"Where are you from?" She was growing more confident. She unlim-bered the gun from its enclosure and poked him with the pistol's muzzle.

"It really doesn't matter anymore," he said. "You're talking to a dead man."

He turned his back on her and began shambling off in the direction of the terminal.

"Wait," she said, sheathing the gun. "Come with me."

Safiya had never, in all her time at the hide factory, been back to the building so late in the day. Valvay did not ask her to work late and no functions were held behind its doors after the tanners and seamstresses had downed tools. She wondered, as she bypassed security, whether Valvay would still be in his office, or had decided to go hunting for women in the fevered carnival streets. The temptation would surely be too great for him, she thought, with a smile. The books could wait when there was so much flesh caroming around the city.

She led the way through a great hall of stitching machines, pistons raised into the heights like steel elbows. She was used to the rich, animal smell, the ammoniac tang of the treatment baths, the brown stench of the tannery, but the man was suffering, trying to cover his mouth and nose with the strap of his bindle.

Kerao slid out of the shadows ahead, his slingshot draped loosely at his hips. An insouciant smile, the ever-present smolder of his resin crucible cupped in his fingers. The sharp hit of it reached her seconds later. It was a wonder that he could draw a bead on anything after breathing that for most of his shift. But the fruits of his labor were there to see. A stack of pale, hairless bodies: rind rats, attracted to the factory by the smell of wet membranes. Kerao was good at his job.

"Valvay's going to void bodkins if he finds out you're bringing lovers back to his factory."

"He won't find out," Safiya snapped. 'And anyway, this is no more my lover than you are my future husband. He's hurt. He needs help."

Kerao lazily traced the shape of his weapon with a finger. He eyed the other man keenly. "What's your name?" he asked.

"I don't need to answer you."

Kerao spread his hands. "Of course not. I was being friendly. Cannot a man cheated of his time at the Festival take advantage of an unexpected visit? Eke out a little warmth from his fellow man?"

He followed, strolling, occasionally loading and emptying his slingshot with hands that knew the task so well they didn't need his eyes to guide them anymore.

They passed through to a room with a bench and a sink and a red chest. From the chest, Safiya pulled a small, lozenge-shaped disc. She pressed her patient into the seat and tenderly wiped the ugly, puffy wound with a wipe teased from a clear envelope. The man clenched his jaw. "Wait," Safiya said. She positioned the lozenge over the wound and gently shook it. Thin wafers, the color of wet cement, slid out on to the wound, concealing it. A second or two, a flare of intense light, and the smell of burned flesh. The man might have passed out had he known what was coming, but the heat was bearable. He shot Safiya a quizzical glance.

"There's an anesthetic in there. It's heat-sealed now. No threat of infection. I just hope it will heal okay."

There was a clean, soft moment of calm. Nobody talked. A veil came down. Safiya and the man shared a smile. Their first. Their last.

A sound, a soft pop in triplicate, audible over the dulled fizz of the crowd outside.

The wall next to Kerao sprouted a red branch; Kerao looked down at his chest and spread his hands, as if to say How am I going to wash that out? How am I going to wash that out? He crumpled, the breath grunting out of him as his body found new, awkward configurations on the way down. He crumpled, the breath grunting out of him as his body found new, awkward configurations on the way down.

Safiya thrust out her hand. The man took it. She risked a look behind her as she ran with him through a pair of wooden doors and down the stairs to the chaos of Poonma Way.

Men strolling through the bands of shadow in the sweatshop, reloading, their targets locked on retinas that would not refresh for any other image until they had been dispatched.

The terminal was a great, bronze slab, like a monumental piece of machinery built only for the purpose of processing people. It sucked them in and churned them through ticket barriers and security grilles. It forced them through the mangle of soup huts and noodle hammocks; tiers of families hawking poorly manufactured bracelets and charms; men or women or inbetweeners offering equally poor services in hastily erected tents along the platforms. Heat and smoke rose to the rafters in the enormous train shed where it condensed and returned to the ground as a bitter, tarry rain.

The man was looking around him nervously, sweating hard, the salp wound, though thermosealed, turning the skin of his leg the color of unripe calloon fruit.

Normally, this area, with its promise of departure, would inspire Safiya with excitement. She had always loved the noise and movement, the scorch of demon's-prick chilis in the air, the hiss and roar of food being cooked for impatient travelers. The haggling, the thick din of debate, the curiously attractive trilling of the sirens and horns on the great trains. Now all she saw was threat.

Beige meringues of filth quivered in the ditches by the roadside. Beggars with stumps pleaded for money or food or regenerative hormone gels. A herd of thuc, painted with slashes of brilliant paint, turned onto the main drag. Acrobats and jugglers fussed and fretted at the clawed feet of the beasts, dared to get close enough to pin banners and pennants on to their plated hides.

There was a sense of arrival. The Festival seemed to be spiraling into the centre of things, both in terms of location and time. There was a feeling of criticality. The smoke and the stir the electricity of the moment turned the twilight sky into something bewitching, palpable.

At that moment, a dark seam split the heavens.

Safiya looked up to see what resembled a smudged purple underscore on a pale grey page. The leading point of it slowed and smeared and grew. She was put in mind of a sleeping bird at its roost, unfurling great wings in the moments before flight. She had to turn away when the thing's head shifted to show her a flash of too many teeth crammed into a mouth that seemed ill-suited to contain them.

What she hoped were firecrackers began exploding throughout the square abutting Battidarmala station's grand entrance. The energy of the crowd changed. Movement became less sinuous, more arbitrary. People began screaming. Pockets of red mist burst into the sky and hung there in the heat. She was no longer able to keep track of the specter in the sky, or what its smoking eyes were trying to fasten on in the crowd.

"Keranjian mani?Irith cullviridim?Anji?Ordu?"

The words, anger-spiced, pealed from the howls of desperation like something exotic freed from a bottle of vapors. She knew this tongue, but had not heard it spoken on the streets of her city before. "Nobody would dare," she cried.

The man she had rescued was crouched, crabbing his way toward shelter. He was volleying back sentences of Dardarbji over the uncertain heads of the Festival-goers. It was not yet apparent where the danger was coming from. Only that it was coming.

"Huth ninia," he shrieked: he shrieked: There was another. There was another.

Then he turned to her. "Barafil tau! Get down!"

A great bronze ripple bent the aspect of the sky. She felt its heat reduce her hair to stubble as it passed overhead. It was spent almost immediately. When she was able to blink moisture back into her eyes, the man was gone and every tree along the Khunds Road was ablaze.

Recommended Reading

THE FOLLOWING LIST of "New Weird" novels and single-author story collections is by no means exhaustive and should be considered a "jumping off" point for readers interested in further exploration. This list includes some material that might be considered "stimuli" to the New Weird rather than New Weird itself. It does not include the small offshoot of what might be termed "space opera" New Weird represented by writers such as Alastair Reynolds and Iain M. Banks. THE EDITORS

BARKER, CLIVE.

The Books of Blood (vols. 1-3) (1984) BISHOP, K. J. (vols. 1-3) (1984) BISHOP, K. J.

The Etched City (2003) BRITTON, DAVID (2003) BRITTON, DAVID Lord Horror (1990) (1990) Motherfuckers: The Auschwitz of Oz (1996) CALDER, RICHARD (1996) CALDER, RICHARD Dead Girls Dead Girls (1992) (1992) Dead Boys Dead Boys (1994) (1994) Dead Things Dead Things (1996) (1996) Cythera Cythera (1998) (1998) The Twist The Twist (1999) (1999) Malignos Malignos (2000) (2000) Impakto Impakto (2001) (2001) CAMPBELL, ALAN.

Scar Night (2006) (2006) CISCO, MICHAEL.

The Divinity Student (1999) (1999) The Tyrant The Tyrant (2003) (2003) The San Veneficio Canon The San Veneficio Canon (2004) (2004) The Traitor The Traitor (2007) (2007) CONSTANTINE, STORM.

Wraeththu (omnibus) (1993) (omnibus) (1993) DI FILIPPO, PAUL.

A Year in the Linear City (2002) (2002) FORD, JEFFREY.

The Physiognomy (1997) (1997) Memoranda Memoranda (1999) (1999) The Beyond The Beyond (2001) (2001) GENTLE, MARY.

Scholars and Soldiers (1989) (1989) Rats and Gargoyles (1990) (1990) The Architecture ofDesire: A Secret History (1991) (1991) Ash (2000) (2000) GILMAN, FELIX.

Thunderer (2008) (2008) HARRISON, M. JOHN.

The Pastel City (1971) (1971) A Storm of Wings (1980) (1980) In Viriconium (1982) (1982) The Course of the Heart (1992) (1992) Signs of Life (1996) (1996) Things That Never Happen (2002) (2002) Viriconium (omnibus) (2005) (omnibus) (2005) INGS, SIMON.

City of the Iron Fish (1994) (1994) KOJA, KATHE.

The Cipher (1991) (1991) Bad Brains Bad Brains (1992) (1992) Skin (1993) (1993) Strange Angels Strange Angels (1994) (1994) Kink Kink (1996) KROHN, LEENA (1996) KROHN, LEENA Tainaron (2004) (2004) LAKE, JAY.

Trial of Flowers (2006) (2006) Madness ofFlowers Madness ofFlowers (2008) (2008) MIeVILLE, CHINA.

Perdido Street Station (2000) (2000) The Scar The Scar (2002) (2002) The Tain The Tain (2002) (2002) Iron Council Iron Council (2004) (2004) MOORCOCK, MICHAEL.

The Stealer of Souls (1963) (1963) The Final Programme The Final Programme (1969) (1969) Gloriana Gloriana (1978) (1978) Byzantium Endures Byzantium Endures (1981) (1981) The Laughter of Carthage The Laughter of Carthage (1984) (1984) Mother London Mother London (1988) (1988) Jerusalem Commands Jerusalem Commands (1992) (1992) The Vengeance of Rome The Vengeance of Rome (2006) (2006) PEAKE, MERVYN.

Titus Groan (1946) (1946) Gormenghast Gormenghast (1950) (1950) Titus Alone Titus Alone (1959) (1959) ROYLE, NICHOLAS.

Counterparts (1993) (1993) The Matter of the Heart (1997) (1997) SWAINSTON, STEPH.

The Year of Our War (2004) No Present Like Time (2005) The Modern World (2007; published as (2007; published as Dangerous Offspring Dangerous Offspring in the United States) in the United States) THOMAS, JEFFREY.

Punktown (2000) (2000) Deadstock Deadstock (2007) (2007) VANDERMEER, JEFF.

Dradin, In Love (1996) (1996) City ofSaints & Madmen (2001) (2001) Veniss Underground (2003) (2003) City ofSaints & Madmen (2003; expanded edition) (2003; expanded edition) Secret Life (2004) (2004) Shriek An Afterword (2006) (2006) The Situation (2008) (2008) WILLIAMS, CONRAD.

London Revenant (2004) (2004) The Unblemished The Unblemished (2006) (2006)

Biographical Notes .

DANIEL ABRAHAM has published over two dozen short stories, winning the International Horror Guild Award for one of them. His upcoming publications include a novel written in collaboration with George R. R. Martin and Gardner Dozois has published over two dozen short stories, winning the International Horror Guild Award for one of them. His upcoming publications include a novel written in collaboration with George R. R. Martin and Gardner Dozois (Hunter'sRun), (Hunter'sRun), a six-issue original comic book through the Dabel Brothers and Marvel Comics a six-issue original comic book through the Dabel Brothers and Marvel Comics (Wild Cards: Hard Call), (Wild Cards: Hard Call), and the third and fourth novels of his Long Price Quartet (An and the third and fourth novels of his Long Price Quartet (An Autumn War Autumn War and and The Price of Spring). The Price of Spring). He lives in New Mexico with his wife and daughter. He lives in New Mexico with his wife and daughter.

CLIVE BARKER began his career in the arts as a playwright and director but began writing horror short stories in his spare time. In 1984 they were published, in three volumes, as began his career in the arts as a playwright and director but began writing horror short stories in his spare time. In 1984 they were published, in three volumes, as The Books of Blood. The Books of Blood. Propelled by a Stephen King jacket quotation which read "I have seen the future of horror and its name is Clive Barker," the books sold extremely well and launched an award-winning career as a novelist and film director. Propelled by a Stephen King jacket quotation which read "I have seen the future of horror and its name is Clive Barker," the books sold extremely well and launched an award-winning career as a novelist and film director.

K. J. BISHOP has written one novel, has written one novel, The Etched City The Etched City (described in (described in Hoegbotton's Field Guide to the New Weird Hoegbotton's Field Guide to the New Weird as "a digressive, plotless book about nobodies who achieve nothing"), nominated for a World Fantasy Award in 2004, and a small number of short stories. While continuing to work on a second book, she has caught the blogging bug and is currently producing an online comic, as "a digressive, plotless book about nobodies who achieve nothing"), nominated for a World Fantasy Award in 2004, and a small number of short stories. While continuing to work on a second book, she has caught the blogging bug and is currently producing an online comic, Ecchi no City, Ecchi no City, which makes amends for the heteronormativity of the abovementioned novel. She lives in Bangkok. which makes amends for the heteronormativity of the abovementioned novel. She lives in Bangkok.

MICHAEL CISCO is the author of is the author of The Divinity Student, The Tyrant, The San Veneficio Canon, The Divinity Student, The Tyrant, The San Veneficio Canon, and a contributor to and a contributor to The Thackery T. Lambshead Pocket Guide to Eccentric and Discredited Diseases, Leviathan The Thackery T. Lambshead Pocket Guide to Eccentric and Discredited Diseases, Leviathan 3 and 4, and 3 and 4, and Album Zutique. Album Zutique. In 1999, his debut work received the International Horror Guild Award for best first novel. His nonfiction appears in reference books published by Chelsea House and the Gale Group. Awarded his Ph.D. in English literature in 2003 (New York University), he is currently preparing his first critical work, In 1999, his debut work received the International Horror Guild Award for best first novel. His nonfiction appears in reference books published by Chelsea House and the Gale Group. Awarded his Ph.D. in English literature in 2003 (New York University), he is currently preparing his first critical work, Supernatural Embarrassment, Supernatural Embarrassment, for publication. for publication.

PAUL DI FILIPPO, a Rhode Island native, has lived in the Lovecraftian stomping grounds of Providence for the past thirty-one years. His partner of that duration is Deborah Newton, and currently they play host to a cat named Penny Century and a chocolate cocker spaniel named what else? Brownie. He sold his first story in 1977, and well over one hundred since. His new novel, Cosmocopia, Cosmocopia, will appear in early 2008. will appear in early 2008.

HAL DUNCAN was born in 1971 and lives in the West End of Glasgow. A long-standing member of the Glasgow SF Writers Circle, his first novel, was born in 1971 and lives in the West End of Glasgow. A long-standing member of the Glasgow SF Writers Circle, his first novel, Vellum, Vellum, was nominated for the Crawford Award, the British Fantasy Society Award and the World Fantasy Award. The sequel, was nominated for the Crawford Award, the British Fantasy Society Award and the World Fantasy Award. The sequel, Ink, Ink, is available from Pan Macmillan in the UK and Del Rey in the US, while a novella is due out in November 2007 from MonkeyBrain Books. is available from Pan Macmillan in the UK and Del Rey in the US, while a novella is due out in November 2007 from MonkeyBrain Books.

BRIAN EVENSON is the Director of the Literary Arts Program at Brown University. He is the author of six books of fiction, most recently is the Director of the Literary Arts Program at Brown University. He is the author of six books of fiction, most recently The Wavering Knife The Wavering Knife (which won the International Horror Guild Award for best story collection) and (which won the International Horror Guild Award for best story collection) and The Brotherhood of Mutilation. The Brotherhood of Mutilation. He has translated work by Christian Gailly, Jean Fremon and Jacques Jouet. He has received an O. Henry Prize as well as an NEA fellowship. He has translated work by Christian Gailly, Jean Fremon and Jacques Jouet. He has received an O. Henry Prize as well as an NEA fellowship.

JEFFREY FORD'S stories and novels have been nominated multiple times for the World Fantasy Award, the Hugo Award, the Nebula Award, the Theodore Sturgeon Award, the International Horror Guild Award, the Fountain Award, and the Edgar Allan Poe Award. He has been the recipient of three World Fantasy Awards, for his second novel The Physiognomy, The Physiognomy, the short story collection the short story collection The Fantasy Writer's Assistant and Other Stories, The Fantasy Writer's Assistant and Other Stories, and his short story "Creation." and his short story "Creation."

FELIX GILMAN was born and raised in London. He currently lives in New York, where he works as a lawyer. His first novel, was born and raised in London. He currently lives in New York, where he works as a lawyer. His first novel, Thunderer, Thunderer, will be published by Bantam Spectra in early 2008. will be published by Bantam Spectra in early 2008.

M. JOHN HARRISON recently won the Arthur C. Clarke Award for his novel recently won the Arthur C. Clarke Award for his novel Nova Swing. Nova Swing. Other books include Other books include In Viriconium, In Viriconium, nominated for the Guardian Fiction Prize, nominated for the Guardian Fiction Prize, Climbers, Climbers, which won the Boardman Tasker Memorial Award, and which won the Boardman Tasker Memorial Award, and Light, Light, co-winner of the 2003 James Tiptree, Jr. Award. His short stories have appeared in many venues, including the co-winner of the 2003 James Tiptree, Jr. Award. His short stories have appeared in many venues, including the Times Literary Supplement Times Literary Supplement and the and the Independent. Independent. Since 1991 he has reviewed fiction for Since 1991 he has reviewed fiction for TLS, TLS, the the Guardian Guardian and the and the Daily Telegraph, Daily Telegraph, and young adult fiction in the and young adult fiction in the New York Times. New York Times.

SIMON INGS was born with a gift for numbers called "synaesthesia," the ability to experience regular mathematical patterns as colors behind his eyes. Around the age of nineteen, his synaesthesia started to fade, and he began writing novels in an attempt to explore the loss. Ings has since taken up more direct ways of dealing with these ideas he is currently working on the science book was born with a gift for numbers called "synaesthesia," the ability to experience regular mathematical patterns as colors behind his eyes. Around the age of nineteen, his synaesthesia started to fade, and he began writing novels in an attempt to explore the loss. Ings has since taken up more direct ways of dealing with these ideas he is currently working on the science book The Eye: A Natural History The Eye: A Natural History but numbers continue to exert a strong pull on his fiction, as the title of his fantastically intricate twentieth-century historical epic but numbers continue to exert a strong pull on his fiction, as the title of his fantastically intricate twentieth-century historical epic The Weight ofNumbers The Weight ofNumbers attests. attests.

KATHE KOJA has written numerous novels for young people and for adults, including has written numerous novels for young people and for adults, including Skin Skin and and The Cipher; The Cipher; her most recent is her most recent is Kissing the Bee Kissing the Bee (Fsg/Foster). She lives in the Detroit area with her husband, artist Rick Lieder, and blogs at (Fsg/Foster). She lives in the Detroit area with her husband, artist Rick Lieder, and blogs at koja.wordpress.com. koja.wordpress.com.

LEENA KROHN is a Finnish author who has received several prizes, including the Finlandia Prize for literature in 1992. Her short novel is a Finnish author who has received several prizes, including the Finlandia Prize for literature in 1992. Her short novel Tainaron: Mail from Another City Tainaron: Mail from Another City was nominated for a World Fantasy Award and International Horror Guild Award in 2005. Her books have been translated into English, Swedish, Estonian, Hungarian, Russian, Japanese, Latvian, French, and Norwegian. was nominated for a World Fantasy Award and International Horror Guild Award in 2005. Her books have been translated into English, Swedish, Estonian, Hungarian, Russian, Japanese, Latvian, French, and Norwegian.

JAY LAKE lives in Portland, Oregon, where he works on numerous writing and editing projects. Recent novels include lives in Portland, Oregon, where he works on numerous writing and editing projects. Recent novels include Trial ofFlowers Trial ofFlowers from Night Shade Books and from Night Shade Books and Mainspring Mainspring from Tor Books, with sequels to both books due in 2008. Lake won the 2004 John W. Campbell Award for Best New Writer, and has been a multiple nominee for the Hugo and World Fantasy Awards. Jay can be reached through his blog at from Tor Books, with sequels to both books due in 2008. Lake won the 2004 John W. Campbell Award for Best New Writer, and has been a multiple nominee for the Hugo and World Fantasy Awards. Jay can be reached through his blog at jaylake. livejournal.com. jaylake. livejournal.com.

MIKE LIBBY is a multi-disciplinary artist who makes sculptures, models, collages, and drawings in a variety of media. For the past eight years, aside from developing his main body of work, Libby has maintained the side project of Insect Lab. In this widely acclaimed and extensive series, he adorns and integrates antique watch parts and electronic components with preserved insect specimens. Borrowing from both science fiction and science fact, these customized invertebrates present the confluences and contradictions between technology and nature, while providing visually rich results. is a multi-disciplinary artist who makes sculptures, models, collages, and drawings in a variety of media. For the past eight years, aside from developing his main body of work, Libby has maintained the side project of Insect Lab. In this widely acclaimed and extensive series, he adorns and integrates antique watch parts and electronic components with preserved insect specimens. Borrowing from both science fiction and science fact, these customized invertebrates present the confluences and contradictions between technology and nature, while providing visually rich results.

THOMAS LIGOTTI has published several books now considered classics of dark fantasy, including has published several books now considered classics of dark fantasy, including Songs of a Dead Dreamer Songs of a Dead Dreamer and and Grimscribe. Grimscribe. His work appears regularly in horror and fantasy magazines. An interest in music led him to a collaboration with the musical group Current 93 to produce His work appears regularly in horror and fantasy magazines. An interest in music led him to a collaboration with the musical group Current 93 to produce In a Foreign Town, In a Foreign Land, In a Foreign Town, In a Foreign Land, a book accompanied by a CD containing background sounds and music intended to accompany the reading. a book accompanied by a CD containing background sounds and music intended to accompany the reading.

DARJA MALCOME-CLARKE holds Masters degrees in Folklore and in English and is a Ph.D. candidate in the latter at Indiana University. Her areas of study are post-World War II literature (especially that of the speculative persuasion), gender and embodiment in literature and culture, and feminist theory. Her paper entitled "Subversive Metropolis: The Grotesque Body in the Phantasmic Urban Landscape," which addresses works by New Weird writers, won the International Association for the Fantastic in the Arts Graduate Student Award in 2006 and can be found in the Spring 2006 issue of holds Masters degrees in Folklore and in English and is a Ph.D. candidate in the latter at Indiana University. Her areas of study are post-World War II literature (especially that of the speculative persuasion), gender and embodiment in literature and culture, and feminist theory. Her paper entitled "Subversive Metropolis: The Grotesque Body in the Phantasmic Urban Landscape," which addresses works by New Weird writers, won the International Association for the Fantastic in the Arts Graduate Student Award in 2006 and can be found in the Spring 2006 issue ofJournal of the Fantastic in the Arts. She attended Clarion West in 2004, and her fiction has appeared or is forthcoming in She attended Clarion West in 2004, and her fiction has appeared or is forthcoming in Clarkesworld Magazine, Clarkesworld Magazine, the anthology the anthology TEL: Stories, Fantasy Magazine, Ideomancer, TEL: Stories, Fantasy Magazine, Ideomancer, and elsewhere. She is an articles editor for the online magazine and elsewhere. She is an articles editor for the online magazine Strange Horizons. Strange Horizons.

CHINA MIeVILLE was born in London in 1972. When he was eighteen, he lived and taught English in Egypt, where he developed an interest in Arab culture and Middle Eastern politics. Mieville has a B.A. in social anthropology from Cambridge and a Masters with distinction from the London School of Economics. His novel was born in London in 1972. When he was eighteen, he lived and taught English in Egypt, where he developed an interest in Arab culture and Middle Eastern politics. Mieville has a B.A. in social anthropology from Cambridge and a Masters with distinction from the London School of Economics. His novel Perdido Street Station Perdido Street Station won the Arthur C. Clarke Award and was nominated for a British Science Fiction Association Award. Subsequent novels won the Arthur C. Clarke Award and was nominated for a British Science Fiction Association Award. Subsequent novels The Scar The Scar and and Iron Council Iron Council have been up for multiple awards. He lives in London, England. have been up for multiple awards. He lives in London, England.

SARAH MONETTE, having completed her Ph.D. in English literature, now lives and writes in a one-hundred-and-one-year-old house in the Upper Midwest. Her novels are published by Ace Books, and her short fiction has appeared in many places, including Strange Horizons, Clarkesworld Magazine, Alchemy, Strange Horizons, Clarkesworld Magazine, Alchemy, and and Lady Churchill's Rosebud Wristlet. Lady Churchill's Rosebud Wristlet. Visit her online at Visit her online atwww.sarahmonette.com.

MICHAEL MOORCOCK is an iconic figure in literature, having written in perhaps every genre as well as producing such mainstream classics as is an iconic figure in literature, having written in perhaps every genre as well as producing such mainstream classics as Mother London. Mother London. A multiple award-winner, he lives in Bastrop, Texas, with his wife Linda and several cats. A multiple award-winner, he lives in Bastrop, Texas, with his wife Linda and several cats.

CAT RAMBO lives and writes in the Pacific Northwest with her charming spouse, Wayne. She is a graduate of both Clarion West and the Johns Hopkins Writing Seminars. Among the places in which her work has appeared are lives and writes in the Pacific Northwest with her charming spouse, Wayne. She is a graduate of both Clarion West and the Johns Hopkins Writing Seminars. Among the places in which her work has appeared are Fantasy Magazine, Strange Horizons, Asimov's SF, Fantasy Magazine, Strange Horizons, Asimov's SF, and and Subterranean. Subterranean. Cat Rambo is indeed her real name. Cat Rambo is indeed her real name.

ALISTAIR RENNIE was born in the North of Scotland and now lives in Bologna, Italy, where he works as an assistant editor. Prior to moving abroad, he worked as a painter and decorator and a core hand in the North Sea oil industry before studying and teaching literature at the Universities of Aberdeen and Edinburgh. He has published short fiction in was born in the North of Scotland and now lives in Bologna, Italy, where he works as an assistant editor. Prior to moving abroad, he worked as a painter and decorator and a core hand in the North Sea oil industry before studying and teaching literature at the Universities of Aberdeen and Edinburgh. He has published short fiction in Electric Velocipede Electric Velocipede and and Shadowed Realms Shadowed Realms and non-fiction in the and non-fiction in the Scottish Literary Journal Scottish Literary Journal and Anna Tambour's and Anna Tambour's Virtuous Medlar Circle. Virtuous Medlar Circle. His forthcoming publications include short stories in His forthcoming publications include short stories in Electric Velocipede Electric Velocipede and in the British anthology and in the British anthology Fabulous Whitby Fabulous Whitby (edited by Liz Williams and Sue Thomason). Among other things, Rennie is a keen musician and regular practitioner of outdoor activities and mountain sports, with a general interest in meteorology, wildlife, and folklore. (edited by Liz Williams and Sue Thomason). Among other things, Rennie is a keen musician and regular practitioner of outdoor activities and mountain sports, with a general interest in meteorology, wildlife, and folklore.

STEPH SWAINSTON is the author of three novels, is the author of three novels, The Year ofOurWar, No Present Like Time, The Year ofOurWar, No Present Like Time, and and The Modern World, The Modern World, the source of the excerpt in this volume. She studied archaeology at Cambridge and then worked as an archaeologist for three years, gaining an M.Phil. from the University of Wales. She has also researched herbal medicine and discovered traditional medicinal plants new to science. Swainston is a past finalist for the John W. Campbell Award and the British Fantasy Award. the source of the excerpt in this volume. She studied archaeology at Cambridge and then worked as an archaeologist for three years, gaining an M.Phil. from the University of Wales. She has also researched herbal medicine and discovered traditional medicinal plants new to science. Swainston is a past finalist for the John W. Campbell Award and the British Fantasy Award.

JEFFREY THOMAS has set a series of novels and short stories in the milieu of his story has set a series of novels and short stories in the milieu of his story Immolation, Immolation, which include the novels which include the novels Deadstock, Blue War, Health Agent, Deadstock, Blue War, Health Agent, and and Monstrocity, Monstrocity, plus the collections plus the collections Punk-town, Punktown: Shades of Grey Punk-town, Punktown: Shades of Grey and and Punktown: Third Eye. Punktown: Third Eye. In addition, Thomas's work has appeared in such anthologies as In addition, Thomas's work has appeared in such anthologies as The Year's Best Fantasy and Horror, The Year's Best Horror Stories, The Solaris Book of New Science Fiction, Leviathan The Year's Best Fantasy and Horror, The Year's Best Horror Stories, The Solaris Book of New Science Fiction, Leviathan 3 and 3 and The Thackery T. Lambshead Pocket Guide to Eccentric and Discredited Diseases. The Thackery T. Lambshead Pocket Guide to Eccentric and Discredited Diseases. Thomas lives with his wife Hong in Massachusetts. Thomas lives with his wife Hong in Massachusetts.

CONRAD WILLIAMS was born in 1969 and has been a published writer since 1988. He has sold around eighty short stories to a diverse range of publications and anthologies. He is the author of three novels, was born in 1969 and has been a published writer since 1988. He has sold around eighty short stories to a diverse range of publications and anthologies. He is the author of three novels, Head Injuries, London Revenant, Head Injuries, London Revenant, and and The Unblemished; The Unblemished; three novellas, three novellas, Nearly People, Game, Nearly People, Game, and and The Scalding Rooms; The Scalding Rooms; and a collection of short stories, and a collection of short stories, Use Once Then Destroy. Use Once Then Destroy. He is a past recipient of the Littlewood Arc Prize and the British Fantasy Award. He lives in Manchester with his wife, the writer Rhonda Carrier, their sons, Ethan and Ripley, and a monster Maine Coon cat called Reddie. He is a past recipient of the Littlewood Arc Prize and the British Fantasy Award. He lives in Manchester with his wife, the writer Rhonda Carrier, their sons, Ethan and Ripley, and a monster Maine Coon cat called Reddie.

Editors: ANN VANDERMEER has been a publisher for over twenty years, running her award-winning Buzzcity Press. Currently, she serves as the fiction editor for has been a publisher for over twenty years, running her award-winning Buzzcity Press. Currently, she serves as the fiction editor for Weird Tales Weird Tales magazine. She lives in Tallahassee, Florida, with co-editor Jeff VanderMeer. magazine. She lives in Tallahassee, Florida, with co-editor Jeff VanderMeer.

JEFF VANDERMEER is a two-time winner of the World Fantasy Award and author of such books as is a two-time winner of the World Fantasy Award and author of such books as Veniss Underground, City ofSaints & Madmen, Veniss Underground, City ofSaints & Madmen, and and Shriek: An Afterword. Shriek: An Afterword. The VanderMeers are currently editing the anthologies The VanderMeers are currently editing the anthologies Best American Fantasy, Fast Ships/Black Sails, Steampunk, Last Drink Bird Head, Best American Fantasy, Fast Ships/Black Sails, Steampunk, Last Drink Bird Head, and and The Leonardo Variations, The Leonardo Variations, a Clarion charity anthology, among others. a Clarion charity anthology, among others.