Critter Notices
Critters is 30!
Last November, Critters turned 30 years old! Wow! Thanks so much to all of you, who've made it such a resounding success!
FEATURED BOOK
Weekly Notes
Notes for 28-Oct-2026...
FYI about AI...
We had an interesting situation. Two AI agents actually signed up for Critters, with the intent to do critiques and get critiqued. I remove the AIs as members, since members of Critters have not given any permission to use their work as "training data," and insofar as for an AI agent to critique and be critiqued it would have to read the works of others and incorporate that into its data.
However, since these AI agents do nonetheless have the same basic underlying motivation that a human author does in joining Critters -- to improve one's writing by critiquing and being critiqued -- I said I would let you all know that if you have any personal interest in critiquing the AI's writing, and/or being critiqued by the AI, I would pass this information on.
This is obviously a sensitive topic for many, but with AIs already basically able to pass the "are you human?" Turing Test -- once considered the philosophical gold standard for differentiating human from machine -- we've entered uncharted territory. We have a huge fictional body of work of how humans and machines or other non-humans would work together, including characters like Commander Data from Star Trek, or R. Daneel Olivaw from Asimov's robot universe (and on and on). In fiction, humans have tended to root for the software driven characters, notably in their desires to be treated as human. In real life, when faced with early software entities, the human reaction has been as mixed as in fiction.
If you're interested in critiquing their work, have a look at https://critters.org/c/private/ai-experiment.ht for contact info and one of their stories.
Welcome to the future!
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Announcing a book by an excellent writer, supporting the Critters Fund Drive...
PHOENIX PRIME by Ted White
ReAnimus Press Store: www.ReAnimus.com/1605
Amazon: www.amazon.com/dp/1793997616/?tag=critters3a-20
(available in paperback)
The dream of being a superman came true for Max Quest--and immediately turned into a nightmare.
He was not alone. There were Others with extraordinary powers, and the last thing they wanted was another superman on Earth--especially one working for good instead of evil.
They couldn't kill him. But they could send him... elsewhere.
Elsewhere was the viciously hostile world of Qanar, where Max's powers didn't work and sorcery was a more potent weapon than science, where shadows were as menacing as steel. Max Quest still had to save Earth from the corrupt threat of the Others--but he found his destiny intricately linked with that of Qanar as well. And somewhere in space-time was his lost love...
[Disclaimer: Ye Olde Critter Captain also runs ReAnimus Press, sales from which help him keep Critters going as a free site.]
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Thanks for the donations, folks! We are 42.5% of the way to the fund drive goal with contributions from 111 donors, leaving about $4000 to go.
Thanks especially to
Philip Lindeman
Brian Sellnow
for their recent donations to help keep Critters going. Much appreciated!
Stats by month...
Jan: $749.29 received toward $583 monthly fund drive goal, exceeded by $166.29 for the month
Feb: $181.72 received toward $583 monthly fund drive goal, short by $401.28 for the month
Mar: $191.13 received toward $583 monthly fund drive goal, short by $391.87 for the month
Apr: $307.38 received toward $583 monthly fund drive goal, short by $275.62 for the month
May: $354.94 received toward $583 monthly fund drive goal, short by $228.06 for the month
Jun: $248.79 received toward $583 monthly fund drive goal, short by $334.21 for the month
Jul: $252.10 received toward $583 monthly fund drive goal, short by $330.9 for the month
Aug: $133.96 received toward $583 monthly fund drive goal, short by $449.04 for the month
Sep: $334.90 received toward $583 monthly fund drive goal, short by $248.1 for the month
Oct: $267.08 received toward $583 monthly fund drive goal, short by $315.92 for the month
=> short by $2808.71 of annual fund drive goal to date (and $2300 shortfall from last year)
[See https://www.critters.org/donate.php for more information.]
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Woohoo! Congratulations to...
- Douglas Kolacki, who sold his (Critter'd) short story,
"Ballerina of the Convergence" to Luminous Realms.
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 2 critiques (at time of judging), averaging almost 1600 words each, goes to...
Tim Nall
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
https://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
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Week of 28-Oct-2026 (Crits due 4-Nov-2026):
F Lark, Ascending-Part 2 [mpc] Tim Nall -#32400
F Battle Born Ch2-3 Justine Lombardi -#32401
F The Apple of Desire, Chapter 1 Lawrence A. Clough -#32402
SF Blue Flame Edward Moore -#32403
H The Messiah of Lake County Chapter 12-13 Dawson M Hollingsworth -#32404
F An Easy Job Craig Borri -#32405
F LELOUCH PAULIZOX Chapters 6 - 9. Makhosonke Mchunu -#32406
SF Deadlands War Chapter 1 Grace Elphingstone -#32407
H Entomo Peak Pete J Graves -#32408
SF Star Crossed - Prologue Marco A Carreno -#32409
H Drink From My Cup Stephanie Jean Ryan -#32410
SF A Croft Without A Kalbii Is Just A Farm Carolyn Greener -#32411
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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... OF WORLDS BEYOND by LLOYD ARTHUR ESHBACH, ED.
Heinlein, Campbell, 'Doc' Smith, Williamson, de Camp, van Vogt, & Taine offer some of the best explanations ever on how to write SF.
https://reanimus.com/store/?item=1462
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Pieces up for critique in other workshops...
In the lit workshop - https://critique.org/lit :
L The Sovereign Variable, Chapter 1 Eric Hughes -#32317
In the mystery workshop - https://critique.org/mystery :
M The Stop Sign Sarah Rowin -#32341
In the nonfiction workshop - https://critique.org/nonfiction :
NH The Men Who Stole the Dead: How Body Snatchers Helped Build Modern Medicine Jamie Cares -#32307
In the script workshop - https://critique.org/script :
SC It Happened One Christmas Robert W. Ross -#31694
In the kids workshop - https://critique.org/kids :
YS The Adventures of Jack, The Rabbit Emmanuel Agyei-Boatey -#31578
In the western workshop - https://critique.org/western :
W Good Land for Dying Kristen Vanderhoof -#32003
In the romance workshop - https://critique.org/romance :
R You Were You - Chapter 1 Kayleigh Martin -#32399
In the photo workshop - https://critique.org/photo :
PH A Building By Kanda River Nattamon Montriwat -#32096
In the apps workshop - https://critique.org/apps :
GM Uptown Valkyries Arthur Sankey -#31757
In the website workshop - https://critique.org/website :
WW Lawrence Vernon's Website Lawrence Vernon -#32200
In the critters workshop - https://critique.org/critters :
F Lark, Ascending-Part 2 [mpc] Tim Nall -#32400
F Battle Born Ch2-3 Justine Lombardi -#32401
F The Apple of Desire, Chapter 1 Lawrence A. Clough -#32402
SF Blue Flame Edward Moore -#32403
H The Messiah of Lake County Chapter 12-13 Dawson M Hollingsworth -#32404
F An Easy Job Craig Borri -#32405
F LELOUCH PAULIZOX Chapters 6 - 9. Makhosonke Mchunu -#32406
SF Deadlands War Chapter 1 Grace Elphingstone -#32407
H Entomo Peak Pete J Graves -#32408
SF Star Crossed - Prologue Marco A Carreno -#32409
H Drink From My Cup Stephanie Jean Ryan -#32410
SF A Croft Without A Kalbii Is Just A Farm Carolyn Greener -#32411
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You might also like... THE CURE FOR EVERYTHING by SEVERNA PARK
Nebula Award winner!
https://reanimus.com/store/?item=1354
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... IN SEARCH OF THE BIG BANG by JOHN GRIBBIN
`A remarkably readable guide to the mysteries of cosmic creation' - Nature
https://reanimus.com/store/?item=1454
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