2018 In Review

The year that was at least three years long.

Apparently it's the season when we recount all we've done in a year, and 2018 was a strange one for me. I don't feel accomplished at all. I don't do the work that garners awards, but nevertheless, here is the work I did.

This spring, Black Static published my novelette "Sanguinary Scar," set in a flooded New York City. It is a story of women, their bodies, and taking back consent.

In May, The Dark reprinted "The Sea Half-Held By Night," set in a bleak Canada where a whaling community is haunted by the horrors it has wrought.

In July, Beneath Ceaseless Skies published "Speak Easy, Suicide Selkies," which is the selkie story I never intended to write. It is about women, their bodies, and taking back consent. I sense a theme here?

This July also saw the publication of The Quartered Heart, the fifth book in my Folley & Mallory series. It has three reviews on Amazon -- "unrelentingly grim," says one reader. I spent most of the year writing the final book in the series (also grim!), which should be out next year from Apokrupha.

This fall, Black Static #65 included "Marrow," which is the little lost drone story you've always been hoping for. I've been told I don't write horror, so I'm not sure how you'd classify this one at all. After the apocalypse, there's a long way left to fall. (Yeah, I forgot to include this in my original post, so this is an edit to add it, holy shit where's my brain. I love this story and if you follow that link above, you can see the smashing artwork it got. TTA Press has sincerely amazing art direction.)

This year, Sword and Sonnet was published; it is a beautiful collection of battle poet stories, all speculative in their natures. I edited this book alongside Aidan Doyle and Rachael K. Jones. I learned a lot in this process, too -- I learned how to trust what I already knew, from all my years at Shimmer.

This year also sees the end of Shimmer, which I can't even type without still tearing up. I have edited Shimmer for twelve years, and it is a hard goodbye, even though it's time. We never did as much as I hoped we would. I have worked with so many wonderful authors, and fellow editors, and have learned much, about myself and others. I learned who liked me for me, and who liked me because I was an editor.

It has been the longest year.

2 thoughts on “2018 In Review

  1. Keith says:

    Hi,
    It was me with the unrelenting grim. I still thought it was amazing and will certainly read the next!
    Thank you for your writing, your editing (yes I read lots of Shimmer) and your life on things!
    Keith

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