Blog
Ahoy, Critterfolk!
New entry Dec 07
Critter Notices
Critters is 23!
Yes, 23 years ago Critters was born. 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.
New Book from a Critter Member
**NOW IN
PRINT EDITION
TOO!** Awesome new book,
HOW TO IMPROVE YOUR SPECULATIVE FICTION OPENINGS,
from a Critter member whose unearthed a shard of The Secret
to becoming a pro writer. Really good piece of work.
"...if you're at all concerned about story openings, you'd be nuts not to read what Qualkinbush has to say." —Wil McCarthy, author of BLOOM and THE COLLAPSIUM
The Sigil Trilogy
If you're looking for an amazing, WOW! science fiction story, check out THE SIGIL TRILOGY. This is — literally — one of the best science fiction novels I've ever read.
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]
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FEATURED BOOK
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Weekly Notes
Notes for 22-Jan-2020...
Fun book today helping out the Critters Fund Drive this week, a new release, never before been published, by a three-time Nebula finalist (and winner of assorted other awards)--
NOBODY RIDES FOREVER by Craig Strete - $3.99
ReAnimus Press Store: www.ReAnimus.com/1634
Amazon: www.amazon.com/dp/B07W8D2QFM/?tag=critters3a-20
(available in both ebook and paperback)
The even more authentic life of Billy the Kid.
Being the secret death bed confessions of Pat Garrett, one time sheriff of Lincoln county, New Mexico, by whom Billy the Kid as such he was known was finally hunted down and personally rendered deceased which ended up his foolishness in no uncertain terms.
Including desultory facts about the mysterious killer of said Pat Garrett as revealed from the lips of the dying Pat Garrett himself, as told to Puking Bird.
Translated from the original vapourous Indian language
and edited and corrected for general drunkenness
by Craig Strete, himself the unnoted author of other unrelated literary droppings.
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Thanks for the donations, folks! We are 83.8% of the way to the fund drive goal with contributions from 144 donors, leaving about $700 to go.
Thanks especially to
Wulf Moon
Bill Leonard
Jeani Rector
Larry Hodges
anthony lavely
Philip Lindeman
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...
- Richard Zwicker, who sold his (Critter'd) short story,
"Repeat as Necessary" to Hybrid Fiction.
- Derrick Boden, who sold his short story, "Hustle" to Escape Pod.
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 7 critiques (at time
of judging), averaging almost 800 words each, goes to...
Charles Gull
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.)
-+-
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 http://www.critters.org/private/mss.php ]...
Title Author
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Week of 22-Jan-2020 (Crits due 29-Jan-2020):
F The Girl Who Never Dreamed Russell Adams -#28914
SF A Fox at Christmas Kevin P. Hallett -#28915
SF Merka, Chapters 1, 9 & 26 Pamela Najar-Simpson -#28916
F Borderlands, Episode 2 [sample] Charles Gull -#28917
H + 30 Seconds Madison Estes -#28918
F Sacrifice Sean Masters -#28919
F Soul Testing in Major League Baseball [@] Larry Hodges -#28920
SF Changelings: Rebirth, Chapters 9-10 Liam Corley -#28921
SF Those Above JC Crochet -#28922
F Eye of the Storm Casey M. Schneider -#28923
SF A Million Tiny Bombs Joe Follansbee -#28924
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Recommended books on writing:
THE CRAFT OF WRITING AND SELLING SCIENCE FICTION by Ben Bova
ReAnimus Press Store: http://ReAnimus.com/store?item=1144
Amazon: http://Amazon.com/dp/B006MAZPEI
HOW TO IMPROVE YOUR SPECULATIVE FICTION OPENINGS By (Critter member) Robert Qualkinbush
http://ReAnimus.com/store?item=1184 | http://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
http://ReAnimus.com/store?item=1179 | http://Amazon.com/dp/B007SIC4I8
EXPERIMENT PERILOUS: THE 'BUG JACK BARRON' PAPERS by Norman Spinrad
(A 99cent essay on SF and writing)
http://ReAnimus.com/store?item=1180 | http://Amazon.com/dp/B007MF3MS8
Because you might enjoy it... COMMENCEMENT by ROBY JAMES
The Sting was what made Ronica McBride special... now she was crashed on an unknown planet without it.
https://reanimus.com/store/?item=1340
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Pieces up for critique in other workshops...
In the lit workshop - http://critique.org/lit :
L What We Talk About When We Talk About Enlightenment Michael Gruver -#28815
In the mystery workshop - http://critique.org/mystery :
M Katrina Cut Jim Steele -#28848
In the nonfiction workshop - http://critique.org/nonfiction :
NO Belief in Proportion to the Evidence, Cha. 7 Without any Loss or Dishonour Jim Parry -#28884
In the script workshop - http://critique.org/script :
SC Loose Lips Robert Qualkinbush -#28625
In the kids workshop - http://critique.org/kids :
YP Saul T. Unyon: The Short End of a Tall Tale Michelle Henrie -#28566
In the comics workshop - http://critique.org/comics :
CG Magna. logline/ synopsis Brent Claridge -#28885
In the western workshop - http://critique.org/western :
W A Message to Santa Fe, Chap 1-3 Frank Coombs -#25375
In the romance workshop - http://critique.org/romance :
R Pack Chapters 1-3 Anastasia Bromberg -#28384
In the video workshop - http://critique.org/video :
VS The Gallery of Henri Beauchamp Jay DeTalente -#21424
In the music workshop - http://critique.org/music :
MP The Shade Riders and Nocturnal Ned song Beth Zurkowski -#21675
In the photo workshop - http://critique.org/photo :
PH Dry Mud and Cinder Cone Bill Wight -#19627
In the art workshop - http://critique.org/art :
AH Art Man, a portrait Robert J Cleary -#27847
In the website workshop - http://critique.org/website :
WW Ax-yZ The Creative Projects Platform Charles Gull -#27088
In the critters workshop - http://critique.org/critters :
F The Girl Who Never Dreamed Russell Adams -#28914
SF A Fox at Christmas Kevin P. Hallett -#28915
SF Merka, Chapters 1, 9 & 26 Pamela Najar-Simpson -#28916
F Borderlands, Episode 2 [sample] Charles Gull -#28917
H + 30 Seconds Madison Estes -#28918
F Sacrifice Sean Masters -#28919
F Soul Testing in Major League Baseball [@] Larry Hodges -#28920
SF Changelings: Rebirth, Chapters 9-10 Liam Corley -#28921
SF Those Above JC Crochet -#28922
F Eye of the Storm Casey M. Schneider -#28923
SF A Million Tiny Bombs Joe Follansbee -#28924
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You might also like... UNDERHANDED CHESS by JERRY SOHL
A hilarious handbook of devious diversions and stratagems for winning at chess
https://reanimus.com/store/?item=1244
Standard notes:
HELP:
If you need help with anything, see http://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
http://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 http://www.critters.org/antispam.ht .)
You may also send your critiques via http://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 http://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 http://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 http://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 http://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 http://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 http://www.critters.org/admin.ht .
DONATIONS:
Critters is funded by donations, so visit http://www.critters.org/donate.php
if you'd like to help out.
Because you might enjoy it... TO SAVE THE SUN by BEN BOVA AND A. J. AUSTIN
Earth's sun will soon explode, unless a massive engineering effort can save it.
https://reanimus.com/store/?item=1464
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