"Mama, We are Zhenya, Your Son" in Tähtivaeltaja

I just received a copy of Tähtivaeltaja, Finland's premiere SF magazine, with my story "Mama, We are Zhenya, Your Son". The story has been translated by J. Pekka Mäkelä, an author in his own right and a noted translator of China Mieville among others. Thanks so much to Irma Hirsjärvi, whose enthusiasm at Finncon made this possible, and to editor Toni Jerrman, who bought the story. Go read it, oh Finns!

Also, just take a look at this beautiful illustration by Maija Pietikäinen. I love how it captures the emotional tone of Zhenya in this story.

Cover art by Ninni Aalto:

New book: "Dubultnieki un citi stāsti"

A break from my blogging-hiatus to announce that my short story collection "Dubultnieki un citi stāsti" (translated to my native Latvian by the capable Ingus Josts) is now out in stores. This is my first book-length publication. I'm very pleased with how it has turned out. If you're in Riga on Dec 15, drop by my book launch - 6 p.m., K. Valdemara 6 (in the Zvaigzne bookshop).

Proof of bookage:

For Latvian speakers, some early reviews are available here.

That's that. Back to radio silence now. I'm living in Riga, working on novels these days and don't expect I'll bother much with blogging until I have something to announce on that front.

USans: I'm planning a long US trip in the spring (NY, MA, CO, CA, OR) so drop me a line if you want to meet up.

Awesomest Music You'll Hear Today: Debussy Edition

Adding to my ongoing series on awesome piano music that everyone can enjoy, here are a few pieces by Claude Debussy, the great impressionist composer. As you'd expect from an impressionist, these are paintings in sound -- generally, the focus is on beauty, not pyrotechnics.

1. L'Isle Joyeuse (performed by Horowitz). This famous piece takes a little while to build, but the payoff is breathtaking.



2. Suite Bergamasque -- 1. Prelude (performed by François-Joël Thiollier). This is the first in the suite that includes everyone's favorite, Clair de Lune -- but the other, less known pieces, are just as deserving. I often play these as warm-ups -- they're so beautiful and musically rich I never get tired of them. Click through for the others in the suite.



3. Ondine, from 2nd Book of Preludes (performed by Robert Casadesus). SF/F readers should appreciate this one -- an impressively evocative sketch of everyone's water nymph. The first Debussy piece I ever played, it's stayed with me all these years.

Awesomest Music You'll Hear Today: Falla edition

To continue the series begun last week, here are a couple of pieces to enjoy by the great Spanish composer Manuel de Falla. Both are quite popular among classical music lovers, and for good reason.

1. Ritual Fire Dance (piano arrangement, originally a movement in the ballet El Amor Brujo, performed by Rubinstein). Quite possibly Falla's best known piece, it's haunting, restless, and deeply evocative.



2. Noches en los Jardines de España (Nights in the Gardens of Spain, for piano & orchestra, another Rubinstein performance). Very, very different in character than the above, this large-scale work is, however, equally evocative. A beautiful, leisurely painting in sound. The video below is of the first part - En el Generalife, a piece that gives me goosebumps. Click through to youtube for the other two parts.