Apex Magazine: Issue 94

By Apex Book Company

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 on the first Tuesday of every month.

EDITORIAL
Words from the Editor-in-Chief—Jason Sizemore

FICTION
Luminaria—John Hornor Jacobs
Waste—Mary Elizabeth Burroughs
Jesus Christ, Reanimator—Ken MacLeod

NONFICTION
Interview with Author John Hornor Jacobs—Andrea Johnson
Books Worth Your Time—Apex Staff
Interview with Cover Artist Caroline Jamhour—Russell Dickerson

• Language: English
• Publisher: Apex Book Company
• Release date: Mar 4, 2017
• ISBN: 9781370228164

Apex Book Company

Apex Book Company is a small press dedicated to publishing quality dark SF, horror, and dark fantasy. Our authors include such esteemed wordsmiths as Gary Braunbeck, Nick Mamatas, Michael A. Burstein, Jennifer Pelland, Dru Pagliasotti, and more.

Book preview

APEX MAGAZINE

ISSUE 94, MARCH 2017

Jason Sizemore, Editor-in-Chief

Table of Contents

EDITORIAL

Words from the Editor-in-Chief—Jason Sizemore

FICTION

Luminaria—John Hornor Jacobs

Waste—Mary Elizabeth Burroughs

Jesus Christ, Reanimator—Ken MacLeod

NONFICTION

Interview with Author John Hornor Jacobs—Andrea Johnson

Books Worth Your Time—Apex Staff

Interview with Cover Artist Caroline Jamhour—Russell Dickerson

Words from the Editor-in-Chief

Jason Sizemore

Welcome to issue 94!

The largest part of our original fiction this month is the novelette (10,100 words) Luminaria by John Hornor Jacobs. We originally bought the story as a reward tier for supporting our Fall subscription drive. Unfortunately, it wasn’t unlocked for our double issue in January because we cut that drive short (otherwise I’m certain we would have hit all our goals and the story would have already been published). So what do we do with it? We couldn’t not publish Luminaria—it’s fantastic, we needed to share it with you! Eventually we decided to include it in this issue, a promised reward given a little late due to unmet goals. Later this month we’re also bringing back the drive, giving ourselves another shot to raise the money we need to expand and improve the zine for our fans and readers. Starting March 27th and running through April 17th, you’ll be able to buy discounted subscriptions, cheap (but great) coffee, and force Lesley Conner to watch It Follows. Make sure you stop by and take part in all the fun!

Speaking of John Hornor Jacobs, I wanted to share that John also has a story in this month’s Playboy. This is one of those situations where you’ll buy Playboy for the articles … though (not?) coincidentally they’re also bringing back nudity in the same issue. Publication in Playboy is one of those dream opportunities for writers. It is arguably the top of the mountain when it comes to genre short fiction—the land of Stephen King, Margaret Atwood, and Haruki Murikami.

I’ve known John since I got into the business of editing, publishing, and writing. He’s one of the good guys, and I’m glad to see his hard work and persistence pay off. Most people even spell his name correctly nowadays! So enjoy Luminaria here in Apex Magazine and then run out and pick up a copy of Playboy to read his story in there as well. Both stories are bound to be worth your time and attention.

Mary Elizabeth Burroughs has our other piece of original fiction in this issue. Mary’s no slouch herself, with work appearing in Black Static and the Aqueduct Press anthology Bloodchildren: Stories by the Octavia E. Butler Scholars. Waste is a one of my favorite brands of genre fiction: a harsh story told through the eyes of an innocent. It works hand-in-hand with ecological tales by Atwood and Bacigalupi.

Veteran scribe Ken MacLeod provides our reprint with his rather famous story Jesus Christ, Reanimator. The opening line should give you an idea of what you’re jumping into: The Second Coming was something of a washout, if you remember.

In nonfiction, Andrea Johnson interviews John Hornor Jacobs about Luminaria, new writing projects, and more. Russell Dickerson interviews artist Caroline Jamhour, discussing mythology, influences, and the reaction some people have to nudity in artwork. Caroline provides the beautiful artwork adorning our cover.

Finally, we unveil a new quarterly featured called Books Worth Your Time. The Apex editing team shares some of their favorite recent reads, possibly helping you select your next read.

Enjoy!

Luminaria

John Hornor Jacobs

10,100 words

Each invitation, written on thick paper, hand-sweet, heavy stock. Deckled edges.

Shadows grow long. The cicadas whir in the heat. She descends the great stairs to the foyer, taking small steps, white hand on the balustrade, pale as the travertine brought from Italian shores. The descent a diminution. Sleep was larger than this, these walls. In dreams, there are sun dappled glades and lemons and motes hanging in shafts of light. Waking, there is only dusk and the house stands still, tall ceilings full of silence. Past the banquet hall, past the sitting parlor, she enters the library and takes her place at the mahogany desk. An inclination of her white head. Dark ink strokes on paper.

Why don’t you just call them, ma’am? asks Renie. She brings a shawl to the older woman who allows her to drape it across shoulders. Blue veins make fine intaglios in Victoria’s skin. It would take a lot less time, and you could be done with it.

Art by Jeffrey Alan Love

Victoria raises her white head. The scratching of her pen ceases. She blinks like an owl, the movement deliberate. Why does she stop me in this? It is such a small task, and a personal one, and I only have such a short time, every pause is unwelcome.

But she speaks: And have to listen to the excuses? Or the laughter? I’d hate to hear Andrei’s remarks. No. My age makes me peculiar to them, a novelty. Those that want to come will come, and those that don’t can go hang.

Renie listens and counts crystal, how many wine, how many water. Decanters and plate. The scratching begins again. She watches Victoria, bowed head, white and framed in lamplight. Renie sits nearby and prepares the ledger of the day’s expenses. Her food, household bills. The food, she feels guilt over—would that she didn’t eat. Victoria cares little for the maintenance of Renie’s flesh, just her own desperate integument.

Victoria writes:

Dearest Andrei,

I hope this letter finds you well in Arezzo. The Tuscan light at this time of year is reputedly beautiful but I would not know. It’s been years since I walked those hills with you and now, I am beginning to doubt I will ever see them again.

My hundredth birthday is fast approaching, you might remember. On the fifth of January, I will have seen a century pass and I feel it is an occasion worthy of some celebration. Please join me and the rest of our family for dinner that night. A little reunion. We will toast the century and look forward to the next. I do hope you will attend.

Sincerely,

Victoria

§

The cicadas fall silent. The air cools and fills with mosquitos, whining like far-off strains of violin, pitchy, frantic. Victoria and Renie sit on the wrap-around porch. With all of the lights extinguished behind them, they watch as fireflies burn themselves out mating, yellow streamers in the dark.

Short lives. But the light is beautiful, says Renie, the knitting needles in her hands moving and weaving, making small clicking sounds. She slaps her forearm, leaving a red-black smear, faint and forgotten until the bite’s welt appears.

Victoria sniffs. Maybe in response, or maybe the woman scents something upon the air. Renie cannot tell. All lives are short. And all life is beautiful. No one wants to die.

I’m sorry ma’am, I didn’t mean—

No. It’s all right. A hand reaches out, falls on Renie’s arm, where the mosquito bit her. It is cool, cooler than the humid air. I know you don’t judge. But I won’t forget you, and do my best to protect you from my family. You will be taken care of.

Thank you, ma’am. I’m in your debt.

Now, I think I would like my dinner. Victoria’s