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Sunday, December 07, 2003

NYRSF Editorial 185:
Neither Snow, Nor Sleet, Nor Freezing Rain

Yes, well, there was a blizzard here in Pleasantville on December 4th and 5th, 2003, the earliest big winter storm since the beginning of record keeping in 1846, and the second biggest December storm on record for New York City and environs. Today the accumulated snowfall listed in the NY Times for Thornwood, NY, the nearest Hamlet to our house, was 20 inches. Because of the drifting in my yard and driveway, it was hard to determine if we had that much, or more, but it sure looked like a lot to shovel when I went out to start at 8:30 am.
And so no one was able to attend this work weekend on Friday or Saturday, leaving it to Kathryn and me to work here, and Kevin and his family to read and proof at their home in Yonkers until today, Sunday, when Kevin was finally, by a bit after 2pm, able to arrive here and marry his pile of edited mss with ours so we could start issue production. An hour after that, Kathryn ( 99 pounds, strong like ox)and I had finally shoveled enough snow so his car, and our two, would all fit in the driveway. Then I rested a while, read some more, and we started layout, cutting corners wherever we could. Lack of volunteer staff present means some work cannot get done. We are going to have to catch up on editing forthcoming pieces, for instance, and quickly.

Saturday was also the day Kathryn and I had been planning to go to Sears and buy a snow blower. Every work weekend is unique. We have had blizzards before, but this one started early enough on Friday to prevent arrivals, so the masthead this time is a record for sparseness. Never before have we done this with so few on the spot. We had done the grocery shopping and so we ate well (see Kathryn¹s blog for information on the Ostrich and Buffalo receipes), and the furnace had been repaired Thursday afternoon, so on the whole, this was a warm, pleasant blizzard experience.

Our next work weekend, just after New Years Day, will be a particular challenge, because we need to do two issues then to avoid missing an issue while Kathryn and I are in Australia. It is my sincere hope that the challenge of doing two issues then will be enough to give that weekend its unique character. But just in case, we are staying home after Christmas through New Years.

Sunday, December 07, 2003 |

About David G. Hartwell

Praise for
David G. Hartwell


  • The Science Fiction Century

    "Over the past quarter century, Hartwell has built a well-deserved reputation in SF, fantasy and horror as an editor extraordinaire. In addition to discovering many of the leading luminaries in the genre, he has produced a pool of anthologies that attept to stand as definitive volumes. The Science Fiction Century is another such successful landmark collection."—Publishers Weekly

    "A superb survey for the uninitiated and a definitive sampler for confirmed fans."—Booklist

    "This ranks as one of the definitive anthologies of the genre—and it makes the perfect introduction to the field of science fiction. . . . The Science Fiction Century shows great breadth and range. . . . Editor Hartwell succeeds by including a wide range of authors, styles, and themes."—The Des Moines Register

    "This is a book filled with familiar treasures and a great way to introduce a skeptic to the field."—Science Fiction Chronicle

    Visions of Wonder

    "This volume demonstrates the fact that science fiction is alive and well in the ’90s. . . . The editors are to be congratulated for producing work that will be useful both within the classroom and without. But even more remarkable is how much fun it is to read. They have gathered a collection of contemporary stories that is challenging, engaging, provocative, but above all rewarding. . . . The result is a delight for fans of the genre as well as a treasure trove for teachers. . . . Visions of Wonder is a fine addition of any science fiction collection."—VOYA

    "A historic anthology of great value."—The Edmonton Journal

    "The editors know their stuff. . . . Is this an anthology which you would recomend to a person who has never read any science fiction? The answer is a resounding yes from all corners. If you yourself have wondered what you might have missed over the past twenty years, then you may want to at least take a look at the table of contents. If you have a friend or a relative who keeps asking you why you read that ‘SF’ stuff, then toss this at them. Hartwell and Wolf set out to create an anthology that would represent the field and they ended up producing something that not only does that, but is fun to read to boot."—Age of Wonder

    Northern Stars

    "Canadian sf is clearly a force to be reckoned with. . . . Cross the border—though it’s only the next country over, Canadian sf offers some unique pleasures you won’t find at home."—The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction

    "Northern Stars is a great opportunity to experience that distinctive other North American point of view."—The Washington Post Book World

    "Replete with some of the best SF to be published anywhere in the last ten years. . . . As a primer on where Canadian scinece fiction and fantasy, Northern Stars is unbeatable."—SF Site

    Northern Suns

    "Pleasingly eclectic and worth a try for story fans."—Kirkus Reviews

    "Demonstrate[s] the vitality and eclectic thrust of Canada’s brightest and best authors of speculative fiction. A good addition to most sf or short story collections."—Library Journal

    "[Hartwell and Grant] show that Canadian science fiction is alive and well and living north of the border."—SF Site

    "[A] fine collection . . . an impressive range of stories."—Vector

    "An excellent introduction to some of the rising stars in contemporary Canadian science fiction."—The National Post (Canada)

    "A cross-section of the best contemporary stories ranging from hard SF to visionary fantasy, and from the horrifying to the totally hilarious. . . . captivating and haunting."—VOYA

    "Outstanding fiction."—Foundation

    Centaurus

    "Not the first volume of Australian SF but by far the most significant. . . . A substantial and impressive showcase. If you considered Australia too remote and sparsely populated to be science fictionally important—well, think again."—Kirkus Reviews

    "The wordcraft and imagination at play in this collection of 20 SF stories by Australian writers is quite extraordinary. The book is full of gorgeously imagined scenes on a transgalactic scale and challenging extrapolations of cutting-edge science. Hidden in the grandeur are meditations on the meaning of reality, motherhood, the social worth of religions, and gender dominance. . . . There is enough of the quotidian, charming and homey to ground all this exotica, and there are a few neat japes. . . . Broderick’s introduction is itself a fine and illuminating piece of writing, and his and Hartwell’s profiles are unusally personal. It may arise from Down Under, but this anthology is a world-class treasure."—Publishers Weekly (starred review)

    "Tired of seeing the same names in anthology after anthology? Here’s a chance for a break, a big collection of twenty SF stories by writers from Australia. . . . One of your best anthology bets of the year."—Science Fiction Chronicle

    "There is a wealth of neat, stylish SF between these covers."—San Diego Union-Tribune

    "Centaurus demonstrates that the best Australian SF is as good as the best written anywhere. . . . While Broderick and Hartwell point out that Centaurus isn’t the first anthology to attempt to collect Australia’s best science fiction, its publication is without question a significant event. It succeeds brilliantly both as a wonderful collection of great stories and as a document of the development in SF ina country whose writers are becoming increasingly important in the SF field. A+"—Science Fiction Weekly

    "Broderick and Hartwell have assembled a book that will be published to coincide with the third World Science Fiction Convention to be held in Australia, and one that is intended to give non-Australian readers an overview of Australian SF. As such, it succeeds, and succeeds admirably. Highly recommended."—Locus

    "A group of fine stories by authors who deserve to be better known on this side of the world."—Locus

    "In population terms, Australia is a small country; in literary terms, it consistently punches above its weight. This anthology is proof enough of that."—Interzone

Westport, New York on Lake Champlain

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