The 2012 Hugo Award nominations are open! If you’re able to nominate an author, editor or publisher for a Hugo award, I hope you take the time to do so. The nominations end on January 31st and there’s a lot of great categories to list your favorites.
This year, I have one short story that would be eligible for a Hugo award. “Tailfeather” appeared in Apexology: Science Fiction & Fantasy along with seventeen other fine tales this past summer.
Good luck to my friends and peers in the community!
In an earlier post, I talked about how I achieved my 2011 publishing goals. Today, I’m going to share with you the publications that debuted this past year and hint about a few new titles that are at the presses.
In January, the first publication that debuted was SCENES OF THE EMBRACE, a tool for Storytellers to use with Vampire: the Requiem.
After GenCon, I released a new INSTANT ANTAGONIST: THE CREEPY COTTONTAIL through FR Press, which is a hybrid game decide replete with a story, a systemless creature and story hooks. This critter has a Lovecraftian (albeit a bit satirical at times) flair.
The latest release is STRANGE, DEAD LOVE which is also for Vampire: the Requiem. This is a paranormal romance sourcebook that addresses many different types of settings. So far, the feedback has been pretty positive.
I finished up two other game-related projects that are scheduled to debut sometime in 2012.
My goal this year was to focus on my stories, and I feel that I made some strides in that direction. Here’s a look back at what was published and what I experimented with.
In February, I (along with several others) experienced historic political unrest that took the form of extensive and consistent protests. I posted some pictures from February and March. This experience affected my work. I wrote a story, first shared on my blog, then self-published called Lady Yellowbird and the Flight of the Sad Panda set in the world of Occupation, a global dystopian setting I created many years ago. I ended up reading this story at WisCon, too.
Shortly thereafter, Bewildering Stories picked up another science fiction-related work called The Message, which you can read for free. Then, “Tomorrow’s Precious Lambs” appeared in The Zombie Feed, Volume 1. Readers enjoyed this story at OddCon and asked if there would be a sequel. 😀
For April Fool’s, Paths of Storytelling for Vampire: the Masquerade debuted. This was a “lost” manuscript where readers can choose how the story progresses. I wrote the Gangrel storyline. And yes, before you even ask, I required lots and lots of reprogramming to flip from Requiem to Masquerade and back again!
Then, my story titled “Tailfeather” debuted in Apexology: Science Fiction & Fantasy this summer. It’s a tale about a woman who becomes a cybernetic bird in a dystopian setting, the second in my dystopian setting. Apex Publications was extremely supportive of my work and I’d gladly work with them again.
I donned my editor’s hat twice this past year. The first was for Haunted: 11 Tales of Ghostly Horror which was the debut anthology for FR Press. The second was for Slices of Fate: The Collected Works of Eddy Webb, FR Press’s debut author collection.
Last but not least, the print edition of The Queen of Crows became available in full color and black-and-white.
For 2012, “Fangs and Formaldehyde” is slated to debut in the New Hero anthology from Stone Skin Press. REDWING’S GAMBIT, a novella for the Bulldogs RPG, will also appear this year, too. I had a *lot* of fun working on both stories.
Non-fiction is ever on my radar. I wrote an essay for Apex Magazine Issue 24 titled “Grab Your Badge, Ready, Set, Meet!” I penned guest columns for the How To Write Shop and a new column geared for freelancers titled Adventure to Dice Castle for Geek’s Dream Girl.
This year, I am hoping to finish up a non-fiction book and continue writing guest columns and articles. I continue to write reviews for FlamesRising.com as I get time.
I am pleased to announce that Haunted: 11 Tales of Ghostly Horror is up for an award. The annual Preditors & Editors award committee has honored this debut anthology from FR Press to be considered for a Readers’ Choice award.
Vote for your favorite anthology in the 2011 Preditors & Editors Awards! The voting ends on January 10, 2012.
Back in 2009, Buried Tales of Pinebox, Texas, featuring my short story titled “Pie” won this award. I am thrilled that this year’s anthology was included in this list. It was a nice surprise!
Yesterday, I was plowing through words and e-mails and stumbled across this article from Vanessa Fox, who penned “Learning How to Say No Isn’t the Answer.” This phrase really got to me:
The ability to do that — to say no to things you’re not super excited about — that’s a luxury. Most of us who have that luxury now haven’t always had it. In fact, many of us who now have that luxury likely only have it because of our tendency to do just the opposite — not only say yes to everything but to seek out new things to say yes to. — SOURCE: Vanessa Fox on Learning How to Say No Isn’t the Answer.
That is exactly where I am in my career right now. It’s not just financial concerns for me, mind you, it’s also creative goals and career aspirations. It’s about committing to further those aims and to recognize opportunity when it comes my way because I am planning a year or two out. My work, specifically my storytelling and game design projects, are not a guarantee for success. For any creative, there are no guarantees. I have to balance paid vs. non-paid, tie-in vs. original, and marketing vs. productivity. I do this not because my work is an obligation, but because I love, love, love doing it!
There’s this impression that people who work a lot of hours are slaves to the machine. That we don’t have fun or that we’re boring people. Yesterday, I felt like that stereotype because after reviewing my goals for 2012, I have to focus more on production time than marketing or people interaction time — especially online. My new job has changed my schedule in a good way! The time I spend on the computer has to be valuable and the time I spend offline doubly so. Do I have any regrets? No, not a one.
Yes, writing is work. Yes, marketing for Steve Jackson Games and managing John Kovalic’s business is work. Yes, designing games or ripping them apart is also work. But? It does not feel like the traditional definition of work. I feel like I’m my accomplishments are valuable and I’m working with some amazing people. There’s a lot of teamwork here and that, coupled with being able to connect with other gamers, creative pros, and readers, is what makes the day job and these projects so enjoyable.
I guess, in the end, appearances are everything — or are they? Just because an author isn’t Tweeting jokes or interactive with readers doesn’t mean they’re not engaging. Just because a game designer isn’t talking about every individual piece of their process doesn’t mean they’re not busy working. And just because someone isn’t being social or they’re not talking about every aspect of their personal lives or they’ve had “a” bad day, that they’re miserable or overworked or stressed beyond belief.
I’m having the time of my life both professional and personally. How about you?
Today’s New Year wishes are courtesy of Dork Tower. May your day be merry and bright and may you enjoy a happy, healthy, and prosperous 2012!
