A Matter of Urgency by Robert Moriyama

August 08, 2004, 11:58:33 AM by Therio

Another great story Robert, thanks. I like what you did with the mana sinks, and your explanation of them sounded very plausable. I also liked the teaser battle with Morgenstern, near he end. He may be evil and mad, but he does seems to believe in giving someone a sporting chance.

August 08, 2004, 03:09:27 PM by Robert_Moriyama

For anyone who might not have made the connection, the concept of mana sinks (although not uncommon in some fantasy computer games) in this case was suggested by Kevin E. in a post re: A Matter of Faith. He speculated that if Prufrock was so lethal to magic users, objects from his world might be dangerous, too (but in a more controllable way). So -- if you don't like the idea, blame him! ;) Mizu Ash, who got to read this one earlier, found Morgenstern's 'mercy' less plausible. I attributed it to (a) his ego, which would not be well served by killing Al when he was already helpless and unable to fight back, and (b) a little bit of fear. Consider: Morgenstern thinks of himself as practically a god, invulnerable and far beyond any wizard's ability to harm him. Then Al appears out of nowhere through no means that Morgenstern can identify (no trace of an apportation spell) and HURTS HIM. For all Morgenstern's bluster, he now knows that he CAN be injured by those he believed to be beneath him, and a flying squad of Magisters might be closing in to finish him off. So -- yes, there might be a little nobility in the Big M's withdrawal from the scene, but not much! (The spell that Githros gives to Al, incidentally, is completely ungrammatical Rumanian -- i.e., Walachian magic, unfamiliar to Morgenstern.) Just to whet your appetite for the Final Battle -- it ISN'T mana sinks that will decide the outcome ... (and no, I don't know yet how many stories there will be before then). Robert M.

August 08, 2004, 04:47:33 PM by Vila

I thought that this one didn't suffer at all from the lack of backstory retelling. Let that be a lesson to you, Robert; Cary knows best. LOL! Sometimes it really hard to figure out what to leave out and what to leave in. I'd say the mix was just right on this one. Dan

August 08, 2004, 10:57:30 PM by kailhofer

This is a good effort, but I have to admit that I liked the last one better. There were some parts that I really liked: Janine and Al's dialog in the beginning, for one. I've been married over ten years, and yes, sometimes the male of the species just can't get enough of his mate. Also, I liked how she wanted to be there in the final battle. It goes toward the whole 'till death us do part' thing. Thumbs up there. I thought there was a lot more description and detail than in previous stories. The dialog had better pace and flow because it had more description and actions in between the sections of speech, especially in Al's 2nd trip to the College. I do like that there is _some_ mixing of science and magic, in that just because his body is fast, doesn't mean that it's less subject to friction. One would assume that there normally is another spell for that. As for the rest of it... Well, I've read it three times to see if it would 'grow on me.'

...the concept of mana sinks (although not uncommon in some fantasy computer games) in this case was suggested by Kevin E. in a post re: A Matter of Faith. He speculated that if Prufrock was so lethal to magic users, objects from his world might be dangerous, too (but in a more controllable way). So -- if you don't like the idea, blame him!

Bad, naughty Kevin! ;) Does this mean that water-borne beings have yet another kind of magic? Are there naga, mermaids, kelpies, or any of the more common aquatic magical beings in Al's world? How do they do their magic in water? Wouldn't The Wild be held back by the same anti-magical effect? (I mean, if the items were in alcohol, I could see it. We all know alcohol has numbing effects. 8) )

Mizu Ash, who got to read this one earlier, found Morgenstern's 'mercy' less plausible... )

I've have to go with Mizu Ash on that one. Here is a dead, god-like wizard, who planned his takeover of the world since before he died. He's in a battle against his archenemy where if he wins, he takes the world in a cakewalk. All he's got to do is win, (just win, not win by a couple of touchdowns) and we're all his zombies, forever. He takes a hit, a good one, but rebounds. AND THEN LEAVES! Does he insist that he only fight his greatest enemy when his enemy is at full strength? I thought his goal was the world, not beating Al. I went back and re-read A Matter of Faith. It doesn't say that Profrock came from another world, a world drained of all mana, just that he REALLY didn't believe in magic. His disbelief drained magic, and Al's belief finally sent him away. (BTW, by that line of logic, shouldn't Al just have to convince himself that Morgenstern can't do magic? Wouldn't that nullify Big, Green, & Dead's spells?) When all is said and done, the story didn't actually progress very much. Al's still getting better. The College is still working on more magic "Q" gadgets. Morganstern is still PO-ed and howling for Al's head, but isn't ready to go the distance over him. I hate to sound overly negative, but this yarn comes off as a 'teaser'--a "tune in next week for more" TV spot. I admit I'm a stick in the mud by nature, but I was looking for more, especially after how high you've set the bar in previous stories. Nate

August 08, 2004, 11:50:50 PM by Therio

Bad, naughty Kevin! ;)

Uh oh, I've been found out, I'd better go hide behind Githros... Er Githros, why are you turning pink and losing horns? :o Kevin

August 09, 2004, 01:23:00 AM by Robert_Moriyama

Re: 'Bad naughty Kevin!' The idea that water and glass (the combination thereof) would moderate the flow of mana was mine, not Kevin's. In an earlier draft, Sciavone explained to Al that in Prufrock's world*, glass is known to block harmful wavelengths of light, and water is used to moderate the flow of new-trons in new-clear generators. (Or nukular generators, as Dubya would put it.) The College found that glass and water together dampened the mana-draining effect; hence water alone would not have the same effect. Undines and water sprites and the like would only be hampered if they were in a glass tank -- saaaay, there's another story idea). (*Prufrock did come from another universe, if that wasn't clear in A Matter of Faith ...) Walachian magic and the power behind werewolf transformation use mana -- but it may be of a slightly different kind (wavelength?) than the type used commonly by wizards of Kabbalistic and Hermetic traditions. This energy (called The Wild by the inner circle of the Baldies) is more chaotic than the usual kind -- easier to tap if you have the talent, but harder to control. It is actually unusual for a purely human wizard to use it -- for one thing, werewolf transformation is due to a contagious curse (the Fast Anthropo-Canine Transformation, or F.A.C.T. curse) rather than being something that can be learned, for another, the Walachians (vampires) don't share their magic books with just anybody. In spite of this, mana sinks DO affect magic based on The Wild -- note that Billy reverted to human form once the mana sink spheres were broken. Robert M.

August 09, 2004, 01:26:12 AM by Robert_Moriyama

Uh oh, I've been found out, I'd better go hide behind Githros... Er Githros, why are you turning pink and losing horns? :o

Kevin

Hmm. Apparently Kevin sucks -- mana, that is ... :P Robert M.

August 09, 2004, 01:35:46 AM by Robert_Moriyama

This is a good effort, but I have to admit that I liked the last one better.

Aieee! My sword -- I must throw myself upon my sword! (I tried throwing myself on my keyboard, but it just wasn't the same.)

Here is a dead, god-like wizard, who planned his takeover of the world since before he died. He's in a battle against his archenemy where if he wins, he takes the world in a cakewalk. All he's got to do is win, (just win, not win by a couple of touchdowns) and we're all his zombies, forever. He takes a hit, a good one, but rebounds. AND THEN LEAVES!
Does he insist that he only fight his greatest enemy when his enemy is at full strength? I thought his goal was the world, not beating Al.

I explained this the best I could in my earlier post. Morgenstern is a god, or likes to think that he is. As such, his ego demands that he defeat an enemy when that enemy is at full strength, not when he is curled up in a ball on the floor. Then there's that niggling little Fear Factor (TM NBC) ... Also, it is not entirely a sure thing that Morgenstern would have been as destructive as he has been if his original plan had worked out. Githros, way back in Grave Matters, suggested that Morgenstern had never been exactly a nice guy, but that it was being resurrected after decades of being dead that had made him insane. 'Sides, he's never said that he wants to rule the world -- he just reserves the right to demolish anyone or anything that gets on his nerves.

When all is said and done, the story didn't actually progress very much. Al's still getting better. The College is still working on more magic "Q" gadgets. Morganstern is still PO-ed and howling for Al's head, but isn't ready to go the distance over him. I hate to sound overly negative, but this yarn comes off as a 'teaser'--a "tune in next week for more" TV spot.
Nate

Cary had somewhat the same criticism that the story didn't have a plot of its own -- it is, alas, a chapter in the longer saga, as a lot of the stories in the series are. The major developments -- the introduction of mana sinks and Morgenstern's penetration of whatever magic the College set up to hide Al and company from Morgenstern (while not preventing clients from reaching them) -- advance the main plot, but there really is no self-contained story here. (Sigh) Think of it as the modern equivalent of a Dickens novel, published in installments, if that helps ... Robert M.

August 09, 2004, 10:19:49 PM by Greg_Guerin

Before reading these comments, I took Morgenstern's premature exit (thankfully he wasn't smooth and pink!) to be him escaping because the attack had weakened him very much- but he didn't want to admit to that, hence his speech claiming to be allowing them a second chance. Morgenstern doesn't seem that powerful when he is encountered, but there has to be a fight or the series would be over before it started. Moreover, it is intruiging to watch these underdogs battle against his might by thinking up new tricks. Morgenstern seems too arrogant to fight back in the same way; he thinks he is already a superpower. I like how Al develops as a wizard, growing in wisdom and power after many experiences, but always retains his boyish demeanour and seems to have no bitterness. This one read a bit like a play- almost the entire thing is carried by exchanges of dialogue. Given the characters are highly differentiable and witty, this works really well. Al and Githros' gags are always a highlight.

August 09, 2004, 11:19:29 PM by Robert_Moriyama

Before reading these comments, I took Morgenstern's premature exit (thankfully he wasn't smooth and pink!) to be him escaping because the attack had weakened him very much- but he didn't want to admit to that, hence his speech claiming to be allowing them a second chance.

As Sciavone or Blackstone (even I'd have to look it up) told Al, Morgenstern relies almost entirely on his overwhelming capacity to channel mana. Having penetrated the masking spells that hid Al's home from him, how does Morgenstern attack? He phases in and tries to incinerate Janine and Billy with the sheer power of his aura -- the same thing that Al and Githros escaped back in A Matter of Degrees. When he was alive, Morgenstern was a wizard of superior if not supreme skill, at least in the Kabbalistic tradition largely contained in the books he gave to Al. But since his resurrection, he has never thought it necessary to use skill when strength alone was enough. Now, he may be wondering if he IS strong enough ... So far, you're the only one that felt that Morgenstern might have been more shaken by being injured than he would admit.

Morgenstern doesn't seem that powerful when he is encountered, but there has to be a fight or the series would be over before it started. Moreover, it is intruiging to watch these underdogs battle against his might by thinking up new tricks. Morgenstern seems too arrogant to fight back in the same way; he thinks he is already a superpower.

This could have been a very short series (like the classic very short cartoon, Bambi vs. Godzilla (I am not making this up; it exists)) if Morgenstern were as unbeatable as he thought he was. But the College has (until now) been able to block his attempts to find Al, again because Morgenstern has relied on power instead of skill. Morgenstern is definitely strong and skilful enough to destroy any wizard alive if he uses his skills instead of just blasting away or trying to light-bulb them to death. Now that he knows that he is still vulnerable, he will probably use spells instead of raw power in any future confrontation. But the Good Guys now have a number of tricks (Al's unfamiliar-to-Morgenstern Walachian magic, including the blackout spell, the change-to-mist, and the superspeed spell; mana sink spheres) in addition to Al's possible partial immunity to Morgenstern's power. Will it be enough? Stay tuned to this Bat-channel ... Robert M.

August 12, 2004, 01:11:29 AM by davjonz

OMG, I lost about three pages of post because I hit the back button to find the name of a story. Geez, I have a headache.

August 12, 2004, 01:56:28 AM by davjonz

Okay, I'm going to try this again, because I really enjoyed this story, Robert. This is going to be the Digest version of my original post, but here goes. I like this story. There is no need for concern; it stands on its own, leaving the reader fulfilled with the relevent facts, but hinting at a much broader world to be explored. The narrative never seemed to make overt assumptions of the reader's knowledge. Robert, you have reached that enviable point in your writing where any "mistakes" in your prose are usually a matter of taste; even semantics. I found myself envolved in this story; not reading, but seeing the tale -- something I strive for in my own work, but only rarely achieve. Lucky for you, Al is very long-lived compared to most short story characters. Nowhere is this more evident than in character depth and world development. Al lives in an extraordinary place. His world doesn't feel like it ends just outside the doors of his office. There are no blank white spaces at the end of every alley. Basically, it's cool. I'd love to live there if I were Talented. As for Morg's motives. . . I'm afraid I hardly noticed. I was too wrapped-up in the story by that point to wonder if a character would do something or not. When I'm that engrossed, I usually accept what characters do because my disbelief is pushed down below the high end of my spine. Of course the character did that! It's written right there! Here are my quibbles: First, I like how you used Al's ignorance of mana sinks to inform the reader. It was mostly seamless. Yeah, the idea of mana sinks isn't new (don't we all wish we could come up with a truly original idea?) but so what? they are new to Al and he acts the part convincingly; there is nothing forced about his lines. However (that's really just a big BUTt), I didn't feel drawn into this story from the beginning. Yes, we have a wizard, he solves crimes with magic, he has a pet demon (who wasn't there, but was painted in well [PINK? LOL]), yes he schmoozes with magical professors who let him in on cutting-edge research. . . but where's the story? Where's the hook? I hesistate to do this. . . please don't take it the wrong way, but I'd like to point out another story from this month's issue, _Absolution_. At the beginning of that story, the main character is in confession. His clothes are ripped, the usual priest _his priest_ has been replaced by some other guy, and he is worried that the new padre won't want to give him absolution for the things he is about to say. I'm NOT saying one story is better than the other. And your story certainly hooked me after the first section. But _Absolution_ posed questions that laid the groundwork for plot. Why ripped clothes, why is the usual padre gone, what will this guy confess? _A Matter of Urgency_ (a little ironc comparing title and first scene) did this a bit, asking why business is down for Al, though Al mostly satisfies that question with his own interior monologue-- business is bad because everyone is afraid of Al's archenemy. I did wonder what Al might do with the artifact sent to his office in a jar of water, but that detail didn't hint at story, just made me vaguely interested. There were a few points where I would have made different word choices, but again, that is a matter of taste. Overall I liked this story very much. My excuse: Whenever I critique, I always feel bad afterwards. I tend to avoid doing it. I like having someone point out where I made a mistake, but like Kurt Vonnegut once said, I also inwardly hate that person for daring to pick on one of my kids. It's good for me, and I know it. I usually come away with a much stronger story when I listen to readers' advice. But it still hurts. Knowing that hurt makes me reluctant to talk about someone elses story. For thsi reason I say take my quibbles like the soft sigh of wind on an otherwise calm day. Listen to it if you like, but ignore it otherwise. And please, feel free to rip my story in this issue to threads if you find outrageous errors. I'll thank you for it. . . eventually. -- david j

August 12, 2004, 07:20:23 AM by neoadorable

Nice one Robert, and this is coming from a total non-believer, utmost mana sink and anti-fantastical type of guy. But any story that uses "pearlescent" works for me, and i love the names you choose, like Prufrock, which i assume relates to the origin world's lack of faith in magic and fixation with so-called scientific reality. am i correct? Lee

August 12, 2004, 09:40:21 AM by Robert_Moriyama

Here are my quibbles:

... However (that's really just a big BUTt), I didn't feel drawn into this story from the beginning. Yes, we have a wizard, he solves crimes with magic, he has a pet demon (who wasn't there, but was painted in well [PINK? LOL]), yes he schmoozes with magical professors who let him in on cutting-edge research. . . but where's the story? Where's the hook?

..._A Matter of Urgency_ (a little ironc comparing title and first scene) ...

-- david j

Oddly enough, the earlier draft of the story started with Al and Janine testing the protective properties of the 'naked' (not enclosed in glass and water) mana sink. However, Cary Semar thought that there was too much backstory (in the form of a long and awkward narrative paragraph) and had other objections to how the scene was handled. Adding the scene with Sciavone allowed the mana sinks to be introduced in a more 'natural' way, but did delay the start of the action (burying the lead, in journalistic terms). I would have hoped that the reference to Morgenstern's destructive acts in the first paragraph would have whetted the appetite of the reader, but I guess it didn't work! The title refers (obliquely) to the 'urgency' of Janine and Billy's situation, and the speed spell Al uses to reach them in time, but might also refer to the overall Morgenstern situation. The Big M has escalated from spectacular but 'harmless' demonstrations (he carved an earlier demand for Al in meter-high letters on a mountainside) to major property damage (destroying a school); the next step might involve mass murder, since he views himself as a god and mere humans as unimportant. I'm glad that you liked the story overall, and am grateful for the constructive comments. Learning what DIDN'T quite work is useful (and confirms that the reader was paying attention). Robert M.

August 12, 2004, 09:48:53 AM by Robert_Moriyama

...i love the names you choose, like Prufrock, which i assume relates to the origin world's lack of faith in magic and fixation with so-called scientific reality. am i correct?

Lee

Prufrock is actually a character from another story of mine (well, three stories) in which he stubbornly refuses to believe in paranormal phenomena in spite of having them happen to him. (In 'Prufrock's Problem', he does mental gymnastics of Olympic quality to rationalize the otherworldly qualities of an alien whose ship crash-lands in his back yard.) He is named after the title character of the T. S. Eliot poem, 'The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock' (although the name has been bent a bit into Albert J. Prufrock), mainly because the Eliot character seems like the epitome of prissiness and stubborn adherence to cherished beliefs. 'Prufrock's Problem' appeared in the long-defunct Titan webzine some years ago; a revised and expanded version appeared in 'Planet Relish' last year. Planet Relish then folded. Hmm. Could the story be cursed??? Robert M.

August 12, 2004, 02:49:44 PM by neoadorable

Don't think it's cursed at all. probably has more to do with sci fi going through so many changes, some good some bad. Thanks for the explanation! Lee

Website · August 13, 2004, 12:10:50 AM by dsullivan

I thought this was a very good story. I like that the story is nearly all dialog, with narration held to a bare minimum. I've always wanted to write an all-dialog story, but narration always seems to sneak in on me. Anyways, the story is well written, draws the reader in (IMO), has all the elements of a good story--action, drama, adventure, and a good sprinkling of suspense and humor (horny pills for our demon--I liked that). I had only one problem with the story. I'll have to go along with Mizu Ash and Kailhofer on the plausibility of Morgenstern's mercy. I've read stories and seen flicks in the past, where our hero falls into the clutches of the villain and is completely at his mercy. The hero manages to escape only because the villain allows him to live. This is usually so that the villain can keep the hero around to gloat or to humiliate him. I've always felt a tad cheated when the hero doesn't use his or her own wits or ruses to escape. Robert, your after the fact explanation of Morgenstern's ego or fear being possible factors, kind of reminded me of the old 30 minute Alfred Hitchcock show. :-) Hitchcock often appeared after the show explaining (in his whimsical way) why this or that happened. All in all, a super story.

August 13, 2004, 12:55:19 PM by Jaimie

Prufrock! This wouldn't happen to be a homage to T.S. Eliot's poem 'The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock'? "In the room the women come and go Talking of Michelangelo." Although I wonder, since your character is named Albert instead of Alfred. Did bring back nostalgic memories, regardless. :-) [edit: Just read the previous posts, so I guess you did have T.S. Eliot in mind...] Okay, on to the story itself. Your prose is very clean. It's very heavy with dialog, but that's fine. I've been told by other writers it is preferable to use dialog over narrative, when you have a choice between the two. Personally, I like to insert non-verbal gestures during a character's dialog, the theory being most of what's communicated by a person is non-verbal (their facial expression, their stance, how they place their hands, nervous tics, etc), but that's more a style thing. You did an excellent job on making the coversations seem genuine. I liked the plot and the characters, although I must apologize that I did not read the Author's notes. I wanted to read the story without any influence. The story seemed to do fine without me doing so. There's only one item that I didn't care for. The ending. The villian should have blown them away. Egotistical in strategies is one thing, egotistical in tactics is another. If you have your enemy down, you finish him. I lost a lot of respect for Morgensterm, feeling he was incompetent. He took on a comicbook flavor at that point. Overall, I enjoyed the story quite a bit.

August 13, 2004, 01:18:20 PM by Robert_Moriyama

There's only one item that I didn't care for. The ending. The villian should have blown them away. Egotistical in strategies is one thing, egotistical in tactics is another. If you have your enemy down, you finish him. I lost a lot of respect for Morgensterm, feeling he was incompetent. He took on a comicbook flavor at that point.

If you read all the posts you'd have seen my earlier remarks -- fear may have played a part in Morgenstern's hasty departure. Besides, the series would end on kind of a grim note if the final scene had the College Masters (the senior and, aside from Morgenstern and possibly Al, the most powerful wizards) arriving only to find three piles of ashes on the floor (all that would be left of Al, Janine, and Billy)! Morgenstern will probably regain the respect of those who think he wimped out this time when he next appears, as he will be more than 'a big green lightbulb' -- he will show that he is a skillful and knowledgable wizard who happens to wield enormous power. Would you readers have been happier if Morgenstern had killed (say) Billy on the way out, just to be mean? Since he HAD defeated Billy himself (whereas Al had been exhausted upon arrival), he might have felt that doing so was acceptable under the Supervillain Code of Conduct ... You would? You're just prejudiced because Billy's a werewolf -- or maybe because he's a lawyer ... (Grumble grumble critics mutter mutter) Robert M.

August 13, 2004, 01:29:09 PM by Jaimie

If you read all the posts you'd have seen my earlier remarks -- fear may have played a part in Morgenstern's hasty departure. Besides, the series would end on kind of a grim note if the final scene had the College Masters (the senior and, aside from Morgenstern and possibly Al, the most powerful wizards) arriving only to find three piles of ashes on the floor (all that would be left of Al, Janine, and Billy)! Morgenstern will probably regain the respect of those who think he wimped out this time when he next appears, as he will be more than 'a big green lightbulb' -- he will show that he is a skillful and knowledgable wizard who happens to wield enormous power.

Would you readers have been happier if Morgenstern had killed (say) Billy on the way out, just to be mean? Since he HAD defeated Billy himself (whereas Al had been exhausted upon arrival), he might have felt that doing so was acceptable under the Supervillain Code of Conduct ... You would? You're just prejudiced because Billy's a werewolf -- or maybe because he's a lawyer ...

(Grumble grumble critics mutter mutter)
Robert M.

No, I think you missed the point. I wanted to see Billy win on his own merit, even if temporary, rather than rely on Morgenstern granting him a reprieve. And no, I don't have anything against werewolves. Elves, maybe, but not werewolves. ;-)

August 13, 2004, 08:55:06 PM by Vila

I'd avoid saying that to Trixie if I were you, Jaimie. LOL! Dan

August 13, 2004, 10:02:16 PM by Robert_Moriyama

And no, I don't have anything against werewolves. Elves, maybe, but not werewolves. ;-)

I'd avoid saying that to Trixie if I were you, Jaimie.
LOL!
Dan

Trixie, the Mare Inebrium waitress, is an elf? Man, I really have to check out the Mare bible again ... (Or did you mean that Trixie likes elves?) Robert M.

August 14, 2004, 08:17:27 PM by Vila

She's not full blooded, but she does have Sidhe ancestors on both sides of her family. Its just that little something extra. That's why her charisma is so powerful, as well as perhaps being able to give Max a long-term relationship. She may have a longer term, so to speak. Max has already outlived or seperated from countless previous wives... He has his mission, after all. Might be a good idea to take a look up the timestream to see how long Trixie lives. Could be a couple of hundred years, could be a couple of thousand. Could be that working at the Mare entails some *really* good health benefits! :D I'll have to go hang out in the Pantheon and talk some more with Ray and Dash. Gotta think it through. Dan

August 22, 2004, 12:56:14 PM by Robert_Moriyama

For anyone who found the character of Prufrock (from A Matter of Faith) interesting, the story that introduced him to the world (not Al's world!) may be appearing next month or the month after, assuming that Cary accepts it. The story, "Prufrock's Problem", originally appeared in Chad Cottle's Titan Webzine some years ago. An updated version appeared last year in Planet Relish. (Both Titan and Planet Relish are now defunct. Must be a coincidence, right?) So, if Cary is brave and open to expending electrons and server space on a retread, ... Robert M. This is, of course, a cheap way of getting the A Matter of Urgency topic back onto Page 1, and a shot at creating advance interest in the Prufrock story. It's a two-fer shameless plug, a first for this lettercol!

August 22, 2004, 01:26:07 PM by Therio

The story, "Prufrock's Problem", originally appeared in Chad Cottle's Titan Webzine

Are there other stories in the Al Majius continuum, (realizing that Prufock was not originally part of Al's world) that have appeared in other Webzines, but have not appeared here, and if so, any plans to submit them here? Kevin

August 22, 2004, 04:08:09 PM by Robert_Moriyama

Are there other stories in the Al Majius continuum, (realizing that Prufock was not originally part of Al's world) that have appeared in other Webzines, but have not appeared here, and if so, any plans to submit them here?

Kevin

I will admit that the first two Majius gang stories were submitted elsewhere (specifically, Strange Horizons and The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction) before coming to Aphelion. Neither of them made it. After the first few stories, when the Morgenstern plotline became a dominant factor, I really couldn't peddle the subsequent entries elsewhere because they did depend to some extent on What Has Gone Before. So, no, there are no 'lost episodes'. The complete Al Majius series (at least until the Morgenstern problem has been resolved) will appear here, as long as I can satisfy Cary's (or Jeff's, if the stories cross the 7,500 word limit) requirements ... Robert M. PS Why do you ask? Do you have the feeling you've missed something?

August 22, 2004, 05:28:09 PM by Therio

Why do you ask? Do you have the feeling you've missed something?

No, not at all. It's just that you had said one of Prufrock stories had been posted elsewhere, which got me to wondering if there had been any Al stories as well, which may have been stand alones, having nothing to do with the ongoing Morgenstern plotline. Kevin

August 22, 2004, 06:13:38 PM by kailhofer

It's a two-fer shameless plug, a first for this lettercol!

Shameless, indeed. At least I managed to bring up "Just Another Day at the Office" in two other threads now, legitimately. ;D Nate

August 22, 2004, 08:51:27 PM by Robert_Moriyama

Shameless, indeed.

At least I managed to bring up "Just Another Day at the Office" in two other threads now, legitimately. ;D

Nate

"Legitimately". Uh huh. Suuure. (I prefer to mention my stories as shining examples of what some other author has failed to accomplish in their work. You know, purely for their benefit.) Robert M.

August 22, 2004, 09:22:12 PM by kailhofer

"Legitimately". Uh huh. Suuure. (I prefer to mention my stories as shining examples of what some other author has failed to accomplish in their work. You know, purely for their benefit.)
Robert M.

"Hello, Mr. Kettle?" "Mr. Pot here. Just wanted you to know that you're looking a little black today." :) Nate