I’ve been dying to go public about this for a while, but I wanted to make sure it was all solid before I did.  I am DELIGHTED to announce that I have sold a follow-up anthology to The Starry Rift to Sharyn November at Viking Penguin.  Life on Mars: Tales from the New Frontier is a young adult science fiction anthology that takes as its leaping off point that we do go to Mars in 2040, as announced by George Bush last year.  Some of my favorite writers will create stories somewhere in the timeline of that future Mars.  It should be a terrific book. It won’t be out till some time in 2010, but if The Starry Rift is anything to go by it will be beautiful.  I’m also delighted to be working with Sharyn again, who is one of my favorite people.

Well, had the echo stress test done and, according to the doctor and technician there it’s all clear.  It’s still got to be examined by a cardiologist and I still need to see my own doctor, but it looks like I’m not dying any faster than most of the rest of you.  This is good news, and a relief.  Added to the news that I got my job, things have been good since I got back from Denver.  I can’t believe I’ve been on leave for three weeks already, though. Gack. Still things are going well, which is nice. I’m thinking relaxing tomorrow would be good.

This is a weird week. I got some good news yesterday. I got my job! I went through all of that drama with the application and interview, and it turns out I impressed. Many, many thanks to all that helped out with that. Now I just need to live up to the interview.

The reason it’s been a weird week is that I have leftovers from previous weeks to clear out before I feel like I’m on leave. First, I have an echo stress test on Thursday. This is a good thing. After the high blood pressure diagnosis I need to show that there’s nothing seriously amiss with the cardiovascular system. When feeling mature and level-headed I’d tell you that there is nothing wrong, but, who’s mature and level-headed all the time? Also, I’ve been suffering the occasional headache and feeling a bit dizzy on occasion, but these are listed as side-effects of the blood pressure medication I’m on. So, hopefully I’ll get the all-clear and then talk to the doctor about (a) the medication and (b) the weight loss program. I’m not thinking too much about the alternatives here, though. Second, I’ve not gotten to the house yet. We need furniture for our lounge room. We went looking today, and will probably again tomorrow. Hopefully we’ll have a good solution in place before Marianne heads East for New York. One of my main goals for my leave remains being able to sit in a finished lounge room and reading a book there for the time before I got back to work. Third, I have a bunch of projects, all of which are grabbing some of my attention. I’m reading and editing and soliciting – all pretty much at the same time. I’m also developing some new projects, so it’s nonstop.

What else has been going on? Well, I’ve been taking the Sony Reader out for a pretty serious run. I went with Charlie and Aaron’s recommendation and, apart from the fact that I think the screen could be a bit bigger and that I may want to by a light for it, I’m well pleased. I’ve also been reading the new issue of Postscripts. It’s a monster triple issue they put out for WorldCon. I dropped the .rtf of it onto the Reader when I was in Oakland and have been working my way through it. Nothing less than solid, but so far Alex Irvine’s story “Shad” stands out.  Irvine made a real impact when he came along, then sort of dropped into the background.  Right now he’s shaping up as one of the more interesting writers out there, though.  Hmm.  I also went to see The Dark Knight (good, but too long), and bought the Fleet Foxes cd (which is way cool).

Not sure what’s on for the rest of the week.  I’ve been thinking about contributing to a new group blog, but have real doubts.  I’m also working with two new reviewers for Locus. Not sure when that’s going to be public, but I’m very happy with the way it’s playing out right now.

Oh, there is one other thing: my sincerest condolences to my Locus colleague and friend Amelia Beamer, and her family. Amelia’s father-in-law died unexpectedly in London.  It must have been a terrible shock, and people have been rallying around her family as they do.  My thoughts are very much with them.

I didn’t win the Hugo. Every time I tell someone that I’m cool with this they look at me kinda funny. I don’t know how to make it clear, but here goes. First, I’m a newbie at this editing thing. Yes, I’ve been doing it since 1990, but I’ve really only been doing it at a major level since 2004. That’s not long at all, and I’m stunned and delighted just to be nominated. Second, I was nominated with Ellen Datlow, Gordon Van Gelder, Sheila Williams, and Stanley Schmidt. Those are some pretty amazing people to share a ballot with. Third, Gordon won. He edits F&SF, which gets my pick for best magazine around. Fourth, in the history of the Hugo editing categories exactly two people who did not edit a major magazine have won the category – Terry Carr and Judy Lynn Del Rey. I don’t edit a magazine, and I’m no Terry Carr or Judy Lynn, so I really didn’t expect it.  And, finally, if my count is correct then exactly 26 people have been nominated for any of the editing categories in the Hugos.  That’s 26 people since 1973!  And I get listed amongst them, and you think I could be disappointed!!  Guys, I was stoked and I still am.  Sometimes being nominated really is an honor.

Well, Worldcon hit the blogging plans like a truck. There were many highlights, which I’ll try to recount when I get home. That, of course, is still some time away.  I get on a plane in 12 hours, then the long trip.  Yay.  Still, I can’t wait to be home.  In the meantime, thank you to everyone who was such great company while I was here, and thank you to every one who nominated me for the Hugo. It was, and is, an enormous honor.