The August 2008 issue of F&SF is out, featuring my latest Gorlen Vizenfirthe story, and the magazine is hosting online feedback in its forums. Instant reader response to magazine fiction is a new wrinkle. I’m used to stories appearing in magazines with nary the plop you’d hear from dropping a stone in a scum-coated puddle. Anyway, “Childrun” is taking a bit of a drubbing, but my hide is thicker for it. I must get better at playtesting these things! And I’m content knowing that the next two Gorlen stories, whenever they may appear, are much better. “Childrun” was a warm-up exercise, a way of reacquainting myself with a favorite old character, just to see what he’s been up to. It doesn’t advance his life story much. The next one, “Quickstone,” will.
I enjoyed it. I’m not familiar with your earlier Gorlen stories so I enjoyed the light touch with this one. I’m looking forward to reading the next two where I’ll get to learn a bit more about him.
Glad you liked it, Sarah. I’ve had a friend (the extremely keen-eyed Steve Meretzky) reading the old ones and pointing out discrepancies, so I’ve got to patch some holes before the next one goes to press. Game designers are good at finding bugs, I’ve found. And always happy to point them out.