Do you enjoy stories about aliens? I have a story in the upcoming anthology Phantoms from the Sky, fourteen tales of first contact, and our Kickstarter launches today!
My contribution, “Growing Up Under Ominous Skies,” takes a sideways approach to the topic, putting the focus where you might not expect. You’ll have to read it to find out. As a stretch goal, I’m offering a mini-collection of several new science fiction poems about UFOs to backers at $5 and above—expect a mix of traditional form, free verse, and perhaps even a video game poem in there (you know me).
This is a rare chance to directly influence how much I—and all the contributors—receive in exchange for our art. Please help spread the word! I mean, just look at this awesome lineup:
Wyldblood Press has included my newest story, “The Sphynx’s Blind Date,” in their Wyld Flash series. This story surprised me when I sat down to write it, because I initially thought it might be a poem. Nope, it came right out as flash fiction, and I’m so delighted it took shape that way and became part of Wyld Flash.
This story taps into my love of mythological creatures, as well as hot chocolate (although it’s one of my sisters who likes the spicy variety, whereas I prefer mine quite sweet). I also wanted to write a character with a stronger voice than I’m used to using. I hope you enjoy it!
I’m feeling very behind on things at the moment, so here’s my attempt to get more caught up.
On the fiction front, I’ll have a science fiction piece, “Growing Up Under Ominous Skies,” included in an upcoming anthology of first contact stories, Phantoms from the Sky from Rogue Owl Press. We’re launching a Kickstarter campaign later this month, but for now you can sign up to follow this project for updates.
I’ll also have a fantasy story, “The Sphinx’s Blind Date,” coming out later this month as part of Wyldblood Press’s Wyld Flash series and am excited to share the link when it’s available to read.
On the poetry side, I have a free verse poem in the Winter 2024 issue of Old Moon Quarterly, “What They Don’t Tell You About Training to Slay.” I like editor Julian Barona’s introduction about the role of death, not only in the sword & sorcery and dark fantasy of the issue but in the act of creating in general, with the influences of those who came before us.
And here is the link to the recording of my Speculative Sundays StarBurst poetry reading. By the way, in answering Akua’s question about sonnets, I was referring to an interview response from poet Shane McCrae in The Writer’s Chronicle.
I’m so excited to share that my mini-chapbook of poetry, The Inca Weaver’s Tales, is available for purchase from Sword & Kettle Press! These seven all-new poems cover mythology, beginnings and endings, and female-centered themes, all inspired by my Ecuadorian and Peruvian roots on my dad’s side of the family.
The Inca Weaver’s Tales has been two years in the making—I wrote the original draft back in March 2022, then I worked with the amazing editorial team at Sword & Kettle Press over the next year or so to get everything polished up. Special thanks to Monica Robinson for her careful editing and for creating the lovely cover, to Naseem Jamnia for their stunning work on the layout, and to founding editor Kay Allen for overseeing the New Cosmologies series and including my work as part of it. They’ve put in hours of work stitching each chapbook by hand.
I’ve dreamt of having a physical book consisting of my own work, and I couldn’t be happier that this is my single-author debut!
If you’re curious about more of the background that went into this—my research and family connection—I spoke about it on the Into the Looking Glass podcast, and also on last week’s Speculative Sundays StarBurst reading. When I have a link to the latter recording, I’ll be sure to share it.
Registration just opened yesterday for the 2024 Willamette Writers Conference, and I’ll be participating as a panelist. This was the first writing conference I ever attended, and it was a huge, eye-opening experience for me. I’m thrilled to be speaking there this year.
In other news, I have a poem called “Ode to Hot Chocolate” in the Coffee, Tea, Cocoa issue of Still Point Arts Quarterly. By total coincidence, this is my first of two pieces coming out this month that mention hot chocolate. The other will be quite different, a fantasy story due out in Wyld Flash.
Mark your calendars for this Sunday—in fact, mark them for every Sunday in March! Look at this lineup for Women’s History Month:
Akua Lezli Hope hosts this free online reading series, and on Sunday, March 3rd, I’ll share a bunch of my speculative poems and then have some time for conversation and Q&A. I’ll include a poem or two from The Inca Weaver’s Tales.
This event is funded in part by Poets & Writers with public funds from the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature.
Looky what arrived in the mail for me this weekend—the New Cosmologies series! The awesome team at Sword & Kettle Press have been busy filling preorders, and soon these mini-chapbooks will available for new orders from their website. You better believe I’ll be shouting it from the rooftops when they’re ready for purchase. You can order a single book in the series or multiple (I couldn’t resist buying all of them). There will also be ebook versions.
The latest issue of Exist Otherwise has reprinted my poem “Backward Compatibility (Quinceañera on a Generation Ship),” originally published in Apparition Literary Magazine. This issue is loosely themed around the following quotation from Claude Cahun: “I love you. That should be enough for the whole solar system.” A lovely sentiment, and I’m glad to have my poem included.
I want to start with the thing that lights me up the most: I received more fan mail! There’s nothing quite like finding out someone out there gets my art, gets me, someone I’ve never met before but have been able to commune with, in some small way, through words, images, and everything that goes unsaid but bubbles just under the surface. Seriously, this is why I work so hard to get my writing out there.
And what does it take to do so? Looking at my 2023 submission data, I received 188 rejections this year. And 19 acceptances. Including reprints. One of those rejections nearly broke my heart, I got so close to getting into a dream publication. But there’s always next year, and other dream markets. In fact, I’m waiting on a contract from one place before I can announce the sale, and it’s one I’m very, very excited about…
This year also marked my third year in a row of receiving a Pushcart nomination, and my second for a Rhysling nomination. And my first for an O. Henry nomination. These were all, by the way, for works of horror, or at least on the dark side of things. On the other hand, I also had a story selected for the inaugural Best of Utopian Speculative Fiction anthology and another story get a shout-out in Tor.com’s list of “Nine (Very) Short Fantasy Stories With Happy Endings.” Lightness and darkness. Have I mentioned that balance turned up as one of my core personal values when I did an exercise to identify them in grad school?
I don’t always nail that balance. I started off 2023 aiming to dial back my number of writing presentations and workshops, because I’d done a lot of them in 2022 and didn’t want to eat into too much of my writing time this year, even though I really enjoy doing these events. Well, sure enough, I still ended up saying yes to a bunch of opportunities this year.
Can you blame me? I got to fulfill a longtime goal of being a panelist at OryCon, my local con and the place that really helped me level up over the years. I got to read two short stories for Story Hour, which has a prestigious list of guests, and Hugo House reached out to ask Elizabeth Beechwood and me to teach our workshop for them again, which is always so much fun for us. I got to share my passion for speculative poetry with the Oregon Poetry Association and serve as a judge for this year’s HWA Poetry Showcase. And I got to perform some of my works to live accompaniment by Katie Bennett, in the gorgeous Sanctuary Hall. What a dream come true!
Thank you to Frances Lu-Pai Ippolito for this photo
Aah, my bookshelf is getting way more bulging, and it’s not even Christmas yet… I have contributor copies on the way of 2022 Best of Utopian Speculative Fiction, which includes my story “Song of the Balsa Wood Bird” from Fireside Magazine.
And Apparition Literary Magazine has released paperback versions of their issues, which are on sale this month for only $4, so don’t delay in ordering! I’ve always loved their covers and am so happy to have physical copies.
And some of my friends have recent releases! I went to the launch party for the anthology Winding Paths, which is themed around games and includes a choose-your-own-adventure narrative option. I know several of the contributors, and getting their work in one place is such a treat.
Also, my friend and frequent workshop co-teacher Elizabeth Beechwood has released a collection called Strange Memories. As soon as it’s back in stock, you bet I’ll be getting myself a copy.
And finally, earlier this year when I took the train home from the AWP Conference in Seattle back to Portland, I was seated next to a remarkable young woman named Mariia Kharytonova. We spent the whole four or so hours talking, and it felt like we’d known each other for much longer than that. She’s from Ukraine and has co-published an anthology with Sofia Vasylenko called 24, available through Impact Ukraine. This anthology includes interviews with twenty-four people whose lives have been upended by war, along with some of Mariia’s stunning artwork.
On that note, I’m wishing you all a holiday season of peace, health, and never taking things for granted in life.
Katherine Quevedo's Website 