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Neo-opsis
Science Fiction Magazine – Issue 17
The seventeenth issue of Neo-opsis Science Fiction Magazine is 8” by 5 ½”, 80 pages. Published on July 27, 2009.
The cover, Other
World, indeed makes one think of an alien forest on some strange planet,
but the original image is not from someone’s imagination. The cover is actually
a digital photo, taken by Stephanie Johanson, of the underside of her
pond.
Karl Johanson’s
editorial for this issue is Following Gumby’s Lead. Karl talks about
science fiction aspects in the old Claymation television show Gumby and
Pokey, and how some stories can pull him in so deeply that he forgets he is
reading a story, just as Gumby and Pokey used to step into a book and take part
in the story. Karl mentions that it is the 53rd anniversary of Gumby
and Pokey, and the 24th anniversary of Max Headroom.
Letters to the Magazine
this issue are from Jamie Mason, Zarina Kaliakberova, Lynda
Williams (writer and editor of the Okal Rel series), Dale Sproule, Dara
Korra’ti, Robert Arlinghaus, Alice Tmej, Susan Thompson,
Robert Runté (Neo-opsis reviewer), Bran McMom, Bob Smith and
Jennifer Taylor.
This issue Karl
Johanson’s A Walk Through the Periodic Chart is titled Nitrogen.
It is about some of the uses for nitrogen, mentions that high levels of
nitrogen contributes to oceanic dead zones, and also goes a bit off format to
discuss environmental issues.
This first story in
issue seventeen is Moderator (3,700 Words), by Sara King. Alaskan
author, Sara, grew up with a fanatical obsession with fantasy...and an active
disdain for science fiction. Somehow, through a freak twist of Fate, she ended
up writing science fiction. She's now working on her 13th novel, and is
thrilled to be represented by agent Amy Boggs of the Donald Maass Agency. She's
always looking for brave guinea pigs interested in actiony sci-fi goodness, and
they can sign up for free novels through her website, www.kingfiction.com.
The second story is
Thirteen (2,549 words), by Peter Andrew Smith. Peter lives and works
in Antigonish, Nova Scotia with his wife Meredith. They share their home with
two small dogs, Willie and Barkley, who believe that the best things to bark at
are outside of their sterilized living space. Peter's story "A Time for
Everything" appeared in Neo-opsis #3. A complete list of all of Peter's
fiction and non-fiction works can be found at www.peterandrewsmith.ca.
The third story is
Finders Weepers (3,060 words), by Robert P. Switzer. Robert story Silence
in Screamland appeared in issue 11 of Neo-opsis. His fiction has also
appeared Tales of the Unanticipated.
The fourth story is
Time Leeches and the Evolution of Annie Ross (3,898 words), by Linda
DeMeulemeester. It is Linda's third story in Neo-opsis Science
Fiction Magazine. Her fiction has also appeared in Canada's Story Teller
Magazine, ChiZine, and Twilight Tales. Linda's YA novel, The
Secret of Grim Hill, has recently been published by Lobster press.
The fifth story is Dead
Zoned (992 words), by Jim O’Loughlin. Jim lives in Cedar Falls,
Iowa, where he coordinates the Final Thursday Reading Series (http://geocities.com/finalthursday).
His science fiction has appeared in Quantum Muse, From the Asylum,
and Everyday Weirdness.
It is a real treat this issue to have Ancestor (92 words), a poem by Dave Duncan. Dave is the author of more than forty fantasy and science fiction novels. His novels West of January and Children of Chaos won Aurora Awards. At the time that this issue went to print, Dave had been short listed for the Endeavour Awards for his novel Ill Met in the Arena and short listed for the Sunburst Award for his novel The Alchemist's Code. A listing of his works is available at: www.daveduncan.com.
The sixth story is Communiqué (2,642 words), by James Steimle. James gave up a frightening career in the legal field so that he could drown in the dust of books as a librarian. A gardener of fear-inspiring zucchini, graduate student of Education, hobby physicist, and romantic father, this author of The Ghost People (Sam's Dot) has had fiction anthologized in Forbidden Speculation (Golden Acorn Press) and shared stories through Albedo One, Tales of the Talisman, Nova Science Fiction, Black Petals, and Dark Horizons. Visit him at www.steimle.us.
The seventh story is The Seed (2,700 words), by Joan L. Savage. Joan is a musician, and lives in Saskatoon with a houseful of animals. Her short stories have been published in Intergalactic Medicine Show, On Spec, Dreams & Visions, Mercury, and other magazines. She is a graduate of Orson Scott Card's Literary Boot Camp, and Viable Paradise. She blogs (when she blogs) at www.joansavage.blogspot.com
The eighth story is The
Antidote (3,715 words), by Russ Colson. Russ is a professor at Minnesota
State University Moorhead where he teaches planetary science, meteorology, and
geology. He worked at the Johnson Space Center in Texas for five years,
followed by six years of research at Washington University in St. Louis where,
among other things, he studied how a lunar colony might mine oxygen from the
local rock. He writes a variety of speculative fiction stories.
Awards News includes
the 2009 Hugo Award Nominees, the winners of the 2008 Nebula Awards, and the
nominees for the 2009 Aurora Awards.
Reviews this issue
are of the novel Tower in the Crooked Wood, by Paula Johanson, reviewed
by Robert Runté; Plants Versus Zombies from Popcap Games, reviewed by
Karl Johanson; the movie Terminator Salvation, Warner Bros, reviewed by
Karl Johanson; the movie Star Trek The Future Begins, Paramount,
reviewed by Karl Johanson; Skeptoid.com, Podcast, reviewed by Karl
Johanson; I Don’t Want to go to Heaven as Long as They Have Vulcans in Hell,
Warp 11 CD, reviewed by Karl Johanson.
SF News includes
obituaries for novelist and poet Phyllis Gotlieb, and editor and co-founder of Locus
Charles N. Brown. There is also mention of the World Science Fiction Convention
being held in Montreal, Quebec from August 6 to 10, 2009.
In Science News there
is how to get involved in classifying galaxies, and an image of Saturn’s moon
Enceladus,
On The Last Page,
we have Life Changing Books a short article by Stephanie Ann Johanson,
and Other Worlds, About the Cover by Karl Johanson.
Issue
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