Apex Magazine Issue 53: Apex Magazine, #53

By Jason Sizemore

Apex Magazine is an online digital zine of genre short fiction.

 

EDITORIAL
Blood on Vellum by Lynne M. Thomas

 

FICTION
Becca at the End of the World by Shira Lipkin
Grey in the Gauge of His Storm by Damien Angelica Walters
An Assault of Color by Mari Ness
Shatter by Kelly McCullough

 

NONFICTION
A Hammer with an Edge: Swords in Fantasy Literature by Douglas Hulick
First Intermission: The Day the Movies Came Knocking at My Door or 'I'm Ready for My Close-up, Mr. DeMille!' by Gary A. Braunbeck

 

INTERVIEW
Interview with Kelly McCullough by Lynne M. Thomas

• Language: English
• Publisher: Apex Publications
• Release date: Jun 9, 2022
• ISBN: 9798201013578

Jason Sizemore

Jason Sizemore is a writer and editor who lives in Lexington, KY. He owns Apex Publications, an SF, fantasy, and horror small press, and has twice been nominated for the Hugo Award for his editing work on Apex Magazine. Stay current with his latest news and ramblings via his Twitter feed handle @apexjason.

Book preview

Copyrights and Acknowledgments

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

Becca at the End of the World Copyright © 2013 by Shira Lipkin

Grey in the Gauge of His Storm Copyright © 2013 by Damien Angelica Walters

An Assault of Color Copyright © 2013 by Mari Ness

Shatter Copyright © 2003 by Kelly McCullough (Originally published in Weird Tales 2003, Issue 332)

A Hammer with an Edge: Swords in Fantasy Literature Copyright © 2013 by Douglas Hulick

An Interview with Kelly McCullough Copyright © 2013 by Lynne M. Thomas

First Intermission: The Day the Movies Came Knocking at My Door or ‘I’m Ready for My Close–up, Mr. DeMille!’ Copyright © 2010 by Gary A. Braunbeck (Originally published in To Each Their Darkness, 2010)

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.

About Our Cover Artist

I consider myself a painter first, although I think I’ve tried most of the traditional mediums throughout my art career. Somehow, I keep returning to paint. I grew up in a rural community in western Michigan where art wasn’t even on the radar. I was very fortunate to have a supportive art teacher in high school and with his encouragement I developed a fascination with drawing and creative projects. After high school, I went to Kendall School of Design in Grand Rapids, Michigan, where I got my diploma in Illustration. I continued on to Syracuse University to complete my Bachelor of Fine Arts degree. Finally out of school, I found work as an illustrator in Saginaw, Michigan and my fascination with new and exciting assignments grew. Eventually, that position was phased out and I started exhibiting work at local art festivals. Seventeen years later I am still traveling and exhibiting all over the country, while working from my home in central Alabama. I’m lucky that my working life allows me to realize the surreal fantasy subjects that I love to paint for an audience that seems to appreciate the effort.

You can see my paintings at http://www.bruceholwerda.com, in Spectrum 13, 16, and 18, also at artistaday.com, and the J2Gallery in Chicago, or you may catch me on the road in a show near you.

Wildfire

Table of Contents

Editorial

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

Lynne M. Thomas

Fiction

Becca at the End of the World

Shira Lipkin

Grey in the Gauge of His Storm

Damien Angelica Walters

An Assault of Color

Mari Ness

Shatter

Kelly McCullough

Nonfiction

A Hammer with an Edge: Swords in Fantasy Literature

Douglas Hulick

Interview with Kelly McCullough

Lynne M. Thomas

First Intermission: The Day the Movies Came Knocking at My Door or I’m Ready for My Close–up, Mr. DeMille

Gary A. Braunbeck

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

Welcome to Issue 53 of Apex Magazine.

This month, I’m pleased to bring you three new stories. Shira Lipkin’s Becca at the End of the World is a heartfelt tale of the zombie apocalypse. Mari Ness’s An Assault of Color explores painting as a medium for magic. Damien Angelica Walters’ Grey is the Gauge of His Storm stitches together a tale of a difficult domestic relationship [Trigger Warning: Some readers may find this story upsetting.] Our reprint this month comes from Kelly McCullough, who shares a challenging recollection of a car accident in Shatter.

This month’s nonfiction includes an essay about getting your swordplay right from novelist Douglas Hulick and an interview with Kelly McCullough by Lynne M. Thomas.

Our excellent cover art is by Bruce Holwerda.

This is a hard editorial to write. While the past two years of editing Apex Magazine have been deeply satisfying both personally and professionally, I will be stepping down as the Editor–in–Chief of Apex Magazine after the December 2013 issue. I’m in need of break, after which I’m looking forward to exploring new opportunities and projects. Managing Editor Michael Damian Thomas will be stepping down with me.

Publisher Jason Sizemore plans on continuing the magazine. Michael and I are working closely with Sigrid Ellis, the incoming Editor–in–Chief, to ensure a smooth transition. We appreciate your patience during this time.

I would like to personally thank everyone who contributed to the magazine during my tenure: our submissions editors, the folks who did our eBook conversions, our podcast producer, and everyone else who lent a hand to make us look great. This includes Gill Ainsworth, Janet Harriett, Maggie Slater, Justin Stewart, Sarah E. Olson, Erika Ensign, Olga Zelanova, Andy Arnold, Travis Knight, Zakaraya Anwar, George Galuschak, Sigrid Ellis, Deanna Knippling, Kelly Lagor, Eileen Maksym, Michael Matheson, Fran Wilde, Jei D. Marcade, Emily Wagner, Will Savage, and Saira Ali. We couldn’t have done this without you.

The biggest thank you’s are for Jason Sizemore and Catherynne M. Valente, who gave me this opportunity, and Michael Damian Thomas, my Managing Editor and partner. As many of you know, Michael and are a team. Nothing would have been possible without him.

I’d especially like to thank our contributors and readers. You’ve embraced us, and I just want to hug you all back. When we took over, we had no idea that the magazine would grow the way it did. We didn’t expect two Hugo Award nominations. I’m extremely proud of the work we’ve done and the excellent and diverse stories, essays, poems, and art we’ve put out into the world. We’re glad that the magazine mattered as much to you as it did to us.

We look forward to seeing all of you again when we return with our next project.

Warmly,

Lynne M. Thomas

Editor–in–Chief

lynne

Becca at the End of the World

Shira Lipkin

I nestle the video camera on its makeshift tripod, carefully centering my daughter’s image. She tucks her hair behind her ear and gives a strained smile. She is sixteen, and that hair is long and golden–kissed light brown and straight; she has the gangly grace only teenagers have, that sleek gazelle form. She is wearing khaki shorts and a striped tank top, and the bite mark on her arm is already putrefying.

She has about an hour, we think. And I have about an hour on this camera, an obsolete Flip mini. I guess all cameras are obsolete now. I don’t know if I’ll ever have a device on which to play this. But she wants to do it. And right now, Becca gets anything she wants. Ice cream or a visit to the zoo, a stolen car or a cliff dive; for the next hour, Becca gets anything and everything she wants.

She crosses her legs and leans forward. Her hair falls over the wound, and she winces. Does it hurt? I ask. I’m not in the frame. This video is only her.

A little. It’s not a sharp pain anymore. It’s a dull ache. Mom, when I’m ready, I’ll tell you, and you have to —

I know. I have the camera in one hand and the gun in the other, and when my daughter turns, I need to put a bullet in her brain.

We are in an abandoned preschool. It was closed when the dead rose, so there’s no gore here; it’s eerie in its silence. There should be children here. There should be cacophony. Becca smiles. Remember my old preschool?

I was just thinking about it. So much screaming all the time!

Well. So much screaming all the time everywhere now.