Novel Stats:
| Words Today | 0 |
| Words Total | 79,527 |
Short Story Stats:
| Written | 3 |
| Submitted | 3 |
| In Circulation | 1 |
| Rejected | 1 |
| Sold | 1 |
Monday,
April 23, 2007
Happy International Pixel-Stained Technopeasant Day!
And what is IPSTD? It's in reference to a recent kerfluffle on line regarding the VP of SFWA calling anyone who published their work online for free to be scabs. Since a number of people took this to be the professional equivalent of "You damn kids -- get off my lawn!" IPSTD was spawned. To quote the good and noble Ms. Walton: "On this day, everyone who wants to should give away professional quality work online. It doesn't matter if it's a novel, a story or a poem, it doesn't matter if it's already been published or if it hasn't, the point is it should be disseminated online to celebrate our technopeasanthood."
In celebration of this, I offer you two -- yes, TWO -- free items of professional quality work that you are welcome to read online. The first is actually my very first sale, made to Circlet Press in 1995 for the anthology Selling Venus, and is available here (NSFW as it's a cyberpunky erotic SF piece).
The other is a poem I wrote some time ago for the hell of it -- it was recently rejected from a respected zine for not being edgy enough, although the editor thought I wouldn't have a problem selling it anywhere else. I offer it here for your delectation and in celebration of this important day -- enjoy!
Survival Technique
Outside
she stares at upholstered walls the color of ash,
her fingers poking at the keyboard
as she rewrites yet another manual
no one will ever read,
trading her increasingly archaic skills
for the privilege of a paycheck.
Inside
she dresses in tailored leather,
her hair red as the blood on her blade
as she slices cheerful paths through
hulking thugs, murderous aliens,
and anyone standing between her
and the hapless hero.
Outside
she knows she's only dreaming;
she can't really use a sword,
and fists hurt, and wounds scar.
And her ability to do a backflip
is decades in the past.
The less said about leather, the better.
Inside
she knows that her workday is mundane
and something that must be endured,
but surrendering to it means that,
sooner or later, she would reach
for something long and sharp,
And the ash would be stained with red.
So really, she thinks,
for the safety of all,
it's best to have an
Inside
that helps her survive
Outside.