LA Times critic Ed Parks has published his end-of-year round up for the newspaper, Favorite SciFi Books of 2007, and Eclipse One is the lead-off title! Parks discusses Andy Duncan’s remarkable “Unique Chicken Goes in Reverse” (1) and is enthusiastic about the book as a whole. He also says great things about another Night Shade book, Liz Williams Precious Dragon, which you should all check it immediately.

(1) Entry corrected to change my hamfisted late night conflation of “Ugly Chicken goes in Reverse” to the correct title. Gack.  Thanks Jeff!

The administrators of the 2007 Aurealis Awards have announced the nominees for this year’s awards. I’d like to offer my congratulations to Garth Nix and Terry Dowling. Garth’s story from Eclipse One, “Bad Luck, Trouble, Death and Vampire Sex” has been nominated in the Best Young Adult Short Story category, while Terry’s Eclipse One story, “Toother”, has been nominated for Best Horror Short Story. It was a delight and privilege to have the stories in my anthology, and I’m thrilled they’re both up for this national award. Congrats also to all of the other nominees!

Today Sophie and Jessica watched Star Wars for the first time.  I’m not really sure what they made of it.  It took a LOT of explaining, as we went along.  This wasn’t a case of geek instistence on my part, either.  I’d mentioned the movie to Sophie a while ago, because it had a princess in it.  She picked it as a video rental, then insisted on watching it.  I had to sit and explain, as the film went on.  I think they kind of liked it, even though Sophie said it was maybe for older kids and they might wait to see the sequels.  For me – I was surprised how watchable it was. I saw it when I was 13, and have a special place for it in my heart, but it’s seemed awfully dated the last few times I’ve seen it.  Oh,  by happenstance Return of the Jedi was oin free-to-air TV last night and I saw ten minutes of it. IT looked awful.  Strange how time changes so many things.

I feel for writers, I do.   You work hard, you put all of yourself into your work, and do your very best.  Your work gets published, and then the messages you get back from readers is weird beyond measure.  Yesterday I read a review of an anthology I edited.  In it the reviewer, who I respect, called one of the stories in the book ‘terrible’.  I don’t think it is, and was a little non-plussed. Then this morning I received an email from someone else who I respect a great deal, and by purest chance they mentioned the same story and called it close to perfect. I find that fascinating.  And no, I won’t name the story because the author doesn’t need thje grief. But, very interesting.

I’m waiting for an email from Lawrence Person.  I figure I know what it’s going to say.  It’ll be something like ‘H’ard sez if you want to send him a email, print it, put a stamp on it, and mail it on over’.  For those in the know, Lawrence, who seems like a lovely guy, is friends with Howard Waldrop. Howard doesn’t do email, but Howard does have an email address. You’re just not supposed to use it.  I know this. But…. I was sending out the first standard follow-up email for Eclipse Two, writing to everyone to say hi, tell them that I just bought the first story for the book, and to quietly remind them that there’s this deadline thing going to happen next year some time, so maybe thinking about stories could be cool, and wishing everyone happy holidays and so on.  Anyway, Lawrence keeps an eye on Howard’s email address for him, and added it to the mailing group last night without thinking.  So, I’ll get the email, which is fine.  I’ve just got to remember to print it out and mail it tonight, so Howard gets it too.

I’ve also got to get some post-World Fantasy proposals out the front door and get a batch of columns edited.  Busy days.  In the meantime, you did read David Moles’ “Finisterra” from F&SF, didn’t you? If not, go get the December issue and check it out. Moles doesn’t write enough, but when he does write something it’s always worth reading.