As we head into February, we at Apex hope your January was a clean, fresh start to the year. We're excited for all the myriad projects and events we've got going on and can't wait to share them with you.
Issue 135
Issue 135 continues to be released on the website. Already, you can read original fiction from Isabel J. Kim, Mari Ness, and Lindz McLeod, with more coming from K.S. Walker, Akis Linardos, and Jordan Kurella. We've got classic fiction from V.G. Harrison and LP Kindred. There are essays by Eugen Bacon, author of the forthcoming "Danged Black Thing" from Apex Book Company, and Monica Valentinelli, as well as our regular Words for Thought short fiction review. And finally, for the first time, we've got flash fiction: Sagan Yee and Michelle Denham round out our ToC. This incredible cover art is by Asya Yordanova.
Happy Hour with Jason and Lesley
Jordan Kurella, author of "The Wreck of the Medusa", is joining Jason and Lesley for our monthly Happy Hour chat on February 13th at 8pm eastern.
Jordan Kurella is a trans and disabled author who has lived all over the world (including Moscow and Manhattan). In his past lives, he was a photographer, radio DJ, and social worker. His work can be found in Apex, Glitter + Ashes, and Strange Horizons. His novella, I Never Liked You Anyway, and his short story collection, When I Was Lost both released in 2022. Jordan lives in Ohio with his perfect service dog and perfectly serviceable cat.
Robotic Ambitions
Our new anthology Kickstarter project launches February 21: Robotic Ambitions edited by Jason Sizemore and Lesley Conner. Whether striving to protect the family they’ve chosen, searching for meaning amid the chaos of the world, or questioning what it is that makes one alive, robotic ambition can mean many different things. From robots and AI to sentient mechanical devices, this anthology will explore what it means to be sentient and mechanical. Join Jason Sizemore and Lesley Conner as they peel back the metal and find out what lies at the center of Robotic Ambitions.
Our submissions call for Robotic Ambitions will open in early March. Half of the stories in the anthology will come out of this call, so get your stories ready! Editors Jason Sizemore and Lesley Conner are looking for stories that examine the concept of “robotic ambitions.” Using philosophical, moral, and practical points-of-view, what does it mean to be sentient and mechanical? What challenges will mechanical beings face from a fearful and chaotic world? What are their goals and ambitions?
Zen and the Art of Starship Maintenance and Other Stories by Tobias Buckell
Coming April 18 from Apex Book Company!
Zen and the Art of Starship Maintenance and Other Stories is Tobias S. Buckell’s seventh short fiction collection and is comprised of 15 stories, several of which are original to the collection or were previously only available through his Patreon.
This collection ranges from galactic adventures to intimate explorations of humanity—sometimes in the same story—rich with a sense of wonder and deft storytelling.
Pre-orders will open February 15th at www.apexbookcompany.com
Writing Workshops with Apex
The Reach Your Apex initiative is our way of making the knowledge and skills of publishing professionals available to those individuals who are seeking to improve their literary craft. While a majority of our offerings target the craft of writing, we will intersperse our curriculum with workshops/webinars covering various topics about the art of editing and the business side of publishing.
You can find our current list of classes here. Current instructors include Marie Vibbert, Tim Waggoner, Jason Sanford, and Monica Valentinelli!
Apex Flash Fiction
The February Flash Fiction Contest—themed candyfloss pink—window will close on January 31. The March Contest theme will be announced and will open to the public on March 7th for flash fiction submissions. Themes are chosen by Patrons at the end of the month and announced to Patrons on the 1st of each month. Submissions will be open to the public on the 7th of each month. Submissions close on the last day of the month at midnight (US Central Time).
The winner will be announced no later than the 15th of the following month and will be paid $0.08/word or $10, whichever is more. The winning story will appear on our Patreon as an exclusive and will be included in the forthcoming issue of Apex Magazine.
Apex Magazine 2022 Reader's Choice Awards
Voting for our annual Reader’s Choice Awards opens January 16th and will close on January 30th. Winner of the Story of the Year and the Cover of the Year will get bragging rights and a certificate signed by both Jason Sizemore and Lesley Conner.
For the Story of the Year, you can vote for up to three stories. Only one vote for Cover of the Year. We are also running a Best Microfiction Award over on our Patreon.
Podcast Episode 97
Our January Podcast is "The Big Glass Box and the Boys Inside," by Isabel J. Kim, narrated by Julian Maclurg.
Patreon Exclusives
Also on our Patreon, we have an exciting lineup of exclusives for our Patrons from the Authors of Issue 135. We'll have interviews, photo tours, and story insights. Jordan Kurella will be the Happy Hour guest in February. Keep an eye on our Patreon!
Not a Patron? Join us for as little as $3/month to get access to these exclusives and the magazine in your inbox!
Discord Happenings
As always, we have fun and community on our Discord: our monthly game 'night' with Codenames AKA Weird Brain Yoga (on the second Tuesday of every month!), critique swaps, co-writing opportunities, and general community support for writers. (Rejectomancy, anyone?)
To add the Apex Events Calendar to your google calendar, follow this link: https://tinyurl.com/4c74rext
