Critters^TM Workshop

Weekly Notes

Notes for 29-Nov-2023...

Announcing a book by an excellent writer, supporting the Critters Fund Drive...

	ALPHA 7 by (SFWA Grandmaster) Robert Silverberg - $3.99

		ReAnimus Press Store: www.ReAnimus.com/1719
		Amazon: www.amazon.com/dp/B0BG6514VD/?tag=critters3a-20
		 (available in ebook + hardcover + paperback)

	 (Note: Due to delays within Amazon, the print editions are not yet available, only the ebook.)
 The seventh in a series of superb science fiction.
 The Alpha series of anthologies center on no particular theme except that of literary quality and importance to the science fiction genre.
 Since its inception in 1970, the Alpha series has been dedicated to the proposition that science fiction can be a literature not only of stimulating and unfamiliar ideas but also of skilful and vigorous writing. Thus far Alpha has offered sixty-odd stories that exemplify the best of science fiction: challenging, provocative views of the universe, presented in crisp, sparkling prose. The volumes in the series offer some of the liveliest work produced in the short-story form anywhere in the world, and not just of the science-fiction category.
 Alpha serves a secondary purpose: to rescue from oblivion stories that might otherwise be undeservedly forgotten. Herewith, the seventh feast of outstanding fiction.




[Disclaimer: Ye Olde Critter Captain also runs ReAnimus Press, sales from which help him keep Critters going as a free site.]


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Thanks for the donations, folks!  We are 91.0% of the way to the fund drive goal with contributions from 158 donors, leaving about $500 to go.
Thanks especially to

	Fran Eisemann
	Lin Faloon

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

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


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(No Woohoo!s this week, be sure to report your sales/publications/etc. via the www.critters.org/telldaworld.ht web page.)


                                   -+-

This week's Most Productive Critter award, for 2 critiques (at time
of judging), averaging almost 5400 words each, goes to...

	Francine Taylor

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 29-Nov-2023 (Crits due 6-Dec-2023):
 F   The Wizards from Beyond: Chapter 35  Eric Wilson -#31256
 F   No Man's Daughter Ch 2             Justine Lombardi -#31257
 SF  Mark of the Predator, Chapter 7    Brian Sellnow -#31258
 SF  Mathball                           [@] Larry Hodges -#31259
 F   Into the Id - Chap3                Gabrielle Laufer -#31260
 H   Don't Look Out the Window          Matthew J. Olson -#31261

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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... FITZROY by JOHN AND MARY GRIBBIN
The Remarkable Story of Darwin's Captain and the Invention of the Weather Forecast
https://reanimus.com/store/?item=1502
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Pieces up for critique in other workshops...

In the lit workshop - https://critique.org/lit :
 L   The Trick                          Meg Combs -#31232

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  Should I Stay                      Ellis Clay -#30600

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   For Her Honor Chapters 1-5         Morgan Stevens -#31119

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  Art Man, a portrait                Robert J Cleary -#27847

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   The Wizards from Beyond: Chapter 35  Eric Wilson -#31256
 F   No Man's Daughter Ch 2             Justine Lombardi -#31257
 SF  Mark of the Predator, Chapter 7    Brian Sellnow -#31258
 SF  Mathball                           [@] Larry Hodges -#31259
 F   Into the Id - Chap3                Gabrielle Laufer -#31260
 H   Don't Look Out the Window          Matthew J. Olson -#31261
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You might also like... PRISONS AND PUNISHMENTS OF LONDON by RICHARD BYRNE
There has never been a city with more prisons than London...
https://reanimus.com/store/?item=1563

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 DUELING MACHINE by BEN BOVA
Virtual reality made war obsolete... Or did it?
https://reanimus.com/store/?item=1127

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