My short science-fiction story, “Worlds Less Traveled,” has been selected to appear in a future issue of the online science-fiction magazine, Perihelion, edited by Sam Bellotto, Jr., with contributing editor, Eric M. Jones.
Perihelion features science fiction stories, reviews of movies and books, editorials, comic strips, science fiction artwork and well-researched factual science-and-related articles. It was founded in the 1960s by Bellotto and Eric M. Jones. It was a print magazine at the time and acclaimed as a pioneer. Bellotto is also a published author. His novel, “Yellow Glad Days,” is available from Double Dragon Publishing.
“Worlds Less Traveled” is the short tale of an Earth attorney at an off-world deposition too far from home as he faces a crisis of reality. When the schedule is set for publication, it will be announced here.
It’s was a year ago this month that my flash-fiction story, “Procyon Descent,” was published, and the reactions I get from readers that normally like my work are still mixed.
The idea that colonists from Earth will traverse the gulf between stars in generation ships to finally claim a new world is not new. It has been the subject of many books and short stories, and even some movies. But the backdrop is still rich with possibilities. Hardship will abound, and “Procyon Descent” should, if I did my job, make us wonder whether we today could fairly judge the actions of those that ultimately endure the traverse.
Some find the story shocking, depressing or grim, which it is in a slightly Lord-of-the-Flies vein. But I also see, at its core, sacrifice, determination and a ray of hope. Farther Stars Than These, edited by E.S. Wynn, agreed to publish the very short story. Of course, you can decide for yourself if the short tale is worth telling. Will they survive? Did they take appropriate action? It begins like this:
The day comes too soon. I work up the length of the crop terrace. My waist-high row is lined with scrawny beets sucking what they can from the muck of the nutrient stream. Across is a row of an old Earth grain called barley, followed by eight rows of sheet fungus and more rows of stuff we call food, lining the curved floor that turns up and out of sight behind the matching curved ceiling. It wraps around back to here, everything pressed to the floor by the spin of the ship that’s been groaning under the strain for over 800 years. Or so it’s told.The lights wink.
“He’s early,” I complain.
Megan, two rows over, slows her gray-water flow to a trickle. “Just seems.”
I gawk a moment, seeking her eye, just to confirm someone shares this feeling of being rushed. I see it’s so. But it doesn’t help.
Things get worse.
I’ve written many uplifting stories. This one probably does not top the list in that category. And if you are opposed to anything containing violence, even as an integral part of the story, don’t read it.
It’s 971 words long, all told. The story is still available to read at Farther Stars Than These. That site permits comments, as does this. If you choose to read it, please feel free to react.
Romance Writers of America is in the middle of an 11-week series of interactive video-chat events highlighting the 2013 RITA Award finalist authors. This is a terrific opportunity for fans and followers to meet one another and ask their favorite authors questions face-to-face in an intimate online environment. RWA hosts the events in a fun Q&A format through Shindig.com.
Participation is free. You’ll need internet access, and if you want to participate via video, you’ll need a webcam and computer microphone. Only the first 1,000 RSVPs can be granted access to each weekly event. At each event, one participant will win a set of that week’s finalist books.
Each event begins at 8 p.m. Eastern time, 5 p.m. Pacific. The next session is tomorrow, featuring the finalists in Short Contemporary Series Romance with Jessica Hart, Day Leclaire, Susan Meier, Sarah Morgan, Robin Perini, Christine Rimmer, and Loreth Anne White. The moderator will be Sarah Wendell (Smart Bitches, Trashy Books).
After tomorrow, the schedule is:
Inspirational Romance June 6, with Elizabeth Camden, Jennifer Delamere, Robin Lee Hatcher, Rachel Hauck, Marta Perry, Cheryl Reavis, Missy Tippens, and Becky Wade.
Best First Book June 13, with Kristen Callihan, Sharon Lynn Fisher, Huntley Fitzpatrick, Anna Lee Huber, Katie McGarry, and Simone St. James.
Young Adult Romance June 20, with Robin LaFevers, Katie McGarry, Emily McKay, and Erica O’Rourke.
Long Contemporary Series Romance June 27, with Jean Brashear, Michelle Celmer, Pamela Hearon, and RaeAnne Thayne.
Romantic Suspense July 11, with Cherry Adair, Cindy Gerard (tentative), Laura Griffin, Bronwyn Parry (tentative), and Sharon Sala.
For more information and to RSVP, go to the RWA Site. Enjoy the chats and find out about those dashing heroes, daring heroines, writing habits, and more!
Already completed were the very successful events for Contemporary Single Title Romance (Barbara Freethy, Barbara Hannay, Ruthie Knox, Kim Law, Roni Loren, Jill Shalvis, and Roxanne St. Claire), Paranormal Romance (Kristen Callihan, Cynthia Eden, Angie Fox, J.T. Geissinger, Larissa Ione, and Maggie Shayne), Romance Novella (Sophie Jordan, Ruthie Knox, Sally MacKenzie, and Jodi Thomas), Historical Romance (Pamela Clare, Cara Elliott, Anne Gracie, Sabrina Jeffries, Jade Lee, and Sarah MacLean) and Novel with Strong Romantic Elements (Maria Geraci, Pamela Hartshorne, Anna Lee Huber, Sharla Lovelace, Kristina McMorris, Jane Myers Perrine, and Simone St. James).
LoneStarCon 3, the 71st World Science Fiction Convention, now has the Hugo Voter Packets available to voting members of the World Science Fiction Society. If you are not a member, but are an avid reader of science fiction, consider joining. For members not planning to attend the convention in San Antonio, Texas this year, a Supporting Membership suffices to qualify you to vote. As a voting member, you may obtain the Voter Packet, which includes electronic versions of the nominated works in the various categories, including the nominated novels, novellas, novelettes and short stories. Supporting Membership costs about $60 right now.
To become a member go to the World Science Fiction Convention’s Membership Page.
If you are a member, you can download your copy of the Voter Package at the World Science Fiction Convention’s 2013 Hugo Voter Packet Page. You will need your membership information and PIN.
To see a complete list of the 2013 nominees, see the World Science Fiction Convention’s March 30 Press Release.
If you haven’t followed Canadian Astronaut Chris Hadfield–the first Canadian commander of the International Space Station and “the most social-media savvy” astronaut in space–you should, at a bare minimum, at least see his farewell song at the end of his mission, revising David Bowie’s famous song, Space Oddity.
This one is a must.
Hadfield’s ISS Mission ran from December 19, 2012 to May 12, 2013. He is presently rehabilitating from the extended stay in microgravity. Hadfield is the recipient of numerous awards and special honors, including appointment to the Order of Ontario in 1996, receipt of the Meritorious Service Cross and Vanier Award in 2001, the NASA Exceptional Service Medal in 2002, and the Queen’s Golden Jubilee Medal in 2003.
Hadfield is working on the first original music album to be recorded in orbit. The first song recorded in space, Jewel in the Night, was released via YouTube on Christmas Eve 2012.
The 18th issue of Mystic Signals has been released, including my short science-fiction romance story, “Love, Death and Overlapping Bosonic Singularities.” The anthology includes all of the stories published in the April issue of The Lorelei Signal, the May issue of Sorcerous Signal, and certain dedicated short stories.
This is my second story appearing in Mystic Signals. The first was “Bingham’s Deep Woods Fairies,” in issue 16.
Bosonic Singularities first appeared in The Lorelei Signal. The Universe has shattered at the hands of three technicians trying a boson-vault experiment. Amy, a middle-management woman stuck in the mess, must make a decision about restoring the universe to its “proper” alignment.
Mystic Signals, edited by Carol Hightshoe, is produced by Wolfsinger Publications in Colorado. Wolfinger produces, in addition to its online periodicals The Lorelei Signal and Sorcerous Signal, a line of fantasy and science fiction anthologies and novels.
The Lorelei Signal in particular is dedicated to stories involving strong female characters.
CBS News covered NASA’s Kepler Mission on Sunday morning. For a short treatment (just 5 seconds longer than 5 minutes), it was very informative. If you missed it, please spare the five minutes and go to CBS’s video of the piece.
The Static Movement themed anthology “Broken,” is filling with stories (over 61,000 words now) and will close to submissions when it reaches 70,000. Static Movement anthologies are “for the love” markets. The editor for this anthology is Dorothy Davies. Following is a description of the theme:
This is one to stretch your imagination! What is broken, what does it do to a life when that thing is broken? is the life broken? what impact does it have on those who owned it/knew it/cared about it? allow your ideas to run and see where we can go with this one!
Static Movement accepts reprints as well as first-run stories. As of today, the anthology has accepted submissions from Olivia Arieti, John C. Conway, Ron Koppelberger, Troy Frings, David Frazier, David Griffin, Anna Harris, Christopher Hivner, A J Humpage, Ken Goldman, Ken L Jones, B T Joy, Neil Leckman, Thomas Malafarina, Bruce H. Markuson, Jordan Elizabeth Mierek, Marija Elektra Rodriguez, Brianna Stoddard, Matthew Wilson and Michael Wynn.
If you have a story in almost any genre about something broken, the submission guidelines can be found at the Static Movement Message Board for this anthology.
Several of my short stories have featured modified asteroids as useful structures, predominantly in Trojan Orbits. But the first asteroids that are likely to have a tremendous impact on humanity (good or bad) are the “near-Earth” asteroids–those bodies that orbit the Sun and cross Earth’s orbit from time to time. Those asteroids feature prominently in one of my works not yet published.
Two important pieces of near-Earth asteroid news occurred today–a government hearing on the concept of detection and deflection of dangerous near-Earth asteroids, and a NASA announcement of a plan to capture an asteroid for study.
Detect and Divert. The U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Science, Space and Technology took testimony today in its Hearing on Threats from Space: A Review of Private and International Efforts to Track and Mitigate Asteroids and Meteors. Providing testimony today were Dr. Ed Lu, Chairman & CEO of the B612 Foundation, Dr. Donald K. Yeomans, Manager of the Near-Earth Objects Program Office of Jet Propulsion Laboratory, and Dr. Michael F. A’Hearn, Vice-Chair of the Committee to Review Near-Earth Object Surveys and Hazard Mitigation Strategies for the National Research Council.
The B612 Foundation is a non-profit organization established in 2002 that arose from an asteroid deflection workshop. According to today’s testimony, the Foundation plans to have the Sentinel Telescope launched in 2018. The Sentinel Telescope will be located between Earth and the Sun. The Sun will always be behind the lens. Therefore, the Sun won’t inhibit the Sentinel Telescope’s ability to detect NEOs.
The Hearing Charter references the two February 15 events–the near pass of Asteroid 2012 DA14 and the Chelyabinsk meteor–describing the Chelyabinsk meteor explosion as having 20 times the power of the Hiroshima atom bomb. The Charter describes its overarching questions as follows:
Do we have the tools and technology necessary to detect and track Near Earth Objects?
What are the most viable efforts to focus on in the next 5 to 7 years that will yield the most progress in identifying and cataloging the NEO ["near-Earth object"] threat?
Are we tracking the right size objects, specifically the ones that can cause significant harm?
Once we identify an object, what are our means of tracking it?
What are our contingencies and mitigation capabilities if we determine there is a threat from a NEO impact?
The Charter incorporated the following visual census:
The testimony was important, as it was both frank and provided by experts in the field. Among the notable statements (there were too many to quote) were the following:
“We should not have to find out how big a tsunami a certain asteroid will create; we should deflect it before it happens.”
Dr. Ed Lu
Representative Stewart: “Is there anything we could’ve done about an asteroid impact with a 2 year warning?”
Dr. Ed Lu: “No.”
“Five years or less, it’s really hard unless you’ve thought the problem through and designed things–maybe have components built–maybe have a full system …”
Dr. A’Hearn
“In less than 5 years there’s no time to do anything unless all planning has been done ahead, and even then it’s difficult.” Dr. Michael F. A’Hearn
“We have to bring in folks that are more experienced in communications; not just scientists.” Dr. Donald K. Yeomans
Among other things, Dr. Yeomans highlighted the existence of current facilities and programs to detect near-Earth objects. Dr. Lu expressed his desire to provide a cheaper, private-sector advancement on those accomplishments. Dr. A’Hearn emphasized the importance of a multi-national effort to test deflection capabilities.
Catch and Mine. NASA announced today its intention to capture an asteroid and send astronauts to study it. NASA Administrator, Charles Bolden, said in a statement before the plan was announced today, “This mission represents an unprecedented technological feat that will lead to new scientific discoveries and technological capabilities and help protect our home planet.”
The proposed budget is around $50 million less than sought a year ago, but still about $1 billion more than the agency’s current spending plan. Nevertheless, the plan fits with the current administrations stated goals of (a) include learning how to identify asteroids heading towards Earth to change their course, (b) finding destinations where astronauts can go as they try to learn how to make the longer trip to Mars, and (c) provide evidence of opportunities for space investors.
NASA illustrated its concept in a video, showing the capture of an asteroid.
This mission, in connection with the ever-growing data of near-Earth objects and constantly-developing plans to intercept asteroids crossing Earth’s path, provide valuable information and potential opportunities for those asteroid-mining ventures presently in existence, and future ventures with similar goals.
For example, NASA has made available on its website approximately 100 asteroid intercept trajectories, with projected launch dates, intercept dates, and identification and orbits of known asteroids of interest.
As our knowledge of near-Earth objects increases, so does our capability of utilizing and mastering near-Earth space. This is a region much more accessible than Mars, or even the Moon. Many predict that near-Earth locations are the next step for humanity in space. These discussions and proposed missions move in that direction.
My short story, “Love, Death and Overlapping Bosonic Singularities,” is now published and available online in the April-June edition of The Lorelei Signal, edited by Carol Hightshoe. The story is a science fiction romance about Amy Budge, a research-division middle-management woman suffering through the universe-shattering consequences of a boson-vault experiment gone wrong.
The story begins:
Amy’s senses returned as the world coalesced. Where now? She assessed, finding herself seated in a conference room full of attorneys. She saw no signs of alarm. They seemed unaware reality had just dissolved and reassembled itself in a different order. To them, this was a normal moment in a reliable space-time sequence.
They were wrong. But this rearrangement wasn’t so bad. She was pleased to see Pat Billings across the polished oak table. In this version of the universe he was an attorney.
…
It seems to mostly get worse for Amy from there.
The wonderful artwork for the piece is by Lee Kuruganti, who was also the design winner for the 2oo8 Hugo Award Base, and who also illustrated Twisted Thorn, by Richard King Perkins II, in the same issue.
“Love, Death and Overlapping Bosonic Singularities,” will also appear in a print edition of Mystic Signals in the next month or so.
The Lorelei Signal is a quarterly fantasy and science fiction electronic magazine that features strong female characters. In addition to its online and print magazines, WolfSinger Publications produces books and anthologies. Its present call for submissions is for the anthology, Metastasis, about cancer, edited by Rhonda Parrish.
My short science-fiction story, “Worlds Less Traveled,” has been selected to appear in a future issue of the online science-fiction magazine, Perihelion, edited by Sam Bellotto, Jr., with contributing editor, Eric M. Jones.
to meet one another and ask their favorite authors questions face-to-face in an intimate online environment. RWA hosts the events in a fun Q&A format through Shindig.com.
The B612 Foundation
