only the story. Authors: Remember that some reviewers may lack tact. Try to be understanding, but if you get any that you feel are just plain mean-spirited, too short to be of any use, or too "feel good," let me know and I'll withhold the reviewer's "credit" for that story and/or cajole them into something more insightful. See https://www.critters.org/diplomacy.ht for more...
CRITIQUE LENGTH: If you want to send a short critique that you know is too short for credit (200 words or less of your own meaningful content) please put "NC#" in the Subject (NC=No Credit, like Subject: NC#1234) -and- say something like "not for credit" inside your critique. (Remember also that for MPC purposes, a critique must be 300 words or more.)
CHATTING: Comments -other- than critiques (such as discussion of the critiques, or Woohoo! announcements, or chit chat) should be posted to one of the official Critters discussion forums (See the https://www.critters.org/newsgroups.ht web page for full info, guidelines, etc.) Don't post stories or critiques (mail those to critters@critique.org).
QUOTING: Please pare the ms. down if critiquing in-line (don't quote the whole ms.!). Other format rules are at https://www.critters.org/format.ht .
EVERYTHING'S ON THE WEB: Past reviews are on the web page. The current week's manuscripts are also there, as are prior mss. and even some rewrites. There's a Master Page Index (site map) with tons of links to common items.
AUTHORS: Authors for this week -- if you aren't getting email'd critiques from me (as they come in) within a couple days -- ask me and we can verify I'm sending them to the correct address. (Send me a phone# in case I can't get email to you.) Check the format of your story ASAP to make sure it's all there and readable.
EMAIL ISSUES: If you want to change your email address or preferences (# mss. emailed, SF/F/H type, or whether you get the huge critique batches at week's end), point your browser to https://www.critters.org/admin.ht . Please don't ask me to do this by hand, it's quite a chore! (E.g., if you're going on vacation and want to suspend mail from me -- do this before/after your trip.)
BACKUP SITE: If you're unable to reach www.critters.org to get manuscripts, I've set up an emergency backup site at https://backup.critters.org where you can get the week's manuscripts (but not much of anything else :-). Speaking of backups -- don't forget to back up your own manuscripts so you don't lose them!
QUITTING: If you want to quit or go inactive, drop by https://www.critters.org/admin.ht .
DONATIONS: Critters is funded by donations, so visit https://www.critters.org/donate.php if you'd like to help out.
Because you might enjoy it... CRISIS! by JAMES GUNN Johnson has to save the future through time travel, but his memory isn't great... https://reanimus.com/store/?item=1654
-- You received this email message because you signed up for the Critters Writers Workshop. If you want to stop getting these emails, please visit https://www.critters.org/email.ht .
