Wonder City Stories

Wonder City Storytime!

Mon, 27 Apr 2020 14:28:53 GMT

We're up to 4 parts of Wonder City Storytime, and I have a 5th to upload soon.

I'm reading Wonder City Stories aloud and recording it. These are unedited, unadorned, and unreviewed. It's like I'm reading to you in your kitchen or living room, complete with coughs and throat-clearing and stumbles. I'm not professional voice talent, so my funny voices are inconsistent and developing. :)

comments

Wonder City Storytime Pt 2

Sun, 12 Apr 2020 22:18:59 GMT

Storytime continues at the Glitter Collective with chapters 2, 3, and 4 (still under 20 minutes).

Allergy season is Real, and boy I sound nasal (I don't review the whole thing but I listen to make sure it plays and hooooo boy).

comments

Wonder City Storytime!

Fri, 10 Apr 2020 23:42:07 GMT

If anyone's interested, I'll be posting recordings of myself reading (utterly unedited, unadorned, and unreviewed) Wonder City Stories, chapter by chapter, for as long as I can keep it up. Chapter 1 is here.

comments

An actual update

Fri, 21 Feb 2020 01:28:32 GMT

While Wonder City is still on hiatus and I'm still trying to get un-hiatused, I have gotten together with some friends to form the Glitter Collective. So far we're taking a slow start, but firstly, I'm posting a new novella! Mother[up]lode is a cyberpunk story about memory and virtual reality and loss, and I hope folks will check it out. Episodes will post every 2 weeks, locked to Patrons (for as little as $1) for a week, and then unlocked.

We'll be posting more and more as we get our feet under us --for instance, I just posted about a historical ghost story that's fascinated me for years. I hope you'll join us as we get this thing moving slowly but surely.

comments

LGBT Pride Storybundle!

Mon, 26 Jun 2017 18:54:57 GMT

Because I forgot to post here earlier, you now have THREE DAYS to get our LGBT Storybundle, curated by Melissa Scott! See here for Melissa's post about the Storybundle, but here's a quote:

I've made some arbitrary decisions. First, no novels in which being queer means you're evil, nor any in which it's a doomed and tragic fate. There are places for the latter, but this is June and Pride Month, and I want to share books that celebrate queerness. I've also decided to focus on small press offerings, as they are more likely to be overlooked than books from the mainstream houses. I've tried to pick newer novels, and to reintroduce some older writers, and in general to include books and writers who you might not have seen yet.

FIVE basic books in the bundle, including:
- The Secret Casebook of Simon Feximal by KJ Charles
- The Mystic Marriage by Heather Rose Jones
- Riley Parra Season One by Geonn Cannon
- Out of This World by Catherine Lundoff
- Wonder City Stories by Jude McLaughlin

If you pay at least $15, you unlock the SEVEN bonus books by Jo Graham, Melissa Scott, Catherine Lundoff, Steve Berman, and more!

comments

Madame Destiny reads!

Thu, 27 Apr 2017 02:50:48 GMT

A one-card reading for Vicki!

( Read more... )

comments

Fundraiser update

Mon, 17 Apr 2017 14:56:48 GMT

Hi, all!

If you donated to Leah's GoFundMe and would like a reading from Madame, you need to let me know here (or at jude DOT mclaughlin AT gmail) that you did so. I'm not the administrator for the GoFundMe. :)

Here's my latest:
If you want a single-card draw from Madame Destiny, for a general day read or a specific question, you can get it for the low, low cost of $5 -- and even better, I will match your donation for every single-card reading requested until midnight Saturday April 22 (eastern daylight time) up to $100.

Get a reading from Madame! Double your donation!

CLICK THIS GIANT BUTTON TO DONATE:

comments

Madame Destiny reads some more!

Thu, 30 Mar 2017 01:45:03 GMT

And now a 5-card Trylon and Perisphere reading for Amy.

( Read more... )

comments

Madame Destiny reads!

Mon, 27 Mar 2017 00:16:33 GMT

First reading from Madame Destiny is a 10-card full reading for Jen:
( Read more... )

comments

Fundraiser!

Fri, 10 Mar 2017 02:31:22 GMT

Hi, all,

My long-time friend Leah -- the original person upon whom the character of Lucid, the dream courier, in Wonder City Stories and Ephemera (and the rest of the web serial) was based -- has just been diagnosed with metastatic inflammatory breast cancer. She is disabled and has not been able to get federal disability, so she doesn't have income.

She has already started chemo, because her particular form of cancer is very aggressive and they need to knock it down ASAP. In the near future, she's facing surgery and probably radiation.

For more details, check out her Youcaring fundraiser.

To help her out, Madame and I are running a fundraiser. ALL proceeds go to Leah.

What you get for what you donate:

$10: A single card draw interpreted by Madame Destiny.

$25: Either a 3-card answer to a specific question or a 5-card general reading, interpreted by Madame Destiny.

$50: A full 10-card reading interpreted by Madame Destiny.

$100+: A full 10-card reading interpreted by Madame Destiny AND a signed copy of Wonder City Stories, Ephemera, OR Absolute Power!: Tales of Queer Villainy (only 5 of this last book available)

$500+: A full 10-card reading interpreted by Madame Destiny, signed copies of all three books, AND a thank-you in the acknowledgements of my next Wonder City Stories book.

You can leave a comment here, in the PayPal donation, or send me email if you don't want me to post your reading on Dreamwidth and would rather have me email it to you.

Here are links to some of the earlier readings Madame and I did:
One-card Readings, Part 1
One-card Readings, Part 2
One-card Readings, Part 3
One-card Readings, Part 4
Full reading #1
Full reading #2
Full reading #3

If you're not interested in a Madame Destiny reading, please do contribute to the Youcaring fundraiser and/or signal boost it and this one.

CLICK THIS GIANT BUTTON TO DONATE:

comments

LIMITED TIME DISCOUNT OFFER!

Mon, 28 Nov 2016 16:04:24 GMT

In celebration of Louisa May Alcott's birthday tomorrow, if you want to pick up a copy of either Wonder City Stories or Ephemera, use discount code 7NTY4Z54 for $2 off only in their respective Createspace stores (Wonder City Stories and Ephemera).

I'm not sure whether you can stack the discount to make one purchase, or if one has to purchase separately. Createspace isn't particularly clear about it. :)

Discounts will stay until this Friday, 12/2.

Let me know if the code doesn't work -- I'll work on a fix asap.

comments

EPHEMERA

Mon, 31 Oct 2016 15:52:28 GMT

EPHEMERA is here!

Megan Amazon has a world of problems, and the fact that her girlfriend is possessed by the ghost of a wannabe superhero is at least 90% of them. Nereid's girlfriend's soul has gone on walkabout to Faerie. Simon Canis has joined the cast of It's a Wonderful House, and it wouldn't be reality TV without a boatload of roommate drama. There's also a serial killer stalking Wonder City, and Suzanne and Ira Feldstein are just a few steps behind him.

And then there's Renata Scott: the most powerful telepath in the world, who lives in a bunker a mile beneath Wonder City for her own sanity. Yet somehow she's now in the center of this messy Venn diagram: ghost stories and fairy tales and serial killers and an addictive trainwreck of a reality TV show.

Love, lies, murder, and a long con collide with a band of reluctant heroes in an explosive battle to save the world, Wonder City-style.
***
Ephemera deals frankly with sexual consent, homophobia, transphobia, racism, death and injury, and graphic onscreen death.

Print book available now here, Amazon to come.
eBooks available ASAP for Kindle and non-Kindle ereaders

comments

DANGEROUS WOMEN and EPHEMERA

Mon, 24 Oct 2016 16:52:40 GMT

Hi, all!

A couple of things I'd like to draw your attention to:

1. DANGEROUS WOMEN is an anthology of queer women supervillain stories, and I have a Wonder City short story in it! Our Kickstarter is nearly funded, but we would love to hit our stretch goals, which include author bonuses and an audiobook!

2. EPHEMERA is, universe willing an' the crick don't rise, going to be available on OCTOBER 31.

comments

DANGEROUS WOMEN is coming!

Mon, 10 Oct 2016 17:34:10 GMT

I have a short story in the upcoming anthology Dangerous Women and our Kickstarter has launched!

We're more than 20% backed -- please come back us and claim your copy of Dangerous Women, an anthology of queer women who happen to be supervillains!

You can also find me in the video, should you be interested. :)

comments

Dangerous Women is coming!

Thu, 06 Oct 2016 14:45:53 GMT

I have a story in the upcoming anthology Dangerous Women! It's a Wonder City universe story, starring a couple of folks' favorite characters, and will fit into the novel timeline between Ephemera (COMING THIS MONTH) and the third novel (from the story arc currently titled "Trust No #1").

The Kickstarter launches this Saturday, so please consider supporting us and/or signal-boosting!

(Please? I even filmed video segments for the Kickstarter video... :) )

comments

EPHEMERA COVER REVEAL!

Sat, 24 Sep 2016 15:50:44 GMT

Come check out the fantastic new cover of the next Wonder City Stories universe book, Ephemera!

comments

PSA re volume 3

Wed, 31 Aug 2016 15:32:25 GMT

I am updating volume 3 to excise Angelica's "other job" (i.e., sex work) because, in my continuing education and attempts to be a cis ally, I (finally) realized that it was a harmful stereotype, as well as the relatively minor issue of not adding anything to the story.

When I publish volume 3 as a novel, it will be completely gone, and in the meantime, I am trying to make this version less problematic. If you happen to be reading (or rereading) volume 3 and stumble on a reference to her studio or other job, please please drop a comment to mark it so I can update it.

I apologize for not realizing and fixing this sooner.

comments

PSA: more Wonder City Stories releases

Wed, 24 Aug 2016 16:14:51 GMT

1. Ephemera will be out this September, Universe willing and the crick don't rise. :)

2. I just released an edited/updated version of "Experto Crede" for Kindle!

3. Writer's block is STUPID.

comments

PSA

Mon, 16 May 2016 00:58:24 GMT

Hi, all!

Things have continued hectic, and my writer's block has been thawing slowly. Still, I'm pleased to say that there has been some progress on new episodes for volume 4, even if not as much as I'd like.

I've been writing Wonder City Stories for SEVEN years now! WOOT.

I'll be doing a reading with some of my fellow Broad Universe members at Wiscon 40: 1 PM in Conference 2 on Saturday (alas, opposite Nalo Hopkinson's reading!).

My other two Wiscon panels are:
- Hequisitor, Shequisitor, Theyquisitor: The Queer Gaming Experience, 4 PM Friday, Conference 5
- Writing and Tabletop Role Playing Gaming: Intersections and Divergences, 4 PM Saturday, Conference 4

I will be attending the Lambda Literary Awards Gala on June 6 to see whether or not Wonder City wins its category. Keep your fingers crossed; I'm up against seven other finalists in the Science Fiction, Fantasy, and Horror category!

I'm hoping that Ephemera will be ready to go by July. I've seen the gorgeous pencils for the cover, and am aching to see the completed version. :)

Lastly, I have posted a cleaned-up and edited version of "Truth, Lady Justice, and the American Way" for Kindle. Amazon reviews, if you're so inclined, would be fantastic!

comments

A quick PSA on Wonder City

Tue, 08 Mar 2016 14:30:31 GMT

The novel Wonder City Stories is a Lambda Literary Award finalist!

comments

Wonder City updates

Thu, 25 Feb 2016 16:01:51 GMT

Hi, all!

Today is my birthday: if you feel inclined toward it, more reviews at Amazon or GoodReads are always welcome gifts!

This winter has been a combination of travel, tons of freelancing, stupid colds, and writer's block. Wheeeeee! I'm slowly working on more episodes for volume 4, but it's going to be a bit longer before I've gotten the story hammered into the shape I want it to be. I'm hoping to start posting in mid-March.

In other news, my cover artist, the wondrous Alex Heberling, is going to be starting on the cover for the next book, Ephemera (volume #2) soon! I still plan to get that book out this summer -- whether that will be early summer (and in time for WisCon) or late summer remains to be seen. :}

Still, I'm part of the Broad Universe RapidFire Reading at WisCon this year, so if you'll be at WisCon, please include us in your panel/reading plans!

I'm going to haul my butt back into blogging on my author site too, so at least there's that to look forward to? And more volume 4. Hopefully as the weather evens out and improves, my writer's block will start to dissolve!

Hope you all are doing well, and I'll see you soon!

comments

Short Character Overview: Ira

Thu, 14 Jan 2016 15:55:03 GMT

As last week, this is Ira as presented in the novel. If you haven't checked out the novel yet, see my website at judemclaughlin.com for links for the print and ebooks! The novel could also use some more reviews at Amazon and Good Reads, if you have a few moments to write and/or rate!

Ira Solomon Feldstein

Birthdate: 9 April 1928

Height: 5'10" (in prime)

Weight: about 175 lbs

Race: Hebrew (as they say in the old census records!)

Spandex name: Mister Metropolitan (retired)

Sign: Aries

Blood type: B

College degree: Accounting, Wonder City Business College

Paranormal powers
- Strength: Class 4
- Invulnerability: Class 5

Other notes
In my original timeline, I was married to Elizabeth McCallum, a.k.a Tin Lizzie, and we had one child, Joshua. In this timeline, though, I was originally married to Andrea Prinz, who was Mrs. Metropolitan for a while, and she was the mother of Joshua. Apparently, I cheated on Andrea with Violet Stein, and ended up divorcing Andrea and marrying Violet for a decade or so of misery before we divorced. I don't remember any of the stuff that happened in the current timeline, but everyone else does. As far as I'm concerned, I've been a widower since Lizzie went into the Great Gulf in 1984.

comments

Short Character Overview: Megan

Tue, 05 Jan 2016 18:13:31 GMT

I'm going to take January to do some catch-up writing, since the holidays tapped my last buffer. In the meantime, I'll cross-post the short character overviews I'm doing over on my blog at here for your amusement. This is Megan as presented in the novel. :)

From Parapedia Staff:
We sent out short surveys to many characters in Wonder City Stories to see what information they might be willing to share. Our first survey came back from Megan Amazon!

Megan Pantariste Amazon

Birthdate: 30 November 1986

Height: 7'11.5"

Weight: None of anyone's business

Race: Biracial at least, your guess is as good as mine

Spandex name: FUCK NO

Sign: "No Trespassing"

Zodiac sign (put "Western" in there, you ethnocentric jerks): Sagittarius

Blood type: O negative (yes, ha ha, let's laugh at the universal donor who can't donate blood)

College degree: BA in Psychology from University of California, Berkeley

Paranormal powers:
- Strength: Class 6
- Invulnerability: Class 6

Other notes: Why am I doing this again?

comments

Wonder City Stories IV #13

Fri, 01 Jan 2016 04:12:48 GMT

Last episode of 2015! Thank you for all your continued support, and the kind reviews I've been seeing around the web! I hope 2016 is kinder to you than 2015, whether you had a great 2015 or a terrible one (or an okay one, like I did).

Print and ebook versions of Wonder City Stories available! Find links to sites where you can buy them at judemclaughlin.com!

A Man Does What He Can; A Woman Does What a Man Cannot

"Guys," Nereid said into the general hubbub of the Young Cosmics meeting room. The loud conversations—particularly from Mercury holding court—continued unabated. "Guys?" she said again.

Sophie looked over at her and raised her eyebrows. Mercury was playing his boyfriends Gemini and Deflector off against each other in some sort of flex-off. Gemini had just done his power trick, making his two muscular brown arms into four, and Deflector was peeling his shirt off to reveal his pale but muscular chest. Vector was egging them on, to the annoyance of her girlfriend Meridian, who had not just turned away, but turned her entire wheelchair toward a conversation with Tin Lizzie, giving the gayboy display the cut direct. Wildstar, their featureless mask off for a change, revealing their androgynous tan face and short black hair, was chatting with Citizen Pain. Pay was giving Nereid side glances of attentiveness, but was also trying to be polite to Wildstar, their newest member. Wire was leaning back in her chair, arms crossed, one foot braced against the edge of the table, scowling at her boot, with her blue forelock drifting distractingly across her face.

Irritation bloomed and spread inside Nereid, making her feel like her skin was stretched taut with fury. Why did they elect me commander if they had no goddamn intention of paying attention to me? She fumed in silence for a few more moments, until Deflector was reaching for his belt, apparently to drop trou, and the anger exploded into her vision. She came to her feet, slammed both hands on the tabletop, and bellowed, "This meeting of the Young Cosmics will come to order."
( Read more... )

comments

PSA: If you'd like to give Wonder City Stories a holiday gift...

Tue, 22 Dec 2015 16:46:49 GMT

... a review of the novel on Amazon, Good Reads, or your own platform, wherever that might be, would go a long way toward making this season more joyous for me. :)

If you're celebrating holidays, I hope they're lovely to you.

If you're not celebrating holidays, I hope you have a restful several weeks.

If you're transitioning between celebrating and not celebrating, I hope you can do a lot of nice things for yourself.

Best,
Jude

comments