Published by NewCon Press and launched at Eastercon 2011, this anthology of thirteen stories about conflict features some top UK science fiction authors… and star of South African science fiction, Lauren Beukes. My entry is called Welcome Home, Janissary, and you can read more about that on this page.
After I got the acceptance for my story in this anthology, I went to my local Waterstones (the main bookshop chain in the UK) and was excited to see that most of the authors had novels on the shelves. At around the time the book launched, Lauren Beukes had been featured in all the national newspapers because she won the Arthur C Clarke Award for best novel of 2010 (Zoo City — she was pipped at the post for the equivalent BSFA award).
The core of the publisher’s business is selling limited edition hardbacks signed by all the authors. That meant me. So I spent half an hour one evening in the Wetherspoon’s pub in Northampton signing against my name on about 150 sheets of paper. The print process is called tipping. If you see the book, you will see the author names and signatures on two sides of one sheet of paper. When I signed, I signed 150 copies of a larger version of one of these sheets. The printer photo-reduced the signatures sheets as the book was printed. So, if you have the hardback edition of this book, my signature is not written on the same physical sheet of paper inside your book (it’s a photo-reduced copy) but your copy is unique because only your copy used your signing sheet.
Here are some things reviewers have said about Further Conflicts
Pornokitsch – “Further Conflicts is an outstanding collection – an anthology of some of science fiction’s most provocative minds, tackling one of literature’s oldest topics.”
WarpcoreSF – “There are no weak links in Further Conflicts… the stories are all fiercely brilliant
BEST SF — “Lots of fast-paced action, with a variety of settings, to make for an adrenaline-rush of a read.”
Books and Things – “The range and breadth of stories held in this collection was a pleasure to see…”
You can get a paper version of Further Conflicts from anywhere in the UK, including NewCon Press (hardback £20, paperback £10). Afraid if you live outside the UK, shipping costs might be tricky. There is also an eBook version for Kindle, iPad, Nook, Kobo etc. (Priced approx £4) I am quite certain this exists, because I coded it, something that would never have even occurred to me when I submitted the story. amazon.com | amazon.co.uk (£4.11) | Kobo (£3.47) | iTunes UK (£2.99) and just about everywhere else. There is actually a good reason why the prices are different, but… well, ask if you really want to know)
