In the Pits of Isfhan

My short story, In the Pits of Isfhan is up at The Red Penny Papers today.

A few points about this: one, this is my seventh published short story this year, a big jump from last year's three published short stories (not counting flash fiction and poetry). Two, this story was featured as the cover story and illustration, which is new for me and pretty. Three, it's not easy to tell, I admit, but although this story was written much earlier, it's in the same setting as Trickster -- different planet, same multiverse, nyagon -- and Love in the Absence of Mosquitoes (although with that story, it's more that one of the characters makes an appearance in at least one and hopefully more stories set in this multiverse; when I wrote that, I set it in a future Earth, and was quite surprised when a character decided to walk into another tale, giving me the chance to learn much more about her. As these things happen, I suppose.)

These three stories are remarkably different -- fantasy, fantasy/science fiction (yes, the references in "Trickster" that sounded vaguely like computer equipment were computer equipment) and pure science fiction -- which gives me some hope that this flexibility can continue in future stories.

And with that I'm pretty sure this ends publications for 2011, except for the last two Tor.com posts for the year. Don't be too down -- I have a few things popping up in 2012. I'll probably do a general summary of 2011 sometime in the next two weeks.

Other assorted matters for a Sunday

1. Gifts have been popping up in the mail! This is a positive thing :) First, I got one of ravena_kade's lovely watercolor pictures, of a little seal popping up into the sea. The seal is just adorable, and we love it, and now just have to decide where to hang it.

Much thanks for this lovely piece, ravena_kade!!!!

2. Also arriving in the mail: rubber duckies. The sender of this item was not aware that the house had already been quietly invaded by rubber duckies disguised as snowmen, Santa and Rudolph, but fortunately, these are NINJA rubber duckies, READY FOR THE ATTACK. So we are now THOROUGHLY into the holiday spirit!

3. Thus it was time for two holiday traditions: the welcoming of cousins, who came by last night to sample ribs and corn. For those of you who read fbhjr's saga about this, I feel impelled to post a correction. They did not indulge the cat. The cat, overcome with his rather aggressive love for everyone, realized that they needed a cat and therefore chose to indulge them.

4. And the second holiday tradition: the movie, this time the morning viewing of Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows with my brother and CD, about which I can say only, wow, dizzying, and by that, I'm talking about the waltzing scene. Like the first Holmes movie most of this seems bent on showing off dazzling camera work and effects, which is not bad, just resulting in a spinning effect, and the banter between Holmes and Watson, ditto. Also we rather question the use of CPR in that particular period and I would like to register my sadness about a certain event in the film which I won't spoil except, sad, sad.

5. While exiting the movie, a certain horrible person, whose guilt I could conceal, but I won't, calling himself my brother, actually dared to wheel me near that horror of a film called whatever the latest Alvin and the Chipmunks film is calling itself. (I don't care.) For one terrible moment, I risked actual exposure to the Chipmunks. Imagine my terror.

But this also showed me that he, at least, still retains an ongoing fondness for the Chipmunks. I thought deeply. I saw a McDonald's. I wheeled to the McDonald's and picked up a Happy Meal. (Yes, yes, but I'm going somewhere even more evil with this, so hold the criticism for a few more sentences.) I wheeled myself to the table. I handed him the little toy from the meal, which just happened to be one of the Chipmunks.

"Thanks!" he said cheerfully. "I'll just put it in your room."

We went home where I flopped into bed for several hours. This, while necessary, turned out to be tactical mistake, since when I emerged, HORROR GREETED ME.

The Chipmunk was standing -- STANDING -- on the backs of two little Rebel Lego dudes from my Star Wars Advent Calendar. He had been assisted by three little Bad Lego dudes, his little chipmunk fists raised in triumph as the Rebel forces lay scattered.

EVIL, I tell you. EVIL.

I had to comfort myself with a Ninja duck. You understand, I'm sure.