I Was Blind, But Now I Can See November 14, 2005 – Posted in: Aberrant Normalcy, Sybil's Garage

Roy Batty's Eye?This is the last Monday slush pile update before we close on November 20th to new subs. Look to this blog for updates on the status of Sybil’s Garage #3. Here’s the current status:

About 145 submissions to date.

About 126 rejections sent.

16 items in the candidate pile.

About 9 stories & poems accepted.

Once the submission process ends, we head into layout phase. Contracts go out to the contributors and then we get down into the nitty gritty of the actual layout. No spoilers here, but a friend has offered a mighty excellent photo for the cover. Do you know this man? Perhaps you do.

Flying kitten

I am a heterosexual man who loves cats. Over the weekend I bought a book about kittens. (It’s really intended as a gift for someone else, but I couldn’t help thumbing through it). The book contains such wonderful gems as:

“No trick involving high jumps should be taught until the kitten’s body is mature enough. In addition, never train your cat to perform a dangerous trick.”

“Teaching your cat to jump through a hoop is not as difficult as it may seem.”

“As your kitten matures, it will take on an air of majesty and serenity.”

I like puppies to and all sorts of soft and furry creatures. (Please, no jokes here.) Cat’s are cool because they’re totally independent except when they want something from you. Then they become helpless babies that you have to rescue. They’ve discovered the secret: tap into the human’s parenting gene.

Interzone with Lauren McLaughlinIn other news, my friend Lauren McLaughlin’s story is out in the current Interzone. Way to go Lauren, you name’s on the cover! Woo-hoo! Now all I have to do is go out and buy a copy.

As you may have already heard, the much lauded SciFiction website, which for years has provided the community with award winning fiction is being closed down by the short-sighted fools at Sci-Fi Channel. Ellen Datlow has written a farewell message (link at top of page.) I’m sure she’ll find a nice home for herself in another respected publication soon.