Infinite Games, a story – with readings on otherworldly intelligence (The following is a work of satire. The people and events depicted, including those based on real people and events, are all entirely fictional.)

*****

You can read the rest of the series here. Diana Pasulka’s recent book, American Cosmic, treats a lot of the same subject matter in a similar vein, or rather approaches it from a similar position (as evidenced by the horrible pun in the series’ title). It contains some fascinating observations, but I admit I was hoping for more in the way of old super market tabloid-style anecdotes to mine, and it lacks the kind of political insight provided by both Anna Merlan and A.M. Gittlitz. I first heard of it in this review by Edmund Berger, which I’ve returned to for ideas and inspiration many times since.

*This one sounds good too.

*Big Echo looks for all the right things in science fiction.

*upfromsumdirt has a long poem of time and space travel out from Radical Paper Press.

*Lara Alonso Corona has a love story in All Worlds Wayfarer.

*Jessica Sequeira has a new book coming from Sublunary Editions.

*Christina Tudor-Sideri has a new essay in Reliquiae.

*Cathy Ulrich’s short story collection is finally available.

*So is Hugh Fulham-McQuillan’s.

*Just before this post was completed, I learned of the death of Tom Spurgeon. His site, The Comics Reporter, was an enormous influence on this one. Discovering it was a profound turning point for me when so much contemporary fiction seemed lifeless and stale: it led me to the small press world through indie comics, and helped me to understand much better what I wanted from art in all its forms. Thank you, Tom.

*This winter will (hopefully) see the release of the second volume of Notes for a Mythology, the main feature for which The Dreadful Point was originally conceived. Read the first volume here in the meantime.

Next issue: January 2020