A Quick Summer Reading Challenge

Last fall, when I TA'd for a course on introductory science fiction, I compiled a list of venues which publish science fiction and fantasy stories and poetry, for free online reading. How many such venues are there? The answer is: a lot. 56 in my list (which includes two sites of audio podcasts). The list sat on my Dreamwidth for ages, and I don't know if any of the students ever got around to reading any of them. Even I had only ever read three of them regularly, and never read most of them.

This summer, that will change! I have set myself a summer reading goal: I'll work my way down this list, and select three stories to read from each venue. Just three, then move onto the next one. The idea is to get a sampling of all the venues. 

My criteria for picking which stories to read should be simple; I'm still doing the Tempest Reading Challenge for most part. However, I've already broken the rule a couple of times, but it doesn't matter that much because for most part, I gravitate towards names that are Asian, and if they sound Western, then they're names I don't know how to pronounce. 

I'm halfway through the C's now, and thoroughly enjoying the exercise! I'm also finally reading fiction by wonderful acquaintances whose work I've never read!  I hope to get through this challenge within the month. 

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