Blog
Ahoy, Critterfolk!
New entry May 28
Critter Notices
Books from Critters!
Check out Books by Critters for books by your fellow Critterfolk, as well as my list of recommended books for writers.
How to Write SF
The Craft of Writing Science Fiction that Sells by Ben Bova, best-selling author and six-time Hugo Award winner for Best Editor. (This is one of the books your ol' Critter Captain learned from himself, and I highly recommend it.)
(Also via Amazon)
Space Travel for SF Writers

Hot off the presses from ReAnimus Press! Space Travel - A Science Fiction Writer's Guide— An indispensible tool for all SF writers that explains the science you need to help you make your fiction plausible. (Also via Amazon)
Interviewed!
I was interviewed live on public radio for Critters' birthday, for those who want to listen.
Free Web Sites
Free web sites for authors (and others) are available at www.nyx.net.
ReAnimus Acquires Advent!
ReAnimus Press is pleased to announce the acquisition of the legendary Advent Publishers! Advent is now a subsidiary of ReAnimus Press, and we will continue to publish Advent's titles under the Advent name. Advent was founded in 1956 by Earl Kemp and others, and has published the likes of James Blish, Hal Clement, Robert Heinlein, Damon Knight, E.E. "Doc" Smith, and many others. Advent's high quality titles have won and been finalists for several Hugo Awards, such as The Encyclopedia of Science Fiction and Fantasy and Heinlein's Children. Watch this space for ebook and print editions of all of Advent's current titles!
Book Recommendation
THE SIGIL TRILOGY:
The universe is dying from within...
"Great stuff... Really enjoyed it." — SFWA Grandmaster Michael Moorcock
Announcing ReAnimus Press
If you're looking for great stuff to read from bestselling and award-winning authors—look no further! ReAnimus Press was founded by your very own Critter Captain. (And with a 12% Affiliate program.) [More]
~~~
FEATURED BOOK
~~~
Weekly Notes
Notes for 25-Jun-2025... Randomly selected book to help the Critters Fund Drive this week is... NO MIND OF MAN by (SFWA Grandmaster) Robert Silverberg, Terry Carr, Richard A. Lupoff - $5.99 ReAnimus Press Store: www.ReAnimus.com/1736 Amazon: www.amazon.com/dp/B0F7NJN2Q1/?tag=critters3a-20 (available in ebook + hardcover + paperback) While the here and now imposes itself upon man through the animal imperatives eat, sleep, drink, it cannot control the creative process which obeys the human imperative--Think. Boundaries set by nature and circumstance limiting the scope of physical existence are made insubstantial in confrontation with the power of imagination. New frames of reference--new worlds--open to human experience. All things are suddenly possible: great triumph, tragic failure, ennui. In this volume, three of science fiction's most accomplished writers present worlds of human experience untrammeled by strictures of time and space. In Terry Carr's "The Winds at Starmont," man's spirit of adventure rises to the challenge of an unconquered mountain peak on a planet of winged aliens. "The Partridge Project," by Richard A. Lupoff, introduces a machine capable of viewing disparate futures and pasts across every dimensional continuum. And Robert Silverberg's novella, "This is the Road," projects the reader forward into a time when humanity has undergone radical mutation and yet retains its propensity for hatred and self-destruction. Each of these original stories attests to the capacity of the creative mind to push aside the barriers of time and space which may limit no mind of man. [Disclaimer: Ye Olde Critter Captain also runs ReAnimus Press, sales from which help him keep Critters going as a free site.] -+- Thanks for the donations, folks! We are 37.9% of the way to the fund drive goal with contributions from 85 donors, leaving about $4300 to go. Thanks especially to Mae Carmel Walters Nicholas Codignotto Philip Lindeman for their recent donations to help keep Critters going. Much appreciated! Stats by month... Jan: $564.88 received toward $583 monthly fund drive goal, short by $18.12 for the month Feb: $206.50 received toward $583 monthly fund drive goal, short by $376.5 for the month Mar: $320.92 received toward $583 monthly fund drive goal, short by $262.08 for the month Apr: $142.18 received toward $583 monthly fund drive goal, short by $440.82 for the month May: $839.87 received toward $583 monthly fund drive goal, exceeded by $256.87 for the month Jun: $578.39 received toward $583 monthly fund drive goal, short by $4.61 for the month => short by $845.26 of annual fund drive goal to date [See https://www.critters.org/donate.php for more information.] -+- Woohoo! Congratulations to... - Dwayne Minton, whose (Critter'd) short story, "Let's Hear It for the Company Man" is now out in the current issue of Fission #5. {Thank you to everyone who gave me feedback on this one. Your input improved the story.} - Carla Hennes, who sold her (Critter'd) short story, "Haint Blue" to a StoryForge.com anthology. {Critter feedback improved the story soooo much!} Please report your Woohoo!s via the www.critters.org/telldaworld.ht web page. -+- This week's Most Productive Critter award, for 3 critiques (at time of judging), averaging almost 600 words each, goes to... Dave D'Alessio To redeem an MPC, visit: www.critters.org/usempc.ht Congratulations! To everyone else -- Crit early and often! (For an explanation of the MPC award, see the www.critters.org/award.ht page.) -+- Recommended Reading... One of the best writing books - Secrets from the 6-time Best Editor Hugo Award Master, Ben Bova: THE CRAFT OF WRITING SCIENCE FICTION THAT SELLS https://ReAnimus.com/store?item=1144 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Critters Workshop ---------------------------------------------------------------------- This week we have... [get from https://www.critters.org/private/mss.php ]... Title Author --------------------------------------------------------------------- Week of 25-Jun-2025 (Crits due 2-Jul-2025): F Evangeline, Chapters 13 and 14 [mpc] Brian Sellnow -#31878 F Lark, Ascending [mpc] Tim Nall -#31879 SF Internal Wellness [@] Dwayne Minton -#31880 SF Bringer of Sorrow, Part 11, Chapt 29 - 31 Sean Masters -#31881 SF The Healing Stephen Shewmake -#31882 SF Science Unleashed Chapters 9-14 Dallas Nicholls -#31883 SF Stormchaser Liam Kelly -#31884 F Lying About the Signs Russell Weisfield -#31885 F Virginia by Dragonback, Chapter 1-2 Benjamin Clapp -#31886 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Recommended books on writing: THE CRAFT OF WRITING AND SELLING SCIENCE FICTION by Ben Bova ReAnimus Press Store: https://ReAnimus.com/store?item=1144 Amazon: https://Amazon.com/dp/B006MAZPEI HOW TO IMPROVE YOUR SPECULATIVE FICTION OPENINGS By (Critter member) Robert Qualkinbush https://ReAnimus.com/store?item=1184 | https://Amazon.com/dp/B007O272ZI STAYIN' ALIVE - A WRITER'S GUIDE by three-time SFWA President Norman Spinrad How things really work in the art and commerce of publishing https://ReAnimus.com/store?item=1179 | https://Amazon.com/dp/B007SIC4I8 EXPERIMENT PERILOUS: THE 'BUG JACK BARRON' PAPERS by Norman Spinrad (A 99cent essay on SF and writing) https://ReAnimus.com/store?item=1180 | https://Amazon.com/dp/B007MF3MS8 Because you might enjoy it... SECRETS OF THE SANDS by LEONA WISOKER On the sands the harsh sun reveals more about the world - and themselves - than they ever wanted to know. https://reanimus.com/store/?item=1449 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Pieces up for critique in other workshops... In the lit workshop - https://critique.org/lit : L The Schoolhouse Duaa -#31887 In the mystery workshop - https://critique.org/mystery : M The Library Club chapters 1, 2 Don Oestreicher -#31726 In the nonfiction workshop - https://critique.org/nonfiction : NP I *Experience*, Therefore I Am Robin niCathain -#30061 In the script workshop - https://critique.org/script : SC It Happened One Christmas Robert W. Ross -#31694 In the kids workshop - https://critique.org/kids : YS The Adventures of Jack, The Rabbit Emmanuel Agyei-Boatey -#31578 In the comics workshop - https://critique.org/comics : CG Magna. logline/ synopsis Brent Claridge -#28885 In the western workshop - https://critique.org/western : W Currently Untitled Aleksandr Vincente Hoang -#30472 In the romance workshop - https://critique.org/romance : R haven chapter 3, 4 Tonya Washington -#31869 In the video workshop - https://critique.org/video : VS The Gallery of Henri Beauchamp Jay DeTalente -#21424 In the music workshop - https://critique.org/music : MP The Shade Riders and Nocturnal Ned song Beth Zurkowski -#21675 In the photo workshop - https://critique.org/photo : PH Tea and Gossip Sandy Kulhavy -#30875 In the art workshop - https://critique.org/art : AH Peppermint Girls Brian Sellnow -#31527 In the apps workshop - https://critique.org/apps : GM Uptown Valkyries Arthur Sankey -#31757 In the website workshop - https://critique.org/website : WW Charles Gull creative projects blog and website Charles Gull -#31783 In the critters workshop - https://critique.org/critters : F Evangeline, Chapters 13 and 14 [mpc] Brian Sellnow -#31878 F Lark, Ascending [mpc] Tim Nall -#31879 SF Internal Wellness [@] Dwayne Minton -#31880 SF Bringer of Sorrow, Part 11, Chapt 29 - 31 Sean Masters -#31881 SF The Healing Stephen Shewmake -#31882 SF Science Unleashed Chapters 9-14 Dallas Nicholls -#31883 SF Stormchaser Liam Kelly -#31884 F Lying About the Signs Russell Weisfield -#31885 F Virginia by Dragonback, Chapter 1-2 Benjamin Clapp -#31886 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- You might also like... PUSHBACK by JOHN E. STITH Somebody has it in for nice guy Dave, but he has no idea who or why https://reanimus.com/store/?item=1593 Standard notes: HELP: If you need help with anything, see https://www.critters.org/help -- there are FAQs and a form to ask questions. HELPING CRITTERS: Critters is donation funded & volunteer run, so if you'd like to help out with our current fund drive or otherwise, please visit https://www.critters.org/donate.php -- Thanks!! HOW TO SEND CRITIQUES: Remember to send the critiques directly to me, critters@critique.org, so I can forward them to the authors _and_ give you credit for your effort. Please send only one critique per mail message (makes it easier to archive). Please make sure the "#" symbol and manuscript number are in the email Subject: line, like Subject: #1234. (Conversely, if you want ol' Aburt to personally read the message, i.e., it's _not_ a critique, don't put a "#" in the subject or I won't see it. Also -- put my current anti-spam code word in there: see https://www.critters.org/antispam.ht .) You may also send your critiques via https://www.critters.org/webcrit.ht . Note that all critiques will be available to everyone to read the next Saturday. DIPLOMACY: Remember, authors and critiquers, we're all friends here. Be polite. Be considerate. Be tactful. You can say you thought a story was drivel in a courteous way. Try to point out the good and the bad; offer alternatives if you can. Never, ever, attack the author -- only the story. Authors: Remember that some reviewers may lack tact. Try to be understanding, but if you get any that you feel are just plain mean-spirited, too short to be of any use, or too "feel good," let me know and I'll withhold the reviewer's "credit" for that story and/or cajole them into something more insightful. See https://www.critters.org/diplomacy.ht for more... CRITIQUE LENGTH: If you want to send a short critique that you know is too short for credit (200 words or less of your own meaningful content) please put "NC#" in the Subject (NC=No Credit, like Subject: NC#1234) -and- say something like "not for credit" inside your critique. (Remember also that for MPC purposes, a critique must be 300 words or more.) CHATTING: Comments -other- than critiques (such as discussion of the critiques, or Woohoo! announcements, or chit chat) should be posted to one of the official Critters discussion forums (See the https://www.critters.org/newsgroups.ht web page for full info, guidelines, etc.) Don't post stories or critiques (mail those to critters@critique.org). QUOTING: Please pare the ms. down if critiquing in-line (don't quote the whole ms.!). Other format rules are at https://www.critters.org/format.ht . EVERYTHING'S ON THE WEB: Past reviews are on the web page. The current week's manuscripts are also there, as are prior mss. and even some rewrites. There's a Master Page Index (site map) with tons of links to common items. AUTHORS: Authors for this week -- if you aren't getting email'd critiques from me (as they come in) within a couple days -- ask me and we can verify I'm sending them to the correct address. (Send me a phone# in case I can't get email to you.) Check the format of your story ASAP to make sure it's all there and readable. EMAIL ISSUES: If you want to change your email address or preferences (# mss. emailed, SF/F/H type, or whether you get the huge critique batches at week's end), point your browser to https://www.critters.org/admin.ht . Please don't ask me to do this by hand, it's quite a chore! (E.g., if you're going on vacation and want to suspend mail from me -- do this before/after your trip.) BACKUP SITE: If you're unable to reach www.critters.org to get manuscripts, I've set up an emergency backup site at https://backup.critters.org where you can get the week's manuscripts (but not much of anything else :-). Speaking of backups -- don't forget to back up your own manuscripts so you don't lose them! QUITTING: If you want to quit or go inactive, drop by https://www.critters.org/admin.ht . DONATIONS: Critters is funded by donations, so visit https://www.critters.org/donate.php if you'd like to help out. Because you might enjoy it... TRANSFORMATION by JAMES GUNN Third in the Transcendental Machine trilogy... https://reanimus.com/store/?item=1646 -- You received this email message because you signed up for the Critters Writers Workshop. If you want to stop getting these emails, please visit https://www.critters.org/email.ht .