Cory Doctorow is a lot of things -- blogger, journalist, scholar, activist, globetrotter, science fiction writer, futurist, iconoclast -- but I'm fortunate enough to also be able to say he's a good friend of mine. Cory generously agreed to write an introduction to my chapbook An Alternate History of the 21st Century, and I'd like to share it with you here.

----------------------------

INTRODUCTION BY CORY DOCTOROW

Bill Shunn is a legend in certain circles. Long before I met him, I'd had many people regale me with the story of how he once threatened to blow up an airplane in Canada on behalf of the Church of Latter-day Saints. The story -- incredible, hilarious, sad and instructive -- is too long to recount here. Suffice it to say that it ends with Bill getting a rectal probe from a Mountie, trying to convert a drunk in the tank to Mormonism, and then being deported from Canada as a terrorist (the whole thing is recounted in engrossing detail on Bill's website and podcast: http://www.shunn.net/radio/terror.cgi ). In my mental shorthand, I thought of Bill as "that Mormon terrorist skiffy writer."

But once I met Bill, that changed. He was developing geo-hacker software for handheld computers -- this was before Big Bird hired him to program the computers at the Children's Television Network -- and he was nothing like my mental image. I'd expected someone with the fresh-faced earnestness of the door-to-door Mormons who'd roused me on Saturday mornings (albeit I also expected a mad, terrorist glint in his eye). What I found instead was a hip, ironic, funny guy that I took an immediate liking to. I introduced him immediately to my pal Karl Schroeder, a skiffy writer who comes from Mennonite stock, on the grounds that they'd probably have a lot to talk about. They did.

Bill emailed me on September 11, 2001. He'd set up a message-board CGI for survivors of the attack on the Twin Towers. Log on there and tell everyone you're OK. It was a heartbreaking thing. It filled with hundred -- thousands -- tens of thousands -- of messages. Not just "I'm OK," either. Lots of "I'm looking for my Dad, he works at--" Lots of political messages. Lots of anger. Lots of shock. It was Bill's little message board, but it became a flashpoint for the survivors of that terrible day.

Bill has the sure instincts of a twenty-first century science fiction writer. He is keenly attuned to the present (in the twenty-first century, there's no point in keeping track of the future). He recognizes those truly present-day moments that could only come now, today, in this futuristic present that we swim through without ever really seeing.

This extraordinary book is a journey through our present. From the bitingly political ("From Our Point of View We Had Moved to the Left") to the sad and personal ("Not of This Fold" -- a gorgeous novella about faith and humanity that could only have been written by a lapsed Mormon sf writer), and everything in between, this collection is the kind of thing that you can never un-read, a book that will awaken you to the present all around you.

[Introduction copyright (c) 2007 by Cory Doctorow. Some rights reserved under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 license: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0/ ]

----------------------------

What more can I say? I hope Cory has talked you into picking up a copy. Only five bucks, including U.S. shipping:

http://www.electricvelocipede.com/htm/shopping.htm#chapbooks01

Cory Doctorow's site: http://www.craphound.com

More about Cory: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cory_Doctorow

Forgive me, readers, for I have sinned. It's been almost five months since my last update.

Plenty has happened in the intervening time. Nearly two months ago, my wife Laura and I moved from New York City to Chicago, and we're still cleaning up loose ends and catching up on email. It was sad for me to leave New York after 12 years there, but it looks like Chicago is going to afford us a bit more freedom and enable me to write more. So that's good.

On to more specific announcements....

-----------------

AN ALTERNATE HISTORY OF THE 21ST CENTURY

My long-gestating chapbook, An Alternate History of the 21st Century, is finally available! This small volume contains six near-future short stories -- four reprints, and two brand-new works. With illustrations by the estimable Swedish artist Mattias Adolfsson and a kind, kind introduction by renowned futurist and (electronic) freedom fighter Cory Doctorow, the book is a steal at only FIVE BUCKS, including U.S. shipping. (You ferriners pay only a little more.)

With a notice yesterday on Boing Boing, copies won't stick around for long, so get yours now! It's easy to pay with PayPal.

Buy the chapbook: http://www.electricvelocipede.com/htm/shopping.htm#chapbooks01

About the chapbook: http://www.electricvelocipede.com/htm/shunnchapbook.htm

See the cover: http://mattiasa.blogspot.com/2007/08/alternate-history-of-21st-century.html

Boing Boing: http://www.boingboing.net/2007/08/24/william_shunns_short.html

Cory Doctorow: http://www.craphound.com

Mattias Adolfsson: http://www.mattiasadolfsson.se

-----------------

STILL NOT CONVINCED?

Cory's introduction to the chapbook is licensed for reproduction via Creative Commons, so I'll send it you the full text of it in another dispatch shortly after this one....

-----------------

A NOW IT'S TIME FOR ... A VERY SHORT BOOK

Actually, it won't be time for a very short book until the spring or so of 2009, but I'm happy nonetheless to announce that Cast a Cold Eye, a novella I've written together with Canadian scribe Derryl Murphy, will be published as a limited-edition hardcover by England's PS Publishing.

Cast a Cold Eye is the story of Luke Bryant, a teenager in 1920's Nebraska whose parents both perished in the Spanish flu epidemic. His life is a troubled one, but his fortunes take a distinct and not necessarily encouraging turn when a lady spirit photographer comes to town and takes him on as her apprentice. And how come those statues in the graveyard won't stop looking at him?

PS Publishing are the fine folks who brought out Joe Hill's first short story collection before any knew his secret identity as Stephen King's son. They also published Robert Charles Wilson's novella Julian: A Christmas Story, which happens to be one of my competitors on the Hugo ballot. (More on which below.) Derryl and I are both thrilled to have PS bringing out Cast a Cold Eye. They do beautiful work, and we're sure there will be plenty of sleepless nights the next couple of years waiting for our book to materialize....

Derryl Murphy: http://derrylmurphy.blogspot.com/

PS Publishing: http://www.pspublishing.co.uk

-----------------

IS THAT A ROCKET IN YOUR SUITCASE, OR...?

Speaking of the Hugo Awards, Laura and I leave for Japan in a couple of days to attend the World Science Fiction Convention in Yokohama. My novella "Inclination" is up for that coveted rocket trophy against some of the best writers in the field today. I think I have better than even odds of bringing one home, but only because I am also the designated acceptor for Paolo Bacigalupi should his novelette "Yellow Card Man" win. Which I think it might.

I will also be on a couple of panels about SF and religion at Worldcon, and I'll be hosting a kaffeeklatsch, so if you'll be in Yokohama too, please stop by.

Send good thoughts our way for the awards ceremony, and if you haven't happened to have read or listened to "Inclination" yet, there are plenty of ways you can do so for free.

Full text of "Inclination": http://www.asimovs.com/_issue_0704/Inclination.shtml

Full audio: http://www.shunn.net/inclination/

Free Fictionwise ebook: http://www.fictionwise.com/eBooks/eBook49014.htm

Worldcon: http://www.nippon2007.us

Hugo nominees: http://www.nippon2007.us/hugo_nominees.php

Paolo Bacigalupi's "Yellow Card Man": http://www.asimovs.com/_issue_0704/yellowcard.shtml

-----------------

Wow, I think I've loaded you down with enough links for now! I'll try to remember to be in touch again after the convention, but I just turned 40 and my memory is starting to go, so forgive me if it slips my mind. I hope to have more exciting things to announce soon, including some material available for purchase at Audible.com, so please stay tuned.

And I know I owe some of you individual email. (Yes, Sister Homer, I'm talking to you!) I haven't forgotten, I'm not ignoring you, and it's coming soon.

Good night and good luck, everyone. Thanks for reading.

It's been a couple of months since my latest email update. A lot has happened since then! Let me catch you up.

HUGO AND NEBULA AWARD NOMINATIONS

The news arrived late Wednesday night that the Hugo Award ballot for 2007 had been released. My novella "Inclination" (_Asimov's_, April/May 2006) made the cut! I'm deeply honored to be competing on a ballot that includes such great writers as Robert Reed, Michael Swanwick, Robert Charles Wilson, and my good friend Paul Melko. Here are a few places to see the nominations list:

http://www.nippon2007.us/hugo_nominees.php
http://nielsenhayden.com/makinglight/archives/008804.html
http://www.boingboing.net/2007/03/29/hugo_nominees_announ.html

You can read more about my reaction to the Hugo nomination here and here:

http://shunn.livejournal.com/383482.html
http://shunn.livejournal.com/383759.html

"Inclination" is also a current nominee for the Nebula Award. Here's the final Nebula ballot:

http://www.sfwa.org/awards/2007/NebFinal2006.html

The Nebulas will be awarded May 12 in New York City. The Hugos will be awarded at the World Science Fiction Convention in Yokohama, Japan, on September 1. For more information about both occasions, see:

http://www.sfwa.org/awards/2007/
http://www.nippon2007.us/

And as if that's not enough, to read "Inclination" online for free, please visit the Asimov's web site at:

http://www.asimovs.com/_issue_0702/Inclination.shtml

CHAPBOOK COMING!

In other news, my chapbook An Alternate History of the 21st Century is coming this summer from John Klima's Spilt Milk Press. This special little volume will contain six stories, including four reprints and two previously unpublished works. Watch this space for more information, and learn more about Spilt Milk Press at:

http://www.electricvelocipede.com/

WEB SITE REDESIGN

In still other news, my web site has been given a complete face lift! If you haven't already, please drop by and check out the new, more friendly design at:

http://www.shunn.net/

MEMOIR PODCAST NEARLY DONE

And finally, we've almost reached the end of my project to podcast my memoir The Accidental Terrorist in its entirety! Only two installments left to go! The latest episode, #40, is available here:

http://www.shunn.net/podcast?id=40

And if you still need to catch up with past episodes, get them here:

http://www.shunn.net/radio/

Or better yet, subscribe to my podcast at the iTunes Music Store. The link above will tell you how.

That's it for now! I'll talk to you again soon. Thanks for subscribing.

It's unusual to be writing you again so soon after my last dispatch, but I did promise to let you know when newly Nebula Award-nominated novella "Inclination" made its debut at the Asimov's Science Fiction web site.

Well, "Inclination" is now available there, for free, in its entirety:

http://www.asimovs.com/_issue_0702/Inclination.shtml

I hope you'll read it, and that you'll enjoy it.

I also wanted to let you know that the stakes grow ever higher in The Accidental Terrorist, the memoir I'm currently podcasting. The latest episode, #34, has just appeared online. You can catch it here now:

http://www.shunn.net/radio/episode.cgi?id=34

And if you still need to catch up with past episodes, get them here:

http://www.shunn.net/radio/

Or better yet, subscribe to my podcast at the iTunes Music Store. The link above will tell you how.

Talk to you again soon!

It's been a while since my last update, but there's grand news so let's get right to it.

MY SECOND NEBULA AWARD NOMINATION

The 2006 preliminary Nebula Award ballot has just been announced by the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America (SFWA). My novella "Inclination" (from Asimov's Science Fiction, April/May 2006) is up there in the novella category!

The preliminary ballot is essentially a Nebula "longlist." SFWA members will now vote to narrow the ballot down to five nominees in each category. The resulting final ballot (a/k/a "shortlist") will then be voted on in March, with the awards ceremony to be held the weekend of May 11-13 in New York City.

But wait? What's that you say? There are only four works on the preliminary ballot in the novella category? Well, don't that beat all? I guess that means those stories all advance automatically to the final ballot. Which means, though not officially certified yet, that come March I will have my second Nebula Award nomination!

Asimov's editor Sheila Williams will soon be releasing my novella in its entirety on the magazine's web site. I will be sure to let you know when it becomes available to the public.

2006 Preliminary Award Ballot:
http://www.sfwa.org/news/2007/06nebprelim.htm

Asimov's Science Fiction:
http://www.asimovs.com

INTERVIEWED AT ABSOLUTE WRITE

I meant to post about this sooner, but the good folks at AbsoluteWrite.com, a site for freeland writers of every stripe, interviewed me back in November. The first part of the interview appeared on their site last month, and the second should follow sometime this month.

Catch Part One of the interview here:
http://www.absolutewrite.com/novels/william_shunn.htm

MEMOIR PODCAST MARCHES TOWARD CONCLUSION

You may know that I've been reading my unpublished memoir The Accidental Terrorist a chapter every other week since last March on my podcast, "William Shunn's ShunnCast." Well, we're marching toward the climax now -- only eight or nine chapters left to go. But it's not too late for you to hop on the bandwagon. Everything you need to know to subscribe to "ShunnCast" is here:

http://www.shunn.net/radio/

And if you like what you hear, please tell all your friends!

WHAT'S ON THE HORIZON

Lots of exciting stuff happening in the next few months! I'll be appearing at the SF convention Balticon in Baltimore this May, a chapbook of my short stories is coming from Spilt Milk Press this summer, and there may be even bigger things afoot. Keep watching this space, and keep watching the stars.

(Oh, groan. Did I really say that?)

I don't usually send out email updates about individual episodes of "William Shunn's ShunnCast," but you might want to know that today's podcast contains a couple of 9/11 remembrances, besides the usual chapter or two from my memoir. Find it at:

http://www.shunn.net/podcast?id=25

Or become a podcast subscriber at:

http://www.shunn.net/radio/

I hope this update finds you well and safe.

I just wanted to forward you a quick reminder that I'll be reading this evening at KGB Bar in Manhattan's East Village. Doors open at 6:30, and if you want a seat you should arrive early. I'll be the first reader. Other details are available in the message below.

========================================
> FANTASTIC FICTION at KGB reading series, hosts Ellen
> Datlow and Gavin J. Grant present:
>
> Elizabeth Bear is a Campbell and Locus award-winning
> author of science fiction and fantasy, including the
> Jenny Casey novels and her most recent book, Blood &
> Iron: A Novel of the Promethean Age. Her short story
> collection The Chains That You Refuse was published in
> 2006 by Night Shade Books, and she has several more
> novels and another collection forthcoming in the next two
> years.
>
> and
>
> William Shunn, whose short stories have been published in
> Salon, Storyteller, Asimov's, F&SF, Realms of Fantasy,
> and sundry anthologies. His novelette "Dance of the
> Yellow-Breasted Luddites," was a Nebula Award nominee.
> He is at work on a novel based on his Asimov's novella
> "Inclination," and an sf chapbook is forthcoming in 2007.
> His podcast, serializing his memoir The Accidental
> Terrorist, can be found at http://www.shunn.net.
>
> * With luck, Mobile Libris will be there selling books
>
> Wednesday, Aug. 16th, 7pm
> KGB Bar, 85 East 4th Street (just off 2nd Ave, upstairs.)
> http://www.kgbbar.com
>
> Readings are free
>
> --
> KGB Bar Fantastic Fiction Series
> 7PM, 3rd Wednesday, Every Month
> http://www.lcrw.net/kgb
>
> Subscribe to our mailing list:
> http://groups.yahoo.com/group/kgbfantasticfiction/join
>
> Forward to friends at your own discretion.
========================================

I hope to see you there this evening. And if you're attending Worldcon next week, I hope to see you there, too!

It's been quite some time since my last email update. I hope all is well where you are. Here in beautiful Astoria, Queens, we're in the sixth day of a power outage with no end yet in sight. But at least our apartment has been spared the worst of it. We have no lights, no stereo, no entertainment center, no big A/C, but we do have current on the circuit that powers the fridge, the computer, and the small bedroom A/C, so it could definitely be worse. Still, we're eager for everything to be fixed.

On to happier news!

ESCAPE POD

My short story "Observations from the City of Angels" is featured in the current episode of the fine SF podcast Escape Pod. Stephen Eley reads the story and does a tremendous job of it, in my opinion.

Listen to Escape Pod #63 now at:

http://www.escapepod.org/2006/07/20/ep063-observations-from-the-city-of-angels/

HOUR OF THE WOLF

On Saturday, August 12th, I will make my fifth appearance as Jim Freund's guest on his long-running radio program "Hour of the Wolf." Tune in to WBAI 99.5 FM between 5:00 and 7:00 a.m. Eastern Time--yes, early morning--in the New York metro area to hear Jim and I talk about science fiction, and to hear me read a brand-new short story, "Not of This Fold."

For more information about Jim and the show, see:

http://www.hourwolf.com

And for those of you elsewhere in the world, listen to the stream live online at:

http://www.wbai.org

LIVE READING IN MANHATTAN

And just a few days further along, on Wednesday, August 16th, I will be reading with novelist Elizabeth Bear at the infamous KGB Bar in Manhattan's East Village. The reading is part of the KGB Fantastic Fiction series, and takes place at 7:00 pm. Doors open at 6:30, the reading is free, and seating is limited, so arrive early!

KGB is located at 85 East 4th Street, just off Second Avenue. You can sign up for email reminders about the reading series here:

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/kgbfantasticfiction/

And for more information about KGB and about the Fantastic Fiction series, see here and here:

http://www.kgbbar.com
http://www.lcrw.net/kgb/

SHUNNCAST CONTINUES

In other news, the project to podcast my memoir The Accidental Terrorist in its entirety continues. As of Episode #20 of William Shunn's ShunnCast: Science Fiction and More, we had reached the end of Chapter 11, which closed out the first of the three large sections of the book.

The memoir continues with Chapter 12 on Tuesday, August 1st, but in the meantime tune in to the podcast on July 25th to hear a reading from my novel-in-progress Inclination, recorded earlier this month at the Readercon SF convention near Boston.

If you don't already subscribe to ShunnCast, all the information you need is right here:

http://www.shunn.net/radio/

CHAPBOOK DUE IN SUMMER 2007

And in even more exciting news, Spilt Milk Press is proud to announce a chapbook of my stories, due out in Summer 2007. Stay logged in here for all the details as they develop.

That about does it for this update. I hope the lights stay on where you are.

If you'll be in southern California late this summer, stop by Anaheim for the World Science Fiction Convention. It runs August 23rd to 27th. I've been invited as a program participant, so you might be able to catch me on a panel or three. More information to come as Worldcon gets closer. Meanwhile, please visit:

http://www.laconiv.org

My biweekly podcast of The Accidental Terrorist continues. Just yesterday Chapter 3 became available. If you're not listening, don't miss out! To learn how to subscribe, or just to access the audio files directly, please visit:

http://www.shunn.net/radio/

An even dozen of my older short stories are now available for purchase and download as e-books, suitable for reading on your computer screen or handheld device, at Fictionwise:

http://www.fictionwise.com/eBooks/WilliamShunneBooks.htm

And finally, while my novella "Inclination" has vanished from newsstands, that issue of Asimov's is still available as an e-book from Fictionwise:

http://www.fictionwise.com/ebooks/eBook37237.htm

Thanks for your interest. I'll see you next time around!

The big news today is that the audio serialization of my memoir The Accidental Terrorist has begun. If that's what drew you to my site in the first place, you won't want to miss this. Just download the MP3 and listen now! And when you're done listening, subscribe to the podcast so you never miss a future installment.

http://www.shunn.net/podcast?id=11

I'll also remind you that my novella "Inclination" is still available in the April/May double issue of Asimov's Science Fiction Magazine. Locus calls it "outstanding ... a fascinating future," while Tangent says, "It would not surprise me if this tale eventually finds a place in someone's year's best science fiction anthology." Find Asimov's now on a newsstand near you!

http://www.asimovs.com

And, finally, my novelette "Dance of the Yellow-Breasted Luddites" has joined the ranks of my old stories offered now as eBooks at Fictionwise.com. Less than two bucks gets you all the interplanetary adventure you can handle!

http://www.fictionwise.com/eBooks/WilliamShunneBooks.htm

And that's the brief update for the week! Thanks for being there.

Several announcements this time around, so let's get right to it.

INCLINATION

Most exciting for me, my new novella "Inclination" is out on newsstands now. "Inclination" is the story of Jude Plane, a young man who lives in a backward religious enclave on a giant space station in the distant future. Life is simple there, but when his father sends him to work outside the enclave, Jude's whole universe begins to change in radical ways.

"Inclination" is the lead story for the April/May 2006 issue of Asimov's Science Fiction Magazine, and it's already getting great reviews from the biggest voices in the field. Locus calls it an "outstanding" and "fascinating" tale in which a "contemporary dilemma is penetratingly illuminated," while Tangent raves, "It would not surprise me if this tale eventually finds a place in someone's year's best science fiction anthology."

Find your copy of Asimov's on most major newsstands, or at large booksellers like Barnes & Noble or Borders. Not convinced yet? Read an excerpt from the story online at:

http://www.asimovs.com/_issue_0604_5/tableofcontents.shtml

SHUNNCAST

My podcast, "William Shunn's ShunnCast," is now being updated every two weeks. In the current episode you'll find an excerpt from "Inclination," but be especially sure to subscribe before Tuesday, when I begin serializing my memoir The Accidental Terrorist for the first time.

That's right. You heard me. If you've been waiting patiently for my memoir lo these many years, you won't want to miss out on this. Tell your friends! Buy an iPod if you need to! Find all the information you need to subscribe to the podcast here:

http://www.shunn.net/radio/

FICTIONWISE

And in other publication news, the e-book retail site Fictionwise has begun offering a couple of my short stories for purchase and downloading, at very reasonable prices. Like, under a dollar apiece. About a dozen more of my stories are due to become available in the next couple of months, but don't wait for that. Get the first two stories now:

http://www.fictionwise.com/eBooks/WilliamShunneBooks.htm

And that's the news for the week. I hope you feel inclined to pick up a copy of that Asimov's!

Do you get BBC World Service Radio in your area? If so, tune in Tuesday morning to "World Update" to catch a feature story for which I was interviewed.

Over the weekend, I was interviewed by BBC reporter Tara Gadomski story about the play "Heddatron" that's running now in New York City. "Heddatron" is a postmodern twist on Ibsen's "Hedda Gabler," and it purports to be among the first plays to feature real robots in its cast.

The New York Times has been gushing all over "Heddatron," both in its review and in a feature article about the robots, but I was less than blown away by the play myself. I reviewed "Heddatron" for Science Fiction Weekly last week, and it was pretty much my dissenting opinion that brought the BBC around to talk to me for their story:

http://www.scifi.com/sfw/screen/sfw12238.html

"World Update" runs in New York City on WNYC 820 AM, from 5:00 am to 6:00 am. You can check here to find out where and when it runs near you:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/cgi-bin/worldservice/psims/ScheduleSDT.cgi

And to hear some of Tara Gadomski's "Voice from America" segments from BBC World Service Radio, go here:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/programmes/worldupdate/news/story/2006/01/060104_tara.shtml

Thanks for listening!

Lots of exciting things happening at Shunn.net these days. First and foremost there a new look for the site. Drop by, take a peek around, and let me know what you think.

But the real news is that I've started a podcast. I won't be updating it frequently -- perhaps only once or twice a year -- but if you subscribe now you'll always have the latest audio files from Shunn.net delivered directly to your iPod or MP3 player.

What we have right now are selections from my past appearances on WBAI's "Hour of the Wolf," with interviews, readings of mind-expanding stories and revelatory essays, and more. And best of all, it's 100% free!

So subscribe to my podcast now! You can find William Shunn's ShunnCast in the podcast directory at the iTunes Music Store -- or, better still, just follow the links from this page:

http://www.shunn.net/radio/podcasts.html

And watch your inbox, because there's more exciting stuff coming soon -- most notably my novella "Inclination," due to run in Asimov's Science Fiction Magazine in just a few more weeks. See the blurb here:

http://www.asimovs.com/_issue_0603/nextissue.shtml

I'm very excited about this one. If you've enjoyed my short stories in the past, I really hope you'll watch for this novella. It's due on newsstands March 7th, but don't worry -- I'll be sure to remind you when the date arrives.

And that's not all there is to look forward to! In a few short weeks, fourteen of my past short stories will become available for download as e-books from Fictionwise.com. Many of these are stories that are long out of print and which have never appeared online before. Stay tuned and I'll let you know when they're available for purchase.

Meantime, browse around the site and take a look at all the great reading material they've got:

http://www.fictionwise.com

That's it for now. Until next time, don't forget to whip out your iPod and get Bilmo in your pocket! Talk to you in March.

If you missed my radio appearance on Saturday morning (and who gets up at 5:00 am on a day like that anyway?), you might like to know that the audio is now available online in a couple of different forms. You'll find it at:

http://www.shunn.net/radio/hw050924.html

Thanks for listening!

I'll be making a fourth appearance as Jim Freund's guest on "Hour of the Wolf" this coming Saturday morning, September 24th. The program runs on WBAI 99.5 FM, from 5:00 to 7:00 AM Eastern time.

We'll be discussing science fiction and other topics, and I'll be reading a new unpublished short story entitled "Objective Impermeability in a Closed System."

Oh, and as added enticement, after my segment of the show, Jim will be airing readings by Susanna Clarke and Neil Gaiman, recorded live at Symphony Space. That will run from 7:00 to 8:30 AM, so stick around after I'm done.

WBAI serves the NYC metro area. If you're not close enough to pick up the station, you can still access the live stream on the Internet via the station's web site:

http://www.wbai.org

Audio excerpts from my three earlier appearances on "Hour of the Wolf" are available at:

http://www.shunn.net/radio/

And more information on "Hour of the Wolf" can be had at:

http://www.hourwolf.com

It's been a while, but I have a few small bits of news to impart.

First, if you've visited my site lately, you may have noticed a bit of a design change. I've scaled way back on content and made the site design much more basic as well. I wanted to focus attention on a few important things rather than many scattered and diverse items, and I think the new design accomplishes that. If you've got opinions to the contrary, I'm always happy to get email.

Second, a small essay of mine called "The Missionary Imposition" is featured in the current issue (#2) of a fine little zine from New Jersey called SYBIL'S GARAGE. "The Missionary Imposition" concerns Mormon elders and -- how shall I put it? -- girls, so if you have any interest in either, please give it a look. The essay is available through the SG web site, but I hope you'll support the magazine and order a paper copy as well:

http://www.sensesfive.com

And finally, I'm pleased to report that I've recently sold a new SF novella entitled "Inclination" to ASIMOV'S SCIENCE FICTION, the most honored science fiction magazine in existence. This is my biggest story to date, and I think one of my best, so I hope you won't want to miss it. The issue will be out sometime next spring, and I'll be sure to let you know when.

Thanks for being out there, and I'll catch you next time.

Just a quick reminder of the reading I'm both hosting and participating in tomorrow evening in lower Manhattan. The notice from the NYRSF Reading Series mailing list is reproduced below. Hope to see you there!

-b


==================================================

--> The New York Review of Science Fiction
and the
South Street Seaport Museum Present <--

The Eighth of February Group (Redux)
Barbara Krasnoff - William Shunn - Ian Randal Strock
Monday, April 4th, 7 o'clock

Previously, on NYRSFr...

You may recall that in January, we featured readers from the writer's group known as The Eighth of February, but decided at the last minute to spread out the seven writers over two evenings. Here then, is part two, hosted and guest-curated by Bill Shunn.

The 8TH OF FEBRUARY GROUP is a private writing workshop specializing in science fiction and fantasy which meets monthly in Manhattan. It is named for Jules Verne, the genre pioneer who was born on that date in 1828. The workshop was founded by Robert J. Howe and William Shunn, both 1985 graduates of the Clarion Workshop, and has just celebrated its first anniversary.

BARBARA KRASNOFF's stories have appeared in the magazines Amazing Stories, Lady Churchill's Rosebud Wristlet, and Descant, and in the anthologies Memories & Visions: Women's Fantasy and Science Fiction and Such a Pretty Face. Most recently, her story "Hearts and Minds" appeared in the December issue of Weird Tales.

WILLIAM SHUNN is co-founder of the 8th of February Group. His short fiction has appeared in Salon, F&SF, Science Fiction Age, Realms of Fantasy, Electric Velocipede, Vanshing Acts, and elsewhere. He was nominated for the Nebula Award in 2002 and honored by the Association for Mormon Letters in 2004. His "Ice Queen" is cover story for the current issue of the Canadian fiction magazine Storyteller.

IAN RANDAL STROCK is a writer and editor. Most of his fiction has appeared in Analog (for which he's won two AnLab Awards), with his nonfiction appearing everywhere from Absolute Magnitude to Games to the New York Times. As an editor, he served six years as associate editor of Analog and Asimov's, and founded and published Artemis Magazine. He is currently News Editor of Chronicle: SF, Fantasy, & Horror's Monthly Trade Journal.

As always, admission is free, but we suggest a $5 donation.

---
WHEN:
Monday, 4/4/5
Doors open at 6:30

WHERE:
The South Street Seaport Museum's Melville Gallery
213 Water Street (near Beekman)

HOW:
By Subway
Take 2, 3, 4, 5, J, Z, or M to Fulton Street; A and C to
Broadway-Nassau. Walk east on Fulton Street to Water Street

By Bus
Take M15 (South Ferry-bound) down Second Ave. to Fulton Street

By Car
- From the West Side: take West Street southbound. Follow signs to FDR Drive Take underpass, keep right. Use Exit 1 at end of underpass. Turn right on South Street, six blocks.
- From the East Side, take FDR Drive south to Exit 3 onto South Street. Proceed about 1 mile.

LINKS:
http://www.hourwolf.com/nyrsf
http://www.nyrsf.com
http://www.southstseaport.org

--
The New York Review of Science Fiction is celebrating its 16th Year
Subscribe or submit articles to the magazine! Check the Web site!
New York Review of Science Fiction
PO. Box 78, Pleasantville, NY, 10570
NYRSF Magazine: http://www.nyrsf.com

==================================================

Hello, friends! On Monday, April 4, I will be hosting a *second* evening of readings by members of my writing workshop, to follow up the very successful event we had back in February. What's more, I'll actually be reading this time, so I do hope you'll be able to come.

The reading will take place at the Melville Gallery of the South Street Seaport Museum. It's part of the New York Review of Science Fiction Reading Series and is open to the public. A donation of $5 is suggested. More info below. Please come!

-b


==================================================

--> The New York Review of Science Fiction
and the
South Street Seaport Museum Present <--

The Eighth of February Group (Redux)
Monday, April 4th, 7 o'clock

Hosted and guest-curated by William Shunn, featuring Barbara Krasnoff, Ian Randal Strock, and William Shunn.

The 8TH OF FEBRUARY GROUP is a private writing workshop specializing in science fiction and fantasy which meets monthly in Manhattan. It is named for Jules Verne, the genre pioneer who was born on that date in 1828. The workshop was founded by Robert J. Howe and William Shunn, both 1985 graduates of the Clarion Workshop, and has just celebrated its first anniversary.

BARBARA KRASNOFF's stories have appeared in the magazines Amazing Stories, Lady Churchill's Rosebud Wristlet, and Descant, and in the anthologies Memories & Visions: Women's Fantasy and Science Fiction and Such a Pretty Face. Most recently, her story "Hearts and Minds" appeared in the December issue of Weird Tales.

IAN RANDAL STROCK is a writer and editor. Most of his fiction has appeared in Analog (for which he's won two AnLab Awards), with his nonfiction appearing everywhere from Absolute Magnitude to Games to the New York Times. As an editor, he served six years as associate editor of Analog and Asimov's, and founded and published Artemis Magazine. He is currently News Editor of Chronicle: SF, Fantasy, & Horror's Monthly Trade Journal.

WILLIAM SHUNN is co-founder of the 8th of February Group. His short fiction has appeared in Salon, F&SF, Science Fiction Age, Realms of Fantasy, Electric Velocipede, Vanshing Acts, and elsewhere. He was nominated for the Nebula Award in 2002 and honored by the Association for Mormon Letters in 2004. His "Ice Queen" is cover story for the current issue of the Canadian fiction magazine Storyteller.


---
WHEN:
Monday, 04/04/05
Reading begins at 7:00 pm
(Doors open at 6:30 pm)

WHERE:
The South Street Seaport Museum's Melville Gallery
213 Water Street (near Beekman)

HOW:
By Subway
- Take 2, 3, 4, 5, J, Z, or M to Fulton Street; A and C to Broadway-Nassau. Walk east on Fulton Street to Water Street.

By Bus
- Take M15 (South Ferry-bound) down Second Ave. to Fulton Street.

By Car
- From the West Side: take West Street southbound. Follow signs to FDR Drive Take underpass, keep right. Use Exit 1 at end of underpass. Turn right on South Street, six blocks.
- From the East Side, take FDR Drive south to Exit 3 onto South Street. Proceed about 1 mile.

LINKS:
http://www.hourwolf.com/nyrsf
http://www.nyrsf.com
http://www.southstseaport.org

--
The New York Review of Science Fiction is celebrating its 16th Year
Subscribe or submit articles to the magazine! Check the Web site!
New York Review of Science Fiction
PO. Box 78, Pleasantville, NY, 10570
NYRSF Magazine: http://www.nyrsf.com

==================================================

On Monday, February 7, I will be hosting an evening of short readings by members of my writing workshop, at the Melville Gallery of the South Street Seaport Museum in Manhattan. The event is part of the New York Review of Science Fiction Reading Series and is open to the public. A donation of $5 is suggested. Please come!

(For maximum confusion, my writing group is named the 8th of February Group. But please don't show up for the reading on that date!)

The official NYRSF notice is included below:

==================================================

--> The New York Review of Science Fiction
and the
South Street Seaport Museum Present <--

The Eighth of February Writer's Group
Monday, February 7th, 7 o'clock

Hosted and guest-curated by William Shunn, featuring Richard Bowes, Jae Brim, David Barr Kirtley, Barbara Krasnoff, and Robert J. Howe.

The 8TH OF FEBRUARY GROUP is a private writing workshop specializing in science fiction and fantasy which meets monthly in Manhattan. It is named for Jules Verne, the genre pioneer who was born on that date in 1828. The workshop was founded by Robert J. Howe and William Shunn, both 1985 graduates of the Clarion Workshop, and has just celebrated its first anniversary.

RICHARD BOWES has published dozens of stories and five books. He has won the World Fantasy Award and the Lambda Literary Award, and has twice been nominated for the Nebula Award. Upcoming are stories in Nebula Awards Showcase 2005, Postscripts 3, and Datlow/Windling's Tricksters; collection Streetcar Dreams from PS Publishing in England; and novel From the Files of the Time Rangers from Golden Gryphon.

JAE BRIM's short fiction has appeared in Writers of the Future and Strange Horizons. She attended Ithaca College and the National Theatre Institute for acting and directing and the Clarion Workshop for speculative fiction, and studied theatre in London.

ROBERT J. HOWE has published short fiction in Analog, Weird Tales, Salon, Newer York, and other markets. His novelette, "Entropy's Girlfriend," is forthcoming in Analog. He is co-founder, with William Shunn, of the 8th of February Group.

DAVID BARR KIRTLEY's short fiction appears in magazines such as Realms of Fantasy, Weird Tales, On Spec, and Cicada, and in anthologies such as New Voices in Science Fiction. His most recent publication is "Veil of Ignorance" in the anthology All the Rage This Year. <http://www.sff.net/people/davekirtley/>http://www.sff.net/people/davekirtley/

BARBARA KRASNOFF's stories have appeared in the magazines Amazing Stories, Lady Churchill's Rosebud Wristlet, and Descant, and in the anthologies Memories & Visions: Women's Fantasy and Science Fiction and Such A Pretty Face. Most recently, her story "Hearts and Minds" appeared in the December issue of Weird Tales.

WILLIAM SHUNN's short fiction has appeared in Salon, F&SF, Science Fiction Age, Realms of Fantasy, Electric Velocipede, and other markets. He has been nominated for the Nebula Award and honored by the Association for Mormon Letters. His short story "The Ice Queen" is forthcoming in Storyteller.

---
WHEN:
Monday, 2/7/5
Doors open at 6:30

WHERE:
The South Street Seaport Museum's Melville Gallery
213 Water Street (near Beekman)

HOW:
By Subway
Take 2, 3, 4, 5, J, Z, or M to Fulton Street; A and C to
Broadway-Nassau. Walk east on Fulton Street to Water Street

By Bus
Take M15 (South Ferry-bound) down Second Ave. to Fulton Street

By Car
From the West Side: take West Street southbound. Follow signs to FDR
Drive Take underpass, keep right­use Exit 1 at end of underpass. Turn
right on South Street, six blocks.
From the East Side, take FDR Drive south to Exit 3 onto South Street
Proceed about 1 mile.

LINKS:
http://www.hourwolf.com/nyrsf
http://www.nyrsf.com
http://www.southstseaport.org

--
The New York Review of Science Fiction is celebrating its 16th Year
Subscribe or submit articles to the magazine! Check the Web site!
New York Review of Science Fiction
PO. Box 78, Pleasantville, NY, 10570
NYRSF Magazine: http://www.nyrsf.com

==================================================

Hope to see you there!

In case you didn't get the chance to tune in last Saturday, about an hour's worth of excerpts from my appearance on New York's WBAI 99.5 FM have been posted to the web site. Find them here:

http://www.shunn.net/writing/radio/

And thanks for your continuing interest in the site and my work.

It's been a while since my latest update. I hope you didn't feel too neglected.

I'll be making a third appearance as Jim Freund's guest on "Hour of the Wolf" tomorrow morning, Saturday, December 4th. The program runs on WBAI 99.5 FM, from 5:00 am to 7:00 am, Eastern Standard Time.

We'll be discussing science fiction and other topics, and I'll be reading a new short story.

WBAI serves the NYC metro area. If you're not close enough to pick up the station, you can still access the live stream on the Internet via the station's web site:

http://www.wbai.org

Jim Freund and "Hour of the Wolf" have brought the world of science fiction to the airwaves for more than thirty years. Please visit http://www.shunn.net/writing/events/, http://www.hourwolf.com, and http://www.wbai.org for more details.

Audio excerpts from my two earlier appearances on "Hour of the Wolf" are available at http://www.shunn.net/writing/radio/.

Together with a merry band of adventurers, I last week braved the depths of the new Mormon temple on Manhattan's Upper West Side. Ten thousand words later, I returned to report, and the result is newly posted in "Korihor's Corner":

http://www.shunn.net/mormon/korihor/house.html

If you live near enough to New York, I'd urge you to take the tour as well:

http://www.lds.org/reservations/

Just don't forget to bring your bullshit detector. And a few good friends as well.

Tuesday evening I delivered the keynote address at the awards ceremony for the New York City Region of the Scholastic Writing Awards, held at Long Island City High School in Queens. If you're curious, my remarks are available here:

http://www.shunn.net/writing/coach/run.html

The Scholastic Art & Writing Awards are currently in their 81st year. I've served as a national juror for the past two years in the SF/Fantasy category, and I think it's a wonderful institution well worth supporting. Learn more about the Awards here:

http://www.artandwriting.org

My latest short story, "Why I Think I'll Be Staying Home Tonight," is available now in the Spring 2004 issue of ELECTRIC VELOCIPEDE. EV is a small literary 'zine with an SF bent, published and edited by the redoubtable John Klima. You can learn more about the magazine, not to mention order a copy of issue #6 or subscribe wholesale, at:

http://www.electricvelocipede.com/

And don't forget that my short story "Strong Medicine," originally published last November at Salon.com, will be reprinted this July in THE YEAR'S BEST SCIENCE FICTION: 21ST ANNUAL COLLECTION, edited by Garder Dozois and published by St. Martin's Press. You can pre-order your copy at any of these fine online booksellers:

POWELL'S:
http://www.shunn.net/shop/book.cgi?pwll+0312324790

AMAZON:
http://www.shunn.net/shop/book.cgi?amzn+0312324790

BARNES & NOBLE:
http://www.shunn.net/shop/book.cgi?bn+0312324790

I particularly like Powell's because they let me sign the Science Fiction Post when I dropped by their main Portland location last week.

Thanks for your continued support!

This morning before work I finished up the third draft of The Accidental Terrorist. The manuscript is now in my agent's hands, and I'm waiting on pins and needles to see what he thinks.

I've posted a few excerpts from the book, most of them bits that visitors to the old site wouldn't have seen already:

http://www.shunn.net/writing/accidental/preview.html

I hope you enjoy these chapters, and I hope to have good news to report soon.

Hi, there! It's been a while. Things seem to be happening with MISSIONARY MAN once again. Let's recap.

Most importantly, I have new representation for the memoir, (though my previous agent continues to handle my science fiction). The new fellows, Regal Literary, are working very closely with me to get the manuscript whittled down to a manageable size, and I'm *very* happy with their input so far. They represented George Plimpton before his demise, so they have a lot of experience with this sort of book.

As part of the revamping process, we've gone back to the book's original working title: THE ACCIDENTAL TERRORIST. For that reason, sad as it is, the Web site you know and love, www.missionaryman.net, must close its doors. But fear not; you can now find some of the same content from the retired site here:

http://www.shunn.net/writing/accidental

A moment of silence for missionaryman.net. We hardly knew ye.

Okay, enough of that.

In other news, "Strong Medicine," the second of my two recent short stories for Salon.com, is going to be reprinted this summer in the 21st annual edition of THE YEAR'S BEST SCIENCE FICTION, edited by Gardner Dozois and published by St. Martin's Press. More on that as the pub date gets closer; suffice it to say this is an unexpected honor. The Dozois's YEAR'S BEST series is an institution in the SF field, and it's truly humbling to be included.

If you haven't read "Strong Medicine," it's still available to see for free at Salon.com. Just visit this page for links and instructions:

http://www.shunn.net/medicine.html

That's it for now. Thanks for being there and being interested. Drop me a line if you feel like it. Drink water. Peace out.

It's been a good month here, friends. Late last week I sold another short story to Salon.com, and it showed up there early this morning. The title is "Strong Medicine," and you can read it at this URL:

http://www.salon.com/tech/feature/2003/11/10/medicine

Like before, you don't need to subscribe to read the whole story. You only need to get a FREE Salon day pass. I've updated the instructions for doing that and posted them here:

http://www.shunn.net/medicine.html

If you read "Strong Medicine" and enjoy it, I hope you'll spread the URL around to your friends. I've placed a handy form for doing just that right here:

http://www.shunn.net/writing/reading/spyware.html#share

And remember, my previous Salon story, "Love in the Age of Spyware," is still available. If you missed it in July, you can read it here:

http://www.salon.com/tech/feature/2003/07/16/city_of_angels

I try not to send out these updates too frequently, but I hope you'll agree that this is good news indeed, and worth sharing! Keep the faith, and watch for another update next month.

My newest short story, "Divided by Time," is available now in the December 2003 issue of Realms of Fantasy. "Divided by Time" follows the adventures of Donny Chavez, a young man on a quest outside of time to find his one true love. But there are so many distractions along the way....

Realms of Fantasy is available in the magazine section at your local Barnes & Noble, and at most other large newsstands. It's a full-size glossy magazine, and you won't be able to miss Viggo Mortensen's photo on the cover -- nor my name, down there at the bottom in big blue letters. (That's two issues in a row my name's made the cover.)

For a look at the cover, and a brief excerpt of the story, visit these page at the Realms of Fantasy website:

http://www.rofmagazine.com/current.html
http://www.rofmagazine.com/fiction.html

And consider a subscription -- the fiction is consistently of the highest quality, with nary an elf or a unicorn in evidence.

Just a quick reminder that I will be appearing early Saturday morning on Jim Freund's program "Hour of the Wolf" on WBAI 99.5 FM in New York City. While science fiction is the main focus of the show, we'll no doubt discuss my memoir MISSIONARY MAN as well.

The show runs from 5:00 am to 7:00 am. If you don't live near enough to tune in, and you're a very early riser, you can catch the RealAudio stream at:

http://www.2600.com/offthehook/hot2.ram

Also, my new short story "The Day Pietro Coppino Spoke to the Mountain" is appearing in the October 2003 issue of REALMS OF FANTASY. It will be on newsstands nationwide by Wednesday at the latest. I hope you'll look for it.

I'll be making a return appearance as Jim Freund's guest on "Hour of the Wolf" this Saturday, August 9th, on WBAI 99.5 FM, from 5:00 am to 7:00 am, Eastern Daylight Time.

We'll certainly talk about my science fiction, including my recent story in Salon, but it's likely we'll discuss my memoir MISSIONARY MAN as well. I may even trot out an excerpt from the book to read on the air. Tune in an see what happens. (It's early, yes, but just think -- I have to be up earlier to get to the station than you do to listen! )

WBAI serves the NYC metro area. If you can't pick up the station, you can still access the live stream on the Internet at:

http://www.2600.com/offthehook/hot2.ram

Jim Freund and "Hour of the Wolf" have brought the world of science fiction to the airwaves for more than thirty years. Please visit http://www.missionaryman.net/events, http://www.hourwolf.com, and http://www.wbai.org for more details.

My latest science-fiction story -- completed literally nine days ago -- is available now at Salon.com, and I could not be more proud.

"Love in the Age of Spyware" (originally titled "Observations from the City of Angels") is a story fresh from the Los Angeles of the day after tomorrow, a city obsessed with ever-escalating stunts in reality programming. Brian Hayes is the man through whose senses a million-plus spyware subscribers experience the world -- but will their presence help shore up his crumbling marriage or erode it even faster?

If you haven't explored Salon before, it's a subscription-based Web site covering current events in politics, culture, technology, and entertainment. Original fiction is rare in Salon -- original *science* fiction even more so -- so I'm doubly pleased to have "Spyware" appearing there among so much fine writing. You have to pay to become a permanent subscriber, but it's easy to get a FREE no-strings-attached day pass that lets you access all its content for 24 hours. To learn how to get your day pass, I've posted an instructional page here:

http://www.salon.com/tech/feature/2003/07/16/city_of_angels

If you haven't explored Salon before, it's a subscription-based Web site. However, it's easy to get a FREE, no-strings day pass that lets you access all its content. To learn how to get your day pass, visit this page:

http://www.shunn.net/spyware.html

I hope you'll take the time to read "Love in the Age of Spyware," and that you enjoy it. If you do, consider using the email feature on the page listed above to send word of the story to another friend or two and help spread the word.

FIRST, SALON

I'm so stunned I can hardly believe it myself, but I seem to have just sold my brand-new science-fiction short story "Observations from the City of Angels" to Salon.com -- just a day after finishing up the final draft!

The only other person I'm aware of to sell original fiction to Salon is the redoubtable Cory Doctorow, whose stories "0wnz0red" and "Liberation Spectrum" both appeared there within the past year. (There may very well be others, but it sure as hell ain't common.)

Raise a glass with me in celebration, and tune in soon to find out when "Observations" will run.

READERCON THIS WEEKEND

Remember, if you're near Boston, the literary-oriented SF convention Readercon is coming up this weekend, July 11-13. I'll be reading at 10:30 am on Saturday -- perhaps from my forthcoming Salon story -- and leading an hour-long workshop on memoir writing at 11:00 am on Sunday.

Hope to see you there! For more information on Readercon, see the link below.

LINKS TO REFERENCED ITEMS

Salon
http://www.salon.com

"0wnz0red" by Cory Doctorow
http://archive.salon.com/tech/feature/2002/08/28/0wnz0red

"Liberation Spectrum" by Cory Doctorow
http://archive.salon.com/tech/feature/2003/01/16/liberation_spectrum

Readercon 15
http://www.readercon.org

Hi, friends! Three small orders of business today.

ELECTRIC VELOCIPEDE #4
First, a reminder that my latest short story, "Mrs. Janokowski Hits One out of the Park," is available now in the latest issue of the SF litpunk zine Electric Velocipede. Order your copy here for just three lousy bucks:

http://www.electricvelocipede.com

Better yet, subscribe and help keep this fine little periodical in business!

READERCON 15
The literary-oriented SF convention Readercon is coming up July 11-13 in Burlington, Massachusetts. If you're in the area and love the written word, don't miss it. I'll be there on a panel or two, and perhaps even doing a reading. For more info visit:

http://www.readercon.org

REALMS OF FANTASY
It appears that my forthcoming Realms of Fantasy story, "The Day Pietro Coppino Spoke to the Mountain," will be out in the October issue, available around the middle of August. Another story, "Divided by Time," will show up an issue or two after that. Watch this space for more details, and in the meantime visit Realms of Fantasy at:

http://www.rofmagazine.com

That's it for this update. I hope all is well with you, and I look forward to our next round of news. In the meantime, keep on swillin'!

Greetings, true believers. It's been a while since the most recent email update. If you signed up to get new about my Mormonism-related writings, there's nothing to report today. In fiction news, however, there's loads going on. Peep this.

First, my newest short story, "Mrs. Janokowski Hits One out of the Park," is now out and available in issue #4 of the small lit-mag ELECTRIC VELOCIPEDE. You can order a copy for only three bucks, or get a four-issue/two-year subscription for just a measly ten. For more information, plus a brief excerpt from "Mrs. Janokowski," visit the EV web site here:

http://www.electricvelocipede.com

It's a terrific little magazine. Please help support it.

In addition, I expect my story "The Day Pietro Coppino Spoke to the Mountain" to appear in REALMS OF FANTASY a couple of weeks from now, with another story, "Divided by Time," to appear an issue or two after that. To keep tabs on things, please drop by my bibliography page:

http://www.shunn.net/writing/biblio/

Or visit the REALMS OF FANTASY site directly:

http://www.rofmagazine.com

Well, that's it for today. I look forward to chatting with you again soon. And meanwhile, keep on swillin'!

It's time once more for another "Inhuman Swill" update.

READING, THURSDAY, MARCH 20th
If you'll be in New York City, I hope you'll stop by KGB on Thursday, March 20th, for an evening of science fiction as part of the long-running Echo Read-Only Series.

I'll be appearing that evening in the company of Barbara Krasnoff, Sue Young Wilson, and current Nebula Award nominee Richard Bowes. I'll be reading a selection from my novel-in-progress SILVERTIDE.

KGB is at 85 East 4th Street in Manhattan. The reading starts at 7:30. Be sure to show up early for a seat.

For more information:
http://www.shunn.net/writing/events

UPCOMING STORIES
Issue #4 of the highly praised little zine ELECTRIC VELOCIPEDE comes out in about a month. You'll find my story "Mrs. Janokowski Hits One out of the Park" within its lovingly photocopied pages.
http://members.aol.com/evzine

Soon thereafter, "The Day Pietro Coppino Spoke to the Mountain" will be appearing in REALMS OF FANTASY. This is my wife's favorite of everything I've ever written, so stay tuned for more info and don't miss it.
http://www.rofmagazine.com

BILL SHUNNED IN NEBULA VOTING
In case you were holding your breath, you can let it out again. My story "The Veil Beyond the Veil" did not make it to the final Nebula Awards ballot. Thanks for your letters of support, and never fear. It's an honor, as always, to have made the preliminary ballot, and there's always 2004. (See above!)

Scope out the final ballot here:
http://www.sfwa.org/fiction/nebfinal2002.html

FREQUENTLY ARGUED QUESTIONS
Two new entries have been posted in the popular "Frequently Argued Questions" area of the site. Drop by now to see me defend my loose-lipped stand on the contents of the Mormon temple endowment ceremony.

See FAQ entries 5 and 6 at:
http://www.shunn.net/mormon/faq

"WHERE'S BILMO?" DEPARTMENT
And finally, see if you can spot my MISSIONARY MAN ad here:
http://www.rentmychest.com

Welcome to another of my infrequent updates to the William Shunn's Inhuman Swill mailing list. First-time recipients, thanks for joining!

Some writing news this time out. The preliminary Nebula Awards ballot for 2002 was released late last week, and to my surprise I discovered my story "The Veil Beyond the Veil" kicking around near the bottom of the list. This story of mine appeared in the magazine Realms of Fantasy in April 2002.

The Nebula Awards are given by the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America. The preliminary voting will happen in February, narrowing the field down to a final ballot of 5 works in each category. The results of the final voting will be revealed at the Nebula banquet in Philadelphia on April 19th. More news on that later, if "Veil" survives into the finals. Meantime, here's the preliminary ballot for your perusal:

http://www.sfwa.org/fiction/NebPrelim2002.html

This is my third appearance on the preliminary ballot; last year my novelette "Dance of the Yellow-Breasted Luddites" made it to the final ballot.

Speaking of Realms of Fantasy, I sold that magazine a new story over the weekend. I'm not sure yet in what issue "The Day Pietro Coppino Spoke to the Mountain" will appear, but rest assured I'll let you know when it's available. Meanwhile, if you'd like a preview of the story, I read an earlier draft of it on Jim Freund's radio program "Hour of the Wolf" on New York's WBAI last August. If you'd like to hear it, you can get the MP3 here:

http://www.shunn.net/writing/radio

Well, that's plenty for this update. Thanks for tuning in, and may this new year bring you all the happiness and success you can handle.

A quick reminder that this coming Monday's New York Review of Science Fiction/Dixon Place reading will be held at A.R.T. New York, located at 520 Eighth Avenue, between 36th and 37th Street in Manhattan. Doors open at 7:00 PM, and the readers will be William Shunn and Jack Womack, in an evening guest curated by Constance Ash. Suggested donation is $5.

More information can be obtained at http://www.hourwolf.com/nyrsf or http://www.shunn.net/writing/events

We hope to see you there!

In New York City and looking for something completely unconnected with the holidays to do this December? Something probably not suitable for the whole family? Then come on over to the latest installment of the New York Review of Science Fiction reading series and hear Jack Womack and me attempt to darken the season.

Jack, as you may know, is the Philip K. Dick Memorial Award-winning author of novels like ELVISSEY, RANDOM ACTS OF VIOLENCE, and LET'S PUT THE FUTURE BEHIND US, and one of the most distinctive stylists in or out of science fiction today. I am the author of the Nebula Award-nominated novelette "Dance of the Yellow-Breasted Luddites" and of the someday-perhaps-forthcoming memoir MISSIONARY MAN, and I'm fortunate enough to share a stage with Jack on December 9th, where I'll read one or two new short stories.

Here's the scoop:

      New York Review of Science Fiction presents
      Jack Womack and William Shunn

      Monday, December 9th, 7:30 pm

      ART New York, Studio B
      520 Eighth Avenue (at 36th Street)

      Doors open 7:00 pm
      Admission $5

I expect the event to be well-signed, but if not Studio B is rumored to be on the third floor of ART New York.

For more info, or news of a possible last-minute venue change, see:

      http://www.hourwolf.com/nyrsf/

For more on the participants:

      http://www.euro.net/mark-space/bioJackWomack.html
      http://www.shunn.net

Thanks for your support, and I hope to see you at the reading!