Hello to all! Checking my records, I discover that I haven't sent out a newsletter since January, when I included my usual roundup of the previous year. That isn't due so much to lack of news, as it is to two other things:
As I mention on the bottom of every newsletter, I've been keeping a blog now at http://mabfan.livejournal.com. If you want to see more frequent updates from my life, or just know what's on my mind, feel free to check it out. But don't worry about missing out on writing news, as that will always be announced here.
I have two new stories currently available:
Here's a note about each story.
As the name implies, I, Alien is an anthology of stories written from the alien's point of view. I'm pleased to note that "Pedagogy" is one of the three described on the back of the book: "Chosen for a program in which aliens taught human children, he tried to work by the human rules. But when that failed, he showed them how _his_ race maintained discipline in the classroom...."
As for "TelePresence," some of you might find that title familiar. Here's why. Ten years ago, I published my very first story, "TeleAbsence," in the July 1995 Analog. Last year, I asked the editor of Analog, Stanley Schmidt, if I could submit a sequel story for my tenth anniversary with his magazine. He agreed, and so "TelePresence" is appearing in the July/August 2005 issue, exactly ten years after my first story. Furthermore, Stan got the same artist, George Krauter, to provide an illustration for the story. I am honored and delighted to have this story appear. And for everyone who asked me what happens to Tony when he grows up, "TelePresence" is the answer.
As I already mentioned in a quick note to the list, this year I have been honored with two Hugo nominations. "Time Ablaze" has been nominated in the Novella category, and "Decisions" has been nominated in the Short Story category.
Because of these nominations, both stories are now available for free on the web, either at the Analog webpage or as ebooks from Fictionwise. Rather than give you four different addresses here, I suggest you check out http://www.interaction.worldcon.org.uk/hugolink.htm . This webpage links to all of the Hugo nominees that are on the web, including mine, so it gives you a chance to dip into everything on the ballot. And if reading the works makes you want to vote, you can actually join the Worldcon at the same time, making you eligible to vote in the Hugos, nominate in next year's Hugos, and vote in the Site Selection for the 2008 Worldcon. You can find out more at http://www.interaction.worldcon.org.uk and http://www.interaction.worldcon.org.uk/hugo.htm
One other nice piece of news: "Time Ablaze" came in second in the AnLab Award. (The Analytical Laboratory Award, or AnLab, is the award given by the readers of Analog magazine for the best work in the previous calendar year.)
As always, thanks to any and all who have chosen to support my work.
My novella "Sanctuary" will be the lead story in the September 2005 Analog. More information in the next newsletter.
Nomi and I will be at two upcoming conventions:
For those who are looking at the listing for Contata, which is a filk convention, and are curious about it, let me explain.
Nomi and I are not actually active in the filk community. (For those who don't know, filk is the word for science-fiction themed songs and music.) So we're not on the program for Contata, we're simply planning to attend. Our main reason is that Harold Feld, Nomi's brother-in-law, is being honored as Toastmaster of the convention, and we wanted to see him, um, master toast. I'm listing the convention here out of completeness, and in case anyone does want to say hi, that's where we'll be. (I'd also like to put out a thank-you to the anonymous sponsors who are making our attendance at that convention possible.)
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For more frequent news, or to read some of the stuff I've written, check out my webpage at http://www.mabfan.com or my weblog at http://mabfan.livejournal.com. -- Michael A. Burstein