Salon has an interesting essay [link] about H.P. Lovecraft and the NY Times has one [link] about romance vs literary fiction.

Heavens. We haven't been very literary lately, have we?

I just finished A Scholar of Magics by Caroline Stevermer and it was charming. I wanted to thank people who originally recommended A College of Magics.

That's the Magic Chocolate Pot universe, right? First book was an epistolary novel?

I went to a bookish conference this weekend and am all inspired-like. Now I am in search of venues for short fiction (not the New Yorker*). Where do you all find short fiction? What would/do you pay for it? To what do you subscribe (i.e., magazines), and what do you wait for in collections?

Mostly I am thinking about oddball stuff, SF, fantasy, and the literary end of things. But, I am curious to hear what other people read and how.

* a) I already get the New Yorker and b) don't always read its fiction and c) would like to find people who aren't already famous enough to get into the New Yorker.

It took me forever to get through Mairelon the Magician, which is I believe the precursor to Chocolate Pot. The author's prose style kept me from committing to the story. And when one of the maids gasped, "Cool!" she lost me completely.

Mostly I am thinking about oddball stuff, SF, fantasy, and the literary end of things.

For SF, there are the SF magazines, such as Analog and Asimov's, which are all about short fiction. There are similar mystery magazines. A quick browse through the literary section of the magazine stand at Borders or B&N (or similar), would turn up lots of options.

The Sun has some fiction, and is often generally lovely.

Mairelon the Magician

I read this. I didn't remember that it was the same author. It didn't impress me, but I don't remember much about it. I liked Cecilia and the Chocolate Pot and want to read more, so, thank you for the reminder, Ginger. I have put in a request to the library for the rest of them.

A Scholar of Magics and Mairelon the Magician are not related to Sorcery and Cecelia (The Enchanted Chocolate Pot) in any way other than by being written by the same people.

A Scholar of Magics is the sequel to A College of Magics, both by Caroline Stevermer. Mairelon the Magician is by Patricia C. Wrede. They co-wrote Sorcery and Cecelia and have a sequel out, called The Grand Tour. (I've forgotten the sub-title.)

Nutty, Knut had a story published here: [link] and here: [link]

He also recently started a quarterly mag. If you need his e-mail address, I should be able to find it.

I'll be starting a subscription to Ellery Queen soon. For SF/Fantasy, I've liked Analog and Marion Zimmer Bradley's mag (can't remember the name) in the past.