Tag Archives: science fiction

Sneak preview: "Hear the Enemy, My Daughter" from The Law & the Heart

The Heart and the Law by Kenneth SchneyerThis is one of thirteen stories in Kenneth Schneyer’s new collection The Law & the Heart. Emotionally and ethically complex, it gives us the perfect opportunity to show you why we’re so excited about this book!

Hear the Enemy, My Daughter
by Kenneth Schneyer

Everything about Kesi reminds me of her father. Her hair is crinklier than mine, because Jabari’s was. Her skin is a darker shade of brown than mine, because Jabari’s was. Her chin juts out absurdly for such a little face, because Jabari’s did. She even smells like him. Every sight of her is like a kick in my stomach.

Kesi has stopped wondering where Jabari has gone. For the first two or three months, she asked many times a day, “Mzazi, where Baba?” She was past such baby-talk; it was a sign of her distress that she regressed, lost her verbs. I was honest with her, or I tried to be. You can say, “Baba has died. Baba was very brave, he was fighting to protect Kesi and Mzazi, he was fighting to protect everyone.” But how much of that will a three-year-old understand? All she knew was that her father was gone. I did not even tell her that he had gone to a better place, that he was happy — what would be the point, even if I believed it? Did she care whether he was happy, if it kept him away forever?

Nor did I allow the other voice to speak, the voice that said, “I should have been fighting next to Jabari; I could have saved Jabari. If you had not been born, Jabari would still be here.”

Now she is four and does not mention him at all. She remembers him; when I point to his picture, she tells me who Jabari is. But she does not begin conversation about him. She does not ask when he will return. She does not ask what it means to die. Continue reading Sneak preview: "Hear the Enemy, My Daughter" from The Law & the Heart

Giveaway: The Law & the Heart

Kenneth Schneyer
Kenneth Schneyer

What’s better than a hot new book? How about a chance to win a hot new book for free? This week only, Stillpoint Digital Press is giving away copies of The Law & the Heart, the debut collection by Nebula-nominated author Kenneth Schneyer.

As part of this weekend’s launch festivities, we will be holding a drawing on Goodreads, the world’s largest online site for book readers, reviews, and recommendations. To sign up for your chance to win a new first-of-the-first paperback copy of this exciting collection that science fiction legend Kim Stanley Robinson has called “brilliant and delightful,” go to the giveaway page and click the Enter to Win button!

The drawing will be held on the day of the presentation of the Science Fiction Writers of America’s Nebula Award ceremony — sign up now to get your copy, or join author Kenneth Schneyer and Stillpoint publisher David Kudler at the Nebula book signing event on Friday, May 16 to pick up your autographed copy. Continue reading Giveaway: The Law & the Heart

The Law & the Heart Book Launch!

Release Day: May 16!

Do you know the way to San Jose? Join author Kenneth Schneyer and Stillpoint publisher David Kudler for the official launch of The Law & the Heart on Friday evening, May 16 at the Nebula Awards book-signing!

The signing will be from 8:00pm–10:00pm at the San Jose Marriot. The event is open to the public, so you don’t have to attend the conference to be among the first to get your copy of Ken’s exciting new book — though of course, you’re also welcome to attend. While you’re there, you’ll have the opportunity to meet some of the other best science fiction writers in the world.

For more information or to sign up for our launch event, go to the event page on Facebook.

To find out more about the Science Fiction Writers of America or to register to attend the Nebulas, go to their page here.

See you there!

New from Stillpoint: The Law & the Heart by Kenneth Schneyer

Law and the Heart coverFirst, the law.  A time traveler confronts a judge to prevent four years of war.  An author undergoes suspended animation to preserve his copyrights and escape his creditors ( you can also learn more about 3d product rendering here ) . Then, the heart.  A medical accident robs a husband of 20 years of marriage.  A soldier mother struggles to tell the difference between her daughter and the alien enemy.

Stillpoint Digital Press is proud to announce the publication this month of The Law & the Heartthe first collection of stories by Nebula- and Sturgeon-nominated author Kenneth Schneyer. Continue reading New from Stillpoint: The Law & the Heart by Kenneth Schneyer

New from Stillpoint: The Law & the Heart by Kenneth Schneyer

Law and the Heart coverFirst, the law.  A time traveler confronts a judge to prevent four years of war.  An author undergoes suspended animation to preserve his copyrights and escape his creditors.  Then, the heart.  A medical accident robs a husband of 20 years of marriage.  A soldier mother struggles to tell the difference between her daughter and the alien enemy.

Stillpoint Digital Press is proud to announce the publication this month of The Law & the Heartthe first collection of stories by Nebula- and Sturgeon-nominated author Kenneth Schneyer. Continue reading New from Stillpoint: The Law & the Heart by Kenneth Schneyer

Bending the Story without Breaking It: Prophecy and Time Travel

Prophecy and time travel - Hourglass by Rachel Caitlin (TrueLovesKiss) on flickr.com. Used under a Creative Commons license.

I was just reading a really fun time-travel story (Heather Albano’s Timepiece), and a thought that had been bouncing around in my head for a long time came clear to me: from a purely narrative point of view, time travel is prophecy’s long-lost (and possibly evil) twin.

Don’t get me wrong — they’re clearly very different plot devices, and stories that include one or the other tend to play out in somewhat different ways. But they do essentially the same thing to and for a plot. They bend narrative logic so that it can snap in interesting and unexpected ways. Continue reading Bending the Story without Breaking It: Prophecy and Time Travel