For those wondering, this is my eligibility post for the work I had published in 2016. It is only one story, but it is one I’m very proud of, and am glad to see out in the world. For a guy who hadn’t sold a story in almost three years, having this be the one to usher me back into the world of publishing is a great honor.
“A Glass Kiss for the Little Prince of Pain,” was published at Beneath Ceaseless Skies in October, 2016. It is a novelette at approximately 11,000 words, and is of the epic fantasy variety. Set in a world of memory magic, it follows Glass Kiss, a Thoughtblade of the Cold Empire, who has been tasked by an outside force to betray her leadership, break into the Imperial Pillar on a holiday night, and kill a certain memory within the mind of the Prince of Pain.
“A Glass Kiss for the Little Prince of Pain,” invites you to the Cold Empire to witness a story of betrayal, morality, and the things a person will do win their freedom. It is the opening gambit in a potential triptych of stories set in this world, in this time, and I look forward to introducing more of the Cold Empire in the future.
A big thank you to Kat Howard for helping me with her expert thoughts on the first draft, Shelley Streeby at UCSD San Diego who took time during Clarion to give me her advice, Haralambi Markov, Serena Ulibarri, Nino Cipri, Manish Melwani, and Tamara Vardomskaya for their critiques, and finally Scott Andrews for believing in this story and helping to edit it into the tale it is today.
SFWA Nebula nominations are open, and while this novelette hasn’t been nominated yet, if you feel inclined to do so, I certainly would not complain.
Martin Cahill 