Story Stuff

Kali

Art by Jubjubjedi

A while back, I mentioned an idea that Trent Zelazny and Warren LaPine had for an original anthology of stories set in Roger Zelazny's universes. Which given how much of a fan I was, and still am, of Zelazny's work, I thought was a terrific idea. 

Said book was to be invitation-only, unless they could raise enough money from an online funding campaign, in which case it would be open to submissions from riff-raff like me.

I thought this kind of tribute was aces, so I put some money where my mouth was. 

Alas, they didn't raise the entire amount they want; however, they did get enough so they are proceeding. 

The bad news is that it won't be open to over-the-transom submissions, you'll have to be invited. At least for now.

The good news? They decided that anybody who chipped in to make it happen could take a shot at a story.

Hot damn!

Virtue is, of course, its own reward, but I am so pleased, because that means I get a chance to write a story in my favorite Zelazny novel–and my favorite science fiction novel, period–and maybe get it published. 

Or not, since I don't know if what I send in will be to their taste; still, you can't win the lottery if you don't buy a ticket, and I would honored as all hell to have a tale in this anthology.

Enough so that I sat down this morning after I got the note from Warren and wrote the piece. It's short, only 1600 words. There's no action to speak of. It's mostly two guys having a beer in a bar. But it answers questions I wanted to see answered after I read Lord of Light, and maybe some other readers might find my answers satisfying.

Cleaned it up, sent it off, and there you go.

This is the thing about working in a universe you like visiting that isn't yours. I can tell you what Darth Vader thinks as he sits inside his hyperbaric chamber. When and how Luke Skywalker built his own light saber. How Princess Leila looks as she steps out of the shower. How Conan got his muscles. How Ripley really feels about androids. Where Batman studied Japanese martial arts. 

Because I've already told you these things, if you but know where to look.

And maybe, I'll get a chance to tell you what happened to Great-Souled Sam, the Buddha, and Yama, the God of Death, too. 

We'll see ...