Just a few odds and ends…

* For those who write, Baen Books is holding a short story contest. They’re looking for near-future, humans-in-space themes. Find the details here. Deadline is February 1!

* The New Yorker takes a look at STX Entertainment in their article “The Mogul of the Middle.” It’s a long read, but a fascinating look at how thumbs-up/down decisions get made in the movie business.

* A photo essay on “The Internet” by Peter Garritano, with some background explanation over at The Atlantic.

* It was a nice end-of-the-year for The Red Trilogy. io9.com included it on their list The Very Best Science Fiction And Fantasy Books Of 2015. Bookworm Blues included The Red on her “The Epic Best Books of 2015 List.” Rob Bedford, who reviews for SFF World, put The Red at the top of his “Favorite 2015 Science Fiction Novels.” And Annalee Newitz included the trilogy in her Ars Technica list “All the science fiction books you’ll want to binge read over the holidays.” 🙂

* It’s been many years since I’ve read Dan Simmons Hyperion. I’m revisiting it now in audiobook format, and so far this edition is EXCELLENT. I’ll probably have more to say on it when I’m done, but at this point I’m hugely impressed both by Dan’s story and the production.

Back in February, I posted the news here that two of my stories had been selected for Baen Book’s first annual The Year’s Best Military SF & Space Opera, edited by David Afsharirad.

This year’s best anthology was released yesterday, and includes contributions by Brad R. Torgersen, Michael Z. Williamson, Charlie Jane Anders, Seth Dickinson, William Ledbetter, Eric Leif Davin, David D. Levine, Stephen Gaskell, Michael Barretta, Derek Kunsken, Holly Black, Robert R. Chase, and Matthew Johnson.

My stories are “Codename: Delphi” originally published at Lightspeed Magazine and “Light and Shadow” originally published in the War Stories anthology. Both stories are set in the story world of The Red, and “Codename: Delphi” features some of the same characters.

VOTE!
Here’s an interesting twist that makes this anthology unusual. Baen Books would like their readers to vote on the included stories and select their favorite. There is a cash prize and a plaque for the winning author, but mostly it just sounds like a lot of fun. Click here to get to the voting site. For security reasons you’ll have to sign up for a Baen ebooks account, but there’s no cost on that and Baen will not share your information. Voting closes August 31, and the award will be presented at DragonCon.

David Afsharirad is the editor of The Year’s Best Military SF & Space Opera, published by Baen Books. This is the first of an annual edition, and I’m very pleased and proud to report that two of my 2014 stories will be included:

* “Codename: Delphi” originally published at Lightspeed Magazine

and

* “Light and Shadow” originally published in the War Stories anthology.

Both stories are set in the story world of The Red, and “Codename: Delphi” features some of the same characters.

Publication date for the ebook is May 16, 2015, with the print book following on June 2, 2015.