Jupiter 38: Pasithee

The latest issue of Jupiter magazine is out, issue 38 with my illustration on the cover.

The issue features fiction by Alex Weinle, Lou van Zyl, Jon Wallace, Colum Paget, Rosie Oliver and Allen Ashley, and a poen by Ian Sales.

Available for your Kindle direct from Amazon. Also available from Jupiter in pdf mobi, epub format and print format.

Two Illustrations - Jupiter and The Eye of Infinity

The latest issue of Jupiter, 36 Sponde is out with my cyborg illustration on the cover. This was a character in a space opera novel I wrote a draft for some 20 years ago, which I plan to get back to one day in a completely new structure. Issue 36 is edited by Ian Redman and features new stories from Michael Sutherland, Greg McColm, Alexander Hay, Neal Clift and Dean Giles.
 

The other illustration is by the talented Nick Gucker, of a shoggoth infected human adapted from my novella The Eye of Infinity. Nick's illustration has been immortalised on a t-shirt produced by Scurvy Ink, entitled "Shoggoth Evolution", and is very cool indeed.

On related news, rumours have hit the Internet that The Eye of Infinity could soon be available in e-pubishing formats.

"Expectant Green" reviewed on SF Crowsnest

Rod MacDonald over at SF Crowsnest gave my latest short story publication, "Expectant Green", a rather cool review:

The opening piece, ‘Expectant Green’ by David Conyers and John Kenny, was very well written. The attention of the reader was hooked by the first couple of paragraphs and from then on it was compelling stuff right through to the end of this adventure story. Francesca's youthful spirit had been deflated because her mother's death had forced her to leave home on Mars to join her father on the planet Morrocoy. Not only was this a rather steamy hot world, uncomfortable even on a mild day, the religiously imposed restrictions on technology meant that there wasn't much in the way of entertainment.

Her father was absent-minded but focused on alien anthropology. Convinced that there was a form of insect life on the planet, his efforts to find it had been squashed over the years by all manner of setbacks. With his goal in sight, Francesca was being dragged into the jungle. Unfortunately, there seemed to be plenty of shady characters on Morrocoy and, as luck would have it, they became involved in the search. Atmospheric and engaging, this well told story is a delight to read.

Edited and published by Ian Redman, issue 35 of Jupiter can be purchased here and here on Kindle, or here in print format.

"Expectant Green" with John Kenny in Jupiter 35

"Expectant Green", my first collaboration with Irish speculative fiction author and editor, John Kenny, is now available in Jupiter 35, edited by Ian Redman with a terrific cover from Sam Mardon. My first publication for 2012 and its my favorite genre, space opera, and out in print and epub formats. An extract follows:

EXPECTANT GREEN

David Conyers and John Kenny

One hundred days disappeared in a single second while I was dead, or as near dead as you could get without crossing over to that unknown country.

I was in cryosuspension along with twelve-hundred other passengers, encased in the hull of a wormhole transgressor bound for Morrocoy in the Sagan-89 System. Morrocoy was the last place in the galaxy I wanted to be, but I didn’t have a choice in the matter.
  

With that curious sense of dislocation engendered by cryosleep, I opened my eyes and felt, despite an unchanged view of diamond glass and life support readouts, that I was somewhere else.

A familiar face approached; all smiles and warmth.  “Mum!” I cried before I crawled into her arms, held her tight and sobbed.

  

Another woman spoke to me. Her tone sounded cautious. “I’m sorry Ms. Leyton, but I think you’ve mistaken me for someone else.” When I didn’t move, afraid to, the stranger said:  “I’m Nereda Courtemanche, your CS recovery nurse.”

  

I looked up, saw that the woman who held me was no more than a few years my senior. She had a pretty face like my mother, but with freckles and red instead of dark hair worn in a ponytail.

  

“Oh, I am so sorry.”

  

I quickly clambered from of her arms. I couldn’t look at her. I felt like I was about to die.

  

“This is so embarrassing. I’m so sorry.”

  

I tried to run, but tripped on wobbly legs.

  

The nurse caught me. “That’s okay, Francesca.” She supported me gently, sat me down. “Just give yourself a minute. Waking from CS is disorientating for anyone. I felt the same three days ago when I woke.”

   

I glimpsed at Nereda through the corner of my eye. At least I had not imagined her smile, which still beamed for me.

   

“Let me find where your mother is, and I’ll reunite you.”

  

“She’s not here,” I blurted.

  

“Oh. Sorry to hear that.” Nereda clasped her hands together tightly. “You must really miss her?”

I didn’t respond. I should have said something to make her feel better, even if I couldn’t feel that way myself.

  

She scratched the back of her head, her eyes wandered, searched for something other than me to focus on. “Well, you’ve arrived Francesca Leyton. Morrocoy is where you leave us, right?”

  
I nodded.

  

“Is someone waiting to meet you?”

   

“I hope...yes, someone will...meet me.”

   

“Well that’s good. Good luck down there.”

   

Nereda gave me three cups of water, helped me to dress, then left me with one of the ship AI’s extensor bots which made me perform a regime of stretching exercises. By the time I was done I no longer felt disorientated and was ready to tell Nereda the real reason why my mother wasn’t with me, but she was long gone.

  

With remarkable swiftness, given that the transgressor had travelled so many light years across the galaxy for so long, I was processed through customs and security where, despite my protests all my tech items where confiscated from my luggage, and shuttled to the planet’s only spaceport. No one else smiled at me, and all I could feel as the blue-green planet grew large through the view portals was empty and cold.

  

An hour later I was blinking in the bright sunlight, standing in the hot, dusty street watching a motley crew of locals shamble along, dragging pack animals behind them.

   

I thought about what I had wanted to say to the Nereda, but I couldn’t quiet believe what had happened myself. Only three weeks ago subjective time I had been standing over the destroyed body of my mother. The distance I had travelled and the stark contrasts between Mars and this alien planet conspired to place the death of my mother at a remove that seemed almost a lifetime ago. And yet the loss of her was so recent that the reality of her absence had not sunk in; I felt nothing, couldn’t feel anything. Being thrust into this new and foreign environment promised only to extend the duration of my numbness.

   

Sweeping my shoulder length hair back and into a scrunchy, I fished a beaked cap from my travel bag to shade my eyes. Now I could better see the dilapidated sun-scorched wooden buildings that lined the unpaved street that stretched east and west for a couple of hundred metres before meeting walls of dense jungle foliage. Along this stretch a number of streets branched off to the north towards the main part of the town.

   

No sign of my father. Wearily, I unfolded the piece of paper handed to me by the porter as I had exited the building behind me. Oh, great. It gave the name of the hotel where I could find my one surviving parent and directions on how to get there. Heaving a sigh of tiredness and frustration, I hitched my travel bag on my shoulder and marched towards the first turnoff heading north.

   

If I’d told Nereda what had really happened to my mother I would have cried for a very long time. I couldn’t help wondering if I would have felt better now if I had.

Interviewed by SF Crowsnest plus two Reviews

Rod MacDonald of SF Crowsnest recently interviewed me on my science fiction writing. Topics covered include two of my most successful stories "Black Water" and "Emergency Rebuild", my latest Harrison Peel book The Eye of Infinity, my involvement with Albedo One, and the upcoming issue of Midnight Echo 6: The Science Fiction Horror Special. You can read the interview here.

Rod also reviewed The Eye of Infinity:

David Conyers, who comes from Australia, is very good with his plot, characterisation and dialogue, three aspects which if properly combined make a worthwhile story. He has certainly achieved that here! ‘The Eye Of Infinity’ can be read in one sitting, not bad because it's a page-turner you won't want to put down.

I also had my cover illustration for Jupiter 33 also reviewed:

Very striking in appearance, stark in its monochrome simplicity, on a tropical paradise beach an alien being menacingly approaches. Completely reflective, on the alien we see a mirror image of a startled figure perhaps living his last moments, hopelessly trying to avoid death. Enhanced by the anonymity of the alien, this is a powerful illustration which is completely different from the cover of the last issue, so displaying Conyers' skill in producing artwork. It will be interesting to see more of his art as well as fiction in the future.

Thanks Rod!

Back to Back Covers for Jupiter

Another of my illustrations will appeared on the cover of the next issue of Jupiter 33: Euanthe.

This illustration I did many years ago, early 2000s from memory. It is a scene from a space opera novel that I've tackled a few times, but never finished. I did that a lot back then, draw scenes from my fiction to get a visual scene of the worlds (or galaxy in this case) that I was creating. I'm excited that the image has made the cover of Jupiter magazine.

The issue features stories by Alexander Hawes, V. K. Valev, Jon Wallace, Shane Ward and Ian Sales, with poetry by Allen Ashley. Out this month I suspect, and probably also available from kindle. Check out Jupiter Magazine for more information.

Alien Encounter Cover for Jupiter 32

I think I'm going through the longest "being published" drought I've had since I've started writing seriously, with no stories being published since October last year. That's not to say I haven't got a lot of stories in the wings, or that I've not made sales, or that I'm not working on new material, it's just that nothing has been released. 2011, so far, has been very quiet for me.

However, I have had my artwork published recently, on the cover of Jupiter 32, Eurydome. The picture is one of my better illustrations from the mid to late 1990s early 2000s when I still had time to write and draw. This illustration, 'Alien Encounter', is one of my favorites and (even though I'm no Paul Drummond), I was lucky enough for Ian Redman, editor of Jupiter Magazine, to reproduce it. He seems to very much like it too.



I even got a very nice review from Rod MacDonald at SF Crowsnest regarding the piece:

The cover reminded me of a Robert Burns poem about a mouse. This time we are on an alien planet and a woman has picked up a small creature in danger of being mashed up by the machinery behind her. The artwork is by David Conyers. We are more familiar with his fiction but he is obviously an artist as well. Possessing qualities associated with a woodcut, the cover has a quaint and earthly atmosphere despite being from a distant time on another world.

The issue is also Ian's first move into publishing Kindle editions, both on Amazon.com and Amazon.co.uk, where they both seem to be doing well.

Back in Adelaide and New Books on Amazon.com

I've moved back to Adelaide, got a good job here and well, Adelaide is much cheaper to live in than Sydney and me and my family are back around family and friends again, just in case anyone was wondering why my profile has changed again.

Also, I've got some new books up on Amazon.com. On is the Kindle edition of the latest issue of Jupiter Magazine #32, which features my cover artwork. Also, some editions of Book of Dark Wisdom where I had my first semi-professional sales. Scenes from the Second Storey is also up there now too.

Jupiter 32 and Scenes from the Second Storey

Two brief news items, the first being that one of my better sci fi illustrations dating back 15 years now is to appear on the cover of Jupiter 32: Eurydome. I did a lot of black and white ink illustrations through the 1990s and into the 2000s, but not so much these days when my focus is on writing. That said, my art did appear in Secrets of Kenya in 2007 and will now appear in Cthulhu Unbound 3 hopefully released soon. This illustration is amongst my favorites, of a scientist in a cybernatically enhanced all environmental suit (sans helmet) studying a herd of alien creatures. Her all terrain vehicle is parked behind her.

The other news is that Scenes from the Second Storey, which features my Australian Shadow's nominated short story, "Dream Machine", is now available as an ebook from Smashswords.

Two Reviews of "The Uncertainty Bridge"

Two reviews of "The Uncertainty Bridge", which appeared in Jupiter #30, have just appeared on the Intranet. The first by Sam Tomaino appeared in SFRevu:

The fiction concludes with "The Uncertainty Bridge" by David Conyers. Humanity has almost entirely wiped it self out with plagues and environmental disaster. Geoff lives on a farm with his parents and sister, Jo. His parents have fallen asleep and cannot be wakened. His sister is exhibiting the same symptoms but before sleeping babbles odd bits of information. He rides into town and finds everyone there dead. When he encounters soldiers, he finds out the true horror of his situation. This one left a real chill.

The second appeared on SFCrowsnest, by Rod MacDonald:

The final story and the longest of the quartet was ‘The Uncertainty Bridge’ by David Conyers. This well-known author from Sydney, Australia, is no stranger to the pages of ‘Jupiter’ and many other magazines out there. I've always been impressed by the readability and delivery of his fiction and, with this story, he maintains his standards impeccably...

A really great story and one you should definitely read. The other stories were very good but I've got to say that this one was the best. While I should not get into the habit of selecting the best, agreeing that all fiction has its merits in different areas, I think this story by David Conyers would be the best in any magazine at the moment.

I like the bit about 'readability, I've always strived to do that with my fiction, so it's nice to see that I'm succeeding. The last line is very nice too!

Jupiter 30 featuring "The Uncertainty Bridge"

Jupiter Magazine 30: Hermippe edited by Ian Redman is out now, and features my science fiction novella "The Uncertainty Bridge". The issue also features fiction from Jude Coulter-Pultz, Colin P. Davies and Louis Shalako, and poetry by Ian Sales. Cover art is by Paul Drummond. An extract of my story follows:

THE UNCERTAINTY BRIDGE

Geoff’s parents wouldn’t wake, even when he shook them. His sister, Jo, stood behind him clutching her hands to her chest. She was holding back her tears. They both wanted their parents to wake so they could laugh about it, and later say that nothing had ever been wrong today.

“Mum,” Geoff shook the frail, limp body of his parent. There was no response.

Sickness was no stranger to Harwood. Colds, flus and the occasional bout of pneumonia or glandular fever afflicted several villagers each winter, but what their parents’ illness might be was a mystery. They had slept through the all of yesterday and the next morning without stirring once.

Geoff carefully peeled his mother’s eyelid open revealing a dilated pupil ringed by aggravated blood vessels. He waved his hand past her face and she made no attempt to follow it. Blood trickled from her nose and ears. He looked on their father and he too was bleeding. Slow trickles from both.

Jo inhaled. “What’s wrong with them?”

“I don’t know.” Geoff felt for pulses. They raced as if their parents were running a marathon.

Jo took a step backwards, covered herself in the shadow of the hallway. “It looks serious, whatever they’ve got.”

“It is serious, okay!” Geoff snapped, more unkindly than he intended. “Look, I’m sorry Sis,” he said in a softer tone, “it’s just that I’ve got a shocking headache.”

“Worried about yourself? Aren’t you worried about them?”

“I’m course I am. It’s just... It’s just that I’m finding it hard to think straight.” He scratched the stubble on his chin. His sister and he sounded like bickering teenagers rather than the adults in their early twenties they were supposed to be.

Jo shrugged, bit a fingernail. “I can’t think straight either, but do you see me complaining?”
Frustrated Geoff sighed. He was trying to help by understanding the situation, but he had nothing.

“Geoff, we really need to do something.”

"The Uncertainty Bridge" released and "Dream Machine" Reviewed

Two exciting pieces of news for me, my post-apocalyptic science fiction novella "The Entropy Collapse" comes out soon in Jupiter 30 : Hermippe, which becomes my fourth consecutive sale for the magazine edited by Ian Redman.

Second piece of news, "Dream Machine" in Scenes from the Second Storey has just been positively reviewed at The Specusphere. Here is what Katherine Petersen and Damien Smith, the reviewers said about my story:

“Dream Machine” by David Conyers opens the literary concert and sets the mood wonderfully with a tale of the creation of Hell’s Assassin. Being the opening story of a compilation such as this was a hefty ask, but Conyers succeeds in not only conjuring up a dark and sinister atmosphere for the next stories to follow, but also gives a nod to several other stories through his hall of painting stalked by the assassin himself.

Paul Drummond Sci Fi Artwork

I just noticed the new cover art for Jupiter Magazine 30, which wil feature my novella "The Uncertainty Bridge". The cover illustraiton is impressive, by Paul Drummond, a thumbnail of which I've reproduced here. However you can see a much better reproduction on Paul's website here.
Deciding to check out more of Paul's work I went to his online galleries and discovered some very cool pictures, and realised I'd seen his work before, in Interzone.

When looking at science fiction artist's work, I sometimes find myself coming up with ideas for stories behind the illustrations, even though many of those illustrations are the result of someone's literatary imagination. Jim Burns, Tim White and Chris Moore have all drawn more than one sci fi scene that has sent my mind racing. I found myself doing the same examining Paul's work.

If you like science fiction art, Paul's site is well worth checking out. I particularly liked this one.

The Ditmar Awards 2010

Congratulations to everyone who won a Ditmar this year. My novella "Black Water" was up for a nomination which was very nice. It didn't win but it is now a story that has two award nominations behind it, so I'm happy with that.

I'd like to thank everyone who voted for me this year. I'd especially like to thank Ian Redman at Jupiter Magazine for publishing the story and the team at Albedo One for their support, and for voting for me too.

“The Uncertainty Bridge” to appear in Jupiter 30

I just learnt that Ian Redman, editor of Jupiter Magazine has accepted my science fiction novella “The Uncertainty Bridge” for Issue 30, out later in the year. That’s three publications in this magazine now, my first short story sale for 2010, and it puts me on six new short stories out for this year.

“The Uncertainty Bridge” is set several hundred years from now, set in an isolated community suffering a severe winter in the aftermath of a distant apocalyptic catastrophe. A pandemic sends almost all the citizens into comas, but not before they start remembering technical details about Earth’s previous accomplishments.

Ian Redman, Editor of Jupiter, Interviewed on SF Crowsnest.com

For anyone who reads Jupiter Magazine, there is an interesting interview with the editor, Ian Redman, on SF Crowsnest.com by Rod MacDonald. It struck me reading the interview that Interzone started out much the same way, so I wonder where Jupiter could be in years from now?

A review of Jupiter 28 can also be found here, which I unfortunately didn't appear in.

Cosmos Magazine 32 and Alien Life

Often I get my inspiration to write science fiction stories from articles I read in popular science publications. Last week I devoured the latest issue of Cosmos Magazine, Issue 32, which is a SETI special with all kinds of cool articles on alien life. Now my head is full of ideas on what to write next.

One article in particular, "Alien Safari" by Lewis Dartnell discussees what extra-terrestial life could be like on other planets. Two examples that he comes up with inspire the imagination: (1) plants that produce hydrogen filled bladders so they can float in the atmosphere to capture sunlight while vines tether them to their roots, and (2) worlds with really heavy gravity, the atmosphere becomes dense enough so that aliens the size of elephants could actually fly. Then Dartnell goes on to suggest that if they have six limbs, they might adopt biplane configured wings.

Of course reading all this, and what I'm learning about extrasolar planets astronomers are finding every day, I'm becoming more and more convinced that Earth-like worlds are pretty rare, especially Earth-like worlds that can remain stable enough for complex life to evolve. Did you know that if Jupiter and Saturn were just a little bit bigger, their gravity would have consumed all the other planets in the solar system by now. But if Jupiter wasn't as big as it is to suck in passing space rocks, Earth would be bombarded by comets and meteorites at such a rate no life could evolve much past the primordial soup phase. Jupiter is just right. Still, I'm thinking life is everywhere in the universe, and probably not to dissimilar to what we have on Earth. On our world it seems to survive everywhere there is liquid water.

As for intelligent life I'm convinced it's out there, but it's likely to be such a rare event that any intelligence life is too far away to contact, in both space and time. I'm suggesting other galaxies, which are millions of light-years away.

Getting back to what I started discussing, Cosmos Magazine, it is also great for its fiction. I can't say I've read all the stories they've published in the magazine or online, but generally I like most that I do read.

Second Review for "The Octagon"

I have to be happy about this review, from Rod MacDonald at SFCrowsnest:

David Conyers is a rising star and I'm sure we will be hearing a lot more about him in the future. He certainly hasn't let us down with this offering entitled 'The Octagon'. So good are the scenarios he dreams up that I'm beginning to wonder if he is really a time traveller from the future.

I've said it before, Jupiter Magazine is going from strength to strength and I'm glad to be a part of it, especially when the review says this about the magazine:

'Jupiter' has now reached its 26th edition! This magazine continues its high standard of Science Fiction literature with four readable short stories which will undoubtedly entertain you. ... All in all, a very rewarding edition of 'Jupiter'. When you've read a copy of this magazine, you are always looking forward to the next.

First Review of "The Octagon"

Jupiter magazine keeps doing well with positive reviews and so I'm always honoured to be a part of any issue that comes out. The latest release, 26, featured my novella "The Octagon" which received a postive review on SFRevu by Sam Tomaino, along with the rest of the magazine. This is what Sam said about my story:

The Octagon in the story of the same name by David Conyers is an alien artifact on which the ultimate reality show is filmed. Two colonies on this artifact have disappeared. Now, in 2280, it's the location of a Survivor-type show in which the contestants aren't voted off, they die, taken away by some native things called geotherms. We are introduced to the last contestants and the producer of the show in this grim, but effective, tale of a nasty future.

"The Octagon" in Jupiter 26

Jupiter magazine's Issue 26 (Isonoe) is nearly here, and features my science fiction tale "The Octagon" which takes a look at the future of reality gameshows. This is my second sale to this magazine and my fifth original short story publication for 2009. Edited by Ian Redman, the other stories in the issue include:

• "The Space Sphinx" by Edward Rodosek follows a reporter seeking to uncover the mystery of the 'Sphinx' on a colony world.
• "Cold Pressure" by Rosie Oliver takes us on ocean voyage over a future Earth.
• "In the Shadows of Hemera" by Will Styler looks at future space exploration.