January 2024 Update

Happy New Year to all. Here's hoping 2024 is a good one for you.

My poem “First Contact” was included in the Year’s Best Canadian Fantasy and Science Fiction: Volume One which launched in December 2023. “First Contact” first appeared in Eye to the Telescope Issue 44: Notional Ekphrastic. The poem was inspired by the topic for that issue, which was edited by F. J. Bergmann, so thanks to F.J. for coming up with that theme!.

Ordering links for Year’s Best Canadian Fantasy and Science Fiction: Volume One are as follows:

Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/ebook/year-s-best-canadian-fantasy-and-science-fiction-volume-one

Amazon Canada: https://www.amazon.ca/Years-Canadian-Fantasy-Science-Fiction-ebook/dp/B0CP88Q46M/

Amazon US: https://www.amazon.com/Years-Canadian-Fantasy-Science-Fiction-ebook/dp/B0CP88Q46M/

Recent Publications

Poetry:
“Concert in the Park,” “On Our Backyard Rink,” Paddler Press Volume 10, Outside/Inside: New Poems for Children, released December 2023. 

“Cupid Visits the Archery Club,” “The Human Ambassador’s Addresses the People of Alpha Centauri,” “Just Another Night at the Bar,” and “Were We There?”, Illumen, Summer 2023, Hiraeth Publishing.

“The Nannybot’s Musings,” House of Zolo’s Journal of Speculative Literature Volume 4: The Artificial Intelligence Edition,” December 21, 2023.

Reviews:
Becoming Jade, by Tyree Campbell, published in The Fifth Dimension, December 2023, Hiraeth Publishing. 

Decolonizing Sport, edited by Janice Forsyth, Christine O’Bonsawin, Russell Field, and Murray G. Phillips, published on The Miramichi Reader site, December 31, 2023, https://miramichireader.ca/2023/12/decolonizing-sport-by-janice-forsyth-and-others/ 

A Dugout to Peace, by Gary Morgenstein, published on the Sports Literature Association web site, November 28, 2023, https://sportliteratureassociation.wordpress.com/2023/11/28/a-dugout-to-peace-by-gary-morgenstein/

Short Stories:
“Down Memory Lane,” Bicyclist’s Guide to the Galaxy, Microcosm Press, released December 2023.

What I’m Working On
During December, I spent some time preparing a short story collection for submission. For 2024, I’m planning to write more non-fiction pieces (book reviews, personal essays, etc.), while still producing a some short stories and poems.

House of Zolo Launches Volume 4, The Artificial Intelligence Edition

Today (December 21, 2023) House of Zolo’s Journal of Speculative Literature is launching Volume 4 (the Artificial Intelligence edition). I’m happy have my poem “The Nannybot’s Musings” included in this volume.
 
I’ve had a fascination with artificial intelligence since my exposure to Lost in Space, followed by the various iterations of Star Trek as well as Isacc Asimov’s short story collection I, Robot. So, it was only natural that I wanted to come up with a poem for this edition.
 
As part of the launch, House of Zolo is offering a discounted price for the first 7 days after release (Dec. 21 to Dec. 27). During the Launch Week Sale, the EPUB will be $2.99 CAD. After that, the price of EPUBS will go up to $5.99. Print copies will have a similar sale - $15 during the Launch Week Sale and $22 afterwards.
 
Information is available at House of Zolo’s web site:
 
https://houseofzolo.com/hozs-journal-of-speculative-literature-v4/
 
 

Poetry in VR Exhibit, and December 2023 update

I was thrilled and honoured to have my poem, “For Laika,” included in the VR forward exhibit as part of The Wrong Biennale. The exhibits are located in a VR space called “Second Life.” Being part of this exhibit challenged me to learn about how to navigate in the Second Life world, and expanded my skill set.
 
The “For Laika” exhibit includes a video of me reading the poem, and an exhibit of stamps created by various countries in Laika’s memory. Part of my motivation in writing the poem was to help Laika’s memory live on, and I think the exhibit does that. 

There are even little animated Laikas at the exhibit, and available for visitors to take around Second Life with them. I’ve included a couple of photos of the exhibit to give some of the flavour. Though the official launch took place in November 2023, the exhibits are available to visit until March 1, 2024. More details are provided further below, for those interested.
 
Recent Publications
Poetry:
“The Mural,” “Pegasus Seeks a Change of Scenery,” and “The Sand Dogs of Mars,” Polar Starlight #12, November 2023, https://polarborealis.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/POLAR-STARLIGHT-12-November-2023.pdf
 
“Oops!”, Spaceports and Spidersilk, Hiraeth Publishing, October 2023.

Reviews:
Sapphire and the Hollow Bone: Poems by Diana Hayes, by Diana Hayes, posted on The Miramichi Reader web site, November 27, 2023, https://miramichireader.ca/2023/11/sapphire-and-the-hollow-bone-by-diana-hayes/
 
Seeking Social Democracy: Seven Decades in the Fight for Equality, posted on The Miramichi Reader web site, November 6, 2023, https://miramichireader.ca/2023/11/seeking-social-democracy-seven-decades-in-the-fight-for-equality-by-ed-broadbent-and-others/
 
The Winter Knight, by Jes Battis, posted on The Miramichi Reader, November 5, 2023, https://miramichireader.ca/2023/11/the-winter-knight-by-jes-battis/
 
Short Stories:
“Cerby’s First Day,” Havok, “Wacky Wednesday: Legendary,” November 1, 2023.
 
More about the VR Forward exhibit

VR Forward explores poetry, art, and the poetics of space by bringing the work of Canadian artists into virtual reality spaces. The VR Forward Project developed an exhibit in the online world of Second Life featuring the work of four Canadian poets and two Canadian media artists. This event is also a part of The Wrong Biennale, an independent, multicultural, decentralised and collaborative international art biennial.

The project is the result of a collaboration between the BBMC (a transdisciplinary artists collective), the House of Zolo (an independent Canadian publisher), and an array of Canadian artists, builders, and coders. The exhibit features documentation from the Virtual Reality projects that have been created throughout the year, and four installations that bring the work of Canadian poets to life with inventive and interesting installation environments.

The best way to visit the virtual space is to enter the virtual world via your computer. In the case of Second Life, avatar accounts and software are free and accessible to both PC and Mac computers. If you are not already a user, visit Second Life to create an avatar, download the client, and enter the virtual world. Once you are in-world you can access the exhibit by entering this SLURL in the chat window and clicking it to teleport to the gallery:

http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Odyssey/31/50/24

VR Forward is a project of the BBMC and was made possible thanks to the support of the Canada Council the for Arts’ Digital Now Program – bringing the work of Canadian artists into digital spaces.

What I’m Working On
In November, I worked on several short fiction and non-fiction pieces as part of NaNoWriMo. Now it’s time to polish these items up and send them out in the coming months.
 
Coming Soon
The Bicyclist's Guide to the Galaxy: Feminist, Fantastical Tales of Books and Bikes, edited by Elly Blue, is due to launch December 5, 2023. This anthology includes my short story, “Down Memory Lane.”

Cerby's First Day, and November 2023 Update

My first publication in Havok goes live today, and is available for free November 1, 2023 only. The story is titled “Cerby’s First Day,” and imagines Cerberus’ first day in the Underworld. You can find it at https://gohavok.com/.
 
Also of note: Samjoko Magazine did a nice review of my haibun poetry collection, In Days to Come. The link to the review can be found below:
 
https://www.samjokomagazine.com/book-reviews/in-days-to-come
 
Recent Publications

Poetry:
“Eclipsed,” Polar Borealis Issue 27, October 2023, https://polarborealis.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/POLAR-BOREALIS-27-October-2023.pdf

[lightspeed travel], Star*Line Issue 46.4, Fall 2023.

Reviews:
Does Coffee Cause Cancer? And 8 More Myths About the Food We Eat, by Dr. Christopher Labos, posted on The Miramichi Reader site October 8, 2023, https://miramichireader.ca/2023/10/does-coffee-cause-cancer-and-8-more-myths-about-the-food-we-eat-by-dr-christopher-labos/
 
The Future, by Catherine Leroux, posted on The Miramichi Reader site, October 9, 2023. https://miramichireader.ca/2023/10/the-future-by-catherine-leroux/
 
How to Navigate Our Universe, by Mary Soon Lee, Star*Line Issue 46.4, Fall 2023.
 
What I’m Working On
Over the past month, I’ve been working on, and sending out, some flash fiction pieces as well as short stories. In November, I will once again attempt the NaNoWriMo challenge, targeting 30,000 instead of the standard 50,000 words. The plan is to work on short stories and non-fiction, with the attempt to write daily being front and centre.
 
Coming Soon
The Bicyclist’s Guide to the Galaxy, edited by Elly Blue, will be launching soon. This feminist fantastical volume includes my story, “Down Memory Lane.” More details at https://microcosmpublishing.com/catalog/books/45103.
 
An exhibit prepared by VR Forward, which features my poem “For Laika,” will be launching in Second Life shortly. More details to follow.
 

Interview by Microcosm Publishing, and an Award

Microcosm Publishing did an interview about my story “Down Memory Lane,” which is slated to appear in The Bicyclists’ Guide to the Galaxy: Bike and Book SFF Stories. A link to the interview can be found here: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/microcosmpublishing/the-bicyclists-guide-to-the-galaxy-bikes-books-and-feminism/posts/3892280
 
Also happy to note that my poem “First Contact,” first published in Eye to the Telescope Issue 44, “Notional Ekphrasis,” finished tied for third place in the Rhysling Short Poem category. The Rhysling Awards are annual awards given by the Science Fiction and Fantasy Poetry Association for the best science fiction, fantasy, or horror poem of the year. I’ve always considered myself fortunate when one of my poems is nominated for the Rhysling Anthology, so I was thrilled to have a poem place in the balloting.
 
Recent Publications
Poetry:
“Alternate World 452,” Polar Borealis, August 2023, https://polarborealis.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/POLAR-BOREALIS-26-August-2023.pdf  (this poem was previously published in Illumen, summer 2019)
 
“The Day We All Died, A Little,” Radon Journal, Issue 5, https://www.radonjournal.com/issue5/the-day-we-all-died%2C-a-little
 
“Globe Trotters,” NonBinary Review Issue 33, World Tour, September 2023.
 
“Late April Snowfall,” The Ultra Best Short Verse 2023: A Canadian Anthology of Poetry, Beret Days Press, 2023 (Winners and honourable mentions in The Ontario Poetry Society’s Ultra-Short Poetry Contest).
 
“When We Heard,” Journ-E, The Journal of Imaginative Literature, Vol. 2, No. 2, Autumnal Equinox, September 2023.
 
Reviews:
The Age of Insecurity: Coming Together as Things Fall Apart, by Astra Taylor, The Miramichi Reader, September 26, 2023, https://miramichireader.ca/2023/09/the-age-of-insecurity-by-astra-taylor/
 
Sentient Stones, by Susan McCaslin, The Miramichi Reader, September 11, 2023, https://miramichireader.ca/2023/09/sentient-stones-by-susan-mccaslin/
 
What I’m Working On
Lately I’ve been working on reviews and short fiction ideas. Among the books in my Reading/To Be Read pile for future reviews: Jes Battis’ The Winter Knight, and Gary Morgenstein’s A Dugout for Peace. The Winter Knight portrays Arthurian legend come to life in the modern day, with a refreshingly diverse set of characters. A Dugout for Peace is the third installment in a Morgenstein’s Dark Depths dystopian trilogy.

 
 

September 2023 Update: Rhapsody of the Spheres Published

Cooler nights and shorter days have arrived, marking the approach of autumn. There's even a tinge of colour in the leaves of some of the old maple trees in the neighbourhood. This time of year always puts me in a back-to-school mood, and though I’m no longer enrolled as a full-time student, I’m still taking online courses here and there. 
 
It’s been a good summer publication-wise. I’ve had acceptances from some markets that I’ve tried to get into (or get back into) for awhile. One I’m always happy to see my work appear in is Third Flatiron, and August saw the release of the Third Flatiron anthology Rhapsody of the Spheres, which included my short speculative humor piece, “The Art of Music Surfing.”

 

Recent Publications

Articles:
“Harnessing the Power of Rejections,” Funds for Writers, Volume 23, Issue 33, August 25, 2023.

Poetry:
[Despite the greengrocer’s demands], Saturday Evening Post: Limerick Laughs May-June runner-up, August 28, 2023, https://www.saturdayeveningpost.com/2023/08/may-june-2023-limerick-laughs-winner-and-runners-up/
 
“If You Should Meet a Black Hole,” Utopia Science Fiction Magazine, August/September 2023.
 
“Mycelial,” The Future Fire, Issue 2023.66, July 2023, http://futurefire.net/2023.66/fiction/mycelial.html
 
Reviews:
The Astronaut Always Rings Twice, edited by Shannon Allen and JR Campbell, published in The Fifth Dimension, August 2023, Hiraeth Publishing.
 
Wild Kin, by Marlene Grand Maître, posted on The Miramichi Reader web site, August 27, 2023, https://miramichireader.ca/2023/08/wild-kin-by-marlene-grand-maitre/
 
Short Stories:
“The Art of Music Surfing,” Rhapsody of the Spheres, a Third Flatiron anthology, August 21, 2023.
 
“A Subtle Form of Combat,” published in Yay! They’re Here! Edited by Helen Davis and Elizabeth Davis, Dead Fish Books, August 2023.
 
What I’m Working On
As we head toward NaNoWriMo in November, I’m getting back into writing fiction after a short break. I still have my usual stack of books to review as well.
 
Coming Soon
My poem “First Contact,” which first appeared in Eye to the Telescope Issue 42, Notional Ekphrasis, has been accepted for the Year’s Best Canadian Fantasy and Science Fiction: Volume I, which will be published by Ansible Press.
 

August 2023 Update: Yay! They're Here! Is Here

Scheduled for release today by Dead Fish Books is Yay! They’re Here!, a collection of first contact stories. My short story “A Subtle Form of Combat” is included in the anthology. The idea for “A Subtle Form of Combat” was sparked a few years ago at a writers’ group meeting. We were talking about something—I can’t remember what, exactly—and the question, I wonder what aliens would think of hockey? popped into my head. I was glad “A Subtle Form of Combat” found a home in this collection.

A second piece of good news: each year, the Science Fiction and Fantasy Association (SFPA) issues poetry anthologies for short (“Dwarf Stars”) and longer (“Rhysling Award”) poems. These anthologies serve as the basis for SFPA members to vote on the outstanding poems of the year in each category. I am happy to say that I had two poems, “The Changing Face of Fear” and “[mission to Titan]” included in the 2023 Dwarf Stars Anthology, and one poem, “First Contact,” included in the 2023 Rhysling Anthology. I always consider it an honour to make it into one of these annual anthologies, so getting into both is a bonus.

Recent Publications

Poetry:
“And Then There Were None,” Triangulation: Seven-Day Weekend, Parsec Ink.

“The Changing Face of Fear” and “[mission to Titan],” 2023 Dwarf Stars Anthology, Science Fiction and Fantasy Association.

“First Contact,” 2023 Rhysling Anthology, Science Fiction and Fantasy Association.

[thunder roars], Spaceports and Spidersilk, June 2023, Hiraeth Publishing

“Till Next, Nichelle,” Lorelei Signal, July-September 2023. This poem was inspired by a news story about Star Trek actress Nichelle Nichols passing away. https://www.loreleisignal.com/till-next-nichelle

Reviews:
100 Places to See After You Die: A Travel Guide to the Afterlife by  Ken Jennings, posted on The Miramichi Reader website July 31, 2023 https://miramichireader.ca/2023/07/100-places-to-see-after-you-die-by-ken-jennings/

Ballists, Dead Beats, and Muffins: Inside Early Baseball in Illinois by Robert D. Sampson, posted on the Sports Literature Association’s book review site July 23, 2023, https://sportliteratureassociation.wordpress.com/2023/07/23/ballists-dead-beats-and-muffins-inside-early-baseball-in-illinois-by-robert-d-sampson/

Green Islands: Poems From the Great Bear Rainforest, by Ian Thomas, posted on The Miramichi Reader website, July 17, 2023. https://miramichireader.ca/2023/07/green-islands-poems-from-the-great-bear-rainforest-by-ian-thomas/

The Sibyl, by Hamant Singh, Star*Line 46.3, Summer, 2023.

Twelve All in Dread: The Twelfth Witch and Other Stories, by Juliana Rew, posted on Goodreads July 24, 2023, https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/123193306-twelve-all-in-dread

Women’s American Football: Breaking Barriers On and Off the Gridiron, by Russ Crawford, posted on the Sports Literature Association’s book review site July 22, 2023, https://sportliteratureassociation.wordpress.com/2023/07/22/womens-american-football-breaking-barriers-on-and-off-the-gridiron-by-russ-crawford/

Short Stories:
“The Price of Remembering,” Shelter of Daylight July 2023, Hiraeth Publishing.

What I’m Working On
More book reviews in process, as well as some humor pieces.