Critters^TM Workshop

Weekly Notes

Notes for 11-Sep-2024...

It's almost election time! (In the US)  Be sure you're registered to vote! (or still are)

Visit  https://www.usa.gov/confirm-voter-registration  and follow the links.

If you want to keep in touch with what's going on with the election, here are my two favorite sites:

	https://electoral-vote.com/  (A Critters-like fully free site, founded by a fellow computer science professor, who wrote the textbooks I taught from)

	https://politicalwire.com/   (Also a free site, though he does offer a small number of pay articles to help fund the site)

                                   -+-

Supporting the Critters Fund Drive, check out some hard SF...

	FOOLS' EXPERIMENTS by Edward M. Lerner - $7.99

		ReAnimus Press Store: www.ReAnimus.com/1742
		Amazon: www.amazon.com/dp/B0D93291VF/?tag=critters3a-20
		 (available in ebook + hardcover + paperback)

	
We are not alone, and it's our own damn fault....
	Something demonic is stalking the brightest men and women in the computer industry.  It attacks without warning or mercy, leaving its prey insane or comatose--or dead. 
	The mayhem is especially calamitous just now.  Something far nastier than any virus, worm, or Trojan horse program is being evolved in laboratory confinement by well-intentioned but misguided researchers.  When their artificial life-form escapes onto the Internet, no conventional defense against malicious software can begin to compete.  As disasters multiply, computer scientist Doug Carey knows that unconventional measures may be civilization's last hope. 
	And that any artificial life-form learns very fast....

"FOOLS' EXPERIMENTS is science fiction at its dazzling best, and one hell of a technothriller."
--Stephen Coonts, New York Times best-selling author of The Assassin

"Viruses and worms have come to be an important `feature' of our network landscape. And yet this is just the beginning. In FOOLS' EXPERIMENTS, Edward M. Lerner gives us a fascinating view on how awesome these threats could soon become."
--Vernor Vinge, Hugo award-winning author of Rainbow's End

"The age of spiritual machines is almost upon us, and Edward M. Lerner is our advance scout. He's already been where the rest of us will soon be heading and gives us fascinating, compelling, exciting glimpses of what lies ahead. A terrific book by a terrific author."
--Robert J. Sawyer, Hugo Award-winning author of Rollback

[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!  Thanks especially to

	Vincent Bonasso
	Larry Hodges

for their recent donations to help keep Critters going. Much appreciated!

[See https://www.critters.org/donate.php for more information.]


                                   -+-
Woohoo!  Congratulations to...

	- Jamie M. Boyd, whose (Critter'd) short story,
	"The Architecture of Longing " is now out in the
	current issue of Heartlines Spec . {Thanks to everyone
	who critiqued this story. You can read it now at
	www.heartlines-spec.com/the-architecture-of-longing-by-jamie-m-boyd/}


Please report your Woohoo!s via the www.critters.org/telldaworld.ht web page.


                                   -+-

This week's Most Productive Critter award, for 4 critiques (at time
of judging), averaging over 800 words each, goes to...

	Brian Sellnow

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
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Critters Workshop
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This week we have... [get from https://www.critters.org/private/mss.php ]...
                                                 
     Title                      	Author
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Week of 11-Sep-2024 (Crits due 18-Sep-2024):
 F   Cal and the Mind-Mage              Robert Harpold -#31558
 SF  Mark of the Predator, Chapter 22   Brian Sellnow -#31559
 SF  The Aztec Gods - A Snapshot Novella - Part 2  Dsle Cozort -#31560
 SF  Remy's Last Heist                  F.B. Hughes -#31561
 SF  The Godmaker, ch 2                 Steve Palmer -#31562
 SF  Aleena Part 1                      Robert Philbrook -#31563
 F   Waterproof                         Sandra Edwards-Thro -#31564
 F   School of Will, Chapters 1-5       Mya_G -#31565
 F   Cordelia Ran, Prologue and Ch. 1-3  Leilani Potgieter -#31566
 F   Upon a Time, Prologue, Ch 1-3      Sean R Prater -#31567

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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... THE NEW SPRINGTIME by ROBERT SILVERBERG
Humans emerge to reclaim Earth after the Long Winter, but never anticipated what awaits...
https://reanimus.com/store/?item=1616
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Pieces up for critique in other workshops...

In the lit workshop - https://critique.org/lit :
 L   My Little Dreaming Girl            Silvana Milenova -#31541

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  Cupidity                           Kathleen C -#31276

In the kids workshop - https://critique.org/kids :
 YS  The Adventures of Sam and Jaeger   Sandra Tregaskis -#31547

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   Freyr Chapter 1                    Jetaun Frazier -#31548

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 website workshop - https://critique.org/website :
 WW  Franklin's Palindromedary          Ray N. Franklin -#29498

In the critters workshop - https://critique.org/critters :
 F   Cal and the Mind-Mage              Robert Harpold -#31558
 SF  Mark of the Predator, Chapter 22   Brian Sellnow -#31559
 SF  The Aztec Gods - A Snapshot Novella - Part 2  Dsle Cozort -#31560
 SF  Remy's Last Heist                  F.B. Hughes -#31561
 SF  The Godmaker, ch 2                 Steve Palmer -#31562
 SF  Aleena Part 1                      Robert Philbrook -#31563
 F   Waterproof                         Sandra Edwards-Thro -#31564
 F   School of Will, Chapters 1-5       Mya_G -#31565
 F   Cordelia Ran, Prologue and Ch. 1-3  Leilani Potgieter -#31566
 F   Upon a Time, Prologue, Ch 1-3      Sean R Prater -#31567
----------------------------------------------------------------------

You might also like... FORWARD IN TIME by BEN BOVA
  
https://reanimus.com/store/?item=1330

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... THE ALTERED EGO by JERRY SOHL
Why would anyone murder a man marked for full body and brain restoration?
https://reanimus.com/store/?item=1360

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