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Feedback for “Best in Class”

November 24, 2008 in General Topics

Here’s some feedback for “Best in Class”, recently published in Murky Depths #6 and as a freebie on Variant Frequencies. I deeply appreciate this feedback, no matter its nature:

Feedback on Murky Depths’ forum:

So what’s your favourite story in Issue #6?

“Best In Class” by [Jonathan C.] Gillespie is probably mine.

I’m struggling to decide between both of those. But, if pushed I’d probably say Best in Class for the accompanying artwork and the twist at the end. And the fact that its written from the car’s point of view.

I would have to say ‘Best in Class’ was the most enjoyable and original story of the lot, although I thought ‘The Last Marianne’ was a great read – really nice take on a ghost story.

Feedback from Variant Frequencies listeners:

As for this story, it was interesting, the idea of AI’s coming into daily life is usually fun for me.

Cool story and great read by Chuck. Miss him & Kreg on ChuckChat but still great to hear him orating again.

(Chuck Tomasi’s reading was spot-on, IMHO)

I must confess, this one didn’t work for me. The transition from guy having the last cool car on Earth to guy goes crazy trapped inside the “I’m sorry Dave, I can’t let you do that” car lacked much of a natural progression. The guy seemed to get freaked out to early and to easily for me to buy it.

Sorry it didn’t work for you, but I really appreciate the feedback, Mr. Ed from Texas. Maybe I’ll have better success with you next time.

From E-mail, blog correspondence:

Just wanted to tell you I dug the hell out of “Best in Class.” It was a pleasure to listen to it on VF, then reread it in MD. Knight Rider for the postapocalytic age. Keep up the good stuff, man.

And now probably my favorite below:

I imagine I was predisposed to loving this story. I deeply love Knight Rider, and this is an excellently dark and tragic vision of the world of the talking-servant-car. To me this story really gets at the heart of what moves me in end-of-the-world fiction. There’s the sense that there’s beauty, wonder, and power enough to prevent the terrible end – but it comes anyway. It’s something like tragedy, but on an impersonally large scale.

And that slow suffocation ending. Ah… now that’s horror!

Thanks so much, everyone!

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“Best in Class”, now available in audio and print!

November 3, 2008 in General Topics


I’m pleased to announce that “Best in Class” is now live in audio form on Variant Frequencies, and is also available in the upcoming release of issue #6 of Murky Depths.

One of my first tales in print, “Paston, Kentucky”, landed a spot in issue #1, so it’s a damned fine pleasure to come back for a return visit. My fiction can be seen in this latest issue alongside a host of other notables, including Lavie Tidhar and Luke Cooper, so go order a copy now.

“Best in Class” was inspired by watching the Barrett-Jackson collector car auctions, and a host of other events similar to them. In many ways I’m a car buff, admiring the art and engineering in a fine vehicle, but in other ways I loathe these devices. How much of our land is covered in pavement? What do miles of these things baking in traffic do to our stress levels? Our quality of life? Our cities?

They are indeed creations of inherent dichotomy. And with this tale, I wanted to take that to the extreme. “Sunday Night Special” is the finest car ever built. Doors are open. Step inside and let’s take it for a spin.

I want to thank the MD staff, as always, especially for agreeing to let this puppy run on Variant Frequencies alongside the print release. I also want to thank Rick and Anne Stringer, two knock-out great people who have been so open to my work appearing on their podcast. Check out Rick’s production and that oh-so-slick cover art. The man is a wizard and deserves a Parsec — oh wait, he’s already won three. And I want to extend sincere thanks to Chuck Tomasi, the narrator in this story, for bringing the piece to life. Check out Chuck’s work at his official site. The man is quite multi-talented.

Thanks so much and as always, if you love the tale, leave feedback at Variant Frequencies or Murky Depths‘ official sites or shoot me an e-mail. Even better yet, buy an issue of this wonderful print magazine and tell them Jonathan sent you.

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Snazzy Dual Story Acceptances!

June 7, 2008 in General Topics

I’m back from my vacation. It was good, and very needed with some of the stress I’ve been under lately.

Remember when I said this, in last week’s post?

Vacations have been interesting events for me as far as writing in goes. In each of the past two vacations I took, I came back to find acceptances in my inbox. I’m hoping lightning strikes thrice and I can snag another one over this trip.

Well, I must be burned to a cinder, because lightning did strike thrice. In fact, I got a double-jolt in this particular blast.

I’m pleased to announce that Murky Depths has taken “Best in Class” for their upcoming issue #6, December 2008. “Best in Class” is a dark science fiction tale of a prized collector’s car whose AI struggles to understand stark circumstances it has been thrust into. Murky Depths ran “Paston, Kentucky”, another tale of mine, for their very first issue, and it’s a pleasure to do business with them again.

In equally exciting developments, Something Wicked, a horror magazine operating out of South Africa, has taken “The Eighteenth Floor” for publication, details to be provided to me in the near future. I am thrilled to see this piece finally get its due. Every author has those extremely rare stories that they think they fired on all cylinders with — this is one of them. When this horror piece hits their pages, my fiction will have graced its third continent.

My sincerest thanks to those that have read my stories, and whom continue to read them. And I’d like to thank both these fine publications for running my work. It is my pleasure and honor.

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