Keeping Up With The Creative Joneses

Photo by Pedro Lozano, Creative Commons

The New Year Challenges are settling in nicely. So far I’ve dusted off my bike and aired up my tires, I’ve signed up for an online Japanese class, I got a sitar tutorial DVD for Christmas, I’ve run another chapter of Matter-Groove through my critique group, and I’ve even started to contemplate which novel I would like to read this year…no pressure, but it’s got to be a good one. (Suggestions are welcome!) I’ve tentatively got my eye on WorldCon, and since it’s in San Antonio this year, really it’s too close not to go, plus I’ve got a story in Rick Klaw’s Rayguns Over Texas anthology, which will be released at the Con. Go ahead, click the link and see the great company I’m keeping these days.

Speaking of great company, the husband of a friend and crit group partner of mine is doing a film on Jay Lake entitled Lakeside. Of the writers that I admire, Jake Lake is up at the top of the list. Dude is prolific. And because of his openness, approachability and desire to pay it forward, he’s also at the top of an even shorter list of the people I admire for being good people. There’s a kickstarter project to help fund the unexpected costs of the film, and it looks like they’re well on their way, so drop by and kick in and join in a more than worthy cause.

Another friend of mine, Sylvia Spruck Wrigley, is also doing a crowd-funding project to help writers track their online submissions. It’s called Submitomancy, and in addition to housing information about great fiction markets, it’s also promising some social features which sounds exciting. I have no doubt that Sylvia is capable of pulling this off, because on top of being brilliant, she’s also dedicated to her writing, enough so that she went on a tour of the sewer system as research for her novel. Now that’s dedication!

Did someone mention great fiction markets? The Drabblecast, of which yours truly is the managing editor, has upped its pay rate to three cents a word and has extended its story length upper limit to 4000 words. Reprints or originals, so spread the word and send us your weird!

And last but not least, Alex Shvartsman (yet another writer friend of mine…they must be replicating themselves while I’m not looking) has released Unidentified Funny Objects, a collection of humorous science fiction and fantasy, featuring writers like Mike Resnick, Ken Liu, Jennifer Pelland, and K.G. Jewell. Good for more than a few laughs, I’m sure.

So basically it sounds like everyone is knee-deep in their creative endeavors, and the new year has just begun!