Embroidered Worlds Is Now Live on Kickstarter!

As I was preparing to write this post to announce the launch of our Kickstarter campaign for Embroidered Worlds: Fantastic Fiction from Ukraine and the Diaspora, I realized that it was almost exactly 12 years ago (September 2, 2011) that I ran my first Kickstarter campaign, along with artist Madeline Carol Matz, for our comic book, Sticks & Bones. Kickstarter was still a fairly new platform then; nonetheless, it brought together 90 backers who helped us bring that comic, with its beautifully hand-painted pages, to fruition. I love that story, and I am so grateful for the lessons my first Kickstarter taught me about collaboration and creative community.

So much has changed in those 12 years—in the world and in my life. This time, the goal of the kickstarter is to bring Ukrainian stories of the fantastic to a broader audience, in partnership with an indie publisher out of Detroit, Atthis Arts. The executive editor is author E.D.E. Bell, who works alongside managing editor Chris Bell, with the support of a team of friends and associates.

How did a small press in Detroit connect with two editors in Dnipro, Ukraine—Olha Brylova and Iryna Pasko—and one (that’s me) in Chicago? Thanks to some introductions by members of the Science Fiction & Fantasy Writers Association, writers who are living and fighting and writing though a war were able to connect with an indie publisher passionate about championing diverse and authentic voices.

You can hear from those two Ukrainian editors on the Kickstarter video (link below in the comments), and from me (I appear at the end!)  It is an honor to work alongside them and the publishers to bring you this anthology. I would have loved to discover such a collection of stories when I was young. Back in the 1980s, I could find little contemporary Ukrainian fiction, due to Soviet censorship and propaganda. I was hungry for those stories; that is part of what motivated me to start writing my own, and it is also a big reason why I am editing this anthology today.

In this terrible invasion that is part of its ongoing colonialism, Russia is trying to erase Ukraine, her people, her culture, her history, her language, her stories. Art and writing are very much an act of resistance. Science fiction, fantasy, horror, weird, and experimental genres of literature have long allowed writers to tell imaginative stories that also comment on injustice, provide an escape, celebrate authentic expression, challenge assumptions, defy stereotypes, and suggest possibilities other than the one we are living through today.

That is powerful. Stories are powerful, and that power grows when the stories are shared. Please help us to share these stories in any way you are able. There are different options on the Kickstarter campaign, and there are so many social media channels and community organizations that can help to spread the word. Reach out to me on this site if you have questions; I will do my best to answer them or find someone who can.

Thank you for your time and support. Slava Ukraini!

Writers and Nebulas

If you’re involved with publishing or books in some way or another, you likely know that BEA (BookExpo America) is in Chicago this year (May 11-13). What you may not know is that there’s another literary event overlapping as well. The Nebula Conference is in Chicago on May 12-15 and will feature seminars and panel discussions on the craft and business of writing.

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There is no one path to being a writer (except for the work of writing and revising). Some of us have gone through MFA or PhD programs. Some of us come from backgrounds in journalism or advertising. We are lawyers, teachers, therapists, burlesque dancers, parents, doctors, baristas, puppeteers. We have varied experiences, perspectives, and skill sets. Conventions and conferences give us the opportunity to learn from one another, and the Nebula Conference has assembled an impressive array of topics that are timely and relevant.

Here’s a sampling of the programming options for writers who register for the Nebula Conference Weekend:

Best Practices for an Author Website

Commissioning, Working With, and Compensating Expert Readers

Understanding Translation

Fighting the Harassment Game

Patreon

Podcasting for Writers

Language as Rebellion

Historical Research from the Margins

The Moral Responsibility of the Storyteller

Day Jobs for Writers

What Teens Are Looking for in YA Literature

The Future of Racism

Promotional Bootcamp

BarCon and other Secret Handshakes

So you want an assistant…

Western Narratives, There is No Single Voice in The West, So Why Do Only Hear From One?

Defense Against The Dark Arts: Protecting Yourself and Others From Harassment Online

Literary EstatesPart I and II (pre-reg required)

How to Give an Effective Reading

hodgman1Celebrating its 50th anniversary, the annual SFWA Nebula Conference will be held at the Palmer House and will include professional programming, receptions, and an awards banquet and ceremony with Toastmaster John Hodgman.

On May 13, a mass autographing session will also take place at the Palmer House that is FREE and open to the public. You can view the list of participants here.  (I’ll be there with Stephen signing copies of Geek Parenting! Stop by and say hello!)

While the organization sponsoring the weekend, SFWA, is a professional organization for authors of science fiction, fantasy and related genres, the programming and speakers participating in the conference are pertinent to all manner of professional writers. From freelancing to social media, digital assets to agents—these topics transcend genre and will be presented by professional writers, editors, lawyers, and social media specialists.   

More information about the SFWA Nebula Conference can be found at: http://www.sfwa.org/nebula-awards/2016-nebula-conference/

 Autographing

Writers in Chicago in the Summertime

Next month, Chicago is hosting the 50th Annual Nebula Awards and Nebula Weekend! A few years ago, I had no idea about the rich resources and networking opportunities afforded by something like the Nebulas. I really wish I had known, and so I’m passing this along to writer friends in the Chicagoland area (and those looking for an excuse to visit Chicago…Come!)

The Nebula Weekend is an amazing opportunity, and it rotates cities. This year (the 50th Anniversary!) and next, Chicago will hosting the weekend. (Chicago in June is so lovely–finally warm and sunny, but not yet sweltering. The lake breezes are perfection, and we have such lush, green spaces.)

The panels offered are targeted at authors. There will be a self-publishing workshop on Thursday, and experts are participating throughout the weekend to discuss things like the future of cities, intellectual property law, and selling your work to Hollywood.

On Friday evening, the Mass Autographing session is FREE to the public, with more than 50 authors expected to participate, including Cixin Liu, Larry Niven, Greg Bear, Tobias Buckell, Jody Lynn Nye, Connie Willis, Aliette de Bodard, Daryl Gregory, Mary Robinette Kowal, Ken Liu, Fran Wilde, Alyssa Wong, Usman Tanveer Malik, Sam J. Miller, and so many others!

There’s also the Awards Banquet and Ceremony on Saturday evening with toastmaster Nick Offerman, best known for his role of Ron Swanson on Parks and Recreation!

Incredible writers and editors who are brilliant and inspiring and delightful are coming in from all over the world. So because I adore many of them, and I adore many of you…you should meet!

Do let me know if you’re coming because I will be there all weekend.

Register to attend here! 

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