Publisher’s Note: What a Fantastic Way to Kick Off the New Year!
I’ll never forget my first adult fantasy novel. Stephen King’s The Eyes of the Dragon. I was more of a Little Women and Jane Eyre reader up to that point, and The Eyes of the Dragon was a totally different kind of fiction for me (and for King, at the time, but that’s another story you should look up).
I was a freshman in high school when the book came out in mass market paperback. I didn’t connect at the time (or for years afterward) that it was by Stephen King. It’s a good thing, too, because if I’d known it was written by that Stephen King, I wouldn’t have read it. His horror was (and still is) too much for me.
But that first foray into fantasy fiction paved the way for my enjoyment of so many other fantasy works.
Including the many incredible short stories of Kristine Kathryn Rusch and Dean Wesley Smith.
And now we’re collecting their fantasy stories together into special volumes for this year’s Make 100 Kickstarter, just like we did with Crimes Collide last year for the mystery stories and Colliding Worlds the year before for their science fiction.
Kris and Dean have been writing professional fantasy short stories for four decades that have won awards and sold millions of copies, plus they have been acclaimed and enjoyed by fans over the entire world.
Now, for the first time, Kris and Dean are collecting 100 of their fantasy short stories together into a five-volume set called Fantasies Collide. Fifty stories from each author in the series; ten stories from each author in every volume.
In addition to such fantastic rewards as the five Fantasies Collide volumes in ebook, trade paperback and signed/limited hardcover, we have some amazing rewards for writers, and a special workshop series for writers is included in the stretch goals.
Check out the Kickstarter here, and be sure to watch Kris and Dean’s fun video about the project.
What a fantastic way to kick off the new year!
Allyson Longueira is publisher of WMG Publishing. She is an award-winning writer, editor and designer, working mother, and brain tumor survivor.
Fantastic Christmas: A Holiday Anthology
Holiday Anthology Series Available in:ebook, $5.99trade paperback, $14.99 Add to cart Get the ebook! Get the ebook from the WMG store! Get the trade paperback! Fantastic Christmas: A Holiday Anthology Edited by Kristine Kathryn Rusch Venture forth into the delightful...The Year of the Cat: A Cat of Fantastic Whims
The Year of the CatAnthology Available in:ebook, $5.99trade paperback, $12.99 Get the ebook! Get the ebook direct from WMG! Get the trade paperback! The Year of the Cat: A Cat of Fantastic Whims Edited by Kristine Kathryn Rusch & Dean Wesley Smith Most cats pursue...Publisher’s Note: Five New Releases and a Kickstarter!
We had a wonderful visit with our own Dean Wesley Smith last week as we did some business strategizing and also planning for the next Pulphouse Fiction Magazine Kickstarter, which launches this week. Last week also saw the publication of five new books: three that you’ve heard about and two new ones of the Pulphouse variety.
First up, the ones you knew were coming: Killing the Angel of Death by Kristine Kathryn Rusch, Luck Be Ladies: A Poker Boy Collection by Dean Wesley Smith, and Fiction River Presents: Sorcery & Steam, edited by Gwyneth Gibby, are all available in ebook from your favorite retailer. The paperback volumes will be available soon. Click on each title above for more details and purchase information.
And now, more on Pulphouse. It was great timing to have Dean here for such a busy Pulphouse week, since he is, of course, the editor and driving force behind that magazine. If you’ve ever met Dean, you know that his personality very much reflects the tone of Pulphouse. His visits are always a little off-the-wall but a whole lot of fun.
One of the books released last week was the summer issue of Pulphouse (#7 if you’re counting). The second is the first all-original book in the Pulphouse line, called Snot-Nosed Aliens. Here are the details on each of those:
Pulphouse Fiction Magazine: Issue #7
A three-time Hugo Award nominated magazine, this issue of Pulphouse Fiction Magazine offers up eighteen fantastic stories by some of the best writers working in modern short fiction. No genre limitations, no topic limitations, just great stories. Attitude, feel, and high-quality fiction equals Pulphouse.
Table of Contents:
“Small Discrete Intervals from a Sample Size of One” by J. Steven York
“Daisy’s Heart” by Robert J. McCarter
“Dogmatic Computing” by Kent Patterson
“Suicide by UFO” by Jerry Oltion
“Another Door” by Annie Reed
“Introducing Alligators” by Preston Dennett
“The Mouse is Watching” by S. Andrew Swann
“Dreams of Memories Never Lived” by Rob Vagle
“A Pathetic Excuse for a Dragon” by David H. Hendrickson
“Moulin Rouge” by Jason A. Adams
“Maddie Sue’s Locket” by C.A. Rowland
“Rough Draft” by Kevin J. Anderson (written with Rebecca Moesta)
“A Good Shooting” by O’Neil De Noux
“Good Fences Make Good Neighbors” by Teri J. Babcock
“Lost Book” by Ryan M. Williams
“Acceptable Losses” by Dayle A. Dermatis
“A Choose Your Own Fangle Adventure” by Robert Jeschonek
“Say Hello to my Little Friend” by Kristine Kathryn Rusch
“Minions at Work: White Space” by J. Steven York
Snot-Nosed Aliens: Stories from Pulphouse Fiction Magazine
When you ask a bunch of professional writers to send in stories to a Pulphouse Fiction Magazine anthology called Snot-Nosed Aliens, you get a bunch of really, really strange stories. Perfect.
Known for high-quality fiction and off-the-wall stories, Pulphouse Fiction Magazine’s first fully original anthology delivers both. Head-shaking laughter, biting themes, and more out-of-this-world aliens than should be allowed.
Thirteen professional writers. Thirteen wonderful stories. An original anthology impossible to put down.
Table of Contents:
“The Problematic Navigation of the Vessel Clayton Booker” by J. Steven York
“Blue-Eyed Bombshell” by Annie Reed
“Pepper Pretorious Saves the Day” by Dayle A. Dermatis
“Hero of Fire Life” by Michael Warren Lucas
“Bushtits Gone Wild” by Stephanie Writt
“Dog People” by Robert J. McCarter
“Magnitude and Insignificance” by Rob Vagle
“Let the Families Be Joined” by Joe Cron
“Knock Knock Power” by Johanna Rothman
“Ilene’s Box” by Alexandra Brandt
“The Goddess Particle” by Daemon Crowe
“Two-Minute Drill” by David H. Hendrickson
“Power Chords” by Brigid Collins
If you haven’t already received these volumes (as a subscriber), they are a wonderful escape for the waning days of summer.
And if you want to subscribe to Pulphouse Fiction Magazine (or renew your subscription), there’s never been a better time! Our biennial subscription drive on Kickstarter launches on Wednesday and features the best prices you can find on not only subscriptions (to Pulphouse, Fiction River, and Smith’s Monthly), but also WMG workshops and some other special projects. Click here once it’s live to read all about it!
So many books to read! Thank goodness we still have some summer left.
Allyson Longueira is publisher of WMG Publishing. She is an award-winning writer, editor and designer, working mother, and brain tumor survivor.
Publisher’s Note: Fantastic Mysteries
I remember having my first TV crush when I was 10. It was 1983, and a new show called Automan hit the air. The show followed the adventures of a police officer and computer programmer who had created an artificially intelligent crime fighting program that generated a hologram (“Automan”) which could leave the computer world at night and fight crime.
I was in love: with the concept, the plot, the futuristic sf/superhero world the show created, and, of course, with Automan himself, Chuck Wagner.
As these were the days before we had a VCR, it was appointment viewing in my household, at my insistence. I remember taking a two-minute shower once because my mother wouldn’t let me watch it until I’d showered. I think I showed up in the living room in a towel, but I didn’t miss a minute of the show.
Unfortunately, my relationship with Automan was short-lived. The show only lasted 12 episodes.
That was 35 years ago. And I still remember it.
Those fantastic detectives really stick with you.
And while none can ever compare with your first love, there are plenty more fantastic detectives in the world of fiction. And Dean Wesley Smith has curated a Storybundle full of them.
The Fantasy Detectives Storybundle offers ten titles sure to light your interest: Fiction River: Fantastic Detectives, edited by Kristine Kathryn Rusch; They’re Back: A Poker Boy Adventure by Dean Wesley Smith; Five Fantastic Tales by Kristine Kathryn Rusch; Slimy Chicken Zomnibus Edition by Kevin J. Anderson; Modern Sorcery by Gary Jonas; The Greatest Sin: Books 1-2 by Erik Kort and Lee French; Searching for Sanctuary by Chrissy Wissler; Devil’s Shoestring by Stefon Mears; Earthshaker by Robert Jeschonek; and The Shredded Veil Mysteries by Leah Cutter.
You can name your price, but if you pay at least $15, you get all ten fantastic mysteries.
Find out more about the bundle here.
But you’d better hurry. Like Automan, this bundle won’t be around for long.
Allyson Longueira is publisher of WMG Publishing. She is an award-winning writer, editor and designer.
Writing a Novel in Five Days While Traveling
Browse more Books Search for: The WMG Newsletter Get advanced notice of new releases, bonus content, and so much more. Subscribe Now WMG Writer’s Guides Nonfiction Available in: ebook, $4.99 trade paperback, $7.99 ISBN 978-1561460212 Buy Now! Writing a Novel in...Fiction River: Tavern Tales
Browse more Books Search for: The WMG Newsletter Get advanced notice of new releases, bonus content, and so much more. Subscribe Now Fiction River Anthology Available in: ebook, $6.99 Trade paperback, $15.99 ISBN 978-1561467778 Shop Now! Fiction River: Tavern Tales...Publisher’s Note: Not Your Average Five-Year-Old
My daughter was not the average five-year-old. She’s not the average six-year-old, either, and I doubt she’ll be average at any age. I know, I know, all parents think their precious little pumpkins are special. This is not that. My daughter is brilliant in a way that scares the living daylights out of me.
I know what it’s like to possess an above-average IQ. It took me a long time to realize that my brain works differently than the average brain. Which means I’m smart but weird. I accept that. What it doesn’t mean, however, is that I’m incapable of doing dumb things. Hell, I have two ex-husbands who demonstrate that I can make dumb choices.
I can already tell that my daughter’s IQ is higher than mine. The way her brain makes connections…nothing gets by that kid. She hasn’t figured out yet that she’s different, but it’s starting to dawn on her, I can tell. And once she knows she’s smarter than the rest of us…lord help us all.
So, I focus on teaching her the things she’ll need to balance out that intelligence. Common sense, empathy, compassion, leadership. Those are the qualities that make the difference between a brilliant leader and an evil mastermind.
So, why am I thinking about this right now? Because this week, one of my all-time favorite Kristine Kathryn Rusch short stories is available for free on her website. (I know, I know, it’s not very smart of me to point out you can read the story for free when it’s my job to get you to buy it, but, hey, I’m no evil mastermind.)
The story is called “Advisors at Naptime,” and Carol reminds me of my own little genius.
Here’s the synopsis:
Carol wants a nap. Carol needs a nap. And no one will let her have one because the grown-ups need her. But the grown-ups underestimate Carol. And they fail to realize that Carol will do anything to get her nap.
You can read the story here. And you should. It’s a great story, and it’s free. That’s just a no-brainer.
Allyson Longueira is publisher of WMG Publishing. She is an award-winning writer, editor and designer.
Fantastic Detectives
Browse more Books Search for: The WMG Newsletter Get advanced notice of new releases, bonus content, and so much more. Subscribe Now Fiction River Fantasy Mystery Anthologies Available in: ebook, $6.99 Trade paperback, $15.99 ISBN 978-1561466016 Amazon Kobo WMG and...These detectives are fantastic!
This week marks the release of our latest Fiction River volume, Fantastic Detectives, and I can’t think of a better example of the kind of amazing cross-genre stories Fiction River specializes in than this volume.
Like fantasy and mystery? We’ve got Kevin J. Anderson’s famous zombie detective, Dan Shamble; Dean Wesley Smith’s superhero detective, Poker Boy; a dog detective; a cat detective (you know, for balance); and even a detective who’s an egg (really, I’m not just cracking jokes here).
Plus, fairies and ghosts and, well, you’ve really got to give this one a read.
But don’t take my word for it.
Long and Short Reviews says: “Fiction River: Fantastic Detectives is a great choice for anyone who loves it when genres are swirled together. It’s nominally more heavily influenced by mystery conventions and tropes, but the science fiction and fantasy elements in it are almost as strong.”
And Keith West of Amazing Stories says: “Fiction River: Fantastic Detectives is a great read if you like to blend mystery with your fantasy. Check it out.”
I’m also happy to introduce the new Fiction River blog, written by WMG’s Director of Sales and Marketing, Joy Wilson. Joy is a big fan of Fiction River (and not just because she works here), and asked if she could start writing about one of her favorite publications every week. Who am I to say no to that?
So, I’ll keep my own blog short this week, because I really want you to give hers a read. It’s fantastic. And be sure to check out her new blog on Thursday, the official release day for Fantastic Detectives.
But before I sign off, one quick mention of our on Kickstarter. The “Print Fantastic Detectives Authors Package” ($125 pledge) is still available. You get not only a one-year print subscription to Fiction River and a print copy of Fantastic Detectives, but you also get signed copies of Alden Bridge by Joe Cron, Afterburn by Karen L. Abrahamson, Blue Suede Darlin’ by Juliet Nordeen and The Bloodied Fang by Ryan M. Williams. There are lots of other great rewards still available, of course, as well as some fun videos to watch, so if you haven’t stopped by Kickstarter in a few days, now’s a good time to check it out.
Happy reading!
Allyson Longueira is publisher of WMG Publishing. She is an award-winning writer, editor and designer.