One of my driving tenets when it comes to selecting work for publications is to find stories that make you think about the world we live in. The three original works we have for you this month all address a similar subject in three different ways: interconnectivity and privacy.
In Alex Livingston’s “Proximity”, in what I would call a ‘data caper’ in the mold of Ocean’s Eleven, we follow a group of metadata thieves as they face a life or death situation in a major information heist. Mari Ness explores the danger of becoming so reliant on an ‘internet of things’ that we lose control of our lives. Finally, DJ Cockburn writes a cautionary tale of the dangers of living in a world of heightened technology where our body is currency and our information is readily accessible to the clever. After reading these three works, I think I should make room for all of us in the official Apex Publications off-the-grid bunker.
Our non-fiction offerings this month include interviews with author Mari Ness and cover artist Tori K. Roman. Ardi Alspach connects book events with the SFF community in the essay “Building Book Events to Build Community in SFF.” And, as always, we have the latest “Clavis Aurea” from our short fiction reviewer Charlotte Ashley.
Apex Magazine’s poetry editor Bianca Spriggs presents some amazing poetry by Bethany Powell, John W. Sexton, and Laura Madelaine Wiseman. Finally, our subscriber exclusive reprint this month is “Mud Holes and Mississippi Mules” by Malon Edwards, and we have excerpts from Flex by Ferrett Steinmetz and The Venusian Gambit by Michael J. Martinez.
Writers don’t forget that we are closed to short story submissions until September 1st. Poetry submissions will be closed, as well.
Are you coming to our 10th Anniversary Party at Joseph-Beth Booksellers on June 20th in Lexington, KY? I hope so! Here is our confirmed guest list of Apex notables: Maurice Broaddus, Lesley Conner, Janet Harriett, Gary A. Braunbeck, Lucy A. Snyder, Elizabeth Massie, Damien Angelica Walters, Mari Adkins, Bianca Lynn Spriggs, Douglas F. Warrick, Geoffrey Girard, and ME!
Finally, I have big news to share. After 10 years of balancing Apex and a day job, I am thrilled to announce that we are finally in a position where I could quit my day job to commit myself to Apex full time. June marks the first month in what I hope will be a lifelong transition. It’s exciting, but also a little scary because my success and my livelihood depend on Apex Magazine and Apex Publications doing well. So if you’ve been waiting to buy a subscription, now would be the perfect time to pick one up.
We at Apex Magazine hope you enjoy this issue!
Jason Sizemore
Editor-in-Chief
