Uncovering a true jewel....steampunk, science fiction, and futuristic prose...oh my!

Every once and a while as an editor, you come across a story that not only fits the title, but are taken so completely aback at how well its written that you are sure its from a well known author ghosting as a newbie. But then after you read it, you realize that it was one of the most heavy, thought provoking stories you've read in a while.

So instilling and so insightful that hours after you read it, you're still thinking about it and talking about it. It's a 'Finally, thank God' kind of moment. When I get them, and thankfully I've gotten them a few times with the short time Bete Noire has been open.

The last time I read a story like that was when we read, "Kids," Grey Freeman. (And if you're reading Grey, please, resubmit it...we LOVED it!)

But tonight's story was just...wow. I can't even sum it up in a few sentences because to do that would be to detract from the depth of the story, and take away the humanism that is just dripping from the peice. But its more than that. Because this author, whom I can't name yet since we don't  have her acceptance letter back, wrote her prolific and stunning prose in such a way that I can't, in all justice, take away from the beauty of her work by giving a general summation.

Yes, its that bloody good.

Aside from her work, there were others of the steampunk and futuristic nature that makes me want to reread Isaac Asimov and Ursula K. LeGuin.

And the science fiction combined with the technological based angles kind of creep me out, making me wonder who is exactly watching us, and why.....

I love it when authors make me wonder what the hell is going bump in the night...keep it up, because this cat loves being scared to death, and I still have a few lives left....

Avoir for now...

Guidelines, people....

This is going to be short, because I can't say it enough.

Please, read the guidelines before submitting your work not only to us, but to others.

At Bete Noire Magazine, we do NOT condone, or encourage violence against children. Again, we've had a few stories this time out with graphic descriptions surrounding the topic of child killing, child predators, Munchausen Syndrome, etc. Stories like that have, in this humble editor and writers opinion, no merit. It shows a last, desperate attempt of the author to seek out that shock value taboo in hopes to get put into print.

So please, read our guidelines. Not just ours, but anywhere you submit your work.

Remember....be yourself, everyone else is taken.