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Nir Yaniv's debut English-language collection released
Israeli author Nir Yaniv's debut English-language collection has been released by Keith Brooke's Infinity Plus imprint.
The Love Machine & Other Contraptions is available in Kindle and paperback formats.
Yaniv is a film-maker, musician and author based in Tel Aviv. With World Fantasy Award winner Lavie Tidhar he co-wrote 2009 novel, The Tel Aviv Dossier. It has been described by SFCrowsnest as "the most enjoyably bizarre novel I've read," and was called a "neo-Gnostic apocalypse narrative for the iPod generation" by The Jewish Quarterly.
Yaniv's stories have appeared widely in Israel, where he is considered one of the most prominent of the new wave of genre writers. His writing is often humorous, and tackles a wide variety of subjects and literary approaches. In English, his stories have previously appeared in Weird Tales, Apex Magazine, Chizine and elsewhere, and they have been translated into German, Portuguese and Polish.
The Love Machine collects Yaniv's previously published stories as well as many new stories never published in English. Some have been translated by Lavie Tidhar, who also provides an introduction, and well as by the author himself.
Yaniv's work has been called "hypnotic, surreal and prophetic" by World Fantasy Award winning editor Ann VanderMeer, and as "fantastic, wonderful [and] weird" by Strange Horizons.
Short Story Highlight: "Woman of the Sun, Woman of the Moon", by Benjanun Sriduangkaew (Thailand)
New author Benjanun Sriduangkaew, from Thailand, has a new story up at Giganotosaurus, Woman of the Sun, Woman of the Moon:
It is the aftermath of the world's end, and nine birds–nine suns–lie dead while Houyi cradles the curve of her bow, her fingers locking around the taut hardness of its string. The tenth sun, the last, has fled. Chastise them, Dijun said, a father's plea. But there is the land and the horror and the dryness, desiccated corpses in empty dust trenches that were rivers not long ago. There are dead dragons, too, and snake women with bright eyes–and is it not right to bring down the suns, is it not what Houyi is meant to do? She is a god who protects; she is a god given a duty.
The birds are dead. They no longer burn, but the places where they have fallen will long after be black scorch marks, indelible. There will be consequences. It does not matter that her first shot meant to warn: wing clipped, the eldest sun plunged and shattered on the earth. Seeing their brother fall they attacked, and she had to defend herself.
Behind her Chang'e is inhaling and exhaling shallow scraps of air. They will not let this pass. What will you do now? Where will we go?
And the archer whispers, I saved them all.
She knows, as she has known since she notched that first of nine arrows–even in the firestorm of their rage she was a peerless shot, one arrow per bird all she needed–that for her there will be no thanks. They have transgressed enough, wife and wife, and this shall be the final insult tolerated.
So Houyi only takes Chang'e's hand and says, I am sorry.
Night comes, and with it the first drops of rain. Somewhere a dragon king or queen serpent stirs and tastes the air with a forked tongue. The Sea Mother sifts sand out of her eyes, which have been so parched, so dry. Out of their bellies and mouths rivers will surge forth, tides will rise bright-green with brine, and the world can go on as it did before the convening of ten triple-legged suns. This is their duty, as the murder of sun-crows has been hers. – continue reading!
2012 Utopiales Awards Announced
The Utopiales Awards were announced in Utopiales, Nantes, France.
Utopiales European Award: "Biting the Shield" (Mordre le bouclier) by Justine Niogret (France)
Utopiales European Youth Award: "Blood Red Road" (Saba ange de la mort ) by Moira Young (UK)
Feature Films
Grand Prix : "Eega" (Fly) by S. S. Rajamouli (India)
SyFy Public Award & Special Mention: "Iron Sky" by Timo Vuorensola (Finland)
Special Mention : "The Human Race" by Paul Hough (UK)
Short Films
Jury Award : "Apnoe" by Harald Hund, Paul Horn (Austria)
Audience Award : "The Elaborate End of Robert Ebb" (La Mysterieuse disparition de Robert Ebb) by Francois Xavier
Goby, Matthieu Landour and Clement Bolla (France, UK)
Special Mention : "Robots of Brixton" by Tavares Kibwe (UK)
Special Mention : "Error 0036″ by Raul Fernandez Rincón (Spain)
Special Mention : "Tvillingen" (The Twin) by Gustav Danielsson (Sweden)
Utopiales Comics Award: "Daytripper" by Fabio Moon and Gabriel Ba
Jury Special Award : "Big Crunch" by Remi Gourrierec
Video Games
Tie: "Thanks for Playing" and "2012 Game"
Role Play:
Best Screenplay : Victor Bret for "War Hero"
Why Arab Readers Need Sci Fi: 5 Questions with SF Author Noura Noman
Fascinating interview in Arablit with new Arabic SF writer Noura Noman.
AL: Do you think science fiction could (should, will?) have a wider Arabic-reading audience? What will help grow the audience for Arabic sci fi?
NN: From the response I have had on twitter, and from the handful of young writers who said they read it in English and were interested to read it in Arabic and write it to, yes, I think this is the time for Arabic SF. What I believe would make it more popular is to avoid using it as a way to "fix" Arab issues. I also feel that we need to break away from the boundary of planet Earth and write about other planets, other life forms. I think that's what will get the young generation to become interested in it. They are sick and tired of our age old issues which we never succeeded in conveying to them in a way that would make them hope for a better future. – read the full interview!
"Black Friday" Half-Price Sale Apex Book of World SF!
Apex Books are offering The Apex Book of World SF at half-price this weekend. Simply go to their online bookstore, and use the code BLACKFRIDAY2012 to receive your discount!
RIP: Boris Strugatsky (1933-2012)
From Locus:
Russian author Boris Strugatsky, 79, died November 19, 2012 in St. Petersburg, Russia from heart problems and pneumonia. Strugatsky and his older brother Arkady (died 1991) were famous for their collaborations. They are easily the best known Russian SF writers worldwide, and were considered major writers in their homeland, though their sometimes satirical work often brought them into conflict with the government of what was then the Soviet Union. The Strugatsky Brothers wrote dozens of SF novels, stories, and collections together, most famously Piknik na obochine (Roadside Picnic, 1972), a finalist for the John W. Campbell Award that was adapted for film by Andrei Tarkovsky as Stalker (1979). After his brother's death, Strugatsky published two books under the pseudonym S. Vititsky.
Boris Natanovich Strugatsky was born April 14, 1933 in Leningrad, and remained in Leningrad during the siege in WWII. He attended Leningrad State University, where he studied astronomy, graduating in 1955. He worked as an astronomer and computer scientist until becoming a full-time writer in 1966.
Tuesday Fiction: "Planetfall" by Athena Andreadis
Today's Tuesday Fiction is by Athena Andreadis. Athena was born in Greece and lured to the US at age 18 by a full scholarship to Harvard, then MIT. She does basic research in molecular neurobiology, focusing on mechanisms of mental retardation and dementia. She is an avid reader in four languages across genres, the author of To Seek Out New Life: The Biology of Star Trek and writes speculative fiction and non-fiction on a wide swath of topics. Her work can be found in Harvard Review, Belles Lettres, Strange Horizons, Crossed Genres, Stone Telling, Cabinet des Fées, Bull Spec, Science in My Fiction, SF Signal, The Apex Blog, World SF, SFF Portal, H+ Magazine, io9, The Huffington Post, and her own site, Starship Reckless.
Athena Andreadis
I. In the Depths of the Sea
Nine generations past planetfall
Through the haze of her dark blue mane, the mershadow gazed sternly at her youngest. She had often warned her not to go near the shore. Afterwards, ever would she long for the hostile land, where her skin would crack and she would wither.
The youngster, eyes as smoky as her mother's, felt unrepentant. She already knew starfire – they spent many nights on the foam. She knew of the landers, too. They had not been here long, said the Elders. They could not understand the People's singing—yet they trod as lightly as the whisper of a calm sea. Many came to rest in her people's domain, bearing the gifts of their kin. She longed to catch more glimpses of them. She wanted to encompass the whole world, sea and land, for her lays.
It eased the elder's mind that, for a while, her child would have to stay near. Her turn had come to watch the Sea Rose.
The Sea Rose… the great burden and joy of the mershadows. It bloomed unpredictably once every thirteen cycles of the wanderer that cast light on the night. Between dusk and dawn, a single blossom came alive. It granted to its watcher one wish, so the Elders sang. In exchange, for each cycle of the Wanderer, a vigilant mershadow guarded it and nourished it with her salty, greenish blood.
And so, as soon as the Wanderer started waxing, the youngster dutifully nested near the mound where the Sea Rose slumbered. It stood on a leafless stem, bluish-black like its guardian's hair, at the bottom of a deep crevasse filled with slate-green pebbles.
As the last night of her watch started to lighten into dawn, she sighed with regret and relief. The Sea Rose would not bloom in her turn. She was looking forward to recovering her strength and seeing the dry gardens once again, filled with all those blossoms that had no names in her tongue.
And just then, the water turned transparent, so transparent that she could see the pale sliver of the wanderer. She could distinctly hear the dream birds' trills, the mist cats' hunting calls, all the way from the distant hills of the dry lands. On the barren seafloor, the Sea Rose slowly unfurled. Its angular petals glimmered blue-green, like the precious nodules that her people occasionally found on the ocean floor. The water around it broke into jeweled prisms.
The youngster knew what she wanted to ask of the Sea Rose—she would ask for songs that might help the landers understand her people. But just as she prepared to sing her plea, an intricate object slowly twirled from the waters above and came to rest gently upon the blossom.
Hesitantly, she touched it—and a storm of yearning broke in her mind. Endless striving, anxious love, fear, longing… Meanwhile, alerted to the unfolding of the Rose, the mershadows began to congregate around the mound and its guardian.
"My child, what did you ask?" said her mother.
"I did not think to wish," whispered the youngster. "The landers' amulet—it spoke to me…"
And at that moment, they realized that the Sea Rose had not folded. For the first time, the only time, the sunrays touched it. It burned in colors of the fires that fuelled the star cores. Then it closed.
She became her people's greatest bard. And her lineage kept the amulet until they returned it to the landers, on the night that the two Peoples sang together—and understood each other's words.
II. The Sea of Stars
Four generations past planetfall
Four generations after planetfall, strife arose on Glorious Maiden. The planet, beautiful but stark, almost entirely ocean, sorely tested mettle and resources. Some hearths wanted to start ocean farming, despite the decision made even before planetfall to leave no footprint on the planet. The argument got bitter enough that several tanegíri withdrew from the council and armed their hearths.
So Sefanír, tanegír of the Sóran-Kerís hearth, first among equals, fitted herself into her kite, snapped the struts taut and flew to the storm-guarded southern archipelago, seeking to end the conflict.
"Why should we trust people who would separate us into powerful and powerless? Who no longer enter the Dreaming?" asked dark-voiced Sháita, tanegír Dhaíri. The Dreaming… as dangerous as following the songs of the dwellers of the deep. People were known to never emerge from it. They wandered inside it, eyes half-open, till they died.
"I will Dream," replied Sefanír, drawing herself up to her considerable height. "But if I emerge from it," she added, her blue eyes flashing, "will you agree to a truce and return to the council?"
Sháita chuckled, her long silver braids floating like cirrus clouds on her black tunic. "If you emerge," she said, "you won't need my agreement. The southern hearths will follow you without question or demur."
Next dawn, Sháita led her to a tiny room facing the small inner courtyard. It was bare and windowless but for an opening high up that showed a patch of sky. She lowered the marís bowl on the stone floor, then put her hand on Sefanír's shoulder.
"I would rather that our people were not divided and that we stayed true to our original resolution. But if we're to unite them, I cannot be seen to let you bypass this test," she said quietly. "Remember this, if you have forgotten it. If a man enters your vision whose hair is as pale as winter seagrass, come out of the vision in any way you can. Or you won't come out at all."
She waited until Sefanír had emptied the bowl, then left. Sefanír hummed a song to keep herself calm. Show no fear, no hesitation… the people's future depends on it… on me. She felt little effect from the marís beyond its smoky aftertaste. Time went by. Consort in unclouded glory briefly appeared in her skylight, then passed. A bright dot of shimmering light hurried past—the Reckless, still in orbit, though now lost to her people. Finally, when the color leached from the patch of sky, she rose from the floor, determined to ask for another try on the morrow. She had given her word to her hearth that she would not return till she succeeded in healing the rift—or died in the attempt.
As she emerged into the larger outer courtyard, she saw a man seated by the murmuring fountain. He was muffled at dusk against the evening chill in garments the color of the evening sky.
"I am looking for Tanegír Sháita," she said.
"I will take you to her," he replied in a voice as soft as a mist cat's pad. They make beautiful men, the Dhaíri, and they are said to bless their consorts with daughters, as well, thought Sefanír, her gaze sliding over his fluid body lines. If only we could get more living girl children… Madness to split into factions, when our need to keep all the lines is dire.
Through narrow corridors they wended. Strange, mused Sefanír, the dwelling seemed smaller from the outside. He led her to a room lit by a small torch.
"We'll await my kinswoman here," he said and gracefully lowered himself on the thick carpet. Sefanír imitated him. After a brief interval, he reached over and idly trailed a fingertip along her collarbone. A feather would have been heavier than his touch. Waves of heat, then cold coursed through Sefanír.
"It may take her a long time to come," he whispered. "I have pleased many. I could please you, too."
If he is offering, he is not handfasted, thought Sefanír. And it may help the truce take hold.
As she leaned toward his scented warmth, he pressed her against him. She caught the spicy whiff of newly budded leaves. Sefanír's hands slid over the wild silk of his clothes. Then, under the thin fabric she felt scars embroidering his back. Disconcerted, she gripped his shoulder; and there she felt the raised edges of a handfasting brand.
Instantly sobered, she pulled at his sleeve and the fabric ripped with a long-drawn sigh. On his shoulder glared the divided circle of the Night. He laughed, and the room filled with the wingbeat of wheeling dream birds. Sefanír's abrupt movement had dislodged his headscarf. Now he discarded it, revealing hair as pale as the midwinter sun. His eyes became star-filled pools.
"You are strong-willed," he murmured. "Even my Tanegír gives in when I caress her. Why do you insult me? Shall I tell her you think her judgment in consorts is wanting? She is the only one allowed to criticize me."
"You tried to trick me," retorted Sefanír. "If I had given in, it would be an even worse trespass on her prerogatives. And all tales of the Night tell how easily she is aroused to anger."
"In that they are right," he conceded. "Those scars you felt are signs of her temper. But I suffer the fire gladly in exchange for the sweet moments. Besides, I lost fairly. Had I prevailed…" and he laughed again, the Morning Star, the First Consort of the Night. "We hunted the Two Sisters, I and all my brothers. The Elder sister had borne a child that one of us had fathered. We wanted it. Long they evaded us, but at last we overtook them, burdened as they were with the child.
"Yet the Younger would not surrender, nor leave her sister. When I saw her falter with fatigue, I grew careless and ventured close. She was prepared: her firewhip wrapped around my throat. So I bargained—in exchange for my life, I and all my brothers became her consorts. To prevent us from taking her sister's child, she sequestered herself and us in the darkside. Now the Two only touch palms at dusk and dawn. Let me please you, Tanegir. Then I can let you go without losing honor."
Sháita's warning rang in Sefanír's mind. Now she knew why so few survived the Dreaming. He, of course, guessed her thoughts.
"Perhaps my Tanegír will not notice. Perhaps I will not tell her. Who knows?"
"If each choice brings death," decided Sefanír, "I can at least take bliss as my last memory." She laughed and opened her arms. "Please me, then, First Consort. Should you not, I myself will complain to your Tanegír when she weaves me as another fireflitter in her dark braids."
"Bravery like yours deserves a gift," he said. "You will see something few have seen and none has lived to tell." Very gently, he eased Sefanír back into the pillows. And when he embraced her, his long hair gleaming in the torchlight, he unfurled over both of them a multihued pair of wings. Joined, they soared, their outlines bathed in his brothers' dim radiance.
Sefanír returned north with the catamarans of the Southerners behind her like a flock of seabirds. But all across her body she also bore tracks of lightning, and for a long time her dreams were consumed by fire. For the Night valued courage but she was also exacting about her Consorts' fidelity.
III. The Dagger Sheath
Nine generations past planetfall
My evening star, my sweetest spring,
How has your beauty set!
– From the lay of Rodhánis the Storm
"Impaired, I say!" teased Kíghan. "Admit it, sister, your thinking grows less sharp if he's involved."
Rodhánis shook her head, exasperated. "I stand by my decision. He is the best navigator on this planet! Is it his fault that he is also beautiful?"
"Those golden eyes of his, who would not want a mist cat padding in their wake!" replied her brother, chuckling. "And you're right, he seems to be as good among the stars as he is on the seas. But you cannot give him your brand and name him consort. You are tanegír Yehán – a son from every hearth is vying for…"
"Are you that eager to be pushed out of the hearth?" she interrupted him.
"I will remain as long as you need me but the Yeháni must have an heir, Storm, and I'm only a man." He took her in his arms. "I know about the two miscarriages you tried to hide from the hearth members, my heart. The desolation on his face was clue enough, he is not schooled in deception. But at least it means you can conceive. They are circling you, if you don't choose soon there will be slaughter. Seeing a wanderer in your bed is not improving their mood. And no matter how carefully you choose, they will still kill each other below your windows."
"All these men, left to roam…" mused Rodhánis. "How did it come to this? It was not so when Captain Semira Soranakis and her Keegan arrived on the Reckless."
"It has been so ever since planetfall," he said quietly, "ever since Glorious Maiden chose to selectively harvest our women. We can barely keep our numbers steady, and neither the miscarriages nor the duels are helping. Perhaps you will know soon how family matters ran on the Reckless. Are you sure about the risks of this expedition? I should never have agreed…"
"And let Eridhén Kálan or one of his allies be the first to board the arcship?" burst out Rodhánis. "Not while I stand upright."
"I cannot believe I'm recommending this, but take his eldest as your consort," he said reluctantly. "Anáris is handsome, more even-tempered than his father—and he wants you. It may stop Eridhén from constantly raising the winds of discord."
"Eridhén wants power too much to be deflected by kinship, and Anáris will heed him even as Yehán," answered Rodhánis. "And with his tanegír ailing and no daughters yet, Eridhén will do anything short of declaring himself tanegír Kálan."
"We would kill him if he did," growled Kíghan. "At planetfall, the crew of the Reckless agreed that the hearths on Glorious Maiden would be headed by women. Their reasons were sound then, and even more so now. But Eridhén is too canny to make a mistake. He always hugs the shore, never ventures into blue water."
* * *
The derelict arcship shone with reflected sunlight like Wanderer at his fullest. Images flashed across the console of the Seastorm. Rodhánis stopped the engines and went into freefall, using the thrusters to match the larger ship's motion.
"The bubble must be the command center… that has to be the engine compartment, there on the tether…" She turned to her companion. "All frequencies open?"
He nodded, his golden eyes reflecting the vessel in the viewport. "Only background hiss. Amazing that the orbit-boosting mechanism still works. After all this time planetbound, to lift free of the atmosphere once again and board the ship that brought us here! Perhaps reclaim it…"
"Yes," she said yearningly, putting her hand on his shoulder, "finally take to the stars, even find the first home in time…"
He turned, kissed her fingers. "Will I be your astrogator, my soul?"
She let her palm linger on his face. "When I bid for your contract, little did I know what seas we would cross, you and I. But I must choose a consort when we return, I promised my hearth."
He half-smiled. "You promised Kíghan, who counts more than everyone else combined. Yet it seems to me that if you choose none of the mighty, it will be less likely to cause strife."
"If I had a sister, I would let her have both the power and the burden. I would go back to exploring the wilds with you." She exhaled as he left the seat and wrapped around her like a twining vine. "Or we could stay here, bring the Reckless back to life… Keep your mind on your task, cub!" she scolded him fondly as he began to plant kisses under her jawline.
"Just awaiting my tanegír's orders…" he defended himself, hiding a smile against her neck. He glided back into the navigator's seat, keeping a hand on her thigh. Deftly, he maneuvered the Seastorm next to the larger ship. Its hull was pitted and blistered, the plates unevenly hued, reflecting several rounds of replacements. "The blaze…" he pointed.
"The Sóran-Kerís starburst," she marveled.
"Yes," he whispered, averting his eyes. And suddenly in her mind's eye she saw a spare woman with hazel eyes holding a boy with tousled auburn hair. A wanderer's child and a son at that… How can I acknowledge you as Captain Semira's descendant, call you Sóran-Kerís? It might start another round of vendettas, the men have become so jealous of the lineages…
"There's a hatch," he observed, his voice even once again, "let's try to dock." As gently as floating a toy catamaran on a glass-calm pond, he turned the Seastorm. He tucked it against the arcship's hatch, forming a soft seal.
"Negligible radiation, no leakage from the engine," she noted, looking at the gauges.
"Keep the comm open," he said, attaching magnets to his boots. She began to object, but he silenced her with a gesture. "You are the foremost explorer of Glorious Maiden, but you are also tanegír Yehán. On this I agree with your brother, you put too much at risk." He grinned. "If it hurts the vanity of the hearths, the records can show that you were the first to board."
He pressed her hands against his lips, lingered a moment. Then he turned on the deep-sea breather they had hurriedly adapted. He went through the hatch and Rodhánis sealed it behind him. She leaned against the hull, the cold seeping into her. We're re-opening the gate to the stars after the long wait… and all I can think of is the danger of losing him. She waited forever, or so it seemed, fingering the corroded pendant of Keegan Jehan, first science officer of the Reckless at planetfall, passed down the line to each tanegír Yehán.
"Can you hear me?" finally came his soft rasp through the comm.
"Yes!" she replied, letting out the breath she wasn't aware she was holding. She felt the arcship starting to rotate, taking the Seastorm with it.
"The air is breathable, though there is an ozone smell… I managed to activate the gravity generators. I found the heat coils, too, but it will take a while for the temperature to rise."
Dank chilly darkness awaited her on the other side of the hatch, but at least the gravity was nominal. She made her way carefully to where he was outlined against the blue runner lights that barely lit the corridors. He enfolded her hand in his own warm one, the one solid object in this domain of ghosts.
"Shall I light one of the flares?" he suggested.
"Keep them in reserve," she decided, "let's use them only if we must."
After a few wrong turns they reached the bridge, a cavernous vault with a wraparound viewport, filled with navigation, engineering and communication banks. By trial and error, they found the controls for the starcharts and comms. They agreed not to disturb the other consoles. "This," he said, touching a seat decorated with the starburst motif, "must be where Captain Semira Soranakis sat…"
"Want to try sending a signal?" she asked.
"We should be in range," he replied, adjusting dials. She was surprised to find herself shivering, and not just from the chill. Only now did the enormity of it all fully register. Sensing her trembling, he embraced her. She tried to pull away, but he tightened his hold and she relaxed in his arms. "Nothing to be ashamed of, my light," he murmured into her hair. "Not every day do we enter the starship that brought us here." Still nestled within his arms, she turned towards the comm bank.
"Oránis, do you read?" she said into the primitive contraption. There was a burst of static, then a young man's voice sprang from the receiver.
"Oránis port."
"This is Rodhánis Yehán from…" and she took a deep breath, met his eyes. He gave his lopsided grin and nodded. "… from the Reckless… we boarded it successfully, I am calling from the bridge… Captain Semira's bridge."
A long silence followed her words. Then the receiver crackled again. "I will transmit your message to the entire network. This is a moment to remember, Tanegír!"
Then Kíghan's voice emerged from the comm. "How long is it safe to stay there? Don't get carried away, Storm!"
"We will be quick," she replied. She heard him inhale anxiously. "We will return within the safety window!" she reassured him.
Her companion's long-lashed eyes glinted with amusement. He laughed, filling the age-chilled bridge with the sound of swirling leaves. "I would give much to see the faces of your rivals… Shall we explore a bit? We can start here," he said at her eager nod, steering them to a door on the side of the bridge.
They pressed a few buttons but the door remained stubbornly shut. Finally, he attached his magnets to it and winched it open. They gained entry into a narrow room containing a cot with a console next to it. The rest of the room was taken up by a large table buried under datapads. The viewport occupied an entire wall, now filled with blue Glorious Maiden and ivory Wanderer in jewel-like splendor, bathed in Consort's golden-reddish light.
"The Captains' ready-room," said Rodhánis. "They dreamed the path from here…" He pressed a button on the console. A set of blue lights came on along the floorboards and next to the ceiling, turning the room into an underwater cavern. He pressed another button—and a husky, clipped voice rose amid crackles and hisses.
"Is étos ek fyghís pénte t'ekatón exínta tríton, égho Semíra, kyvernís astéron plíou…"
"Captain Semira," breathed Rodhánis. "This must be the last log before the planetfall."
"She sounds young," he murmured. "I wonder what the words mean. Was she happy? Eager? Frightened?" Suddenly his eyes emptied out. She grasped his shoulder.
"What do you see?"
"I see… I see fire consuming this room…" He stopped, trembling. "What future did we bring with us through that hatch?"
"Surely you are not afraid, beautiful man?" she asked him softly, cradling him in her turn. "We faced near death in the Southern seas, our catamaran got smashed on the Fangs, we almost suffocated when we first launched the Seastorm…"
"That was different," he said, sheltering against her. "That was just us. This, this may affect all the people…"
She started kissing him, counting on the distraction to calm him. Rock-steady in danger, but often undone by his visions, my evening star! And then, as he filled her senses, her caresses went from consoling to ravenous.
"Here?" he asked hesitantly, his hands embarking on their own exploration.
"Yes, here!" she replied, parting his clothes. "Where better than the Captain's eyrie to dispel the ghosts, reclaim the Reckless for the living?"
"When you bestow your brand…" he said, his eyes darkening.
"I bestow to whom I choose!" she declared defiantly.
"Yes, as long as he is not a wanderer," he corrected her gently. "Or a man who is unable to give you…" and he looked away, biting his lip.
"Look at me!" she said softly. "Here, now, no one can reach us, nothing can touch us."
He subsided into the cot, taking her with him. Growing rough with the need, he clamped his mouth on her breast, his teeth grazing her nipple.
"Drift, wanderer!" she commanded. "Wander over me…"
"My sandy cove!" he sighed. And as he arched into her, a wisp of flame licked her mind. Give the brand to whom you will—I am yours, yours as long as I draw breath…
* * *
"This is the man who risked his life to board the Reckless!" said Rodhánis, her voice rising.
"I understand that you were the first to board the arcship, Yehán," replied Eridhén Kálan, smiling lazily. "Even if what you say is true, it matters naught. I am within my rights to issue challenge on behalf of my hearth, my son is among those asking for the privilege of your brand."
A low murmur of agreement accompanied his words. Rodhánis looked around. His allies were there in force, he knew when to strike. Teráni Sóran-Kerís was absent, the rest were neutral at best. And she was aware that her reluctance to choose a consort had rankled as much as her making history on the Reckless.
"Need we hew so closely to the customs?" she began again in a conciliatory tone. "I promised to decide upon my return. Does the opening of the star gates mean nothing, hearths?"
"Precisely because we can now take to the stars, we must not forget who we are," said Eridhén.
"I will choose a consort now, if you leave him alone," she countered.
"No," answered Eridhén, his teeth glinting. "He has been clouding your mind, impeding your decisions. I stand by my challenge, he is a danger even if you refuse to see it. I am doing you a favor, Tanegír. Continue on your present destructive course, and I will call your brother and all the Yehán men to account."
"No need to go that far, Kálan," interposed Fáhri Haissé. She turned to Rodhánis. "Because of your gifts and your contributions, we gave you extraordinary leeway, Yehán, while the rest of us abided by the customs. Withdraw your protection from the wanderer and there will be no vendetta against your hearth. Shield him and we cannot prevent the issuing of challenges. Is one man, and a wanderer at that, worth so much?"
Rodhánis went through the permutations. If she complied, they would all duel him in turn, and her hearth would owe the winner a debt. If she refused their terms, the men of her hearth, Kíghan… no, not Kíghan. She was tanegír Yehán. She stood up.
"I will duel the wanderer, tanegíri."
"No!" sprang from both Kíghan and Eridhén, but she cut them off with a glance.
"This takes precedence over all other challenges. He was contracted to my hearth."
"What have you done?" asked Kíghan after the gathering. She rounded on him.
"The only thing I could do to protect the Yeháni."
"At such reckless risk to yourself? Without you—ashes in the wind, the Yeháni!"
"After all that he did," she whispered. "The best navigator in…"
"You don't understand," interrupted her brother heavily. "The more he accomplishes, the worse for him. The same goes for you, but the hearth name and being a woman stands between you and any harm. He, on the other hand…"
"He can go away until the storm subsides," she said. "In time, they will forget." She grasped her brother's shoulder. "Send him a message. If anyone knows where to hide on this world, it's him."
That night, that short night, she paced the courtyard looking up at Wanderer's pale disc, at the bright fast-moving star that was the Reckless. That they should be reduced to blood pride, when the stars were beckoning!
"My heart," came a whisper from under the arch.
"Didn't you get Kíghan's message?" she hissed.
"Yes, Tanegír," he replied and she could hear the smile in his voice. "But not to hold you in my arms? No navigator leaves his captain in such straits!" And he pressed her against him.
"Take the Seastorm and go!" she urged him, shaking with anxiety and need.
He did not reply, busy undoing the fastenings on her clothes. She sank into him, nails and teeth, not caring if she drew blood. When the first light pierced the darkness, she saw her marks on him. As she started touching them, aghast, he imprisoned her hand and kissed the knuckles.
"Calmer now, Storm?" he asked. "Ready to face the hearths?"
"Promise me you will be far away when I do!" she implored.
Before he could answer, Kíghan entered the courtyard carrying her weapons. "It's time," he said. His eyes burned on the other man. Then he lowered his eyes and bowed.
All the tanegíri of Oránis and their consorts stood watchfully silent around the stone beach by the shore. All but Teráni Sóran-Kerís. And then, Rodhánis' heart became a stone in her breast. Appearing over the rise, he approached the throng in the meager finery that she had torn in her frenzy, defiantly flashing his lopsided grin. Her face draining of color, she went up to him.
"I told you to go!" she groaned in anguish under her breath.
"You will have multiple vendettas against your hearth," he replied in a low voice. "They won't let it rest, now that they have taken notice. And if I go into the wilds, they'll hunt me down. Better like this." Strands of his hair floated in front of his face. Reaching over, she tucked them behind his ear.
"You didn't braid it," she said. He smiled.
"Only you can do that properly, my life…"
Neither bothered with the preliminary feints. They had practiced together so often in the past that it had become a dance. He knew she was overquick with the dagger, just as she knew that he relied too much on his reflexes. They circled closer and closer. The pounding of her heart was deafening. Because of the wind, the firewhips would occasionally go astray, but rarely missed. Soon the ground was decorated with an intricate design of blood drops that marked their weaving.
The cold and wind started taking their toll. He slowed down; her wrists started aching. Her anger and self-disgust vanished—now she was filled only with the desire to be done, to sit down out of the bite of the wind. On one of the seemingly endless rounds, he passed very close. She stabbed at him, expecting his guard to come up, when she realized that he was no longer holding his dagger. Hers went into his side up to the hilt. He stumbled, then in slow motion went to his knees.
All the observers rushed towards them, but she slashed a circle around the two of them with her whip. "Away!" she snarled. They stopped in their tracks. She cradled him against her but before she could stop him, he extracted the dagger. His eyelids flickered as he tried to focus on her.
"You are so bright, my sun," he whispered. Blood trickled out of the corner of his mouth. She held him tightly.
"Let a healer see to it," she pleaded, "it does not look mortal!"
"You must end it," he murmured. "They will never cease tormenting you otherwise."
"No!" she uttered through gritted teeth, her fingers clenching around the dagger. He buried his face against her breast, gave a small sigh, as he always did before sailing into sleep. Then he wrapped his hand around her wrist and moved her hand, pressing the edge of the dagger against his throat.
"I'll scout the twilight for you." He opened his eyes, fastened them on hers. "Look at me…" Without warning his fingers suddenly tightened on her wrist, making her hand jerk. His grip slackened. A gush of blood poured over her hand and he grew inert in her embrace.
Wordlessly, everyone slowly left. For the entire length of the Consort's crossing Rodhánis huddled, rocking her burden. At dusk, she began to scream. She wailed through the night, the seawaves her echo. Fine cracks started to vein windows in Oránis. The wind took her voice into the Yehán hearth where Kíghan wept, drawing fine lines across his arm with his own dagger. Into the Kálan hearth where Eridhén sat still, his nails digging into his palms. Into the other hearths of Oránis where everyone kept vigil, wondering what price the Storm would exact for her loss.
Wanderer had set and the sky was getting light when Rodhánis finally lost her voice. Kíghan went to the cove sheltering the Yehán fleet and chose a small, finely wrought catamaran, the vessel that the hearth children used to learn their deep sea skills. He sailed it to where Rodhánis was crouching, and beached it soundlessly. He approached her, gingerly enfolded her.
"Let us give him to the sea, sister…" She nodded numbly, her face raw from the rivers of salt water that had scraped and scored it.
It took a while to line the catamaran, there was not much driftwood on the shore. They placed him on top of the dry wood, laid his dagger next to him. Then Rodhánis removed Keegan Jehan's pendant from her neck and lowered it across the red line on his throat. She pressed her cheek against his, now ice cold.
"From one star traveler to another," she murmured hoarsely. "You wanderer, you drifted away from me, despite all your avowals. Who will be my astrogator now?"
As the tide turned, the undertow strengthened. The catamaran swayed, slowly started moving away from the shore. Kíghan lit a torch and flung it into the vessel. Eager flames sprang up in the freshening dawn breeze.
"Go," cried Rodhánis, her voice cracking, "kiss the two tiny shades for me!"
When the vessel had become a dwindling star in the distance, Kíghan lifted her in his arms and started homeward. Three turns later, the Yeháni asked for a gathering. When Rodhánis entered the council room, silence spread like an early snowfall. The men of her hearth followed, armed and braided for battle.
"There is no need for more fighting, Yehán," said Vónis Táren. "Everyone is satisfied."
"Everyone?" asked Rodhánis, her voice a hoarse whisper. "I am not satisfied."
"Even had he borne your brand," countered Eridhén Kálan, sounding much less assured than his wont, "he would not be recognized by the hearths as your consort. He was a wanderer, he had no standing." A small sound escaped Teráni Sóran-Kerís, but she said nothing.
"That may be," replied Rodhánis evenly, "but since I killed him at your behest, I can now make a claim on you, hearth Kálan. A favor as large as the one you received from me." Eridhén went white.
"You wouldn't…" he started.
"Am I within my rights?" asked Rodhánis quietly and winds swept the room. Teráni Sóran-Kerís raised her head.
"Yes," she said clearly and steadily, her hazel eyes boring into Eridhén.
"You were eager to give me one of your sons, Eridhén," said Rodhánis. "Which one will you give me now?" He started trembling. "You will not choose? Then I will take them both."
He fell to his knees before her. "Have mercy, Storm!"
"Mercy?" she repeated, smiling bleakly. "Did you have mercy when you issued the challenge? He was worth more than both your sons."
"Take me," he pleaded abjectly, "take me, spare them! I beg you, spare my younger at least, this will kill their mother…!"
"I will take them both," resumed Rodhánis, "into my hearth, into my bed, teach them not to thirst for power. And perhaps one night I will stop calling them by the name of the one whose face constantly rises before me." Her voice filled the room. "We want to regain the sky, tanegíri. Will we take this senseless killing with us to the stars? These customs that condemn our men to loneliness, because there are not enough women? We cannot leave so many of them without caresses, angry and bereft. Don't you wish to stop fearing for your brothers? For your sons? Use your power, unite behind me!" She paused, then resumed, her voice wavering. "If our men ask for the brand, let it be only for love."
She sat still for a very long time. Then she raised her eyes. "The Night took all the Stars as her consorts, so the lays tell. Nothing in the customs forbids it. Aye or nay, hearths?"
Vónis Táren hung her head. "I offer you my Edánir, if you will have him," she said.
"And I, my Keméni," added Fáhri Haissé.
Teráni Sóran-Kerís remained silent. But as people were leaving, she came up to Rodhánis.
"I was a coward and a fool," she said in a low, ragged voice. Her fingers dug into the younger woman's arm. "I should have acknowledged that brightness. Captain Semira would deem me unworthy, and rightly so. I won't ask you to forgive me, I only entreat you not to let this sunder our hearths." She took her hand abruptly away. "I will make no claims. I forfeited that right."
* * *
Within three generations, duels and vendettas ceased and wanderers became rare jewels, to be prized and cosseted. Eridhén's tanegír died in her next childbirth, taking the child and the Kálan hearth with her. They found his cold body next to hers, his hair spread across her chest.
Kíghan never left the Yehán hearth, remaining at his sister's side. Soon after Rodhánis handfasted her four husbands, she had a golden-eyed daughter, Semíra. After taking her daughter to the sea for her naming ceremony, Rodhánis went to the Sóran-Kerís dwelling and put her in Teráni's arms. They say that Teráni wept when she held the child. Rodhánis did not quicken again, though her husbands did their utmost to make her smile. She organized all subsequent expeditions to the Reckless, but never returned there herself.
Rodhánis sang the story to her daughter even when the child was too young to understand the words. Nor have the people forgotten. They still sing it under Wanderer's light, on the ships crossing the starry lanes. And the lay names him Consort of Rodhánis, the lost astrogator, her beautiful man.
IV. Falling Star
Traveler from afar who sailed to our shores—ask the Sea Rose for a gift…
In the year five hundred and sixty-three after the Launch, I, Semíra Ouranákis, captain of the starship Reckless, hereby enter the last log before planetfall.
It now fills our viewports, the world that pulled us by a thin thread of dreaming. When the Reckless lifted, all they knew was that the planet was earth-like, had oxygen in its atmosphere and orbited a G-type primary. The world they left had been beautiful once, but was at the brink of destruction—drained resources, genocides driven by hot hatred or cold greed. Had they waited, the window would have closed forever. Flames fanned by ignorance and fear were already consuming starship launch pads and the people who built them. Still, they took a terrible chance, leapt into the dark trusting that a place waited to welcome them at the other end. They loved and raised children in this ship, lived and died without ever sleeping under open skies… though their views of the stars were glorious.
The planet's system is embedded in a nebula studded with young blue giants that swept away much of the gas and dust when they ignited, but its own yellow sun is stable. In the last four generations, as the Reckless got closer, they launched automated probes, then scoutships with exploration teams. Amazingly, the planet resembles the home we left, which I know only from wavering images: a world of seas and island chains, with a large moon, breathable air and a biochemistry compatible with ours.
The planet is bursting with life. In particular, there is an aquatic species that shows every sign of sentience, including communication through sound tones as well as rudimentary technology. I remember the long, heated discussions they held when I was a child, about what we should do upon arrival. In the end, they decided not to use the frozen stocks of plant and animal embryos in our cryoholds. Some were initially dubious about the wisdom of this, but eventually all agreed that we should not repay the bounty of a new home by destroying it, as we did to our birth planet.
Despite the planet's beauty, survival on it will be difficult, even with our technology. Its weather is violent and its oxygen content is at the low range for our lung function. But living in enclosed domes would make us prisoners, not explorers. So my parents' generation made an irreversible commitment. They studied the genetic material of the planet's sea dwellers, determined what sequences facilitated the processes unique to the planet. Then they spliced these into the chromosomes of children at the beginning of gestation, after testing them first on cells, then on smaller mammals in our laboratories.
As captain before me, my mother set the example. I was the first to receive tiny pieces of the new world. Her command crew followed suit with their children. And I, in my turn, had it done to the little sphere of cells that became my daughter Ethiran, even as my heart pounded fearfully in my chest.
Wonder of wonders, the material took hold, yet did not harm us. On the contrary, it has given rise to abilities that were considered the stuff of fantasy in the world that we left—telepathy, precognition, even glimpses of clairvoyance and psychokinesis. Those who have been altered show increased mental and physical prowess, are unusually lovesome and uncannily beautiful. The next generation is all modified, the boy growing in me among them. I wonder if we will ever be able to thank the native inhabitants for the gift they gave us, that has bound us to them as blood relatives.
I long to see the new home with my own eyes, but the captain should never leave her ship until it reaches harbor. I have steeled myself to wait until we settle the Reckless into circumpolar orbit. I will take the voice-activated command crystal with me when we go downplanet. It is gene-keyed to me and Keegan Jehan, to make sure the starship is never inadvertently activated.
There are moments when I think of all the danger and labor ahead… and my head swims. Then only Keegan's arms feel safe—Keegan, who laughs at obstacles and burns my fears away with his kisses, Keegan who perfected the chimeric chromosomes and the augmented mitochondria that will allow us to breathe unaided on the planet's surface.
I did not name the new world, though it was my prerogative as commander of this mission. Because of the breathtaking nebula around the system, my girl began calling it Kore Dhoxas—Glorious Maiden—and the moniker stuck. She also named its sun and moon, Maiden's Consort and Wanderer. A crack linguist already, she speaks all the mother languages of our crew.
And what of her brother? Will he come intact through the pregnancy? Will he survive on this new world with all its unknowns? Ariven I will name him, from the old scroll. Perhaps he will sing lays as haunting as those of the long-lost sweet-blooded Celt boy, who gave his life for a single night with one of my ancestors.
Ethiran and others in her generation have persistent visions, and I cannot tell if they are dreams or premonitions. They hear songs in a language that whispers and caresses, they see women as radiant and merciless as the dawn, and bewitching men with shimmering lights in their streaming hair…
Will they bless or curse us? Will they even remember us, who came as reckless and as jaunty as the hope that launched us? And what will they become, now that we started them on this path? All I can do is take Ethiran and Keegan's hands, step outside, and make a wish—that this place becomes a haven and a starship for our children… that they root and blossom here.
We will stride in the sky, or die trying. We have no need of small lives.
V. Nightsongs
Nineteen generations past planetfall
The darklit voice of my wanderer falls silent when he finishes translating Captain Semíra's words, and I lay back into the bower of my consort's arms. As Adhísa puts down the crystal that holds our past and our future, the scent of juniper from his braids fills the night air. A mershadow's long moan wafts in, like mist from the bay, letting us know they're starting their migration south on the morrow. "They wished well, they who sailed on the Reckless across the ocean of stars," he murmurs.
"They did more than wish. They wrought tirelessly to make it come true," whispers Arivén and his embrace tightens, "as you did, my soul…"
I pick up the command crystal, feeling the mild sting of its protective field. My two bright stars close their hands over mine, homage and blessing.
"The gift of Semíra, of Rodhánis, of the mershadows that gave us back the Reckless and all its glories," I say. "The records, the logs, the activation command sequences… Had I wished upon the Sea Rose, I could not have asked for more. "
And now… what is your wish now… heavenly fire…? My breath catches in my throat as they nestle closer, start to caress me like warm breezes with lips and fingertips.
They flow over me as gently and irresistibly as the rising tide. I float into their minds, into their hearts, the yearning, dazzling men of Captain Semira's line with their scarred breasts, their roughened hands. Changelings, shapeshifters—falling stars, ships with fragments of sky as their sails, that have come home from long journeys to rest in me at last.
Author's note: The story of Arwen (Planetfall) and the provenance of the lay of Rodhánis (Dagger Sheath) are told in Dry Rivers. Readers of Dry Rivers and Planetfall will notice how names drift linguistically: Aethra/Ethiran/Yethirán (Clear Sky), Arwen/Ariven/Arivén (Evening Star), Keegan/Kighan (Lion), Rodhanthi/Rodhánis (Seasand Rose), Ouranakis/Soranakis/Sóran-Kerís (Skystrider).
Planetfall first appeared in Crossed Genres, issue 13, December 2009
Marian Womack Interviewed by Charles Tan
Hi Marian! Thanks for agreeing to do the interview. First off, how did you first become acquainted with speculative fiction?
Well, of course, on some level all fiction is speculative fiction, and one of the great developments that has taken place over the course of my life is that some of the themes and ideas that have been traditionally considered as "belonging" uniquely to what was called "science fiction" have expanded beyond their genre boundaries (of course, genres don´t have boundaries, but that is another question…). So, a lot of what I read when I was a child or a young woman was speculative fiction "without knowing it", as it were. For example, some of Lovecraft's purer horror stories are very much based on a speculative fiction premise: what if we could re-animate the dead? What if we could come into contact with creatures from other dimensions?
When did you know you wanted to be a writer?
It's always been there in the background: I've always liked words, and putting words together, but there are a handful of key experiences that really led me to want to devote my life to it: reading Crime and Punishment for the first time at the age of thirteen or so, discovering Borges… In a way the idea that it is what I'd do has always been there, even amongst my family and friends. It was sort of understood I would work with books… And in fact I have been a librarian, I've done academic research, I translate, publish and write. Short of having my own bookshop, I think I have always been surrendered to books and have lived not only through them, but also from them… Or at least that's what I try to do!
Who are some of your favorite writers or what are some of your favorite works?
I believe in a healthy reading diet, and my list of "favourites" is perhaps unmanageable… I am also very indecisive… A great many things: from Alice in Wonderland to An Awkward Age by Anna Starobinets.
Where can we find some of your fiction?
I have contributed to a number of anthologies and have published a novel, which I describe as "with a ghost included" rather than being a straight horror story, which is not. The anthologies I have contributed to tend to focus on speculative, fantasy or horror topics, and amongst them I am extremely proud to be one of the only three female authors featured in a seminal horror anthology recently published called Akelarre: Antología del cuento de terror español actual, full of incredibly amazing writers. I cannot tell you how many times I have complained to my publisher that he should have searched for more Spanish female horror writers! All these anthologies fall within the very Spanish trend now for "high-literary" genre writing… This need to specify-redefine can be sometimes a bit silly, in my view… Genre writing doesn't need to be "saved" by straight literature. There is some amazing writing out there… But perhaps more in the Anglo-American scene than here, I guess.
How would you describe your writing?
I think I've got quite a dark mind, and that is reflected in what I write: I am fascinated by the obscure, the half-hidden, what you might in general call "the gothic". A lot of my friends say that I write in quite an "English" way: perhaps what this means is that I am not as keen on baroque circumlocution as some Spanish prose writers.
How did you get involved with translation?
I was broke. I submitted a speculative translation (of a whole book) to a publisher. It was Lady into fox, by David Garnett, a book I have always been fascinated with… He didn't take it, but things started coming my way.
What are the challenges in translating into Spanish, especially since you translate both English and Russian works?
More than other European languages, Spanish gets beautiful results on a fairly limited spectrum of emotional tone and nuances of vocabulary. I often feel when I am translating from English that I am trying to fit the Ocean into a bathtub. On the other hand, when something works in Spanish it works in a way that it is impossible to fake. Bad Spanish prose calls attention to its own inadequacies much more than bad English or bad Russian does. I should qualify here that when I translate from Russian it is as half of a translation team, of which I am the "native" Spanish speaker.
Who are some of the speculative fiction authors from Russia that we should be reading? From Spain?
Our Russian list is characterised by publishing gothic or science-fiction alongside more "traditional" Russian writers. One of the last books we have published is a collection of short stories by Anna Starobinets, published in English as An Awkward Age, which are speculative fiction-horror stories that really repay the Russian press's description of her as "the Russian Stephen King". Andrei Rubanov is also name to conjure with. In Spain I would highlight a recent anthology called Prospectivas: antología del cuento de ciencia ficción española actual. It's got lots of major names in it, and it is a very well put together book.
What made you decide to pursue publishing?
We weren't enjoying academia as much as we thought. We wanted a change of scene and decided to move to Madrid, a place neither of us knew, and to start a publishing house. We began with a list of about one hundred and fifty authors we liked and who weren't published in Spanish, and went from there…
Could you tell us more about your press?
We started out publishing Russian fiction. We then decided to expand and open up an English Gothic line, so now we essentially have two distinct collections. We are hoping to open up even more to other literatures in the future. We have been going now for over three years, and have published about ten books a year. I don't know how much longer we'll keep this rhythm going, but at the moment we're happy.
Could you tell us more about the anthology Steampunk: Antología retrofuturista?
This anthology has been in preparation for more than four years now: it is the first compilation of its kind in Spain. It was put together by Félix J. Palma, the writer of the bestselling The Map of Time and its sequels, and it aims to do two things: to familiarise Spanish readers with the genre, and also to provide them with an idea of what Steampunk could do in a Spanish environment.
What's the speculative fiction scene in Spain like? The publishing scene?
I lived in England until recently, and so in some ways I feel like I am a newcomer to all of this, but my impression is that the speculative fiction scene in Spain is healthy: there is a good number of conventions and discussion groups online. The only thing I would suggest is that there is no obvious key figure around whom other authors congregate: not that this is a bad thing, just that the Speculative fiction community seems a little decentred sometimes, or over-focussed on Anglo-American developments. As far as publishing is concerned, the main development over the last few years has been the rise of small unaffiliated publishing houses, a group among which we are proud to count ourselves, which are willing to break down the previously rigid barriers between 'popular' and 'literary' fiction: the idea that a company such as ours might publish a Soviet novel about a journey to Mars in the same collection as the memoirs of Dostoevsky's roommate is thinkable now in a way it wouldn't have been five or ten years ago.
What are the challenges in juggling writing, translating, and publishing?
Everything is tidal: the publishing season in Spain runs from January to June and from September to November; the translation work I get tends to be required within the same period; my writing is something I can only do when the conditions are right (I don't think I'm a diva, but I have found that unless I can get a good run at a piece of work, unless I know I have a solid week to do nothing apart from write, then I don't get much done)… So we go from periods of inactivity to periods of immense and complex work, and all the time-management in the world isn't enough to make everything go smoothly all of the time.
What projects are you currently working on?
We are currently launching the first Spanish translation of Gladys Mitchell, a jewel in the crown of Golden Age English detective fiction. I am working on a series of young adult steampunky novels with the Spanish fantasy writer Sofia Rhei, am preparing a compilation of my anthologised stories, and am starting to take the first steps in writing what promises to be an extremely large-scale literary project, but I don't want to mention more than that, as it might be years before anything appears. Before that I hope that an anthology I am preparing now, sort of "Spanish-writers-Lovecraft-homage", will be published. You wouldn't imagine the number of writers here who are a bit obsessed with him, who worship his work. We are quite a substantial community!
Anything else you want to plug?
For everyone who reads Spanish, Steampunk is an indispensible anthology. We are also about to publish El vivo, a novel by Anna Starobinets, which is amazing. Please visit our website: www.nevsky.es, and thank you for the interview.
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text:
Now, it's his school.
A day after returning from an official visit, Rodgers announced he committed to South Carolina and he will no longer take visits.
"I'm verbally committed to the University of South Carolina," Rodgers announced via twitter.
Rodgers previously visited Maryland, Washington and Oklahoma, and was set to visit Florida State this coming weekend.
"I would like to thank all the coaches an all of the fans and reporters for covering me an supporting me during this process," Rodgers also tweeted. "I am not visiting FSU."
The 6-foot-5, 230-pound Rodgers joins offensive tackle D.J. Park, center Bryce King, offensive tackle J.P Vonashek and guard Alan Knott as offensive line commits in the class.

subset: commoncrawl


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Terrell Suggs On Health Status: We'll See Sunday - Baltimore Ravens - BaltimoreRavens.com
The Crazy Newshound has found a new Ravens article.
Bleacher Report
Terrell Suggs On Health Status: We'll See Sunday - Baltimore Ravens
Terrell Suggs is hoping to get back on the field after missing last week's game with a biceps injury. He has practiced for the last week, but his status for Sunday is still up in the air. So if Suggs were a betting man, would he bet on himself to suit ...
Baltimore Ravens: The Silver Lining to a Frustrating 2012-13 SeasonBleacher Report
Ravens defense copes with rash of injuriesABC2 News
Suggs says that he'll be game-time decision Sunday versus DenverBaltimore Sun (blog)
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Link to the full story.


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Swelling is the enlargement of organs, skin, or other body parts. It is caused by a buildup of fluid in the tissues. The extra fluid can lead to a rapid increase in weight over a short period of time (days to weeks).
Swelling can occur all over the body (generalized) or only in one part of the body (localized).
Edema; Anasarca
Slight swelling (edema) of the lower legs is common in warm summer months, especially if a person has been standing or walking a lot.
General swelling, or massive edema (also called anasarca), is a common sign in people who are very sick. Although slight edema may be hard to detect, a large amount of swelling is very obvious.
Edema is described as pitting or non-pitting.
Swelling can be caused by any of the following:
Follow your health care provider's treatment recommendations. If you have long-term swelling, ask your provider about options to prevent skin breakdown, such as:
Continue with your everyday activities. When lying down, keep your arms and legs above your heart level, if possible, so the fluid can drain. DO NOT do this if you get shortness of breath. See your provider instead.
If you notice any unexplained swelling, contact your provider.
Except in emergency situations (
Tests that may be done include:
Treatment may include avoiding salt, diuretics, or water pills. Your fluid intake and output should be monitored, and you should be weighed daily.
Avoid alcohol if
Flores TM. Lower extremity pain and swelling. Paulman PM, Harrison J, Paulman A, Nasir LS, Collier DS, Bryan S, eds. Signs and Symptoms in Family Medicine: A Literature-Based Approach. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier Mosby; 2012:chap 29.
Skorecki K, Ausiello D. Disorders of sodium and water homeostasis.In: Goldman L, Schafer AI, eds. Goldman's Cecil Medicine. 24th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier Saunders; 2012:chap 118.
A.D.A.M., Inc. is accredited by URAC, also known as the American Accreditation HealthCare Commission (www.urac.org). URAC's accreditation program is an independent audit to verify that A.D.A.M. follows rigorous standards of quality and accountability. A.D.A.M. is among the first to achieve this important distinction for online health information and services. Learn more about A.D.A.M.'s editorial policy, editorial process and privacy policy. A.D.A.M. is also a founding member of Hi-Ethics and subscribes to the principles of the Health on the Net Foundation (www.hon.ch)
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All potatoes have a certain comfort factor for me. I'm a life-long fan of the mashed, baked and fried varieties – I'm really not discriminating, as long as there's enough salt and/or butter to go around.
But I found myself hesitating with a little bag of fingerlings I had – waiting for some genius idea to come my way. Maybe it's because they look like fat, stubby, gnarly little fingers in the best possible way? I don't know, something about these little extremity-shaped tubers seemed to demand special treatment.
I found myself googling "fingerling potatoes" and before I could finish typing, the auto-prompt thingy suggested "salt and vinegar fingerling potatoes." Oh yes, of course! Click on that.
As luck would have it, one of the first recipes was posted by Umami Girl, whose blog I happen to love. Done deal!
I remember my first encounter with salt and vinegar flavored potato chips (approx. age 9, Wise brand, magenta bag, in mom's car.) At first I recoiled from the abrasive vinegar flavor but then realized it was nicely balanced by a healthy hit of salt. Perfection. Tangy, salty perfection. I went back for another, and then another…and so on, until the end of time.
Let's make these on a cloudy Sunday afternoon during that looong stretch between lunch and dinner. You can even plate them up Master Chef-style with an artful smear or two of smoky BBQ sauce, if you want. But straight up, right off the baking tray works too.
Salt & Vinegar Fingerling Potatoes
Recipe from Umami Girl, where it was adapted from Martha Stewart Living
– 1 lb./ 1/2 kg fingerling potatoes, sliced thinly lengthwise (about 1/4 and inch, or 2/3 cm)
– 2 cups white vinegar
– extra virgin olive oil
– sea salt & fresh-ground pepper
In a small pot, combine the potato slices and vinegar. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer until fork-tender, about 8-10 minutes. Let cool in liquid for 30 minutes. Then drain well and blot the potatoes with paper towels to dry.
Preheat the broiler/grill on high with the rack about 6 inches below the heat source.
Toss the potatoes with olive oil, salt and pepper.
Spread potato slices onto a baking sheet in a single layer. Broil/grill until lightly browned on top, about 7-10 minutes. Flip the slices and broil until the other side is lightly browned, about 5-7 minutes more. Serve immediately.


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We launched this new, monthly Moss in the City e-newsletter to help urban gardeners grow the most productive gardens ever. Click here to subscribe.
E-mail your question and I'll choose one to answer in each newsletter.
Welcome to NGA's new monthly newsletter for urban gardeners and anyone who gardens in small spaces — whether on a deck, balcony, rooftop, or diminutive lot. As a city dweller in Chicago, I would argue that gardening is even more important in urban areas than in other places. Rural and suburban homes are more likely to be surrounded by nature, and urban homes are usually surrounded by artificial habitats. Plants can help restore the balance. Gardening provides a way for people to maintain a connection with the natural world.
Moss in the City newsletter will address the challenges of urban and small-space gardening, offer ideas for greening our cities, and provide tips for growing food for your table and food for your soul amidst the constraints of limited time and space.
About William
Teaching is my vocation; nature and gardening are my passions. I've been fortunate enough to combine these interests in many projects. >>more
City gardeners need plants that perform — that look aesthetically pleasing (or at least not conspicuously ugly) over multiple seasons, that dazzle and pop when in bloom, and that aren't too fussy. We don't have the acreage for flowery mixed borders or large swaths of perennials that take turns shining like a procession of shooting stars.
Fantastic plants like Joe-Pye weed, 'Raydon's Favorite' aster, Jerusalem artichoke, tiger lily, and angelica are too big and aggressive for city living. Daffodils, trilliums, and colchicums have enchanting blooms but are too ephemeral to be allotted much space here. The mainstays of an urban garden must be workhorses that endure cold and heat, rain and sleet, and the occasional feet. >>more
Aster Milka (left) is a mid-sized perennial for borders and berms. Basket-of-gold (right) is an evergreen perennial or subshrub that is fantastic in containers if given a well-drained potting mix.
Children love to dig in the dirt. They may not understand "perennial" or "alkaline," but they're curious about worms and beetles and colorful flowers, fruits, and vegetables. Gardening is a great way to get kids outside, active, and interested in the natural world, no matter whether your garden is a few deck planters or a backyard or community plot. Start with some of these easy-to-grow, colorful, and fun plants.... >>more
Do you have any tips to share with fellow urban gardeners? Are there
topics you'd like me to address?
E-mail me at email@example.com
Find a public garden near you. >>Public Garden


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Motor Vehicle Assemblies
Motor Vehicle Assemblies
Domestic Motor Vehicle Assemblies (monthly data, seasonally adjusted annual rate)
The motor vehicle industry is an important component of the manufacturing output of the United States. Over the previous four quarters (up to the Third Quarter of 2001), motor vehicle manufacturing accounted for 19.3 percent of all durable goods manufacturing in the United States. (NIPA table 1.3)
The domestic production level of motor vehicles is dependent on other factors beyond the domestic demand for motor vehicle transportation: Foreign trade is playing an increasingly important role in the domestic automotive market. The value in real terms (1996 dollars) of U.S. motor vehicle-related net imports increased from 50.7 billion dollars in 1992 to 114.2 billion dollars in 2000.
The production of medium and heavy trucks can be used as a gauge of commercial expectations from the standpoint of shipping capacity. Shippers may buy more road freight handling vehicles to expand capacity to meet an expected increase in demand. Light trucks and cars are used primarily for personal transportation. The production of light trucks has grown the most since 1992. Income growth over the past decade has helped drive consumer demand for more expensive personal transportation like SUVs.
|Motor Vehicle Assemblies
|Light trucks (millions of units)
|Percent change from previous month
|Cars (millions of units)
|Percent change from previous month
|Medium and heavy trucks (millions of untis)
|Percent change from previous month
NOTES: The dip in assemblies in mid-1998 was caused by a strike at General Motors in June and July.
An assembly is equal to the assembly of the entire vehicle.
Seasonal factors and underlying data for car, light truck, and medium and heavy truck production are available on the Board's web site: http://www.federalreserve.gov/releases/G17/mvsf.htm.
Data from October 2001 to January 2002 are preliminary.
SOURCE: Federal Reserve, "Industrial Production and Capacity Utilization" Statistical Release; Feb. 15, 2002; available at: http://www.federalreserve.gov/releases/g17/download.htm.


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In personal/family memoir or narrative family history, you, your family, and ancestors are now characters in a story. Obviously, you're not creating characters out of your imagination—you have real-life people to portray. But you can—and should—borrow the characterization techniques fiction writers use. One of the first things a fiction writer learns is to reveal characters to the reader bit by bit, not all at once as can be seen in so many family histories: "Felice Vallarelli was born on 28 March 1880 in Terlizzi, Bari, Italy."When we meet someone in real life, no one stands there and reads us life statistics (or if he did, we would consider him a terrible bore). Why should we meet you or your family that way? Reveal your characters slowly—through their actions, how they dressed, their beliefs, and so on.
"Felice Vallarelli was born on 28 March 1880 in Terlizzi, Bari, Italy."


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Going on vacation shouldn't break the bank. And the team at our Ocean Isle Beach hotel makes it easier to save more and spend less this summer! Beginning each morning, our complimentary deluxe breakfast is not your everyday continental breakfast. Come down to our dining area for waffles, sausage biscuits, bagels, English muffins, breakfast pastries, fresh fruit, grits and a variety of dry cereals.
And don't feel like you have to eat out for lunch or dinner. Each room at the Islander Inn has a microwave, refrigerator, and coffee maker, so why not purchase pre-made salads, luncheon meat, snacks and more at the local grocery store and eat in the comfort of your own room.
While there are plenty of affordable attractions in Ocean Isle Beach, NC, you don't have to spend money every day to have fun with your family and friends. Take a walk on the beach, go seashell hunting, hold your own sandcastle building competition. Are you an early riser? You'll most definitely enjoy watching the sunrise from the balcony of our oceanfront hotel room in Ocean Isle Beach. To book your vacation contact our Ocean Isle Beach hotel office online or call us at 888.325.4753 today!


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Thanksgiving Pantry
- Quicklook Williams Sonoma Organic Turkey Gravy Herbs de Provence $14.95
- Quicklook Williams Sonoma Classic Herbed Stuffing Mix Sugg. Price $13.95 Sale $3.99
- Quicklook Parker House Rolls, Set of 16 Sugg. Price $29.95 Sale $20.99
- Quicklook Williams Sonoma Porcini Mushroom Oven Baked Risotto $16.95
Appetizers & Hors d'Oeuvres
- Quicklook Truffle Camembert with Honey, Dried Fruit & Nuts $64.95
- Quicklook Olli Salumi & Nicasio Cheese Collection $59.95
- Quicklook Beehive Cheese & Creminelli Salami Collection $49.95
- Quicklook Pigs in a Blanket $39.95
- Quicklook Assorted Devils on Horseback $59.95
- Quicklook Assorted Pocket Bites, Set of 24 $49.95
- Quicklook Mini Crab Cakes $79.95
- Quicklook Beggar's Purses $79.95 – $99.95
- Quicklook Loaded Baked Potato Bites $84.95
- Quicklook Assorted Mini Pizzas $49.95
- Quicklook Mediterranean Appetizers $49.95
- Quicklook Assorted Sliders, Set of 24 $99.95
- Quicklook Ham with Glaze $180
- Quicklook Kurobuta Boneless Ham $79.95 – $139.95
- Quicklook Bone-in Spiral Ham $99.95
- Quicklook Individual Beef Wellingtons, Set of 4 $99.95
- Quicklook Smoked Peppered Beef Tenderloin $179.95
- Quicklook Double R Ranch Co. Prime Rib $149.95 – $199.95
- Quicklook Kurobuta Prime Rib of Pork $199.95
- Quicklook Double R Ranch Co. Beef Tenderloin $219.95
- Quicklook Rack of Lamb, Set of 2 $199.95
- Quicklook Boneless Lamb Loin Roast $179.95
- Quicklook Live Maine Lobsters $149.95
- Quicklook Lobster Tails, Set of 6 $229.95
- Quicklook Willie Bird Whole Smoked Turkey, Available Now $109.95
- Quicklook Willie Bird Preservative-Free Smoked Boneless Turkey Breast, Available Now $79.95
Side Dishes
- Quicklook Mushroom & Sage Stuffing Sugg. Price $64.95 Sale $39.99
- Quicklook Tyler Florence Test Kitchen Stuffing Sugg. Price $64.95 Sale $29.99
- Quicklook Traditional Green Bean Casserole Sugg. Price $59.95 Sale $41.99
- Quicklook Broccoli & Cauliflower Casserole $64.95
- Quicklook Classic Soup Trio $99.95
- Quicklook Parker House Rolls, Set of 16 Sugg. Price $29.95 Sale $20.99
- Quicklook Williams Sonoma Classic Herbed Stuffing Mix Sugg. Price $13.95 Sale $3.99
- Quicklook Williams Sonoma French Bread Stuffing Sugg. Price $16.95 Sale $3.99
- Quicklook Williams Sonoma Porcini Mushroom Oven Baked Risotto $16.95
Thanksgiving Desserts
- Quicklook Williams Sonoma Pie Crust Mix $10.95
- Quicklook Williams Sonoma Gluten-Free Piecrust Mix $19.95
- Quicklook Pecan Pie In-A-Jar $20.95
- Quicklook Cup4Cup Gluten-Free Flour $16.95
- Quicklook Pumpkin Spice Moravian Cookies $19.95
Thanksgiving Cocktails
- Quicklook Williams Sonoma Coffee Syrup, Vanilla $12.95
- Quicklook Williams Sonoma Coffee Syrup, Chocolate Mocha $12.95
- Quicklook Williams Sonoma Instant Mulling Spice $12.95
- Quicklook Williams Sonoma Mulling Spice Sachets $14.95
- Quicklook Williams Sonoma Mulling Spices $12.95
- Quicklook Mulling Spice Ball Sugg. Price $14.95 Sale $9.99
Thanksgiving Meals & Food
Commemorating the harvest season, Thanksgiving is one of the most celebrated holidays in the US. So what do you look forward to during this festive season, the beautiful autumn decorations or the scrumptious and tempting Thanksgiving meals and food or both? Picture a turkey that is perfectly roasted and surrounded by all the other trimmings, side dishes that are simple yet comforting, Thanksgiving cocktails in your hands and a mug of hot chocolate or cider for the kids. A crackling fire in the background completes this perfect Thanksgiving setting. Since it is the season to give thanks for the bountiful harvest, enjoy it with a table full of delicious and mouthwatering Thanksgiving foods. Here at Williams-Sonoma, we have everything on offer for you to truly enjoy Thanksgiving dinner, from food and decor to cookware and cutlery.
What's the first thing that comes to your mind when you think about Thanksgiving meals and food? Chances are it's is roast turkey. Making a perfectly roast turkey requires a lot of hard work, time and practice. When you are planning a Thanksgiving meal, especially if it is your first time, we help make it easier for you. If you would rather focus your attention elsewhere or need any last-minute help, we can provide you with a whole roasted turkey or a stuffed turkey breast.
If you are a seasoned cook and are a professional at roasting turkey, you will be on cloud nine when you see our well-stocked Thanksgiving pantry. We are here to help you save your time and energy when you are cooking a full course meal for your family on this day. Rub our seasoning paste on the turkey skin before barbecuing and roasting the bird, and enjoy a rich flavor that has several complex layers. Choose one of our stuffing pre-mixes and save your time – because on this day every minute counts.
Truth be told, the roast turkey is incomplete without the gravy; it is the gravy that ties together all the elements of this dish. Whether you need a gravy base or turkey stock, we offer you all this and more. If you are planning to serve the turkey with cranberry sauce, we have all the makings on offer, right from jellied cranberries to the cranberry sauce starter. Our Thanksgiving inspired serving platters are perfect for presenting your delicious creation.
Planning to serve pigs in a blanket or a cheese platter as appetizers? Want to make mashed potatoes that are creamy and perfectly seasoned as a side dish? We provide you with high quality ingredients to transform your wish into a reality. With our mulling spice mixes and pumpkin syrup, making mulled wine or cider and pumpkin coffee is a piece of cake. When you are looking for a roasting pan or a casserole pan, our wide range of cookware products will surely help you out.
No meal is complete without desserts and the same is especially true about Thanksgiving meals. Which is your favorite Thanksgiving dessert? Pumpkin pie? Or is it pecan? Sometimes people stick to baking the classics such as chocolate walnut pie or key lime pie. Whichever dessert you prefer, we have the freshly baked goods and the makings of it for you. Nothing beats a home cooked dessert on Thanksgiving, so if you love baking, put on your apron and get ready. Use our bakeware products, and there will not be even a single crumb left on the serving plate. With our pie crust mixes, you can create the perfect crust that is very flaky as well as absolutely delectable with ease.


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Feeling Upset because of a Huge Amount of Writing to Do? You've Come to the Right Place.
We do understand your needs, as we remember how difficult it is to study, when you have more assignments than you can actually cope with. Moreover, we know that a professionally written essay or a coursework is very different from the same work done by a student the last night before giving it to the professor.
So, if you want to have an A+ work, whatever it is, a research paper, an essay, or anything else, choose our write my own essay services, and you won't be disappointed!
Just imagine how enjoyable your studentship can be without frustrating writing tasks. You will be able to devote enough time to anything you want, whether it is your job, your hobby, or dating your sweetheart. We take care of your tasks, and you enjoy your life – there is no deal better than this.
Moreover, we are here to do write my own essay job for you any time you want and for a very affordable price. Feel free to trust us the most difficult task on any topic – our strong command of professional writers will do this for you the best of the best.
Looking for a Write My Essay Service to Suit Your Needs? Welcome to Ours!
If you're searching for a write my own essay service to do your writing task in the way you want it to be done – we're here for you! As soon as you send us all the specifications and requirements you have, and a piece of your writing, we will deliver you a perfect work, done in your writing style, with proper formatting and references.
In Need of a Personal Service?
Go No Further!
As our principle is to take the exceptional care of every our client, we guarantee you an individual approach with a flexible work routine. We welcome everyone to become our returning client and experience all the bonuses of personal approach with us.
Just Have the Time of Your Life
Almost everyone agrees that college is the best time of their lives! Appreciate this time of freedom when you can do anything you want. As students, this is a time of surprises and discovery and intense emotion. Why waste this precious time writing academic papers? Wouldn't it be way more fun to spend those hours with friends? Write My Essay is dedicated to helping students with academic writing. Every paper is written to highest standards, so you can relax and live your life. No worries! Trust that with Write My Own Essay everything is gonna be fine!


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'"Any time you're back out it's a good sign, so hopefully he progresses," coach Lindy Ruff said before heading to Washington for a 4-3 preseason shootout loss to the Capitals. "I would say the answer for Tuesday is no. He hasn't been involved in any practices of any level, and I wouldn't consider that an option."'
Odds of Hecht playing before home folks slim
October 1, 2011 Submitted by
Via: Buffalo News


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The Counseling Center staff has tried very hard over the years to conduct assessment of its programs and services. The purpose of conducting this kind of inquiry is to improve our services, to provide accountability for what we do here with our students, and to demonstrate to the Higher Learning Commission that are conducting program assessment.
This section of our site addresses various on-going program assessment activities. The results help us to improve the quantity and quality of our work. Eventually, we will post our program improvements and changes.
The staff is already very familiar with assessment and evaluation because we routinely conduct a different kind of clinical assessment with every student client who requests counseling/therapy services. The common elements of program and clinical assessment include gathering information, identifying problems and things to improve, and then work in the necessary change process.


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In last year's draft, the Cleveland Browns traded four picks to move up ONE spot for Trent Richardson. Today, they trade him to the Colts for a first round pick that's likely to be in the twenties.
I just.... I don't even know. Thank the good Lord I'm a Bengals fan (growing up, I never thought I'd be able to utter those words).


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GSA's Webster to Head FAS Office for Travel, Motor Vehicles, Card Services
September 13, 2007
Contact: Deborah K. Ruiz, (202) 501-1231
Washington – William F. Webster will become head of the Federal Acquisition Service (FAS) Office of Travel, Motor Vehicles and Card Services on Sept. 16, FAS Commissioner James A. Williams announced today. FAS is the procurement arm of the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA).
"Bill's training and experience will be invaluable to GSA as we work to increase business opportunities in this area," Commissioner Williams said. "With his experience in the U.S., Central America and abroad, he brings a valuable global perspective to this important business division of FAS."
In his new role as Assistant Commissioner for Travel, Motor Vehicles and Card Services, Mr. Webster will oversee the procurement and delivery of $29.3 billion worth of travel, motor vehicles and purchase card services. Among his responsibilities: The Airline City Pair program, valued at $2 billion; GSA SmartPay® purchase, travel, and fleet cards, valued at $26 billion; vehicle purchases of $1.3 billion; and the leasing of 208,000 motor vehicles to federal agencies.
Mr. Webster has served as the Director of GSA Fleet since 1998, overseeing GSA vehicle services in the U.S., Europe, and Central America. He has been with GSA for most of his career and has served in a variety of positions, including Deputy Executive Director for GSA's Public Buildings Service and several leadership positions in divisions within the former Federal Supply Service, including Customer Service, Logistics, Procurement, Property Management and Financial Management.
Prior to his arrival at GSA, Mr. Webster was the owner of TEK Builders Corp., managing all aspects of construction and remodeling of residential homes. Additionally, he was an adjunct associate professor at the University of the District of Columbia, teaching finance and accounting. During his career, Mr. Webster has been recognized with numerous awards for outstanding and special service, including an Administrator's Honor Award at GSA in 2004.
A Vietnam veteran, Mr. Webster attended George Mason University in Fairfax, Va., where he received a bachelor's degree in 1973 and a master's degree in business administration in 1975.
Founded in 1949, GSA serves as a centralized procurement and property management agency for the federal government. GSA manages more than one-fourth of the government's total procurement dollars and influences the management of $500 billion in federal assets, including 8,600 government-owned or leased buildings and 208,000 vehicles. GSA helps preserve our past and define our future, as a steward of more than 425 historic properties, and as manager of USA.gov, the official portal to federal government information and services. GSA's mission to provide superior workplaces, expert technology solutions, acquisition services, purchasing and E-Gov travel solutions and management policies, at best value, allows federal agencies to focus on their core missions.
Did You Know? GSA recently added 55 hybrid sedans to the 24,000 alternative fuel vehicles purchased for federal customers this year.


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February a bad month for buying gas
Published: Monday, February 25, 2013 at 10:01 a.m.
Last Modified: Monday, February 25, 2013 at 10:01 a.m.
February has been a bad month for gas prices, and the increases could continue in March.
At $3.63, the monthly national average price of a gallon of regular gasoline already has surpassed last February's average by 8 cents, according to AAA.
The national average was $3.777 on Monday, up more than four cents from a week earlier. In Florida, the average price was $3.869, an increase of nearly seven cents from the previous Monday.
In its weekly analysis of gas prices, the auto club forecasts the average price will continue to rise through this month and in March. States in the Southeast may see prices above $4 a gallon.
"Unfortunately, it doesn't look like there will be much relief at the pump in the next couple of weeks," AAA spokeswoman Jessica Brady said in a news release. "U.S. refinery maintenance typically peaks in March, meaning we could see more cuts in refinery output, leading to higher gas prices.
"Although gas prices were forecast to peak in April, it's unclear whether or not this will be the case since pump prices have already seen such dramatic increases."
In Gainesville, recent prices for a gallon of regular ranged from $3.81 to $4.09, according to www.gasbuddy.com.
In Ocala, recent prices for a gallon of regular ranged from $3.71 to $3.99, according to www.gasbuddy.com.
Reader comments posted to this article may be published in our print edition. All rights reserved. This copyrighted material may not be re-published without permission. Links are encouraged.


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Lake Gregory Hotel: The North Shore Inn
At The North Shore Inn, each hotel room provides affordable luxury accommodations and ambiance for your vacation lodging experience. Crestline Lake Gregory hotel lodging is more personal than a cabin, with all of the comforts of home in a hotel resort lodging area. At The North Shore Inn, our hotel rooms have gorgeous mountain views of Lake Gregory & Crestline that will take your breath away during sunrise or sunset! See Rooms & Rates for amenities provided in each hotel room.
Lake Gregory Hotel in Crestline, CA
Gorgeous Lake Gregory in Crestline, CA, offers a variety of seasonal activities. While in Crestline, hike around Lake Gregory or watch nature from your private balcony. Maybe catch a glimpse of the Bald Eagles that frequent Lake Gregory. Crestline and the Lake Gregory area offer year-round fishing, horseback riding, hiking, mountain biking, zip lines, paintball, and many other seasonal activities. While staying at The North Shore Inn, you will only be a short drive to Snow Valley Ski Resort, Arrowhead Queen Boat Ride, Arrowhead Village, and even the Murillo Family Observatory - see our Activities page.
The North Shore Inn is the only hotel lodging alongside Lake Gregory. The North Shore Inn is also the closest hotel lodging to The San Moritz Lodge wedding venue in Crestline and only moments from Pine Rose Cabins. We are a short distance from most wedding venues in the San Bernardino Mountains, making the North Shore Inn the perfect hotel and resort lodging for romantic getaways, honeymoons or family vacations!
For business hotel lodging that is not a cabin, The North Shore Inn, the luxury Lake Gregory hotel, will suit your needs. Only moments from Arrowhead, Twin Peaks & Blue Jay we will provide you with a wonderful hotel and mountain resort lodging experience - see our Business Travelers page.
No matter the season, reason, or age The North Shore Inn is the best resort and hotel mountain lodging in Crestline, Lake Gregory & Arrowhead.
Check our Specials, Seasonal Rates, and Events Calendar for Crestline, Lake Gregory, Blue Jay, Lake Arrowhead & Twin Peaks.
The North Shore Inn at Lake Gregory in Crestline, CA
Read Our Reviews


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Did you know?
Golden Flowers, a featured project, was born when the artist had an ancestral dream
Cape Town is, they say, the loveliest city in the world. And who can argue, sitting on a Camps Bay terrace with a sundowner and snacks to hand, watching the last light of the day?
But there's another, grittier, Cape Town. The Cape Town you see driving from the airport, the Cape Flats Cape Town, the Khayelitsha Cape Town, squatter shacks spread far and wide.
You see this social split in major countries around the world, like Rio de Janeiro, Buenos Aires, Washington DC and even the back end of Sydney, Australia. And yet, like in all those places, one is constantly amazed at the creativity, surges of spirit and innovation that comes from depressed communities.
The City of Cape Town and Cape Town Tourism support an initiative called the Cape Care Route, giving visitors the rare chance to interact with underprivileged township residents. The vision is to 'showcase a Cape Town committed to a sustainable African future by delivering authentic, people-driven experiences... in a manner that celebrates the stories of communities and uplifts the environment.'
Now you can see how people live on street level, and how they interact with their environment. Volunteers on the Cape Care Route supports projects founded on one or both of two sets of principles:
- Green Principles: Environmental conservation;
- Brown Principles: Social rehabilitation.
Come on the Cape Care Route - or be a Cape Care Volunteer - and you not only will see how people build their own houses, grow food for themselves and make crafts from recycled trash, you'll also assist in some of the projects.
The aim is a growing partnership between local communities, government, business interests and visiting tourists (working short stints as Cape Care Volunteers) - a dynamic relationship that exists in virtually every society on the globe today.
Travel tips & Planning info
Who to contact
John Holmes
Email: firstname.lastname@example.com
How to get here
Cape Town is easily accessible by airport. From there, you could hire your own car or get a guide.
Best time to visit
Any time of year.
Around the area
Cape Town itself is one of the most beautiful cities in the world, and there are gorgeous beaches, botanical gardens and mountains.
Get around
Your own self-drive hire car would be most convenient, perhaps with a guide to help you.
Length of stay
The longer a volunteer stays, the better the experience for host and the volunteer. If you'd just like a look at the projects, you could go out for a morning or a day.
What to pack
Take a daypack with water, a hat and sunscreen. And, of course, your camera.
Where to stay
Cape Town has a super-abundance of all kinds of accommodation for every budget.
Best buys
Buy some of the unique crafts on offer. They're attractive and offer a maximum feel good factor.


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What is a Homestay?
A homestay is a unique opportunity for international students to live with a local American host family. In addition to providing an affordable private room with an option of two meals per day or access to the kitchen, the program gives students a chance to experience American culture from a first-hand perspective and build cross-cultural friendships.
ISP visits each host family's house and views the student's room to make sure that it is adequate. ISP is a wonderful partner known for its professionalism, caring and committed staff, and superior service to students and schools.
For more information about the application procedure for a homestay or shared housing, contact ISP directly: http://www.isphomestays.com/.
199 First Street, Suite 305
Los Altos, CA 94022
E-mail: email@example.com
Phone: 1-650-947-8879
International student featured in International Educator magazine article on 2+2 transfer success
Received Export Achievement Award from the U.S. Dept. of Commerce in 2012
Find out more about our Transfer Agreements(pdf).
Foothill is now an
iTEP Test Center.
Instead of TOEFL/IELTS,
Take iTEP for admission.


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This is not a gif. It is an actual video of Fedor doing infinate press ups.
Some good moves... lol at her injuring her ankle doing BJJ of all things, lol!!
bjj police? She's apparently a blue belt that hasn't heard of a triangle choke
I have to say the techniques are explained a lot better than the d-tec videos
And I like how they respect the mat by not getting up to shenanighans on it.
Ok, I need to stop watching this and have breakfast and a cold shower
Last edited by Manik; 23-02-2011 at 10:03 AM. Reason: spelling
Roll on 1:30pm when i get home from work!
I found one a while back. 'Lesbian' threesome.
Coffee drinker, prefer Pepsi and I'm kind of a big deal.
Ultimate Surrender is something to see as well in terms of MMA/lesbian videos. Just search it on spankwire or youporn.
Sherdog.com - The number one MMA site on the web today!


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"Captain America: The Winter Soldier" trailer released!
It's what northeast Ohio film buffs have been waiting for. The first official trailer for "Captain America: The Winter Soldier" was released Thursday.
Most of the exteriors for the 'Captain America' sequel were filmed in Cleveland. The trailer features a number of shots that Clevelanders will recognize.
Crews were in town between May and June to shoot scenes in a number of locations, most noticeable the West Shoreway. They were also at the Cleveland Museum of Art, Tower City, Tremont and all around downtown Cleveland.
But the movie isn't set in Cleveland, we're doubling as Washington D.C. in the movie.
Still, Ivan Schwarz of the Greater Cleveland Film Commission thinks it looks "awesome". He says Cleveland is becoming well known in the film-making community as an accessible city.
It stars Chris Evans as Steve Rogers/Captain America, Scarlett Johansson as Natasha Romanoff/Black Widow, Samuel L. Jackson as Nick Fury, Sebastian Stan as Bucky Barnes/Winter Soldier and Robert Redford as Alexander Pierce.
The movie was directed by Cleveland brothers Anthony and Joe Russo.
"Captain America: The Winter Soldier" is slated for nationwide release on April 4, 2014.
The Greater Cleveland Film Commission also announced Thursday Jenny's Wedding will begin shooting in Cleveland on October 28th.
Emmy-winning and Golden Globe nominee Katherine Heigl two-time Oscar nominee Tom Wilkinson, two-time Tony Award nominee Linda Emondand Grace Gummer are set to star in the dramedy.
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default context, direction ltr, unicode-bidi override
Test passes if characters are in the same order.
Assertion: In the default context, if direction:ltr and unicode-bidi:bidi-override are applied to an inline element containing mixed direction text, the characters in that element will be displayed in backing-store order from left to right.
= means you should check that the test and reference graphic look the same, except for font differences and cursive joining behavior.
Result summary & related tests


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Chrome is my favorite but I use Firefox as well.
Pftt I don't see why ppl care so much, google chrome is the best !
Chrome best by far. Switched yearrrrrs ago from IE to Firefox, loved Firefox. Then tried Chrome, absolutely loved it and havnt looked back. Will take a look at the new Firefox update...But at the end of the day Chrome is still gonna be my browser.
i would use chrome if it had a Reading List compatible with iphones. it's sort of counter-productive to use the desktop safari for reading lists i set up in my phone, then use chrome for normal web browsing.
I have Firefox 8 on my Mac and it has full screen mode...
Or maybe I have the beta release. I'll have to check when I get home