Excerpt: A LITTLE BIT OF LOVING by Jane Yolen (Tachyon) – From THE SCARLET CIRCUS

January 31, 2023November 16, 2022 Civilian Reader Excerpt Fantasy, Fiction, Jane Yolen, Scarlet Circus, Short Stories, Tachyon Publications

Today we have an excerpt from The Scarlet Circus, a new short story collection by Jane Yolen. Specifically, it’s an excerpt from “A Little Bit of Loving”. Due to be published by Tachyon Publications in February 2023, here’s the synopsis for the collection:

A rakish fairy meets the real Juliet behind Shakespeare’s famous tragedy. A jewelry artist travels to the past to meet a successful silver-smith. The addled crew of a ship at sea discovers a mysterious merman. More than one ignored princess finds her match in the most unlikely men.

From ecstasy to tragedy, with love blossoming shyly, love at first sight, and even love borne of practical necessity — beloved fantasist Jane Yolen’s newest collection celebrates romance in all its glory.

This bewitching assemblage, with an original introduction from Brandon Sanderson, is an ideal read for anyone who appreciates witty, compelling, and classic romantic fantasy.

Now, read on for a taste of A Little Bit of Loving…

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Interview with JANE YOLEN

September 1, 2020August 3, 2020 Civilian Reader Interview Anthology, Fantasy, Jane Yolen, Midnight Circus, Tachyon Publications

Let’s start with an introduction: Who is Jane Yolen?

I have been in the book making business since my first book (non-fiction) came out in 1963. But I had been in publishing before that as an editor, magazine writer, and poet.

Tachyon are due to publish your latest story collection, The Midnight Circus, in October. How would you introduce it to a potential reader?

Who knew Jane Yolen, the fairy-tale writer, author of the Commander Toad in Space books, and the How Do Dinosaurs Say Goodnight series, wrote dark fantasy and dark science fiction. Yet she had stories in World’s Best Horror several times over her long short story writing career. Not dark slasher fiction, but the frisson of terror, the haunt of oppression, the creak of a door where no door exists, kind of darkness. Continue reading →

New Books (December-January)

January 19, 2019January 18, 2019 Civilian Reader New Books Adam Stemple, Bret Easton Ellis, Brett Paesel, Chris Riddell, Dan Abnett, David Swinson, David Szalay, David Weber, Didrik Søderlind, J. Barton Mitchell, James Brabazon, James Swallow, Jane Yolen, Jean Edward Smith, JoAnn Chaney, Jonathan de Shalit, Karen Ellis, Karen Thompson Walker, Liv Constantine, Michael Moynihan, N.K. Jemisin, Nancy Kress, Neil Gaiman, Patrick Coleman, Preet Bharara, Robert A Caro, Sadie Jones, Sam Sykes, Sarah Gailey, V.E. Schwab, VE Schwab

Featuring: Dan Abnett, Preet Bharara, James Brabazon, Robert A. Caro, JoAnn Chaney, Patrick Coleman, Liv Constantine, Jonathan de Shalit, Bret Easton Ellis, Karen Ellis, Sarah Gailey, Neil Gaiman, N.K. Jemisin, Sadie Jones, Nancy Kress, J. Barton Mitchell, Michael Moynihan, Brett Paesel, Chris Riddell, James Swallow, V.E. Schwab, Jean Edward Smith, Didrik Søderlind, Adam Stemple, David Swinson, Sam Sykes, David Szalay, Karen Thompson Walker, David Weber, Jane Yolen

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New Books (August)

August 25, 2018August 23, 2018 Civilian Reader New Books Anna Smith Spark, Arthur St. John Trevelyan, Axl Rosenberg, Ben Fountain, Cherise Wolas, Chris Wraight, Christopher Krovatin, Craig Davidson, D.B. Jackson, David Annandale, David Gordon, Duncan Crowe, Esi Edugyan, Eyal Kless, Flynn Berry, Gregory B. Jaczko, James Peak, Jane Yolen, Jessica Barry, John French, Jonathan Maberry, Jussi Adler-Olsen, Kim Stanley Robinson, M R Carey, Martha Wells, Mary Adkins, Matthew Quirk, Michael Rutger, Miles Cameron, Mindy Mejia, N.S. Dolkart, Sam Lipsyte, Sara Paretsky, Sebastien de Castell, Steven James, Tom Rosenstiel, Victor Montgomery Cornwall, William W. Freehling

Featuring: Mary Adkins, Jussi Adler-Olsen, David Annandale, Jessica Barry, Flynn Berry, Miles Cameron, M.R. Carey, Victor Montgomery Cornwall, Craig Davidson, Sebastien de Castell, N.S. Dolkart, Esi Edugyan, Ben Fountain, William W. Freehling, John French, Christopher Golden, David Gordon, Charlaine Harris, D.B. Jackson, Gregory B. Jaczko, Steven James, Eyal Kless, Sam Lipsyte, Jonathan Maberry, Mindy Mejia, Sara Paretsky, Matthew Quirk, Kim Stanley Robinson, Axl Rosenberg, Tom Rosenstiel, Michael Rutger, David Small, Anna Smith Spark, Arthur St. John Trevelyan, Martha Wells, Cherise Wolas, Chris Wraight, Jane Yolen

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Upcoming: FINDING BABA YAGA by Jane Yolen (Tor.com)

May 3, 2018 Civilian Reader Upcoming Fantasy, Finding Baba Yaga, Jane Yolen, Suspense, Tor.com

YolenJ-FindingBabaYaga Another author whose work I’ve not yet tried. My attention was grabbed by the title — for some reason, Baba Yaga has always been a name I’ve been familiar with (although I can’t remember where I heard it first). Finding Baba Yaga, Jane Yolen‘s new novella, is due to be published by Tor.com at the end of October (so, a little far away). It sounds rather interesting:

A young woman discovers the power to speak up and take control of her fate — a theme that has never been more timely than it is now…

You think you know this story.

You do not.

A harsh, controlling father. A quiescent mother. A house that feels like anything but a home. Natasha gathers the strength to leave, and comes upon a little house in the wood: A house that walks about on chicken feet and is inhabited by a fairy tale witch. In finding Baba Yaga, Natasha finds her voice, her power, herself…

According to the publisher’s page for the book, Yolen is considered by some to be the “the Hans Christian Andersen of America”. Intriguing. Finding Baba Yaga is published by Tor.com in North America and the UK, on October 30th.

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