Apex Magazine: Issue 33

By Lynne M. Thomas

This issue of Apex Magazine contains the following content:

"Blood on Vellum: Notes from the Apex Editor-in-Chief" by Lynne M. Thomas

Fiction:
"Bear in Contradicting Landscape" by David J. Schwartz
"My Body, Her Canvas" by A.C. Wise
"Useless Things" by Maureen McHugh

Poetry:
"Caverns of Science" by Carrie Vaughn

Nonfiction:
"No Mortals Allowed" by Alex Bledsoe
"Interview with Maureen McHugh" by Maggie Slater

Cover art by Donato Giancola
Apex Magazine is edited by Lynne M. Thomas

• Language: English
• Publisher: Apex Book Company
• Release date: Feb 4, 2012
• ISBN: 9781465714282

Book preview

Apex Magazine

February, 2012

Issue 33

Smashwords Edition

Copyrights & Acknowledgments

Blood on Vellum: Notes from the Apex Editor-in-Chief Copyright 2012 by Lynne M. Thomas

Caverns of Science Copyright 2012 by Carrie Vaughn, LLC

Bear in Contradicting Landscape Copyright 2012 by David J. Schwartz

My Body, Her Canvas Copyright 2012 by A.C. Wise

Useless Things Copyright 2009 by Maureen McHugh (originally appeared in Eclipse 3, edited by Jonathan Strahan, Night Shade Books)

No Mortals Allowed Copyright 2012 by Alex Bledsoe

Interview with Maureen McHugh Copyright 2012 by Maggie Slater

Publisher—Jason Sizemore

Editor-in-Chief—Lynne M. Thomas

Senior Editor—Gill Ainsworth

ISSN: 2157-1406

Apex Publications

PO Box 24323

Lexington, KY 40524

Please visit us at http://www.apex-magazine.com.

Each new issue of Apex Magazine is released the first Tuesday of the month. Single issues are available for $2.99. Subscriptions are for twelve months via direct order, Weightless Books, or through the Amazon Kindle store and are sold for $19.95.

Cover art Mother of Winter by Donato Giancola (Copyright 1996)

Artist Bio

From J.R.R. Tolkiens’ The Lord of the Rings to Botticellis’ La Primivera, Donato Giancola balances modern concepts with realism in his paintings to bridge the worlds of contemporary and historical figurative arts. Donato’s peer honors include three Hugo and nineteen Chesley Awards, Gold and Silver Medals from Spectrum: the Best in Contemporary Fantastic Art, and the prestigious Hamilton King Award from the Society of Illustrators. Since graduating summa cum laude with a BFA in Painting from Syracuse University in 1992, his oil paintings have graced the covers of over three hundred novels and scores of other projects. Clients range from major publishers in New York to concept design firms on the West Coast; notables include The United Nations, LucasFilm, National Geographic, CNN, DC Comics, DAW Books, Tor Books, the Scifi Channel, Random House, Milton-Bradley, and Hasbro. Donato recognizes the significant cultural role played by arts of the fantastic and makes personal efforts to contribute to the expansion and appreciation of the genre that extend beyond the commercial commissions of his clients; to that end he serves as an instructor at the School of Visual Arts and lectures extensively at conventions, tournaments and universities worldwide.

He lives with his wife and two daughters in Brooklyn, NY.

Apex encourages its readers to visit www.donatoart.com for more information. You’ll also get to see some seriously good artwork.

Table of Contents

Blood on Vellum: Notes from the Apex Editor-in-Chief

Lynne M. Thomas

Fiction

Bear in Contradicting Landscape

David J. Schwartz

My Body, Her Canvas

A.C. Wise

Useless Things

Maureen McHugh

Poetry

Caverns of Science

Carrie Vaughn

Nonfiction

No Mortals Allowed

Alex Bledsoe

Interview with Maureen McHugh

Maggie Slater

Blood on Vellum: Notes from the Apex Editor-in-Chief

This issue will get under your skin. I didn’t set out to produce a themed issue, but with two stories featuring tattoos as a central motif, the urge to pair them together was overwhelming, and I succumbed.

This month, David J. Schwartz’s Bear in Contradicting Landscape and A.C. Wise’s My Body, Her Canvas both use tattoos, but to completely different ends. Our reprint this month is from the inimitable Maureen McHugh. Useless Things meditates upon creation, humanity, and parenthood in a post-apocalyptic setting. Carrie Vaughn graces us with her lovely poem Caverns of Science.

This month’s nonfiction brings an interview with Maureen McHugh (After the Apocalypse), who discusses why names are hard, working on spec, and writing advice. Alex Bledsoe explains why all those secret societies of vampires and werewolves wouldn’t work very well, in his essay No Mortals Allowed.

Our gorgeous cover art this month is by Donato Giancola.

It’s also awards nomination season: nominations are now open for the Hugos, the Nebulas, and the Stokers. For your convenience, our website has a list of Hugo and Nebula eligible works (http://apex-magazine.com/2012/01/06/nebula-and-hugo-award-eligible-works-published-by-apex-magazine/) and Stoker Award eligible stories (http://apex-magazine.com/2012/01/16/stoker-award-eligible-stories/), including links to read them all free of charge.

I hope that you enjoy this issue of Apex.

Lynne M. Thomas

Editor-in-Chief, Apex Magazine

Bear in Contradicting Landscape

By David J. Schwartz

I didn’t recognize Eddie at first. He got on the train at Division, sat down opposite me, and every time I glanced up from my book he was staring at me. He wore a trench coat over a bluish gray polo shirt and khakis. Sweat stood out on his brow.

As creeped out as I was, there was something familiar about him. I shut the book and met his gaze. Do I know you?

I’m Eddie, he said, and then, when I didn’t react, "Eddie Olstrowski."

It took me a moment. Eddie from...? I couldn’t complete the thought.

Yes. He offered his hand, and we shook across the aisle of the train.

How was too big a question to start with, so I went smaller. Is Ann here?

He nodded. At the house. We have two kids.

The train was slowing down as it approached the Western stop. I have to get off here, I said. Can we have lunch? Something?

He dug out his wallet and extracted a business card. Call me at the office. He blushed as he said it; I wasn’t sure why. By that time I had to hurry off the train, and a moment later he was gone.

Outside the el station an old man asked me what day it was, and for a second I wasn’t sure. I walked to my apartment, counting the blocks. In an alley two blocks from home, a group of kids were tagging the side of a brick building in the twilight, spraying unrecognizable sigils around a massive portrait of a bipedal rabbit. They stared as I approached and laughed when I walked past.

L was on the couch with a book when I walked in. How was your day? she asked.

I met one of my characters. He gave me his card. I handed it to her.

Saint Stanislaus College, she read. So, what? You have a character named Eddie Olstrowski?

He’s the same guy. Eddie was the protagonist of Walk Out, a story I had written some years before. A story about environmental disaster that no one had ever read but me.

You’re losing it, L said, and handed the card back to me. Could you not lose it tonight? I’m not in the mood.

L’s full name, Logos Agape Varvara, was her father’s way of protesting Vatican II. It meant something like the wandering word of divine love. She’d put up with playground taunts until she was twelve, then started using her initials, LAV, as her name. It didn’t take long, however, for the boys to start calling her LAV-ia, so she’d given up