Publication – Page 6 – markwebb.name

First story hits the airwaves

My first published story (Shipwrecked – published by the Antipodean SF website) has also been aired on the AntiSF radio show (with yours truly providing the voice “talent”). If you missed it on Nambucca Valley community radio station 2NVR, the podcast of the radio show (episode 163 alpha) is also available on the web.

Details of this and my other publications can be found on my bibliography page. Don’t get too excited – the list is distressingly brief so far.

Make Mine a Macchiato accepted for publication

Hot on the heels of my last news, Ion Newcombe, the editor at Antipodean SF, has also accepted another one of my flash fiction pieces for publication. Make Mine a Macchiato is currently scheduled for issue 166 of Antipodean SF, published in April 2012. I’ll also record a reading for the radio show/podcast, which will be broadcast some time in April.

That’s three publications so far. My bibliography page seems positively full! Many thanks again to Ion and the group of people that volunteer to help out with Antipodean SF.

The Gloriously Cunning Plan accepted for publication

Ion Newcombe, the editor at Antipodean SF, has been kind enough to accept another one of my flash fiction pieces for publication. The Gloriously Cunning Plan will appear in issue 165 of Antipodean SF, currently scheduled for March 2012.

It is very exciting to have a second story published – if for no other reason that I can start to tell myself that the first publication was not a complete fluke! Many thanks to Ion for giving me the opportunity.

But yes, this also means that I need to record another reading for the radio show/podcast. Don’t worry, you’ll get used to my voice eventually.

First publication available!

My first publication is now available on issue 163 of Antipodean SF, a flash fiction story called Shipwrecked. It is a short (500 word) piece I wrote while thinking about why humanity may not have been contacted by aliens (assuming pesky things like travelling faster than the speed of light could be overcome). I hope you enjoy it.

I also recorded a reading of Shipwrecked for the AntiSF radio show, which will be broadcast some time in January. I’ll post again once I know exactly which episode.

Good head for radio

As mentioned in a previous news post, I recently had one of my flash fiction pieces picked up for publication in Antipodean SF. As a part of the process, the editor Ion Newcombe asked me to narrate my story for the corresponding series of weekly radio show/podcasts that he creates (as he does with all his writers). My story (Shipwrecked) will be published/broadcast in February 2012.

I produced the narration which came out better than I expected. Ion asked if I’d be willing to produce some audio for other stories, where the author isn’t willing or able to read their own piece.

When I said yes, he put me straight to work narrating a story for the November 2011 edition (issue 161) – Time Trip by Barbara J Holten. So, my voice is about to become part of the audio archives of the Internet. I’ll update the post once I know the exact podcast, but it will be some time in November 2011.

Many thanks to Barbara for allowing my voice to bring her story to audio life! As the title implies, the story involves a bit of time travel action, but I’ll let you read it (or listen to it!) rather than give away any details here.

First acceptance for publication!

Well, it is all excitement here at Webb HQ. A little while ago I submitted a flash fiction piece to Antipodean SF, a long running website devoted to the publication of short form (flash) science/speculative fiction. I’ve been following the Anti-SF site for a while now, in particular through their weekly podcast which keeps me entertained on my walk into work.

(Flash fiction refers to very short stories that are usually in the 500 – 1000 word range. Antipodean SF focuses on the shorter end of that range, around 500 words. It is very interesting to write, because you can generally only explore one idea and you have to make every word count – it instills a real discipline in your work).

Last night Ion Newcombe (the editor of the site and presenter of the podcast) wrote back to me to say that my story (Shipwrecked) had been accepted. My very first publication! As well as the story getting published on the website, it will also be broadcast on the radio/podcast. I’m in the process of trying to work out how to use GarageBand on my Mac to record myself reading the story for that purpose. And I thought recording a voicemail message was stressful!

Ion made some very sensible editorial suggestions – it was interesting to go through an editorial process for the first time. The changes were small but did help the story track better. I can see why authors often talk about how invaluable an editor is – it was excellent to have someone read the story from a completely independent viewpoint, where the only criterion is making the story better.

So, Shipwrecked will be included in issue 164 of Antipodean Speculative Fiction due out in February 2012. And I’ve had to create a bibliography page on the website! And I’m having a day off work!! It doesn’t get much better than this.

(For more about Antipodean SF, have a look at the Magazines and Podcasts pages under the Links menu item on this website).