As with other posts, I have gotten quite a bit behind. So some things mentioned here are already (relatively) old news, but for the sake of clarity, here we go:

First of all, Solaris Books has been put up for sale. Mentioned — among many others — on Bookseller.com, SF Scope, A Dribble of Ink and Locus online (and thanks to David Anthony Durham for mental support).

Official press release via SF Scope (again) or via Jacques Barcia.

To the best of my knowledge, Mark Chadbourn mentioned it first on the internet. Christian Dunn (Solaris Books acquisition editor) told me that with regards to the Shine anthology, things are still ‘business as usual’. So I’m going ahead with it as planned.

I hope to see Christian (and George Mann and Mark Newton) at EasterCon, so more news if and when I get it.

Other talk on teh intarwebs:

• Geeks in Action mentions both Thaumatrope and Outshine;
• Jason Sanford mentions Outshine;
• Eric of Dash Punk recapitulates the optimistic SF debate (although he isn’t quite complete as he’s not mentioned the Shine anthology, or this website, at all);
• I am part of the synergy item on BookSpot Central;
• Variety SF is spreading the word on Shine. Nice.
• Gord Sellar reminds people that the open reading period of Shine is approaching;
• (UPDATE): Stephen Kotowych about ‘The Rise of the Twitterzines‘, reacting to an article in the Globe and Mail about ‘Seriously Short Stories‘ (where Ben Lavan mentions @thaumatrope, @outshine and @nanoism as Twitter publications as the last comment in the comment thread. World dominations will be ours…;-);

And more when I get it!

OK: a few — hopefully exciting — developments:

• As some of you already noted: I’ve started a Twitterzine called Outshine. Submissions are trickling in slowly, and I’m waiting for word-of-mouth (via Twitter & FaceBook) to do its work. Tentative launch of first prose poem: next week (January 14);
• Gord Sellar has noticed Outshine (and Thaumatrope, who were first, see also Nathan Lilly’s comment on the Outshine guidelines);
• Rajan Khanna mentions it at Tor.com (and sees through my ruse that it’s also a promotional tool for Shine…;-);
• (UPDATE 1): Script Diddy picks the Outshine news up via Tor.com;
• (UPDATE 2): Matthew Sanborn Smith mentions Outshine on his The One-Thousand blog (and the comment on the post had me laughing out loud: Maybe I should add a category of ‘optimistic flash’?…;-);
• (UPDATE 3): the ever-vigilant, and soon 100% freelance, Paul Raven picked it up — also via Tor.com — on Futurismic, although his remark that $5 per 140 characters is ‘bloody close’ to SFWA rates is wrong: it’s over SFWA rates, closer to 5 cents per letter. However, Outshine will never be an SFWA qualifying market, as they wisely put a minimum pay of $50 in their conditions (unless I become a millionaire overnight);
• (UPDATE 4): and 42 Blips took the post from Futurismic to their site (and yeah, it’s quite interesting to see how word-of-mouth develops in the electronic frontier);
• (UPDATE 5): Kate Eltham mentiones it on Electric Alphabet;
• (UPDATE 6): and 42 Blips linked the post from Tor.com to their site;
• Last, but certainly not least, the first installment of a podcast feature on StarShip Sofa (I’ve) called Blinded by the Light has gone up last December 31, as a part of Aural Delights #57 (NOTE: big mp3 file). In this, I will keep an account (it’s planned to be a monthly feature) of how the editing — and promoting — of my first professional anthology goes. The long think beforehand, the somewhat restrained beginning, the ups, the downs, the madness, the glory, the failure, the heartache, the sheer joy. Check it out.

And there’s more to come. Watch this space, or run away…;-)

Early on it seemed a slow week (longer than a week, actually, partly due to sickness on my part) on the grapevine, but of late things are picking up somewhat:

• Charles A. Tan (and if all goes well you’ll see more of him around this place) sends some love with a short mention here;
• The Sci-Fi Gene blog makes a few cogent remarks about the tension between positive and negative SF;
• And How to Get Inspiration pings back;
• Gord Sellar asks if there is some Optimism, Anyone?;
• Fantastic Review’s Aaron Hughes drops a quick aside to Shine as it recommends Jason Stoddard’s “Willpower” (online at Futurismic , and now already snatched up for Rich Horton’s Unplugged: the Best of Online Fiction);
• Colleen Anderson mention both Shine and Catastrophia as Writing Antithesis;
• (Belated update): I see that SFWA mentions Shine in their monthly market bulletin of December;

There are — so far — two more interviews upcoming, although only one will be online. Also, I have it from good sources that there will be an article on SHINE in an upcoming issue of the BSFA’s Matrix Online (which has been a bit quiet of late: I certainly hope this changes).

And yes, another interview:

• Jay Tomio of BookSpot Central has interviewed me for their BookSpot Beat feature. Check it out!
• There is an interview with a French magazine in the works: more news when I have it;

In my continuing quest for world media saturation the SHINE anthology now has pages and networks in the following places:

• Facebook: SHINE anthology;
• Twitter: SHINE anthology;
• MySpace: SHINE anthology;

(I’ve made personal pages on FaceBook and MySpace as well, but won’t bother you with them. Yet.)

More links from the blogosphere and beyond:

• Yukon Science Fiction writer Jerome Stueart is dreaming about a better world and mentions — along with SHINE, other places of interest for that. (I especially like his idea to gather engineers, scientists and SF writers to pool ideas, as I’m basically an engineer in the day job) ;
• Writer Adam Isreal is working on a story (among many other projects: he’s keeping himself very busy) for SHINE. Good luck with it, and I’m looking forward to seeing it;
• Velcro City Tourist Board’s Paul Raven pings me back by telling that I’m ‘getting my positive on‘. As it is, I’ve hardly started, and thanks!
• UPDATE: Warren Ellis is very tired, and needs a big, comforting hug…;-);

And the sekrit, mad project? Sorry to taunt you, dear reader, but watch this space (and get a drink in the meantime)…

Yesterday, I thought that both the frequency and the content in upcoming grapevines would slowly diminish, but only the latter might be true, as exciting things keep happening. In this grapevine, I am happy to report that I have been interviewed about SHINE:

• Alessandro Murè of Fantascienza posts an interview with me (in Italian: Babelfish translation here);

That’s one interview — and in Italian, at that — but there are two more upcoming: one in English, and one in French. Stay tuned!

More links from tah interwebs:

• SHINE has been listed on Duotrope;
• Yukon Science Fiction writer Jerome Stueart is getting into the optimistic groove, promoting a positive radio series, mentioning a column on Fantasy Magazine asking for scientist heroes (am I the only one who sees the irony here…;-), and shortly mentioning SHINE (bottom of the post);
• Maree from New Zealand of ‘Just Add Books‘ realises SHINE isn’t out yet — it’s slated for late a 2009, early 2010 release — but she already wants it: Wednesday Wants!!!! Gotta love (future) readers like her, and thanks!

Finally, there’s something really crazy brewing: there’s a fifty/fifty chance it might happen, and if it does, you’ll read it here first (although you might hear about it someplace else).

Much love and more links from across the world:

• Mark Kelly at Locus Online put it up as one of the Sunday 9 November Blinks;
• SF Crowsnest announced it here;
• SF Signal mentions that I’ve started this very blog (shiny, baby, shiny…;-);
• 42 Blips give me some more love by announcing this blog;
• Damien Walter not only gives a great shout-out, but goes out on a limb, as well. Many thanks, Damien!;
• Niall Harrison at Torque Control shortly mentions the SHINE anthology weblog (among many other links);
• Fantasy Book Critic announced it on their site (right under a Neil Gaiman announcement: I can’t complain about that);
• Sally Quilford took note (and don’t hesitate to send me something, Sally);
• Donna Sundblad mentions it in Anthology News and Reviews;
• Planet-X in Australia give it a mention;
• Here’s the Global Warming Review blog recycling Jason Stoddard’s post;
• Here’s Solaris News linking to io9’s post, and to the SF Crowsnest announcement;
• Abra Staffin Wiebe mentions it in her market list;
• It’s mentioned, buried in there somewhere, in the Motown Writers Workshop;

Non-English mentions:

• Alessandro Muré recapitulates the optimistic SF debate preceding the SHINE anthology announcement on Fantascienza.com (note: obviously, it’s in Italian. Babelfish can be your friend);

Forum discussions:

• A ‘Canon of Optimistic Science Fiction‘ thread on the Asimov’s forum;
• Yours truly almost turns SHINE into a time travel antho at the BSFA forum;

Many thanks for all the mentions, everybody, and do feel free to keep spreading the word. Also, don’t hesitate to query, give comments and feedback.

Here I’ll be trying to keep track of those that share the love (or hate) of the SHINE anthology. I’ve got a bit of catching up to do after World Fantasy, so here we go:

• Futurismic was one of the first to pick it up, and shares the love: “
  I’m happy to say that, while we’re not involved in any material way, Futurismic is proud to stand behind Jetse and Solaris on this project, and we’ll be giving it whatever support we can; I hope some other science fiction venues will see the merit in supporting people who are trying something new, even if it doesn’t necessarily line up with their own personal tastes.” as Paul Raven said. Thanks, Paul.
• Ralan Conley is always on top of things, listing SHINE in his Webstravaganza (under anthology markets, obviously);
• io9 took note, just as they were asking themselves “when this dreary dystopian fad was going to wear off“. Lauren Davis said: “We’ve been plagued with so many movies and books that paint the future as a big, bad place to live that I’ve started to wonder if I should build a bomb shelter or just stock up on antidepressants.” and mentioned that SHINE would “provide an oasis in this dystopian desert”. Charlie Jane Anders said (in the ‘when this dreary dystopian fad…’ post): “Fifth — and this may be the most important — support books and comics that are bright and optimistic.” I can hardly ask for better moral support. Thanks, ladies!
• SFScope may have been the first to pick up the news, validating its name.
• At SFSignal, John DeNardo rarely, if ever, misses a good scoop.
• 42 Blips was also fast on the uptake.
• Lou Anders is so happy with this project that he might be even more chuffed about than I. Lou’s a true friend.
• Jason Stoddard calls it ‘Time to Shine‘. He said: “There’s nothing like taking two kinds of impossible. And winning.” Jason’s a kindred spirit, to say the least.

STOP PRESSES: the official Solaris Books Press Release has gone out here!

This list is far from complete: there will be more. So far: thanks for the mentions and support!