Utility Fog Blog

Call for Submissions

2012-02-02T05:08:00.001-08:00

posted by Sarah E. Holroyd

Submissions are now open for an as-yet untitled character-based Sleeping Cat Books anthology to be published in the fall of 2012. This anthology will be a black and white paperback edition and an ebook edition of short fiction. We will consider any genre, as long as the submission includes the subject character depicted below, and described in the downloadable character profile on our website. No pornographic content, or any material that would not make it into a rated R movie.

Please include a bio paragraph written in third person in the cover letter of your submission. Submissions will only be accepted through the button on our website.

Fiction: no more than 5,000 words.

Deadline for submission: 1 July 2012

Theme: Character (cover image below and character profile on our website)
We have tried to include enough detail to give you a reasonable idea of who this character is without restricting you to any particular location or time. We will entertain any type of submission (sci-fi, fantasy, paranormal, mystery, etc.) as long as Cherie is clearly the character we’ve created. She does not have to be the main character in your submission, but she must have a prominent role. You do not have to stick strictly to the character traits we’ve included, but again, she must be recognizable as the same character. Please feel free to contact us if you have any questions.

Submission fee: Free

Contributor compensation: Those whose work is chosen for inclusion will receive one complimentary copy of the anthology, and will also be eligible to purchase up to 10 copies at production cost plus S&H, rather than retail.

We're on YouTube!

2011-12-18T03:48:00.000-08:00

That's right, Utility Fog Press finally has a channel on YouTube. Check us out here:
youtube.com/user/UtilityFogPress

Currently, you'll find several idents - short advertising clips like the station logos on TV. However, the channel will gradually be populated with tutorial videos on writing and self-publishing, and book trailers.

All the videos are made by me, Edwin Rydberg, so if you like them, or if you have some ideas for our channel, or would like to have some videos made for your own, feel free to contact me.

New Look, New Services

2011-11-15T00:21:00.000-08:00

by Sarah Holroyd

Recently my copy editing business has undergone a transformation, getting a new look, a new name, and a new website. We are now Sleeping Cat Books, providing editing, proofing, formatting, and design services to independent authors. We work directly with self-publishing authors, providing professional-quality personalized service to help them achieve their publishing goals.

In addition to these services, we'll also be publishing a themed anthology of fiction, poetry, and images in the spring of 2012, called The Storm is Coming. Submissions will be accepted through the link on our website until 31 December 2011.

We also offer an online short fiction writing workshop. This is a ten-lesson, self-paced short fiction workshop for works up to 5,000 words. The curriculum is similar to what you would find in a real-time workshop, but you may go through the lessons at your own pace. Each lesson includes at least one exercise, and the first two lessons are offered free of charge. At the end of the workshop, I will provide a full written critique of your story, a $70 value. For a limited time, the cost of this workshop has been reduced.

We have more changes planned for the future, including transitioning into a full publishing imprint, paying royalties to the authors we sign. We will also offer website design and hosting services for our authors, and several packages of related services to choose from. Stay tuned!

epub 3 coming soon to a reader near you!

2011-10-28T07:13:00.000-07:00

Posted by Edwin H Rydberg

That's right, epub 3 is coming soon.

What is epub 3?

epub is the international standard e-book format currently supported by all e-book readers with the notable exception of Kindle and is based on xhtml (the other main format is mobi which what Amazon Kindle format books are based on). Yes, that means it's quite similar in format to a web page. If you're at all tech/internet-savvy that immediately suggests certain ideas for use in e-books--namely video and audio. However, until now that has been difficult to impossible.

Enter epub 3

epub 3 includes support for integrated video and audio, global language support, multi-column support, impoved display of math formulae, improved navigation, and better support for embedded fonts.

Some of these options seem at odds with books. I mean, video incorporation? But wait! What this host of new features suggest is that epub 3 can be used more easily for a wide range of reading materials. The multi-column and improved math support open the way for easier formatting as proper newspaper/magazines and improved technical manual production, for example.

In addition, epub3 books could become the reading world equivalent of blu-ray. That is, they could have built-in a host of extra features. Imagine fans having access to video of author interviews and book trailers. A single epub book could include various formats of the story including audiobook, graphic novel and multiple language versions.

So I can envision a host of Collector-Edition e-books. The only thing missing is the ability to have signing by the author (which would also require some kind of authentification protocol, in the case of serious collectors).

All in all, I think the epub3 format looks to be poised to really open up the e-book world (of course, you'll need a new reader, or upgraded software...). Next year should be very exciting in the world of e-publishers.

Self Publisher FAQ #1: How do ISBNs work?

2011-10-13T10:01:00.000-07:00

Posted by: Edwin H Rydberg

So you've finally finished that book you always wanted to write. And it's great. Only, it's done the rounds--publishers, agents--and no one seems to want it. Now you have several options: give up; write another and another, until you finally get a foot in the door; or self publish. Almost seems a no-brainer these days, with vanity press, print on demand and e-books. You can take complete control of the publishing process. But, like anything worth doing, it's worth doing right. And that means 1) learning about industry specifications, 2) watching out for scams that prey on your eagerness to be published. And the subject of this post touches on both of those.

There are many industry standards in terms of the physical printing, but those will and are changing as new technologies are invented and adapted. One standard that will probably not change in the foreseeable future is the ISBN or International Standard Book Number.

What is an ISBN? The ISBN is that bar-coded number on the back of the book. It was originally 10-digits but has now been increased to 13-digits to account for the vast number of books being published. What's important about the ISBN is that it uniquely identifies not only your book, but the specific edition of your book (paperback, hardcover, e-book, edition 1, 2, first printing, second printing with new cover/interior design). It also identifies who the publisher is (and this may not be as straight-forward as you think).

Do you need an ISBN? Not if you just plan to publish POD on a site like Lulu.com. But if you want your book to be available to be order in bookstores or Amazon, or any other such book retailer, then yes (it's important to realize that, unless you're a very good salesperson and you have connections, it's very unlikely your book will be stocked in a major bookstore).

When does my book need a new ISBN? Whenever you change something that identifies the edition. For example, hardcover and paperback each need their own ISBN, as does an e-book. If you update the text you'll need a new ISBN (a new cover does not require a new ISBN if nothing else is changed).

What about if I'm making a magazine? Serials such as magazine have their own standard numbers (ISSN: International Standard Serial Number).

How do you get an ISBN? Interestingly, the details vary from country to country but what does seem to be the same is that most countries only have one supplier of ISBNs. For example, in the UK Nielsen supplies the ISBNs and it is only possible to buy them in blocks of at least 10 (for approx. £110/10). In the US they are supplied by Bowker and can be bought individually, although they tend to be very expensive (1 for $125 or 10 for $250). In Canada, they seem to be assigned by Libraries and Archives Canada, a government agency.

It is important to note that whoever has been assigned the ISBNs by the above agencies are considered the publishers. ISBNs cannot be transfered in the sense that, if you buy an ISBN from someone else, that person/company remains the publisher.

This last point is crucial to understand and accept when self-publishing. If you wish to be considered as the publisher of your book, then you must acquire your ISBNs from the official distributor in your country. For example, if you use a service to publish your book (such as Lulu.com, Createspace.com, authorhouse.com or any other vanity press or POD) and buy an ISBN from that service, they will be considered the publisher, not you. I reiterate, it is important to understand that you will not be the publisher. Often this is made apparent when reading through FAQs and such, however, the unaware self-publisher can be caught by the likes of sites such as www.isbnagency.com (parent company: Moodoo Productions) who 'sell' ISBNs for $35. They will assign the ISBN to your book, however, even ignoring the fact that they are charging a huge markup (over the bulk cost), their site does not make it clear that they (or their parent company) are the official publisher of your book. As far as I'm concerned, this is highly misleading and therefore suspect.

I hope this helps any self-publishers who have concerns or questions about ISBNs. For more information, please visit the official ISBN distributor of your country.

Thoughts on Sci-Fi vs the Literati

2011-10-04T02:35:00.000-07:00

Posted by Edwin H Rydberg

At any science fiction writers convention one of the subjects that invariably arises is the lack of respect for science fiction with the 'Literati' - that quasi-mysterious elite that seem to govern what makes acceptable, quality writing. The same people that judge such prestigious awards as The Man Booker Prize. Sci-fi writers can often be heard suggesting that the Literati just don't 'get' science fiction or perhaps they don't have the scientific background to understand it. The Literati respond with comments such as: science fictions writers can't do characterization.

So, as someone very interested in science fiction, both as reader and writer I've tried to understand what could cause this apparent clash of opinions and recently, I've may have had some insights.

First, it is my belief that science fiction is one of the hardest genres to write well. This may sound like a self-serving statement but, after reading a respectable amount of amateur sci-fi short stories for anthologies, that's the conclusion I've come to. The reason, I believe, is that good sci-fi requires all the standard abilities that any writer must possess: a command of the language and good characterization, plotting and storytelling. But they have the added challenge of creating an interesting, complete world that doesn't exist. Or, at the very least, a near future of our world that may exist, but won't necessarily. And, they have to do this with originality or their work will be quickly rejected as cliché.

In my own editorial experience, I've found this separation between skilled crafting and original imagination to be very obvious with amateur works. A great many stories Utility Fog Press has received are either well-written but unimaginative or very imaginative but poorly constructed. It can be hair-pullingly frustrating.

In addition to this insight, I've also I've started reading some classic sci-fi...

Now don't get me wrong, there is some great classic science fiction. But, after being immersed in modern British sci-fi, which I consider to be generally well-written, I must confess to some disappointment in the quality of writing of some of the classics--to the extent that I've been unable to read more than a few chapters. The concepts and insights presented are, as you'd expect, important and well thought out, but the actual technical writing is more variable.

Here, then, is why I believe the Literati persist with their poor view of science fiction.
Literature, as a genre, tends to be backward facing. It generally looks to the past, writing copious stories of what has happened before, who we were, or who we are now and how we got here. All ideas that look to the past. That mentality also leads to a focus on classic literature, i.e. old, past writings. It's often a genre that strives to recreate styles that are held up (and rightly so) as admirable works of the craft. So the Literati judge science fiction largely by the sci-fi classics.

And herein lies the problem.

Science fiction is almost always looking to the future (perhaps more precisely, discussing the present through extrapolation into the future). Science fiction is 'forward oriented'. And that's very much manifested in the way the genre is constantly changing. While one could argue that classic literature reached it's pinnacle decades ago, science fiction, in my opinion, is just coming into its own now.

So, what does this mean for the current conflict between sci-fi and mainstream/literature regarding recognition? Well, probably not much. It will likely take a sustained onslaught of seriously well-written breakthrough novels to cross the border, so to speak, before well-entrenched attitudes will begin to change--and the courage of such authors to admit that their works are science fiction (I'm looking at you Margaret Atwood: The Handmaiden's Tale, and Audrey Niffenegger: The Time Traveller's Wife). Until then, sci-fi will have to be content with honouring our own.

How to Write Good (Prose)

2011-07-09T16:52:00.001-07:00

Hi there, Utility Foggers,

I wrote the following essay for the Literary Handyman blog, which is curated by author and editor Danielle Ackley McPhail. Edwin has asked me to repost it here and Danielle has kindly allowed it, so here it is. I hope you find it helpful, or, at the very least, entertaining.

Enjoy!

How to Write Good (Prose)

by Jason Franks

It seems to me that the majority of texts about writing concentrate on plot, structure, and character, while few of them look at the mechanics of writing good prose. That’s what I’m going to look at in this essay.

The problem is that, with centuries of literary tradition to consider, ‘good prose’ is a moving target. You, the writer, can bend or break every rule, and you can get away with it if you do it right… but, usually? You’re just going to look like a bad writer.
Whatever decisions you make, be sure that that they are, in fact, decisions. You can tell yourself that your bad habits are your ‘style’, but you’ not going to fool anybody. Most of the time you’re not going to be reengineering the rulebook. Most of the time, you want to write lean, powerful, readable prose and so that you can get the story across with maximum impact and minimum fuss.
I’m not going to lay out the Elements of Style for you here. What I am going to do is to describe the tests that I put my own prose through on a daily basis. There are plenty of good reasons to go against these guidelines, but usually when I fall afoul of them it’s due to laziness or pretension. Usually, it indicates bad writing.
Without further ado:

Adjectival Overload
The first and most obvious sign of bad writing is the presence of a lot of adjectives. Long strings of them, jamming up every sentence. “The enormous giant was huge, of tremendous girth, and mighty.” So, I guess the writer is trying to tell us that the giant was really big?
If you’re going to list the qualities of some object that you’re describing, stick to the important ones. Even if you list Roget’s Thesaurus as your biggest influence, it’s best to take it easy on the five dollar words. Any time you see a string of adjectives, double and triple check it for redundancy. Then read the sentence aloud and see if it feels laboured. Then cut half of the adjectives anyway.
Some writers like to front-load, if they notice too many adjectives: “The big, fat, huge giant was tall and mighty, ginormous and tall.” Now the sentence had two strings of unnecessary adjectives, and is thus twice as bad.
When did you last hear a feted author praised for their vocabulary? Never. Authors are more likely to be praised for economy and clarity. Work that is considered to be ‘purple’, ‘turgid’ or ‘flabby’ is usually the work that’s filled with copious quantities of superfluous, redundant, extraneous adjectives.

Passive Voice
You should always express action in the active voice.
Actions expressed in the passive voice lack immediacy and beg the question of agency, often leaving the readers to wonder what the hell is actually happening.
There are good reasons to use the passive voice in some situations, but they are uncommon. If you want to conceal the pronoun or the identity of the actor then the passive voice is ideal… but how often do you, the author, need to do that? “While his attention was on the giant, his sword had been taken from its scabbard.” Eh.

Comma Splice
The comma splice is becoming so common that I’ve started to do it myself. I see it in newspapers, in novels published by big houses, in personal emails, in blog posts… everywhere. But it’s bad writing. Aside from being grammatically incorrect, comma splices often indicate a slip into the passive voice or a run-on sentence.
When you have two independent clauses in a sentence you need to separate them with a semicolon; a comma is not sufficient. For those of you who are allergic to semicolons, break the sentence into two. There are other options, depending on what you’re saying: a colon for the start of a list; an emdash if the first clause is broken-into by the second, or if there is a logical causation; an ellipsis if it’s a slower transition. If the second clause is parenthetical you might also use parentheses (which are also known as brackets).
That said, be careful with your semicolons. They provide a grammatically-acceptable way to produce run-on sentences, and those are bad--no matter how you punctuate them.

Similes and Metaphors
Similes and metaphors are a minefield.
The first problem is that most of them are clichés. Don’t use clichés.
The second problem is that they reek of Writing. Here is an Author, showing off their Writing Skillz when they are actually supposed to be telling a story. Similes and metaphors pepper bad writing like spots on a spotted dog… and they are usually accompanied by their bastard child, the mixed metaphor.
Think twice before you employ any metaphor. Make sure you’re only employing one metaphor at a time. If the metaphor is complex, think about how you can simplify it. Then polish the damn thing until it hurts your eyes.
Once you’ve come up with a sharp, original, powerful metaphor, look at it twice more. Then look at it again. Does your story really need it, or are you just showing off? Does the prose stop and shout ‘metaphor!’ at you like an angry crossing guard?
Nine times out of ten, if you notice a metaphor you need to cut it.

Short Paragraphs
The fastest way to intimidate a reader is with big slabs of text. Remember that a paragraph should only cover one subject. If your paragraphs are looking big—more than three good sentences—find ways to break that subject up.
If you’re describing a town, for example, you might break it down to paragraphs that focus on the broader geography, the layout of the districts, and finally the buildings that constitute it. This will often highlight redundancies in your prose, metaphorical stumbles, or strings of superfluous adjectives.
If all of that fails, try blindly cutting the paragraph in half and see if it still makes sense. Chances are that it will. You may even realize that you only need one of the resulting two paragraphs.
That’s even better.

Be Definite
Be definite about what you are describing. Actions, scenery, emotions—find the right word and pin it to what you’re saying. “John’s board crested a largish wave and skidded down the back of it, turning slightly before it rammed gently into the beams of the jetty.” Qualifying your prose with adverbs like ‘slightly’ or ‘nearly’ or ‘almost’ makes you sound wishy-washy. If the surfboard rammed into the jetty, say so.
“John’s board crested the wave and slid sideways down the back of it, ramming into the boards of the jetty.” Now we have a nice clear picture of the impact. If you don’t want to convey a big impact, don’t use a word like ‘ram’. “The board crested the wave and slid down the back of it, nudging up against the boards of the jetty.”

In Conclusion
Write with economy and precision. Use the active voice. Take it easy on the adjectives. Be particularly wary of metaphors. Attend to rhythm, but don’t run on. Whitespace if your friend. Be severe when you edit your own work. But, most important of all… realize that it’s never going to be flawless, and that’s okay. There will always be one mixed metaphor, spelling mistake, typo or error, no matter how hard you work it. Accept it. Floors are part of the charm. And don’t forget to have some fun with it.
It’s only prose.

Breaking Through the Block

2011-06-24T08:59:00.000-07:00

Post by Sarah Holroyd

In 2008 I participated in National Novel Writing Month and "won" by writing 50,000 words in the 30 days of November. The trouble was, my story wasn't finished. I continued to work on it beyond NaNoWriMo, but stalled out around October 2009, only adding more on two days after that.

Until today. You see, I'd grown a bit bored with where I was in the story. I'd mapped out nearly the entire plot before NaNo started, using the phase outline approach I've discussed in a previous post in my editing blog, but at the point where my committment flagged, it was starting to feel too repetitive. I told myself that I was afraid of the prospect of having to revise, and that's why I've never finished a novel.

I've been reading Natalie Goldberg's Writing Down the Bones lately and it seems to have given me some inspiration. I opened up my novel files today, reviewed where I was in the narrative, reviewed my phase outline...and decided to cut out an entire chapter of phases. Just gone. Out the window. And the next chapter in my outline was the climax of the plot, which is what I'd been wanting to get to, apparently, because I had no problem setting to work once I'd skipped the boring part that had been staring me in the face. A little summarizing and I was off and running again. That's not to say some of the cut phases won't wind up in the revisions. But bypassing them now has allowed me to move forward, and that's the important thing. You can't publish without a finished manuscript, and you can't have a finished manuscript without having a draft to revise.

So if you're facing "the wall" in your work, think about skipping the part that's giving you trouble and writing a scene that you can see clearly in your head—the scene that's just been dying to get out and on the paper. Sometimes what we call writer's block is really just our subconscious telling us that this part that's holding us back isn't really important to the story.

Interview with Author Jaine Fenn

2011-06-10T04:52:00.000-07:00

Posted by Edwin H Rydberg

At this year's Eastercon, Illustrious 2011 in Birmingham, I was fortunate to meet and speak with Jaine Fenn, author of the Hidden Empire science fiction series. Even better, she's agreed to answer some questions about her books, her writing and what it's like to be a newly professional author.

I understand the fourth book in your Hidden Empire series is due out in the fall. Could you tell us a bit about the series?

It's far future Science Fiction featuring both action and intrigue. I write character rather than idea based SF, though I try to keep my science and technology consistent and accurate, even if I do sometimes break Clarke's Third Law. Each novel is intended to stand alone, although there are common characters and the stories link into the overall plot.

What inspired you to write the Hidden Empire series?

The series grew out of the first book, 'Principles of Angels'. [ed. incidentally, I love that title] That book was a long time in the writing, because unlike a lot of writers learning the craft, I didn't write multiple novels until I got one right, I wrote the same novel until I got that particular one right. I knew this was the story I wanted to tell. While I was working out how to tell it, I had all sorts of related 'what if' moments, blossoming out from the original idea, some of which turned into short stories in their own right, others of which were noted down for future use.

How many books are you aiming for in the Hidden Empire series?

Nine. Probably.

Without giving too much away, did you have any specific goals in mind for each book (other than telling a great story), and how do you see them fitting in to the overall arc of the story?

I'm now writing the fifth book and I've found that the way a given novel fits into my ongoing plot has changed with each book. 'Principles of Angels' and 'Consorts of Heaven' introduced some of the main characters and gave a surface view of the background. 'Guardians of Paradise' brought strands from the first two novels together and threw in some new elements, as well setting up for major conflict later. 'Bringer of Light' develops an aspect of the universe only hinted at in earlier books, and ups the stakes somewhat.

You’re relatively new to being published, which is to say, you’ve ascended to the brotherhood of published authors within the last five years. What’s it like? Is it everything you hoped for, or should the rest of us dreamers give up now?

(I'll take 'brotherhood' to include sisters in this context, despite women still being a minority in SF.) 'Going pro' is great: you no longer have to bribe or beg people to read your stories! And it allows you to justify writing when you should probably be cleaning the house/visiting relatives/getting some exercise. However, being a professional writer is also difficult, because you are part of a business; you have to become more hard-nosed and realistic about your writing, and you have to write even when you'd rather be cleaning the house etc.

Would you share with us a bit about your path to publish-hood? How long have you been writing? What were some of the highs and lows along the way?

I've always written stories and I assumed I'd be a writer when I grew up. Unfortunately I didn't exactly apply myself to the task. I finally knuckled down to learn the craft in my thirties, a process whose starting point was an excellent week-long workshop for aspiring SF writers called 'One Step Beyond', run by Liz Holliday. Having finally put in the required effort I began to sell short stories, though it was a few years later before I managed to put the right manuscript on the right editor's desk at the right time and so get a book deal. There was plenty of rejection, and occasional bouts of dejection, along the way.

Which author(s) were your greatest influence?

This is always a tricky question; in some ways you'd get a more useful answer asking a critic or reviewer, as they'll spot the influences, while I just use them. Writers I admire include Ursula le Guin, Iain M Banks, Mary Gentle, Tim Powers, Charles Stross and Neal Stephenson. I should also confess to still working through some residual cyberpunk influences, especially the cynical yet glitzy variety pushed by William Gibson; hey, it's not my fault, I grew up in the 80s.

Which author would you most like to meet?

One of the great things about hanging around in SF fandom for so long is that I've met many of my idols. I would like to meet Ursula le Guin, even though I suspect I'd just stutter incoherently about how much I admire her.

Something that many people are wondering, I’m sure. Now that you’re published, can you support yourself by writing, or do you still have a day job? And if you have a day job, how do you find the time to write?

Even on a book-a-year deal with a major publisher, you need extra income. A lot of authors get writing-related gigs (reviewing, journalism etc) but I still have a mundane day-job. Annoyingly, this means I can only meet writing deadlines by the ritual sacrifice of large swathes of social life.

I understand you are a member of a writing group? Could you tell us a little about that? How your group got started, how many members you have, do they all write the same genre, how useful do you find it, are any other members published?

I'm actually in two writing groups, though one meets infrequently and has a strong social element. Both groups grew out of the 'One Step Beyond' course, so we are all genre writers, which is ideal. The main group, Tripod, was so called because it was founded by three of us in Woking, just opposite where the Martians landed. Both groups have up to eight members (not everyone makes every meeting), which is probably the upper limit for a group which actually practises critiquing, rather than just sharing their writing non-critically. Several of those in my writing groups have a good track record with short story publications (Vaughan Stanger, for instance) but I'm currently the only one lucky enough to have a book deal.

Would you recommend joining a writing group?

Definitely. Nothing improves your writing like comprehensive and honest feedback. I'm very lucky to be in groups where we're all at a similar level and all have the same ultimate goal: to improve our writing.

Many authors have found writing courses like Milford, Clarion West and Odyssey to be valuable experiences for honing their craft. Have you attended any of these and if so, did you find them to be useful? What was the biggest lesson you learned?

I've attended several Milfords, but not been to any of the American courses. Clarion was something I seriously considered but at the time when my writing would most have benefited I wasn't sure I could have handled a course that long and intense. Milford is very good for giving you perspective on your work, because you critique a wide variety of stories, and receive a wide range of feedback; I've always come away having learnt something I didn't know about my own writing (usually something I need to fix).

As a traditionally-published author, is self promotion an important part of your work, or does your publisher/agent handle it?

A bit of each. It's great to have professional publicists on your side; they can get me (or more importantly my books) into places where I'd otherwise have no connection. Gollancz has an excellent publicity department, and they make sure review copies go to the right people, and put me forward for signings and to write articles or contribute to blogs. However, some of the work is still down to me: obviously I need to maintain a web presence between book releases, and I do much of the organisation for my book launches, because I hold them at a local independent bookshop who I have a long-standing relationship with.

How much time per week do you typically spend on self-promotion?

Not as much as I should. I'd like to be able to engage more with fans (and potential fans), and to run events like book giveaways, but I simply don't have the time.

How important would you consider an author’s website to be?

Every author needs one. As for how best to utilise your website, that's a subject I can't claim to be an authority on, as mine is pretty basic [ed. www.jainefenn.com].

How valuable do you find genre conventions as a both a writer and a fan?

They're fun, in either role. And useful too: my book deal came about as a direct result of being on a panel at a convention.

Which conventions/events do you regularly attend and which would you really like to attend if given the chance (in UK or elsewhere)?

I was an SF fan for many years before I was an SF pro, so I've been to a lot of Eastercons. I've been to every Worldcon that's been held in Europe in the last 25 years, but not a Eurocon, so I'd like to get to one of those. And I'd like to attend an American Worldcon.

What is next for you once book four comes out?

I'm currently hard at work on 'Queen of Nowhere', the fifth Hidden Empire book. After that I'm hoping to write a novel (or possibly two) set outside of the series, though in the same universe, before returning to finish of the story I've started.

On behalf of Utility Fog Press and all our readers, I'd like to thank Jaine for taking time out of her busy schedule to talk with us. I'm looking forward to the next installment in the Hidden Empire. All the best.

Audiobook Month

2011-06-05T03:18:00.000-07:00

posted by Sarah Holroyd

June is Audiobook Month. The Audio Publishers Association (APA) will be doing lots of promotion this month of audiobooks through social media like Facebook,Twitter, and YouTube with the help of famous authors like Deepak Chopra, Judy Blume, and Sue Grafton. Many people find audiobooks a great substitute to reading a physical book, especially when commuting to and from work or travelling.

Personally, I find that my comprehension of any material is much lower if I listen to someone read it to me than if I see the printed words myself. I've never actually tried to listen to an audiobook, but I can't imagine that it would be much different than having someone read a piece of a news article to me. I just can't seem to grasp the full content without seeing the text myself. Perhaps the type imprints itself and imparts its meaning more directly to my conscious thought than sounds coming through my auditory system can. I'm interested in others' experiences with audiobooks or having someone read anything to you. Perhaps it could be related to the right brain/left brain differences?

That said, I recently read an article in The Writer magazine ("Writing out loud" by Randall Silvis, May 2011) about listening to your own work in draft form. The article points out that "Reading is an aural experience. ...When we read, we hear the words." I agree wholeheartedly with this statement. When I read, I can hear characters' voices in my head. I can hear the poetry in particularly well-written prose. We've all read works where the words have their own lilt, their own music in your head.

In order to achieve this music in their own work, Silvis and others recommend that writers either have someone read their draft back them, or record themselves reading the draft and then play it back. This allows the author to note any awkward phrases or stumbling blocks in their phrasing, as well as dialogue that doesn't ring true.

So in the spirit of Audiobook Month, why don't you try creating an audiobook of your draft, even if it's just for your own editing use?

New Utility Fog Press Anthology Open for Submissions

2011-05-25T04:59:00.000-07:00

Posted by Edwin H Rydberg

Utility Fog Press is now accepting submissions for a micro-fiction anthology called Tales for Travellers. Please visit UtilityFogPress.com for submission details. This anthology is also listed on Duotrope's Digest.

Briefly:

We are looking for well written micro-fiction (100-200 words) of any genre. Submissions will close when the anthology has been filled (we're looking for around 350 stories). Payment will be one e-book copy in the author's chosen format.

Tales for Travellers will be initially published in multiple e-book formats, and will be available on Amazon, Apple iBook and Lulu.com. Print copies (pocket paperback) will follow.

PLEASE READ SUBMISSION GUIDELINES CAREFULLY.

Keeping it Real

2011-05-21T23:12:00.000-07:00

Posted by Edwin H Rydberg

When writing loses touch with the beautiful surface of the world, it loses its way. You always want to be in touch with how things look and what people say and what they call their dogs.

- Garrison Keillor

I wanted to share this quote because it represents so well what I believe is crucial as a writer. I may write science fiction, but it still has to feel real. That means having characters and worlds that feel real. And that means understanding what it is to feel real for other people. What they think, what they dream of, what they do for a job, the structure of the society, the city. Some details may change as we progress technologically, but people rarely do. In a general way, we still have the same hope and dreams as we did thousands of years ago. As a writer, part of your duty is to convey that to the reader in a way they can relate to.

1,000,000 words of crap

2011-05-18T05:46:00.000-07:00

Posted by Edwin H Rydberg

One thing I really enjoy at the UK Eastercon conventions is the writing stream (i.e. in addition to the visual media and cosplay streams). This year there were topics like how to run a writng group, becoming a writer, finding and agent, interaction between writer and cover designer, writers' workshop, first impressions workshop, and self-promotion. Guest panelists at these sessions included: Gillian Redfearn (senior editor: Gollancz), John Berlyne (agent: Zeno Agency), John Jarrold (SFF agent), Jaine Fenn (author: Hidden Empire series), Philip Palmer (author), Stephen Deas (new author: The Thief-Taker's Apprentice), Lavie Tidhar (author), Ian Whates (author, small press publisher: NewCon Press), Aliette de Bodard (author, BSFA short story winner).

This year was particularly intersting in that one concept kept repeating in all the panels, namely, the idea of writing '1,000,000 words of crap' to get to the good (publishable) stuff. This was reiterated by many of the writers on the panels. It's also born out through my own research into writers careers.

To readers and beginning writers, it can often seem that some stellar writer comes out of the blue with an amazing first book that wins copious accolades and sweeps the charts. As a writer myself, I know the feeling of wishing it were so, as the journey often seems to take forever. Worse is that, even when your first book is finished, the quest for an agent/publisher is incredibly daunting and frustrating. Many authors turn to self-publishing when their first book doesn't attract 'official' interest (a few are right to, many are not). Boy are those other authors lucky!

Are they really?

The path to being a published author can seem long and arduous. And that's because, in most cases, it is. I find it helpful to gauge my expectations by the accomplishments of those who have gone before me. So I take an interest in the career paths of many of my favourite published authors. Without going into specifics (i.e. without naming names), it appears to me that a ten year period between first sale of a short story and first publication of a novel is quite common (often with another ten years before the 'big deal'). During that time, many authors go through periods of self-doubt, many almost give up. Most enroll in week(s)-long dedicated writing courses such as Clarion West, Milford, and Odyssey to hone their skills. And many come right to the end of their rope before getting their break.

Hence the 1,000,000 words of crap. It happens to most authors. Even the best of them wrote their million words, constantly, often starting when they were quite young. In some cases the million words comes from numerous rewrites of that special first novel. In most cases, it comes from writing novel after novel. One well-known British crime author I saw at a convention said he wasn't published until his fifth novel. So, in the vast majority of cases, the published authors of today worked their way up the ladder of skill, honing their craft through rejection after rejection, story after story, novel after novel until everything came together.

This persistence, itself, is a gatekeeper in the entire publication process, much as agents and publishers are. If you are not serious about writing, you will stop long before you get published. Or you will turn to self-publishing and, like most, wonder why your POD fiction masterpiece has sold 50 copies, mostly to friends and family, over the past five years.

The process may seem a harsh mistress but it's necessary. Some authors take longer than others to find their 'voice'. Or perhaps the voice comes quickly, but effectively plotting or character creation, or maybe realizing and describing rich scenes is the weakness. It's only when all these things come together that the story is ready for public consumption. The million words is all about learning the craft to a professional level. And it is a profession. Like being a lawyer, doctor, footballer. All of these require study, devotion and understanding of the craft. Why should we expect writing good fiction to be any different?

Lauren Beukes Wins 2011 Arthur C. Clarke Award

2011-05-09T06:22:00.000-07:00

Posted by Edwin H Rydberg

This year's Arthur C. Clarke Award winner for best science fiction novel is South African ex-journalist Lauren Beukes for Zoo City. If you haven't read it, I can definitely recommend Zoo City along with her first book Moxyland--a modern Orwellian 1984. Both are set in South Africa but that, apart from the well-written prose and great imagination, is where the similarities end. Moxyland is set in a high-tech Johannesburg where Corporations and Government abuse technology to control the population. Zoo City, while still feeling very 'real' has a more magical nature with the 'animalled'. Both are great reads.

You can find out more about Lauren, Zoo City, and Moxyland at her website: laurenbeukes.book.co.za

Author Websites

2011-05-02T23:31:00.000-07:00

Post by: Sarah Holroyd

As an author, should you have your own website? Short answer: yes. Absolutely. Every author needs a platform from which to sell their work, and a website is an integral part of that platform. Whether you've been published by a traditional publishing house or have self-published, you and your work need that web presence in order to reach your readers, and to find new ones. In fact, having a platform (and website) already in place when you query or submit to an agent or editor is a vital part of gaining acceptance. In addition to solid writing, publishers want to see that you are dedicated to marketing your own work, as they generally have very little time, money, and staff to do it all for you. If you can show that you have an audience and marketing in place in your query or submission letter, you're that much closer to gaining a contract.

Do you need to pay for web hosting and register your own domain name? Not necessarily. Your author web presence can certainly be at your own name, or your book's name, but you can just as easily build your platform on one of the blogging sites, such as this one. Many authors have done exactly that. Blogging is a great way to keep in touch and connect with your readers, as well as gain new ones if your content is interesting to them. In addition, many blogging sites allow you to add other pages to your blog, and plug-ins, that can give you the opportunity to create an actual web "store" from which to sell your work. Some authors even share previously unpublished work for free on their sites in the form of serial blogs, posting one chapter at a time, to keep their readers engaged.

Hugo Award: Best Novel Nominees

2011-04-24T14:40:00.000-07:00

Posted by Edwin H Rydberg

Hot of the presses, the nominees for Hugo Award Best Novel (that's sci-fi for those unaware) have just been announced. They are:

Blackout/All Clear - Connie Willis
Cryoburn - Lois McMaster Bujold
The Dervish House - Ian McDonald (winner of the BSFA best novel award)
Feed - Mira Grant
Thousand Kingdoms - N.K. Jemisin

These are "people's Choice" awards, nominees and winners are selected by fans (must be a member of Worldcon--this year in Reno, Nevada--to vote).

Best of luck to all nominees.

Why Join a Writers' Group

2011-04-18T04:58:00.000-07:00

Posted by Edwin H Rydberg

Gone are the days when you can tell an agent 'I've been working on this for 2 years, no one else has seen it yet' and be taken seriously. Don't believe me? Go ahead and try it. The most likely response will be 'join a writers' group and get it critiqued, revise it, then submit it'. These days, with so many people writing, the publishing system has evolved several layers of checkpoints, or gatekeepers if you prefer, to ensure that *generally* the cream (or at least the cash cow) rises. As a simple example, 15 years ago it was unusual to get an agent before having an offer from a publisher. Today it's almost unheard of not to have an agent first and most, if not all, big publishers (and many mid-sized ones) do not accept unsolicited (unagented) manuscripts.

So, while the writers' group is not a formal gatekeeper in the same sense as an agent, it at least serves as a first checkpoint where the new writer can get advice on their craft: feedback on the technical aspects of writing, or plot, characters, setting, etc. But most writers in such a group are not professional almost by definition (there are exceptions) so...

Who should be in your writers' group and what makes a good group?

Well, think about your audience. You are writing to the average person who enjoys reading. They are most likely not 'professional' readers. So, as a start, anyone who is willing to give you honest, constructive feedback--what they liked, what they didn't and why--is useful.

But members of a writers' group must, of course, also be writers and ideally about your level or a bit above. If you are by far the best writer in the group then you won't be getting much out of it and, likewise, if you are clearly the least experienced then you won't be contributing as much to the other members (and you may not fully appreciate they comments without the greater experience).

You'll find two types of writing groups.

The first, and seemingly most common, is the 'reading' group. These groups gather to listen to a member read an excerpt from their latest work before commenting on it.

The second is the 'critiquing' or workshop group. In these groups, members send chapters around to others in advance. Everyone then reads the chapters and prepares comments on what they liked and didn't like for the next meeting.

I've been in both types of groups and, in my opinion, the second type is by far the more useful. Invariably what happens in the reading group is that (1) the insecure do less readings than the more confident, (2) it's difficult to grasp the details of the work quickly enough during a reading to make quality comments. Whereas critiquing group members have usually a week to a month to critique the offered work.

Should you're writers group be comprised only of those writing in the same genre as you?

There are many thoughts on this. While it's definitely nice to have feedback from people who appreciate the same genre as you, from my personal experience I would suggest a group with as diverse as possible interests. Yes, it may be difficult to get through some of the other members' work on occassion--just as they may have trouble reading yours, but lets face it, window-dressing aside, all writing is ultimately about the same things: characters, plot, setting.

With a diverse group, you may find, as I have, that you get some very helpful and unexpected comments from those with completely different writing interests to you. My writing group has one military thriller writer, two historical fiction writers, one YA writer and me. As a science fiction writer in this group, I get a lot of good feedback especially concerning character development, visual and emotive quality of the settings, etc. I also get comments when the members think I've been overly technical in a chapter.

Other benefits of writers' groups

The other benefit of being in a writers' group versus lone-wolfing it is the presence of sometimes needed support. All writers go through it at some time, the self doubt, questioning whether to continue. On those times when everything seems to be going nowhere it's great to have a group of people who understand what you're going through.

Notable links for UK writers' groups

NAWG (National Association of Writers' Groups)
York Novelists Society - my novel critiquing group
T-Party - a semi-professional genre novel critiquing group meeting in London

Some benefits of genre conventions

2011-04-14T15:00:00.000-07:00

Posted by Edwin H Rydberg

I'll be attending Illustrious (Eastercon 2011) in Birmingham next weekend. It's arguably the largest sci-fi convention in Europe (at least of those with a book/writing orientation) undoubtedly owing to the great sci-fi scene here in the UK. I've been attending this and other UK cons for several years now and I've found them fun, interesting, and useful for many reasons.

More than the fan-ishness, more than the dressing up (if you're into that kind of thing), I go to conventions to hear the authors. Not only am I interested in who they are as people, but also the path they've taken to get where they are. I find it a helpful gauge for what I could expect (likely as a best-case scenario) in the journey to being picked up by Big Publisher (one of the big 6).

As with many amateur writers hoping to break into the big leagues in the not too distant future, I write and I study the business, and I go to writers groups... and I have a lot of self doubt wondering just how long everything should take. I've been writing semi-seriously now for a few years. Am I taking too long, over-editing, not writing enough. Just what is 'normal' for being 'discovered' anyway?

Since you've read this far, you must be reasonably interested (or incredibly bored), so I'll share a few general things I've been able to piece together about the career paths of authors.

To begin with, the path of most big authors seems to be remarkably similar. The first and most important thing, of course, is that you need to be constantly writing and improving your craft (generally that means writing a new thing when you finish one, not revising the same story for five years). After all, how can you be a writer if you don't write? Reading widely is also helpful both for knowing what's been done and how to do it well (or badly).

Secondly, don't expect your first book to get published, or even attract an agent. From what I've heard, the vast majority of even the best authors out there weren't picked up on their first book, or even their second, or...

In fact (and this is no. 3), it seems that 10 years of solid writing and submitting novels is the usual. It's really amazing how many authors I've listened to took about a decade from their first finished novel until producing one that got picked up by a big publisher. That suggests that they wrote between 5-10 books before 'making it big'.

Even then, 'making it big' means getting an international publisher with access to brick-and-mortar stores. It does not mean getting rich. Alastair Reynolds, as an example, got picked-up after 10 years. It then took him another ten years of solid publishing (while keeping his day job) to land the million dollar (for 10 books) deal. It's well-known that JK Rowling's Harry Potter was turned down by many agents/publishers, and the agent who accepted it did some heavy editing with Rowling. If there are any Dan Brown fans out there, you'll note that, with the exception of the latest book, his were published in the opposite order in which they were written. Clear evidence that his style improved throughout his career (and also an example that, once you're picked up, you can then publish all the old garbage that you've kept in the bottom drawer).

So that's my primary resaons for going to conventions. If I'm lucky, as with Eastercon, there are secondary benefits such a writing workshops. Previous years I've joined a workshop held by the London genre writing group T-Party. There was also a panel discussion with a BBC script writer that was quite useful. This year I'll be attending a workshop critiquing opening pages. Finally, most SFFH conventions have an art-show/auction as well as a dealers room and I show--occassionally sell-- my artwork.

I think it's important to note that the quality of a convention is not always determined by its size. In additon to Eastercons, I've also been a regular at Novacon held Novembers in Nottingham by the Birmingham science fiction group (don't try to figure it out...). The Birmingham group has their own monthly meetings with guest authors and so are well know in the country. That probably explains the turn out of a disproportionately large number of quality authors to Novacon (last year there were at least a dozen from approx. 200-300 total attendees).

On a slight aside, I will admit that I did attend the writers' workshop festival of writing when it came to York for the first time last year. The big draw for this was the chance to meet agents and have two, 10-minute one-on-one sessions. Everyone in my writing group took the opportunity and... we were all quite disappointed. Most of us didn't learn too much in the way of new information--not enough to justify the cost and nothing that couldn't be discovered on the net--and meeting the agents tended to be disappointing overall.

It's not that there was anything wrong with the agents (not most of them, anyway). It's just that, due to the scheduling restraints, etc. it was common to see an agent who wasn't that interested in your genre (i.e. I didnt' get to meet John Jarrold, the only sci-fi agent in attendence, since he was completely booked up for his one afternoon). We all had the same impression, this type of festival seemed to be set up only to make money for the organizer. If you feel the urge, then by-all-means go to one of these conventions. But in my opinion, one is enough.

A few writing/book-oriented cons in the UK:

London Book Fair - April in London
Eastercon (sci-fi) - Easter weekend, city changes each year (2011 is Birmingham)
Fantasycon - September, city changes each year (2011 is Brighton)
Theakstons Old Peculier Crime Writing Festival - July in Harrogate
Edingburgh International Book Festival - August in Edinburgh
Novacon (sci-fi, run by the Birmingham science fiction group) - November in Nottingham
Thought Bubble ('sequential art', i.e. comics) - November in Leeds

Character Assassin

2011-04-12T20:29:00.000-07:00

I've been thinking about what to post next for the blog. I maintain several of my own sites and blogs and I don't want to repeat myself (okay, it sounds better if I call it 'syndication'), but I've been stumped to find a topic that's relevant for Utility Fog.

I am a writer of fiction, and that is what I am most interested in writing. That said, I do have a second favourite thing to write about--me, and my own work. So today I'm going to talk about my love of assassin characters and my story from the Assassin's Canon anthology, XDA Zai: The Wild Hunt.

I'm not sure when it was that I decided that assassin characters were so interesting. I'm the sort of guy who sides with the villains in most fiction that I consume and I'm sure it's a part and parcel of that: villains are creative characters, problem solvers, the takers of initiative. These are qualities that I relate to, both as a writer and in my other life as a software engineer. Add to that the assassin's highly specialized skillset and very narrow goalsetting and you have a character that is perfectly set up for traditional three-act storytelling. Assassin stories are usually swift, structured, inventive, and ruthless. I like that.

Zai-san, the protagonist of my story, came to me in a roundabout way. I had been reading the graphic novel adaptation of Neil Gaiman's Neverwhere and thoroughly enjoyed it, but I felt like the one prominent pair of characters wasn't working: the assassin duo of Croup and Vandemar. I guess I'd seen those two characters before: they're really not much different to Mr Kidd and Mr Wint from Diamonds are Forever, or Schlubb and Klump in Sin City: That Yellow Bastard. But it set me to thinking: these guys are assassins who will find you and kill you no matter where you go; no matter how strange and unlikely and remote. That's a great concept.

A bit after that I became aware of Lawrence Block's Keller stories (collected in Hit Man, Hit List, and Hit Parade; and concluded with a full length novel, Hit and Run). Keller is an assassin who travels around the country bumping off mostly-ordinary people who have made enemies in very oridnary ways. Keller himself is an everyman: a lonely but well-adjusted guy who collects stamps and goes for walks and generally lives a very normal life. The stories are mostly about character: Keller's jobs are executed simply and demonstrate very little tradecraft to speak of. They are about Keller's emotional journey, but it's not a guilt trip or a morality fable. It's about being just a little bit lonely.

I hadn't actually read any of these books when I first came up with the setup for the Zai stories, but I loved the setup and I certainly couldn't have started without it. There was, however, one more ingredient that went into the mix: travel writing.

I've been a travel addict as long as I've been an adult, and I've been to a lot of places. I used to maintain a travel journal for my friends--first by email, then a website, then on a blog. I never quite understood why, since I found myself talking more about airport hassles and weird food and getting lost than about famous sites, but they proved very popular with friends and strangers alike. It seemed to fit with the character, and it also allowed me to play with some stereotypes. Mr Zai is Japanese, but he backflip out of the shadows like a ninja--instead, he behaves like a tourist.

Zai is an average guy who happens to be an assassin for hire. He's good at it and finds it satisfying, but really, he's in it for the travel opportunities. So when he starts to be dispatched to places that do not, should not or simply can not exist, rather than questioning his sanity he accepts it with joy and gusto.

The stories (The Wild Hunt is one of a planned sequence of ten or so) are written in the same present-tense, first person mode that I used for my travel journals. There are plenty of strange sites and occurrences, but mainly it's airport hassles and weird food and getting lost. Then eventually, Mr Zai does his job and goes home. I guess you could think of it as wordlbuilding, but for me it's about Zai's experiences of travel--with bit of mayhem thrown in for seasoning.

And there you have it. Perhaps next time I will speak specifically about the story published in Assassin's Canon, perhaps not, but there is one thing you can certainly count on: Zai-san will be back.

Cheers,

-- JF

Free First Page Critique

2011-04-05T09:58:00.000-07:00

posted by Sarah Holroyd

I've subscribed to The Writer magazine for a few years now, and I always find helpful information between its covers. In the March issue, I found something particularly intriguing that I thought I'd share. It was a new bi-monthly column by author Peter Selgin (2007 Flannery O'Connor Award winner for Fiction) based on his blog Your First Page. In this blog, and the column, Selgin critiques the anonymous first page of a novel (up to 350 words). His goal with The Writer column is to use both good and bad first pages, and to point out exactly what does and doesn't work with each. With the blog, Selgin provides his critique of the page, then readers are invited to add their own critiques in the comments.

Submission of your own first page is free. The guidelines for submission are on the blog, with the understanding that submitting your work grants Selgin the right to quote from it (anonymously) in other forms, including using the page in its entirety in The Writer column.

I've got two works-in-progress that I'm tempted to submit...but I'm not sure if my skin is quite thick enough for the potentially harsh critique. Selgin certainly doesn't pull any punches if he thinks the work needs...well, work.

But this first page exercise has an immense amount of value to a hopeful writer. The first page is the face your work shows the world. If this page doesn't shine for all it's worth, how can you expect an agent or editor to turn to the next one? So risking a potentially harsh review of your baby's face may be just the thing you need if you think it's ready to go out into the world.

If you do send Your First Page in and receive a critique on it...do comment here and let us know how it went! If I can work up the courage to send either of mine in, I'll be sure to post a bit about my results, too.

A Blog A Day

2011-03-28T09:05:00.000-07:00

Posted by Kat

When I started this blog, I had the intention of writing a Blog a Day! Thoughts of sitting here, putting thoughts to words on the computer filled my mind, like visions of sugar plums dancing through my head at Christmas time.

I see now how darned difficult it can be to write a Blog a Day. There are the days when absolutely nothing of interest crosses my mind. There are also the days when something of interest does cross my mind, but it just won't take form in words. Then, there are the days when thoughts and ideas crowd my mind and there just isn't enough time to create the Blog that would express them. At those times, I try to jot down words to remind me of what I'm thinking about. I look at my notes the next day, when time allows, and see things like 'thoughts of yesterday', 'no one knew', 'what if someone knew', 'going too fast', 'ice cream and alligators!', 'things I would tell President Obama'. Then, I can't for the life of me, remember what great and worthy themes were in my head to produce these darn notes. Some do look pretty interesting, huh?

So, today is a blank day. Many things happened, but time is pressing. It's dinner time and I haven't finished the laundry. I cleaned the floors, but I haven't finished the laundry. I'm tired as heck, but I haven't finished the laundry.

I think I'll go finish the laundry.

Tomorrow is another day.

Notes for blogs:
fear of thunder
bad moods and other fairy tales
fabric softener on kitten fur
pet hair, yarn and string

Creative Commons, Free e-Books, and the New Author

2011-03-24T15:46:00.000-07:00

Posted by Edwin H Rydberg

I've recently started a new web site LightSpeedDreams.net. Originally I bought the domain name because I liked the sound of it, and I took some time to decide what content I wanted to put on it. Finally, I've decided to populate the site with content of mine that I will release under Creative Commons license — making it freely available for use, modification, and commercial distribution, as long as I remain listed as one of the authors/creators. Among other things, this will include mp3s, selected artwork, and selected short stories and novels.

Why?

1. In some cases the content I release would be difficult or impossible to sell.

Cases of work with other creators who have okayed the release but then become unreachable
Content that was created jointly with the understanding that it would be freely available
Fan Fiction that cannot be distributed for profit

2. The content acts as a free sample of my work for prospective readers and publishers.

3. The most important reason, however, is summed up by Cory Doctorow in the forward to Little Brother (on why he releases all his books as free, drm-free e-books):

For me — for pretty much every writer — the big problem isn't piracy, it's obscurity (thanks to Tim O'Reilly for this great aphorism). Of all the people who failed to buy this book today, the majority did so because they never heard of it, not because someone gave them a free copy.

So, no, people stealing your work to read is not a problem most new authors face. People never reading your work because they haven't heard of you is. Unfortunately, I'm not in a position where I can release all my work for free online, after all, I am trying to start a career as an author and I've not heard of any traditional publishers who will take on an author with no unpublished content. I feel I'm doing the next best thing by releasing selected works for free. On one hand, I think of it as a small portfolio sample. On the other hand, a bit like releasing some grown-up children into the world to see what becomes of them.

So, I hope you check out LightSpeedDreams.net and sample, use, modify the content I've posted. And please, whatever you do with it, let me know! I love to hear how my work has been used, and I'll help you advertise with blurbs on my various sites.

And check out science fiction author and digital rights expert Cory Doctorow's site www.craphound.com. The forward to Little Brother (winner of several YA awards and shortlisted for several more) explains the Creative Commons ideas far better than I could, so why not download a free copy from him (and if you like it, buy the print version).

Gadget Lovers!

2011-03-22T09:12:00.000-07:00

Posted by Kat

My husband and I love gadgets! Probably, me more than him. I don't know why. We don't lead extremely busy lives. We're both retired. We like being retired.

I like to "fidget" with things. To see what I can make them do, to "outsmart" them (this seldom happens). To see what they can't do. I like knowing that I can work them, even if I don't need them. Yes, I know, that's crazy.

Let's see, we have two desktop computers, an iPad, a Wii, a Blu-ray player, a portable DVD player, and a Nintendo DS game player. I have a cell phone, a Honda UV with a Navigation System and a rear-view camera and a brand new Nikon D3100 Digital Camera. We also have one of those digital picture frames, but I can't find it since our last move.

Ok. The facts. We use the desktop computers every day. My husband uses the iPad every day. I don't remember the last time he used the portable DVD player. We use the Blu-ray player for DVD movies and to download movies from the internet. We also use the Wii to play games when the grandkids are here and to download movies from the internet. I have never used the Nintendo DS game player, but my husband uses it to keep his brain busy at times. I do love and use my Navigation System, and the rear-view camera comes in real handy for backing up in a crowded parking lot. I've spent several hours watching the DVD that came with my Nikon camera trying to learn how to use it. I've only used "point-and-shoot" cameras before. I know I'm going to love it, just as soon as I learn how to use it.

I can't wait until the automobiles that park themselves are sold in my price range. By then, they'll probably drive themselves too. I would love to have the built-in DVD players for the backseat of my UV, but no one ever sits back there but my English bulldog, Hannah, and she only watches TV. Oh, yes, we have fold-down steps for her to get in and out of my UV because she's anatomically unable to do so without steps and we are too old to lift her. I'm waiting for a portable escalator to come along any day now. Wouldn't it be great if it could be built right in to the back of the car? Maybe where the spare tire is kept?

I'll never purchase a Kindle or anything like that for reading. I love the feel of a book in my hands. I love to read, to underline, to highlight and read again. I am running out of book shelves, but the library always needs donations.

Email is great, but it's such a thrill to get a handwritten, or even computer written, letter in the mail. A "Thank You" note that is handwritten means so much more than a digital one. Yes, I'm guilty. To save time, I send those e-cards too, but every time I do, I feel a tug internally. I know that a "thank you" or a "get well" or "happy birthday" card takes looking for just the right card, writing your name in the card, buying a stamp and putting the card in the mail box. All of that takes time and effort. It also takes "caring".

Yes, there is a balance. We need a balance in our lives of gadgets and heart. A gadget may do it faster, but not always better. A gadget may engage my mind, but not my soul. A gadget may save me time, but what am I using that time to do?

Perhaps more heart and fewer gadgets are needed here? That just feels right.

Oh, yes. Gadgets don't "feel" either.

Life's Little Annoyances!

2011-03-21T10:42:00.000-07:00

Posted by Kat

I'm still awaiting the arrival of my Purple Martins. So far I have Bluebirds and Tree Swallows nesting in houses that I've provided. It's so reassuring to see the birds enjoying their dwellings and it gives me such joy to know that in some small way I helped.

I do still have some predator birds, namely Starlings, trying to disrupt this peaceful and joyous demonstration of life in my backyard. They are not indigenous to the United States, and seem to only want to cause trouble.

I suppose that this, too, is a lot like 'life'. I see the Starlings like the little annoyances that come into our lives each day, trying to disrupt our peace and do us harm. I haven't learned how to out-maneuver these things yet, either in my yard or in my life. Each day is a new lesson in balancing the beauty and overcoming the threats to our peace.

If I go outside and clap my hands or make a huge noise of some kind, the Starlings will flee.

I wonder if life's little annoyances would do the same thing if I made a little more noise?

Hmmmmmmmmmm....

Most Senior Blogger

2011-03-16T16:39:00.000-07:00

Posted by Kat

My name is Alice Shevitz, nickname "Kat" and I think I'm the most Senior Blogger at the new Utility Fog Blog. I am Assistant Editor at Utility Fog Press as a result of meeting it's wonderful Editor, Mr. Edwin Rydberg at Writing.com. I assisted in editing Assassin's Canon, a book of exciting assassination short stories by other authors from Writing.com.

I am the author of several poems and short stories published by Long Story Short. The URL to the story is http://www.alongstoryshort.net/Memory.html. I have published humor in The Saturday Evening Post and I am a Preferred Author and Rising Star Sponsor at Writing.com, a website dedicated to and supported by authors worldwide. Learn more about Alice Shevitz at "Kat's Korner for Writers and Readers" at: katkola.ning.com and at http://katkola.writing.com. My other Blog can be found at http://katskountry.blogspot.com.

I will be bringing blogs to Utility Fog Blog from a more senior viewpoint. Notice I said "senior", not older. My life reminds me, at times, of some of the great science fiction movies and books I've come across over the years. Actually, Twilight Zone, would be putting it more accurately.

The science fiction genre is not my first home, but I have been made to feel at home there thanks to the wonderful people at Utility Fog Press.

My blogs will be more about my daily life, the views I see from here (in my 60's!), and my experiences along this unpredictable journey.

I think my outlook (in the day-to-day living of life) will be markedly different than the other wonderfully younger folk here, but I know that there are others out there, who, like me, love experiencing a world that we've not grown comfortable in yet ... a world filled with new imaginings and other-worldly events ... a world we are only now realizing may, indeed, be the world of the future.

I hope you enjoy seeing me around here. I look forward to seeing and hearing from you.

Welcome

2011-03-12T10:16:00.000-08:00

Posted by Sarah Holroyd

As this is my first post, I suppose introductions are in order. I'm Sarah, the copy editor for Utility Fog Press. I met Edwin through the website Writing.com and have been involved with the press nearly from its beginning. I've worked on all three anthologies published to date, and I plan to have my fingers in many more to come. I enjoy reading the works of new authors with each anthology, and I look forward to the opportunity to help polish each story so that it shines from the pages. I'm quite proud of the work we do, and the opportunity the anthologies present for new and established authors. In addition to my work with Utility Fog Press, I freelance as a copy editor and proofreader, both for independent authors and for small publishers. I'm also beginning to push into the field of interior book design using Adobe InDesign. My first design effort (A Dickens Christmas: A Christmas Carol and Other Stories) is available through CreateSpace and Amazon.com. I've published a couple of my own short stories, and continue to try to find homes for others. I have a couple of novels in progress, and perhaps someday I'll actually finish one of them. Until then, I live vicariously through the authors whose manuscripts see publication with my assistance, and although these works aren't exactly my "babies," I have a growing shelf of such "nieces and nephews."

To Be Franks

2011-03-11T14:42:00.000-08:00

Posted by Jason Franks

Hey all, and welcome to Utility Fog.

I'm Jason Franks, a writer of genre fiction and comics probably best known for the graphic novel The Sixsmiths (SLG Publishing 2010). I write fiction in most of the genres: SF, fantasy, horror, crime. Often in a comedic way; just as often not. I am also the publisher of the small press comics imprint Blackglass Press, which is best known for the Kagemono series of horror anthologies.

My story 'XDA Zai: TheWild Hunt' appears in the Assassin's Canon anthology. My friend Joshua Reynolds, pulp writer extraordinaire, brought the existence of the book to my attention while Edwin was looking for submissions and it seemed as if it was going to be right up my alley. Fromt he outset I was impressed by the inclusiveness of the guidelines: it didn't matter which genres the story engaged, so long as it was in theme.

Genre is always a bugbear of mine. My work often tends to fall into multiple genres and, the way the market has narrowed and splintered, this can often make it hard to place. I "XDA Zai: The Wild Hunt" overlaps the SF, fantasy and travel genres in equal proportion... and I hope that it has some funny moments, too.

Perhaps I will talk more about the story in a future post, but that's who I am and why I am here.

Cheers!

-- Jason Franks

Welcome, from Edwin H Rydberg

2011-03-09T09:31:00.000-08:00

Posted by Edwin H Rydberg

Welcome to the new Utility Fog Press blog. I'm founder and chief editor of Utility Fog Press, Edwin H Rydberg. I'm predominantly a science fiction writer and digital artist when not compiling anthologies. I also dabble in web design and comics.

I originally established Utility Fog Press as an outlet for some of the better amateur writing I saw on Writing.com. This was the entire focus of the Farspace 1 anthology. Since then Utility Fog Press has produced two other anthologies: Assassins' Canon and Farspace 2 that include some truly excellent new stories from up and coming writers around the world.

Realizing that Utility Fog Press had attracted a wide variety of writers, editors and publishers, from such varied locations as Canada, US, UK, and Australia, and that out experiences might be interesting to other amateurs/semi-pros, we have come together to jointly produce the new Utilty Fog Press blog.

In addition to bringing you updates on Utility Fog Press business, our goal is to share some of our story creation experiences, personal insights into the process, as well as giving our impressions of events we attend around the globe. We also hope to build a community of writers after all, this can be a lonely business, but it doesn't have to be.

We'd be happy if you followed us in our journey, and hopefully we will all learn something from one another.