Congratulations to all of the Nebula Award Finalists, including one of my Clarion South tutors, Jeff VanderMeer.

http://www.sfwa.org/2010/02/2009-nebula-awards-final-ballot/

My story Reading By Numbers won third place in the Fantasy Magazine reader poll.

I really enjoyed the story that won first place – Jessica Lee’s Superhero Girl.  It’s her first published story.

The Winners of the Best Fantasy Story of 2009 Poll and Contest
http://www.fantasy-magazine.com/2010/02/the-winners-of-the-best-fantasy-story-of-2009-poll-and-contest/

Rachel Swirsky’s Short Story Nomination & Recommendation List for the 2009 Nebula Awards

http://www.jeffvandermeer.com/2010/01/27/rachel-swirskys-short-story-nomination-recommendation-list-for-the-2009-nebula-awards/

My Reading By Numbers gets a highly recommended.

My story Reading By Numbers is on the suggested reading list for the Nebula Awards.

It only takes one SFWA member to nominate a work to get it onto the list, but I still think it’s pretty cool to get on the list.

Nebula Award Suggested Reading: Short Stories

The Confessions of a Semi-successful Author
http://dir.salon.com/story/books/feature/2004/03/22/midlist/print.html#

George Orwell, “Politics and the English Language”
http://www.mtholyoke.edu/acad/intrel/orwell46.htm

A Good Author is Hard to Find
http://www.thestranger.com/seattle/a-good-author-is-hard-to-find/Content?oid=2820559

Why Science Fiction Is Dying & Fantasy Fiction Is The Future.
http://blog.markcnewton.com/2009/12/03/why-sf-is-dying-fantasy-fiction-is-the-future/

2009 Aurealis Award Shortlist
http://www.aurealisawards.com/finalists_winners.htm

Jumping Salarymen
http://www.japanprobe.com/2009/12/04/the-solaryman-project-jumping-salarymen

Japanese Flourescent Lamp Fighting (Warning: Bloody photos)
http://gizmodo.com/5416118/japanese-lamp-fighting/gallery/6

Strange Ways of Telling Your Fortune in Japan

A cat’s mental condition, its character, tendencies, and even its fate are written on the pads of its paws…
Hello Kitty Tarot Fortune Telling…
The first step is to find your protector cat (spirit guide). The cat will then teach you about how to meet your soulmate, find the hidden you, change jobs, and learn the best day for doing things…
Learn the ten types of penguin personalities based on fortune telling based on the pronunciation of people’s names and you’ll learn how you tend to act with people and tricks for getting along with them better…
Are you a person who could conquer a nation? Warring-States-Period-General Fortune Telling is a system based on analyzing your character and tendencies, created using statistical factors. Since the Earth orbits the sun in a 360-degree orbit, depending on the time period, various heavenly bodies will be visible…

Any my personal favorite:
Categorizes all personality types according to the 48 types of gundam suits. Also includes love-compatibility analysis.

http://qjphotos.wordpress.com/2009/12/01/japanese-fortune-telling-of-cats-paw-pads-penguins-monsters-and-gundams/

Origami Sumo Battle