Your result for Which fantasy writer are you?…

Philip Pullman (b.1946)

3 High-Brow, -5 Violent, 7 Experimental and 13 Cynical!

• Short story writers take notice. clarkesworld 's interview with 10 short story editors is a must read.
• johnjosephadams has posted the guidelines for his latest anthology, "The Way of the Wizard". This looks to be another awesome JJA production so get your stories in early.
• The well-respected Clockwork Phoenix anthology is up for a third volume. Editor time_shark has updated the website with the updated guidelines.

My day job needs to hire more people to help us grow (and give me a few days off). If you know anyone interested, please send them my way. The position reports to me directly so not only do you get to work for a great company you get to work with me. Tell me that’s not a great perk, eh? I’ve posted the description below. What it doesn’t tell you is that you’ll get to work in an exciting and challenging technical environment with hundreds of millions of http requests/day. Get your hands dirty with things like mod_perl and memcached, geolocation, contextual analysis, search trending and fraud filtering. It’s like drinking from the fire hose every day!

Company: Traffic Engine, Inc.
Job Title: Senior Developer
Description: Seasoned developer (Perl, mod_perl, Linux, Apache, PHP) with experience in a high volume web environment. The right applicant must have strong communication skills and be able to think outside of the box. You’ll need to be familiar with the Perl language and mod_perl. Proficiency with Linux in a server environment is a must.

Location: Irvine, CA (Telecommute)
Starting Salary: $60 - 100K+ (Based on Experience)
Position Type: Full Time Only

The position will works remotely from the corporate office (unless lives within 25 miles of Irvine California).   The developer will work in a team environment and contribute to constant upgrades, maintenance and new development of existing and new applications as required.

Responsibilities

•    Develop and maintain Perl modules to be run under Apache2/mod_perl2
•    Develop and maintain Perl scripts for system maintenance and data processing
•    Develop and maintain web applications using PHP, JavaScript, Ajax, and MySQL/PostgreSQL
•    Contribute to the design and development of internal applications, strategies, and methods of improving current and future applications
•    Report and submit status on projects as required
•    Document code and create documentation as required
•    Collaborate with team members efficiently and effectively via telephone, IM, or IRC
•    Provide technical support to internal employees as well as external clients as needed
•    Participate in some marketing functions such as Ad:tech and / or other technical functions.
•    Minimal travel may be required
•    Self motivated and ability to be effective working remotely
•    Other responsibilities as required

Qualifications

•    2-4 years of experience developing web-based applications
•    3+ years fluency in Object Oriented Programming, and PHP5.x implementation
•    3+ years of MySQL and/or PostgreSQL
•    2+ years of Javascript
•    3+ years of Perl
•    2+ years of Linux
•    Ability to write valid and efficient xHTML, DHTML, CSS, SQL, and JavaScript code
•    Experience writing AJAX code
•    Understanding of relational database concepts, including JOIN statements and foreign key constraints
•    Experience using a Version Control System (SVN a plus)

Any of these qualifications a plus
•    Experience implementing third-party APIs
•    Experience developing in MVC environments
•    Knowledge of how paid search campaigns work
•    Knowledge of SEO tactics

About Traffic Engine, Inc:

Traffic Engine’s Search Marketing Technology (SMarT) connects the right people with the right ads, delivering industry-leading exposure and click conversion by utilizing a targeted customer base and more than five years of online ad placement experience to help our publishers realize their full revenue potential.  Recently added is our new AdExchange that enables direct advertisers to bid on traffic in the SMarT Platform to drive quality business to their ads.

Traffic Engine, Inc. offers our employees:

* Technology driven and team oriented environment
* Competitive compensation at all levels
* Company matching retirement program
* Excellent benefits for employee
* Flexible schedules where results are the focus

Interested candidates who meet these qualifications should send a resume and letter of interest via email to careers@trafficengine.net  and include “Senior Developer” in the subject header.  Please also send any examples of work or projects recently implemented

[Crossposted from stonetable.org. If you'd like to comment, you can do so either here or there.]

Look up to the sky on a clear night. What do you see? If you live in or near a big city, chances are your response is “not much”. Even 40 miles from Chicago, I can mostly see major constellations if I squint just right but not much else.

When we visit my dad, three hundred miles deep into the north woods of Wisconsin, the first thing I do after getting out of the truck is look up. The view is breathtaking. The difference between night and day, if you’ll excuse the pun.

It’s become an emotional ritual for me. My heart beats a little faster, my eyes tear up and I feel more alive (or a little less dead) inside. This is the sky I remember as a child, bright and full of wonders, and I’m afraid that the generations after mine are going to loose that sense of wonder because there’s nothing there for them to see.

There’s a story buried in there somewhere (and I’ll be working on it as soon as I finish this weekends edits) but that’s not what this is about. 

I was doing research on the effects of light pollution when I discovered Earth Hour. Simply put, on March 28th, 2009 at 8:30PM local time, people and cities around the world will switch off their lights for one hour. Paris. Los Angeles. Chicago. Atlanta. Dallas. San Francisco. Mexico City. Five hundred cities in seventy-five countries are participating.

Raising awareness about global warming and climbing change is a good thing. Make a statement. Flip off your lights for an hour, take your kids (or someone elses, with permission) and go stargazing.

[Crossposted from stonetable.org. If you'd like to comment, you can do so either here or there.]

RaceFail took place in January 2009. Some of it is documented on the feministSF wiki. I watched from the sidelines, sad to see people I like and respect at each others throats. In the aftermath, people have stopped blogging or deleted journals altogether. I imagine much wound-licking is going on and the long-term damage remains to be seen.

The fallout from RaceFail continues and will probably continue to be felt for months, if not longer. Hurt lingers and pain flares.

I’m not even sure what’s being argued about anymore. I didn’t know if I should keep my mouth shut or add to the fervor. In the end, I waited and read through what had already been said. There’s already been too much noise in the signal.

I’m a relative nobody; my words carry no literary weight behind them. Take them for what they are: heartfelt and sincere.

—

I don’t care if you’re a boy or girl, both or neither. I love you as a person.

I’m not going to treat you different if you’re black, white, yellow, red or green (but I’ll give you a hug if you’re feeling blue).

I care about your experiences, because they define you as a person. I won’t belittle them because I can’t relate to them. Please write about them, so that I can learn from your history.

I’m sorry sexism and racism exist. I wish I could make them go away but I can’t. I can influence those around me and hope that they do the same.

[Crossposted from stonetable.org. If you'd like to comment, you can do so either here or there.]

I’ve been tagged by several people, so here it is.

Rules: Once you’ve been tagged, you are supposed to write a note with 25 random things, facts, habits, or goals about you. At the end, choose 25 people to be tagged. You have to tag the person who tagged you. If I tagged you, it’s because I want to know more about you.

1. As a kid, I once rode on the private jet of the Chicago White Sox and sat across the isle from my favorite player, Carlton Fisk. I was so nervous I didn’t say a word.

2. The first SF story I ever wrote was fan fic, involving Wesley Crusher and the Kobayashi Maru Sadly, all copies were lost in a tragic yet suspicious transporter accident.

3. I made Margaret Weis laugh at a Gencon in Milwaukee. I noticed a sign at one of the booths, advertising that she would be there that afternoon. I squeed and gestured wildly to my friends. They turned towards the booth and pointed. I looked. There she was, looking at me and grinning.

4. I had a two appendixes, a very rare condition, removed when I was ten.

5. My favorite constellation is Orion. I look for it whenever there’s a clear sky.

6. I’m proficient, or have been, in multiple computer languages. I’ve written code in Basic, QBasic, GW-Basic, C, C++, Visual Basic, Visual C++, Java, Python, Perl, Ruby, PHP, Bash, Dataflex, Pascal, x86 Assembler and Javascript. I am a nerd.

7. I used to be an avid reader, going through 2-3 books a week. I’ve slowed down considerably, reading only short stories and graphic novels in the last year.

8. When I worked as a consultant at NBC headquarters in New York City, I was taken on a tour of the Saturday Night Live set prior to the January 1st, 2000 show. I watched Blink 182 practice on stage.

9. I like Iron Maiden, Johnny Cash, Flogging Molly, Tesla, Nine Inch Nails, and Tori Amos. I’ve seen four of them in concert. Sadly, I didn’t discover Johnny Cash until after he died.

10. I love the musical Les Miserables. I’ve seen it once live, but listen to the soundtrack regularly.

11. I spent many days and nights in the children’s ward at the University of Minnesota hospital as a kid, although I was never a patient, and stayed at the Ronald McDonald House.

12. I love role playing games but infrequently have enough friends nearby to play with. I’ve played Dungeons and Dragons and Rifts. The next best thing is playing Munchkin with Andrea.

13. I used to clip my nails obsessively. Now I only clip when they interfere with writing/typing or if it breaks.

14. I am an autodidact.

15. I enjoy professional wrestling. I know it’s not real. I still enjoy watching it. I view it as a soap opera, with serial story lines.

16. I once wanted to be a professional wrestler. I visited a school in Chicago when I was 18 but couldn’t afford to go.

17. Growing up, I wanted to be an astronaut. Then a lawyer (thank you, Law and Order). I also wanted to be a writer but some harsh criticism from teachers and one angry, bitter writer I met at Gencon really shook my self-confidence. It took more than twenty years for me try my hand at it seriously again.

18. I try, but I am not the most socially gifted person. I’m more likely to sit and listen than I am to participate in a conversation.

19. Reading is an escape for me and served as my only entertainment and supervision when I was young. I write stories because I want give something back and return the favor. So say the voices in my head.

20. I’ve built and rebuilt hundreds of computers over the years and run various flavors of Linux but these days I use a Mac and have little interest in building my own.

21. I enjoy building and painting models and miniatures. I’m working on a Bird of Prey, and have a Battlestar Galactica Mark II Viper, the Delorean from Back to the Future, and a Batmobile to paint. I also have a ton of Warhammer pieces to paint. I am building a Dwarf army to fight zombies, vampires, and skeleton warriors.

22. I love Dwarves. My first attempt at a novel was an epic fantasy with a Dwarf main character. I’m revising a steampunk-ish story with a dwarf-crewed airship and have plans to do a dwarf web comic one day.

23. I want to learn more about astronomy. The only telescope I’ve owned was a $20 model I bought at walmart as a teen. I’m hoping to get more involved after we move to Ontario and get settled.

24. I’ve been working since I was 12. I started mowing lawns and delivering newspapers. I spent summers working maintenance and security at a pool. I worked fast food for 3-4 years. I worked as a cleaner in a food processing plant for one night. I drove a forklift, was a secretary, did building and greenhouse maintenance and worked as a messenger before finally getting a job in tech support. I transitioned from that to being a computer programmer and now work as Chief Technical Officer at an advertising company.

25. My favorite historical figure is Nicola Tesla. I think his role in history has been vastly understated and his accomplishments discredited.

I’d love to learn more about my friends and acquaintances, so if you haven’t already done this, consider yourself tagged.

[Crossposted from stonetable.org. If you'd like to comment, you can do so either here or there.]

I meant to post about this sooner but life has been hectic.

We drove to Toronto a few weeks ago and celebrated a belated Christmas with Andrea’s family. It was my first time in Toronto (or anywhere north of the Appleyard family farm in the Hamilton area, and that not since the early 80’s).

We stayed in the Don Mills area, near the Fairview Mall. It’s a nice area with easy access to shopping and public transportation. If I were inclined to live in a big city, that would have been a suitable spot to settle down.

The area was blanketed with snow the night we arrived. I’m not exactly sure how much fell but there was at least a foot on the truck when I went out the next morning. Here lies a pitfall of public transportation. Our group of six were walking to the subway stop around the corner. None of the sidewalks were shoveled or salted yet. Andrea’s sister slipped on some uneven pavement and sprained her ankle pretty badly. We had to go back and get the truck to drive her back to the apartment.

Four of us eventually continued, and landed ourselves downtown. We stopped at Fran’s Restaurant for a bit of food before heading to our main objectives: the Hairy Tarantula and the World’s Biggest Bookstore (WBB).

The Hairy Trarantula is without a doubt the best comic book store I’ve been to (no offense Graham Cracker or Darktower, I still love you guys). The Hairy T has an amazing collection of materials, including the complete run of Transmetropolitan and let me tell you, that is hard as hell to find locally. Quimby’s is the only store out of the dozen’s we’ve been to that carried any. The staff were wonderful and even joked around playfully when they learned I was American. We picked up Preacher #3,  Transmetropolitan #2, Strangers in Paradise #5 and #6, The Walking Dead #3, Animal Man #3, Concrete #2, and X-Factor #5.

Next we swung by the WBB. As advertised, the store was huge and their selection of SF/F anthologies was to die for. More than two full units! There were multiple copies of The Savage Humanists, still my favorite anthology ever (although not unexpected, since it’s from Robert J. Sawyer’s imprint). In the end, we ended up picking up Sideways in Crime, Chicks in Chainmail, Heroes in Training, The Thackery T. Lambshead Pocket Guide to Eccentric and Discredited Diseases, Prince of Stories: The Many Worlds of Neil Gaiman, and two issues of on spec.

The snow continued for a few days, so we ended up staying over an extra day or two before heading home. We’re looking forward to visiting Toronoto often after we move to Ontario later this year.

[Crossposted from stonetable.org. If you'd like to comment, you can do so either here or there.]

Oh shit. Who knew?

(I would have scored better in Sci-Fi if I could have remembered the creator of the original Battlestar Galactica. Damn my youth!)

[Crossposted from stonetable.org. If you'd like to comment, you can do so either here or there.]

Happiness is pets.

I’ve always been a pet person. Growing up, I had Cats, dogs, fish, hamsters, and lizards — whatever I could talk my parents into. As an adult, the only time I haven’t had a pet was when I first moved out on my own. Today, we have three dogs and four cats.

I can’t imagine not having a pet of some kind, although I think three dogs is our limit (until we move to a farm).

Pictures below the fold.

Read the rest of this entry »

[Crossposted from stonetable.org. If you'd like to comment, you can do so either here or there.]

I was born, grew up and lived my entire life in northern Illinois. While I’ve traveled far (Canada, New Zealand and Ireland internationally; coast to coast domestically) I’ve never stayed anywhere but the midwest for more than two weeks at a time. Most of my family, though, has moved away.

Andrea and I have talked about moving to Canada for a while. Andrea is Canadian. Most of her family lives in southwest Ontario, not far from Windsor and Detroit. Most of my meatspace friends live in the Detroit area, less than an hour drive from where we would go. Cost of living is ultimately lower than where we are now.

We looked at houses online and found a couple houses in the area we wanted to move to. On our last trip to Ontario we walked through the houses. They were both nice but one really appealed to us. An older house — a split level ranch with three bedrooms, 1 bath, a fully finished basement, attached garage and a large fenced-in yard for the dogs to play in. We put in an offer the next day. After several days of back and forth negotiation, we got the word yesterday that the seller has accepted our offer. We have our first house together.

The house in Illinois is wonderful, but it’s too large for two people. My mom lives across town but she’s a free spirit. I don’t expect her to stay in the area much longer. We have little other family or close friends here. Aside from the people from my writers group, who I’ll miss dearly, and my cousin Annie, everyone else I know has drifted away.

Before I go further, let me directly address the person who reads my blog so they can feed information back to my ex. Grow up. You are not helping anyone. I have nothing to hide. I’m not “skipping the country” to avoid the terms of the divorce agreement. I still work for a US company and she’s still getting her precious money with no interruptions, so mind your own business.

There’s a lot of paper shuffling and work to be done while we wait for financing on the new house to be approved. I still have to take my ex-wife’s name off the house in Illinois. The one mortgage company I had been working with has gone MIA — the agent refusing to return calls or emails. I will be filing complaints with the Better Business Bureau and leaving negative reviews of them, but that doesn’t help with what I have to do. I spoke to multiple banks last week about assumptions and refinancing. They all report sixty days to completion due to the number of people refinancing for lower rates right now. I’m also putting in a call to a real estate agent I know to see what other options there are. Ideally I would sell this place but I’d have to price it under market value to have a hope of selling it quickly.

No one wants to juggle two mortgages, especially in today’s economy, but we’ll manage. The new house costs less than half of the current one. Refinancing my truck cut my payment in half and with the lower costs of living we should be able to manage for as long as it takes to sell. Andrea will also be able to legally work.

Once we’re settled in I can apply for permanent residence in Canada. After three years, I can become a dual citizen. While we’re there, Andrea can apply in the US and also get her dual citizenship. We figure we’ll stay in the new house for at least 5 years. After that, we may move somewhere neither of us has ever lived (if we have kids, we’ll probably stay in Canada, though).

We’re walking a path. We don’t know where it’ll lead us but that’s part of the adventure.

[Crossposted from stonetable.org. If you'd like to comment, you can do so either here or there.]

Having been tagged by the charming grayrose, I have no choice but to participate in the eight day happiness meme. For eight days (probably not consecutive but I’ll try) I have to post something that makes me happy.

The thing that makes me happy today is: friends and family.

No matter what shit you’re going through, they are always there for you. They don’t care what you look like, how much money you have, or that you’ll ignore them completely when Battlestar Galactica is on.

They like you for you and you can be yourself around them. There’s not much better than that.

[Crossposted from stonetable.org. If you'd like to comment, you can do so either here or there.]

Cory Doctorow: Writing in the Age of Distraction. This couldn’t be a more timely column for me. I feel like I’m in a constant battle against distraction. What works for Cory might not work for everyone but the advice and reasoning is damn solid.

Health Insurance is a bitch. Short version: man with COPD needs a double lung transplant to live but he can’t get on the waiting list until he has $500,000 to $1,000,000 in cash or insurance benefits. Please spread the word or donate, if you’re so able.

Today is day 13 of 14 for Apex Book’s sales drive. I just ordered every back issue of the magazine they had in stock. It’s one of my hands-down favorite zines to read.

Via Jetse de Vries, space is louder than we expected. Cosmic radio background is six times louder than expected.

Jay lake ponders cultural authority and presumed expertise. I’m following the discussion with vested interest. I have and will continue to write characters that are non-white, non-middle class. Having an awareness of what you’re doing — and of readers default expectations — are critical.

[Crossposted from stonetable.org. If you'd like to comment, you can do so either here or there.]

We just finished watching the first episode of the new season of The Biggest Loser. I think it’s safe to say that the majority of the people who watch the show have some weight to lose — some more than others. Most of the commercials reflected that. Healthy choices, healthy eating, that sort of thing. One advertiser, however, stood out. McDonalds.

McDonalds had the class to run a commercial during The Biggest Loser. Now, they could have played to the demographic and advertise their salads or their Fruit n’ Yogurt Parfait, but no. That would make too much sense. Instead, some brainiac decided it would not only be the wise thing to do, but the right thing, to advertise a two for $4.00 Big Mac special. During a show highlighting the obesity epidemic in America.

You stay classy, McDonalds. I expect I’ll see many more commercials from you during The Biggest Loser and other such weight loss shows. Us fatties are your bread and butter and you can’t risk us falling off the buffet train.

[Crossposted from stonetable.org. If you'd like to comment, you can do so either here or there.]

Some of you who’ve known me for a while know that I’ve had a struggle with my weight. I peaked at 350 somewhere around 2000 and had pre-diabetes. I got serious about being healthy in 2006 and lost 100 pounds, 10+ inches around my waist and generally felt really good. My blood sugar levels were normal and I had lots of energy. I maintained my weight for a while but I fell off the wagon in late 2007 as life as I knew it was falling apart. 2008 was a good year for many reasons but once again I slipped into old habits and gained back half of my previous loss.

Andrea and I are making a conscious effort to get back into shape. Gone are eating out, late night trips for fast food and the general unawareness of what we’re eating. Tonight, we cleared out all of the high sugar, high fat, low nutrition foods in the house; dumped the perpetual bowl of candy and chocolate into the trash. We stocked up on lots of components vs. prepared foods. From now forward, we’re going to be aware of what and how much we eat.

I’ve been down this road before. It’s time to stop resting and get walking. Eating healthy is only part of the solution. Eating smart - smaller meals spread throughout the day to increase metabolism, getting regular exercise and portion control are keys. It’s time to shed the weight gained and learn how to live a healthy lifestyle.

I’m tired of being tired. I’m tired of being winded after carrying groceries into the house. I remember the feeling of satisfaction when I moved down a notch on my belt (instead of the guilt having to move up a notch). I remember being able to get on the elliptical machine and go for an hour rather than throwing in the towel after ten minutes. I remember clothes in my closet fitting. Memory isn’t enough. It’s time to get healthy.

I want to do things that I simply can’t now. I want to learn how to rock climb. I’d like to learn a martial art. I want to look in the mirror again and see a healthy me. Life is about choice and I choose a healthy one.

[Crossposted from stonetable.org. If you'd like to comment, you can do so either here or there.]

Writing is fluid but deadlines are not. Looking ahead six months or so, there are several upcoming anthologies and contests that I have my eye on. Previously, when there’s a hard deadline involved I’ve ended up submitting at the last possible minute (literally). This year I want to plan ahead and submit early. It’s less stressful and will, hopefully, produce better quality work.

Anthologies/Contests

Space Cops - I have a story perfect for the theme. Deadline is January 30th, 2009.

Jim Baen Memorial Writing Contest - Also co-sponsored by the National Space Society, who co-sponsored the Return to Luna contest last year. Near-future manned space exploration. Deadline is April 1st, 2009.

PARSEC SF/F Short Story Contest - This year’s theme is “Dark Glass”. I just missed the cut last year. Hopefully this year will be better, but my money is on Andrea. She’s got a great story ready for it. Deadline is April 15th, 2009.

SHINE Anthology - Optimistic, near-future SF. Lots of ideas for this one. Submissions accepted May and June 2009.

Anything by Hadley Rille Books, because I love everything they do.

These are the ones that have caught my interest. You can find more anthologies on Duotrope, Ralan’s. or the list I maintain on Absolute Write.

Markets

People say that short fiction is dying, but I disagree. It’s transforming. Magazines are making the transition from print to electronic and vice versa. I have yet to see my ideal zine business model implemented but I think we’re getting closer.

There are quite a few great markets both large and small to submit to. Some people start with the best paying and work there way down while others submit to the smaller, non-paying markets because the odds of acceptance appear to be higher. There are a few markets I’d like to get into as a badge of honor. The rest are markets that I’ve read and enjoyed. Ultimately, it boils down to who I think is the best fit regardless of rate.

Apex Magazine - One of the few magazines that I’ve read cover to cover (before they went online) that I thoroughly loved.

Abyss & Apex - Another great market that publishers great works.

Andromeda Spaceways Inflight Magazine (ASIM) - The first electronic market I ever submitted to. I sent them a Feghoot, before I knew what it was and why they should be kept locked in a trunk.

Byzarium - I love their flash fiction contests.

Clarkesworld - I used to be afraid of these guys (Nick Mamatas can be intimidating, but a) he’s moved on and b) anyone who publicly talks about wrestling is alright in my book). They only publish two fiction pieces a month, but they’re good pieces.

Strange Horizons - What can I say? SH is awesome.

Electric Velocipede - My current favorite market. The first issue I read was #14 and I read it cover to cover. I can’t wait to sit down and read the #15/16 double issue, which also has a story by Michelle Muenzler.

Fantasy Magazine - Another wonderful market I hope to crack one day.

Futurismic - Near-future science fiction and fact. Read it for the news, stay for the stories.

Lone Star Stories - Good stories and the fastest response time on the market.

The Big Three - Asimov’s, Analog, and Fantasy & Science Fiction (F&SF). All very prestigious markets. I haven’t read much of Analog in recent years, but I just let my subscription to Asimov and F&SF lapse. I’ve found that I only enjoy one or two stories per issue. I will probably re-subscribe after the move, though.

Markets I need to get copies of

Andrea and I scour every bookstore we pass for SF/F magazines. We’ve managed to pick up some rarities, such as Space and Time and Weird Tales. It’s a constant hunt for a new small press SF/F magazine we haven’t seen or read yet and I’m open to suggestions for what I should be reading.

I really, really want to pick up a copy of Lady Churchill’s Rosebud Wristlet (LCRW) and while linking this discovered they have a map of bookstores that carry them on their website. There are three in the Chicagoland area that may have them in stock. I think a road trip is in order very soon.

[Crossposted from stonetable.org. If you'd like to comment, you can do so either here or there.]

Discover Magazine’s top 100 stories of 2008

Slush Lessons from Apex, who is also re-open to submissions. They’ve also announced a new anthology, open for submissions on March 1st, 2009: The Blackness Within.

Reminders: Viable Paradise, Clarion, Clarion West, and the CSSF Short Fiction workshop are now open to applications. Good luck!

Diamonds link comet to extinction of dozens of mammal species.

[Crossposted from stonetable.org. If you'd like to comment, you can do so either here or there.]

2008 is past, replaced by a new year and new hopes.

It was a rocky year, filled with good and bad. Divorce, and marriage, deaths on Andrea’s side of the family. Kittens and a new puppy. A historic election and rocky economic times. We’re still in for a bumpy financial ride but everything else is looking like its trending upward.

I did alright on my goals from 2008. Not bad, but the best I could manage under the circumstances:

Personal:

• Finalize the divorce
• Get out of debt
• Be happy

Writing:

• Write 12 new short stories (finished #13 on New Years Eve)
• Revise and polish 12 stories
• Submit 12 stories for publication (sent out 21 submissions, 2 accepted (1 electronic, 1 print), 1 pending, 1 anthology in hand)
• Submit a story to the Writers of the Future contest quarterly

Work:

• Finish migrating out of my hands-on role to more of a managerial one
• Successfully manage and complete all planned projects
• Come up with brilliant new projects for people to work on
• Grow the company

For 2009, I want to continue the good trends I’ve already set. It’s going to be another busy year but I’m more prepared to tackle it. My goals for 2009:

Personal

• Be a better husband (because there’s always room for improvement)
• Build a better budget and get out of debt
• Apply for Permanent Resident & move to Canada
• Lose the weight I gained in 2008

Work

• Less micromanaging, more delegating
• Hire, hire, hire.

Writing

• Write 12 new short stories
• Revise and polish 12 short stories
• Send out at least 24 submissions
• Apply for the CSSF Workshop and Viable Paradise (Clarion, I’m looking at you in 2010)
• Submit a story to the Writers of the Future contest.

[Crossposted from stonetable.org. If you'd like to comment, you can do so either here or there.]

End of year business, refinancing, the holidays and one last writing deadline is making life extremely busy. I probably won’t have much free time until January, but I wanted to share a little news.

Last week, Andrea and I flew to California. I had a few business meetings to attend, all of which went well. We enjoyed the moderate weather and a late night walk at the beach at the Montage in Laguna Beach. Saturday morning, we flew to Las Vegas and stayed over the night.

We stayed the night at the Bellagio. We enjoyed the buffet and the view of the fountain from the 28th floor. We played some slots, and I even played some poker. Above all else, we did what we went there to do. Around 7:45PM PST on the 13th of December 2008, we were married in a simple ceremony.

Our plans going forward are fairly simple. Right now we’re wrapping up a refinance of the house and car but very soon we will begin the process of moving to Canada. Over the winter, we’ll be cleaning out the house and packing up our belongings (mostly books). Much paperwork to be filed and lots of research to be done (since I’ll still be working for a US company but living in Canada, taxes will be more involved, I imagine). I’ll discuss the process in more detail as we go, because it’s interesting.

[Crossposted from stonetable.org. If you'd like to comment, you can do so either here or there.]

I’m happy to announce (a few days late) that the Return to Luna anthology has been released by Hadley Rille Books. The anthology contains stories from eighteen up and coming writers, including my story “Misdirected”. The forward is written by Harrison H. Schmitt, an Apollo astronaut and the last man to step foot on the moon.

You can buy it direct from the publisher for a discounted price of $12.95 or from Amazon.com (although at the time of writing, it is out of stock).

[Crossposted from stonetable.org. If you'd like to comment, you can do so either here or there.]