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Review Date: 1/20/2016
Am an 'old' long-time SF reader. Amazingly, I didn't dislike ANY of the stories in The Alien Chronicles--I actually liked em all. A few of the stories were so outstanding that I immediately made a note of the author name for future book/story searches. Most of the authors were new to me, except for Hugh Howey and a couple of others. I highly recommend this anthology, plus any of the other Future Chronicles series anthologies. So...go on, get busy, get this book and get reading.
Review Date: 11/15/2016
...a howling success, lol...Travis Tea is a pseudonym for a group of about thirty (mostly) science fiction and fantasy authors who were amused by PublishAmerica's claim (at their authorsmarket.net site) that SF & F authors are "writers who erroneously believe that SciFi, because it is set in a distant future, does not require believable storylines, or that Fantasy, because it is set in conditions that have never existed, does not need believable every-day characters".
Atlanta Nights is a collaborative novel, banged out over a long weekend in 2004 by these amused authors, writing it as ineptly as they could, with the express purpose of producing an unpublishably bad piece of work, so as to test whether publishing firm PublishAmerica would still accept it. Plot, characterization, theme...none of them are to be found in ATLANTA NIGHTS. Grammar and spelling take a drubbing. The book was submitted to PublishAmerica--and it was accepted; after the hoax was revealed, the publisher withdrew its offer.
The distinctive flaws of Atlanta Nights include nonidentical chapters written by two different authors from the same segment of outline (13 and 15), a missing chapter (21), two chapters that are word-for-word identical to each other (4 and 17), two different chapters with the same chapter number (12 and 12), and a chapter "written" by a computer program that generated random text based on patterns found in the previous chapters (34). Characters change gender and race; they die and reappear without explanation. Spelling and grammar are nonstandard and the formatting is inconsistent. The initials of characters who were named in the book spelled out the phrase "PublishAmerica is a vanity press". The finale revealed that all the previous events of the plot had been a dream, although the book continues for several more chapters.
The authors subsequently published the book through print on demand publisher Lulu under the pseudonym "Travis Tea" with all profits going to the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America Emergency Medical Fund. Teresa Nielsen Hayden's review said, "The world is full of bad books written by amateurs. But why settle for the merely regrettable? Atlanta Nights is a bad book written by experts".
Contents: The authors of the chapters of this book include:
Chapter 1 - Sherwood Smith
Chapter 2 - James D. Macdonald
Chapter 3 - Sheila Finch
Chapter 4 - Charles Coleman Finlay
Chapter 5 - Julia West
Chapter 6 - Brook West
Chapter 7 - Adam-Troy Castro
Chapter 8 - Allen Steele
Chapter 9 - Alan Rodgers
Chapter 10 - Mary Catelli
Chapter 11 - Andrew Burt
Chapter 12 - Victoria Strauss
Chapter 12 - Shira Daemon (There are two "Chapter 12"s)
Chapter 13 - Vera Nazarian
Chapter 14 - Sean P. Fodera
Chapter 15 - Teresa Nielsen Hayden
Chapter 16 - Ken Houghton
Chapter 17 - Charles Coleman Finlay (Identical to Chapter 4)
Chapter 18 - M. Turville Heitz
Chapter 19 - Kevin O'Donnell, Jr
Chapter 20 - Chuck Rothman
Chapter 22 - Laura J. Underwood (Chapter 21 was "missing")
Chapter 23 - Jena Snyder
Chapter 24 - Paul Melko
Chapter 25 - Tina Kuzminski
Chapter 26 - Ted Kuzminski
Chapter 27 - Megan Lindholm/Robin Hobb
Chapter 28 - Danica and Brook West
Chapter 29 - Rowan and Julia West
Chapter 30 - Derryl Murphy
Chapter 31 - Michael Armstrong
Chapter 32 - Pierce Askegren
Chapter 33 - Deanna Hoak
Chapter 34 - Computer-generated by the software Bonsai Story Generator
Chapter 35 - Catherine Mintz
Chapter 36 - Peter Heck
Chapter 37 - M. Turville Heitz
Chapter 38 -
Chapter 39 - Brenda Clough
Chapter 40 - Judi B. Castro
Chapter 41 - Terry McGarry
Afterword (Atlanta Nights) essay by James D. Macdonald
.
Atlanta Nights is a collaborative novel, banged out over a long weekend in 2004 by these amused authors, writing it as ineptly as they could, with the express purpose of producing an unpublishably bad piece of work, so as to test whether publishing firm PublishAmerica would still accept it. Plot, characterization, theme...none of them are to be found in ATLANTA NIGHTS. Grammar and spelling take a drubbing. The book was submitted to PublishAmerica--and it was accepted; after the hoax was revealed, the publisher withdrew its offer.
The distinctive flaws of Atlanta Nights include nonidentical chapters written by two different authors from the same segment of outline (13 and 15), a missing chapter (21), two chapters that are word-for-word identical to each other (4 and 17), two different chapters with the same chapter number (12 and 12), and a chapter "written" by a computer program that generated random text based on patterns found in the previous chapters (34). Characters change gender and race; they die and reappear without explanation. Spelling and grammar are nonstandard and the formatting is inconsistent. The initials of characters who were named in the book spelled out the phrase "PublishAmerica is a vanity press". The finale revealed that all the previous events of the plot had been a dream, although the book continues for several more chapters.
The authors subsequently published the book through print on demand publisher Lulu under the pseudonym "Travis Tea" with all profits going to the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America Emergency Medical Fund. Teresa Nielsen Hayden's review said, "The world is full of bad books written by amateurs. But why settle for the merely regrettable? Atlanta Nights is a bad book written by experts".
Contents: The authors of the chapters of this book include:
Chapter 1 - Sherwood Smith
Chapter 2 - James D. Macdonald
Chapter 3 - Sheila Finch
Chapter 4 - Charles Coleman Finlay
Chapter 5 - Julia West
Chapter 6 - Brook West
Chapter 7 - Adam-Troy Castro
Chapter 8 - Allen Steele
Chapter 9 - Alan Rodgers
Chapter 10 - Mary Catelli
Chapter 11 - Andrew Burt
Chapter 12 - Victoria Strauss
Chapter 12 - Shira Daemon (There are two "Chapter 12"s)
Chapter 13 - Vera Nazarian
Chapter 14 - Sean P. Fodera
Chapter 15 - Teresa Nielsen Hayden
Chapter 16 - Ken Houghton
Chapter 17 - Charles Coleman Finlay (Identical to Chapter 4)
Chapter 18 - M. Turville Heitz
Chapter 19 - Kevin O'Donnell, Jr
Chapter 20 - Chuck Rothman
Chapter 22 - Laura J. Underwood (Chapter 21 was "missing")
Chapter 23 - Jena Snyder
Chapter 24 - Paul Melko
Chapter 25 - Tina Kuzminski
Chapter 26 - Ted Kuzminski
Chapter 27 - Megan Lindholm/Robin Hobb
Chapter 28 - Danica and Brook West
Chapter 29 - Rowan and Julia West
Chapter 30 - Derryl Murphy
Chapter 31 - Michael Armstrong
Chapter 32 - Pierce Askegren
Chapter 33 - Deanna Hoak
Chapter 34 - Computer-generated by the software Bonsai Story Generator
Chapter 35 - Catherine Mintz
Chapter 36 - Peter Heck
Chapter 37 - M. Turville Heitz
Chapter 38 -
Chapter 39 - Brenda Clough
Chapter 40 - Judi B. Castro
Chapter 41 - Terry McGarry
Afterword (Atlanta Nights) essay by James D. Macdonald
.
Review Date: 3/31/2021
...well, reluctantly, gave this a 1 1/2 star review because it was so disappointing to read. Book had an interesting premise/blurb, but author wasn't able to adequately develop the story, imho. Nice cover but crummy formatting. ugh. Not gonna try any of author's other titles.
Review Date: 9/2/2021
...another excellent SF short story anthology. I was gifted with a free eBk. So...when I began reading, I prepared self with pen & paper to write down unfamiliar author names so as to investigate more of their writings, should I like their story in Beyond the Stars: Across the Universe. Oh my, I feel almost silly stating this, but...I LIKED ALL THE STORIES. ummm, amazing, eh? A few were superlative, imho. Yes...do buy this book, 'e' or paper. It's GOOD. I intend to buy a paperback copy to have on my shelf, and re-read selected stories again, later. YippeeSkippy...
Review Date: 9/21/2020
How much to just GUSH about how much I LOVED THESE STORIES? So...Suggestion: get your hands on a copy of this latest anthology Beyond the Stars: Infinite Expanse pdq! (eBk or paperback copy, because, in this case, it really doesn't matter if it's an eBk or paper, it's SUCH a FABULOUS read. [I'm ummm-old'er, and really prefer a paper book in my hands, but....])
I was gifted with a free eBk. So. When I began reading, I got three stories in and had to STOP...and get pad and pencil, to record author names, works, and websites. YippeeSkippie! Most of the authors were new to me so I have a bunch of good reading ahead as I investigate these authors. Especially interesting were the author-written postscripts to each story. So, get your copy and get set for some enjoyable reading ahead.
(fyi: Here's a tidbit I didn't know before now: Patrice Fitzgerald releases Beyond The Stars every year on her birthday - it's a gift to her fans.) Thanks for the stories, Patrice!
I was gifted with a free eBk. So. When I began reading, I got three stories in and had to STOP...and get pad and pencil, to record author names, works, and websites. YippeeSkippie! Most of the authors were new to me so I have a bunch of good reading ahead as I investigate these authors. Especially interesting were the author-written postscripts to each story. So, get your copy and get set for some enjoyable reading ahead.
(fyi: Here's a tidbit I didn't know before now: Patrice Fitzgerald releases Beyond The Stars every year on her birthday - it's a gift to her fans.) Thanks for the stories, Patrice!
Review Date: 2/4/2017
NOT the Kryon/Lee Carroll. THIS Lee Carroll is pseudonym of novelist Carol Goodman and her poet husband Lee Slonimsky
Bug-Eyed Monsters and Bimbos: A Hilarious Collection of Parodies by Some of the Greatest Writers of Science Fiction
Author:
Book Type: Paperback
1
Author:
Book Type: Paperback
1
Review Date: 6/26/2016
Re Bug-Eyed Monsters and Bimbos: A Hilarious Collection of Parodies by Some of the Greatest Writers of Science Fiction
Author: Mike Resnick (Editor). This collection was originally titled Shaggy B.E.M. Stories and was compiled exclusively for the 1988 Worldcon (Nolacon II). Seventy-five percent of the original edition sold out over the Worldcon weekend and the rest disappeared soon after. After reading this re-titled reprint, I can see why. So, abandon all hope of keeping a straight face while reading these short stories, from an excellent group of writers who clearly enjoyed their topic. Lots of variety, very tongue in cheek. Full of unexpected gems. There's enough variety that it's worth the time, most have an unusual twist and all were entertaining, and I was introduced to several authors with whom I was unfamiliar and from whom I'd like to read more.
Author: Mike Resnick (Editor). This collection was originally titled Shaggy B.E.M. Stories and was compiled exclusively for the 1988 Worldcon (Nolacon II). Seventy-five percent of the original edition sold out over the Worldcon weekend and the rest disappeared soon after. After reading this re-titled reprint, I can see why. So, abandon all hope of keeping a straight face while reading these short stories, from an excellent group of writers who clearly enjoyed their topic. Lots of variety, very tongue in cheek. Full of unexpected gems. There's enough variety that it's worth the time, most have an unusual twist and all were entertaining, and I was introduced to several authors with whom I was unfamiliar and from whom I'd like to read more.
Review Date: 3/29/2018
Am SO DISAPPOINTED by the book, Refusal...supposed to be book five in the Sid Halley series. I thought Refusal stunk...a sad revisit to beloved character Sid. Ugh. Left a bad taste in my (reading) mouth. The character Sid (in fact, most of the returning characters) received a pretty bad hatchet-job. I admit to finishing the book, tho it was a struggle, and most of the last half was skim read. Been a while since I 'finished' a book that I so intensely disliked, lol. Poor Felix, trying to write in his dad's shadow, and imho, NOT succeeding at it very well. Perhaps he would have been better off, better received as an author, to strike out on his own and develop his own 'writing voice'. Since Felix took over trying to keep his dad's 'name' going, it's just not been the same. Well, Felix ISN'T his dad. Felix thinks and writes differently, but hasn't developed his own style yet...still trying, not very well, to copy his very successful dad's style. Sorry, doubt I'll be acquiring/reading any more books authored by Felix, especially after that HORRIBLE hatchet-job on Sid in Refusal.
Review Date: 5/28/2016
Mike Resnick writes: This collection was originally titled Shaggy B.E.M. Stories and was compiled exclusively for the 1988 Worldcon (Nolacon II). Seventy-five percent of the original edition sold out over the Worldcon weekend and the rest disappeared soon after.
...after a dozen years or so...decided it was time to bring it out again, ...was sold to Byron Preiss, who promptly re-titled it Dirty Rotten Aliens. Money changed hands...paid all the writers a second time--and then Byron was killed in a tragic accident, and the book never came out..
The collection of stories (the second edition, proudly wearing yet its third title) now available this time: Bug-Eyed Monsters and Bimbos, published by Phoenix Pick Sep2011.
https://books.google.com/books?id=zbH0AAAAQBAJ&pg=PA190&dq=Dirty+Rotten+Aliens,+Resnick&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiu7tTmnpvNAhVX9GMKHQliAJUQ6AEIIzAB#v=onepage&q=Dirty%20Rotten%20Aliens%2C%20Resnick&f=false
.
...after a dozen years or so...decided it was time to bring it out again, ...was sold to Byron Preiss, who promptly re-titled it Dirty Rotten Aliens. Money changed hands...paid all the writers a second time--and then Byron was killed in a tragic accident, and the book never came out..
The collection of stories (the second edition, proudly wearing yet its third title) now available this time: Bug-Eyed Monsters and Bimbos, published by Phoenix Pick Sep2011.
https://books.google.com/books?id=zbH0AAAAQBAJ&pg=PA190&dq=Dirty+Rotten+Aliens,+Resnick&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiu7tTmnpvNAhVX9GMKHQliAJUQ6AEIIzAB#v=onepage&q=Dirty%20Rotten%20Aliens%2C%20Resnick&f=false
.
Review Date: 4/8/2018
Just LOVE cats and cat stories, and nice wizards too. Finally, Winston and Ruby stories in a nice hold'able paperback edition. For a holiday treat to self I'd bought 4 eBooks of the Winston and Ruby series, for the second time ever buying estuff...as I vastly prefer PAPER books that I can hold/sniff/touch...and pick up, flip thru and read at any time. SO HAPPY to finally have a paper copy! yippeeskippy... Looking forward to even more stories in the series...
Review Date: 6/30/2015
A grab-you who-dun-it. Thoroughly enjoyed this book. (can't even quibble about not really liking the ending, 'cause, imho, that happens sometimes, eh?) What's not to like...story has beautiful Montana scenery, snow, horses (not enough horses, lol) mystery & intrigue, more than one 'go-get-em-gal, dudes, beer, etc. It's been said that folks either love or hate Butte. I've lived in Butte MT...loved it. Really liked reading of places in the story that I recognized/remembered. Liked the various elements in the story and the nearly-at-the-ending twist. Hope author keeps writing and publishing.
Note: I was provided with a free e-copy of this book so I could give an honest review.
ps: SPOILER, somewhat.
I'm heartbroken that the M & M has closed...it's the end of an era, imho, the ending of a part of Butte history. I've spent many a time sitting at the counter watching the short-order cook--watching the sharp old waitress. Customers would stand around waiting for a counter spot to open up. That ol waitress would see a couple of folks that wanted to sit together, and there being only a couple of singleton seats at the counter, she'd pick up a customer's plate, often catching him between bites, tell him to bring his fork...and just shift him right down the counter to open up two spots together. Loved it.
Note: I was provided with a free e-copy of this book so I could give an honest review.
ps: SPOILER, somewhat.
I'm heartbroken that the M & M has closed...it's the end of an era, imho, the ending of a part of Butte history. I've spent many a time sitting at the counter watching the short-order cook--watching the sharp old waitress. Customers would stand around waiting for a counter spot to open up. That ol waitress would see a couple of folks that wanted to sit together, and there being only a couple of singleton seats at the counter, she'd pick up a customer's plate, often catching him between bites, tell him to bring his fork...and just shift him right down the counter to open up two spots together. Loved it.
Review Date: 3/12/2016
As of 12Mar2016, researching to locate, this isbn doesn't appear to be available anywhere. 9781935183013 193518301X
Review Date: 1/9/2017
Helpful Score: 2
fyi, as per the author at: https://chelseacain.com/blog/where-can-i-buy-kick-back
Agent & author left Simon & Schuster. The title "Kick Back" cancelled.
Series to be continued at Putnam Publishers. New title(s) to be announced sometime in the future. [info as of Jan2017]
Agent & author left Simon & Schuster. The title "Kick Back" cancelled.
Series to be continued at Putnam Publishers. New title(s) to be announced sometime in the future. [info as of Jan2017]
Review Date: 4/3/2021
re 'Lady Hellgate'...As per the author: This book is out of print, forever, though Amazon persists to list it on their store thus forcing me to pen this message. - Greg Dragon
Lady Hellgate has been rewritten as a series and can be found by searching for "Last of the Nighthawks" or at author website.
Lady Hellgate has been rewritten as a series and can be found by searching for "Last of the Nighthawks" or at author website.
Review Date: 4/3/2021
As per the author, Charles Stross: The Lambda Functionary (????) Originally planned for 2014, this book is now cancelled (and was replaced in the publishing queue by "The Rhesus Chart"). It's impossible to write predictive near-future SF set in Scotland right now; Scotland is in the grip of a political Singularity this decade, and the setting has been overtaken by reality.. Scroll down 2/3's page at author's site, to The Lambda Functionary (????): http://www.antipope.org/charlie/blog-static/fiction/faq.html
Review Date: 2/17/2016
IMHO, Mason's Rats is a fascinating story idea. This is a 36page booklet, of three Mason's Rats stories I, II & III. A 'Mason's Rats' story can be found in: Year's Best SF 11, David G. Hartwell & Kathryn Cramer (Editors) Jun2006 mmp 0060873418; and two Mason's Rats short stories, " Mason's Rats: Black Rat" and "Mason's Rats: Autotractor", are in: The Solaris Book of New Science Fiction: Volume Two, George Mann (Editor) Mar2008 mmp 1844165426
Review Date: 9/1/2015
Excellent well plotted, written, assembled and edited short story anthology, part of the ongoing Fiction River themed series. Stories in this book incorporate a moon as part of their overall theme. Kristine Kathryn Rusch's story (part of her continuing Retrieval Artist series) stands out.
Fiction River publishes stories in many genres from all kinds of writers, with New York Times bestselling authors published alongside some of the best new voices in fiction. Fiction River also goes where no anthology series has gone before
Fiction River publishes stories in many genres from all kinds of writers, with New York Times bestselling authors published alongside some of the best new voices in fiction. Fiction River also goes where no anthology series has gone before
Review Date: 6/11/2016
This collection, titled Shaggy B.E.M. Stories, was compiled exclusively for the 1988 Worldcon (Nolacon II). Seventy-five percent of the original edition sold out over the Worldcon weekend and the rest disappeared soon after.
The collection of stories is now available titled: Bug-Eyed Monsters and Bimbos, published by Phoenix Pick Sep2011.
.
The collection of stories is now available titled: Bug-Eyed Monsters and Bimbos, published by Phoenix Pick Sep2011.
.
Review Date: 2/4/2017
NOT the Kryon/Lee Carroll. THIS Lee Carroll is pseudonym of novelist Carol Goodman and her poet husband Lee Slonimsky
Review Date: 5/27/2016
A delightful book. Clear, precise easy-to-follow instructions that de-mystify the making of those intimidating marvelous creations...cream puffs, with plenty of helpful colorful photos. Plus an essential troubleshooting guide at the back of the book.
Currently (mid-2016) available at Amazon as a Kindle download. (perhaps sometime in future will be available in a paper edition)
0848744799 Simply Sweet Dream Puffs Shockingly Easy Fun-Filled Treats, Barbara Schieving.
BarbaraBakes
Barbara on Facebook
PresureCooking
Currently (mid-2016) available at Amazon as a Kindle download. (perhaps sometime in future will be available in a paper edition)
0848744799 Simply Sweet Dream Puffs Shockingly Easy Fun-Filled Treats, Barbara Schieving.
BarbaraBakes
Barbara on Facebook
PresureCooking
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