January 2018 Open Post

   January 24, 2018
   John Michael Greer
   419 Comments

   As announced earlier, this blog will host an open space once a month (well,
   more or less) to field questions and encourage discussion among my readers,
   and this is the week. All the standard rules apply - no profanity, no sales
   pitches,  no  trolling,  no  rudeness,  no  long  screeds  proclaiming  the
   infallible truth of fill in the blank - but since there's no topic, nothing
   is off topic.

   Two  announcements before  we get  to the  discussion. I  think many  of my
   readers  are  aware that  Founders  House,  the  publishing firm  that  has
   produced  the four  After Oil  anthologies of  deindustrial SF  produced by
   contests  here, also  publishes  a  very lively  quarterly  SF and  fantasy
   magazine,  MYTHIC, which  features deindustrial  SF along  with much  else.
   (I've had a couple of stories published in it, including a new one, "Caught
   To  The  Death,"  in  the  latest  issue; check  it  out.)  There's  now  a
   Kickstarter campaign  under way to  raise funds  to expand and  improve the
   magazine, and offer professional rates  to its authors. There are giveaways
   for contributors, of course. Details? Check it out here.

   In  related  news, we're  in  the  last week  of  the  current short  story
   competition,  the Old  Solar System  Writing Contest.  Zendexor and  I have
   already  received  some  really  first-rate  stories,  enough  to  make  an
   anthology, but there's  still room for a few more.  If you've got something
   half-completed, fire  up that word processor;  the due date for  entries is
   January 30;  if you've  got something  well under way  by then,  contact us
   using the address reached  via the link above and let  us know, and there's
   some potential for wiggle room.

   With that said, have at it...