Anthology release day

Eighteen: Stories of Mischief and Mayhem is now officially available, in trade paperback and ebook formats, from the usual bookseller suspects. (The publisher’s page has links.) The book includes my story “Like Gold Upon Her Tongue.” I spent part of the afternoon curled up reading and enjoying other people’s stories, so if you are in the mood for something dark and strange I encourage you to check it out.

Events have been canceled, but there is also transformation. In lieu of reading at the launch party, Wendy N. Wagner uploaded a recorded reading from the bumper sticker-inspired “When Only Bears Carry Arms, Only Weapons Will Be Born.” Instead of hosting an author event, A Good Book is offering the first volume, XIII, for free to people who buy XVIII. (And yes, I am switching between Roman numerals and writing out the number. For a book filled with stories that play with reality and perception, a mercurial title seems appropriate.)

Due to the pandemic, the book launch does not look much like originally planned. Aside from the sensible cancellation of events, it feels very strange to be promoting anything right now. (This particular conundrum must be especially tough for novelists, who have far more riding on the reception of their book than any individual author in an anthology, and the publishers and booksellers with their notoriously low margins.) But people need stories—all different kinds of stories—throughout their lives, and particularly during times of stress. So please consider this promotion a bit less “ooh ooh pick me” and more “hey, this is a thing that’s out in the world, maybe you’ll like it, or know someone else who might.”