My novelette “The Molenstraat Music Festival” has just been published in the September issue of Asimov’s Science Fiction Magazine. It’s a story of a far future that, among advanced technology, still has time for art.
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“I’m Tamsin Birchall.” She stepped down from the vehicle. She was tall, thin-legged and wasp-waisted. She’d had work done, but then everybody did these days, didn’t they? She was wearing a blue single-piece dress that seemed to wrap around her legs almost like slacks as she walked. Her hips swayed, but her shoulders stayed steady. She could be a dancer.
“I can help you?” Clancy said. He pointed back the way they’d come. “Stay on that road for another six or seven miles you’ll come to a nice, isolated beach. The water’s a long way down now, with the dry, but it’s still pleasant enough. The trees grow down to the sand’s edge, and there are some grassy picnic spots. Another ten miles on, up Freyberg Road, there’s a rooming house.”
“It’s not directions I’m looking for.”
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I’m thrilled and honored to be sharing the table of contents with science fiction luminaries once again. Brenda Cooper!, Jason Sanford, Vylar Kaftan, among others.
I’m also honored that Asimov’s editor Sheila Williams saw something in my little story. Thanks.
Fantastic! How close does this put you to pro’ing out?
Thanks Martin. This is my second pro publication that actually counts towards pro’ing out. Some of my others don’t count (literary stories, not SF, and the Baen on doesn’t count either, according to Joni).
And now Perihelion! Is that #3?
I wish, but Perihelion’s still a semi-pro market, so doesn’t count towards SFWA nor WOTF.
Came here to say that I enjoyed your story. Fantastic piece!
Thanks Alexandru – glad you enjoyed it.
Loved this story!
Sci-Fi for artists and musicians.
Apart from being a topic that I connect with emotionally, I think it was a beautifully crafted world and characters, with minimal but gracefully flowing text, illustrating a deeply-felt truth.
I know it’s not the point of the story, but: I’d like that house!! Reminded me of Douglas Adams’ “Heart of Gold” as a house instead of a spaceship, but maybe even better!
Wonderful, Lyanna, thank you so much.
Reblogged this on This Got My Attention Today and commented:
Well! I read this story in the early hours of this morning, and it impressed me greatly. I commented on Facebook that it was “so good that I wished I’d written it”. Perhaps that perspective is a little narcissistic? Perhaps I’m just seeing an example of what I really want to do. I want to write like that: a beautifully crafted world and characters, with minimal but gracefully flowing text, illustrating a deeply-felt truth.
The story was in September 2015’s ‘Asimov’s Science Fiction’ magazine: ‘The Molenstraat Music Festival’ by Sean Monaghan. Sci-Fi for artists and musicians.
(Spoilers for those who haven’t read it) The main point was that art is more than mechanics. Personal passion is not about technical ability. Medical “enhancement” may be useful, but the outcome is not always perfect.
Apart from being a topic that I connect with emotionally, it was written with beautiful language, a wonderfully sketched future world, with fabulous scientific advancements. I’d like the house!! Think: Douglas Adams’ “Heart of Gold” as a house instead of a spaceship, but maybe even better.
I was so impressed that I looked up the Author, Sean Monaghan. Now I’m even more impressed/humbled/ awed: on his blog he comments that he’s written a quarter of a million words in the last 6 months, and hoped to get another 5 to 7 novels out in the next 6 months!
Thank you so much, Lyanna!