Contrary to how things may appear, I am not dead.

What I am is very tired after getting my ass kicked by 2022. Some major life changes that sapped my energy and mood, but also a lot of great things happening.

My short story, Saturn Devouring His Son, got published on Clarkesworld Issue 186 and you can read it for free here (I love the audio version by the way). Everyone who loves scifi loves Clarkesworld and everything Neil Clarke has done for the genre. There’s prosthetics in there, there’s small town mindsets, and giving your allegiance to a company that will sometimes literally eat you alive to make a profit. I’m increasingly losing my patience with corporatism and how it impacts human lives (including mine and yours) and I think it shows here.

Acceptance was published on OnSpec Magazine Issue 122. I wanted to play with time and the perspective of a person who experiences all of her life simultaneously. Most of all though I wanted to get inside the head of someone who knows something bad is coming, yet is unable to do anything about it. This is a very real feeling I struggle with when looking at climate change trends and the fossil fuel industry posting record profits year after year after year. Generally speaking, we’re fucked, and losing is not something I’m comfortable with. Where do you draw the line and stop fighting? You can buy the issue here.

Spirals is about to be published on Fusion Fragment Issue 17 in June (next month). I love working with Fusion Fragment and Cavan Terrill’s crew, there’s something very exciting about the stories they collect, something very fresh and hungry. Spirals looks into the life of a newly-wed immigrant couple. A lot of things change for them, not least of which the stress causing one of them to turn into a chrysalis and begin a transformation.

There’s work started on a new book that I am very excited about. I get to play with form here to a far greater extent than I did back in The Hush. Hopefully there will be a first draft to discuss with the great folks over at Inspired Quill at around the end of the year.

Last but not least, I am taking part in WriteHive 2023 as a panelist for discussions on experimentation in scifi and criticism. What I’m really excited about though is the panel on AI in publishing. This was a discussion that was both passionate and intellectual (and at times a bit heated). Recording the discussion after 26 hours of no sleep felt surreal but it was truly a pleasure discussing with the super prolific L. Marie Wood, York Campbell of the Welcome to Earth podcast who uses AI in ways that complement creativity (but that don’t act like a crutch), Andy Dibble who probably made the quote of the panel and who taught me quite a few things, and Tim Baughman, an absolutely awesome human being, insightful writer, and masterful moderator. The panels will be published in the second week of June and there will a live discussion that I will take part in.

A few last words. Shit happens and it kills your will to do anything other than exist. I’m lucky to have a very understanding and supportive partner, but treating yourself with kindness is an acquired skill and not one that most people have had a lot of practice with. Treat others as you’d treat yourself. Treat yourself as you’d treat others.

Talk to you soon.