The Book of Apex: Volume 2 of Apex Magazine

Apex Magazine #2

by Jason Sizemore, Mary Robinette Kowal, Ekaterina Sedia

Contains the following dark SF stories published in Apex Magazine from July 1, 2009 through June 30th, 2010:

“She Called Me Sweetie”–Glenn Lewis Gillette
“…That Has Such People in It”–Jennifer Pelland
“Pimp My Airshiip”–Maurice Broaddus
“Kenny 149″–Brad Becraft
“Advertising at the End of the World”–Keffy R.M. Kehrli
“Fungal Gardens”–Ekaterina Sedia
“Ghost Technology from the Sun”–Paul Jessup
“A Poor Man’s Roses”–Alethea Kontis
“To Dream of Stars: An Astronomer’s Lament”–Peter M. Ball
“Benjamin Schneider’s Little Greys”–Nir Yaniv
“After the Fire”–Aliette de Bodard
“Overclocking”–James L. Sutter
“59 Beads”–Rochita Loenen-Ruiz
“Wondrous Days”–Genevieve Valentine
“White Christmas”–James F. Reilly
“The Lady or the Tiger”–J.M. McDermott
“p.a. chic”–Tobias Amadon Bengelsdorf
“Beyond the Garden Close”–Mary Robinette Kowal
“The Bride Replete”–Mary Robinette Kowal
“Dying with Her Cheer Pants On”–Seanan McGuire
“Seafoam”–Mark Henry
“The Last Stand of the Ant Maker”–Paul Jessup
“City of Refuge”–Jerry L. Gordon
“Sol Asleep”–Naomi Labicki
“Laika’s Dream”–Holly Hight
“Artifact”–Peter Atwood
“Schrodinger’s Pussy”–Terra Lemay

Genres: Fantasy, Horror, Science Fiction, Short Stories, Anthologies

308 pages, Nook

First published December 28, 2010

About the author

I was born the son of an unemployed coal miner in a tiny Kentucky Appalachian villa named Big Creek (population 400). It’s an isolated area with beautiful rolling hills, thick forests, and country folk. I lived in Big Creek until I went to college, spending my weekends cruising the Winn Dixie parking lot of ladies, partying in my cousin’s run-down three room trailer, and being a member of the bad-ass Clay County High School Academic Team.

College was quite a shock for me. Girls! Minorities! Strip clubs! And it didn’t help that I attended Transylvania University, a fairly snotty (but excellent) private college in Lexington, KY (on scholarship… no way my family could have sent me otherwise). I graduated in the standard four years with a degree in Computer Science.

Since 1996, I’ve worked for evil corporations (IBM), dot com dreamers (eCampus.com), The Man (both city and state government), and for The Kids (KY Dept. of Education), and assholes (lots and lots of assholes).

In 2004, I decided my life was boring, that I no longer needed disposable income, and I needed to increase my stress levels. I started Apex Publications, a small press publisher of science fiction, fantasy, and horror. At first it was just a small print zine, then a pro-level online zine, then books, and then ebooks.

I edit anthologies, mostly for Apex (because I’m a control freak). I occasionally do copy editing (when pressed) and have done plenty of acquisition editing over the years.

I also write. I don’t really write enough to leave a mark, but it seems to go well when I do put pen to paper.

Miscellaneous facts about me: left-handed, blue eyes, super geeky, hillbilly accent, near-sighted, and typically in a goofy mood.

Also, and most importantly, I’m not the drunkard all those Facebook photos makes me out to be. It just happens that cameras are always around when I… have libations. Honest!

Reviews

[Andrew Brooks · Rating 2 out of 5]

Some years it seems like everything in the anthologies (my preferred reading) has gone weird. To me it's like the cycle for everyone to get creative has come again and everyone has to get all existential. My life is just strange enough that I don't have the shared metaphors to connect with them. This would be one of those.

[Jesse Fawcett · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lots of good stories, some better than others, though one in particular ("The Bride Replete", by Mary Robinette Kowal), stands out for me. Some of the formatting is a bit off, with misplaced hyphens and such, and there are quite a few noticeable typos, but they don't detract too much from the content.

[Elizabeth · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a great collection from such a great magazine. Special props to Seanan McGuire's DYING WITH HER CHEER PANTS ON, which was read aloud to great fanfare and many giggles - perfect blend of horror and humor.