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Critter Notices
Books from Critters!
Check out Books by Critters for books by your fellow
Critterfolk, as well as my list of recommended books for writers.
The Sigil Trilogy
If you're looking for an amazing, WOW! science fiction story, check out THE SIGIL TRILOGY. This is — literally — one of the best science fiction novels I've ever read.
Stayin' Alive
If you want to make a career of SF writing, STAYING ALIVE - A WRITER'S GUIDE by three-time SFWA President Norman Spinrad, published by your Critter Captain's ReAnimus Press, is an indispensable guide to the inside workings of the SF publishing industry by an expert.
Interviewed!
I was interviewed live on public radio for Critters' birthday, for those who want to listen.
Free Web Sites
Free web sites for authors (and others) are available at www.nyx.net.
ReAnimus Acquires Advent!
ReAnimus Press is pleased to announce the acquisition of the legendary Advent Publishers! Advent is now a subsidiary of ReAnimus Press, and we will continue to publish Advent's titles under the Advent name. Advent was founded in 1956 by Earl Kemp and others, and has published the likes of James Blish, Hal Clement, Robert Heinlein, Damon Knight, E.E. "Doc" Smith, and many others. Advent's high quality titles have won and been finalists for several Hugo Awards, such as The Encyclopedia of Science Fiction and Fantasy and Heinlein's Children. Watch this space for ebook and print editions of all of Advent's current titles!
Book Recommendation
THE SIGIL TRILOGY:
The universe is dying from within...
"Great stuff... Really enjoyed it." — SFWA Grandmaster Michael Moorcock
Announcing ReAnimus Press
If you're looking for great stuff to read from bestselling and award-winning authors—look no further! ReAnimus Press was founded by your very own Critter Captain. (And with a 12% Affiliate program.) [More]
~~~
FEATURED BOOK
~~~
Weekly Notes
Notes for 24-Sep-2025...
New policy on use of AI in Critters... Please have a look at https://critters.org/c/ai-policy.ht
Basically:
AI-generated critiques are a hard No. That's an obvious policy. That goes against what Critters is all about.
Full or partially AI-generated content and getting it critiqued... It's clearly a complex issue. I'm trying to balance the various aspects, and start with clear notification of AI generated content, before outright banning it.
I'm open to thoughts on the matter.
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Helping out the Critters Fund Drive this week are sales of...
WHISPER HER NAME by Kate Wilhelm - $7.99
ReAnimus Press Store: www.ReAnimus.com/1448
Amazon: www.amazon.com/dp//?tag=critters3a-20
In a quiet college town in New Jersey five million dollars in cashiers' checks were hidden in the dead man's house, and whoever finds the checks gets to keep it all. Two brothers of the deceased, his sister, and the son of another brother have four weeks before the house and its contents become the property of a small college. Two deaths by drowning in the past and another clear case of murder in the present tend to complicate matters. It takes the combined skills of a superbly-trained homicide detective, Charlie, and those of an equally well-trained psychologist, Constance, to unravel the mystery of the Bainbridge curse, and expose a killer.
[Disclaimer: Ye Olde Critter Captain also runs ReAnimus Press, sales from which help him keep Critters going as a free site.]
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Thanks for the donations, folks! We are 46.9% of the way to the fund drive goal with contributions from 113 donors, leaving about $3700 to go.
Thanks especially to
Michele Wilson
Sean Masters
Rachel Messinger
for their recent donations to help keep Critters going. Much appreciated!
Stats by month...
Jan: $564.88 received toward $583 monthly fund drive goal, short by $18.12 for the month
Feb: $206.50 received toward $583 monthly fund drive goal, short by $376.5 for the month
Mar: $320.92 received toward $583 monthly fund drive goal, short by $262.08 for the month
Apr: $142.18 received toward $583 monthly fund drive goal, short by $440.82 for the month
May: $839.87 received toward $583 monthly fund drive goal, exceeded by $256.87 for the month
Jun: $606.85 received toward $583 monthly fund drive goal, exceeded by $23.85 for the month
Jul: $181.72 received toward $583 monthly fund drive goal, short by $401.28 for the month
Aug: $162.91 received toward $583 monthly fund drive goal, short by $420.09 for the month
Sep: $254.26 received toward $583 monthly fund drive goal, short by $328.74 for the month
=> short by $1966.91 of annual fund drive goal to date
[See https://www.critters.org/donate.php for more information.]
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(No Woohoo!s this week, be sure to report your sales/publications/etc. via the www.critters.org/telldaworld.ht web page.)
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This week's Most Productive Critter award, for 4 critiques (at time of judging), averaging almost 800 words each, goes to...
Mae Walters
To redeem an MPC, visit: www.critters.org/usempc.ht
Helping the Fund Drive, as usual are sales of interesting books, such as this:
COUNTDOWN TO ARMAGEDDON / A STRANGER IN PARADISE by Edward M. Lerner - $5.99
ReAnimus Press Store: www.ReAnimus.com/1727
Amazon: www.amazon.com/dp/B0BRBW64K1/?tag=critters3a-20
(available in ebook + hardcover + paperback)
In this amazing double-sized volume are some of Edward M. Lerner's best works:
In Countdown to Armageddon, terrorists have obtained an atomic bomb and a would-be martyr eager to deliver it--and that's the good news. The bad news, unknown even to the terrorists, is that their physicist has also found a way to take his new bomb back in time to a turning point in European history.
Harry Bowen, an American physicist, and Terrence Ambling, a British agent turned historian, are determined to stop Abdul Faisel--but time is running out...
A Stranger in Paradise collects five of the bestselling author's science fiction stories, spanning microengineering to Big Brother to planetary ecologies in "The Night of the RFIDs," "Two Kinds of People," "Better the Devil You Know," "Small Business," and "A Stranger in Paradise."
[Disclaimer: Ye Olde Critter Captain also runs ReAnimus Press, sales from which help him keep Critters going as a free site.]
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Thanks for the donations, folks! We are 47.1% of the way to the fund drive goal with contributions from 115 donors, leaving about $3700 to go.
Thanks especially to
Mae Carmel Walters
Philip Lindeman
for their recent donations to help keep Critters going. Much appreciated!
Stats by month...
Jan: $564.88 received toward $583 monthly fund drive goal, short by $18.12 for the month
Feb: $206.50 received toward $583 monthly fund drive goal, short by $376.5 for the month
Mar: $320.92 received toward $583 monthly fund drive goal, short by $262.08 for the month
Apr: $142.18 received toward $583 monthly fund drive goal, short by $440.82 for the month
May: $839.87 received toward $583 monthly fund drive goal, exceeded by $256.87 for the month
Jun: $606.85 received toward $583 monthly fund drive goal, exceeded by $23.85 for the month
Jul: $181.72 received toward $583 monthly fund drive goal, short by $401.28 for the month
Aug: $162.91 received toward $583 monthly fund drive goal, short by $420.09 for the month
Sep: $268.33 received toward $583 monthly fund drive goal, short by $314.67 for the month
=> short by $1952.84 of annual fund drive goal to date
[See https://www.critters.org/donate.php for more information.]
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(No Woohoo!s this week, be sure to report your sales/publications/etc. via the www.critters.org/telldaworld.ht web page.)
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This week's Most Productive Critter award, for 4 critiques (at time of judging), averaging almost 800 words each, goes to...
Mae Walters
To redeem an MPC, visit: www.critters.org/usempc.ht
Congratulations! To everyone else -- Crit early and often!
(For an explanation of the MPC award, see the www.critters.org/award.ht page.)
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Recommended Reading...
One of the best writing books - Secrets from the 6-time Best Editor
Hugo Award Master, Ben Bova: THE CRAFT OF WRITING SCIENCE FICTION THAT SELLS
https://ReAnimus.com/store?item=1144
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Critters Workshop
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This week we have... [get from https://www.critters.org/private/mss.php ]...
Title Author
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Week of 24-Sep-2025 (Crits due 1-Oct-2025):
SF The Way History Remembers It Robert Harpold -#31957
SF The Path to Tomorrow, chapters 3 and 4 Brian Sellnow -#31958
F Feareater part 3 Erin Tunney -#31959
SF Science Unleashed Chapters 27-33 Dallas Nicholls -#31960
F The Duke of Tooth, Chapters 5-7 John Rhea -#31961
SF Heat of the Explosion Before Nathaniel Fisher -#31962
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Recommended books on writing:
THE CRAFT OF WRITING AND SELLING SCIENCE FICTION by Ben Bova
ReAnimus Press Store: https://ReAnimus.com/store?item=1144
Amazon: https://Amazon.com/dp/B006MAZPEI
HOW TO IMPROVE YOUR SPECULATIVE FICTION OPENINGS By (Critter member) Robert Qualkinbush
https://ReAnimus.com/store?item=1184 | https://Amazon.com/dp/B007O272ZI
STAYIN' ALIVE - A WRITER'S GUIDE by three-time SFWA President Norman Spinrad
How things really work in the art and commerce of publishing
https://ReAnimus.com/store?item=1179 | https://Amazon.com/dp/B007SIC4I8
EXPERIMENT PERILOUS: THE 'BUG JACK BARRON' PAPERS by Norman Spinrad
(A 99cent essay on SF and writing)
https://ReAnimus.com/store?item=1180 | https://Amazon.com/dp/B007MF3MS8
Because you might enjoy it... TWICE SEVEN by BEN BOVA
https://reanimus.com/store/?item=1329
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Pieces up for critique in other workshops...
In the lit workshop - https://critique.org/lit :
L The Schoolhouse Duaa -#31887
In the mystery workshop - https://critique.org/mystery :
M The Library Club chapters 1, 2 Don Oestreicher -#31726
In the script workshop - https://critique.org/script :
SC It Happened One Christmas Robert W. Ross -#31694
In the kids workshop - https://critique.org/kids :
YS The Adventures of Jack, The Rabbit Emmanuel Agyei-Boatey -#31578
In the western workshop - https://critique.org/western :
W Currently Untitled Aleksandr Vincente Hoang -#30472
In the romance workshop - https://critique.org/romance :
R Embermarked, Chapter 10-12 Natalie Kalinowski -#31927
In the apps workshop - https://critique.org/apps :
GM Uptown Valkyries Arthur Sankey -#31757
In the website workshop - https://critique.org/website :
WW Charles Gull creative projects blog and website Charles Gull -#31783
In the critters workshop - https://critique.org/critters :
SF The Way History Remembers It Robert Harpold -#31957
SF The Path to Tomorrow, chapters 3 and 4 Brian Sellnow -#31958
F Feareater part 3 Erin Tunney -#31959
SF Science Unleashed Chapters 27-33 Dallas Nicholls -#31960
F The Duke of Tooth, Chapters 5-7 John Rhea -#31961
SF Heat of the Explosion Before Nathaniel Fisher -#31962
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You might also like... TRANSCENDENTAL - THE TRILOGY by JAMES GUNN
Not all the pilgrims are what they seem on their quest for transcendence
https://reanimus.com/store/?item=1666
Standard notes:
HELP:
If you need help with anything, see https://www.critters.org/help -- there
are FAQs and a form to ask questions.
HELPING CRITTERS:
Critters is donation funded & volunteer run, so if you'd like to
help out with our current fund drive or otherwise, please visit
https://www.critters.org/donate.php -- Thanks!!
HOW TO SEND CRITIQUES:
Remember to send the critiques directly to me, critters@critique.org, so
I can forward them to the authors _and_ give you credit for your effort.
Please send only one critique per mail message (makes it easier to
archive). Please make sure the "#" symbol and manuscript number are in
the email Subject: line, like Subject: #1234. (Conversely, if you want
ol' Aburt to personally read the message, i.e., it's _not_ a critique,
don't put a "#" in the subject or I won't see it. Also -- put my current
anti-spam code word in there: see https://www.critters.org/antispam.ht .)
You may also send your critiques via https://www.critters.org/webcrit.ht .
Note that all critiques will be available to everyone to read the next Saturday.
DIPLOMACY:
Remember, authors and critiquers, we're all friends here. Be polite. Be
considerate. Be tactful. You can say you thought a story was drivel in a
courteous way. Try to point out the good and the bad; offer alternatives
if you can. Never, ever, attack the author -- only the story. Authors:
Remember that some reviewers may lack tact. Try to be understanding,
but if you get any that you feel are just plain mean-spirited, too short
to be of any use, or too "feel good," let me know and I'll withhold the
reviewer's "credit" for that story and/or cajole them into something
more insightful. See https://www.critters.org/diplomacy.ht for more...
CRITIQUE LENGTH:
If you want to send a short critique that you know is too short for
credit (200 words or less of your own meaningful content) please put
"NC#" in the Subject (NC=No Credit, like Subject: NC#1234) -and- say
something like "not for credit" inside your critique. (Remember also that
for MPC purposes, a critique must be 300 words or more.)
CHATTING:
Comments -other- than critiques (such as discussion of the critiques,
or Woohoo! announcements, or chit chat) should be posted to one of the
official Critters discussion forums (See the https://www.critters.org/newsgroups.ht
web page for full info, guidelines, etc.) Don't post stories or critiques
(mail those to critters@critique.org).
QUOTING:
Please pare the ms. down if critiquing in-line (don't quote the whole ms.!).
Other format rules are at https://www.critters.org/format.ht .
EVERYTHING'S ON THE WEB:
Past reviews are on the web page. The current week's manuscripts are
also there, as are prior mss. and even some rewrites. There's a Master
Page Index (site map) with tons of links to common items.
AUTHORS:
Authors for this week -- if you aren't getting email'd critiques from
me (as they come in) within a couple days -- ask me and we can verify
I'm sending them to the correct address. (Send me a phone# in case I
can't get email to you.) Check the format of your story ASAP to make sure
it's all there and readable.
EMAIL ISSUES:
If you want to change your email address or preferences (# mss. emailed,
SF/F/H type, or whether you get the huge critique batches at week's end),
point your browser to https://www.critters.org/admin.ht . Please don't
ask me to do this by hand, it's quite a chore! (E.g., if you're going
on vacation and want to suspend mail from me -- do this before/after
your trip.)
BACKUP SITE:
If you're unable to reach www.critters.org to get manuscripts, I've set up
an emergency backup site at https://backup.critters.org where you can get the
week's manuscripts (but not much of anything else :-). Speaking of backups --
don't forget to back up your own manuscripts so you don't lose them!
QUITTING:
If you want to quit or go inactive, drop by https://www.critters.org/admin.ht .
DONATIONS:
Critters is funded by donations, so visit https://www.critters.org/donate.php
if you'd like to help out.
Because you might enjoy it... TIMESHARE: A TIME FOR WAR by JOSHUA DANN
Timeshare series #3 - John Surrey ventures back to WWII...
https://reanimus.com/store/?item=1519
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https://www.critters.org/email.ht .