International Pixel-Stained Technopeasants

Tom:  I'm cold.

Sally:

Tom:  I'm cold. I need a bedwarmer.

Sally:

Tom: I need a bedwarmer.

Sally:  Get your own damned bedwarmer your own damned self.

Tom:  What is this?  Is this hell?

Sally:  This is heaven.

I'm new to this merry band. I've been watching as others have gone before me in their wretchery, and finally managed to wretch something up myself. It's a short story in a lovely and free web magazine called "Ray Gun Revival", dedicated to pulp style space opera. It's worth reading and contributing to on its own.

Fair warning, this magazine is distributed in PDF format, so if your connection is slow, it'll take a while. You were warned.

Little Bear Lost, in Ray Gun Revival Issue #35

It was a while ago, but it's the only thing I've really published that someone actually paid me for.  And it's out there free to read.

I've got other things in the works, but they're not ready.  I hope you enjoy this little tidbit of pixel-stained technopeasantry.

My apologies for posting this a little bit late, but I had a delay n getting to work.  In any case, I hope you like this.

This piece is actually part of a larger story set in my Under the Green Moon world, which is a "hard fantasy" set 30,000 years in the future, after multiple civilizations have risen and fallen. I wanted  to put more setting flavor in here, but I was unfortunately rushed for time and space.  I also wanted to do this story in a YA style, in the manner of authors I liked in my youth, such As Andre Norton and Anne McCaffery.  I also consider this story  very unpolished, and would ideally put a few more edits in.  Oh well.

Anyway, here it is.


( The Priestess and the Cat )

Lyndall was one of the 144 princesses in the land of Breznia. It was a magical land that used technology combined with

magic to power all their needs. It was cool.

The Breznians were happy in their land with flying islands with castles and libraries on them. There were some that used hover craft or jet packs to get around. Some traveled by giant flying turtles. Lyndall had a friend that ferried her around, a giant Turtle named Gamella.

One day Lyndall realized that her friends in the Breznian county of Orlock, located on the ground, were having problems finding there way around. From her flying turtle friend she saw them bumping into trees and houses and stuff. At first she thought it was funny. Then she started to think someone could seriously get hurt. She hesitated though because she thought they might get embarrassed if someone, especially a flying princess told them they were messed up.

When she flew home that night and Gamella asked her what she thought about the clumsy people. Lyndall thought she was joking on them but she was really concerned. It was the first time they had talked about a serious , not so fun subject.

"Well it is sad, but what can I do?"

"You are so awesome, I am sure you could help somehow. Kinda surprised you aren't running down there," said Gamella "What if they don't want my help? What if they scorn me? I kind of want to mind my own business," said Princess Lyndall.

Gamella did not pressure her but from that day on they started talking about the deeper philosophical questions in life.

That night Lyndall did not sleep well. She kept on thinking about the poor unfortunate people of Orlock. She was coming to the conclusion that if it were her bumping into a tree that she would want somebody to help her. That night she had dreams about the people of Orlock. She dreamed that she was one of them, bound to the land and unfortunately blind and lost.

She and Gamella were talking the next day as they roamed the pink skies of morning and the blues skies of noon. They talked about Orlock's people and they gravitated near there.

"So what do you want to do Princess Breznia?"

"Lets go down there and find out what's what!" she said determinedly.

So they flew towards them at a rapid and steep angle. They were so excited to help. When they got there they called out to the people and tried to find out what was going on.

"What is going on!?" Yelled Lyndall.

From a young gentleman they got this response, "We were fooled by a local artist. We followed his stories as if they were real and then we became blind! His stories sounded good but it told us to not care about ourselves and others anymore, just to help ourselves and get our cash!" He started crying,"Now look at us!!! We can't see"

From another they got the same story and they also got the name of the disease, Space Lion sickness. This was turning out to be serious business. The people welcomed their help but there was not much they could do but to help people back into their houses or bring blankets to those stuck out side.

That night they had gathered some of those who were stuck outside. Lyndall started a fire to keep them warm.

She asked them, "Where is this charlatan? This horrible man that has led you to blindness?"

"He lives on the flying land near the Southern Mountain ranges. Lock Haven island." said one of the villagers.

There was a flash of light over the fire then there was a figure of a man there with a malicious smile.

"What do you want? You were talking about me, weren't you?" Said the imposing figure.

Lyndall stepped back cautiously. The blinded ones covered their faces and cried. One shook his fists toward the voice and cursed.

Lyndall looked at the afflicted and then yelled at the figure, " Why have you done this!?"

He laughed. "They did this to themselves! They are fools! There is a way you can fix this, though." He smiled even wider. You must eat your best friend, then these people will be saved,muhahahahahahahahha." His maniacal laughter filled their ears.

"That is revolting and you are evil!" yelled Lyndall.

Gamella spoke quietly to Lyndall. "My kind have a healing property if you eat us."

"'NO! Never"

"It is ok. I have lived long but I love you and these people, they have such potential. I don't want to do this because I fear the unknown," Gamella cried. "But it is right to help people."

"No!" Screamed Lyndall. A powerful tempest formed over them.

"Promise me one thing. That you will eat me as well and remember always our friendship," said Gamella with deep sorrow in her voice. "If these strangers eat me, my friend should as well."

Then the figure of the liar above the fire, which was going on strong despite the howling wind and rain, started laughing. "You are a fool, too, tortoise!"

And then multiple bolts of lightning rained down on Gamella. For 10 minutes this went on and the maniacal laughing accompanied the gruesome cooking. After this was done Lyndall realized that Gamella's shell was overturned and inside there was turtle stew. She fell to her knees and cried.

She walked over to the shell and looked at the gruesome but delicious looking concoction. She reluctantly scooped up a handful and ate some of her friend. She automatically felt better. She started feeding the blinded people and their vision returned. Special things happened to all those who ate.

Not only did they heal but they were endowed with special powers. They could now all fly. They could sense the presence of other flying turtles. Some had laser eyes and some had plasma bolts from there hands. And some could heal.

So they healed the rest of the town and restored their sight. They all gathered at Gamella's shell. They wept with sorrow and joy. They realized that they could talk to each other using there minds and that there wisdom and intellect had increased. All those with healing powers, including Lyndall stepped forward to Gamella's Shell. They all came to the realization that they should touch the shell.

There was a glow and all of them felt great joy. The aura from the shell turned into a healthy and new Gamella. They were astonished.

They had to stop the evil liar from hurting anyone else so they flew to his flying castle and easily vanquished him with their new super powers.

Peace ruled the land. All those who ate of Gamella became geniuses and spread knowledge and joy throughout the land.

They were a special people. Crying because of sorrow was a rare thing afterwards and life was good.

ⓒ Copyright Dante Sampang 2008
For more of my stuff please go to DanteDreams.com

In honor of the occasion (and yes, I'm just getting in under the wire on the east coast), please to be reading the following short-short that I originally sold to 44 Clowns: 11 Stories of the 4 Clowns of the Apocalypse, an anthology that never happened, and the story really doesn't work outside the anthology, which is why I haven't been able to resell it (not for lack of trying).

( So, uh, here it is.... )

It's late in the day, but I wanted to jump in with my own offering for ipstp. (Discovered earlier today thanks to filkertom).

I wrote this snippet last year for brigits_flame - it's just a couple scenes that I have yet to develop into anything more, but eventually I do want to see where these characters take me.

Stolen Moments

Happy day to all! I bring you a succinct cross-posting from my journal:

In the wreckage surrounding us thanks to the recent American economy, some people may worry about giving their work away without charge. However, I say it's even more important to do so now than it was in past years! You foster loyal patronage by showing your patrons what you can do, enticing them with your skills so that they feel moved to support your work.

Without further ado, I bring you my offerings:

Last summer, I began an experiment in cyberfunded creativity, inviting tips but not requiring payment for my work. I've had to put the project on hiatus due to graduate school, but here is a listing of the current offerings:
"In Extremis" (Concerning a working-girl demon.)
"The Brotherhood of Applied Sciences" (Concerning two brothers in science.)
"Our Lady of Crows" (Concerning the earliest story of crows.)
"Mortal Desires" (Concerning conversations with Death.)

I have had two poems published recently that are available in amazing online magazines, free of charge:
"My Small Army of Souls," published in the Sixth Issue (September 2008) of Scheherezade's Bequest, the online companion to Cabinet des Fées.
"Ireland, A Sapphic Poem," published in the 50th Issue (February 2009) of The Pedestal Magazine.

Just a couple of weeks ago, I published a number of my photographs from Kyoto, Japan, coupled with my words in a project called Postcards from a Traveling Oracle: To Nine Sisters, from Kyoto.

At my website, you can find a selection of free fiction and poetry, including my offerings for the previous years' IPSTP Days (which I list here below):
"And My Sky Full of Stars": A short work mixing creative nonfiction with abstract fiction, focusing on relationships. Year One (2007) offering.
"Elegy for a Fallen Angel": A poem considering the subsequent mortal life and mystery of a fallen angel. Year One (2007) offering.
"To Live": Short fiction on the interconnectedness of life through the tale of wolf and boy; originally published in Huntingdon College's The Prelude in 2001. Year Two (2008) offering.

And this year's new offerings:
A Posey of Poesy, being a collection of three experiments in three formal poetic forms (triolet, tilay, Variant Italian sonnet).


* Boy, I really hope the French is right in the subject line. If it's not... er, someone else did it. Actually, that's true either way.

What a difference a little bit of time makes!

I am glad I got up this morning!  Otherwise, I should have forgotten to post free fiction for International Pixel-Stained Technopeasant Wretch Day.

So, Free Premium Sampler from Book View Cafe (MANY Freebies).

Also, extraordinarily sick Mayan fantasy "Heart of Jade," first published in Black Gate Magazine, Issue #2 (!!) and "To Kiss the Star," 2002 Nebula Award nominated story, with over 150,000 readers to date and still counting.

And as to "Amy Sterling Casil - bad reviews" please feel free to let the fur fly <G>.

I've just started experimenting with stories told in the 140 character limit of Twitter. I'm not very good at it yet,but I present for International Pixel Stained TechnoPeasant Wretch Day the three I think are the best of the dozen I've written so far.

Mindy Sue's Special Sauce: Aliens visit earth to take a goodwill tour. When Mindy Sue opens her door to one, she panics. A BBQ & her special sauce hides the evidence.

Heroes with Challenges: Publicly they are special needs people. Privately they are The Motley Crew, heroes. They right wrongs and oppose the Cadre of Conformity.

There are Dreams: The unicorn never leaves her prey until it recovers. I sought a lifetime to return the favor. Finding her is my legacy to you, my child.

My book is nowhere near complete, so I will give you my first ever short story, The Story of Soap:

( Cut to save your friends list. )

Just a silly short, short, really.

Here ya go.

Here's my contribution: Jeremy.

My contribution this year is a flash fiction piece mashing up a number of faery tales featuring sleeping princesses.

I didn't realise there was a whole community! Clearly I've found the one rock of the intarwebs beneath which to live.

This past February, partly in honour of Catherynne Valente's Palimpsest, I tasted a different honey for every day in the month, reviewed it, and then wrote something fiction or poetry shaped for it. The result was Honey Month, which will soon be shaped into a small book bound by the inimitable erzebet under the auspices of Papaveria Press.

I also wanted to point out Goblin Fruit, the online poetry journal I co-edit with mer_moon, provided quarterly and free of charge. This issue marks our three-year anniversary.

Hope you find something to enjoy!

Alas, I have nothing original to release for IPST day.

This is because I wrote only two pieces of short fiction in the past year. One of them is ear-marked for first publication in July (in my upcoming collection, WIRELESS). The other ... Down on the Farm has been up for free on Tor.com for the past several months, now!

(If IPST was three months later, I could release a whole short story collection -- that'd be TOAST -- but with the final signed hardcover edition coming out in June, that seems a little premature right now.)

Happy IPSTP Day! My contribution can be found here. (3000 word humorous short story, one or two cuss words, no animals were harmed during the making of this story.)

In honor of International Pixel-Stained Techno Peasant Day, a little something amusing from my storied (ha!) past—co-written with my second former fiance, in case you’re wondering. Hope it serves.

EXTREMELY SHORT (BUT SCARY) GHOST STORIES
By Gemma Files and Alex Wiebe

( Read more... )

My offering (a snippet of my forthcoming YA fantasy novel, Eyes Like Stars) here.

As promised in celebration of the 3rd anniversary of IPSTP, here is my offering to you all.  its a bit of flash fiction that I hope you enjoy:

Greets, all! Here's my offering: an MP3 of my concert at last year's MillenniCon. It's 1:24 (about 122 MB), and has a lot of things I do regularly, with a few surprises and a couple of improvs, not to mention a slightly familiar song I cover at the very beginning as part of the sound check.