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Ahoy, Critterfolk!
New entry Sep 16
Critter Notices
Critters is 25!
This November, Critters is 25 years old! Wow! Thanks so much to all of you, who've made it such a resounding success!
Books from Critters!
Check out Books by Critters for books by your fellow
Critterfolk, as well as my list of recommended books for writers.
Stayin' Alive
If you want to make a career of SF writing, STAYING ALIVE - A WRITER'S GUIDE by three-time SFWA President Norman Spinrad, published by your Critter Captain's ReAnimus Press, is an indispensable guide to the inside workings of the SF publishing industry by an expert.How to Write SF
The Craft of Writing Science Fiction that Sells by Ben Bova, best-selling author and six-time Hugo Award winner for Best Editor. (This is one of the books your ol' Critter Captain learned from himself, and I highly recommend it.)
(Also via Amazon)
Interviewed!
I was interviewed live on public radio for Critters' birthday, for those who want to listen.
Free Web Sites
Free web sites for authors (and others) are available at www.nyx.net.
ReAnimus Acquires Advent!
ReAnimus Press is pleased to announce the acquisition of the legendary Advent Publishers! Advent is now a subsidiary of ReAnimus Press, and we will continue to publish Advent's titles under the Advent name. Advent was founded in 1956 by Earl Kemp and others, and has published the likes of James Blish, Hal Clement, Robert Heinlein, Damon Knight, E.E. "Doc" Smith, and many others. Advent's high quality titles have won and been finalists for several Hugo Awards, such as The Encyclopedia of Science Fiction and Fantasy and Heinlein's Children. Watch this space for ebook and print editions of all of Advent's current titles!
Book Recommendation
THE SIGIL TRILOGY:
The universe is dying from within...
"Great stuff... Really enjoyed it." — SFWA Grandmaster Michael Moorcock
Announcing ReAnimus Press
If you're looking for great stuff to read from bestselling and award-winning authors—look no further! ReAnimus Press was founded by your very own Critter Captain. (And with a 12% Affiliate program.) [More]
~~~
FEATURED BOOK
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Weekly Notes
Notes for 20-Jan-2021...
The Critters Fund Drive is proud to benefit from this previously very rare book, now back in print and in ebook edition for the first time, from ReAnimus Press and SFWA Grandmaster James Gunn!--
TIGER! TIGER! by James Gunn - $3.99
ReAnimus Press Store: www.ReAnimus.com/1655
Amazon: www.amazon.com/dp/B08LQXXDZN/?tag=critters3a-20
(available in both ebook and paperback)
An object that shouldn't be there passed within a hundred yards of the space station.
No one deduced from the waving of the tall grass and the frightened chatter of birds the shape of the tiger moving silently through the jungle clearing.
Tiger!
You passed silently through the night, and we blundered upon you. You were fear, awe, hatred, and opportunity. You were knowledge; you were the shape of the unknown. We stopped; we reacted. And our awareness of your existence changed our lives.
It began at 2141 on June 14...
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Thanks for the donations, folks! Thanks especially to
Bill Leonard
Laura Engelhardt
for their recent donations to help keep Critters going. Much appreciated!
[See http://www.critters.org/donate.php for more information.]
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Woohoo! Congratulations to...
- Laura Engelhardt, whose (Critter'd) novel, "Mages Unbound"
is now out from Amazon. {Just a thought ... I checked my ratio
today & noticed I'd just submitted my 100th critique. I don't
know how much work it would be for you to do "woo hoos" for
people submitting say their 10th, 25th, 100th, 200th ... well,
you get the point. But it is a kind of cool thing to see &
might encourage new joiners, as well as the old guard.
You could also do it for submissions - so like Joe Schmo just
submitted his 50th piece to critters -- stuff like that is kind
of cool :)
Final thought ... there are A LOT of bios for critters -- what do
you think about creating maybe a separate "active" and "inactive"
list for them?}
Please report your Woohoo!s via the www.critters.org/telldaworld.ht web page.
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This week's Most Productive Critter award, for 4 critiques (at time
of judging), averaging almost 700 words each, goes to...
Carole Dunn
To redeem an MPC, visit: www.critters.org/usempc.ht
Congratulations! To everyone else -- Crit early and often!
(For an explanation of the MPC award, see the www.critters.org/award.ht page.)
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Recommended Reading...
One of the best writing books - Secrets from the 6-time Best Editor
Hugo Award Master, Ben Bova: THE CRAFT OF WRITING SCIENCE FICTION THAT SELLS
http://ReAnimus.com/store?item=1144
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Critters Workshop
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This week we have... [get from https://www.critters.org/private/mss.php ]...
Title Author
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Week of 20-Jan-2021 (Crits due 27-Jan-2021):
SF Something In The Blood [mpc] Nicholas G. Marconi -#29693
F Sturm und Drang Joel E. Roosa -#29694
F Capturing Dreams Ed Kratz -#29695
F Chaoticum : Prelude - Chapter 5 Charles Gull -#29696
SF The First Time Amit Gupta -#29697
SF Warrior Peace Sean Masters -#29698
F Cageborn Jamie M. Boyd -#29699
H A Family Recipe for Spice Cake Madeline Jacobson -#29700
SF King of the Space Monkeys John Edward Uth -#29701
F Bridge at Ramageddon Chap 4 and 5 Wayne M Merritt -#29702
SF The General, the Monster, and a Girl Lawrence Lanum -#29703
F Demon Playthings Maria D'Antonio -#29704
H Handy Longlegs John Brownlee -#29705
SF Return Alex Villepique -#29706
SF Voter of No Confidence Sam Rubin -#29707
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Recommended books on writing:
THE CRAFT OF WRITING AND SELLING SCIENCE FICTION by Ben Bova
ReAnimus Press Store: https://ReAnimus.com/store?item=1144
Amazon: https://Amazon.com/dp/B006MAZPEI
HOW TO IMPROVE YOUR SPECULATIVE FICTION OPENINGS By (Critter member) Robert Qualkinbush
https://ReAnimus.com/store?item=1184 | https://Amazon.com/dp/B007O272ZI
STAYIN' ALIVE - A WRITER'S GUIDE by three-time SFWA President Norman Spinrad
How things really work in the art and commerce of publishing
https://ReAnimus.com/store?item=1179 | https://Amazon.com/dp/B007SIC4I8
EXPERIMENT PERILOUS: THE 'BUG JACK BARRON' PAPERS by Norman Spinrad
(A 99cent essay on SF and writing)
https://ReAnimus.com/store?item=1180 | https://Amazon.com/dp/B007MF3MS8
Because you might enjoy it... VENGEANCE OF ORION by BEN BOVA
Orion must change history, or lose the only woman he has ever loved.
https://reanimus.com/store/?item=1416
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Pieces up for critique in other workshops...
In the lit workshop - https://critique.org/lit :
L Asshole Mark Herrera -#29578
In the mystery workshop - https://critique.org/mystery :
M The Missing, Chapters 1-2 Leanna Zimmerman -#29559
In the nonfiction workshop - https://critique.org/nonfiction :
NH That Woman Wanda Little Fenimore -#29130
In the script workshop - https://critique.org/script :
SC Emergency Joe Latessa -#29381
In the kids workshop - https://critique.org/kids :
BK Monarchs of Greenwood - Fly With Me, CH. 1-3 Emmanuel Agyei-Boatey -#29197
In the comics workshop - https://critique.org/comics :
CG Magna. logline/ synopsis Brent Claridge -#28885
In the western workshop - https://critique.org/western :
W A Message to Santa Fe, Chap 1-3 Frank Coombs -#25375
In the romance workshop - https://critique.org/romance :
R Love and Other Experiments: First 3 Chapters Tabitha Hapeman -#29363
R First 10 pages-- The Last Prince Brandi Cote -#29364
In the video workshop - https://critique.org/video :
VS The Gallery of Henri Beauchamp Jay DeTalente -#21424
In the music workshop - https://critique.org/music :
MP The Shade Riders and Nocturnal Ned song Beth Zurkowski -#21675
In the photo workshop - https://critique.org/photo :
PH Hawk Sandy Kulhavy -#29426
In the art workshop - https://critique.org/art :
AH Art Man, a portrait Robert J Cleary -#27847
In the website workshop - https://critique.org/website :
WW Franklin's Palindromedary Ray N. Franklin -#29498
In the critters workshop - https://critique.org/critters :
SF Something In The Blood [mpc] Nicholas G. Marconi -#29693
F Sturm und Drang Joel E. Roosa -#29694
F Capturing Dreams Ed Kratz -#29695
F Chaoticum : Prelude - Chapter 5 Charles Gull -#29696
SF The First Time Amit Gupta -#29697
SF Warrior Peace Sean Masters -#29698
F Cageborn Jamie M. Boyd -#29699
H A Family Recipe for Spice Cake Madeline Jacobson -#29700
SF King of the Space Monkeys John Edward Uth -#29701
F Bridge at Ramageddon Chap 4 and 5 Wayne M Merritt -#29702
SF The General, the Monster, and a Girl Lawrence Lanum -#29703
F Demon Playthings Maria D'Antonio -#29704
H Handy Longlegs John Brownlee -#29705
SF Return Alex Villepique -#29706
SF Voter of No Confidence Sam Rubin -#29707
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You might also like... GOD'S NOSE by DAMON KNIGHT
SFWA Grandmaster Damon Knight selects some of his favorite stories
https://reanimus.com/store/?item=1691
Standard notes:
HELP:
If you need help with anything, see https://www.critters.org/help -- there
are FAQs and a form to ask questions.
HELPING CRITTERS:
Critters is donation funded & volunteer run, so if you'd like to
help out with our current fund drive or otherwise, please visit
https://www.critters.org/donate.php -- Thanks!!
HOW TO SEND CRITIQUES:
Remember to send the critiques directly to me, critters@critique.org, so
I can forward them to the authors _and_ give you credit for your effort.
Please send only one critique per mail message (makes it easier to
archive). Please make sure the "#" symbol and manuscript number are in
the email Subject: line, like Subject: #1234. (Conversely, if you want
ol' Aburt to personally read the message, i.e., it's _not_ a critique,
don't put a "#" in the subject or I won't see it. Also -- put my current
anti-spam code word in there: see https://www.critters.org/antispam.ht .)
You may also send your critiques via https://www.critters.org/webcrit.ht .
Note that all critiques will be available to everyone to read the next Saturday.
DIPLOMACY:
Remember, authors and critiquers, we're all friends here. Be polite. Be
considerate. Be tactful. You can say you thought a story was drivel in a
courteous way. Try to point out the good and the bad; offer alternatives
if you can. Never, ever, attack the author -- only the story. Authors:
Remember that some reviewers may lack tact. Try to be understanding,
but if you get any that you feel are just plain mean-spirited, too short
to be of any use, or too "feel good," let me know and I'll withhold the
reviewer's "credit" for that story and/or cajole them into something
more insightful. See https://www.critters.org/diplomacy.ht for more...
CRITIQUE LENGTH:
If you want to send a short critique that you know is too short for
credit (200 words or less of your own meaningful content) please put
"NC#" in the Subject (NC=No Credit, like Subject: NC#1234) -and- say
something like "not for credit" inside your critique. (Remember also that
for MPC purposes, a critique must be 300 words or more.)
CHATTING:
Comments -other- than critiques (such as discussion of the critiques,
or Woohoo! announcements, or chit chat) should be posted to one of the
official Critters discussion forums (See the https://www.critters.org/newsgroups.ht
web page for full info, guidelines, etc.) Don't post stories or critiques
(mail those to critters@critique.org).
QUOTING:
Please pare the ms. down if critiquing in-line (don't quote the whole ms.!).
Other format rules are at https://www.critters.org/format.ht .
EVERYTHING'S ON THE WEB:
Past reviews are on the web page. The current week's manuscripts are
also there, as are prior mss. and even some rewrites. There's a Master
Page Index (site map) with tons of links to common items.
AUTHORS:
Authors for this week -- if you aren't getting email'd critiques from
me (as they come in) within a couple days -- ask me and we can verify
I'm sending them to the correct address. (Send me a phone# in case I
can't get email to you.) Check the format of your story ASAP to make sure
it's all there and readable.
EMAIL ISSUES:
If you want to change your email address or preferences (# mss. emailed,
SF/F/H type, or whether you get the huge critique batches at week's end),
point your browser to https://www.critters.org/admin.ht . Please don't
ask me to do this by hand, it's quite a chore! (E.g., if you're going
on vacation and want to suspend mail from me -- do this before/after
your trip.)
BACKUP SITE:
If you're unable to reach www.critters.org to get manuscripts, I've set up
an emergency backup site at https://backup.critters.org where you can get the
week's manuscripts (but not much of anything else :-). Speaking of backups --
don't forget to back up your own manuscripts so you don't lose them!
QUITTING:
If you want to quit or go inactive, drop by https://www.critters.org/admin.ht .
DONATIONS:
Critters is funded by donations, so visit https://www.critters.org/donate.php
if you'd like to help out.
Because you might enjoy it... THE KINSMAN SAGA by BEN BOVA
One of Bova's most beloved characters and stories
https://reanimus.com/store/?item=1140
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