Derwin Mak lives in Toronto. He is the only member of the Royal Canadian Military Institute who monitors North Korean music videos to analyze their propaganda. His short story “Transubstantiation” won the Aurora Award for Best Short Form Work in English in 2006. He and Eric Choi co-edited The Dragon and the Stars (DAW Books, 2010), the first anthology of science fiction and fantasy by overseas Chinese. It won the 2011 Aurora Award for Best Related Work in English. His two novels The Moon Under Her Feet and The Shrine of the Siren Stone are science fiction that deal with religious themes in Christianity, Shintoism, and Buddhism. Derwin co-edited the Speculative Fiction Issue of Ricepapermagazine with JF Garrard in 2014 and is currently co-editing Where the Stars Rise with Lucas K. Law.
Sherry Peters attended the Odyssey Writing Workshop and holds an M.A. in Writing Popular Fiction from Seton Hill University. Her first novel, Mabel the Lovelorn Dwarf, won the 2014 Writer’s Digest competition for Self-Published ebooks in the Young Adult category. Mabel the Lovelorn Dwarf has also been nominated for Canada’s Aurora Award for best YA novel. For more information on Sherry, visit her website at http://www.sherrypeters.com.
Ursula Pflug is author of the critically acclaimed novels Green Music (Edge/Tesseract), The Alphabet Stones (Blue Denim), Motion Sickness (illustrated by SK Dyment for Inanna) and the story collections After the Fires (Tightrope) andHarvesting the Moon (PS). She edited the anthologies They Have To Take You In (Hidden Brook) and The Playground of Lost Toys (with Colleen Anderson for Exile). She teaches Con Ed creative writing at Loyalist College, the Campbellford Resource Centre, Trent University (with Derek Newman-Stille) and elsewhere. Her award winning short stories and nonfiction about books and art have been appearing for decades in Canada, the US and the UK, in genre and literary venues. Her short stories have been taught in universities in Canada and India, and she has collaborated extensively with filmmakers, dancers, theatre and installation artists.
Robert Runté is Senior Editor at Five Rivers Publishing, an Associate Professor at the University of Lethbridge, and a freelance editor and writing coach at SFeditor.ca. He was co-editor of Tesseracts 5, wrote the SF&F entry for the Encyclopedia of Canadian Literature, and has won three Aurora Awards for his SF criticism. He is married, has two teenage daughters, and writes using a treadmill desk.
Lorina Stephens has worked as editor, freelance journalist for national and regional print media, is author of seven books both fiction and non-fiction, been a festival organizer, publicist, lectures on many topics from historical textiles and domestic technologies, to publishing and writing, teaches, and continues to work as a writer, artist, and publisher at Five Rivers Publishing.She has had several short fiction pieces published in Canada’s acclaimed On Spec magazine, Postscripts to Darkness, Neo-Opsis, Garden of Eden, and Marion Zimmer Bradley’s fantasy anthology Sword & Sorceress X. Her published books include Stonehouse Cooks, From Mountains of Ice, And Angels Sang, Shadow Song and Recipes of a Dumb Housewife. Lorina is presently working on two new novels, The Rose Guardian, and Caliban. She lives with her husband of over four decades in a historic stone house in Neustadt, Ontario. Her website is at lorinastephens.blogspot.ca.
Amanda Sun is the author of The Paper Gods, a YA Fantasy series set in Japan and published by Harlequin Teen. The first two books, Ink and Rain, are Aurora Award nominees and Junior Library Guild selections. Her short fiction has also been published in the Aurora Award-nominated Tesseracts Fifteen and the literary journal Room Magazine. She has a new YA Fantasy out in 2016, Heir to The Sky, about monster hunters and floating continents. When not reading or writing, Sun is also an avid cosplayer. Find her on Twitter at @Amanda_Sun and get free Paper Gods novellas at AmandaSunBooks.com.
Hayden Trenholm is an award-winning playwright, novelist and short story writer. His short fiction has appeared in On Spec, TransVersions, Neo-Opsis, Challenging Destiny, Talebones, and on CBC radio. His first novel, A Circle of Birds, won the 3-Day Novel Writing competition and was published in 1993 by Anvil Press; it was recently translated and published in French. His trilogy, The Steele Chronicles, was published by Bundoran Press and were each nominated for an Aurora Award. Stealing Home, the third book, was a finalist for the Sunburst Award. Hayden has won three Aurora Awards—twice for short fiction and once for editing the anthology, Blood and Water. He purchased Bundoran Press in 2012 and is its managing editor. He lives in Ottawa with his wife and fellow writer, Elizabeth Westbrook.
Edward Willett is the author of more than 50 books of fiction and non-fiction for adults, young adults, and children. He won the Aurora Award for Best Long-Form Work in English for his 2009 science-fiction novel Marseguro (DAW Books). Recent publications include the two-book Peregrine Rising series for Bundoran Press, the Masks of Aygrima fantasy trilogy for DAW (written as E.C. Blake), the five-book Shards of Excalibur YA fantasy series for Coteau Books, and the YA fantasy novel Flames of Nevyana for Rebelight Books. Non-fiction titles have run the gamut from science books and biographies for children and teens to local history books, and even Genetics Demystified for McGraw-Hill. Born in Silver City, New Mexico, Ed grew up in Weyburn, Saskatchewan, and now lives in Regina with his wife, Margaret Anne Hodges, a telecommunications engineer, and their teenaged daughter, Alice. He is online at edwardwillett.com
A.C. Wise’s work has appeared in publications such as Clarkesworld, Shimmer, Apex, and Imaginarium: The Best Canadian Speculative Fiction, among other places. In addition to her fiction, she co-edits Unlikely Story, and contributes a monthly Women to Read: Where to Start column to SF Signal. Her debut collection, The Ultra Fabulous Glitter Squadron Saves the World Again, was published by Lethe Press in late 2015. Find her online at www.acwise.net.
ABOUT THE EDITORS
Susan Forest is a three-time Prix Aurora Award finalist and a writer of science fiction, fantasy and horror, and a freelance fiction editor. Her stories have appeared in Asimov’s Science Fiction, Analog Science Fiction and Fact, Beneath Ceaseless Skies, Tesseracts, AE Science Fiction Review, On Spec, and The Urban Green Man, among others. Her collection of short fiction, Immunity to Strange Tales, was published by Five Rivers Publishing. Susan is currently co-editing The Sum of Us with Lucas K. Law. She acted as judge for the Endeavour Award, and the Robin Herrington Memorial Short Story Contest, and she contributes to Calgary’s annual literary festival, When Words Collide. Susan is also the Secretary for the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America (SFWA). She teaches creative writing at the Alexandra Centre, and has appeared at numerous local and international writing conventions.
Lucas K. Law is a Malaysian-born freelance editor, published author, engineering consultant and business coach, who divides his time and heart between Calgary and Qualicum Beach. He is currently co-editing The Sum of Us anthology with Susan Forest and Where the Stars Rise anthology with Derwin Mak. He has been a jury member for a number of fiction competitions including Nebula, RITA and Golden Heart awards. When Lucas is not editing, writing or reading, he is a consultant, specializing in mergers and acquisition (M&A) activities, asset evaluations, business planning, and corporate development.
COPYRIGHT ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Foreword copyright © 2016 by Lucas K. Law
Introduction copyright © 2016 by Julie E. Czerneda
“The Culling” copyright © 2016 by KLA Fricke Inc.
“Dallas’s Booth” copyright © 2016 by Suzanne Church
“What Harm” copyright © 2016 by Amanda Sun
“How Objects Behave on the Edge of a Black Hole” copyright © 2016 by A.C. Wise
“Washing Lady’s Hair” copyright © 2016 by Ursula Pflug
“The Weeds and The Wildness” copyright © 2016 by Tyler Keevil
“Living in Oz” copyright © 2016 by Bev Geddes
“I Count The Lights” copyright © 2016 by Edward Willett
“The Dog and The Sleepwalker” copyright © 2016 by James Alan Gardner
“Carnivores” copyright © 2016 by Richard Larson
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�Tribes” copyright © 2016 by A.M. Dellamonica
“Troubles” copyright © 2016 by Sherry Peters
“Frog Song” copyright © 2016 by Erika Holt
“Wrath of Gaia” copyright © 2016 by Mahtab Narsimhan
“Songbun” copyright © 2016 by Derwin Mak
“What You See (When the Lights Are Out)” copyright © 2016 by Gemma Files
“The Age of Miracles” copyright © 2016 by Robert Runté
“Marion’s War” copyright © 2016 by Hayden Trenholm
“The Intersection” copyright © 2016 by Lorina Stephens
Afterword copyright © 2016 by Susan Forest
LEARN HOW TO MANAGE YOUR STRESS . . .
APPENDIX: MENTAL HEALTH RESOURCES
Because of the dynamic nature of the internet, any telephone numbers, web addresses or links provided in this section may have changed since the publication of this book and may no longer be valid.
A listing in the Appendix doesn’t mean it is an endorsement from Laksa Media Groups Inc., publisher, editors, authors and/or those involved in this anthology project. Its listing here is a mean to disseminate information to the readers to get additional materials for further investigation or knowledge.
LEARN DAILY MINDFULNESS . . .
How is your Mental Health? Do you think you have one or more of the following recently?
• More Stress than Before
• Grief
• Separation and Divorce
• Feeling Violence
• Suicidal Thoughts
• Self Injury
• Excessive or Unexplained Anxiety
• Obsessive Compulsive
• Paranoia, Phobias or Panics
• Post-Traumatic Stress
• Depression
• Bi-polar
• Postpartum Depression
• Eating Disorders
• Schizophrenia
• Addictions
• Mood Disorders
• Personality Disorders
• Learning Disabilities
Mental Health Screening Tools
More information: www.mentalhealthamerica.net/mental-health-screening-tools
• The Depression Screen is most appropriate for individuals who are feeling overwhelming sadness.
• The Anxiety Screen will help if you feel that worry and fear affect your day to day life.
• The Bipolar Screen is intended to support individuals who have mood swings—or unusual shifts in mood and energy.
• The PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder) Screen is best taken by those who are bothered by a traumatic life event.
• The Alcohol or Substance Use Screen will help determine if your use of alcohol or drugs is an area to address.
• The Youth Screen is for young people (age 11-17) who are concerned that their emotions, attention, or behaviours might be signs of a problem.
• The Parent Screen is for parents of young people to determine if their child’s emotions, attention, or behaviours might be signs of a problem.
• The Psychosis Screen is for young people (age 12-35) who feel like their brain is playing tricks on them (seeing, hearing or believing things that don’t seem real or quite right).
Worried about Your Child—Symptom Checker: www.childmind.org/en/health/symptom-checker
10 Ways to Look after Your Mental Health
(source: www.mentalhealthamerica.net/live-your-life-well)
1. Connect with Others
2. Stay Positive
3. Get Physically Active
4. Help Others
5. Get Enough Sleep
6. Create Joy and Satisfaction
7. Eat Well
8. Take Care of Your Spirit
9. Deal Better with Hard Times
10. Get Professional Help if You Need It
MENTAL HEALTH RESOURCES & INFORMATION
If you or someone you know is struggling with mental illness, please consult a doctor or a healthcare professional in your community.
Below is not a comprehensive information listing, but it is a good start to get more information on mental health/illness.
Emergency Phone Number
If you or someone is in crisis or may be at risk of harming himself/herself or someone else, please call your national Emergency Phone Number immediately.
Canada: 911
United States: 911
United Kingdom: 999 or 112
Ireland: 999 or 112
EU: 112
Australia: 000
New Zealand: 111
Canada
To locate your local Canadian Mental Health Association: www.cmha.ca
Specifically for children and young people (aged 5-20), call Kids Help Phone’s 24-hour confidential phone line at 1-800-668-6868 English or French. More information online: kidshelpphone.ca
There are a number of resource materials and list of organizations that you can reach out to on the Bell Let’s Talk website: www.bell.ca/letstalk.
Mental Health & Addiction Information A-Z: www.camh.ca/en/hospital/health_information/a_z_mental_health_and_addiction_information/Pages/default.aspx
United States
National Suicide Prevention Hotline: 1-800-273-TALK or 1-800-273-8255
For more mental health information: www.mentalhealthamerica.net/mental-health-information
United Kingdom
The Samaritans (www.samaritans.org) offers emotional support 24 hours a day—get in touch with them: 116-123.
A to Z of Mental Health: www.mentalhealth.org.uk/help-information/mental-health-a-z
Free Mental Health Podcasts: www.mentalhealth.org.uk/help-information/podcasts
Ireland
The Samaritans (www.samaritans.org) offers emotional support 24 hours a day—get in touch with them: 116-123.
Childline Helpline: Confidential for young people (under 18). Phone: 1800-66-66-66
For more mental health information: www.mentalhealthireland.ie
Australia
Helplines, websites and government mental health services for Australia: mhaustralia.org/need-help
Kids Helpline: Confidential and anonymous, telephone and online counselling service specifically for young people aged between 5 and 25. Phone: 1800-55-18-00 or visit www.kidshelp.com.au
Lifeline: 24 hour telephone counselling service. Phone: 13-11-14 or visit www.lifeline.org.au
New Zealand
Helplines, websites and government mental health services for New Zealand: www.mentalhealth.org.nz/get-help/in-crisis/helplines
Youthline (for young people under 25): 0800-376-633. More information online: http://www.youthline.co.nz
Lifeline: 0800-543-354 or (09) 5222-999 within Auckland
Suicide Crisis Helpline: 0508-828-865 (0508-TAUTOKO)
CHARITABLE EVENTS (a sample)
Canada
Ride Don’t Hide: ridedonthide.com
Walk so Kids Can Talk: org.kidshelpphone.ca/get-involved/events
Boolathon: www.boolathon.ca
United States
Out of Darkness Walk: www.afsp.org/out-of-the-darkness-walks
NamiWalks: namiwalks.org
United Kingdom
Participate in a challenge or community event—run, cycle, trek, tea and talk, skydiving: www.mentalhealth.org.uk/get-involved/as-a-fundraiser
Australia
Participate in a challenge or community event: www.blackdoginstitute.org.au/public/getinvolved/fundraisingevents.cfm
PAYING FORWARD, GIVING BACK
READ FOR A CAUSE
WRITE FOR A CAUSE
HELP A CAUSE
MISSION:
Laksa Media Groups Inc. publishes general audience and literary experimental fiction and narrative non-fiction books. Our mission is to create opportunities to ‘pay forward’ and ‘give back’ through our publishing program. Our tag line is Read for a Cause, Write for a Cause, Help a Cause.
A portion of our net revenue from each book project goes t
o support a charitable organization, project or event. We do not deal with any charity that promotes politics, religions, discrimination, crime, hate and inequality.
The charitable causes dear to our hearts are literacy, public libraries, elder care, mental health, affordable housing, and prevention of abuse or bullying.
laksamedia.com
Also available from Laksa Media Groups Inc...
THE SUM OF US
Tales of the Bonded and Bound
Edited by Susan Forest and Lucas K. Law
Coming 2017
Don’t underestimate those bound with invisible bonds for they have the resources to overcome their doubts to make the world of others a better place.
The Sum of Us is a speculative fiction anthology exploring the world of care-giving and care-givers.
Benefit: Canadian Mental Health Association
Paperback: 978-0-9939696-9-0
ePub: 978-1-988140-00-1
PDF: 978-1-988140-01-8
Kindle: 978-1-988140-02-5
Also available from Laksa Media Groups Inc...
WHERE THE STARS RISE
Asian Science Fiction and Fantasy Stories
Edited by Lucas K. Law and Derwin Mak
Coming 2017
Where the Stars Rise is a speculative fiction anthology celebrating Asian diversity. It features an Asian main character, an Asian setting, and/or other Asian element, by authors with an Asian ancestry.
Benefit: Kids Help Phone
Paperback: 978-0-9939696-5-2
ePub: 978-0-9939696-6-9
PDF: 978-0-9939696-7-6
Kindle: 978-0-9939696-8-3
laksamedia.com
If you like Strangers Among Us or want to support our project, please write a review of this book on one of our online retailers or recommend this book to your friends.
Strangers Among Us Page 37
