The Wordsmith's Forge

 Black-winged lory and other animals.

Jim C. Hines is offering a home for the stories that various authors pulled from the anthology Wicked Pretty Things after the editor made a fuss over a same-sex relationship in one story.  I appreciate people who do things like this.  I once pulled something from a magazine whose editor did something intolerant and intolerable.  No, I couldn't spare the money, but there are levels of slime that I just won't put up with.  I'm glad I didn't have anything aimed at this anthology; my characters would've gone berserk.  So, I'm boosting the signal for a thoughtful discussion of literary responsibility.

The next Poetry Fishbowl will be on Tuesday, May 3 with a theme of "folk tales" but that is the last one I have scheduled.  It's time to brainstorm some new themes!  These are a few that I've jotted down earlier, ones that I've thought up or people have suggested, to give you an idea what kind of stuff might be suitable:

* alternative sexuality & gender studies
* arts & crafts
* humor & whimsy
* pets & livestock
* corruption & redemption

What other themes would you like to see me write about?  Suggest them in a comment below this post.  Later on I'll collect the suggestions and post a poll.  The most popular topics will be added to the schedule for future fishbowls.  You can also help by linking to this post so that more people will see it -- everyone is welcome to suggest themes and vote for them later.

These are some posts from the later part of last week, in case you missed them:

Torn Tongue: Nouns Beginning with "I"
Poetry Fishbowl Report for Tuesday, April 5
Kissing Cardinals
Ebony Tresses
Where Ideas Come From


The next Poetry Fishbowl will be Tuesday, May 3 with a theme of "folk tales."  I'm asking for new theme ideas for this project. Please leave yours in a comment to that post. There will be a poll later to choose the most popular ones for scheduling into the fishbowl lineup.

The poll about line numbers shows that most people prefer to have the line numbers removed. There were also several thoughtful suggestions about modifying the numbers to be less obtrusive, but I don't think any of those would be both effective and achievable with my level of computer skills, alas. It's simpler just to leave out the line numbers when I post epic poems.

The epic poems "The Truth in the Tower" (a Fiorenza poem) and " Paper, Scissors, Stone" (a Monster House poem) have completed microfunding and are fully visible online.  "A Periodic Table of Elementals" is ahead of production.

Torn World writing update: 
Approved as canon: "One-Tick Literature."  Back to me for edits: "One Toy for Three," "Lookbacks," "Cutting Time," "The Ties We Twine," and "Clouds in the Morning."  Currently in front of the canon board at Torn World: "Squiggles: Excerpts from Nleimen's Journal," "On the Rocks," "Forbidden Love," "Scars of Stone" (fiction) and "The Sugar Mouse," "Steam Power," and "Cage of Hope" (poetry).  Drafted: "Cutting Cords and Clasping Hands" and "Like Ash Before the Wind" (fiction).  In revision at home: "Water Dance."  Currently writing: "From Dark to Bright" and "Raining Kittens" (fiction).

You can now read the new issue of ChiZine.  Free speculative fiction and poetry.  They've got a fundraiser going to keep the zine alive.

meeksp has launched a new crowdfunding project.  Writers are encouraged to send prompts consisting of scenes from their work.  Both donations and thoughtful comments are encouraged.  There are lots of cool perks that will happen if comments or donations reach certain thresholds.  Especially interesting is that sketches will be posted, and people can sponsor further work on a sketch that they love.

I think this is a cool project with a lot of potential.  The artist's work is charming, and this is a terrific opportunity for writers to get illustrations of their work.  If you have a lot of fans for your weblit, you can route them to this project to boost activity for a sketch of your character(s).  Plus it will offer a place for people to explore new stories if they think a given sketch looks interesting.  Please help make this project a success by sending prompts, leaving comments, donating, boosting the signal, etc.

The Lost Templar Fleet has posted an update on their crowdfunding project.  They've finished the script for August performances, among other progress.  Regrettably the IndieGoGo page hasn't received any donations yet, which they need to fund costumes for the performances and other appearances.

... appears in this comic.  (Link courtesy of my_partner_doug.)  I learned it in high school, in Western Civilization class.  Best history class ever.