As I write details are yet to be finalised for a fourth volume in my Best Science Fiction and Fantasy of the Year anthology series, but Jeremy at Night Shade has said they want the book and so I believe it will happen.

With that in mind, along with the crew at Not if You Were the Last Short Story on Earth, today I’m starting reading 2009 short fiction.  I have Ellen Datlow’s Poe anthology and Sharyn November’s Firebirds Soaring as the first things on my to read list, and will be actively hunting new short fiction out. If all goes to plan, I’ll be reading new short fiction till 1 November 2009, at which point I start working on the manuscript for volume five in time for a 1 December delivery date.  It’ll be tight, but doable.

Now, although it’s not been announced the LSSOE gang are mixing up what they’re doing and I’m planning on doing the same.  First, there should be more blogging about what I like and don’t.  I’m not sure where yet, but it’ll happen. Second, there’ll be more outreach. If you see, hear, or publish short fiction please let me know. I want to see everything I can.  Please don’t be shy about getting in touch. I read anything under novel length and anything that could be considered science fiction or fantasy (I do read on the peripheries of horror, but the book I’m doing is only peripherally horror).  Thirdly, I hope to have a year’s best announcement here soon that I’m pretty excited about.  The minute it’s confirmed, I’ll let you know.

Well, that’s it for the moment.  More soon!