The Future Fire

[Djibril]

“But when I woke up this morning, could’ve sworn it was judgment day.”
—

Issue 2016.36

^{Cover art © 2016 Pear Nuallak}

• ‘Embedded’, A.J. Fitzwater (illustrated by Miranda Jean)
• ‘Keeping the Stars’ (poem), Anna Sykora (illustrated by Carmen Moran)
• ‘The Orchids of Lethe’, M. Bennardo (illustrated by Chris Cartwright)
• ‘Holy Many-Minds Home’, Michael Díaz Feito (illustrated by Cécile Matthey)
• ‘Vengeance Sewn with Fey Cord’, Christine Lucas (illustrated by Pear Nuallak)

E-book versions coming soon

Review this issue on Goodreads

[Djibril]

Fae Visions of the Mediterranean: An Anthology of Horrors and Wonders of the Sea, edited by Valeria Vitale and released by Futurefire.net Publishing, is now on sale in print and e-book from all online bookstores.

The TFF Press blog will be hosting a series of author interviews, guest posts, teaser images, and other fun content through May. I'll post occasional updates here too, in case you don't subscribe (but if you want to, you can sign up for emails from the sidebar). Today's post is an interview with Croatian author Vladimira Becić, author of “Kod Kose i Sata”—translated as “The Scythe and the Hourglass” and published here in both Croatian and English versions. Check out her questions and answers at http://press.futurefire.net/2016/05/interview-with-vladimira-becic.html.

[Djibril]

A handful of guest posts from and interviews with the authors of stories and poems in Fae Visions of the Mediterranean, which we're celebrating at the TFF Press blog all this month:

• Interview with Vladimira Becić, author of the bilingual story “The Scythe and the Hourglass”
• A Reflection on Mermaids by Angie Rega, author of “The Return of Melusine”
• Interview with Claude Lalumière, author of “The Dance of the Hippadotora” and “Xandra’s Brine”
• Light and Passion by Maria Grech Ganado, author of the bilingual poems “A Free Song” and “The Passion of Saint George”
• Interview with Hella Grichi, author of “The Wisps of Tabarka” (interviewed by Lyndsay E. Gilbert)
• Review of Sicily: Culture and Conquest by Kelda Crich, author of “Regretful in the City of Promises”

[Djibril]

One of the authors in Fae Visions of the Mediterranean, Mattia Ravasi (“The Miracle Town”) has posted in the #FaeVisions campaign series a short video reviewing his top 5 novels with a Mediterranean setting.

https://youtu.be/N0I7Z_mm8ZA

Any other recommendations for (especially fantasy or horror) novels set around or on the Mediterranean?

[Djibril]

A few more author/editor/artist interviews and posts in the #FaeVisions of the Mediterreanean series:

• Interview with Angela Rega (interviewed and posted by Hella Grichi)
• Interview with Jenny Blackford (interviewed and posted by Angela Rega)
• Interview with Djibril and Valeria (interviewed by Mattia Ravasi and posted by Amy Braun)
• Interview with Valeria Vitale (interviewed by Muhammad Aurangzeb Ahmad for the Islam & Science Fiction blog)

We've also been running a series of interviews, guest posts and teasers on the TFF Press blog (see http://press.futurefire.net/search/label/Fae%20Visions) and more fun to come between now and the end of the month!

[Djibril]

If anyone is wondering what all the fuss is about and fancies a free copy of the Fae Visions of the Mediterranean anthology of horrors and wonders of the sea, we're running a social media random giveaway. Simply post on Twitter or Facebook a short comment or image about the Mediterranean Sea (something fantastic, horrific, dreamy, weird, fun, or whatever) and include the hashtag #FaeVisions in the post. Every ten people who take part between now and May 31st we'll give away one e-book of the anthology to a randomly selected player. If more people play, we'll start giving away paperback copies too.

Full rules and regs at http://press.futurefire.net/2016/05/faevisions-giveaway.html

[Djibril]

The last few stops in the Fae Visions of the Mediterranean blog tour coming up! The carnivale ends today, although if anyone would like to hear more about the anthology, interview any of the authors or editors, or see a review copy, do give me a shout.

• Jenny Blackford: Nymphs and Naiads
• Interview with Mattia Ravasi
• Ursa Vidic: Dalmatian Elves
• Deborah Walker interviews Valeria and Djibril
• Interview with Louise Herring-Jones
• Christine Lucas: Between Heaven and the Mediterranean
• Valeria interviewed by the monsters
• Rhys Hughes interviews Tostoini

(Bold items are not on the TFF blog.)

There's still a few hours left to enter the Twitter/Facebook giveaway… if a few more people enter tonight, we'll give away a paperback copy as well as the e-books.

[Djibril]

We’d like to invite all members of the BFS forums to a small launch party for the Fae Visions of the Mediterranean horror/fantasy anthology if you can make it to London on Wednesday evening, June 22nd.

The event: FAE VISIONS OF THE MEDITERRANEAN BOOK LAUNCH
The time: 18:00, Wednesday June 22, 2016
The place: Upstairs function room, The Plough, 27 Museum St, London WC1A 1LH
Map: https://www.google.co.uk/maps?q=WC1A+1LH
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/events/1347595131922795/

We hope to be joined by the editors, Valeria Vitale and myself (Djibril al-Ayad), authors Rhys Hughes, Kalina Aïch, Kelda Crich, translator Arrate Hidalgo, and other friends. There will be copies of the anthology to examine or buy, and you can just hang out with us in the pub for a little while if that’s all you want. (Please reply at FB if you plan to come, so we get an idea of numbers.)

[Djibril]

Just nudging again to re-invite any BFS types or other friends to the Fae Visions of the Mediterranean book release party, next Wednesday (June 22) at 6pm, in the Plough (opposite the British Museum, central London). I know at least a couple of people from these forums will be there, and it would be lovely to put a few more faces to names if anyone else is around.

If you feel like it, RSVP to https://www.facebook.com/events/1347595131922795/ if you think you might join us. Or just come along on a whim.

[Djibril]

Today on the TFF Press blog we run an interview with Bart Leib and Kay T. Holt, co-publishers of the acclaimed Long Hidden anthology, who are currently running a Kickstarter to publish the follow-up anthology, Hidden Youth: Speculative stories of marginalized children. Bart and Kay talked about the anthologies, the fundraiser, childhood, and the future of the Crossed Genres publishing house.

http://press.futurefire.net/2016/06/interview-with-bart-kay-from-crossed.html

While you're there, consider backing the project and getting yourself a copy of the antho. It'll be well worth it, I guarantee…

[Djibril]

We've been running micro-interviews with the authors and artists from issue #36 over on the TFF Facebook page the last couple weeks. We asked 2–3 questions each of Chris Cartwright, Anna Sykora, Michael Díaz Feito, Pear Nuallak, A.J. Fitzwater, and more to come!

_{(I like the format of these short interviews. Still in two minds as to whether FB is the best place to run them though. Thoughts?)}

[Djibril]

“Oui dehors il pleut mais cette pluie est délicieuse.
Dehors la vie est belle, que diable est-elle dangereuse.”

—HK et les Saltimbanks

Issue 2016.37

• ‘The Wave’, Vanessa Fogg, illustrated by Toeken
• ‘A Distant Glimpse’, Simon Kewin, illustrated by Eric Asaris
• ‘Patchwork Girl’, Colleen Anderson (poem), illustrated by Valeria Vitale
• ‘Porphyria: Dazzle Con Debut’, Priya Sridhar, illustrated by Lou Badillo
• ‘Glow in the Dark’, Rachel Linn, illustrated by Cécile Matthey
• ‘Cinder-Elver’, Mary Alexandra Agner, illustrated by Laura-Anca Adascalitei

E-book versions coming soon

Review this issue on Goodreads

[Djibril]

We’re been running a short series of mini-interviews (2-3 questions) with the authors and artists of issue #37 on the TFF Fakebooc page. So far we have interviews with:

• Priya Sridhar (author)
• Toeken (illustrator)
• Colleen Anderson (poet)
• Eric Asaris (illustrator, cover artist)
• Rachel Linn (author)
• L.E. Badillo (illustrator)

Follow or “like” the FB page to catch up with the rest of the interviews as they come.

[Djibril]

A few more TFF mini-interviews that popped up in the last few days:

• Mary Alexandra Agner (author)
• Valeria Vitale (illustrator)
• Vanessa Fogg (author)
• Simon Kewin (author)

Again, like or follow the FB page to catch any more that come up next.

[Djibril]

Probably the last of the mini-interviews for #37: assistant editor and in-house illustrator Cécile Matthey talks about seals, sea cucumbers and whales (not sure how this became a totally marine-themed interview!).