"Writing is not necessarily something to be ashamed of, but do it in private and wash your hands afterwards." - Robert A. Heinlein

Tuesday, April 12, 2011

Kizuna: Fiction for Japan - A Charity Anthology... And I'll Be In It

I have a bit more good news from the publishing world! I am pleased to announce that I will be providing a short story to the charity anthology, Kizuna: Fiction for Japan.

Created by Brent Millis - also known as Made in DNA - Kizuna will be used to produce donations to help the earthquake and tsunami-ravaged country. Millis, who I've known online for a couple years now, is a resident of Japan who has seen the damage done to the country and decided to help.

Having only one piece ready to go, I was delighted to include "Ploughman" in the anthology. Kizuna is a melange of different genres - fantasy, cyberpunk, erotica, science fiction, horror, Bizarro fiction, and so on - written by vastly different writers from several different countries: the United States, the United Kingdom, Japan, Singapore, Germany, Italy, Spain...

Like me, many of the authors are unknown, or are only well-known within their niche. But not all of them. Included in Kizuna: Fiction for Japan are:

Michael Moorcock - The creator of anti-hero Elric of Melnibone, the "Eternal Champion," the "Multiverse," and the theory of the "Balance of Law and Chaos," he has put his stamp on more modern fiction than just about any other author of the last 40 years or so. And as the banner-waver of the entire Dark Fantasy genre, being in an anthology with him is like most fantasy writers being included in a book with JRR Tolkein. He is the creator not only of Elric, but also Corum, Jerry Cornelius, and Dorian Hawkmoon. He is responsible for writing lyrics and working with the bands Blue Oyster Cult and Hawkwind, and for inspiring about 36% of everything Deep Purple ever recorded. He is a metric ton of awesome.

Jon Courtenay Grimwood - He is the author of End of the World Blues, 9tail Fox, Stamping Butterflies, and the "Arabesk" trilogy. He is a two-time British Science Fiction award winner and five-time nominee, a two-time Arthur C. Clark award nominee, and a John W. Campbell award nominee.

Steven Savile - He has written Primeval novels, Torchwood audiobooks, Doctor Who short stories, Warhammer novels, and edited a collection of Fritz Leiber horror short stories. He was nominated for a British Fantasy Award and a Scribe award and won announced a winner of the L. Ron Hubbard Writers of the Future Award in 2002.

Alvin Pang - He is the Singaporean poet, author, and editor. He is the co-editor of the essential No Other City: The Ethos Anthology of Urban Poetry and the founder of the internet's The Poetry Billboard.

Bradley Sands - Icon of the Bizarro fiction movement, author of It Came From Below the Belt, and editor-in-chief of Bizarro literary journal Bust Down the Door and Eat All the Chickens.

Sam Stone - Horror writer nominated for awards in both the US and UK.  Richard Salter - Doctor Who: Short Trips author.  Richard M. Price - Theologian and Chthulu scholar.  Kevin D. Anderson - Author of Night of the Living Trekkies.  Mie Takase - Japanese manga artist, writer, and designer.  Joji Hayashi - Gundam author.  Fumihiko Iino - Award-winning scriptwriter and novelist.  Yasumi Kobayashi - Three-time award nominee and writer of short horror and science fiction tales.

In addition, two more big names are tentatively scheduled to be included:

John Shirley is the cyberpunk and horror author who wrote City Come A-Walkin', the Eclipse trilogy, and the short story collection, Black Butterflies. I'll add that Black Butterflies is the only book I've ever read, by anyone, written at any time, that ever scared the crap out of me. I still have it and I reread it once every couple of years if I feel strong enough. He also apparently writes more books, more short stories, some graphic novels, and a few scripts when he's feeling it.

Ellen Kushner of NPR's Sound and Spirit is also tentatively scheduled to be involved. Having heard her many, many times, and being in awe of her mind, I'd love to know what she has to say.

You can see the list of authors here.

There is not a publication date yet, but when there is I'll let you know.

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