Escape Artists has launched Artemis Rising 2!
Escape Artists has launched their Artemis Rising month! Escape Pod (SF) and their sister podcasts, Pseudopod (horror) and Podcastle (fantasy), will be featuring all female and non-binary authors in a special month-long event.
The stories are free to read or listen to.
My short story, "In Their Image," is now up as a podcast AND as text over at Escape Pod! Warning: contains religious philosophy and fluffy pink murderbear aliens!
Excerpt:
When I stepped off the shuttle and breathed in the dry grass scent of Trade City, I was still confident I could launch the first human church on Landry's World. My fellow passengers had been politely non-interested when I explained the mission my church had sent me on. A few had shaken their heads as they glided away. I thought maybe they objected to a female preacher. Or maybe it was because I'm an ex-marine. I'm an "ex-" a lot of things: ex-marine, ex-atheist, ex-drunk, ex-wife, and ex-mother--that last because I was a poor enough mother that when my kids grew up, they washed their hands of me.
The heavier gravity made my normal stride more of a shuffle, but my spirits were high as I walked to meet the young woman waiting for me. After all, I was here at the request of Amber Sands Mining, the major human employer on the planet. The indigenous government had approved; they even volunteered the labor to build my church. My denomination's elders were delighted to have finally found a mission suitable for an ex-marine with other-world experience.
My guide held a sign saying, "Preacher." She bestowed a chipper smile on me when I approached. "Welcome to Landry's World! I'll take you directly to the church so that you can get started."
As I fell into step beside her, I said, "It seems odd that a planet with indigenous life is named after the captain who discovered it. Discovered isn't quite the right term, either, is it?"
"Landry's purpose in life was to find and name this world, and the Teddies honor that."
I raised my eyebrows. "Teddies?"
Read more (or listen to the podcast).
#SFWApro
The stories are free to read or listen to.
My short story, "In Their Image," is now up as a podcast AND as text over at Escape Pod! Warning: contains religious philosophy and fluffy pink murderbear aliens!
Excerpt:
When I stepped off the shuttle and breathed in the dry grass scent of Trade City, I was still confident I could launch the first human church on Landry's World. My fellow passengers had been politely non-interested when I explained the mission my church had sent me on. A few had shaken their heads as they glided away. I thought maybe they objected to a female preacher. Or maybe it was because I'm an ex-marine. I'm an "ex-" a lot of things: ex-marine, ex-atheist, ex-drunk, ex-wife, and ex-mother--that last because I was a poor enough mother that when my kids grew up, they washed their hands of me.
The heavier gravity made my normal stride more of a shuffle, but my spirits were high as I walked to meet the young woman waiting for me. After all, I was here at the request of Amber Sands Mining, the major human employer on the planet. The indigenous government had approved; they even volunteered the labor to build my church. My denomination's elders were delighted to have finally found a mission suitable for an ex-marine with other-world experience.
My guide held a sign saying, "Preacher." She bestowed a chipper smile on me when I approached. "Welcome to Landry's World! I'll take you directly to the church so that you can get started."
As I fell into step beside her, I said, "It seems odd that a planet with indigenous life is named after the captain who discovered it. Discovered isn't quite the right term, either, is it?"
"Landry's purpose in life was to find and name this world, and the Teddies honor that."
I raised my eyebrows. "Teddies?"
Read more (or listen to the podcast).
#SFWApro