Stephen Leigh & S.L. Farrell

Roaming at the intersection of fiction and reality

SHORT STORIES, NOVELETTES, and NOVELLAS:

Upcoming Publications:

“Promises Redux”. Novella. Scheduled to be published in House Rules, edited by George RR Martin, Publication Date TBD.

"Longing for Those Lost". Novella. Interstitial material for House Rules. Publication Date TBD

Published:

"Party Like It’s 1999." Novelette. Published in Sleeper Straddles, edited by George RR Martin, Publication Date 2024.

"Chocolate. With Sprinkles". Short Story. In Brave New Worlds, (edited by S.C. Butler and Joshua Palmetier): kickstarter-funded original anthology through Zombies Need Brains, LLC. Publication date, July 2022

“The Deep Heart Inside”. Short Story. In When Worlds Collide, (edited by S.C. Butler and Joshua Palmetier): kickstarter-funded original anthology through Zombies Need Brains, LLC. Publication date, July 2021.

“One Had A Lovely Face”. Short Story. In My Battery Is Low And It Is Getting Dark (edited by Crystal Saraki and Joshua Palmetier): kickstarter-funded original anthology through Zombies Need Brains, LLC. Publication date June 2020

“All The Time In The World”. Short Story. In Temporally Deactivated (edited by David B. Coe and Joshua Palmetier): kickstarter-funded original anthology through Zombies Need Brains, LLC. Publication date July 2019

“Easter Rising”. Novelette. In Alternate Peace (edited by Steven Silver and Joshua Palmetier): kickstarter-funded original anthology through Zombies Need Brains, LLC. Publication date July 2019

“In the Shadow of Tall Stacks”. Novella. Mississippi Roll, edited by George RR Martin, Tor Books, New York. Publication Date December 5, 2017

“The Atonement Tango” Novelette. Tor Books website, edited by Diana Pho and George RR Martin. Tor Books, New York, Tor Books. January 2017.

“Babel’s Tower”. Novella. High Stakes, edited by George RR Martin. New York, Tor Books, August 2016.

“Temporally Full”. Short Story. Temporally Out of Order, edited by Joshua Palmetier & Patricia Bray. Kickstarter-funded original anthology, August 2015

“Bones of Air, Bones of Stone”. Novelette. Old Venus, edited by George RR Martin & Gardner Dozois. New York: Bantam Books (hardcover), March 2015

“The Bright Seas of Venus”, Short Story. Galaxy’s Edge Magazine, edited by Mike Resnick. Volume 1, #1. Arc Manor Press, Rockville MD, January, 2013

“Hope We Die Before We Get Old”. Novelette. Fort Freak, edited by George RR Martin. New York: Tor Books, June 2011

“Chaos Night”. Short Story. A Rain of Pebbles: Stories of the Alliance, edited by Stephen Leigh. Ebook (mobi, ebud, PDF), May 2014

“Gardener’s Baobab” Novella. Under pseudonym S.L. Farrell. Suicide Kings, edited by George RR Martin. New York: Tor Books, December 2009

“The Gods of Every Other Wednesday Night”. Short Story. Under pseudonym S.L. Farrell. Gamer Fantastic, edited by Kerrie Hughes and Martin H. Greenberg. New York: DAW Books, July, 2009

“Dirge In A Major Key”. Novelette. Under pseudonym S.L. Farrell. Busted Flush, edited by George RR Martin. New York: Tor Books, December 2008

“Gardener’s Confessional #2”. Short Story. Under pseudonym S.L. Farrell. http://americanhero.wildcardsbooks.com/#gardenerconfess (Tor Books’ promotional website for Inside Straight). April 2008

“DB’s Confessional #3”). Short Story. Under pseudonym S.L. Farrell. http://americanhero.wildcardsbooks.com/2008/03/confessional-mi.html (Tor Books’ promotional website for Inside Straight). March 2008

“DB’s Confessional #2”. Short Story. Under pseudonym S.L. Farrell. http://americanhero.wildcardsbooks.com/2008/02/confessional--2.html (Tor Books promotional website for Inside Straight). March 2008.

“Gardener’s Confessional”. Short Story. Under pseudonym S.L. Farrell. http://americanhero.wildcardsbooks.com/#gardenerconfess. (Tor Books promotional website for Inside Straight). February 2008.

“DB’s Confessional”. Short Story. Under pseudonym S.L. Farrell. http://americanhero.wildcardsbooks.com/2008/01/confessional-mi.html (Tor Books promotional website for Inside Straight). January 2008.

“Incidental Music For Heroes”. Novella. Under pseudonym S.L. Farrell. Inside Straight, edited by George RR Martin. New York: Tor Books, January 2008

“Transformation.” Short. Story. Man vs. Machine, edited by John Helfers. New York: DAW Books, July, 2007

“Chaos Theory.” Short Story. Time Twisters. Edited by Jean Rabe and Martin H. Greenberg. New York: DAW Books, January, 2007

“They Also Serve.” Short Story. Space Cadets. Edited by Mike Resnick. Los Angeles: LA World Science Fiction Convention original anthology, August 2006

“Altar Ego.” Short Story. Chapter 8 of The Omega Egg, a round-robin novel edited by Mike Resnick. Fictionwise website: http://www.fictionwise.com. 2005

“Sweeter Far Than Flowing Honey.” Short. Story. Women of War. Edited by Martin H. Greenberg, Tanya Huff, and Alexander Potter. New York: DAW Books, July 2005

“‘You’ by Anonymous.” Short Story. I, Alien. Edited by Mike Resnick. New York: DAW Books, April 2005. Also in Science Fiction: Best of the Year, edited by Rich Horton. Holicong, PA: Prime Books, 2006

“Among The Pack, Alone.” Short Story. Sirius: The Dog Star. Edited by Martin H. Greenberg and Alexander Potter. New York: DAW Books, June 2004: 80-93.

“Staying Still.” Short Story. Men Writing SF As Women. Edited by Mike Resnick. New York: DAW Books, November 2003

“Promises.” Novelette. Deuces Down (Wild Cards 16). Edited by George RR Martin. New York: iBooks, Simon & Schuster, June 2002. Also reprinted in Deuces Down, edited by George RR Martin, Tor Books, 2021

“Green Stones.” Short Story. Assassin Fantastic. Edited by Martin H. Greenberg and Alexander Potter. New York: DAW Books, July 2001

“Hartmann’s Death.” Novella. Black Trump (Wild Cards 15). Edited by George RR Martin. New York: Baen Books, September 1995.

“The Color of His Skin.” Novella. Marked Cards (Wild Cards 14). Edited b George RR Martin. New York: Baen Books, November 1993

“The Ashes Of Memory.” Novella. Card Sharks (Wild Cards 13). Edited by George RR Martin. New York: Baen Books, February 1993

“Bloat’s Triumph.” Novella. Dealer’s Choice (Wild Cards 11). Edited by George RR Martin. NEW York: Bantam Books, August 1992

“The Temptation of Hieronymous Bloat.” Novella. Jokertown Shuffle (Wild Cards 9). Edited by George RR Martin. New York: Bantam Books, September 1991

“Sixteen Candles.” Novelette. One-Eyed Jacks (Wild Cards 8). Edited by George RR Martin. New York: Bantam Books, January 1991

“Hartmann’s Fall.” Novella. Ace In The Hole (Wild Cards 6). Edited by George RR Martin. New York: Bantam Books, February 1990

“The Hue of the Mind.” Novella. Down and Dirty (Wild Cards 5). Edited by George RR Martin. New York: Bantam Books, December 1988

“Evening Shadow.” Short Story. Isaac Asimov’s Science Fiction Magazine, August 1988

“The Tint of Hatred.” Novella. Aces Abroad (Wild Cards 4). Edited by George RR Martin. New York: Bantam Books, June 1988

“Strings.” Novelette. Wild Cards (Wild Cards 1). Edited by George RR Martin. New York: Bantam Books, November 1986

“Shaping Memory.” Novelette. Isaac Asimov’s Science Fiction Magazine, September 1985

“Flamestone.” Short Story. Afterwar. Edited by Janet Morris. New York: Baen Books, June 1985

“Tapestry.” Novelette. Berkely Showcase #5. Edited by Victoria Schochet. New York: Berkely Books, October 1982

“When We Came Down.” Novelette. Isaac Asimov’s Science Fiction Magazine, July 1978

“After Stone & Steel.” Short Story. Eternity #1, May 1978

“In Darkness Waiting.” Novelette. Isaac Asimov’s Science Fiction Magazine, October 1977

“The Mask of Night On His Face” Short Story. Future Pastimes. Edited by Scott Edelstein. Nashville: Aurora Press, May 1977

“Encounter.” Short Story. Destinies #3. Edited by Jim Baen. New York: Ace Books April 1977. Also reprinted in Supertanks. Edited by Joe Haldeman, Martin H. Greenberg & Charles G. Waugh. New York: Ace Books, 1987. Also reprinted in When Diplomacy Fails, edited by Mike Resnick and Eric Flint. Chicago, IL: ISFIC Press, November 2008

“A Rain of Pebbles.” Novelette. Analog Magazine, April 1977

“Answer In Cold Stone.” Novelette. Analog Magazine, December 1976

“With No Gods Before.” Short Story. Fantasy and Terror Magazine, 1975.

“And Speak of Soft Defiance” Short Story. Eternity Magazine #4, 1974, also reprinted in Eternity Magazine #2 (Series 2), 1980

FOREIGN SALES:

Generally, my books and stories were originally accepted for publication with “North American English Language Rights” (published simultaneously in the United States and Canada). However, I have sold to and published many of my books and stories in foreign markets, including: United Kingdom; Australia; Republic of Ireland; France; Germany; Czechoslovakia; Poland; Spain; Portugal; Italy; Mexico; Russia; Japan; Brazil; Turkey; China

MISC. SHORT FICTION REVIEWS

"The Atonement Tango" by Stephen Leigh (15,223 words, Tor.com, January 20, 2017) "It's interesting to me just how many different styles and stories can be told in the Wild Cards setting. Just last month there was a much more YA-flavored story about growing up and tolerance and here we have a very different kind of story, thematically and content-wise. This story focuses on Drummer Boy, the drummer for a joker band who experiences a very traumatic event that sends him on a quest for revenge and recovery. This story has quite a bit of personal history and baggage to go along with it. It's a hard rock noir fantasy where the main character is a six-armed jaded rocker trying to make sense of his own feelings in the chaos following the event that changed his life so abruptly. The story is in other ways about taking stock and finding out how to survive and really appreciate life even when not dealing with near-death-experiences. The Wild Card phenomenon here is much like mutants in Marvel Comics, with some people born jokers and some who contract it later in life and some who become someone who can pass as normal but who has powers. It's a fascinating system and it creates this whole class of people who are visibly different, who are marginalized by that difference. I think the story does some interesting things with that, looking at the main character who is somewhat jaded and bitter about the ways in which the joker community is run and what they can accomplish in the face of hatred and violence. And it's a story about revenge and the cost of revenge, and what a person might lose when they decide to seek out vengeance. And as long as you're okay with treating the jokers as a simply metaphoric minority that doesn't tie directly into any real-world marginalized group, the story is fine and fun and tightly plotted and well-executed. [SPOILERS!!!] For me personally the story is a little triggering because of some certain recent-ish events of domestic terrorism targeting minorities and the media's treatment of those events and a narrative of self-loathing and religious ideology that leads to violence. I don't think the story does an awful job with the setup, but for me trying to follow the metaphors of persecution out from the story to the "real world," I stumbled a bit and quickly made myself retreat back to the fiction. In the world of the story, everything makes sense. And the story is an interesting and vivid look at an ugly situation that finds its heart in the right place. So yeah, an enjoyable read!" -- Quick Sip Reviews

2016 Locus Award for Best Anthology won by OLD VENUS, edited by George RR Martin and Gardner Dozois -- which includes "Bones of Air, Bones of Stone" by Stephen Leigh

"Stephen Leigh’s ‘‘Bones of Air, Bones of Stone’’ plumbs the mysterious (literal) depths of Venusian religious beliefs and the human urge to go where nobody else has ever has – in this case, with good reason." -- Russell Letson for Locus Magazine, reviewing OLD VENUS, edited by Gardner Doizois and George RR Martin

"'The Bright Seas of Venus' by Stephen Leigh isn't the kind of story you would expect to be featured here as it stands out as one of the best in this issue. The title is deceptive as much as it is amusing and the entire short story (one of the shortest in here) is taken from the point of view of the writer, Stephen Leigh. I felt I had to pick out my two favourites from this first issue, and these were the ones that stood out for me, but there will be many who think differently."-- Sandra Scholes reviewing GALAXY'S EDGE #1 at the SF SITE

"Farrell's first-person voice is highly inflected with the second person, the way a DM (dungeon master, the one responsible for running the game) typically describes a situation to a player: "Oh, God, you think. More 'character development.' Get on with it already. You skip ahead a page." Farrell freely critiques his story as it unfurls, and somehow by downplaying it, he makes the scenario fresh and surprising." -- Ed Park reviewing "The Gods of Every Other Wednesday Night" in GAMER FANTASTIC for the LA Times

"My three favorites... Stephen Leigh's "Chaos Theory" hints that a woman's affection can change the course of a man's life, making him do things he would not otherwise have done. It is a gentle, understated story, for the most part.... These three stories were worth the time and small expense spent on the collection." -- John M. Ford reviewing TIME TWISTERS, edited by Jean Rabe and Martin H. Greenberg.

"Stephen Leigh's "You" is particularly striking, a first-rate, paranoia-inducing story about a quite different alien invasion." -- Rich Horton reviewing "You, by Anonymous" in I, ALIEN for Locus Magazine. Also on Locus's "Recommended Stories" list for the month.

"Stephen Leigh is next up, with a truly impressive piece of writing that examines the moral implications of tinkering with the genetic makeup of animals. Given a rudimentary intelligence, Leigh's Enhanced Canines (E.C.s or Easies) labour like slaves for humanity. When random breeding results in Madra, whose intelligence places him far above his peers, the supervising scientists consider whether they have the right to destroy him as a threat, unaware that the choice is no longer entirely in their hands... Speculative, original and entertaining, the story ends in a cracking cliff-hanger that will have you tearing your hair out in frustration." -- Martin Jenner reviewing "Among the Pack Alone" in SIRIUS: THE DOG STAR for online magazine SF Crow's Nest