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    Apex Magazine: Issue 53
    Apex Magazine: Issue 53
    Apex Magazine: Issue 53
    Ebook131 pages1 hour

    Apex Magazine: Issue 53

    By Lynne M. Thomas

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    About this ebook

    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. This month we feature work by Shira Lipkin, Mari Ness, Damien Angelica Walters, Kelly McCullough, Douglas Hulick, and Gary A. Braunbeck.

    Table of Contents
    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

    "Editorial: Blood on Vellum" by Lynne M. Thomas
    "A Hammer with an Edge: Swords in Fantasy Literature" by Kelly McCullough
    "An Interview with Kelly McCullough" 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!' " by Gary A. Braunbeck

    Cover art by Bruce Holwerda

    Edited by Lynne M. Thomas

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherApex Book Company
    Release dateOct 4, 2013
    ISBN9781301835218
    Apex Magazine: Issue 53

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    • 4/5
      Another excellent issue. Standouts include the outstanding contributions from Greg Mellor and Nancy Kress.

    Book preview

    Apex Magazine - Lynne M. Thomas

    APEX MAGAZINE

    ISSUE 53, OCTOBER 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

    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

    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

    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

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