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Part of a series of interviews with the writers for the upcoming speculative fiction anthology, Clash of the Titles. the anthology is the brain child of Glen Bavel, who conceived of an endearing conceit: he provides a list of titles and the members of his Facebook workshop, Writing the Short (SF) Story, use it as a starting point for a short speculative fiction story.

ِA full time professional writer for half a century, Mike Resnick sold his first article at the age of fifteen, and his first story at seventeen. His novels have been published by Tor, Ace, Bantam, del Rey, Pyr, and others, while his short fiction has appeared in Asimov’s, Analog, F&SF, and many others.

According to Locus, Mike Resnick is the all-time leading award winner, living or dead, for short fiction. He has won five Hugos (and has been nominated a record thirty-seven times), has recieved the Nebula and been honored with other major awards in the USA, France, Poland, Catalonia, Spain, Croatia and Japan.

He’s the author of seventy-five novels, nearly three hundred stories, and three screenplays. Mike is the editor of forty-two anthologies. His work has been translated into 27 languages, and he is the editor of Stellar Guild books and Galaxy’s Edge magazine.

Mike Resnick reprises his famous character, Harry the Book, for an upcoming anthology, Clash of the Titles. Mike was gracious enough to discuss with me his participation in the anthology, and his writng in general.

So, first some basic questions: Why Speculative Fiction?

It’s what has always interested me, perhaps because it’s the only form of fiction that acknowledges the existence of Change.

Do you have a favorite writer?

In science fiction, either C. L. Moore or Robert Sheckley. Elsewhere, Damon Runyon.

What made you want to submit to the anthology?

It was an interesting challenge, writing a story to fit a title.

How did you come up with your story? What made you choose that title?

I have a regular character, Harry the Book, a bookie in a fantasy New York. If the story is “The Fastest Dragon”, they clearly have to have a race, and that makes it prime territory for a Harry the Book story.

So, is your story for the anthology similar to your other works?

It’s the 12th Harry the Book story, so it’s similar in that respect. More to the point, one of my bibliographers tells me that I’ve done more than 130 funny sf/f stories, so this fits in that respect.

What other projects are you working on, besides your story for Clash of the Titles?

Since the beginning of 2016 I have sold a book to Subterranean Press, two more to Wordfire Press, and have signed contracts to deliver a novel to Pyr and a collaborative novel to Stellar Guild. In addition, as of March 29^th, I have sold seven stories this year – six shorts, including another Harry the Book story, and a novelet.

To learn more about Mike Resnick, please visit his website.

Part four of a series of interviews with the writers for the upcoming speculative fiction anthology, Clash of the Titles. the anthology is the brain child of Glen Bavel, who conceived of an endearing conceit: he provides a list of titles and the members of his Facebook workshop, Writing the Short (SF) Story, use it as a starting point for a short speculative fiction story.

Hope Erica Schultz has been writing for nearly forty years, but her first sale was in the first days of January, 2014. Her YA post-apocalyptic novel, The Last Road Home, came out November 2015. Hope ventured into the role of editor, when she became the co-editor of the YA anthology, One Thousand Words for War, which is expected to come out this coming May. She gravitates towards science fiction and fantasy genre for adults because, as she puts it, they offer, “limitless possibilities.” Her stories have appeared in Fireside Press, Diabolical Plots, and Plasma Frequency. Hope Erica Schultz is an Associative Member of SFWA. I was fortunate to have the opportunity to talk with Hope about her writing career, and in particular, her participation in the Clash of the Titles anthology,

What authors influence you as a writer. Who is your favorite?

My favorite author at this very minute is Lois McMaster Bujold. It varies, but she’s always in the top three.

So, tell me about how you came to be a part of the Clash of the Titles anthology. How did you come up with your story?

I joined Writing the Short (SF) Story group when the idea of putting out an anthology was just starting. The concept—pick a title and make it your own—was fun, and reading down through the list gave me a dozen ideas. I picked “Black Hole” for the humor element, then dredged up a half dozen memories of people and places that evoked the same emotion, threw them into a pot, and stirred well. (I actually was the last woman whom a friend of mine kissed before deciding he was gay — It’s funnier, though, with the gender changed.)

How is this story the same and/or different from your other works?

Each of my stories is itself; I don’t think any of them are really like any of the others. Most were written for a prompt, usually a general one, but the most specific prompt was an anti-apocalypse issue that mentioned they didn’t have enough fantasy, horror or flash fiction—so I wrote them a story that was all three. A good prompt hits me like crack hits an addict; the world stops until I get my fix, that is, write the story.

A lot has been said about the workshop process wherein the editor takes a video meeting with the writers to help offer instant feedback and share the editing process along the way. How did you find this process; what are your feelings about it?

The workshop process is a hybrid of editing and collaboration. I really enjoyed it. Sometimes when Gil and I were on totally different wavelengths, we could sort it out in a matter of minutes. “You mean this?” “No, I mean that.” “Is that a continuation of this theme here?” “No, but it really ought to be, thanks!”

What do you think is the most important thing that readers know about Clash of the Titles?

Most of the people writing here wrote outside their comfort zones, and that is awesome. You may start with the authors and sub genres you already know, but you owe it to yourself to also move outside your comfort zone and read them all. You’ll be glad you did.

It’s said that the editor will make an anthology every year. Even if the “I pick the titles, you write the story” conceit isn’t used again, would you work with the editor again? Why or why not?

I enjoy working with Gil, so it depends on my other projects and the prompts. See above re: good prompt = crack. It is likely that Gil will hit me with another prompt I can’t refuse.

What do you think is the most important thing for booksellers, libraries and other outlets to know about Clash of the Titles that they don’t know?

Some of the authors are already household names. Others will be.

Would you recommend the process to other writers; how did you find working with this editor to be compared to others?

This process will not work for everyone. If you still find constructive criticism painful, this is a level even more brutal, and you probably aren’t ready for it yet. That’s OK—do a few writing workshops. If you’re submitting regularly and you consider even negative feedback useful, you will probably love this, because it is far more in depth that you will ever get with even the most helpful rejection letter—and it isn’t a rejection, it’s suggestions of how to improve.

What excites you most about the process, and the anthology in general?

My favorite part is the high of the initial prompt. Writing the rough draft is the fun and easy part; revising is the work that changes it to a story you can be proud of.

Did your story grow in ways you didn’t expect due to the workshop nature of the process? How?

Every story grows during revisions, and my personal writing style is openness to surprises without prior expectations.

What other projects are you working on, besides Clash of the Titles.

I’m working on a collection of YA short stories with Susan Bianculli, a far future novel for adults, and contemplating another stint as co-editor with Madeline Smoot. And trying to avoid more short story prompts before I get sucked into something else.

You can learn more about Hope Erica Schultz by visiting her web page, or following her on Twitter and Facebook

Part of a series of interviews with the writers for the upcoming speculative fiction anthology, Clash of the Titles. the anthology is the brain child of Glen Bavel, who conceived of an endearing conceit: he provides a list of titles and the members of his Facebook workshop, Writing the Short (SF) Story, use it as a starting point for a short speculative fiction story.

George Nikolopoulos claims to have been writing since ‘forever.’ That might not be an exaggeration, but more of philosophical edge, his Greek heritage shining through. A Greek native, George Nikolopoulos (Γιώργος Νικολόπουλος) has won over 50 Greek and international awards, his most prestigious being a children’s fantasy novel published in Cyprus. He’s been writing in English since 2012, and has been published over fourteen times in magazines such as Unsung Stories, Bards & Sages Quarterly and SciPhi Journal. I recently discussed with George about his writing, and, in particular, his story, “An Itinerant in Carcosa” which he wrote for the Clash of the Titles anthology.

So, first question, why Speculative Fiction?

That’s what I always ever wanted. I read hundreds of literary novels from primary school to high school, but the ones I loved the best had fantastical elements even though they weren’t classified as genre fiction. And when I started reading speculative fiction I never looked back.

Who’s your favorite writer?

Only one?

So give me a short list of your favorites.

It would be impossible to choose. Let’s say GRR Martin, Robert Jordan, Ursula LeGuin, Tanith Lee, Roger Zelazny, Douglas Adams, Michael Moorcock, Orson Scott Card, JRR Tolkien, JK Rowling, Anatole France… OK, I could go on forever.

Let’s talk about the anthology. How did you find out about the Clash of the Titles?

Deborah Walker mentioned she’d be in the anthology with a poem with a very cool (and Greek-sounding title), so I had to check it out. I owe a lot of my story sales to Deborah, because she’s very often published in markets I didn’t know about.

What made you want to submit to it? Would you do it again?

I liked the concept of title-picking and the idea of the anthology, so I decided to try it out. It worked out. I’d definitely do it again.

How did you come up with your story? What made you choose that title?

There were a lot of titles to choose, but Carcosa… I just had to have that one. It’s a name associated with a lot of very prominent authors.

How is your story for the anthology the same and/or different from your other works?

I’d never written Mythos before and I rarely write horror. But then again, most of my works are very different from most of my other works.

What do you think is the most important thing that readers know about Clash of the Titles?

That it’s great! Seriously, there are a lot of very good writers participating and the “pick-a-title” concept is very intriguing.

 

It’s said that the editor will make an anthology every year. Even if the “I pick the titles, you write the story” conceit isn’t used again, would you work with the editor again?

I sure would! It would be a great challenge to see if I could make him like my next story as much as this one.

Would you recommend the process to other writers; how did you find working with this editor to be compared to others?

I haven’t “worked” with many editors, they usually just reject (or accept) my stories and that’s that, so I can’t compare. Working with Gil, however, was really interesting and very useful and I’d definitely recommend it to others.

 

What excites you most about the process, and the anthology in general?

Being part of a groundbreaking concept is great, and being included in such a great anthology is a very rewarding experience.

 

Did your story grow in ways you didn’t expect due to the workshop nature of the process? How?

In fact, it did. Gil never pushed me to change things, but he did make a great many very intriguing suggestions, and trying to follow them made the story branch out into new places. My story doubled in size from my original submission in the end.

What other projects are you working on, besides Clash of the Titles?

I’m writing and revising a bunch of short stories, as much as I can. The hardest challenge is finding the time to do it.

Geroge Nikolopoulos’s story for the anthology, “An Itinerant in Carcosa,” follows Hoseib the Wanderer who finds himself in the ancient city of Carcosa, accompanied by Cassilda and Camilla, the gorgeous Devil Twins. Seeking The King in Yellow, they become enmeshed in the mysterious city. Soon reality gives way, and Hoseib finds he must desperately cling his humanity and remember his origins – before everything becomes lost.

You can learn more about George Nikolopoulos by visiting his blog, or his Amazon author page or you can follow him on Facebook, Twitter, or at Goodreads.

Part of a series of interviews with the writers for the upcoming speculative fiction anthology, Clash of the Titles. the anthology is the brain child of Glen Bavel, who conceived of an endearing conceit: he provides a list of titles and the members of his Facebook workshop, Writing the Short (SF) Story, use it as a starting point for a short speculative fiction story.

Keith P. Grahm first started writing when he was a teenager, and even boasts rejection letters from Ed Furman at F&SF in 1968. But, then, like so many of us, Keith got married, and started a day job. Family and responsibilities kept Keith away from the pen for thirty-five years. Not only hadn’t he written anything, he had read very little Science Fiction in that time, finding it, in his words, “mostly lousy.” Then in the late 1990’s, Keith picked up a copy of John Shirley’s Eclipse from a used book store, and everything changed. He was a programmer and a hacker in real life at the time, a the themes spoke to him. Suddenly, Keith P. Grahm became a Cyberpunk. He started writing again.

He sold my first story to J Erwine at SamsDotPublishing. He has since sold about fifty stories to most of the online magazines.

Keith P. Grahm’s latest story, “Into Her Own,” is featured in the upcoming anthology, Clash of the Titles. I, recently, had an opportunity to talk with Keith about Cyberpunk, the future, his writings, and the upcoming anthology.

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So, why Speculative Fiction?

SpecFic is what I read and know best. I also read Hard-Boiled detective from the 1930s and 40s, but writing that is harder for me. I have also published nonfiction programming articles.

Who’s your favorite writer?

One word: Ray Bradbury. I read and reread Golden age SF by Heinlein, Asimov, Clarke and others. I keep William Gibson’s complete audio works on tape in my car. I also eagerly await Neal Stephenson’s next book.

How did you find out about the anthology, Clash of the Titles?

Shaun Lawton at Freezine turned me on to it.

What made you want to submit to it?

It seemed like Gil was dedicated to the idea. His vision and enthusiasm made it hard not to join in.

How did you come up with your story? What made you choose that title?

I have a list of plot outlines that I want to write when I get the chance. One of the titles just screamed at me. It was a better title for the story idea than I could have come up with, so I grabbed it and wrote the story.

Is your story for the anthology similar to your other stories? How so?

The character comes from a series of stories where I use an android to help analyze the nature of the human soul. It is different because it is the first story where I extensively use explicit sex.

A lot has been said about the workshop process wherein the editor takes a video meeting with the writers to help offer instant feedback and share the editing process along the way. How did you find this process; what are your feelings about it?

I am a programmer and a technical boy, but I do not own a device with a camera for video. My tech is found on the side of the road and refurbished. My phone flips. I do not video chat.

What do you think is the most important thing that readers know about Clash of the Titles?

That those involved have passion for what they are doing and it is reflected in the quality of the process and the product.

It’s said that the editor will make an anthology every year. Even if the “I pick the titles, you write the story” conceit isn’t used again, would you work with the editor again? Why or why not?

Gil is the best. Whatever he does will be outstanding. I will send him whatever he wants.

What do you think is the most important thing for booksellers, libraries and other outlets to know about Clash of the Titles that they don’t know?

I would like them to know that Gil put his own blood into every story and made it the best it can be. I can see the anthology walking away with some awards at the next Worldcon.

Would you recommend the process to other writers; how did you find working with this editor to be compared to others?

Most editors have to read 500 stories a month, at least. They reject each story based on the first sentence or paragraph – they have no choice. Because of the way this collection was developed, the writers received feedback from the first sentence up until they typed “the end”. It made better writers out of all of us, and the stories reflect this.

What excites you most about the process, and the anthology in general?

I will love sharing a TOC with the other writers in the anthology, some of them are big names in SF. I feel that my story will be read, which is what an author really wants.

Did your story grow in ways you didn’t expect due to the workshop nature of the process? How?

When a story works I feel that I am reading a story as I write it, and I am not very aware of the craft involved. This was one of those stories. I was eager to finish it so I could see how it came out.

Please describe your favorite experience in working with Clash of the Titles.

Usually I write a story and then, not knowing what else to do, submit it. Being caught up in the creative process, you don’t see the forest for the words. Working with Gil broke me out of that mode so I could see the whole story from a viewpoint outside of the writer’s narrow focus. As a result, I edited and rewrote more than I normally would have.

What other projects are you working on, besides Clash of the Titles.

When my current programming gig ends in a month or so, that will be IT for a day job. I will officially retire and live on my Social Security. My first project is to finish two novels that I started over a decade ago. I also have a dozen short stories outlined or started that I need to get to. My goal is to follow Fred Pohl’s example and write 2k words a day until I am 90, and then go to 1k words a day.

If you’d like to see more of Keith P. Graham’s writings, check out his website.

Interview with David M. Hoenig, M.D.

Part one of a series of interviews with the writers for the upcoming speculative fiction anthology, Clash of the Titles. the anthology is the brain child of Gil Bavel, who conceived of an endearing conceit: he would provide a list of titles and the members of his Facebook workshop, Writing the Short (SF) Story, would use the it as a starting point for a short speculative fiction story.

David Hoenig has contributed the story, “Bridge Out” to the Clash of the Titles anthology. The story explores the intersection where Neurology and Psychology meet, but when an experimental test run with psychedelic drugs, it not only changes the test subject’s life, but, also the lives of the research team, in ways they wouldn’t have dreamed of.

David credits his High School English teacher with inspiring him to become a writer. And, even though he decided on a medical career before he’d even started college (he majored in Biochemistry), his love for the written word compelled him to minor in English Writing.

David has been published widely in the medical literature sicne 1989, but only found his fiction voice in 2013 when he decided to begin writing his first novel (which is still in the revision phase). In the meantime he’s had several short stories published in a variety of venues, including Dark Chapter Press, Nonbinary Review/Zoetic Press, and Elder Signs Press.

I asked David a few questions about his writing career and, in particular, his participation in the upcoming anthology, Clash of the Titles.

Why do you think you are drawn to the Speculative/Science Fiction genre?

My mom fed me while watching the original Star Trek on its first TV run, and my dad never failed to feed me sci fi and fantasy books as I grew up. I think it’s because I always felt that if you were going to escape into fiction, you might as well do it in a forward-thinking, imaginative, and generally positive view of humanity’s future.

What authors influence you as a writer. Who is your favorite?

There are waaaay too many to name, so I’ll list a few across many genres who have been influential in my life and writing style: Isaac Asimov, Piers Anthony, Arthur C. Clarke, Ursula Leguin, Elizabeth Moon, Jacquelin Carey, Stephen King, Stephen Baxter, Charles Stross, Patricia McKillop, and Robert B. Parker.

How did you find out about the anthology, Clash of the Titles?

I was directed to the Facebook community by a writer friend whom I’d met through another publication.

What made you want to submit to it? Would you do it again?

Are you kidding? I mean, the chance to have editor work with you, giving actual critique to help make the story the best it can be and not just rejecting your work out of hand for the nebulous and unhelpful reason ‘it didn’t fit’ is a pearl of great price.

How did you come up with your story? What made you choose that title?

I’d had this idea for exploring the next generation of powerful MRI scanners, and how such a powerful magnetic field might affect the brain in terms of what potentials it could bring out. When I saw ‘Bridge Out”, my mind didn’t see a bridge which had been damaged–instead, it went to the wordplay ‘Einstein-Rosen bridge, and from there I knew I could create a character who would make a ‘bridge’ and head ‘out’ there. The rest wrote itself after research into neuroscience and neuropsychiatry.

How is your story for the anthology the same and/or different from your other works?

It’s similar in that my stories are most often character-based, and different in that my original concept of a dark ending morphed into what I think is more sublime with elements of redemption. I do enjoy a nice dark ending, and this one, with Gil’s guidance, went to a less easy, more rich conclusion.

A lot has been said about the workshop process wherein the editor takes a video meeting with the writers to help offer instant feedback and share the editing process along the way. How did you find this process; what are your feelings about it?

It was quite the challenge to schedule mutually available times given the busyness of our lives, and yet it’s been great. Getting another set of eyes on my stories is always something extremely helpful–getting it from someone with a professional writing background in an effort to make the story better and better is an unparalleled opportunity. It’s especially confidence boosting as well.

What do you think is the most important thing that readers know about Clash of the Titles?

This is going to be a fun read, because the titles inspire and inform the stories, but the stories will not be predictable based on the title. In addition to loving dark endings, I love me a bit of literary misdirection.

It’s said that the editor will make an anthology every year. Even if the “I pick the titles, you write the story” conceit isn’t used again, would you work with the editor again? Why or why not?

Absolutely. Gil’s put a lot of energy and time into the actual process for this anthology, and the stories, if you will, have been honed and honed. I doubt that I will ever reach a point when I will feel that what I’ve written can’t be made better with editing. His commitment to the process itself is laudable, and the final product should be awesome.

What do you think is the most important thing for booksellers, libraries and other outlets to know about Clash of the Titles that they don’t know?

To beat a metaphor to near-death, I’d say that the dialogue between writer and editor to grow the best story provided very fertile ground and the sweetest fruit.

Would you recommend the process to other writers; how did you find working with this editor to be compared to others?

I’ve been fortunate to find some wonderful editors in my fledgling writing career, and the support of an editor who helps you craft a good story, poem, essay cannot be underestimated.  Also, the whole process of discussing your thoughts, rationale, reasons for word choice, and then getting feedback to validate or critique is hugely worthwhile.  I’d absolutely work with Gil again, and with any editor that gives of their time to help writers bring their best story to print.

Did your story grow in ways you didn’t expect due to the workshop nature of the process? How?

Definitely. The ending in particular. My original vision for the finale was dark; death, doom, dismay, and madness.  Discussion with Gil resulted in the possibility of seeking redemption for the character who did ‘the bad thing’. Initially I resisted the suggestion, but it became a welcome challenge when I realized that my character’s intelligence had changed but not her degree of empathy: wouldn’t it be something if her empathy caught up, finally, to the initial intelligence ‘upgrade’ she underwent.  And with that, I realized that I could twist the trope a bit to provide a more fulfilling end than just the incredible danger from too-rapid intelligence growth untempered by a conscience.  In short, it was very cool.

What other projects are you working on, besides Clash of the Titles.

Probably the most all-encompassing project I’m involved with right now is the project of me: becoming as time-efficient as possible to satisfy my various ambitions of being the best husband and surgeon and medical educator I can be, and still evolve as a writer.

As far as writing projects, I’m currently revising my original sci fi novel, am in the middle of a fun novel fusing cosmic horror to the noir detective story, and am lurching from deadline to deadline for a number of short stories ranging from horror, to sci fi, to cyberpunk. And, like the song says, “loving every minute of it”.

You can learn more David M. Hoenig by visiting his website:

David M Hoenig, MD-Author

You can learn more about the anthology, Clash of the Titles by visiting its Facebook page:
https://www.facebook.com/ClashOfTheTitlesAnthology

I am happy to announce that my story, “Could’ve, Would’ve, Should’ve,” a story about a Cleveland musician that could’ve have made it if only he would’ve done something, he knew he shoud’ve done, will appear in the Nov/December ’16 issue of . magazine (v. 140). Keep your eyes open for it!.

Get ready for a new anthology of science fiction, fantasy, horror, steampunk, supernatural horror, weird and more; Clash of the Titles is both a book and a …happening. It’s a small press event set to debut in Kansas City at the World Science Fiction Convention–WorldCon 2016/MidAmeriCon II. It’s a unique idea; a community of writers were invited to claim a title from a list and write a short story, poem or commentary. New writers are rubbing shoulders with old hands writing all-new, original stories. Some of the writers listed are not final–if they continue to work with me, they will be. Here’s a not-quite complete table of contents:

Paul Levinson—Slipping Time
Mike Resnick—Fastest Dragon
David Gerrold—Schwarzschild Radius
Bob Vardeman—Mach 5
Brian Trent—Vicious Cycle of Life
D. Avraham—The Tick-Tock Man
Hope Erica Schultz—I’ve got a Black Hole in Aisle 9
Jonathan Vos Post—Unsafe At Any Speed
David Hoenig—Bridge Out
Dylan Otto Krider—The Day Jessie Came Back
Adam Bolivar—An Ancient Tomb A-Yonder Lies
Judy Rubin—They Came at Night
Alex Shvartsman—Blood Drive
Duane R. Waite—The Worst Neighborhoods of Epsilon Eridani
Erin Gitchell—A Quality of Pain
John Claude Smith—The Delivery
Allan Dyen-Shapiro—The Bimani HIlton
Claire Anne Davon—The stars of Rome Fell
Steven H. Silver—The Old, Abandoned Drive-In
George Nikolopoulos—An Itinerant in Carcosa
Patrick Hudson—The Gearwheels of Heaven
Lyn Godfrey—A kind of Game
Erica Allaire—Do you Feel Like Calamari Tonight?
Andrew J. Lucas—The End of the Line
Jamie Earhart—Making the Grade
Keith Graham-Into Her Own
James Stegall—Down and Out in Paris, Texas
Deborah Walker (As Kelda Crich—Night of the Vrykolakas

(This list is not final—only tentative per authors committing to work with me if they haven’t gotten their stories just so.)

Watch for our Kickstarter fundraiser and please check out our pre-Kickstarter fundraiser (below) with great goals and incentives including pre-orders at 20% off and much more!

https://www.gofundme.com/preKickstarterFund

I’m happy to announce that my short story, “Blackbird Fly,” based on characters from my ShadowRealm series has been published in New Realms Magazine.

Check it out:  New Realms, Volume 3, Issue Number 12

I lie here staring up at the cracks in the ceiling.  Most people don’t notice them, but they’re there.

Most people don’t notice them, but then again, most people don’t notice too much.  They also don’t have too much time.

Not like me.  I don’t have much of anything else, but time.  I don’t have too much to do, except lie here and stare at the thin spidery cracks in the ceiling.  Actually, there’s quite a lot of them.

I imagine myself slipping through them, floating up to them and they stretch open to accept me into their web of lines. They don’t have to expand too much.  You see, there’s not that much left of me to get stuck. Most people don’t realize that a web is also a cocoon.  It not only traps; it also protects. Most people don’t know that.

I’m not most people, you see.  Oh, it’s not like I’m something special or anything.  I’m not.  I’m probably just the opposite. Most people are special in their own way, you see.  Most people are.