Tag: LGBTI

Long Haul Writing

~ emmakosborne ~ 4 Comments

I mostly write short stories. In the last couple of years I’ve been writing and editing and submitting and editing and submitting and reworking and trunking and occasionally finding success and writing and editing poems and short pieces of fantasy, horror and SF. This year, I’ve had a couple of things come out (in places like Apex Magazine and Bastion SF, no less!) which has been very exciting and fun. I still have a story due out shortly at Shock Totem…

Aaaaaaaand that’s about it. Nothing out on sub, except a reprint. I’m waiting for a couple of markets to re-open, and I’ve been tinkering with some stories, but mostly, I’ve been clawing my way through draft zero of the novel I’m working on.

The first 25,000 words were pretty breezy. I knocked out quite a bit during Nanowrimo last year (although November is basically MONTH OF DEATH for my day job, so that kinda makes it difficult).

Let me tell you, the next 10,000 words or so were like simultaneously pulling teeth and fingernails whilst riding a large excitable dog and trying to put on eyeliner.*

Luckily for me (and anyone who spends time in my company) things are getting (slightly) easier. I think I’ve finally broken through the tricky bits and the end is in sight.

So, with a bit of work and luck, I’ll have my draft finished by October, which is the deadline Chuck Wendig gave me.

He’s promised to steal the idea if I don’t write it all down by then, the bastard.**

So! Wish me luck writing my rather queer YA science fiction adventure! I’m having a blast and I hope that I manage to pull it off!

 

 

*I am really, REALLY not good at this. It’s basically an awful lot of poking and cursing.

**I actually wildly adore Chuck and would never question his lineage.

 

Zip out at Bastion Science Fiction Magazine/Yay Diversity in SF!

~ emmakosborne ~ 1 Comment

I’m very happy to announce that my short story Zip has recently been released in Bastion Science Fiction Magazine’s fifth issue!

August_cover

Cover art by Milan Jaram

You can download the issue right here, for less than the price of a cup of coffee:

Bastion SF Issue #5

There are some wonderful stories within, so please do check it out if you can. It is so lovely for me to show people my stories, as writing is so often a solitary process.

Bastion SF have been a delight to work with, and have been incredibly supportive and encouraging of my work. They are proud and excited to publish my military SF story, which, unlike many, features a gay protagonist yearning for his lost love. My story also includes a genderqueer character, which was also something they were very happy to see.

There has been a lot of talk about diversity in science fiction and fantasy lately, and I think we can all agree that diversity in race, gender, sexuality and religion is only ever going to make the field stronger. I’m very happy that my story can in some small way contribute to this diversification.

I’m lucky enough to have been positively reviewed already – Alexis A Hunter blogged about issue #5 kindly saying the following:

This story had to be my very favorite of the issue. It’s hard to find a single thing to dislike about this one. It hit all my favorite buttons: military sci-fi, a gay protagonist, so much glorious tech perfectly woven in, and true heart, true meaning.

I’m so happy that this story has struck a chord with people, and I’d like to thank Bastion SF for being amazingly positive about it all!

To everyone who has gone out of their way to purchase an issue, thank you. And thank you also to the spectacular people who critiqued the story for me. You guys are the best.