Happy International Pixel-Stained Technopeasant Day!

[swan_tower]

Once again, I celebrate the holiday founded by papersky, International Pixel-Stained Technopeasant Day, wherein writers are invited to share bits of fiction for free online, and thereby prove that this does not cause the sky to fall.

This year I've decided to post one of my favorite stories: "Nine Sketches, in Charcoal and Blood." It's a favorite because as I was on my way to VeriCon one year these characters wandered into my head and immediately struck up a conversation that hinted at but never said outright all kinds of fascinating things about who they were and how they knew each other and why they had come together again after a long absence. Never have I had such a strong feeling of uncovering a story that was already there, rather than making one up -- and hell, I still wonder what some of the things are that they never got around to telling me.

This year, I'd like to make it interactive, too. Leave a comment telling me about free, online fiction you've really enjoyed lately, whether a specific story or a particular market or whatever. I read Beneath Ceaseless Skies regularly, but I'd love to gather a bunch of other recommendations, and maybe find some new authors or markets to read. So share the love in the comments, and happy Sant Jodi/Shakespeare's birthday/Thumb Your Nose at Howard Hendrix Day.

Comments

[alessandriana.livejournal.com]

Oooh, looking forward to reading that! *bookmarks*

Recently I've really been enjoying Seanan McGuire's Veleveteen vs. (http://seanan-mcguire.livejournal.com/?tag=velveteen vs.) series (about a retired superhero just trying to get to Oregon), as well as her Sparrow Hill Road (http://www.edgeofpropinquity.net/library.asp?id=145) series (about a hitchhiking ghost and her travels through the midnight America).

The Edge of Propinquity, the semiprozine where the latter is hosted, has a number of series that I haven't had a chance to look at yet, but it's on my list...

[swan-tower.livejournal.com]

Ooh! Those are all new to me. Danke!

[alessandriana.livejournal.com]

Oh, and also-- imaginarybeasts is worth checking out; it's a webzine for one-shot original fiction. I think my favorite individual story is probably Alby and the Manticore (http://ib-archive.livejournal.com/61608.html).

Happy IPSTP day! :D

[mindstalk.livejournal.com]

All my free online fiction recently has been webcomics, or fanfic not by known pro writers. :\

[swan-tower.livejournal.com]

And this is a problem how? The point is to celebrate free online fiction. Link away!

[mindstalk.livejournal.com]

I thought maybe Technopeasant Day was about pro writers putting stuff up for free, and/or original stuff.

Okay, everything I found worth saving in 2011:

"Slouching toward Gondolin", Tolkien/Black Company crossover. The Company is working for Sauron, naturally.
http://m.fanfiction.net/s/6668903/1/
"History of the Watchers' Council", Buffy fanfic worldbuilding
http://stormwreath.livejournal.com/118135.html
"His Mother's Son", Bujold (Athos)
http://archiveofourown.org/works/140869
Princess Tutu, very short
http://canis-m.livejournal.com/368445.html
"The Definition of a Path", Sunshine fanfic. Partly dares to go where Robin didn't, and I don't mean sex.
http://archiveofourown.org/works/141433

"By foot it's a slow climb", Sora no Woto fanfic, light yuri, PTSD
http://yuri-challenge.dreamwidth.org/9025.html
"Ready, Sette, Go", comedic Nanoha fanfic, might set its premises enough to be appreciatable without canon knowledge
http://www.fanfiction.net/s/6255031/1/Ready_Sette_Go
"Land of Wizards", Kimo no Tabi fanfic
http://yuri-challenge.dreamwidth.org/4461.html
Twelve Kingdoms, filling a "happy asexuals holding hands" prompt
http://riboku.livejournal.com/38889.html?thread=682217#t682217

[strangerian.livejournal.com]

This post prompted me to go looking for more of your short stories, and thank you for mentioning them! An effective short story is harder to find, and (for me) to read, than a longer story, but a good one repays the effort more sharply than the novel. Looking forward to With Fate Conspire, too.

[swan-tower.livejournal.com]

You're welcome! If you haven't seen it already, this page (http://www.swantower.com/free.html) lists all of my fiction that's free to read online, at various magazines or on my site.

[starlady38.livejournal.com]

I think my other favorite market than BCS is Clarkesworld Magazine. Really good stuff.

[swan-tower.livejournal.com]

I've found that I like Clarkesworld's stuff best in podcast form; something about the type of stories they publish makes them register better on me if I hear them instead of reading them on the screen.