Apex Magazine: Issue 54

By Lynne M. Thomas

Apex Magazine is a monthly science fiction, fantasy, and horror magazine featuring original, mind-bending short fiction from many of the top pros of the field. New issues are released the first Tuesday of every month.

Table of Contents
Fiction

Recordings of a More Personal Nature by Bogi Takács
The Jackal's Wedding by Vajra Chandrasekera
This is a Ghost Story by Keffy R.M. Kehrli
The Creature in Your Neighborhood by Jim C. Hines

Poetry

Major Arcana I: The Mage by Alexandra Seidel
Where the Ocean Falls into Itself by Rose Lemberg

Nonfiction

The SF/F Community: An Essay of Thanksgiving by Michael Damian Thomas & Lynne M. Thomas
Interview with Jim C. Hines
Blood on Vellum: Notes from the Editor-in-Chief by Lynne M. Thomas

Cover art by Galen Dara

Edited by Lynne M. Thomas

• Language: English
• Publisher: Apex Book Company
• Release date: Dec 20, 2013
• ISBN: 9781310788994

Book preview

APEX MAGAZINE

ISSUE 54, NOVEMBER 2013

EDITED BY LYNNE M. THOMAS

Smashwords Edition

Copyrights and Acknowledgments

Blood on Vellum: Notes from the Editor–in–Chief Copyright © 2013 by Lynne M. Thomas

Recordings of a More Personal Nature Copyright © 2013 by Bogi Takács

The Jackal’s Wedding Copyright © 2013 by Vajra Chandrasekera

This is a Ghost Story Copyright © 2013 by Keffy R. M. Kehrli

Major Arcana I: The Mage Copyright © 2013 by Alexandra Seidel

Where the Ocean Falls into Itself Copyright © 2013 by Rose Lemberg

The Creature in Your Neighborhood Copyright © 2009 by Jim C. Hines (Originally published in Strip Mauled Ed.Esther Friesner 2009)

The SF/F Community: An Essay of Thanksgiving Copyright © 2013 by Michael Damian Thomas & Lynne M. Thomas

Apex Interview with Jim C. Hines Copyright © 2013 by Maggie Slater

Publisher/Editor — Jason Sizemore

Editor–in–Chief — Lynne M. Thomas

Senior Editor — Gill Ainsworth

Managing Editor — Michael Damian Thomas

Slush Editors — Sigrid Ellis, Deanna Knippling, Kelly Lagor, Eileen Maksym, Jei D. Marcade, Michael Matheson, Fran Wilde, Emily Wagner, Saira Ali

Graphic Designer — Justin Stewart

Digital Formatting — Stephanie Jacob

ISSN: 2157–1406

Apex Publications

PO Box 24323

Lexington, KY 40524

Please visit our website at 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 available for twelve months and cost $19.95.

About Our Cover Artist

Galen Dara has done illustrations for Fireside Magazine, Lightpseed Magazine, The Lovecraft eZine, Scapezine, Apex Magazine, Dagan Books, and Edge Publishing. Most recently she has illustrated the cover of Glitter & Mayhem, edited by John Klima, Lynne M. Thomas, and Michael Damian Thomas, and the cover of War Stories, edited by Jaym Gates and Andrew Liptak. When Galen is not working on a project you can find her on the edge of the Sonoran Desert, climbing mountains and hanging out with a loving assortment of human and animal companions. Her website is www.galendara.com and you can follow her on twitter @galendara.

Table of Contents

Editorial

Blood on Vellum: Notes from the Editor–in–Chief

Lynne M. Thomas

Fiction

Recordings of a More Personal Nature

Bogi Takács

The Jackal’s Wedding

Vajra Chandrasekera

This is a Ghost Story

Keffy R. M. Kehrli

The Creature in Your Neighborhood

Jim C. Hines

Nonfiction

The SF/F Community: An Essay of Thanksgiving

Michael Damian Thomas & Lynne M. Thomas

Apex Interview with Jim C. Hines

Maggie Slater

Poetry

Major Arcana I: The Mage

Alexandra Seidel

Where the Ocean Falls into Itself

Rose Lemberg

Blood on Vellum: Notes from the Editor–in–Chief

Welcome to Issue 54 of Apex Magazine.

In this issue, my penultimate as Editor–in–Chief, I’m sharing some bittersweet stories and poetry along with a good laugh.

Our new fiction includes The Jackal’s Wife by Vajra Chandrasekera, a story of transformation and betrayal. Recordings of a More Personal Nature by Bogi Takács, explores the value in the stories we carry with us, and This is a Ghost Story by Keffy R.M. Kehrli reimagines our notion of ghosts. Jim C. Hines’s Creature in Your Neighborhood, our classic story this month, tweaks a familiar childhood program in a rather distinctive manner.

In nonfiction, Managing Editor Michael Damian Thomas and I give thanks for certain things in SF/F, and Maggie Slater interviews Jim C. Hines.

Our cover art is by the inimitable Galen Dara, who also created the distinctive look of Glitter & Mayhem.

I hope that you enjoy this issue of Apex Magazine.

Lynne M. Thomas

Editor–in–Chief

Recordings of a More Personal Nature

Bogi Takács

The air inside the small Temple chamber was cool despite the heat of summer, and the thin turquoise curtains kept out errant flies. Even the sacred symbols painted on the walls with bold blue and red strokes radiated tranquility.

"Sixscore eight sheaves to the house of Matlan Udruf,

three brand–new plowshares to the house of Matlan Udruf,

apologies to the house of Matlan Udruf for the damage caused."

The archivist chanted, the melody rising, lowering, rising, then descending again for the final tone signaling the end of the section. Her eyes were closed and her body relaxed as she lay on the comfortable recliner.

The judge leaned forward and licked her lips. Great, now we only need to look at the Doron case. What was the decision in that one?

Threescore five sheaves to the house of Edhlan Doron, one wholesome ox to the house of Edhlan Doron,

The archivist stopped without lowering the tone. The judge frowned. Yes, and?

one wholesome ox to the house of Edhlan Doron,

Yes, I’ve heard that. Next item?

"one wholesome ox to the house of Edhlan Doron,

one —"

The