I recently received word that my story “Excision,” which appeared in Weird Tales #347, has sold as an audio reprint to Dunesteef Audio Fiction Magazine. Woo!

Dunesteef isn’t as well-known yet as the top podcast ‘zines, like Podcastle etc., but they have very good production and an impressive back-catalog of stories by neo-pro writers whose work I’ve enjoyed (Ian Creasey, to name one). They stage their podcasts like an old-timey radio drama, with sound effects and different voices for each character, so it will be very cool to see what they do with “Excision.”

They also have an Author’s Notes segment after the story audio, where the author explains the inspiration for the story. I recorded that segment in my home studio and sent it to them. So even if you’ve already read the story, you can still check out the podcast to hear my reflections on what went into it.

I don’t know yet when they plan to release it–I’m guessing early next year. When I find out I will definitely post here.

One of the neatest things so far about running my magazine Beneath Ceaseless Skies has been getting into steampunk.

I had never read much steampunk at all, but I’ve been sent lots of great steampunk stories. Check out “ Clockwork Heart, Clockwork Soul” by Kris Dikeman, or “Preservation” by Jonathan Wood, or “Kreisler’s Automata” by Matthew David Surridge. And we’ve got several more great ones on the way later this winter.

So when I set out looking for my next cover art for the magazine, I sought out Myke Amend‘s work. I had seen his steampunk airship artwork before, and I’m delighted to have one of those pieces, “Sabicu,” as our new cover art.

Now I need to chase down a steampunk anthology or two. And I think, later this winter, I may try my had at writing some steampunk of my own….

Jason Sanford, writer and editor of storySouth, has a comprehensive blog post on online F/SF magazines.  He gives an insightful overview, then lists the top pro- and semi-pro ‘zines.

He gives fine praise to Beneath Ceaseless Skies, saying that we deserve to be designated as a SFWA pro market.  Thanks very much!  We do meet all the qualifications, now that we’ve been publishing for a full year,  and recently I began the application process to have SFWA designate us thus.

Capclave went very well. I gave away lots of business cards and flyers for Beneath Ceaseless Skies.  Great panels on (trying to) save the magazines and on new media, such as Facebook and podcasts (which I think is one of the ways to save the magazines).  Great chats with Neil Clarke of Clarkesworld Magazine.  Great to see many of the young writers and editors who I know, including the editors of Lightspeed, and great to see GOH Sheila Williams, who I met at Odyssey.

Next year’s Capclave GOH is Connie Willis, who I met at a workshop two years ago.  I’ll be back next year, and it should be just as cool.