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Oh hey, it’s Friday the 13th and I’ve just seen my first snow fall for the year. However, I’m so focused on my novel right now. I have six scenes left to write. I’m so close to the end of this rough draft I can taste it. Have a Bubble & Squeek!
Awards Consideration: Best Semiprozine: Augment Magazine (Dropbox folder: Get issue one for free), Best Editor, Short Form: Jennifer Brozek
eBay and Signed Books: If you would like signed books from me for yourself or as gifts, we have a bunch of my books up on eBay. This will remain on eBay until all of my books are gone. All money goes to me.
Interview: For the HWA website, Nuts & Bolts: “Crunchy Bits About Anthologies” with Editor and Author Jennifer Brozek
Interview: Skiffy and Fanty, 1st show of the year: Looking Back, Moving Forward! Turbulent times, spreading love, and finding hope, oh my! Contains me, Shane Duke, and Trish Matson.
Review: A brief review of my anthology, 99 Fleeting Fantasies, by one of the authors in it.
Support: As always… if you appreciate my work and would like to support me, I love coffee. I am made of caffeine. This is the quickest way to brighten my day.
Shall we start with the numbers?
* * *
Thoughts about the Numbers…
(TL;DR: I did a lot more than I thought I did, and a lot less than I wanted to do.)
I did so much more editing and managing of fiction than I did writing it. As you see, I didn’t even finish a novel in 2025. On the other hand, I created a whole year’s worth of a magazine, managing/editing 14 authors, 5 fact checkers, and a slush pile just for it. That, in and of itself, is worthy. On top of it, I solicited, read for, curated, and edited three Shadowrun short fiction lines (Novella, FF, and GTM). That included so much overhead.
On one hand, it was a lot of work and I don’t really want to do it again. On the other hand, all of these Shadowrun fiction lines have a long tail and 80% of the hard work of them is already done. Now that I have them up and running, all I have to do is keep the ball rolling.
As for writing. I did get 5 new short stories written and sold them all. I’m in the throws of my third Colors Quartet Shadowrun novel, Imre Grey, after its released date got pushed from 2025 to 2026. Am I disappointed? A little. But not enough to castigate myself over it.
It’s taken me a lot of freelancing years to understand that I am not the sum of my output.
Decluttering: I’d say we got about 2/3rds of the way through the Declutter project list box. We’re still working on it, pulling a project out of the box each week. Mostly. Between my schedule and the Husband’s graduate school, we’ve had some “amnesty weeks” where life took precedence. So, it will continue on.
The Year of the Unfinished Book: In 2025, I read 33 books.
One Day Off the Internet a Week: By-and-large, I stuck to this. Boy, did I ever need that time away from the computer/work. This is one of those habits that will stick. I’ve got a new one I want to start but that’s a blog post for next year.
It’s after Gen Con and projects are picking up speed as predicted. Have some Bubble and Squeek.
Blurb: I got the most fantastic blurb from Wole Talabi (author of Shigidi And The Brass Head Of Obalufon) on my forthcoming Shadowrun YA novella The Kilimanjaro Run (release date Aug 22). Cover reveal soon! “The Kilimanjaro Run is a wildly entertaining story that takes us on a supernatural road trip from the urban sprawl of Dar es Salaam to the rocky slopes of Africa’s tallest mountain with a motley and lovable group of characters. It’s thoughtful, it’s fun, it’s The Transporter meets E.T. set in the fascinating world of Shadowrun served with a healthy portion of its own special sauce. Readers are in for a good time.”
Comic: Comic 233 by Akimbo Comics – The perfect illustration of why I write dark fiction. I’ve been thinking about this comic for the last couple of days. I wish I could have it on a poster. I keep losing it. So I’m posting it here.
Instagram: Leeloo and Miss Lemon… Sometimes she decides she’s going to be in my lap and that’s it. Singapura kitties are stubborn as hell.
Interview: I was interviewed for Writer Wednesday over at Gareth L. Powell’s blog on substack…
Review: Haunted MTL reviewed A Secret Guide to Fighting Elder Gods. They liked it with some caveats.
Twitter: Illustrator Jon Kubina drew me and my fellow panelists from the panel I moderated at Gen Con. How fun!
Support: As always… if you appreciate my work and would like to support me, I love coffee. I am made of caffeine. This is the quickest way to brighten my day.
Today’s Bubble & Squeek is brought to you by the letter “E” for edit because that’s what my main focus is on right now.
Publication: Tales of Nightmares anthology edited by Loren Rhoads with my story “Twenty Questions” in it. It’s getting some nice reviews!
Pre-Order: Truumeel’s Light. Space opera novel. Part one of the Tears of Perseus story written with five other fabulous authors, including Kevin J Anderson.
Review: What a lovely and in-depth review of The Reinvented Heart anthology from http://www.llamareadsbooks.com/. I really do like this anthology.
Review: Cannonball Read reviews The Reinvented Heart anthology and likes it! Another good one.
Review: A great, detailed review of Tales of Nightmares anthology. One of my oldest stories is reprinted in this one.
Support: As always… if you appreciate my work and would like to support me, I love coffee. I am made of caffeine. This is the quickest way to brighten my day.
Time is always getting away from me these days, but not because I’m doing nothing. This Bubble & Squeek is mostly interviews with me (and with Cat Rambo) that have happened over the last month or so. Enjoy!
• Article: The Reinvented Heart anthology was listed in 52 New Sci-Fi and Fantasy Books for Your May Reading List on Gizmodo.
• Interview: With Scifi Pulse magazine. Jennifer Brozek discusses writing styles and creating engaging characters.
• Interview: Horror Tree Presents… An Interview with Cat Rambo and Jennifer Brozek.
• Interview: 2 Part interview with Signals From the Edge. The Reinvented Anthologies: Conversation with Cat Rambo & Jennifer Brozek, parts one and two.
• Interview: Author interview with Prachesta Magazine.
• Support: As always… if you appreciate my work and would like to support me, I love coffee. I am made of caffeine. This is the quickest way to brighten my day.
This Bubble & Squeek is brought to you by many many release, re-releases, and reviews! Plus, bonus pictures.
Print Release: Here’s the public print release of THE LAST CITIES OF EARTH anthology by me and Jeff Sturgeon. 
Review: Literary Hub…March’s Best Sci-Fi and Fantasy Books: THE REINVENTED HEART anthology by me and Cat Rambo. It’s always a joy to be on a “Best” list. 
Review: nerds of a feather… Here’s a good review of THE REINVENTED HEART anthology. Didn’t tick all their boxes but did tick a lot.
Re-release: Speaking Volumes has re-released my Bram Stoker Finalist YA novel…THE LAST DAYS OF SALTON ACADEMY. Come read how I murdered all my friends in a zombie apocalypse. Also, that cover!
Re-release: Speaking Volumes has re-released my short story collection…APOCALYPSE GIRL DREAMING. This is my first short story collection. And again, that cover!
Publication: After 5 months of wrangling with Amazon, 99 TINY TERRORS, is published there, too. (The physical version will show up eventually.) Here’s the universal link.
Publication: My latest Shadowrun novel: ELFIN BLACK is in the wild! How do the powerful deal with being powerless? Badly. Then with malice and forethought. I’m so pleased with this novel.
Support: As always… if you appreciate my work and would like to support me, I love coffee. I am made of caffeine. This is the quickest way to brighten my day.
The last Bubble & Squeek for 2021 on the first day of winter!
• Open Call: The Reinvented Detective anthology, edited by me and Cat Rambo. Closes on Jan 15. SF crime and mystery stories set in the future.
• Podcast: I voice one of the characters. The Paperflower Consortium: The Value of Patience. A great little podcast with 20+ episodes. By Elizabeth Guizzetti.
• Published: 99 Tiny Terrors anthology, me as editor. Flash fiction horror from all over the world.
• Published: Me as author: “Seven Steps to Immortality” in Daily Science Fiction! This is one of my favorite little stories in one of my bucket list venues. I’m so pleased with this.
• Review of Me: Publisher’s Weekly Review of Last Cities of Earth anthology edited by me and Jeff Sturgeon. They liked it!
• Writers: Right. So I’m going to take Sandra Wickham’s Word Warriors 14 Day Quest in January. Want to join me?
• Support: As always… if you appreciate my work and would like to support me, I love coffee. I am made of caffeine. This is the quickest way to brighten my day.
How does one review a decade of growth, change, expansion, and experience in a single career? Much less in an industry like the publishing industry? I suppose by starting with some of the stats from 2010 – 2019. Note, this is an imperfect list of stats. It doesn’t mention the number of words written, the stories submitted then rejected, the novels written and trunked, the journals, articles, and blog posts. But, really, you’ve got to start somewhere. That is what I’ve done.
Gotta admit, I’m proud of what I’ve accomplished. In 2010, if you’d told me that one day I’d be an internationally published author and editor who’d been nominated for both the Bram Stoker and the Hugo award, I would’ve laughed at you and said it was a nice idea. I thought those things were so far out of my reach that I couldn’t imagine it. If you’d told me that I’d get to write for some of my favorite non-RPG properties like VWars, Valdemar, and Predator, I would’ve wondered what you’d been drinking. Stuff like that didn’t happen to me.
Then again, I didn’t know I was going to start my own publishing house.
…Or serve a term as a Director-at-Large of SFWA.
…Or volunteer for the HWA.
…Or be a Guest of Honor at ten different conventions, including conventions in Sweden and Finland.
…Or get an agent after I’d given up the search.
In truth, this is no real way to quantify a decade of my career in a meaningful manner that gives the scope of “everything.” I’ve always been ambitious when it comes to my career. I’ve got plans for the next decade. I’m sure they’ll change. But, that’s all right.
I’ll leave you with some lessons I’ve learned along the way.
Of course, the last decade wouldn’t have been as successful as it’s been without the Husband’s support. He helped make it all possible. For that, I am ever-grateful.
In the annual tradition of every freelance writer’s need to justify themselves, here is my 2019 Scorecard. How did I do at what I do most? Overall, pretty good, I think. I succeeded more than I failed. Though, I didn’t complete everything I wanted to get done.
Short Story Submissions: 7
This is a very good look for me. Though, in truth, 5 of the 7 short stories were commissioned. I rarely have time to write for markets that are not guaranteed.
New Words Written: 125,130
That equates to 4 new short stories, 1 new RPG project, 1 novella, and 1 novel. In the grand scheme of things, this about 60% of what I normally write. However, life was not as kind to me as it had been in the past. The death of loved ones makes writing hard.
Published Projects: 7
Awards: 2
Conventions Attended: 5
This is less than half of the number of conventions attended in 2018…by design. I attended 12 in 2018 and that was too much. That’s one of my goals for 2019 succeeded.
Goals for the Year: 6
Succeeded: 4
Failed: 2
Next up, a look at the last decade. I think I’ve come a long way and I should celebrate that.
Spending a lot of time with my head down and fingers on the keyboard. Turned in a couple of lingering projects including an Emberwind story and another Shadowrun novella.
• Release: Shadowrun: Makeda Red has been released! I know this is old news, but I’m super happy with this book.
• Podcast: ShadowBytes 04: Hey Jude. This one is called “Hey Jude” and you learn about this ork’s background and one of her surprising hobbies.
• Podcast: ShadowBytes 05: Hunger and the Hand that Feeds It. This is one of my favorite in the series. I think it really captures the fragility of life running the shadows.
• Review: Skiffy and Fanty review: A Secret Guide to Fighting Elder Gods. They liked it.
• Review: Tor.com review of A Secret Guide to Fighting Elder Gods – “Us and Ours” by Premee Mohamed. The snark is beautiful in this review.
• Support: As always… if you appreciate my work and would like to support me, I love coffee. I am made of caffeine. This is the quickest way to brighten my day.
And a cat picture. Just because.
Jennifer Brozek is a multi-talented, award-winning author, editor, and media tie-in writer. She is the author of Never Let Me Sleep and The Last Days of Salton Academy, both of which were nominated for the Bram Stoker Award. Her YA tie-in novels, BattleTech: The Nellus Academy Incident and Shadowrun: Auditions, have both won Scribe Awards. Her editing work has earned her nominations for the British Fantasy Award, the Bram Stoker Award, and multiple Hugo Awards. She won the Australian Shadows Award for the Grants Pass anthology, co-edited with Amanda Pillar. Jennifer’s short form work has appeared in Apex Publications, Uncanny Magazine, Daily Science Fiction, and in anthologies set in the worlds of Valdemar, Shadowrun, V-Wars, Masters of Orion, Well World, and Predator.
Jennifer has been a full-time freelance author and editor for over seventeen years, and she has never been happier. She keeps a tight schedule on her writing and editing projects and somehow manages to find time to teach writing classes and volunteer for several professional writing organizations such as SFWA, HWA, and IAMTW. She shares her husband, Jeff, with several cats and often uses him as a sounding board for her story ideas. Visit Jennifer’s worlds at jenniferbrozek.com or her social media accounts on LinkTree.
