_Beneath Ceaseless Skies_ Issue #1

[Scott H. Andrews]

Issue #1 -- Oct. 9, 2008 (http://www.beneath-ceaseless-skies.com/toc.php?s=1)

"The Sword of Loving Kindness, Pt. I," by Chris Willrich"All who possess this weapon have regretted it, even the fiercest of killers, mad Lord Runestock, say, or bloody Sir Fairbeast, or Captain Slaughterdark who abandoned it here. Behold the Sword of Loving Kindness."

"Sun Magic, Earth Magic," by David D. LevineThe tunnel grew narrower, then the ceiling lowered as well. Soon she had to crawl on knees and elbows. Her world closed down to a bubble of light no more than a few handspans across, surrounded by a mountain of rock that pressed in on all sides. Rock that hid her from the light, the air, and her husband the Sun.

[Bill Ward]

I loved the issue Scott -- if this is what we can expect every two weeks you've already managed to get me more excited about your publication than any ten other new magazines that I can think of. Great job on selecting the kinds of stories I (and a whole lot of other people) want to read.

I've done a brief write-up on this issue over on my blog, (http://billwardwriter.com/beneath-ceaseless-skies-debut-issue/) if you're curious.

[Scott H. Andrews]

Thanks very much for the kind words! The type of stories in BCS will have a bit of variation--Yoon Ha Lee's story in the next issue is a bit more literary, but still set in an awesome secondary world; there are several stories in inventory with settings at a steampunk level of technology, and some cool Weird West stories.

But I think all of them have interesting worlds and engaging characters. So I hope that common thread will be consistent throughout them all.

[Bill Ward]

That all works for me! Looking forward to them.

[Saladin]

Two cool stories and more gorgeous art! Huzzah and congrats!

[Matthew Wuertz]

Great premier issue! Currently, I subscribe to Black Gate and Fantasy & Science Fiction, and Beneath Ceaseless Skies (from what I've read so far) matches my tastes quite well. I'm looking forward to future issues.

[Merc]

I also very much enjoyed the first issue and can't wait for the next ones! :D Great debut and keep the issues coming!

~Merc

[Carl T. Abt]

Dear Scott,
I hope to see more stories like The Sword of Loving Kindness, and less of Sun Magic, Earth Magic. I’ve explained why in my comments in their respective threads. All I’d like to say here is that I’d like to see more action/adventure and less literary artifice. Sun Magic felt like a chore. Stories—and particularly fantasy, adventure stories—should be entertaining before they aspire to anything else which may or may not be “higher”. Overall, I was still pleased enough to want to read your second issue.

[Scott H. Andrews]

All I’d like to say here is that I’d like to see more action/adventure and less literary artifice. Sun Magic felt like a chore. Stories—and particularly fantasy, adventure stories—should be entertaining before they aspire to anything else which may or may not be “higher”.
The stories in Beneath Ceaseless Skies will range between slightly more literary and slightly more adventure, but one reason I picked these stories for the debut issue was that I think they show the median balance between those elements that the magazine will follow. Yoon Ha Lee's story in Issue #2 is more literary than either of these, but Charles Coleman Finlay & Rae Carson Finlay's story in Issues #3-4 is a bit more adventure.

I think the difference between your and my views may be because I didn't feel that "Sun Magic, Earth Magic" had any aspirations that prevented it from still being a great character-driven adventure story. The major conflict was internal rather than external, but I think that type of conflict is just as engaging, if not more.

Internal character dynamics are the major way I think modern genre fiction is more powerful than classic or old-fashioned genre fiction--they illuminate the human condition. Like Faulkner's Nobel speech line that the only thing worth writing about is the human heart in conflict with itself. For me that's a profound truth, whether the setting is Yoknapatawpha County or fair Verona or Middle Earth.

[Carl T. Abt]

I agree with you, Scott, on the character-driven nature of "Sun Magic, Earth Magic". It was a rich, internal conflict. My problem was with the style. Every time the characters did something it was mirrored by a symbol. I think the stories would be more fun if the narratives stood on their own.

I think we may be misunderstanding each other in regards to the term literary. Literary, as I understand it, means the use of literary artifice such as symbols to convey characters, ideas, themes, etc. Fantasy uses world-building to convey those story elements, and adventure uses perilous situations to bring out a character's inner nature through their actions. I didn't mean to imply that fantasy adventure should be driven by plot rather than character, merely be the means of conveying story elements. I don't blame you for misunderstanding me though - I'm rather confused myself. There is such a strong association in popular conception between plot-driven stories and genre fiction, that character-driven was what came to mind when I saw literary listed as one of your key traits in your guidelines. It is only recently, as I have given more thought to the matter, that I realize that character-driven is not a characteristic that any one genre can lay claim over or exclude from others. It is only associated with certain genres, and those associations can change with time.

[Scott H. Andrews]

Literary, as I understand it, means the use of literary artifice such as symbols to convey characters, ideas, themes, etc. Fantasy uses world-building to convey those story elements, and adventure uses perilous situations to bring out a character's inner nature through their actions. I didn't mean to imply that fantasy adventure should be driven by plot rather than character, merely be the means of conveying story elements.
I don't agree with that compartmentalized approach--I would rather leave it up to any writer to use whatever tools work for them and their story. But even given that approach, I would still say that as a literary/fantasy hybrid, "Sun Magic" does a great job for me of using elements from all three of your categories, literary and fantasy and adventure, to build Shira's internal and external conflicts.

It's exactly that sort of literary and fantasy hybrid that I want for Beneath Ceaseless Skies. That combination fascinates me, and there are other magazines that do the more literary or the more adventure type of fantasy short fiction quite well.

It is only recently, as I have given more thought to the matter, that I realize that character-driven is not a characteristic that any one genre can lay claim over or exclude from others. It is only associated with certain genres, and those associations can change with time.This I totally agree with. My general thoughts on F/SF short fiction becoming more literary over the last several decades are summarized in the About BCS (http://www.beneath-ceaseless-skies.com/forums/../page.php?p=about) page, but I'm very interested in promoting the association of character-driven fiction with classic-style or adventure fantasy. Fantasy overall has become more literary, but it feels to me like that movement left classic types of fantasy behind, and I think that situation is ripe for change.