Diversity: UR Doin’ It Right

The list of markets that are actively looking for submissions from POC or with POC characters and/or more diverse settings and cultues is growing.  There are some great comments from editors about the issue, too.  Keep linking to the original post and speaking up in comments if you are an editor or publisher.  This is a great list to have around when a writer is trying to decide where to send a story next.

Babbling About Doctor Who

For those of you who’ve seen the season finale of Doctor Who, I have a column up at Fantasy about the Doctor:

This year at WisCon, the feminist science fiction convention, I was on a panel called Martha Jones: Made of Awesome or Disappointing Stereotype? I had hoped we would explore the different fan reactions to the way the writers handled Martha’s character, story arcs, and race. The panel didn’t turn out as I expected, but something Chris Hill said sparked a thought. He mentioned feeling that the Doctor’s character was uneven–sometimes he’s incredibly cruel and judgmental and other times he’s compassionate and reluctant to do harm. My response was that I didn’t see this as unevenness, I saw it as purposeful part of his character. I truly feel… that the writers want us to think that the Doctor is a complicated and deeply flawed person. He is, to be blunt, a jerk.

Read the rest here (again, only if you’ve seen the final episodes).

I know a bunch of you are more active in Who fandom than I am and hang out in fan communities and such.  I’d appreciate it if you spread the link around, as I am anxious to get other people’s take on my theory.

Magazines That Want (More) Diversity

I often talk about the need for markets and their editors/publishers to do more to up the diversity in their slush pile and, consequently, in the publication itself. And one of the steps toward doing so is making sure that people know about your intentions in that direction. It does help to make the statement outright, but you still must back that statement up with results. Editors sometimes ask me how they get the word out, and, as I said in my Mind Meld contribution the other week, one of the ways is writer to writer to writer. Since I’m a writer whose blog is read by other writers, I guess I should do my part. :)

I recently sent this list of magazines looking for more POC authors and stories with POC characters and non-standard cultures/settings/etc to the Carl Brandon mailing list. I know that the editors of these markets want more because they told me so (which is as good an indication as any).

Fantasy — Any magazine I’m involved with definitely cares about this issue. One would hope it goes without saying, but not everyone is aware of who works for what and the goings on behind the scenes.

Sybil’s Garage — Before the last reading period, Matt Kressel and I had several discussions about how to draw in more diverse submissions. We edited the guidelines to make that desire clearer and I encouraged authors I knew to apply. I believe the next submission period is in early August, so keep an eye out and, yes, send your stuff in. Matt also says not to make any pre-judgments on what a Sybil’s Garage-type story is.

PodCastle — Rachel Swirsky is definitely on the look out for great stories by POC authors. I gave her some names and stories to check out, but you increase your own chances by submitting. PodCastle, like EscapePod, takes reprints. And it doesn’t matter how long ago the story was published, just so long as it’s good (and fantasy — for SF stuff, submit to EscapePod).

Asimov’s — Sheila Williams has mentioned to me a couple of times that she’d like to see more women in her slush (particularly with SF stories) and I suspect that she could use more submissions from POC and/or with POC characters and under-represented cultures.

As always, none of these markets is likely to publish a story just because it’s written by a POC or has POC characters. But in order to have a chance, you need to send the story in!

There are probably markets that I’m missing or editors who want more diversity but haven’t mentioned it to me. If so, mention it in the comments. I’ll add it to the main post as we go along.

Other markets looking to increase diversity (as indicated in the comments):

• Electric Velocipede
• Clarkesworld Magazine
• Strange Horizons
• Lone Star Stories
• Interfictions 2
• Southern Fried Weirdness
• Dog Versus Sandwich
• Ideomancer
• Weird Tales

I Have Not Yet Stopped Doing The Happy Snoopy Dance

A bit of most excellent news — yesterday I found out that Strange Horizons will publish my story Until Forgiveness Comes!  Yay!  SH is one of my favorite magazines and a market I really, really wanted to crack.  And that story is, I believe, one of the best I’ve ever written.

Apparently SH sent out a bunch of acceptances yesterday as I saw at least one mentioned on my flist and my fellow Altered Fluidian, Kris Dikeman, also got one.  I’m pretty sure AF is taking over markets one by one, as three or four of us have something coming up in Electric Velocipede as well.

I should also say that the story benefited tremendously from critiques from both Altered Fluid and, later, the Black Beans (who took a look at the revision I did for SH, mentioned here).  Big thanks, y’all :)

My story will come out in late 2008/early 2009, and I’ll definitely make mention when it does.  And next month my Podcastle story comes out.  Lots to look forward to.

Drabblecast!

Found out last week that my drabble from Farthing, issue 2, was accepted at Drabblecast!  When the cast goes live, I’ll let you know.  My PodCastle stories are coming up soon, too.

Cast Again

Just sold a flash piece to PodCastle, yay! Elf Aware, which I published way back when I was known as Finley Larkin. I wrote it for an OWW challenge — 2nd person — and sold it to Cafe Irreal.

It’s a very good way to start the week!

More Gaming

Looks like the blog is back up again, thank goodness.  I’m switching hosts soon; by next weekend probably.

In happier news, the latest issue of Cerise is now live and includes my review of Diner Dash: Hometown Heroes.  If you’re a DD fan, you should download this game.  You should also play with me in Multiplayer mode!

5 Links Make A Post

• It’s Blog for a Beer day @ Fantasy. It’s open thread/freeform today; no theme.
• On SFBookswap there’s a list of fiction published by women in print magazines from January - April. I’d love for folks to stop by and give some opinions on any of those stories that you’ve read. Are there any I should definitely hunt down and read?
• PodCastle is finally up and running! I know I’ve been waiting with baited breath and all that. First story is Come Lady Death by Peter S. Beagle. I believe my story is set to appear this summer. Several weeks ago when editor Rachel Swirsky announced what the first few stories were going to be, I expressed delight at seeing Hillary Moon Murphy’s Run of the Fiery Horse on the list. I loved that story so much when I first read it that I wrote a fan letter (something I’d never done before). Rachel asked me if I’d like to introduce the story for PodCastle due to all my squeeing, and I said yes. I believe the story is episode 3, so add PodCastle to your feed thingydoo and don’t miss it.
• One of the prettiest (and most anticipated) anthologies of the year is finally out: Paper Cities. Filled to the brim with authors I adore, edited by yet another person I adore (Ekaterina Sedia), and published by a guy I tolerate ;). There are already many glowing reviews of the book and I’m sure there will be more. So buy it and stuff.
• If you haven’t checked out the Weird Tales 85 Weirdest People of the last 85 Years list, you should. Weird Tales is celebrating its 85th anniversary (starting this month, actually) and it’s absolutely amazing how Stephen and Ann have turned the magazine around. The design, the fiction, the non-fiction, just everything is awesome.

Broad Cast

Ended last week on a high note, then woke up this morning to more good news.  Rachel Swirsky of PodCastle accepted my story, Change of Life.  The story was first published in Farthing 3 and now it will go on to have a second life, which makes me warm and fuzzy.  Plus, the story is damn fun to read aloud, so I’m excited to hear what the reader will do with it!

I don’t have any info on pub/podcast date yet, but as soon as I do, I’ll post it.  I’m excited in general since this means that PodCastle will start up soon, and I’ve been looking forward to it.  EscapePod is one of my favorite markets and a beloved companion on many a long subway ride, so I’m sure PodCastle will be just as awesome.

That makes two acceptances in December.  I wonder if good things really do some in threes?  I guess we’ll find out.

The Perfect End to the Perfect Week

I had a really great week these past seven days. I’ll blog the other parts of the perfect week once I have pictures uploaded, but I want to share this last happiness right away.

I sold one of my favorite stories, Enmity, to Electric Velocipede! Got the email late last night and did a happy dance that probably disturbed my neighbors. Now I have even more reason to wear my fabulous EV t-shirt.

More news as the publication date approaches — currently it’s TBD.