text:
Monday, December 29, 2014
Reminder of a spy
Nancy Jean Oetking ended her days in Texas because she married a petroleum engineer. She died in 2007, aged 88.
Wednesday, December 24, 2014
Thoughts on Christmas Eve
Saturday, December 20, 2014
Kindle collection
I know some people think I sneeze and my stuff is published, but truth is, I get plenty of rejections like everyone else. Despite having four collections published - that's putting "Letters from Gardner" in the fiction category, the ISFDB lists it as non-fiction - I've had failure there, also. Over three years ago I pitched a reprint collection to an ebook publisher. The deal never happened - I never heard back, so I assume he wasn't interested.
I was thinking about ebooks when I realized I still had the collection, so I decided to upload it to Kindle Direction Publishing. I had never done that before, so I thought I'd give it a try.
"Bend it Like Bradbury" has 21 stories; a few have never been reprinted before. There's a certain amount of overlap with other collections, but my only other collection available through Kindle is 2009's Fantastic Texas.
Here is the Table of Contents:
So there, I've gone and done it. The link is here:
Friday, December 19, 2014
Not true
Sure glad that changed.
Wednesday, December 17, 2014
A first
Tuesday, December 16, 2014
Latest publication
Monday, December 15, 2014
Ten Things You Might Not Know About Lou Antonelli
2. His mother was an eyewitness to the display of Benito Mussolini's body in Milan at the end of World War II.
3. His mother's maiden name is Savini; he is a second cousin of the famous motion picture special effects make-up artist Tom Savini.
4. He always carries a silver dollar for good luck..
5. As a result of holding elected public office, he could claim the title "Honorable". But as a result of a special appointment to a condemnation court in Dallas County in 1998 (which adjudicates eminent domain damages), he could also be called "Judge".
6. He ran for Congress when he was 25.
7. He cannot snap his fingers, apparently because of a peculiarity in the shape of his thumb.
8. He attended his first science fiction convention when he was 46 years old.
9. He met Barack Obama at Columbia University in 1983
10. That same year - a blogger asserts - a rally in protest of the Soviet downing of KAL Flight 007 that he helped organize made Obama cry in frustration.
Sunday, December 14, 2014
2014 in fiction
The stories are:
"Bindlestiff's Daughter" - The Lorelei Signal, January 2014
"Playing Catch-Up" - SciFi Max, May 2014
"The Sub-Basement" - The Ironic Fantastic No. 3, Sept. 2014
"Back Own My Stab" - Every Day Fiction, Sept. 16, 2014
"Bigfoot Fruit" - Common Oddities Speculative Fiction Sideshow, Sept. 2014
"On a Spiritual Plain" - Sci-Phi Journal No. 2 November 2014
"The Girl Who Couldn't Fly" - "Unconventional Fantasy, a Celebration of 40 Years of the World Fantasy Convention' - Nov. 6-9, 2014
"Ad Valorem" - Omni Reboot, Dec. 11, 2014
Pending publications include "Cerulean Dream" in Tales of the Talisman and "Would Olympus Fall" in the Hadley Rille Books antholgy "Ruins".
Friday, December 12, 2014
Omni Reboot
I am very proud to report Omni Reboot has published my original short story "Ad Valorem".
I didn't start writing fiction until a half dozen years after the original Omni magazine ceased publication, but I really enjoyed reading its fiction, especially in the 1980s.
I am gratified to have my name associated in some small way with such a great institution.
Omni Reboot is an webzine that, to me, seems to recreate a lot of the feel of the old print publication. Please visit, and share!
Sunday, December 07, 2014
Dim mists of history
Yesterday I was going through that box of floppies when I saw a disk that caught my attention. I booted it up and saw it had photos I took at ConDFW in 2003. I completely forgot I had those photos.
ConDFW was the first convention I ever attended. I didn't even know sciencxe fiction conventions even existed before that. The only reason I knew about ConDFW was that it sent out a news release and I got it at the paper where I worked at the time.
I didn't attend the con as a fan, and I wasn't an author then. I went on a press pass - which is why I took the photos.
Now, this photo here is very important to me, because this was the last panel I attended on Sunday afternoon. That's Melanie Fletcher speaking on the right; that's Jayme Blaschke in the middle. I don't recall who the fellow is on the left. It was during that panel - which I believed was on Texas s-f - that I mentioned I had thought about writing s-f, but at 46 maybe I was too old to start. They all told me I was wrong.
Jayme was fiction editor at Revolution S-F at the time. I asked him after the panel if I could sent him story. He said "of course," and that was my first published story, "Silver", published in June 2003.
Saturday, December 06, 2014
Zenith Royal 500
Pretty durable technology. Now, here's a question: Why does it have a name inscribed on it? Joseph N. Rogers? Was it a presentation gift some time ago? I wonder who Joseph N. Rogers was.
Tuesday, December 02, 2014
After all these years
I know it's silly, but I feel bad.
"Science Fiction Super Pack"
Stories include The Cold Calculations by Michael A. Burstein, They Twinkled like Jewels by Philip José Farmer, Lingua Franca by Carole McDonnell, Dawn of Flame by Stanley G. Weinbaum, Don't Jump by Jamie Wild, Youth by Isaac Asimov, Digger Don't Take No Requests by John Teehan, Lighter than You Think by Nelson Bond, Garden of Souls by M. Turville Heitz, The Variable Man by Philip K. Dick, Starwisps by Edward J. McFadden III, Gorgono and Slith by Ray Bradbury, I Was There When They Made the Video by Cynthia Ward, The Perfect Host by Theodore Sturgeon, That Universe We Both Dreamed Of by Jay O'Connell, The Lake of Light by Jack Williamson, Lies, Truth, and the Color of Faith by Gerri Leen, No Place to Hide by James Dorr, Industrial Revolution by Poul Anderson, The Visitor by Ann Wilkes, Travel Diary by Alfred Bester, Encounter in Redgunk by William R. Eakin, The Second Satellite by Edmond Hamilton, The Indecorous Rescue of Clarinda Merwin by Brenda W. Clough, Lost Paradise by C. L. Moore, Siblings by Warren Lapine, Gun for Hire by Mack Reynolds, The Answer by H. Beam Piper, Pythias by Frederik Pohl, Arm of the Law by Harry Harrison, The Good Neighbors by Edgar Pangborn, The Intruder by Emil Petaja, The Six Fingers of Time by R. A. Lafferty, An Ounce of Cure by Alan Edward Nourse, The Hoofer by Walter M. Miller, Jr., The Stellar Legion by Leigh Brackett, and Year of the Big Thaw by Marion Zimmer Bradley.
Sunday, November 30, 2014
A Handful of Books
Gladewater has a used book store, and I left with a small armful of books for a little less than $20. My haul included:
"Golem 100" by Alfred Bester
"Absolute Magnitude" reprint anthology
"Aliens from Analog" anthology
"Two Crowns for America" by Katherine Kurtz
"The Star-Spangled Future" by Norman Spinrad
Asimov's Science Fiction No. 13, March 1979
But the prize in the bunch is the 1986 edition of Howard Waldrop's first collection, "Howard Who", published by Doubleday. It now joins the reprint published 20 years later by Small Beer Press on my bookshelf.
Judy Crider, RIP
I called Bill on the phone yesterday and offered my condolences. There really isn't anything to say in a situation like that except "be strong". Bill is a nice guy and a true gentleman, possessed of the same equanimity as Judy did. I know he will be OK; I also know it will always hurt.
Scott Cupp has circulated Judy's obituary, which I reprint here:
Judy Stutts Crider was born in Marlin, Texas, on November 5, 1943, the only child of Pet and Eldred Stutts of Thornton. She departed this life on November 27, 2014. Judy grew up in Thornton, Texas, and was salutatorian of her high school graduating class. She attended Baylor University and graduated in 1965 with a BBA in economics. Two weeks after her graduation, she married Bill Crider of Mexia. She worked as a secretary while Bill went to graduate school, first in Denton and then in Austin. Their daughter, Angela, and their son, Allen, were both born in Austin. They were truly the pride and joy of Judy's life from the moment they entered it, and it is no exaggeration to say that she loved them even before they were born.
While living in Brownwood, Texas, where Bill was teaching at Howard Payne University, Judy learned to play the game of bridge, and it remained her favorite recreation from that time forward. She loved playing bridge with her friends in Brownwood and with her bridge groups in Alvin after the family moved there. She also enjoyed TV game shows and was a whiz at "Jeopardy" and "Wheel of Fortune."
Judy was a full partner in Bill's writing career. She was the first reader and editor of every book and story he wrote and was the business manager for the entire enterprise. She was his co-author on several stories, and one of them won the Anthony Award for best short story in 2002.
Judy is survived by Bill, her husband of 49 years; by her children, Angela Neary of Sonoma, California, and Allen Crider of Austin, Texas; by a number of cousins; and by a host of friends.
Her family would like to thank the doctors, staff, and volunteers at M.D. Anderson Cancer center for their professionalism and kindness during the years of Judy's treatment. They made a terrifying experience easier to bear. According to her wishes, her body will be cremated. In lieu of flowers, a donation to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society would be appropriate. A memorial service will be announced at a later time.
If you would like to drop Bill a card, his address is 1606 S. Hill St., Alvin, Tx 77511.
Sunday, November 23, 2014
A box of books
Each year the church held a large fundraising auction of donated goods. One spring day I was among the Boy Scouts who were tasked to help at the auction. We were pretty much utilized for our mindless muscle power, picking up and moving things around.
Among the heavy items being auctioned were boxes of books, and many scouts tried to avoid them. But I didn't. You see, both my parents were foreign-born and not native English speakers. I was just at that age when the possibilities and vistas of literature were becoming apparent to me.
As I helped out with the other scouts I was fascinated by all the books in all the boxes that had been donated by people. I hefted a few of the boxes myself and held them aloft as the auctioneer sought bids. However, many of these boxes held used mass-market paperbacks, which weren't really in great demand.
After one or two boxes failed to even get a minimum bid, I was holding one aloft when the auctioneer again failed to get even a dollar. As he was about to give up, I said from behind my box "I'll give you a dollar."
He turned around, a bit surprised to see where the voice had come from, but said "Okay that's good!" And yes I offered up my dollar, and took the box of paperbacks home with me.
There were many books in that box that had obviously belonged to someone who studied literature. Even at that tender age I could tell they must've fulfilled some college syllabus. There were many Penguin Classics — titles such as Booth Tarkington's "Alice Adams" and "The Golovlyov Family" by Mikhail Saltykov Shchedrin.
There were a number of other mass-market paperbacks in there, but that particular box seemed to have predominance of those Penguin Classic editions. And those particular books had a name in them, which I still remember: Nitsa Perkins.
I took the books with me, along with some others, when my family moved to Rockland, Massachusetts, in 1970. That's where I graduated from high school in 1975. I moved to New York City and attended Columbia University for a few years. I honestly don't recall how or when or where most of the books dissipated. Between moving and a divorce in the family and the selling of the house the other travails that assail us in everyday life, I lost track of them.
Now, sitting here in middle age in the 21st-century, in deepest darkest East Texas, I think I still have two of those books that have followed me all those years — "Hawaii" by James Michener and "Enjoy, Enjoy" by Harry Golden. I was rereading the latter book and I remembered the circumstances of its purchase, and remembered the name that had graced most of the books in the box that I bought for that buck.
I don't have any of those Penguin Classics anymore, but I remembered the name Nitsa Perkins. I looked it up on the Internet and found an address. I wrote a letter, telling the story I just told you.
Thursday I got a call from Marshfield, Massachusetts, while I was work. It was Nitsa Perskins. She is alive and well. She said she got a kick out my letter, and confirmed she had lived in Billerica in 1969 and her family was a member of the First Congregational Church.
Like my family, her family have moved to south of Boston. She has lived in Marshfield for 38 years, raised four children, and was now a widow.
We had a pleasant chat, and I told her I would send her one of my books. She asked me if I would sign it.
Friday I dropped a copy of "The Clock Struck None" in the mail to her. In the letter I enclosed with the book, I said that if I am in Massachusetts next year for my 40th high school reunion, I will try to stop by. Marshfield is only 12 miles from Rockland.
It is amazing how the things we do can send out ripples through time.
Wednesday, November 19, 2014
"Ruins Excavation"
Sarah Frost
Vanessa MacLelland
Jamie Lackey
Tammy A. Branom
Micah Hyatt
M.C. Chambers
Kaolin Fire
Memory Scarlett
Rob Darnell
Jamie Lackey
Amy Herring
Ransom Noble
Micah Hyatt
Gerri Leen
Neil O'Donnell
Rebecca L. Brown
Jennifer Crow
Lou Antonelli
Rob Darnell
M. C. Chambers
Alvaro Zinos-Amaro
Sunday, November 16, 2014
Nebula nominations
If you are one of my friends - and I do have a few - who belong to the SFWA, here is a list of my new short fiction published this year:
"Bindlestiff's Daughter" - The Lorelei Signal, January 2014
"Playing Catch-Up" - SciFi Max, May 2014
"The Sub-Basement" - The Ironic Fantastic No. 3, Sept. 2014
"Back Own My Stab" - Every Day Fiction, Sept. 16, 2014
"Bigfoot Fruit" - Common Oddities Speculative Fiction Sideshow Sept. 2014
"On a Spiritual Plain" - Sci-Phi Journal No. 2 November 2014
"The Girl Who Couldn't Fly" - "Unconventional Fantasy, a Celebration of 40 Years of the World Fantasy Convention' - Nov. 6-9, 2014
If you are an SFWA member who would like to recommend a story to me, please feel free to send me a message.
Friday, November 14, 2014
Unconventional Fantasy
Sunday, November 09, 2014
Latest output
"The Sub-Basement" - The Ironic Fantastic No. 3, Sept. 2014
"Back Own My Stab" - Every Day Fiction, Sept. 16, 2014
"Bigfoot Fruit" - Common Oddities Speculative Fiction Sideshow Sept. 2014
"On a Spiritual Plain" - Sci-Phi Journal No. 2 November 2014
"The Girl Who Couldn't Fly" - "Unconventional Fantasy, a Celebration of 40 Years of the World Fantasy Convention' - Nov. 6-9, 2014
That brings my total to 88 published since June 2003, seven for this year.
Saturday, November 08, 2014
My apologies
Also, my carpal tunnel syndrome has been really acting up. I've been waiting for it to improve somewhat, but in the meantime I am using the Dragon software for this post.
Sunday, November 02, 2014
Creative Writing 101
One student had already contacted me and had an excused absence, but otherwise everyone else was there. The class a small enough that we had excellent interaction; there were lots of questions and a lot of back and forth exchanges.
That was important because it helped the time go by quickly and gave direction to the class; I was able to get a good idea what the students want to get out of the class.
I handed out a prepared outline of the six weeks, as well as so useful handouts I think students will enjoy as reference.
The time passed quickly and I think everyone enjoyed it. At the very least they will learn something in a relatively painless manner.
I think everyone in a class has the goal of becoming a published writer of some kind, although what they envision ultimately publishing varies greatly. Some are really just into creative self-expression, others are interested in speculative fiction such as horror and fantasy. Some of them are into screenplays, others into poetry, and one student I know is ultimately looking at advice on how to write a true crime novel, in so far as a member of her family for the subject of a brutal murder 18 years ago (and the killer is finally just getting his appointment with the execution chamber in a month or so).
For my part I stood the whole time and talked on my feet, it was so interesting. Although I have participated on panels at conventions and conferences in the past, this is the first time I really did something approaching classroom instruction.
Wednesday, October 29, 2014
Announcing 4 Star Stories Issue 13
First up is a new twist on the classic boy-meets-dragon story by Edward Ahern − Care and Feeding.
A contemporary tale of "girl saves Earth", Speaking Up, from Brynn Macnab takes us into the mind of a little girl who just wants to be left alone.
A talented and prolific author from New Zealand, Sean Monaghan weaves a story that bends the concepts of contemporary theoretical physics in Big Catch.
Finally, expatriate Brit Jez Patterson shows us that not since "Attack of the Killer Tomatoes" has the Earth been as threatened by a lowly fruit as in Squidge.
Our Bonus Story this issue is Operation Rugido Ratón by D H Richards. A tourist in Cuba is more than he seems. The military installation out in the boonies is more than it seems. Did you think the space race ended in the Sixties? Think again!
Our Guest Art for Issue 13 is an Artist Retrospective featuring the work of Jack Coggins, a space and technology illustrator from the 1950's. Not as well known as Chesley Bonestell, but familiar to those of us who grew up in that time period, Jack Coggins uses light and shadow to dramatic effect in his depictions of space hardware and a trip to the moon.
As always, a timely Editorial from our Editors rounds out the issue, along with useful information from your humble Webmaster.
Come to visit, stay to enjoy... 4 Star Stories.com.
The Editors
The next issue of 4 Star Stories will fearture my short story "The Grove of Curiosities"
Monday, October 27, 2014
Bigfoot Fruit
Sunday, October 26, 2014
Sci-Phi Journal available for pre-order
|The cover of Issue No. 2
Sci Phi is an online science fiction and philosophy magazine. In each issue you will find stories that explore questions of life, the universe and everything and articles that delve into the deep philosophical waters of science fiction universes.
This month we have,
The start of a wonderfully Sci Phi Serial from Ben Zwycky, Beyond the Mist that was also the inspiration for our spectacular cover art. It kicks off with our protagonist falling through the mist of the title and just gets stranger from there.
We also have original Science Fiction stories from
Peter Sean Bradley - Ghosts - A tale of a future wedding gone weird
Emmanuel A. Mateo-Morales - The First Step - Witness the end of a mad dream and the end of a future war
David Hallquist - The Quantum Process - A bid for immortality that doesn't go quite as planned!
Lou Antonelli - On a Spiritual Plain - A chaplain
meets a confused soul on an alien mining colony
Steve Sagarra - Terra in Vista - A crew of explorers meet someone unexpected on a new world
Original Essays by
David Kyle Johnson - On the Moral of Hide and Q - An exploration of the ethics of being Q
John C. Wright - Prophetic & Apotropaic Science Fiction - Does Science Fiction predict the future?
Patrick S. Baker - On the Ethics of Super Soldiers - Is it right to make Super Soldiers and what do we owe them?
Tom Simon - The Making of the Fellowship - A study on the nature of the Good in Middle Earth
Wednesday, October 22, 2014
Mid-week update
Sunday, October 19, 2014
Sci-Phi Journal to publish "On a Spiritual Plain"
I did about three-quarters of it there, and finished it when I got back to Texas. I scanned the pages, ran them through optical character recognition software, and made up a Word file. After the usual editing and tweaking, I sent it off to Clarkeswold in March 2013. For some reason, it struck me as a story they would like.
They didn't take it, but it took them three weeks to reject it (if you've ever submitted to Clarkesworld, you know three days is average time for a rejection. That's the only time I received anything other than a standard rejection from them, because they said "your story was close".
So I always thought the story would find a home, and it will be published in Issue No. 2 of Sci-Phi Journal. The name indicates they like a little thoughtfulness and philosophical discussion in conjunction with their stories. Their guidelines state:
"We are looking for science fiction stories that explore a philosophical idea or have a philosophical hook. Stories must include a "food for thought" set of questions for readers along with the manuscript. Please include in your cover letter the philosophical themes explored in the story."
Which I thought would work great for "On a Spiritual Plain". Jason took the story after only a day or two, so I guess I hit the mark. And they look to be a class outfit, paying a nickel a word right from the start.
Highly recommended.
Friday, October 17, 2014
Loading up
Tuesday, October 14, 2014
Update on publications
The second issue of Sci-Phi Journal is in the works and my contract should be on the way soon.
Saturday, October 11, 2014
Press release for "Letters from Gardner"
Friday, October 10, 2014
"Common Oddities"
Thursday, October 09, 2014
"The Girl Who Couldn't Fly"
All the members of the World Fantasy Convention will receive a copy of "Unconventional Fantasy" in their registration envelopes. I know everyone will enjoy all the wonderful stories and art work in "Unconventional Fantasy".
My thanks to Peggy Rae Sapienza and Bill Campbell with World Fantasy Con for the opportunity to participate.
I didn't get an invitation to be a panelist, but I never have for a World Fantasy con. I don't think that's exceptional, I'm really not a fantasy writer. But I was happy that, when asked, I had a story I could submit. Being a part of "Unconventional Fantasy" will perhaps expose me to some people who otherwise might not know my work.
Wednesday, October 08, 2014
The century mark
Of course, I don't mind being published in small mags and ezines. I follow the policy of the late Jay Lake, who one colleague once said "would submit to anything with a pulse." Also, I've stolen a trick from Joe Lansdale, who's published tons of short stories over the years, and therefore can assemble collections very easily. With the publication of "Letters from Gardner" I now have four.
Tuesday, October 07, 2014
Common Oddities Speculative Fiction Sideshow
Other upcoming publications include "The Girl Who Couldn't Fly", which is being included on the World Fantasy Convention giveaway thumb drive (The World Fantasy Con will be in Washington, D.C. Nov. 6-9); "Cerulean Dream" to be published in Tales of the Talisman, "Riders of the Red Shift" in Stupefying Stories, and, as I mentioned in my last post, "On a Spiritual Plain" in Sci-Phi Journal.
Monday, October 06, 2014
Sci-Phi Journal
Woke up this morning to find an acceptance in the in box; A new, quality publication, and nice rate, too, five cents a word.
It's called Sci-Phi Journal. It just published its first issue, with short fiction by John C. Wright, Joshua M. Young, David Hallquist, Frederick Best and Jane Leback, and a novellete by John C. Wright.
It also has a number of non-fiction articles. Check it out here:
Sunday, October 05, 2014
"Letters from Gardner" now available
It's an interesting hybrid of a book - partly history because the way it looks back at that time near the turn of the century in the world of science fiction magazines; and partly writer's manual, as I explain what I was doing, what I was learning, and what Gardner wrote.
I also explain how I applied what Gardner wrote; all except one of the 15 stories I sent him during the period were ultimately published.
The book is also a short story collection, as I reprint those stories. In most cases, I have dredged up the original versions (I had to buy an external floppy disk drive because my backup files from that time are on floppies) and then explain the revisions that were made. In many cases, I published new endings or beginnings.
One of the reasons I did this this is that I'm the last author Gardner bought a story from before he retired from Asimov's. I was the last person who ever went through this process, and after so many years it's something I think needs to be set down in history.
Perhaps this will be a contender for the "Best Related Work" Hugo award next year in Spokane.
Wednesday, October 01, 2014
"Bigfoot Fruit"
Sunday, September 21, 2014
You Got SF in my Mystery!
Saturday 10:00 AM Addison Lecture Hall
Handwavium And Technobabble
Saturday 6:00 PM Pin Oak
Why Should You Join A Professional Organization?
Sunday 10:00 AM Pin Oak
Why Worldcon?
Sunday 1:00 PM Trinity I - IV
I don't have an autographing but I'll still have copies of "The Clock Struck None" if anyone wants to buy one.
Thursday, September 18, 2014
"Back Own My Stab"
Derek McMillan • Great story. I love the paradoxes of time travel. They are literally endless. Excuse me I have to go and give some advice for my teenage self, but will I listen? Not on your life :)
Tibor Simic • A neat old-fashioned story with a cool final sentence. I'm not a big fan of expository dialogue, especially at the beginning of a story, but here it works rather well.
terrytvgal • Original and fun. Time travel lends itself to so many possibilities and I generally always enjoy this sort of story.
Shelley Lerea • Fun, interesting story! I love time travel stories, good job, four stars!
Walter Giersbach • Lou, this is a terrific riff on the time travel trope. Especially good because it doesn't beg belief and there's a secondary theme of lust derailed for love and happiness all around.
Bud Clayman • I liked the story. I didn't connect that much with the characters as Martin was a cold fish, but the piece was clever enough to hold my attention. It had many twists and turns which made it interesting.
There was the usual slew of nastiness from people who either don't get it, or think their taste is God's mind, and the normal attacks on the author's abilities.
I have two stories pending publication in Tales of the Talisman and Stupefying Stories. I currently have 17 stories on submission is various and assorted slush piles.
Saturday, September 13, 2014
It kicks off with "A Rocket for the Republic", originally published in Asimov's Science Fiction in 2005.
It was the last story Gardner Dozois bought before he retired as editor of Asimov's. It placed 3rd in the Best Short Story category in the annual Asimov's Readers' Poll in 2006. It has subsequently been reprinted in "Fantastic Texas" (2009) and "Texas and Other Planets" (2010). It will also be reprinted in the upcoming "Letters from Gardner" being published by The Merry Blacksmith Press.
My goal with Otherwise is to reprint a story once a week.
Here is a link:
Wednesday, September 10, 2014
"Captain of the Clouds"
It's a cute story with a happy ending. I'll probably never be able to sell it. The major genre magazines only want stylish bullshit about how much the future's gonna suck. But I really pretty much write for myself, so who cares? I like it, and that's all that really matters. If anyone else happens to read it and also like it, that's so much gravy.
Sunday, September 07, 2014
Sixteen slushpiles
Saturday, September 06, 2014
"The Sub-Basement"
I hadn't had a story published since May, but if things proceed on schedule, I may have three more stories published this month - "Bigfoot Fruit" in Common Oddities Speculative Fiction Sideshow, "Back Own My Stab" in Every Day Fiction, and "Riders of the Red Shift" in Stupefying Stories. That would mean I will have had twice as many stories published in one month as I had since the start of the year.
"The Sub-Basement" is my 84th story published since 2003.
Wednesday, September 03, 2014
In the mail
That's always a nice feeling.
Monday, September 01, 2014
Closeout Sale
Of course Sunday was August 31, but I had no idea I would come skidding under the door twice on the same day.
With three acceptances this week I decided it's time to start replenishing my stock of stories and I got the first 1,000 words down tonight in my next short story, "Chasing Madame Booyah".
Catching up
I spent some time Sunday reading over submissions for a short story contest. I noted one aspiring author was guilty of "style over substance abuse".
Sunday, August 24, 2014
Busy time
Friday was the first preseason scrimmage for the local football team, which meant we published annual back-to-school football edition. That came to a total of 30 pages. Although I'm not the sports editor, I do have responsibility of getting the Associated Press articles that were used in that section. Plus, that was just an overall big project for the production staff.
And the newspaper office — after 40 years in one location — moved this weekend to a new building.
So it's been a fairly busy time.
On the writing front, I got a request for a rewrite from an e-zine; and that's always a positive sign.
Wednesday, August 20, 2014
Cover reveal
Sunday, August 17, 2014
Kansas City in 2016
The good news for me is that I can drive to Kansas City in eight hours; last year I was able to drive to San Antonio in six hours. The convention next year is in Spokane, Washington.
My wife and I were disappointed we couldn't go to London, but a lot of things would had to of gone right. However, Spokane and Kansas City seem much more viable, at least for me.
Saturday, August 16, 2014
"Letters from Gardner"
The manuscript is 248 pages; I found typos or mistakes on 12 of them. I suppose there are still some lurking around, but one thing I've learned over the years as that — being human — to always be a mistake or two someplace. I've always thought the key thing is to make sure a typo is not egregious enough that people can't tell what you meant.
I hope to be able to post the cover art soon. If John Teehan gets this in print before the end of the year that will mean I had two books published in one year.
Wednesday, August 13, 2014
Reviews of "The Clock Struck None"
From Goodreads:
"A collection of 28 previously published stories, The Clock Struck None is an interesting mix of alternative and secret histories. Each story is prefaced with a short introduction that explains where it was first published and a bit about the writing of or inspiration behind the story.
While a majority of the stories take place in Texas, they vary greatly in time, subject and character. Thankfully, the point of view shifts between stories as well. Some are more successful than others, but this is something I expect in a collection of short stories. For me, some of the least successful were those involving actual historic figures. The most successful were the slightly more fantastic, those that left me thinking "hmmm." The sixth story, "Double Exposure," left me feeling nostalgic for fotomat booths.
"An enjoyable collection with some intriguing premises..."
From Amazon:
"The alternative history stories were inventive and interesting."
Monday, August 11, 2014
Thinking of Robin Williams tonight...
"Wait a minute. John and Jimmy and Gilda and Madeline - you're talking all these new kids... "
Jimmy stood up laboriously, ignoring the pain in his chest. "You bitch about your job, and you took Ernie Kovacs from us so soon? Man, come on. You couldn't have, like, taken Chevy Chase?"
Jimmy began to get that feeling, the feeling you get right when you're about to get control of the house, right when you know you're about to hold the audience in the palm of your hand. He had the room. He had it.
"What the hell was the problem? You take every-damn-body else and leave us with Chevy Chase? What, there was no more room in the van?"
The Stranger's eyes glowed with an angry glint that Jimmy somehow knew was a reflection of the Big Bang.
Then the Stranger cracked up. Laughter shook the walls of the dressing room. For one amazing moment, all the fatigue left the Stranger's face. Then he looked slightly startled.
"We might be able to sort something out, at that," he said at last. "Do you know how long it's been since anyone made me laugh?"
Jimmy grinned. "I'll bite. 'HOW-LONG- HAS-IT---' "
The Stranger cut him off. "Never."
From "Off the Hook" by Ed Morris and Lou Antonelli.
Sunday, August 10, 2014
"Ad Valorem"
It's about a lady who cheats the tax man by impersonating her dead mother, who had her property taxes "frozen" when she turned 65. She works to fake a DNA test - with unexpected results.
Saturday, August 09, 2014
A week's silence
Sunday, August 03, 2014
The SASS panel
|Lou Antonelli, Scott Cupp, Bill Crider and Rie Sheridan Rose
Photo by John Husisian
The convention was held at the Austin Omni Southpark Hotel; this panel was held at 5 PM Saturday in the conference center. I would estimate they were about 15 members of the audience. The panelists were Scott Cupp, Bill Crider, Rie Sheridan Rose and myself. There were two members of SASS in the audience, Stony Compton and John Husisian.
We had free copies of "Rebel Moon" graciously donated by Bruce Bethke, co-author with "Vox Day", to hand out to all participants.
Scott was the moderator and after allowing us introduce ourselves he explained what he found especially attractive with the organization was the support and member mentorship it offers.
Panelists didn't really want to mention any other writers groups, but the pro group SFWA was hard to avoid. Scott specifically mentioned how sometime in the past he had looked into joining the SFWA and despite mentioning his publishing credits and honors, was basically told "we'll get back to you." He decided after that kind of interaction he really wasn't interested in becoming a member.
Scott's comments brought up the topic of snobbery which was a hard subject hard to avoid in the context.
I told how I ran for an SFWA office and was attacked because in my biography I referred to my dogs as my adopted "Canine American children" and I was accused of being disrespectful to the ethnic identity movement. That got a good laugh from the audience.
I explained my motivation for helping organize the group came from my interaction with professional writers. The SFWA is an organization really geared towards people who make a living writing, and I simply didn't feel it's a good fit for a semi pro like me who has a full-time job and writes on the side.
Although a qualified for full membership in the SFWA couple years ago, I really don't get much encouragement from it. I said that rather than complaining, I went to do something about it and I helped get together a group that bridges the gap from fans and aspiring writers to pros.
I still belong to the SFWA and so do a number of SASS members; most fighters belong to different groups and get different things from them.
During the introductions, Bill Crider wondered out loud why he be put on the panel — he was the only non-SASS member. But when he understood how the group was formed, he said he "got it". He is involved in a group that has a similar outlook for Western genre authors, the "Western Fictioneers", that also only started a few years ago.
Rie Sheridan Rose explained how enthused she was when she learned about the group because it does not discriminate against self-published authors.
We explained we are interested in all forms of storytelling, and that includes gaming. One member of the audience pointed out that "Rebel Moon" is based on a game. Another audience member noted that we allow horror writers as members.
The panel included a nice-wide ranging discussion on a number of practical subjects, not just specific to SASS.
Audience members asked about workshops and critiquing, and one thing I said was SASS would not be part of the crab bucket affect, which so often afflicts writers groups, where everyone pulls down each other and nobody has any success climbing out of the crab bucket.
We did talk about the recently – floated idea compiling an anthology, and that met with a lot of approval. Crider said the Western Fictioneers have done that and it has proven to be so successful they don't even have to charge dues any more because they are making so much money from the anthologies.
Unfortunately, because of the way I had to rush to get to the convention – I worked until 2 a.m. that morning and drove to Austin starting at 7 a.m. – I didn't have a chance to run any SASS literature off to hand out.
Wednesday, July 30, 2014
The rules
I wonder what led up to this? A lot of this is common sense, which makes you wonder about what kind of people are participating. Also, a lot of this seems reactionary.
1. Don't come to the panel drunk or high.
2. Don't put any of your work on the table in front of you. Name tents only.
3. Don't mention your work during the panel except briefly when you introduce yourself
4. Do stay on topic.
5. Don't monopolize the panel. Let others talk.
6. Do smile.
7. Don't talk about politics. It makes people uncomfortable. Don't make fun of people related to Texas including Rick Perry, historical figures or athletes.
8. Don't yell or argue with another panelist or audience member.
9. Don't lie.
10. Do face the audience. Don't turn your chair so other panelists are cut out of the conversation.
11. Do enunciate and speak clearly.
12. Don't talk louder than everyone else unless someone in the back is having a hard time hearing you. Indoor voice please.
13. Don't be a jerk.
14. Don't mention your work is for sale in the dealers' room or art show.
15. Do drink water or other beverages (no alcohol) during the panel to keep your voice happy. Don't eat during the panel. (Unless you are diabetic.)
16. Do watch your language. (There will be youngsters about.)
17. Don't make an intellectual panel about fart jokes.
1. Ask your panelists to introduce themselves at the start.
2. Make sure panelists only have their name tent on the table with them and not a book fortress.
3. All panelists should speak. Equal time if possible.
4. Please repeat questions from the audience so everyone can hear.
5. Always leave 5-10 minutes at the end of the panel for questions.
6. Keep track of time. End five minutes before the hour. (Some panels have set up
7. Stop a panelist if they are talking too much.
8. Include a panelist if they are being ignored by the rest of the panel.
9. Stay on topic. If it is getting away from you, interrupt and bring it back to topic.
Tuesday, July 29, 2014
ArmadilloCon overview
The panel at 2 PM on what it your early writing was like went very well and was attended. Lillian Stewart Carl was the moderator, and I was joined by Martha Wells on the panel.
I'd say the highlight of the convention for me was my reading at 3 PM. It had probably the largest turnout I've ever had for a one person reading. I think there were 10 people there — not bad for minor author. The best part was how well my reading of great white ship was received. There were actually gasps of amazement and pleasure at the conclusion. I didn't know I had it in me!
That took a half hour; I spent the second half reading hearts made of stone.
The panel on SASS at 5 PM also went well. Scott Cupp was the moderator and I was joined by Bill Crider and Rie Sheridan Rose as a panelist. This was the only panel I had at the convention that was held at the conference center rather than a function room. I probably need to write up a full report on this panel, especially for the members of SASS. it also went very well and what we had to say was very well received by the members of the audience.
My one panel on Sunday was on religion at 10 AM, moderated by CJ Mills. I was joined by Alexis Glynn Latner, Ian McDonald and Amanda Palmer as a panelist. I was amazed at the attendance considering the time and day. That panel also went very well and I know those enjoyed by the members of the audience.
That's my broad brush overview report for now. I offer my usual disclaimer that if there's any strangeness in this post, it may be because I dictated it using Dragon software.
Tuesday, July 22, 2014
Two nominations
I took a little time this past spring to encourage people to read the story, with the excuse to consider it for a nomination. My attitude was, if I was able to get anyone to read it, fine, if anyone wanted to nominate it, better. I thought it was a good story.
I received a couple of Nebula nominations for "A Rocket for the Republic" in 2006, and one for "The Witch of Waxahachie" in 2009.
Saturday, July 19, 2014
Ready for ArmadilloCon
Friday, July 18, 2014
Lou Antonelli answers the Usual Questions
Lou Antonelli is an American science fiction and fantasy writer
Antonelli got a late start in his fiction writing career; his first story was published when he was 46 years old in June 2003.
Has your interaction with fans, for example, at conventions, affected your work?
Yes, it's been a big encouragement to know people read and enjoy my work.
Is there any particular incident (a letter, a meeting, a comment that stands out?
The first s-f con I attended, in 2003 in Dallas. I had always been a reader, but I didn't attend a con until I was 46, and only after a press release crossed my desk at the newspaper where I worked. I attended the convention with a press pass. It was there I made the connection that led to my first submission and publication.
Do you have a favourite author or book (or writer or film or series) that has influenced you or that you return to?
Howard Waldrop. I always liked his sense of wonder and weirdness. I was very honored when he wrote the introduction to my first collection of short stories, Fantastic Texas, in 2009. He is the only author I am compared to in my Encyclopedia of Science Fiction entry.
Who is the person you would most like to be trapped in a lift with? or a spaceship?
Howard Waldrop.
Who is the person you would most DISlike to be trapped in a lift with? Or a spaceship?
N.K. Jemisin
What would you pack for space? (Is there a food, beverage, book, teddy bear, etc that you couldn't do without?)
My family. I am very much a homebody and I'd never leave them -- my wife Patricia and my three kids, who are all canines.
What is the most important thing you would like to get/achieve from your work?
To impart a sense of wonder and infinite possibilities, to make people realize that despite the large number of accidents and assholes fate foists on us, there are still wonderful people and marvelous things out there.
What is the special satisfaction of your work?
When I finish a story and it all comes together and I read it again and have a Tommy Lee Jones moment: "Damn, I'm good!"
Here is the link the actual page, if you like.
Tuesday, July 15, 2014
Next convention
Saturday, July 12, 2014
Giving credit where credit is due
They adjusted the schedule so that I have everything on Saturday and Sunday, and in place of one panel that is they couldn't replace they gave me an autographing – which is probably better for me.
One panel that I would have deeply missed was the one on SASS Friday evening, since I was one of the organizers of the writing group. But the programmers moved the panel to Saturday, so I will be able to participate!
I have to say I'm very impressed with their consideration.
Wednesday, July 09, 2014
My ArmadilloCon schedule
Sa1000CC I Need to Floss My Brain
Sat 10:00 AM-11:00 AM Conference Center
Eudaly*, Antonelli, Lalumière, Trimm, Weisman
Weird fiction isn't for everyone, but if you like it, here are some great stories.
Sa1200DR Autographing
Sat Noon-1:00 PM Dealers' Room
Antonelli, Benjamin, Rountree
Sa1400E Where Are They Now?
Sat 2:00 PM-3:00 PM Room E
Carl*, Antonelli, Hale, Wells
Authors read short snippets from their early, critique and discuss what they learned.
Sa1500SA Reading
Sat 3:00 PM-4:00 PM Southpark A
Sa1700CC SASS
Sat 5:00 PM-6:00 PM Conference Center
Cupp*, Antonelli, Crider, Sheridan Rose
The Society for the Advancement Speculative Storytelling
Su1000E Presbylutheran
Sun 10:00 AM-11:00 AM Room E
Mills*, Antonelli, Latner, McDonald, Palmer
Should books use real world religions or make them up? Effective uses of both.
Sunday, July 06, 2014
The perils of being prolific
It's been observed more than once that someone who can write as prolifically as I do would've done well in the old pulp era so many years ago, but as it is today sometimes I really have to struggle to find potential venues for stories.
The number of people submitting to the few short story venue still exist, both in print and online, must be enormous. Some of the best venues don't do open submissions and at any given time any number of the better venues' submissions are closed.
The financial pressures on editors are such that few people can take time to cultivate and mentor writers like John Campbell or Gardner Dozois did.
Which is another reason why I suppose my forthcoming book "Letters from Gardner" may be interesting reading.
The dearth of short story markets being what it is, the logical thing to do would be to take a stab at an original novel. Thanks to this Dragon software, which I'm using right now, the prospect seems less daunting. I've always been dissuaded from writing at great length because of aggravating my carpal tunnel syndrome.
Saturday, July 05, 2014
Holiday weekend
Thursday, July 03, 2014
Cut by half
My plans to attend GalaxyFest in Colorado Springs and ApolloCon in Houston were thwarted because they conflicted with Con DFW in Dallas and SoonerCon in Oklahoma City.
So the only other cons I have scheduled for this year our ArmadilloCon in Austin next month and FenCon in Dallas in September. In both cases I will only be able to attend Saturday and Sunday because I have no paid vacation days for the time being.
I have already received my invite to participate in GalaxyFest next February, and have accepted. It will not conflict with ConDFW next year.
Wednesday, July 02, 2014
Back from Soonercon
|That's me moderating the Sunday panel on "Disclaimers for Daydreamers" I'm at the far end, with (from left), Julia Mandala, Mike Kennedy and Mark Alfred.
I was amazed to see almost all panelists at all the panels I was on. Attendance was excellent. My signing went well and I sold over half of my current stockpile of books.
One nice thing about this convention was that my wife Patricia came with me. It wasn't that much of an exertion being basically an overnight stay. It was pretty funny to hear more than one person greet her by saying "Oh, you DO exist!"
My wife is a fastidious dresser, which resulted in her being — to the best my knowledge — the only person at the con Saturday wearing pearls. I caught a few glances from cosplayers who obviously wondered "I wonder WHO she is?"
Friday, June 27, 2014
Off to Soonercon
If you're in the neighborhood, stop on by.
Sunday, June 22, 2014
My SoonerCon schedule
Humorous Horror Saturday 11:00 am
Fantasy and Film: The Language of Dreams Made Visible Saturday 1:00 pm
Damsels De-Stressed: Women in Steampunk Saturday 3:00 pm
Signing Saturday 5:00 p.m.
Walt Disney 's World of Fantasy Sunday 11:00 am
Pity the Poor Immortal Sunday 1:00 pm
Disclaimers for Daydreams Sunday 3:00 pm
I will not be able to be there at all Friday, I'm driving in from East Texas that evening. (Interesting note: I will have to drive 100 miles further at attend Armadillocon in Austin in July.)
SoonerCon 23 will be June 27-29, 2014. It will be held at the Reed Conference Center in Midwest City, Oklahoma.
Saturday, June 21, 2014
"Letters from Gardner"
I received the galley proof yesterday from John Teehan at Merry Blacksmith Press of my next book "Letters from Gardner", which I've talked about in the past. I love the way John handled the typography; it makes it very clear when we're switching from the original parts of the book to the reprints of the stories that Gardner saw during the time I was submitting to him. If I recall correctly the book has about 16 chapters and is 248 pages long.
John indicates he'd like to issue this book in the fall, which means — "The Clock Struck None" having been published in February — I'd have two collections published in the same year, although "Letters from Gardner" is a bit of a hybrid.
John asked if I could get him some scans of the correspondence between Gardner and I that are featured in the book. I took some pictures and sent them to him.
Sunday, June 15, 2014
"No Body to Beat"
One thing I'm pleased with is that I finally came up with an ending for a story idea I've been contemplating for a few years. In "No Body to Beat", a time traveler decides the best thing he can do for the present United States is to take down the concept of "corporate personhood". Specifically, he goes back in time and applies critical pressure in 1886, when in the case case Santa Clara v. Southern Pacific, the Chief Justice Waite of the Supreme Court orally directed the lawyers that the Fourteenth Amendment equal protection clause guarantees constitutional protections to corporations in addition to natural persons.
The problem was, I couldn't come up with a logical extrapolation. It finally came to me this weekend, so I think I will finally be able to whip this one up.
Saturday, June 14, 2014
LonCon, DetCon off
With no paid vacation time now, I notified both the folks in London and Detroit my participation is off. I still plan to go to SoonerCon, ArmadilloCon and Fencon - at the worst, I may only participate on Saturday and Sunday.
Tuesday, June 10, 2014
Latest story
Saturday, June 07, 2014
Sidewise award finalists
Short Form
* Vylar Kaftan, "The Weight of the Sunrise" (Asimov's, 2/13)
* Ken Liu, "A Brief History of the Trans-Pacific Tunnel" (F&SF, 1/13)
* Adam Roberts, "Tollund" (The Book of the Dead, Jurassic London)
* Kristine Kathryn Rusch, "Uncertainty" (Asimov's, 3/13)
* Harry Turtledove, "Cayos in the Stream" (Tor.com, 8/7/13)
* Ian Watson, "Blair's War" (Asimov's, 7/12)
Long Form
* Robert Conroy, 1920: America's Great War (Baen)
* Mark Hodder, The Secret of Abdu el Yezdi (Pyr, Ebury)
* D. J. Taylor, The Windsor Faction (Pegasus, Chatto & Windus)
* Bryce Zabel, Surrounded by Enemies : What If Kennedy Survived Dallas? (Mill City Press)
The Sidewise Awards for Alternate History were conceived in late 1995 to honor the best allohistorical genre publications of the year. The first awards were announced in summer 1996 and honored works from 1995. The award takes its name from Murray Leinster's 1934 short story "Sidewise in Time," in which a strange storm causes portions of Earth to swap places with their analogs from other timelines.
I was honored to be a finalist last year for my story "Great White Ship" that was published in Daily Science Fiction in 2012.
I had predicted earlier in the year that Ken Liu's short story ""A Brief History of the Trans-Pacific Tunnel" would be a finalist, and I was right. Hope it wins, too.
Busy time
Wednesday, June 04, 2014
SoonerCon schedule
2p - Hit or Myth Moviemaking: Mythology Onscreen
4p - Fantasy and its Mythological Roots
5p - Reading
9a - Koffee Klatch
11a - Humorous Horror
1p - Fantasy and Film: The Language of Dreams Made Visible
3p - Damsels De-Stressed: Women In Steampunk
11a - Walt Disney and the World of Fantasy
1p - Pity the Poor Immortal
3p - Disclaimers for Daydreams
Tuesday, June 03, 2014
In his memory
I have a total of 18 stories circulating in various slushpiles right now.
Sunday, June 01, 2014
Jay Lake is gone
I had the opportunity to meet Jay in person on March 6 of last year. I drove to Houston to have dinner with him because he was visiting the M.D. Anderson Cancer Center as part of his ongoing battle with cancer. A group gathered for an open dinner at Dimassi's Mediterranean Buffet, which is on Kirby Street close to both the hospital and Reliant Stadium.
|Here's the photo from that dinner. Shown are, from left, Jim Crider, Lisa Costello, Suzan Harden, Trey Palmer, Perry Harden, John DeNardo, Jay, and Leslie Claire Walker. I took the photo, obviously
The dinner lasted about two hours. Jay apologized for being somewhat hazy because of his chemotherapy. I was a bit curdled myself after the five hour drive.
I was happy to have the opportunity to meet Jay in person, and I enjoyed the tall tales and anecdotes told around the dinner table. I everyone had a good time, and we all wished Jay the best as he fought his health battle.
It was very educational to me to actually meet Jay and hear about his background and experience. I feel I understood him a lot better.
If you want to make a contribution in Jay's name, please make it to:
Clayton Memorial Medical Fund
c/o OSFCI
P.O. Box 5703
Portland, Oregon 97228
Saturday, May 31, 2014
In tribute to Jay Lake
Jay Lake is in hospice care now, so it's probably only a matter of time before he leaves us. Back in 2007, when I published my on-line e-zine Sentinel Science Fiction, I bought and published a short story of his. I went and found the floppy disk it is backed up on and and I'm republishing it today. I don't know that it's available anywhere else, and my feeling is that the best way to remember Jay is to read his stuff.
So here's ...
Fire-Heart and Rose-Lips
by Jay Lake
They're all crazy for stories here, even my maid Fuega. She's my best friend, too, mostly 'cause I don't really know any other princesses. Plus we're exactly the same age.
Ever since I was twelve, His Majesty Dad has made me wear these stupid gloves -- two layers of dragonscale with a silver and copper mesh between, crafted by some one-eyed dwarven smith, half mad and all drunk. "They'll keep you safe from cuts," he'd said.
Gee, thanks Dad.
At least I can take the gloves off in the big copper tub in the Maiden Tower, but only with Fuega watching me and one of the upstairs maids, plus the girls with the water buckets and scrub brushes. If Momma would let him, law or no law Dad would have two guards in the room to keep an eye on me, too.
Out of the gloves, my hands always look like withered prunes! They'd be so pretty and, well, normal, if they ever saw the air and light. No prince is ever going to marry me.
But Fuega says I don't need a prince since I have her. She holds me most nights, and sometimes we practice kissing, but that's all.
Everyone's always scheming about me. One of the worst was when that little toad Palancier came to court.
"Your majesté," he said in the fake little accent that drooled through his nasty mustache. I swear, a whole hive of fairies could live for a year on the food crusted in that man's beard. "I have ze proposal for your daughter's perm--, eh, how you say, durable?"
Only he pronounced that word like 'Pablo' instead of 'bubble.' You get the idea.
So, he said, "To preserve your daughter's hand for le mariage."
Then he chuckled up half a gut at his own wit. I looked mariage up later, too. I don't think he was using the word right. Fat old fraud.
Well, Palancier chuckled until His Majesty Dad was laughing too, up there on the Ivory Throne, so then all the courtiers were laughing. You'd have thought Dog Pie our court fool had found a whole new way to pretend to be a woman. Even the silks hanging from those fire-scarred oak beams were waving down like they thought it was funny too.
"I'll chuckle him," I whispered to Fuega.
She took my hand, stroking the palm of my heavy glove with her fingers. "Hush, Rosita. Let's hear what the man has to say."
"In my travails," Palancier was spouting, "I have zeen ze finest work of ze smiths of Copper Downs and Chalk Hill. Zo I propose zat we chop," and he stabbed his porky little hands down like a pair of cleavers, "ze riskmost parts at the wristmost parts..."
He paused for a laugh, but His Majesty Dad had the look Fuega called 'lightning-strikes-the-tower,' so the court wasn't even cracking a smile now. Even the silks above us were still.
"Eh, you take my meaning," Palancier continued with much less enthusiasm. "Zen we replace zem wit' zese beautiful, tres cher bonne, silver hands from ze uttermost East, enchanté par les ascended masters in ze prime of zeir powers!"
I rubbed my wrists, which suddenly ached something fierce through the heavy gloves.
Dad leaned forward on the Ivory Throne, one hand propping his jaw. He had a narrow beard that year. He fancied it made him look like an epic hero, but mostly it made him look like a giant leprechaun. Dad had the pommel of his old sword Megrim in his other hand, holding it like a cane.
Dog Pie says Megrim was forged from one of Coalheart the Undying's claws, but then I asked how the smith had got the claw off a live dragon, and Dog Pie had just looked at me funny. Later Fuega told me to stop acting too smart.
Anyway, I don't know where Dad pulled Megrim from all by himself up there on the throne. A minute earlier his hands were empty. One of those king tricks my future husband will have to learn.
God, I hate being a girl.
Once he spotted the sword, Palancier looked nervous. Dad just kind of grinned into his fingers. Don't-speak-until-spoken-to got tangled up with self-preservation in the fat man's mouth, and his lips flapped like a carp tossed out of the pond.
His Majesty Dad finally took mercy. "It would seem that you are suggesting that I have my daughter's hands removed so she cannot prick her finger on a spinning wheel."
"Exactly!" shouted Palancier, forgetting his accent.
Dad tapped Megrim a couple of times on the marble dais beneath the Ivory Throne. He tugged his beard. He looked up at the silks. He winked at me and Fuega, though old Palancier was in too much of a twitchy swivet to see it.
Serves the dumpling right, I thought with my best nasty. Cut off my hands, will you?
"M'sieur Palancier," Dad said. "Your plan has merits."
Palancier bounced as if his feet had grown springs.
"Grant me a demonstration," Dad continued. "Have the magicians chop off your own hands and replace them with these magic silver hands. If I am fully satisfied with their performance on your wrists, you shall have your weight in gold for performing the same service for my lovely daughter."
Palancier hustled himself out of court so fast the guards had to run to catch up in order to thrash him.
Stuff like that is funny, except it's my life. My hands.
Thing about stories is, they're almost always true. Somehow, some way. Maybe Megrim was forged from Coalheart the Undying's claw and maybe it wasn't. But I've seen Dad use the sword in battle outside our castle walls against the Red Magician's Horde. Megrim called lightning from a summer sky, I swear. So if the stories about Megrim are true, sort of, couldn't the story about the Witch of Wearyall and the spinning wheel and me someday doomed to pricking my finger be true, too?
Could it?
"Don't be a baby," Fuega laughs as she scrubs my back. "You're scared of some old bat no one's seen for almost sixteen years."
"It ain't you that's going to sleep until the end of time," I grumble, splashing her.
"It's a story. A fairy story." She laughs again. "Besides, the real message is obvious. Even you can get it. Come on, Rosita."
I lower myself in the tub until just my nose and lips are above water and Fuega's voice echoes through the copper plating. It makes her into a sort of burbling ogre that I can barely understand.
Sometimes that's for the best.
She tweaks my nose, bringing me up shouting and cursing words I'm not supposed to know, only how I can live in a castle full of men with swords and not know them? If they don't have knives and swords, men just grab themselves all day long like the stableboys -- as Fuega tells me -- so they may as well play with weapons and shout bad words.
Which makes me feel funny about watching His Majesty Dad practicing in the sparring yard with Megrim.
"Listen," Fuega hisses. She grabs my ear, but not hard like she really means it. "It's all cock and bull. The witch, the blood. They're just scared spitless of what happens when you become a woman. Once you get your courses, they just wish you'd sleep chaste and beautiful until the perfect man comes along, kisses you awake and takes you away. No teenage woollie-woollies for their majesties. No fooling around with the stableboys."
I get tired of her words in my ear like a boiling kettle, so I slap her hand away. "Stories. Everyone loves those stupid stories too much. I've had my courses since I was twelve. You've seen enough of those stupid bloody cloths to prove it. The rest is horse poop."
"Sym-bol-ism," she says primly. That's one of Dog Pie's words, when he thinks no one's listening but us.
"Symbol this," I say. "My sixteenth birthday is tomorrow. I'm tired of these stupid gloves. There's not a spinning wheel within ten leagues of the Maiden Tower. They were all burned years ago. Plus Dad has archers and wizards on watch for the Witch of Wearyall. I want out. I'm done."
Fuega glances around the room, making sure none of the other maids are too near. "Remember the plan," she hisses.
What does she know, anyway? She's not any older than me, but Dog Pie and the soldiers tell Fuega everything, while I just sit around with my thick gloves and try to play the harp and do needlework and stupid stuff like that.
Fuega wasn't there for sake of the Witch of Wearyall's prophecy, anymore than I was.
Well, I was there for the prophecy, actually, but you know what I mean.
Fuega planned like she did everything else -- life's a story, life's a game, just puzzle out the rules and figure what you have to do. We had secret passwords and signs and countersigns, all the game stuff that anyone plays at when they're kids.
Except hers were for serious.
When we were nine, she showed me a hidden passage behind the hearth in the balneary of the Maiden Tower.
"How'd you know about this?" I asked.
"I have my ways." She was a high-nosed snit even then.
Later, I figured out that Dog Pie had shown it to her.
Fuega wouldn't ever let me go down the passage. "Just in case," she told me.
"In case of what?"
"I don't come back..." Arch, conspiratorial. She was everything I wanted to be. Most of all, free.
"We can trust Gunther in the stables, and Red Jon, sort of, but never talk to Strawhead Steven about anything." She glanced up from her crude map of the castle, drawn with water and fingertip on the stones beside the tub. "Steven would lie about the time of day."
"What will we be running away from?" I finally asked one day in the west rose garden.
"Whatever comes," said Fuega. "You're a princess. Bad things sometimes happen."
Well, the worst was about to happen. I was going to turn sixteen, go to my first ball as guest of honor, and wear these horrible gloves to protect me from spinning wheels that didn't exist.
If I couldn't get rid of the gloves for good, I was going to run away.
That night, before the party, His Majesty Dad comes into the Maiden Tower.
Now, it's death for a man to be in the Maiden Tower, so the castellan even keeps woman carpenters and stonemasons around. Husky women with hairy lips, but Fuega gets along real well with them. Since Dad's the law and the sword of the law in these parts, I guess if he wants to come to the Maiden Tower no one else is going to say much about it.
I'm up in my room reading Lives of the Saints, which is even less fun than you think. Dog Pie made me learn to read. It does help pass the evenings when Fuega is out and only the stupid upstairs maids are around fussing with my clothes.
Dad comes in and he's got Megrim with him. I immediately think of Palancier, not to mention all the other hare-brained schemes that have come to court since I was old enough to toddle in there and listen, and get a chill ache in my wrists.
"Hey, Rosita," Dad says. He's got a goofy smile, not an I've-come-to-cut-your-hands-off look.
"Hey." I pretend to be real interested in St. Poikilo and the fishes.
"Tomorrow's the big day."
I wonder if ordinary girls have these stupid conversations with their parents. I thumb the page of the book with my big heavy gloves, smearing an illustrated trout. "Heard from the Witch of Wearyall?"
The snick of Megrim sliding from its manskin scabbard catches my complete attention. I look up, my breath sharp and shallow, to see Dad kneeling before me with his naked sword. He's got both hands on the blade, just past the pommel and there's already blood leaking between his fingers.
Oh, God, this is worse than that time with the Red Magician's Horde. Where was Fuega?
"I swear," says Dad, and he's panting, "by the breath in my lungs and the blood in my veins and the steel in my hand, that the Witch of Wearyall will not harm a single, perfect hair on your head, Rosita my daughter."
Oh, crap, I think. Story time again, and he's deep into it.
You know what happened the next day. It's a tale everyone tells their children in the cradle now. That one about the witch and spinning wheel and the beautiful sleeping princess. Stories, nothing but stories in this world, I swear, and even where they're right they still get it wrong.
Ask yourself how Dad got hold of a claw from Coalheart the Undying. Why everyone was so afraid of me pricking my hands. What the roses were supposed to guard around Dad's castle. Did the Witch of Wearyall lay a curse?
Or a blessing?
Here, I'll help. I'll tell you a story of my own. Once upon a time a dragon went walking in the world clothed in human skin. He was a handsome man, and clever besides, but a chink of fear had lodged in the heart of his new body, as it does in the hearts of all men. He prised a claw from his sleeping true form and took it with him. Over time, that claw won him a kingdom. The kingdom won him love. Love won him children.
But dragons always birth in pairs, so the queen had twins. One of them was dusky as dirt and earthy besides, with fire in her heart. Truly the dragon's daughter. The other was pale as a summer rose, with lips like the spring dawn, her mother's image. Truly a woman of the world.
An old lady with Second Sight saw through the fire-heart and the rose-lips and knew which daughter would someday take wing and wreak havoc as is the nature of her kind. She placed a blessing on the girls, sealed with a blooming hawthorn branch, promising eternal sleep to the dragon's trueblood daughter in order to save the kingdom and the dragon's earthly love.
Just like in all the stories the blessing was misunderstood and the old woman driven forth with sticks and dung and threats. Then came the fateful day when the blessing was broken. The fire-heart fell asleep and the rose-lips took wing and flew.
They were all looking in the wrong direction.
My sword is sharp and I have deeds to do. If I live as long as Dog Pie promised trueblood dragons can, some day I'll go back and set fire to the thorns and free my sleeping sister. Maybe Palancier was right. Too bad. When I finally caught up to him, he tasted fine, roasted on the run.
Sometimes the stories come true, no matter how crazy they sound.
No matter how crazy they are.
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Latest reviews
"It's possible that you haven't run into the stories of Lou Antonelli. Since 2003, he's been publishing delightful short tales of alternate history all over the nooks and crannies of the SF world. Thanks to Fantastic Books, we now have 28 of these little gems in one place. "Many of Antonelli's stories have an unexpected twist ending. And many of them are what he calls "secret history" stories, which aren't exactly alternate history—they're set in our familiar history, but there's always some element that contemporary observers missed. " -
- Don Sakers, The Reference Library, Analog July-Aug. 2014
A better path develops for a distraught man in "Double Exposure" by Lou Antonelli (debut 6/11 and reviewed by Frank D). Jake is about to end it all. He has been trying to keep his high maintenance wife happy for decades and has needed to embezzle to satisfy her spending habits. Now, on the verge of indictment and abandoned by his spouse, he buys a gun. Before he pulls the trigger, he spies a Kodak one-day photo hut. Curious, he pulls up to the window. They are holding pictures of him and his last girlfriend from 30 years before. The package is a lot thicker than it should be. Double Exposure" is listed as an Alternative History story but I would classify it as a Magical Realism tale. It is set as a second chance tale, a look into a life that should have been. The author is inspired by his memories of the old photo huts (I remember them) and of their disappearance. A cool idea (photos of another life), one that I could imagine would make for a great anthology.
- Frank Dutkiewicz, Diabolical Plots
"Great White Ship": A traveler stuck waiting for a flight strikes up a conversation with an old airline employee. The Old Timer tells him a story of a Great White Airship that arrives from a most unusual destination. The story of a craft from an alternate reality and how it got there is only the precursor to the final act. This is one of my favorite stories from this site. I have a great passion for lighter-than-air craft and their potential as a future means of transport, which opens the story. The author uses this speculation to launch into an engaging tale. As fascinating as the main story line is, the alternate history premise that accompanies it is just as worthwhile. This story was well written and very well thought out. It is well worth the read. Recommended.
- James Hanzelka, Diabolical Plots
Lou Antonelli fiction archived online
- "Ad Valorem" - Omni Reboot
- "Bindlestiff's Daughter" - The Lorelei Signal
- "The Return of Alfred Bester" - International Speculative Fiction
- "Double Exposure" - Daily Science Fiction
- "Great White Ship" - Daily Science Fiction
- "The Centurion and the Rainman" - Buzzy Mag
- "The Goddess of Bleecker Street" - Kalkion
- "Irredenta" - World SF Blog
- "Ghost Writer" - Flashes in the Dark
- "Avatar" - Darker Matter
- "Black Hats and Blackberrys" Bewildering Stories
- "Pen Pal" - Revolution SF
- "I Got You" - Bewildering Stories
- "Big Girl" - Ultraverse
- "S.P.P.A.M." - Bewildering Stories
- "Silence is Golden" - Revolution SF
- "Fermi's Fraternity" - Planetary Stories
- "The Rocket-Powered Cat" - Revolution SF
- "Video Killed the Radio Star" - Apehelion
- "Silvern" - Revolution SF
Recent Reviews
- "The Clock Struck None" - True Review
- "The Clock Struck None" - Analog
- "Texas & Other Planets" - Missions Unknown
- "Texas & Other Planets" - Jayme Blaschke's Gibberish
- "Texas & Other Planets" - Amazon
- "Dispatches from The Troubles" - SF Revu
- "Dispatches from The Troubles" - SF Site
- "Fantastic Texas" - Serial Distractions
- "Fantastic Texas" - Tangent Online
- "Professor Malakoff's Amazing Ethereal Telegraph" - Tangent online
- "The Witch of Waxahachie' - April 2008 - SF Signal
- "The Witch of Waxahachie" - April 2008 - Spiral Galaxy
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#BUILTBYGIRLS Challenge: 21 Girls Have Officially Taken Over Silicon Valley
Sep 16, 2016
The 2016 #BUILTBYGIRLS Challenge, AOL's pitch competition for tech projects built by girls, judged by girls, came to a close this week. Challenge participants pitched revolutionary tech products and solutions addressing global girls' education at Twitter headquarters, hacked the world overnight at TechCrunch Disrupt, and showcased their work alongside some of the world's best creators and innovators at Disrupt's Startup Alley. And they're just getting started.
The Next Tech Leaders and Changemakers
We're thrilled to announce our 2016 #BUILTBYGIRLS Challenge winners, chosen by the five Girls Who Fund judges; each team left San Francisco with $10K in funding and mentorship to take their projects to the next level.
Future Founders: FacePrint - The New Face of Healthcare
Sixteen-year-old Kansas native Erin Smith created FacePrint, an early and accurate detection system for Parkinson's Disease using facial recognition software to identify early disease markers well before it is currently being diagnosed. Erin is changing the face of tech—and healthcare.
Let Girls Build: TARA - SMS for Girls' Education in Cambodia
Kathy Kong and Lillian Yuan, 17, from California and Illinois, created TARA, a community- and location-based mass SMS service that will ensure the safety and education of in-migrant girls across Cambodia through the use of ubiquitous mobile technology. Their work will support First Lady Michelle Obama's Let Girls Learn initiative, which aims to help #62million girls around the world who aren't in school get access to education.
- Nearly 500 girls submitted; flew 21 girls out to SF from around the country from hometowns in Kansas, Chicago, Jersey and more
- 100+ attendees at Pitch Day
- Hosted 9 influential mentors including the Peace Corps
- Krista Rigalo, Let Girls Learn Director addressed audience raising awareness for the #62MillionGirls worldwide without access to education
- Girls met AOL CEO Tim Armstrong, Verizon EVP Marni Walden, United States CTO Megan Smith and NBA MVP Steph Curry
My personal highlight was seeing the level of pride the girls had when explaining the Challenge and Let Girls Learn. According to Lillian Yuan, winner, Let Girls Build, prior to this experience "I did not see myself in tech. I am passionate about girls' education, but this Challenge has opened my eyes to how I can use tech to make a different for girls around the world."
So what's next?
While Wednesday marked the end of this year's #BUILTBYGIRLS Challenge, it's truly just the beginning. We'll continue to support and collaborate with these young founders to help scale their products. We're also looking into how we can expand the impact of this partnership to even more girls, and engaging more AOLers in the future!

subset: commoncrawl


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Womens Jewelry
Christian Jewelry is more than just a fashion statement, it's a mission statement. At ChristianTshirts.com we have a fantastic collection of top quality Christian jewelry for women. The beauty of Christian jewelry is that you can wear it every day and we have collections from fancy to fun, to go with anything that you put on.


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Nice ingenuity! What is the pouch on the right fork used for?
Started by raising the bars with a Tusk 30mm insert (ebay).....Then used an old motorcycle license plate....cut a 3'x5" square.....then started bending and drilling......It uses the top of the bar clamp to mount......cell phone pops into place, clears the tank and doesn't rattle.....now if we could get some warmer weather, I could go try it out........Have Fun !.....0101141233-00.jpg0104141434-01.jpg0104141435-00.jpg0104141436-00.jpg0104141434-00.jpg
that's a leatherman multi-tool........
nice. Simple. Clean. Good work
SeatConcepts,carb mod,Shinko tires,15/50 o-ring chain,custom racks f/r, aluminum luggage,windshield,handguards,heated grips,Clarke tank,high frt fender,led running lights,folding shifter, wide pegs,12v outlets,headlight kill switch,voltmeter,stainless header,2nd brakelight,GPS/phone mount
This is very clever, nicely done!
Persistence is the better part of genius.
Pictures with the phone mounted would be helpful


text:
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They are 100% reliable, with prices usually better than my local store fronts. A couple times I have had some delivery issues. One time an incorrect delivery, and one time one of two identical products was defective. Both times the customer service was top-notch and my problems were solved immediately. One of the things I like about them is that I'm always surprised by some kind of little gift :) I feel Greenly represents the best customer service I've seen yet in the marijuana industry.
I wanted some bud last minute. Typically I select a random service from weedmaps. This time I decided to go through with greenly because of the appeal of an easier online order placement. It took 20 min to verify my account/ recommendation letter. After they approved my account, they said my recommendation was expired and led me to a site where I could pay $39 for a new one. My recommendation is not expired. My doctor simply, unfortunately, made a large check mark which covered both the "Expiration date: 6 months and 1 year", then wrote "8.8.17" to verify the date was indeed 1 year, not 6 months. So after waiting all this time, I no longer even want to place an order. The online service ended up being a much longer process than any other delivery service I've experienced. I really wanted to try!
I dab between a half gram and a gram of wax a day every day for the last year or two, and I have tried thousands of extracts from the $15 a gram stuff all the way up to the ridiculous $100+ stuff and I gotta say, the Hi-Rez has really started to stand out and separate itself from everything else on the market. I have been using Greenly on and off since probably August and this place gets a big dabs up from me. Every delivery has arrived when I scheduled it, there is a discount for pre orders, the delivery drivers have always been super friendly and the shatter is consistently top notch.
This is one of only two delivery places I trust for shatter, otherwise I go to a walk in. But if you need a delivery this place has got you covered
Staff is ignorant and this place is a big waste of time there bud is fake
Have good prices and quality product. Great deals on cartridges, lovely customer service
From the time you place your order through delivery, the process is entirely driven by their software. Your order is confirmed by email, delivery start is confirmed by text, and you can track the delivery on its way to you. You never have to wonder where your order is.
The weekly specials Monday - Thursday make it easy to get what you want at a great price. These stack with other specials for as many as you can put together. No restrictions. It could not be friendlier to the deal seekers among us.
Great selection, good prices, delivery within 2 hours, and customer service available in the bottom right of your screen on every page of the site. A+++ will order again.
I really like this place. They guarantee their vapes with no delivery charge. I've only had one bad cart, but they took care of it right away. Great products, selection and knowledgeable staff.
First time using these guys and i'm pleased with the time it took to arrive and quality of product. Will definitely use them again!
For the most part, I've had a positive experience. Swift delivery, decent price point, and good selection.


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For your Newborn session, we will make a tentative booking based on your due date plus ten days. We will wait to hear from you when your baby arrives home at which time we will confirm and schedule a suitable time and date for your session; the ideal time to photograph newborn babies is between 6-14 days of age.
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Your Newborn session fee includes our custom-styled photography in our Studio which may take 2-4 hours, we know babies have their own schedules so we allow for plenty of time for feeding and nurturing during the session. We want you and your baby to feel relaxed and un-rushed.


text: It's time once again to share some new Transformers Toy gallery love with all of you! I've had quite an impressive little haul the last few days with loads of great toys I'm looking forward to sharing some pictures of with all of you. First up is Ultra Magnus from the Generations Fall of Cybertron series. Ultra Magnus is a straight-up recolor of Optimus Prime, with a new head. He manages to buck the trend of being a "white Optimus" by being based on the armored Ultra Magnus, and amazingly thanks to the body type of the Fall of Cybertron Optimus Prime toy and a clever deco, he pulls it off. Everything - good and bad - about the Fall of Cybertron Optimus Prime toy is therefore naturally present in this toy. There's still a decent range of poseability, still some good movement in the legs allowing for some nice wide stances and action poses, and the new head retains the ability to look up and down as well as side to side. The stacks on the shoulders, which you flip down on Optimus Prime, are best left flipped up to distinguish the two designs (Ultra Magnus is packaged with them in the "up" position). Ultra Magnus includes Optimus Prime's original gun accessory and then goes one better with a decent sized sword accessory. The gun is unpainted, the sword meanwhile is fully painted (although thinly so and a little chipped in one or two spots on the red on mine). Ultra Magnus' arms though limit the amount of sword poses you can put him in a little. The sword in a cool move can also break down and combine with the gun to form a larger sword weapon (almost as long as Ultra Magnus is tall) which is very impressive, although the extra weight on the blade makes balancing an issue. The look of the two different sword configurations is suitably different so it does feel like the sword has transformed, rather than just got a bit longer. All in all, the inclusion of the new sword is a very welcome addition, and the new head sculpt looks excellent. Ultra Magnus won't do anything to change your mind if you did not like the initial Optimus Prime release of this mold, but he brings enough to the table in terms of new sculpting and new accessories to be worth considering. If you never got the original Fall of Cybertron Optimus Prime I would honestly recommend this toy instead - he makes for a great "pre-Earth" mode Ultra Magnus, his sword is very cool, and he has a very nicely realized deco. Open the link below to check out the full gallery: Transformers Generations Fall of Cybertron Ultra Magnus Gallery Fall of Cybertron Ultra Magnus with gun and sword weapons Fall of Cybertron Ultra Magnus combined giant sword weapon Here is an action pose for Ultra Magnus with the huge sword Fall of Cybertron Ultra Magnus Truck Mode Fall of Cybertron Ultra Magnus also goes great with Prime Ultra Magnus' giant hammer - though it is a bit heavy for him so is a real mare to balance the toy while holding it! Comparison of Fall of Cybertron Ultra Magnus and Optimus Prime. Note the additional paint applications on Ultra Magnus' feet and abs, as well as the silver on his smokestacks. Ultra Magnus with fellow Lost Light crew members Rodimus and Drift


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Until recently, investing in continental Europe was not a fashionable option. But as Europe emerges from recession, many companies have started to restructure and place more emphasis on shareholder value.
Share prices in the UK and US are at record levels (starting to look overpriced, some professionals would say), suggesting that now might be a good time for investors to look at unit trusts and investment trusts investing in Europe.
There are more than 120 European unit trust funds run by around 86 investment houses. And there are more than 20 investment trust funds run by about the same number of investment managers. The portfolios of the funds vary enormously, as does their performance.
Continental Europe has taken longer to emerge from the world recession than the UK or the US, but its recovery looks healthy, says Daniele Serruya, European small companies fund manager at Schroders.
"We are starting to see a recovery in Europe and the capacity of the economies to grow without inflation is great," she says. "Growth without inflation is an ideal recipe for good equity markets." Lower interest rates have meant lower costs and higher earnings figures, both of which have made companies more attractive and pushed up share prices.
Restructuring and cost control have become key issues. Many large European companies have been criticised for being too diverse and having too many layers of management. In order to become more efficient and profitable, these companies have had to sell off non-core activities and slim down workforces.
This has not been an easy course for many firms - particularly those with close links with governments and political parties - which are keen to avoid job losses. The result has been that many firms have been flabby. And with high labour costs and strong European currencies, many companies have found it hard to compete globally.
"The biggest need for restructuring has been in countries such as Germany and France," says Philip Mottram, a director at Abtrust. "Germany has started to tackle the problem and is now one of the most attractive areas for investment in Europe."
Ms Serruya agrees: "The change in management attitudes, and the increasing focus on shareholder value, has been particularly evident in recent times in Germany."
Many large French companies have been criticised for outdated labour practices and not taking shareholders' interests into consideration. There has been even less restructuring of companies in France, and it is generally regarded as being about a year behind Germany in this respect.
Ms Serruya disagrees, arguing that many French companies are restructuring but just not making the headlines. These companies offer good value and their share prices are undervalued, she says.
Scandinavia and the Netherlands are popular with many fund managers. There has been more restructuring in these countries than elsewhere in Europe, and companies are often more open with shareholders. In general, the core areas of Europe are attracting most capital from UK fund managers while Spain, Portugal and Greece are attracting little attention.
The main attractions are small and medium-sized companies, which are now growing at a faster rate than many blue-chip firms. In the first half of the Nineties, smaller companies underperformed blue-chip firms, but since the start of this year there has been a turnaround in fortunes.
European blue-chip companies have increased in value by 7 per cent this year while smaller companies are up by 8 per cent, says Jim Campbell, investment manager at Fleming Investment Management. The benefits of lower interest rates are feeding through to companies so that average earnings growth is at 17 per cent for small companies and 15 per cent for blue chips.
This is encouraging fund managers to start buying into smaller companies. "Following a long spell of underperformance," says Mr Campbell, "small companies seem to have turned the corner. In the first six months of this year we have seen a trend of blue-chip managers moving further down the market capitalisation scale to exploit the growth and value which is offered in many smaller companies."
Many small and medium-sized firms have found it easier to restructure than larger firms as there is less government control. These companies often have more dynamic styles of management than large companies and seem keener to offer shareholder value.
Many small European companies are world leaders in their field but are undervalued because they are European, says Rory Powe, head of European equities at Invesco.
"Europe is perceived to be unfashionable because of the economic situation and the lack of excitement over European Monetary Union," he says. "So there are many companies which are global players, but because they are European they are not enjoying the high valuations their US counterparts are enjoying."
Several European companies dominate their global niche markets, particularly in the healthcare, business computer software, luxury goods and leisure markets. Many of these have not yet been identified by fund managers who have been too busy concentrating on the more established markets.
"European small and medium-sized companies are not as well researched or well known as they should be because this is a less mature market than the US and UK," he points out.
Fund managers vary over which countries offer the best opportunities, but all agree that choosing the right companies is more important than choosing a particular area - although some countries are attracting more attention than others.
Many French firms are seen as dynamic and offering good value. While large companies often receive a lot of state funding and so have less incentive to restructure, this is not true of smaller companies. Many small French companies are coming to the market in search of more capital and have more entrepreneurial and innovative management styles than many more traditional European companies.
Scandinavia is popular with most small company fund managers. It has many high-growth firms, restructuring of companies is often more advanced and management style more geared towards pleasing shareholders than in other parts of Europe.
Invesco's smaller caps fund is weighted in favour of Scandinavia, Holland and Italy. Mr Powe says: "The enterprise culture is probably stronger and technology leadership is more evident in these countries."
Fleming has also found lots of value in the Italian market, says Mr Campbell - "lots of small restructuring growth stories ... and some particularly interesting companies."
But Schroder is less keen on the Mediterranean countries, says Ms Serruya. "We tend to favour hardcore Europe as opposed to soft currency areas. In the run-up to EMU we feel we are safer in these countries than in Italy and Spain where there are concerns that they will not reach the Maastricht requirements in time."
While funds vary over their weightings in different European countries, all argue that it is the individual companies themselves that they are most interested in. As Richard Pease, a director at Jupiter Asset Management, says: "You've got to be very selective. But with the right companies, Europe's a profitable place to invest" n
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HPI Racing > Radio Gear > Electric Car Speed Controls
Brushless Fwd/Brake/Rev Speed Controller (7), Fwd/Reverse Speed Controller (4), Micro Fwd/Rev Speed Controls (1), Speed Control Accessories (1), Stability Control Systems (1)
Get increased weatherproof performance with brushless motors with the Flux Vapor electronic speed controller from HPI! The standard speed controller in the updated Sprint 2 Flux kits, the Flux Vapor features real Deans plugs for low-loss connectivity and sturdy brass tube connectors for connecting 12 gauge wires to any brushless motor. FEATURES:6-7 Cell NiMH/ NiCd or 2S/3S LiPo - Please Note: Vektor Motor Limit on 3S is 4800kV Waterproof! Can handle 40% MORE power than Motiv ESC Ultra low resistance (.0007 ohms / phase) Sensorless technology eliminates additional sensor wiring and complexity Lithium-Ion Compatible. **Programmable Lithium under-voltage cutoff protects delicate lithium packs from over-discharge High performance cross-cut aluminum heat sink Smooth startup and run with sensorless motors (Patents Pending) Linear Torque Braking allows better control on corner entry Connect to your PC using the #100573 Castle Link for super-easy customizations!
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With the capacity to handle 2S and 3S LiPo power, the Flux VAPOR Pro electronic speed control can take anything you can possibly throw at it and keep coming back for more! The VAPOR Pro features an integrated cooling fan to keep it cool in tough conditions. The Flux VAPOR Pro ESC is reversible so you can back out of jams with ease. And for maximum adjustability it's fully programmable with our optional #100573 USB Programming Kit. Please Note: Vektor Motor Limit on 3S is 4800kV
£63.99 (RRP inc. VAT)


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1 item from 2011
19 August 2011 1:57 PM, PDT | Screen Anarchy | See recent Screen Anarchy news »
An opening ceremony to officially kick off the production of Tom Yum Goong 2 has already begun last Wednesday with the cast & crew in attendance. To bring the most action packed fighting the studios has to offer for the much anticipated sequel in 3D, action director Panna Rittikrai has assembled a martial arts cast line-up to join Tony Jaa and Jeeja Yanin (aka Jija Yanin). These include Dan Chupong (Dynamite Warrior, Ong Bak 3), Kazu Tang (Raging Phoenix, Bko: Bangkok Knockout) and American martial artist Marrese Crump, who is set to appear in Pittikrai's Formless and RZA's The Man With The Iron Fists. Returning from the first installment is director/producer Prachya Pinkaew and Thai comedian Mum Jokmok (aka Petchtai Wongkamlao). No word yet on »
1 item from 2011
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