August 2007
My book reviews of Michael Moorcock's The Jewel in the Skull and The
Mad God's Amulet were published at SFReader.com.
***
Well, it's been an incredibly nice month in terms of feedback. Sheer
Speculation Press's Staffs & Starships was reviewed by Ricasso Press CEO
Rob Santa in his Firebrand Fiction column at SFReader. Overall, the issue
got a big thumbs up. Here's what Rob had to say about "127 Fears":
"Just knock me over after reading '127 Fears' by S. C. Bryce. Red Roan is a
hero and adventurer, questing after the very real titular Fears brought to
life and unleashed upon the world. But 'in the dusk of his life,' Red Roan
has succeeded in destroying only two of the Fears, the 68th (Fear of
Suffocation) and the 14th (Fear of Things That Creep). Forty-three years
of adventuring have brought him to the end of his days with little to show
for it, and he encounters a Fear that takes full advantage of his mood. The
game I had going in my head while I read Bryce's stellar prose is what the
Fear would be named (saved for the very end, which was a virtual
certainty). You can play the game, too, and I'll let you know that my guess
of Fear of Failure was wrong. A great, great story once again showing the
outstanding relationship of a man and his role as hero, solid
characterization punctuating the idea of the setting."
Woo hoo! Thanks Rob!
***
I received another great email from a reader:
"Dear Ms. Bryce, I'm sure it's some sort of breach of protocol to send
fawning fanmail through this forum, so I'll just apologize for that now and
get on with the fawning. My only excuse is that I'm new to the forum.
Sorry. But I just had to say that you're the only editor on the New Flashing
Swords ezine who has written stories that I've read, and I just wanted to
say that I'm really looking forward to "Rise of the Necromancer Part 3",
which I noticed was scheduled for issue 9. I know that I'll be awaiting it
anxiously! Thanks for indulging! Good luck, and good writing!"
How cool is that??
***
Freehold: The Protector (Monroi Pass Book 2) edited by Armand
Rosamilia of Carnifex Press has been released. This volume contains my
short story, "The Thorn Key." Jason Waltz of Sheer Speculation Press
reviewed the book on his blog. Here's what he had to say about my story:
"Next up was SC Bryce's 'The Thorn Key, a tale that maintains a great
mysterious edge throughout its telling. This tale holds two characters I'd
like to interact with more, and the intriguing possible root of the loss of
magic in Freehold with the beginnings of a quest to correct that loss. Most
interesting of all, though -- and a tad confusing, since I've not come across
any indication this could occur -- is the hint that magic could soon return
to Freehold. Anyone with knowledge as to this, please feel free to
comment here."
All questions answered in due time...
***
Flashing Swords may be making a come-back! Stay tuned...
***
Sheer Speculation Press's Staffs & Starships is already garnering
accolades. My "127 Fears" has been fortunate to receive good reader
feedback.
***
I received a nice email from a reader:
"I've just finished reading the three later Elric books (DD - WWS) and
Googled a bit to see what other people thought. Was very impressed with
your comments, which nicely pinpoint both strengths and weaknesses.
Since reviewers normally get no feedback (except badly-reviewed authors
wielding hatchets) thought I'd just hand out a bit of e-kudos."
On the Bookshelf: Back issues of Black Gate, Kitty Werner's The Savvy
Woman's Guide to Owning a Home (2002), Elizabeth Marshall Thomas's
The Hidden Life of Dogs (1993), and JK Rowlings's Harry Potter and the
Order of the Phoenix (2003), Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
(2005), and Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (2007).
Site News: Revamped the home page to what you see here (essentially
moving the "What's New?" pages to the index). I'm also going back to the
practice of adding links into the current news. Lastly more fiction excerpts
are available (including "127 Fears,"The City on the Sword," and
"Shadows on My Mind").
July 2007
Sheer Speculation Press's Staffs & Starships, featuring "127 Fears" along
with stories by Steve Goble and Barbara Tarbox, is now available as a pdf
and will shortly be available in print.
***
My short story, "Shadows on My Mind," has been accepted for publication
by Farrago's Wainscot. Thanks editor Darin Bradley!
***
My short story, "The City on the Sword," has been accepted for Carnivah
House's debut anthology, The Infinity of Swords. Thanks editors Gere
McClellan, Steve Goble, and TW Williams!
***
My short story "127 Fears" has been accepted for publication in the
premiere issue of Sheer Speculation Press's Staffs & Starships. Thanks go
out to editors J. Boone Dryden and Jason Waltz!
***
Reprints of "Cloning Jesus," "The Demon War," and "Anonymous World"
will be appearing in upcoming issues of Universe Pathways. Thanks
editor George Sotirhos!
***
You may be seeing some of my essays reprinted on Black Gate's website.
Stay tuned...
***
The latest session of our critique group is scheduled to start this month.
On the Bookshelf: Tons of magazines, plus Robert Louis Stevenson's
The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (1886), the premiere issue
of Staffs & Starships, Michael Moorcock's Elric: Tales of the White Wolf
(1994), and Bruce Fogle's 101 Questions Your Cat Would Ask Its Vet
(1993).
Site News: Joined another webring, this time for SFReader.
My book reviews of Michael Moorcock's The Jewel in the Skull and The
Mad God's Amulet were published at SFReader.com.
***
Well, it's been an incredibly nice month in terms of feedback. Sheer
Speculation Press's Staffs & Starships was reviewed by Ricasso Press CEO
Rob Santa in his Firebrand Fiction column at SFReader. Overall, the issue
got a big thumbs up. Here's what Rob had to say about "127 Fears":
"Just knock me over after reading '127 Fears' by S. C. Bryce. Red Roan is a
hero and adventurer, questing after the very real titular Fears brought to
life and unleashed upon the world. But 'in the dusk of his life,' Red Roan
has succeeded in destroying only two of the Fears, the 68th (Fear of
Suffocation) and the 14th (Fear of Things That Creep). Forty-three years
of adventuring have brought him to the end of his days with little to show
for it, and he encounters a Fear that takes full advantage of his mood. The
game I had going in my head while I read Bryce's stellar prose is what the
Fear would be named (saved for the very end, which was a virtual
certainty). You can play the game, too, and I'll let you know that my guess
of Fear of Failure was wrong. A great, great story once again showing the
outstanding relationship of a man and his role as hero, solid
characterization punctuating the idea of the setting."
Woo hoo! Thanks Rob!
***
I received another great email from a reader:
"Dear Ms. Bryce, I'm sure it's some sort of breach of protocol to send
fawning fanmail through this forum, so I'll just apologize for that now and
get on with the fawning. My only excuse is that I'm new to the forum.
Sorry. But I just had to say that you're the only editor on the New Flashing
Swords ezine who has written stories that I've read, and I just wanted to
say that I'm really looking forward to "Rise of the Necromancer Part 3",
which I noticed was scheduled for issue 9. I know that I'll be awaiting it
anxiously! Thanks for indulging! Good luck, and good writing!"
How cool is that??
***
Freehold: The Protector (Monroi Pass Book 2) edited by Armand
Rosamilia of Carnifex Press has been released. This volume contains my
short story, "The Thorn Key." Jason Waltz of Sheer Speculation Press
reviewed the book on his blog. Here's what he had to say about my story:
"Next up was SC Bryce's 'The Thorn Key, a tale that maintains a great
mysterious edge throughout its telling. This tale holds two characters I'd
like to interact with more, and the intriguing possible root of the loss of
magic in Freehold with the beginnings of a quest to correct that loss. Most
interesting of all, though -- and a tad confusing, since I've not come across
any indication this could occur -- is the hint that magic could soon return
to Freehold. Anyone with knowledge as to this, please feel free to
comment here."
All questions answered in due time...
***
Flashing Swords may be making a come-back! Stay tuned...
***
Sheer Speculation Press's Staffs & Starships is already garnering
accolades. My "127 Fears" has been fortunate to receive good reader
feedback.
***
I received a nice email from a reader:
"I've just finished reading the three later Elric books (DD - WWS) and
Googled a bit to see what other people thought. Was very impressed with
your comments, which nicely pinpoint both strengths and weaknesses.
Since reviewers normally get no feedback (except badly-reviewed authors
wielding hatchets) thought I'd just hand out a bit of e-kudos."
On the Bookshelf: Back issues of Black Gate, Kitty Werner's The Savvy
Woman's Guide to Owning a Home (2002), Elizabeth Marshall Thomas's
The Hidden Life of Dogs (1993), and JK Rowlings's Harry Potter and the
Order of the Phoenix (2003), Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
(2005), and Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (2007).
Site News: Revamped the home page to what you see here (essentially
moving the "What's New?" pages to the index). I'm also going back to the
practice of adding links into the current news. Lastly more fiction excerpts
are available (including "127 Fears,"The City on the Sword," and
"Shadows on My Mind").
July 2007
Sheer Speculation Press's Staffs & Starships, featuring "127 Fears" along
with stories by Steve Goble and Barbara Tarbox, is now available as a pdf
and will shortly be available in print.
***
My short story, "Shadows on My Mind," has been accepted for publication
by Farrago's Wainscot. Thanks editor Darin Bradley!
***
My short story, "The City on the Sword," has been accepted for Carnivah
House's debut anthology, The Infinity of Swords. Thanks editors Gere
McClellan, Steve Goble, and TW Williams!
***
My short story "127 Fears" has been accepted for publication in the
premiere issue of Sheer Speculation Press's Staffs & Starships. Thanks go
out to editors J. Boone Dryden and Jason Waltz!
***
Reprints of "Cloning Jesus," "The Demon War," and "Anonymous World"
will be appearing in upcoming issues of Universe Pathways. Thanks
editor George Sotirhos!
***
You may be seeing some of my essays reprinted on Black Gate's website.
Stay tuned...
***
The latest session of our critique group is scheduled to start this month.
On the Bookshelf: Tons of magazines, plus Robert Louis Stevenson's
The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (1886), the premiere issue
of Staffs & Starships, Michael Moorcock's Elric: Tales of the White Wolf
(1994), and Bruce Fogle's 101 Questions Your Cat Would Ask Its Vet
(1993).
Site News: Joined another webring, this time for SFReader.
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Reviews |
| Old News |
| "A careful crafter with a vivid imagination. Bryce seamlessly blends old and new concepts to create something original, and knows how to deliver a good action tale..." Howard Andrew Jones, Managing Editor of Black Gate. |
Old News...
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Reviews |
"Vying for a position as the best story of the group with [Harold] Lamb's [classic reprint] offering is S. C. Bryce's "The Dragon's Scale." This first of a two-part story is about another recurring character, Dermanassian, a desert elf of considerable brains, weapon skill, and magic. Charged by a god to recover a scale from the white dragon, Dermanassian uses stealth to observe and enter the dragon's lair, eventually being discovered. Dragon and elf strike up both conversation and bargain, with the inevitable combat ensuing. The dialog is quick and clever, the action more so. Even though this story could be considered well ended here, I relish the next issue of Flashing Swords to see part two." Robert J. Santa, Firebrand Fiction Review, on The Dragon's Scale, Rise of a Necromancer Part 1. |
| "Dermanassian, the desert elf, has proven to be one of the most popular characters featured at Flashing Swords, and that shouldn't come as a surprise, for S.C. Bryce is a careful crafter with a vivid imagination. Bryce seamlessly blends old and new concepts to create something original, and knows how to deliver a good action tale..." Howard Andrew Jones, managing editor of Black Gate, editor in chief, SwordandSorcery.org, and former editor of Flashing Swords. |
| "A wonderful, dream-like story — glad I picked it to read first in the premiere issue. I made that call based on A) the intriguing title, and B) experience reading Bryce’s stuff. It was a good decision... '127 Fears' rocks." Steve Goble, Swords Against Boredom, editor of Carnivah House, on 127 Fears. |
| "S.C. Bryce is a real talent. Stirring characters, sharp dialogue, fascinating scenery -- Bryce has them all, and a unique spin on fantasy tropes. Don't walk into a Bryce story expecting the ordinary, but expect a rousing adventure every time..." Howard Andrew Jones, Managing Editor Black Gate, and Editor in Chief of www.SwordandSorcery.org, and former editor of Flashing Swords on The Demon War. |
| "It's a tale full of wonder and strangeness, charm and mystery, and absolutely fascinating..." Richard K. Lyon, co-author of novels Demon in the Mirror, The Eyes of Sarsis, The Web of the Spider, and Rails Across the Galaxy and author of numerous short stories, on The Dawn Tree. |
| "This story was so vividly imaginative, so smoothly written and so engrossing that it was over before I knew it..." Bruce Durham, award-winning speculative fiction author and Contributing Editor to www.SwordandSorcery.org, on The Demon War. |
| "Enough fast-paced, high energy adventure for the most action-starved reader... exotic and well-detailed..." Tangent Short Fiction Review, on The Demon War. |