Rose-Owls and Pumpkin Girls

Happy February! Have some free fiction.

You've had a glimpse of Antimony's time with the Slasher Chicks, but how did it start? Everyone has to strap on their skates for the first time sometime, because otherwise there'd be no one on the track at all. For Antimony Price, that first time came shortly after high school graduation, when she thought she had no other choices.

You know the result, since clearly she joins the team, but getting there is half the fun and more than half the battle. It's time to find out where it all started.

Let's jam.

You can download "Blocked" now from the InCryptid short fiction page. Since this story is chronologically the first starring Antimony, it should stand reasonably well on its own, providing you have any familiarity with the InCryptid setting. (If you don't, there's a lot of short fiction set earlier in the world continuity also posted on that page. Enjoy!)

This also serves as your discussion post.

Well, it's here: at long last you, too, can join the roller party already in progress. Glitter and Mayhem is available now from a bookseller near you! Twenty-one stories, twenty-one parties you know you want to be invited to.

The scores are in:

"Though stories range from humorous to horrific and from innocent to explicit, they stick to the theme with thoroughly enjoyable results. The diverse cast includes gay, lesbian, transgender, and drag queen characters, all portrayed in sensitive and positive lights. This collection definitely brings the party, with nary a poor choice to spoil the evening." —Publishers Weekly

"Glitter and Mayhem not only justifies the risks and faith required from its kickstarter backers, it shows that there is an audience for anthologies that take risks to bring short fiction outside of the usual bounds to a genre audience." —SF Signal

"Most of the stories here are weird, clever, and weirdly clever. Many of them involve roller skating. I never knew that I needed them. But now I want more sci-fi and fantasy stories about roller skating." —Revolution SF

"Glitter and Mayhem reminds me of the sweat and liquid latex-scented parties of the '90s Lower East Side. Only with, like, 50% more murder." —Kelly Sue DeConnick

Basically, come to our party if you want a good time...and if you want to meet Antimony "Final Girl" Price, the roller derby doll little sister of our beloved Verity. Annie's got another bout coming up in February, when she'll be taking on all challengers in "Jammed," but it all begins with "Bad Dream Girl" in Glitter and Mayhem.

See you on the track!

...and, you know, a whole lot of other characters. I am pleased to announce the Kickstarter for Glitter and Madness, an anthology about the "secret nightlife of the 20th century." Raves and roller derby, drugs and debauchery, nightclubs and naughtiness, it's all there, including a brand-new InCryptid novella, "Bad Dream Girl," about Antimony Price and her time with the Slasher Chicks roller derby team. (The other three teams in her league are the Concussion Stand, the Block Busters, and the Stunt Troubles. They're movie-themed. Can you tell I enjoyed myself?)

The Kickstarter is here, packed with lots of lovely goodies:

http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/johnklima/glitter-and-madness-the-speculative-nightclub-anth

But wait! There's more! One of the pledge levels gets you a copy of "Bad Dream Girl" as soon as the anthology funds, which means bam, in your inbox, more Price girl goodness. It's a $50 pledge, which isn't for everyone (obviously), but if this story would be enough to motivate you to pick up the anthology, or if the theme and list of AWESOME AUTHORS would be enough, take a look at the tiers, pick your poison, and help us turn the lights on at the club.

Because seriously, any anthology that gives me an excuse to introduce you properly to Antimony, who is quite possibly my favorite of the Price siblings, is a-okay by me.

Roller derby!