In November, I posted a list of my award eligible stories for 2017. It always feels a bit strange, tooting my own horn like that, but it’s been a great year for me as a writer, and sometimes a list is a nice way to reflect on that, no matter whether it’s awards season or not.
Stories & interviews
My story Hare’s Breath, published in issue #39 of Shimmer, appeared online in October. Read it. You can also by buy issue #39 (with stories by Sonya Taaffe, Brian Holguin, and Natalia Theodoridou), or, even better!, subscribe to this wonderful zine! For more about my story, you can read my extended story notes for ‘Hare’s Breath’.
I’ve been really moved by the response to Hare’s Breath: it was a difficult story to write, and I’m happy that a lot of people have connected with it. The story has been added by some kind soul to the Nebula Award Suggested Reading List at SFWA. My flash fiction piece The Machine of the Devil, published earlier this year in Flash Fiction Online (read it), is also on this list. Needless to say, I’m VERY excited about this!
My flash fiction collection Dark Flash 2, with all the stories I wrote for R.B. Wood’s Word Count Podcast this year, is available for pre-order, and will be released on December 4th. Read all about it. Pre-order: Amazon / Amazon UK / Amazon CA / Amazon Australia / Smashwords / Barnes & Noble / Apple iBooks / Kobo.
A new interview with me is available to read at the Samovar Magazine blog. Read it. I talk about writing and publishing, and about my story The Gates of Balawat, published earlier this fall also in Samovar Magazine. You can read both the Swedish and English versions of that story in Samovar: The Gates of Balawat / Balawats portar.
In case you missed it at the end of September, the awesome Chloe N. Clark interviewed me for her Tiny Letter. Read it. (And sign up for her letter while you’re at it! She always has amazing stuff going on.)
Also at the end of September, my story The Wayfinder & His Sister appeared on the amazing YA-podcast Cast of Wonders as part of Banned Books Week. (Read my story-notes.) Give it a listen for the wonderful narration by Leigh Wallace and Christiana Ellis. Listen to the story.
Since my last bi-monthly recap, I’ve written one story for R.B. Wood’s Word Count Podcast:
Story & poetry sales
My flash fiction piece In the Rose Garden, has made the shortlist for Shoreline of Infinity‘s flash fiction contest. The winners and runners-up will be announced in the upcoming issue of the magazine. Read all about it.
My story A Strange Heart, Set in Feldspar, was accepted for an upcoming anthology with stories about abandoned places. I was actually approached to write for this anthology (that was a thrill in itself!), and I’m so happy the story made the cut. It’s set in Sweden, it deals with family and it’s a bit of a strange tale. Can’t wait to share this one! More details coming soon!
In terrific reprint news, my science fiction story Long As I Can See The Light, originally published in the anthology People Are Strange, will be included in the upcoming Alien Invasion anthology from Flametree Publishing. Read all about it. You can pre-order this gorgeous-looking book from Amazon.
I also sold my poem Mother of the Living Wood. More details coming soon about that!
Reviews
Charles Payseur reviewed Hare’s Breath at Quick Sip Reviews (read the review), and had some very nice things to say about it: “It’s wrenching and it’s difficult and it does a great job of building up the scope and scale and reach of what has been done, of the damage inflicted in the name of the status quo. And it leaves its stain on the landscape, as well, though it’s a bit more subtle—the creeping shadows, the feel of deep water, and the image of a hare at the edge of the woods, ready to bolt.”
Bits & bobs
If you’re looking for award-worthy stories from 2017, you can look through my Monthly Short Fiction Roundups for some ideas, or take a look at my 2017 suggested reading list – this list includes short stories, novelettes, novellas, and novels.
Maria Haskins 