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Apex Magazine #97
Apex Magazine Issue 97
Apex Magazine is a monthly science fiction, fantasy, and horror magazine featuring original, mind-bending short fiction from many of the top pros of the field. New issues are released on the first Tuesday of every month.
EDITORIAL
Words from the Editor-in-Chief—Jason Sizemore
FICTION
Elena's Angel — Aimee Ogden
Black Hole Heart — K.A. Teryna
Welcome to Astuna — Pip Coen
Sundown — Tobias S. Buckell
Mars Girls (Excerpt) — Mary Turzillo
NONFICTION
Interview with Author Aimee Ogden — Andrea Johnson
The Ecumenical, the Ersatz, and the Euphemistic: Three Ways to Misunderstand Identity — Karen Lord
Interview with Cover Artist Irina Kovalova — Russell Dickerson
Mars Isn't Easy — Mary Turzillo
EDITORIAL
Words from the Editor-in-Chief—Jason Sizemore
FICTION
Elena's Angel — Aimee Ogden
Black Hole Heart — K.A. Teryna
Welcome to Astuna — Pip Coen
Sundown — Tobias S. Buckell
Mars Girls (Excerpt) — Mary Turzillo
NONFICTION
Interview with Author Aimee Ogden — Andrea Johnson
The Ecumenical, the Ersatz, and the Euphemistic: Three Ways to Misunderstand Identity — Karen Lord
Interview with Cover Artist Irina Kovalova — Russell Dickerson
Mars Isn't Easy — Mary Turzillo
110 pages, Kindle Edition
Published June 1, 2017
5 people want to read
About the author
Jason Sizemore
120 books115 followersI 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!
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!
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
May 5, 2022
Review solely for Welcome to Astuna by Pip Coen, https://www.apex-magazine.com/welcome...
Protag is overdrawn at the memory-gambling tables of Astuna, but she turns out to be a secret agent of some sort, sent to take down Mr. Big. Story ends at the cusp.
New-to-me author, a practicing neuroscientist and self-pr0claimed "Respected expert in procrastination." http://pipcoen.com/ [not respnding 5/5/22 ]
Thanks to G33z3r for the story reco!
Bonus: https://www.nature.com/articles/d4158...
"The list"
A very seasonal proposal. Silly, cute vignette.
Protag is overdrawn at the memory-gambling tables of Astuna, but she turns out to be a secret agent of some sort, sent to take down Mr. Big. Story ends at the cusp.
New-to-me author, a practicing neuroscientist and self-pr0claimed "Respected expert in procrastination." http://pipcoen.com/ [not respnding 5/5/22 ]
Thanks to G33z3r for the story reco!
Bonus: https://www.nature.com/articles/d4158...
"The list"
A very seasonal proposal. Silly, cute vignette.
August 12, 2017
Elena's Angel - Aimee Ogden *****
Really well done conceptualisation of the muse being an angel that attaches itself to an artist, ensuring their work is always genius and well-received but dictates their entire life. Touches on controlling, abusive relationships, depression as a muse and the idea that genius requires full commitment to the exclusion of everything else.
Black Hole Heart - KA Teryna ***
An old man sits in a diner and reminisces about his life, full of loss and regret. The second person narration and jumps in time make it a bit choppy but add some interest to a basic story.
Welcome To Astuna - Pip Coen **
A woman wakes up in a rehab hotel for people who have gambled their memories and lost them with 18 years of her life gone, then sets about working out what has happened. Wraps up quickly with a big reveal but not much impact.
Sundown - Tobias S Buckell ***
Western with insectile aliens possessing townsfolk and a US marshal hunting them. The fact he is black and joins up with alien-hunter Frederick Douglass adds a racial dynamic, in the reactions of the white characters but also in the mob activity of the possessed. Would like to see more of FD's alien hunting squad's adventures.
Mars Girls - Mary Turzillo *
Dull, clunky, full of awkward neologisms and future slang.
Really well done conceptualisation of the muse being an angel that attaches itself to an artist, ensuring their work is always genius and well-received but dictates their entire life. Touches on controlling, abusive relationships, depression as a muse and the idea that genius requires full commitment to the exclusion of everything else.
Black Hole Heart - KA Teryna ***
An old man sits in a diner and reminisces about his life, full of loss and regret. The second person narration and jumps in time make it a bit choppy but add some interest to a basic story.
Welcome To Astuna - Pip Coen **
A woman wakes up in a rehab hotel for people who have gambled their memories and lost them with 18 years of her life gone, then sets about working out what has happened. Wraps up quickly with a big reveal but not much impact.
Sundown - Tobias S Buckell ***
Western with insectile aliens possessing townsfolk and a US marshal hunting them. The fact he is black and joins up with alien-hunter Frederick Douglass adds a racial dynamic, in the reactions of the white characters but also in the mob activity of the possessed. Would like to see more of FD's alien hunting squad's adventures.
Mars Girls - Mary Turzillo *
Dull, clunky, full of awkward neologisms and future slang.
October 31, 2017
This issue's stories pack a lot into the small space. I particularly enjoyed Ogden on creativity and Coen's woman with memory loss - different in tone, but alike in sticking with me a week later.
October 7, 2019
As for my first read Sci-fi/ Fantasy Magazine, I enjoyed it! :)
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews