Here today to help celebrate the release of a new anthology.
(No, I’m not in it but I know a lot of the people who are and it’s awesome, so…)
Blurb:
IM * PACT
(noun)
1) One object colliding with another
2) An impinging of something upon something else
3) An influence or effect on something or someone
4) The force of a new idea, concept, technology or ideology
Four definitions to inspire writers around the world, and an unlimited number of possible stories to tell, but only 110 made the final cut.
A difficult choice to be made. An object hurtling recklessly through space. A new invention that will change the world. So many things can impact a life, a society, or a planet.
Impact features 300 word speculative fiction ficlets from across the queer spectrum from the minds of the writers of Queer Sci Fi.
Welcome to Impact.
Author Name: Queer Sci Fi
Publisher: Other Worlds Ink
Release Date: Thursday, July 26 2018
Format: Paperback, eBook
Is This Book Romance?: No
ASN: coming soon
Price: 3.99, 14.99
Story Type: Novella 20k-50k
Word Count: 33,700
Cover Artist: Lex Chase
Genres: sci fi, fantasy, paranormal, horror
Pairings: Some stories are romance, with various pairings
Warnings: This book contains 110 stories of 300 words or less each.
Series Title: Queer Sci Fi’s Annual Flash Fiction Contest
Position (Number) in Series: 4
Necessary to Read Previous Books: No
Other Books in Series Available for Review?: Yes
Series Blurb:
It’s hard to tell a story in just 300 words. Each year we ask writers to take the challenge, turning in stories across the queer spectrum. The rules are simple. Write a complete sci fi, fantasy, paranormal or horror story, include LGBTIQA characters, and do it all with just 300 carefully chosen words.
Excerpt:
Since this book is composed of stories of no more than 300 words, we can’t really do a standard excerpt, so we’re offering you the teaser first lines from a number of stories.
“She’d needed new oil. She felt her joints grow stiff, her muscles grow tight, her follicles thickening. If she didn’t get fresh quarts soon, people she passed would start calling her sir, asking, Where’s your gun?” —Crossville Station, by Nathan Alling Long
“The mallet’s impact on the hard, bright disk shattered the silence in the talking chamber. The resulting deep tone reverberated through the vault, through Saskia, as she fidgeted beside her lover.” —Settled, by Aidee Ladnier
“This is how the world ends, or so they say. From where I’m standing, it simply looks like a rolling darkness as distant lights flicker and die.” —Visitors, by LJ Phillips
“’What have you done?’ The mechanical eyes came to rest on his face, the droning beep sounding loud in the small room.” —Identity and Change, by Jo Tannah
“’Once upon a world, we were the same,’ he said, lifting my hand to his lips; the ground shaking beneath us.” —Impact, by Jack Ladd
“I been a tinker and soothsayer long enough to know this country’s at the cusp of war. They stir up hate easy as breath. And, oh, it pains my soul to see it. “ —Impact of Intervention, by Patricia Scott
“All lives begin with a messy impact of some kind. The crash of zygotes and gametes. Splats of silica gel between cybernetic synapses. Two women slam into each other carrying full cups of coffee.” —Quintessence, by E.M. Hammill
“If I venture far enough into the house, I’ll find my closet.” —The Closet, by K.S. Trenten
“It touched Ligaya when she was a child. Or she touched it. A half-glimpsed shape under her bed.” Mas Mabuti An Answang, by Foster Bridget Cassidy
“Jam zipped down the neon track, feather-light in low gravity. She rocketed forward, a glowing haze in her starred helmet, and shot past the pack. “Space Jammer!” echoed as she neared the line. Time to rack up the points.” —First Bout: Andromedolls Vs. Crotch Rockets, by Ginger Streusel
Buy Links:
Giveaway:
Queer Sci Fi is giving away a $25 Amazon gift card with this tour – enter via Rafflecopter for a chance to win.
About Queer Sci Fi:
At Queer Sci Fi, we’re building a community of sci fi, fantasy, paranormal and horror writers and readers who want a little rainbow in their speculative fiction. We run a great discussion group on Facebook, a twitter feed, and have a website full of useful materials, news, and announcements for readers and writers of queer speculative fiction.
More Excerpts!
(Because, really, isn’t that the best part?)
The Best Opening Lines
Scott Coatsworth
Good flash fiction starts with a great opening line. Here are a few of them which really hooked us this year:
“I can’t reprimand him for doing what he did. He did it out of love.” —Civil War, by Kevin Klehr
“The pain was immediate. The burning, searing sensation was so overpowering Reina couldn’t tell if it was caused by profound heat or agonizing cold. Every muscle locked, tendons and ligaments stretched to their utmost limits, and she couldn’t even scream.” —Love and Sacrifice, by Bryony Kayn
“In space, silence is your enemy. Silence is loud and quiet all at once. It’s overwhelming and underwhelming. It’s death, and life. But mostly death.” —Cradled in Space, by Tia Liet
“The moment the sour spiciness hit her tongue, Phuong heard her grandmother’s voice in her memory, ‘You can’t rush the kimchi.’” —Brenda Noiseux
“I’ve always said that Death was a close personal friend. I’ve delivered so many clients to his doorstep I should receive a commission.” —Death’s Kiss, by Kethric Wilcox
“She stared at her reflection in the quiet silver of the lake. Hood pulled low, eyes too bright, teeth shining in the moonlight. The pebble left her hand in a shaky throw. It rippled through the surface, ripping it apart.” —Ripples and Regret, by Hannah Henry
“A cold February wind swept across the frozen cemetery ground, piling dead leaves and twigs at the bases of the headstones. On his knees with a large mound of gravesite dirt in front of him, Trent placed his gloved hands on the mound and said, ‘I’m so sorry I had to kill you.’” —Together Again, by Steve Carr
Whet your appetite yet? *grin*
Novel Notes 