Beneath Ceaseless Skies Hits 100 Issues

Beneath Ceaseless Skies 
Cover art by Raphael Lacoste

The one hundredth issue of BCS won't go live for another day or so, which means I'll have to put the links in for the individual stories later (done), but I wanted to try and create a bit of advance buzz for the issue.  (Having a subscription, I got my copy early.)  Beneath Ceaseless Skies is one of the best fantasy markets out there, and it publishes every other week.

I'm behind on reading the short fiction magazines I subscribe to, or I would have reviewed some of the preceding issues.  I may still.  But 100 issues is a milestone that deserves to be celebrated.  Instead of the usual two pieces of fiction, there are four, just like in the issue marking the three year anniversary of the magazine (reviewed here).  Here's what you'll find.

Beneath Ceaseless Skies Celebrates Three Years

 Beneath Ceaseless Skies has been publishing some of the best fantasy to be found on the web or anywhere else for three years now.  Adventures Fantastic would like to congratulate BCS for three great years and wish them many more.

Beneath Ceaseless Skies marked its three year anniversary with its current issue, a double issue.  If you're wondering what a double issue for an electronic magazine is, you get twice the amount of fiction.  And it's good fiction, which is what you expect from this publication.  That's one of the reasons I decided to start the Seven Days of Online Fiction with Beneath Ceaseless Skies. 

It's been a while since we looked at BCS, so here's a quick overview of the contents. 

New Issue of Beneath Ceaseless Skies

I've been a bit under the weather since I got back from ConDFW, so this will be a short post.  I'm getting better, thank you.  (And thank you, pharmaceuticals.  Better living through chemistry!)

A new issue of Beneath Ceaseless Skies was posted today.  You should check it out.  I've been aware of BCS for a while but only recently began reading it.  I do enough reading on a computer screen as part of my dayjobbery that I haven't kept up with the online publications like I should.  That's in the process of changing.

Anyway, BCS posts new issues every two weeks, usually with two stories.  The current issue leads off with "The Ghost of Shinoda Forest", by Richard Parks, a tale of honor and loss in feudal Japan.  This story showcases Parks' ability to develop mood and character in a short space, and is one of the better stories I've read in a while.  It also is the latest in a series, but functions perfectly well as a stand-alone. 

I met Parks when he was a regular attendee at the early Conestogas, the SFF convention in Tulsa.  This would have been in the late 90's and early 00's.  He quit coming after a few years.  I remember him as a soft spoken man, but one who was easy to talk to.  I've long thought him to be one of the more underrated writers working at short fiction lengths in fantasy for the last decade.  It would be nice to see him get more recognition.  He has several collections out, and has a web page, which unfortunately doesn't seem to have been updated in a while.  There is a bibliography there, if you're interested in reading more of his work.  Of course if you're one of those people who like things current, check his livejournal page.  It was updated yesterday.

The second story, "Dirt Witch" by Eljay Daly, I haven't read it yet.  Since I'm not feeling at the top of my game, I probably won't read it tonight.  I'm going to turn in early.  When my energy levels are back up, I'll post a short review.  Until then, I'm starting to fade and need to call it a night.