2013 goes out on a high note with the December 2013 issue of Asimov’s Science Fiction.  The issue contains three novelettes and five short stories.  As with any collection of stories, some are better than others and there was one of each length in this issue that I found to be too long and ultimately unsatisfying.   But the stories that worked, worked well.  There is a really humorous story about an alien working in a lingerie store, an Asian-influenced story about two teenage rivals competing in an imaginative version of kung-fu, and more.  The final story ends the collection in a beautiful melancholy, perfectly fitting for the ending of another year.

I reviewed this issue for this week’s Short Fiction Friday over at SF Signal.  Click here  to check it out.

I also had the privilege this week to participate in Andrea‘s Mind Meld over on SF Signal.  The topic was the importance of anthologies for writers and readers and was a fun one to participate in.  To read what all of the participants had to say and to share your own thoughts, please join the lively conversation here.

I hope everyone has something enjoyable planned for the weekend.  I plan on continuing with my quest to get some previously started books finished while also getting a jump on the short stories I will review next Friday over at SF Signal.

Finally, the Big Cheese over at SF Signal, John Denardo, wrote a wonderful post over on Kirkus Reviews this week where he shared how books not only create memories having to do with the story itself, but also on occasional will cement the moments we first experienced them in our minds.  I highly encourage you to read it, check out the comments, and share your own.

As we rapidly approach All Hallow’s Eve my short fiction reading has been focused on science fiction stories with a chilling edge. In my Short Fiction Friday review on SF Signal I review two stories from the recently released anthology In Space No One Can Hear You Scream and two stories from the October/November 2013 double issue of Asimov’s Science Fiction. I would love it if you took a moment to check out the review.

Hope everyone has a wonderful, story-filled weekend.