JasonKimble

As usual, extended nattering to be had in a day or so, but after a bit of fallow, I've a new story out in the wilds.

When I heard Joy Crelin was planning to put Betwixt on an indefinite hiatus, I knew I had to send something in. Joy published one of my first pieces ("At Her Fingertips" in issue #7), and it was a wonderful experience. Joy's fast, professional, and all around lives up to her name. Luckily, Joy liked what I sent her this time, as well.

"Taste of Birdsong" has migrating trees and senses that turn on and off for the season. It has skinspeak and pherospeak and signing. It might also be a story about self-worth and what it means to be beautiful if I did my job right. Plus monsters with multiple mouths because monsters make everything cooler.

Extra bonus points for this story being a first: evil twin Laura Price and I are finally sharing a table of contents! Our evil crazy weirdness has joined forces for Betwixt #11. Is that why “File 29520: Notes from Immediate Aftermath of Attack by New Villain, ‘The Daemon'” is a super-villain story? I won't tell because that would ruin the evil! Go! Witness our power!

Longer nattering later on the regular blog, but in an effort to take advantage of the date of debut: news! I have a story live today over at Escape Pod! Huzzah!  

My favorite part about skimming is that I’m not broken when I do it. It doesn’t matter that I don’t have levels, that I’m on or off, because that’s how everything’s supposed to be when you’re in the hypernet. Even if I’m not supposed to be in the hypernet.

"Broken" is another story of The Rim. Like "Detritus" and "At Her Fingertips," this one stands on its own, though you'll likely begin seeing patterns if you've read the other two.

This is a slightly quieter story than the previous two, I think, though it's filled with its own kind of chaos. Sy is a young man possessed of extraordinary talents and equally extraordinary challenges. As usual, I'll likely have more to say in a few days, but for now, I'll boil it down like I did for ye newe Twitter: hacked genes, hacked code, hacked minds, and shredded hearts.

You can read it in text or listen to audio at the above link, or you can download to your favorite podcast app and listen to it that way.

Totally failed to update here and mention: The Sockdolager is live with my story, "Hide Behind."

I'll have more to say later, but for now, the short version: "Hide Behind" is set in the same world as “Tall,” an American West where folklore is fact.

Meet Hayashi Yuna, a frontier doctor struggling to unlock the secrets of a preternatural tree alongside her research partner, Ruthie. When a local giant is murdered, the struggle to unravel buried secrets becomes far more immediate, and the potential consequences far deadlier.

You can read the story free online here. If you're inclined to buy a copy from the wonderful folks at The Sockdolager who took a chance on it (and why wouldn't you be?), here's links to a bunch of different options:

Amazon
DRM-free
In that old fashioned print thingee

You can also subscribe to The Sockdolager over on their site. Today is the day of options, I tell you.

This story isn't a sequel. More of a meanwhile somewhere else. Having read "Tall" might make you more familiar with a world building element or two, but you absolutely don't need to have read "Tall" to understand "Hide Behind." (though if you'd like to, the collection it's in is still available).

Ten fingers, ten toes. That’s the baseline for a healthy kid, right? You’d have thought I’d be a bonus, what with eighteen fingers. Guess they all have to function before you count them.

As Deficiencies go, mine’s not so bad. The Skew was a hell of a thing, and everyone on the Rim’s still feeling it. I knew a guy once had a fully formed jaw down around his nuts. I only wish I was kidding. On the upside, the hinge didn’t work, or it would’ve been a nightmare sitting down.

"At Her Fingertips," goes live today over at Betwixt magazine. This is another story set on the Rim -- the asteroid colonies / ghettos populated by victims of the genetic plague known as the Skew -- which first appeared in "Detritus." If you haven't read that first story, don't worry; this is a different asteroid, a different protagonist, and a story intended to stand on its own.¹

Acaja is a skilled pilot, talented mechanic, and surly piece of business. She's also a dreamer and a romantic, but if you tell anyone, she might just beat you to a within an inch of your life. A lady has a reputation to keep.

Acaja wants off her asteroid colony, Rixzah, out of the literal garbage dump she works in, and into the arms of ... oh, but that would be spoilers.

Part caper, part romance, all complicated-and-surly protagonist, and totally free to read. Though, of course, if you enjoy it, consider buying the ebook or dead tree versions via the Betwixt site. And maybe think about picking up "Detritus" (link on my bibliography page) for more weird stuff from the Rim.

^1. Folks who have read "Detritus" may recognize at least one character here, and pick up one or more other easter eggs, mind.^↩