The 'Yard' goes analog

Contracts are yet to be signed, a title yet to be settled-upon, and two new stories yet to be written -- but the news is still good, Yard-apes. This weekend, Brett Savory and Sandra Kasturi of the ChiZine machine let me know they're going to publish a story collection of mine.

It'll come out in 2009, from ChiZine Publications. That being ChiZine's new paper-and-ink imprint, just launched last month with Brent Hayward's novel Filaria. Yeah, you could say I'm pretty stoked. Filaria's goddamn gorgeous, and Brett and Sandra reassured me that the collection will be goddamn gorgeous-er -- although we cannot, as I'd suggested, call it Nice Stories for Kids. More than likely, the book you'll all be ordering in limited-edition hardcover this time next year (right?) and again somewhat later in an affordably-priced trade paperback (um, right?) will bear the name of this blog and website:

The Devil's Exercise Yard
Nice Stories for Kids

But there's plenty of time to decide. In the meantime, let me just say it'll be a pleasure to be working with Brett and Sandra and publishing a story collection and having you all buy it when the time comes.

Right?

* * *

Update - April 1

Okay, after a quick email exchange with Brett and Sandra, both of whom have a far better idea on how to sell a collection than I, it probably won't bear the title

The Devil's Exercise Yard
Nice Stories for Kids

but rest assured we'll call it something. And probably not

The Devil's Mud Room
Nice Stories for Kids

either. Although so far Sandra likes that one best...

To the Stars!

That being one translation for Ad Astra, although not, in this case, the pertinent one, which reads more like: To the early spring science fiction/fantasy (and horror, a bit) convention taking place in Toronto this weekend! It's at the Crown Plaza Toronto Don Valley Hotel (1250 Eglinton Avenue East) from March 28-30. For more details, there's a website, here.

I'm going to be there, and doing some panels. For those of you who want to see me (or help build my self-esteem by packing my reading, about which there is more below), here's my schedule:

	David Nickle	Sat 10:00 AM	Ballr. East	Harry Potter: A Look Back
	David Nickle	Sat 3:00 PM	Ballr. West	Collaborating
	David Nickle	Sat 8:00 PM	Salon 443	Horror: How Far is Too Far?
	David Nickle	Sun 12:30 PM	Salon 443	Reading

Now, on to the reading. In honor of the overall science fiction/fantasy theme of the convention, this year I'm not going to read a slimy, be-tentacled horror story. I'm going to be reading just a bit of a slimy, be-tentacled science fiction story, the aforementioned "Wylde's Kingdom" novelette that will be appearing in Tesseracts Twelve this fall. Somewhat sooner than that, I'm going to post a bit of it online, and when that happens, I'll probably illustrate it with many cheesy photoshopped teasers, like this one here.


So. Sunday, 12:30, Salon 443. To the stars.

Speaking of cats...

... in the service of keeping the Yard current, and cat-friendly - here's another slice-of-life animation from the fellow who brought you the last cat cartoon on this blog.

Well, I guess it's out of the bag...

... the cat, I mean, now that facebook pal and horror writer/editor Brett Savory has made public, complete with flattering facebook photo, my participation in ChiZine/Leisure's 14th Short Story contest. So here it is: This week, I graciously accepted Brett's invitation to join a panel of judges to look over short stories submitted to ChiZine and Leisure's competition.

Unwittingly, I also apparently accepted a challenge from Mr. Savory to a blogging duel at dawn, at 20 paces with trolled facebook photos.

Never let it be said that I am one to shrink from a challenge.