Tag: Anthology

news

My Author Copy of Midnight Menagerie!

Harriet Phoenix

It’s been a while since I had good news to share on this site, so I’m hoping to close out the year with some joy for a change! My author copy of Midnight Menagerie by Wolf Singer Productions has arrived.

I have previously mentioned some issues that I have with this book. Well, one issue: after being accepted for this anthology, I realised that the cover was designed by AI. I of course have many, many issues with AI and especially its use in creative fields. However, I feel like I’ve covered that in my previous post, so I’d like to devote this one to just enjoying having a book out.

The stories in Midnight Menagerie explore the world of fairs, carnivals and zoos in a variety of science fiction and fantasy settings. There’s aliens. There’s goblins. There’s shapechangers, sentient clouds and a retelling of Jurassic Park where the exhibits may seem just a little familiar…

My story, The Menagerie of the Milky Way, obviously leans towards the sci-fi end of the scale and features an orbital zoo full of aliens. I had a lot of fun writing it (at least until I read out parts of it in my writer’s group and had to actually pronounce the names I’d come up with for all the alien species. Pro tip: consider these things while writing!) and I hope other people have as much fun reading it.

news, Science Fiction

When Cover Art Sends You Into a Tailspin

Harriet Phoenix

After something of a hiatus from the world of having news, I’ve been looking forward to announcing my inclusion in the upcoming anthology from Wolf Singer Publications. I was particularly excited to receive that cover art, which is absolutely gorgeous. But something about it set off an alarm bell for me. So I checked the copyright page of the e-book, which confirmed my worst suspicions: this cover art was generated using AI.

Yeah.

So, instead of doing my usual gushy post about the new anthology I get to be a part of, and how much fun I had writing The Menagerie of the Milky Way, I ended up in a massive emotional tailspin, because I am of course ethically opposed to the use of AI in creative work. At the very least, it needs a lot more regulation than it has or seems likely to have any time soon. So. What’s a person to do?

Well, what I did is discuss the situation with a friend who shares my concerns, and then contact the editor and calmly ask her some questions. And I’m glad I did, because she was able to reassure me that the use of AI in more than pre-publication placeholder covers is not usual practice for Wolf Singer: this one came about as a writing prompt that turned into more. In other words, the anthology itself came from this image, so work wasn’t taken from a human artist. The editor also assures me that she would never use AI to copy an existing artist’s style.

That’s all nice and reassuring. There are a lot of complex issues surrounding use of AI, and people feel a lot of different ways about it. However, what I’m feeling right now is that I’ve accidentally sorta-kinda endorsed something I really don’t agree with, and that makes me pretty uncomfortable. Instead of celebrating, I’m reaching for the headache tablets.

So, where do we go from here? I guess my next step is to continue as normal, but try to pay more attention in future, I guess? (Not my strong suit)

There are still many things to be happy about. There are many, many excellent stories in Menagerie and it’s an excellent anthology. Don’t judge a book by the AI that generated its cover, right?

Midnight Menagerie is out now.

news, Science Fiction

Space Brides Blurb and Cover Art!

Harriet Phoenix

Today I’m happy to announce that the upcoming Wolf Singer Publications anthology Space Brides is slated for a December release! I’ve seen the proofs and can now happily share with you the final cover art!

Prompts can be funny things. I’d usually be put off by a prompt as specific as this one, but somehow the idea of a matchmaking agency that serves a spacefaring humanity as it spreads through the solar system worked for me. It sent my brain to a fairly weird place as I tried to imagine the ways marriage might evolve in such a setting. I had a lot of fun writing my entry, Runaway Bride, and I’m so happy it was accepted.

If a diverse cast of science fiction characters finding love in strange new places sounds like something you ‘d be interested in, then please keep an eye on this site! I’ll be posting updates as I get them.