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Where to find Dave Summers' short fiction
and poetry in print or on
the web
Below is a listing of current and favorite short stories, poems, and maybe
even an essay or two. When possible,
I'll provide links to the magazine or anthology's homepage or other
ordering information. For those who are looking for a complete list of my
stories, poems and essays, there is a
complete bibliography that is current to the end of last year.
Recent Publications
Come spend the night with twice thirteen vampyr poets. Let their verses tickle your
ribs, penetrate your heart, and even leave you bleeding. All they ask in return is
a little immortality. Vampyr Verse contains 79 poems, plus a short story,
all devoted to that mysterious figure-the vampyr! These selections run the gamut
from pensive haiku to whimsical limericks to deadly serious free verse, and
everything between. At 86 pages, the book makes an excellent gift for anyone
aged 13 or older.This collection includes my poem "Skinwalker". Also included are a number of Tales of the Talisman alumni including David C. Kopaska-Merkel, Noel Sloboda, Marge Simon, and Gary Every.
Available directly from the publisher at www.vampyrverse.com or at Amazon.com.
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"Skinwalker" was a top-ten finisher in the 2009 Predators and Editors Reader's Poll |
My story "Through Fire and Snares" about terrorists who attack the third generation
International Space Station appears in
Wondrous Web Worlds, Volume 8. The terrorists in the story travel to the station
aboard a Soyuz capsule. The Soyuz has long fascinated me because it's a spacecraft
first developed in the 1960s that is still in use today and could be for the
forseeable future. In fact, there is some discussion that the first solar sail
could be deployed from a Soyuz.
Wondrous Web Worlds 8 also features stories and poems by such folks as
David Boop, Tyree Campbell, Marva Dasef, Susan Sailors and Cathy Buburuz. This is
an anthology well worth checking out.
My poem "A Tale of Three Worlds" is available in the summer 2009 issue of
Private International Review of Photographs and Texts.
The theme of both the poem and the issue as a whole is "ecological disaster."
Update: February 2010: "A Tale of Three Worlds has been nominated for the Rhysling Award. It will be
reprinted in the 2009 Rhysling Anthology.
Space Sirens is the second anthology of the Full-Throttle Space Tales series.
Edited by Carol Hightshoe, editor of The Lorelei Signal and Sorcerous Signals,
Space Sirens contains 19 seductive tales of women in space, by established and rising-star authors.
My story in the collection is "Hijacking the Legacy", which is set in the same universe as my
novel The Pirates of Sufiro. In the story, all Suki Mori wants to do is go home
after she finds herself among pirates. However, she finds that she has a home she never realized she had.Space Sirens is available at Amazon.com, www.flyingpenpress.com/catalog and wherever fine books are sold.
Sweat, Blood Dirt, Bulls Pain, Glory. Some people think this is a rodeo.Well... This Ain't No Rodeo. This is Bull Riding!
Inside these covers you will find stories about one of the toughest individual sports there is -- bull riding and those who participate. This exciting sport pits the riding skills, ability to read and interpret the animal athlete's movements, strength and sheer determination of the rider against the brute force,power and determination of a bull who doesn't want that rider on his back.
As exciting as the sport is to watch, it is very dangerous. This is not a team sport, and riders who aren't riding and winning; aren't making money.
Seventy-five percent of all proceeds from the sales of this book will be donated to the RRF - an organization that provides finacial assistence to those involved in the sport when they need it.
My story in this collection is called "Cherry Blossoms in the Springtime." It's an alternate history story that asks what would have happened if Mount Capulin in Northeastern New Mexico had errupted during the Great Depression. It's the bull rider versus the volcano in this exciting story that you won't want to miss. You'll also find great stories by Justin Stanchfield, Terry Bramlett and more all edited by Carol Hightshoe.
The book is available in both paperback and Kindle format at Amazon.com.
The Science Fiction Poetry Association is hosting the 2008 on-line Halloween Poetry Reading.
You can check it out at: www.sfpoetry.com/halloween.htmlI have a poem there inspired by a short story that appears in my new vampire book, Blood Sampler. You'll also find poems by David C. Kopaska-Merkel, Deborah P. Kolodji, Karen A. Romanko and more. Hope you'll stop by and listen to some great, spooky poetry.
If you'd like to know more about Blood Sampler and how to order a copy, drop over to my Book and Audio Book page.
"For a Job Well Done" appears in the Flying Pen Press anthology,
Space Pirates. This short story is
set in the same universe as my novel The Pirates of Sufiro and tells the
story of how Ellison Firebrandt met his lover, Suki Mori. Order it at
Amazon.com,
BarnesAndNoble.com
or direct from the publisher at
Flying Pen Press.
"The Captain's Leave" appears in the anthology
Ghost Town published by
Science Fiction Trails Publishing. Set in the same universe as The
Pirates of Sufiro and Children of the Old Stars this story is
about a space ship captain who feels like an alien on her own world. She
takes her first officer's advice and travels to old New Mexico where she is
made to feel welcome by a few ghosts of the old west. The book is available
from the publisher or at
The Genre Mall.
This is an anthology of Americana Poetry
edited by Melissa Guillet and it features my poem "Racing Amtrack" which is
a poem that links the modern world to ghosts of the past. The anthology
is available at Lulu.com
Five of my poems are currently featured at Private International Review of Photographs and Texts. The poems there are "The Refuge," "Lumps of Coal," "Pan de Muerto," "Uranus," and the previously unpublished "Ghosts of Christmas Past." These are all poems that express various aspects of love for my family, whether it be my wife, my kids, or even my parents. As such, they're a little different from other poems and stories you may have seen from me, but there's still a touch of science fiction and horror there. Enjoy!
"Jiang Shi" appears in the Walpurgisnacht
2008 issue of Hungur magazine. This story is a retelling of an Chinese
vampire folktale with a twist. In this case, the "demon" that possesses the
corpse isn't exactly what you would expect. You can order a copy of Hungur
from The Genre Mall.
Forthcoming Stories and Poems
What if the Amazons were a fae race, living in the mountains of Afghansistan? What if a missile from an unmanned Predator drone accidentally struck their home? Find out in the story "Amazons and Predators" that will be part of the anthology Bad-Ass Faeries 3: In All Their Glory coming in May 2010. From what I've been hearing, it sounds like there will be lots of other great stories as well.
Colonists aboard a sleeper ship bound for Sigma Draconis have developed a strange, intermittent case of anemia. One of the ship's engineers works to unravel the mystery. Doing so, sends her on a terrifying journey of discovery. My story "Anemia" will be published in the anthology Space Horrors coming Autumn 2010 from Flying Pen Press.
"The Vrykolakas and the Cobbler's Wife" will appear in an upcoming issue of Cemetery Dance Magazine. More information about the issue as it comes available. Set in Greece at the beginning of the twentieth century, the story was inspired by a Greek folktale related in Montague Summers' The Vampire in Europe and tells the story of a cobbler who was turned into a vrykolakas and then comes back to haunt his family.
A Selection of Older Stories and Poems
"The Slayers" was in the August 2001 issue of
Realms of Fantasy.
Dragons are big, ferocious beasts that breathe fire. They eat people, but the fuel for their fire-breathing is very useful in lamps and for other things. What happens when the slaying of dragons is no longer the purvue of the lone knight on a steed but becomes a business enterprise that is little more than sanctioned wholesale slaughter? Find out the answer in this issue!
For years, I've been telling people, if you write fantasy or science fiction, you've got to do new things rather than just rehash the same old stuff. This is the story where I put my money where my big mouth is. Let me know what you think.
The artwork accompanying the story is by Mark Harrison and it's simply
breathtaking. The illustration is worth the price of admission
alone.
Look for my short story "The Persian Witch" in Trails: Intriguing Stories of the Wild West.
This story is about a sheriff in the small town of Socorro, New Mexico who meets a
woman from Persia who seems able to charm owls. The anthology also features stories by
Paul Victor Wargelin, Lyn McConchie, Robert E. Vardeman, Uncle River, Valerie Hunter
and David B. Riley. It may be purchased at
The Genre Mall. Search under "Anthologies."
"Electric Kachinas" appears in issue number 2 of
Science Fiction Trails. The story continues the adventures of Ramon and Fatemeh
from the story, "The Persian Witch" that appeared in Trails: Intriguing Stories of the
Wild West. In the new story, Ramon and Fatemeh travel south to Palomas Hot Springs
where they meet Ramon's cousin Eduardo and a mysterious Native American who is very
possessive of his kachina dolls.
I had two poems in the special science fiction section in the Spring/Summer 2005
issue of The Santa Clara Review. Also included in the science fiction
section are poems by Mike Allen, Sandra Lindow, Timons Esaias, and Peter Roberts and fiction
by J.K. Mason and Tobias Seamon. My poems are "Pluto and Charon" and "The Spaceport."
"Cinnamon Hot Chocolate and Gold" and "Night of the Long Run" are stories that appeared in Small Bites edited by Keith Gouveia and Garrett Peck. Small Bites was a benefit anthology for the late Charles Grant. Among the contributors were Lois Tilton, Tim Lebbon, Del Stone Jr., Weston Ochse, and many more. This collection was on the preliminary ballot for the Stoker Award.
"Mars" is in issue 27.3 (May/June 2004) of the Science Fiction Poetry Association's journal, Star*Line. In addition to my poem, I see there are poems by Hadrosaur Tales contributors Sonya Taaffe and John Grey.