Someone Is Reading Me.

You write a story, you send it out into the world. It is published, and then you wait.

Usually there's nothing. Not a mention, not a ripple. Only silence.

Sometimes, if you're lucky, you see a review, a comment somewhere online. If you're very lucky, you receive an email or a message on Facebook from a reader.

And that makes for a very happy writer.

I feel very fortunate in that I've had both personal emails and published reviews. They've mostly been very positive, which is always wonderful, and they usually arrive at a time when I need a confidence boost. (Although for most writers I suspect that is 'always')

So I was delighted to see AntipodeanSF say the following about my story, The Last of the Butterflies, which Keith Stevenson at Coeur de Lion published in Dimension6.

Standout stories I've read in the past couple of months or so that have impressed themselves on me for one reason or another.

Short Story: The Last Of The Butterflies
by Steve Cameron
Post apocalyptic religious society study that hinges on undercurrents that threaten the survival of anyone that was bioengineered before the disaster. Bottom line? There's danger lurking in comfort, and the ideas of others. Go flying.
In Dimension 6 Issue 3

Rob Hood's story, The Shark God Covenant, from the same issue was included, as were half a dozen other names I feel more than honoured to be listed alongside.

Thanks, AntipodeanSF and Ion Newcombe. It's great to be mentioned, and to know at least someone is reading and appreciating my work.

The Last Of The Butterflies.

Issue 3 of Dimension6, including my story, 'The Last of the Butterflies, is now available for download.

For those who aren't aware of this great new magazine, Keith Stevenson, award-winning publisher at Coeur de Lion, commenced this project last year.  Dimension6 is DRM free, distributed free on the internet three times a year, and has garnered very positive reviews so far.

Keith, of course, previously published my story So Sad, the Lighthouse Keeper in Anywhere But Earth, a fantastic anthology which deserves greater recognition.

Issue 3 features:

Shark-God Covenant by Robert Hood
You never make a deal with the Devil. But what about the child of a god?

The Last of The Butterflies by Steve Cameron
Let me tell you a story about when I was young and the world was a very different place.

New Chronicles of Andras Thorn by Cat Sparks
Just like his uncle, Andras Thorn wanted adventure and excitement. Unfortunately he found it.

Are you still here? Are you still reading this? Go and download Dimension6 now!

Coming To You From Another Dimension.

Keith Stevenson at Coeur de Lion has revealed the TOC for issue 3 of Dimension6. It will be available for download in early October.

For those who don't know this great new magazine, Keith commenced this project last year with the first and second issues already published. DRM free, it is distributed free on the internet three times a year, and has thus far garnered very positive reviews.


I'm thrilled to be included in issue 3 alongside Cat Sparks and Rob Hood. And it's great to be working with (for?) Keith again. Keith, of course, previously published my story So Sad, the Lighthouse Keeper in Anywhere But Earth, a fantastic anthology which deserves greater recognition.

Issue 3 features:

Shark-God Covenant by Robert Hood
You never make a deal with the Devil. But what about the child of a god?

The Last of The Butterflies by Steve Cameron
Let me tell you a story about when I was young and the world was a very different place.

New Chronicles of Andras Thorn by Cat Sparks
Just like his uncle, Andras Thorn wanted adventure and excitement. Unfortunately he found it.

Cool, huh?  Which reminds me - I'd better get those edits back to Keith, those edits I promised him last week.

Continuum X.

Next weekend, Melbourne's Continuum will celebrate its 10th birthday. For those not familiar with it, "Continuum is an annual Melbourne speculative fiction and pop culture fan convention celebrating creativity across genre and media. From hard-edge science fiction to high-flown fantasy, comic books to film noir, high culture to sub-culture… we sink our teeth into it all!" This year the convention is also host to Natcon, the 53rd Australian National Science Fiction Convention.

I love Continuum - not only for the panels and spending time with interstate friends, but the whole atmosphere of being with like-minded people.

I'm really excited to be involved in the following panels:

Seminal British SF Friday 22:30-23:30 with: Cat Sparks, Rob Hood, Narrelle Harris, Steve Cameron

The Aliens Are Too Human! Sunday 10:00-11:00 with: Alan Baxter, Steve Cameron, Darren Sanderson, Bismuth Hoban, Stacey Larner

YA - Meet the Authors Sunday 14:00-15:00 Steve Cameron interviewing:
Jim C. Hines, Tracy Joyce, Mary Borsellino

Not doing anything next weekend? There's still time to join.

Dimension6 Has Issues.

The inaugural issue of Dimension6 will be distributed free from Friday, 4th April, (EDIT: Now available!)  on the Coeur de Lion website as well as a number of mirror sites around the web. The eZine will be published thrice yearly.

Dimension6 is an exciting new project by award-winning editor Keith Stevenson (Aurealis, Anywhere But Earth, X6). Keith, in an interview on Angela Slatter's website, states: "... I’ll continue to source the best stories I can find from new and established authors. With only three stories an issue, I can afford to be choosy."

I was fortunate enough to have had one of my stories selected for the nine slots available in the first year. The Last Of The Butterflies will be published in October (issue #3). I'm completely thrilled to find myself alongside the eight other names, including many I would consider inspirations and unofficial mentors. So unofficial, in fact, they probably don't even realise it. And, of course, I previously worked with Keith when he published So Sad, The Lighthouse Keeper in Anywhere But Earth.

Keith: "My initial reading period in January really took me by surprise and I was able to fill the first three issues from the submissions I got. So I know for sure that the next two issues will bring you stories from Dirk Strasser, Cat Sparks, Rob Hood, Robert Stephenson, Alan Baxter and Steve Cameron. With Richard Harland, Jason Nahrung and Charlotte Nash in issue #1 that’s one hell of an impressive line-up for our first year!"

Check out the complete interview here. Angela has interviews with the writers for Issue #1 during this week.

Ah Keith, thanks for including me. Did you notice how quickly I returned those contracts just in case you'd made a mistake?

Dimension6.

All sales are good, but some are better than others.

I'm thrilled to announce that I've sold a story, The Last of the Butterflies, to award winning publisher Keith Stevenson at Couer de Lion.  

Keith's new emagazine venture, Dimension6, is due for launch in April. My story will be available in Issue 3. (due October, 2014). I previously published So Sad, The Lighthouse Keeper with Keith in Anywhere But Earth.

This means I (once more) share space with the fabulous Cat Sparks, Rob Hood, Richard Harland, Jason Nahrung and Alan Baxter  in this magazine's first year.

And if you haven't subbed yet, the reading period is still open for another 8 days.