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.
Harriet Phoenix 