🦑 In recent good news, my 2023 short story How to Raise a Kraken in Your Bathtub”—a tale of colonialism, sea monsters, and men of ambition—is a finalist for the Hugo award (wow!) and a few weeks ago, won for Best Short Fiction at the British Science Fiction Association Awards! (Whuuut?!) Back when it was featured in January 2023 by Uncanny Magazine, it was my first published new short story in three years. So, these acknowledgments have been some wonderful surprises. Didn’t know this short story had legs—or in this case, tentacles! Below is somewhat of a repost from what I wrote back in January 2023 on the story’s origins and inspiration, with some updates on recent events.🦑

Image: “Le Poulpe Colossal,” drawing by Pierre Denys-Montfort, engraved by Étienne Claude Voysard, 1801

🦑 Getting short stories written has become a task.

Used to be, my mind was bubbling to overflowing with short story ideas and I was churning them out at a regular pace—eager to get them submitted to SFF magazines. That was before I became an academic professor. And a married dad of twins. And I started signing contracts to write longer pieces like novellas and novels that I am now *obligated* to meet. Now, my short story writing has mostly been put on the back burner. It’s not that the muscle memory for writing shorts has atrophied. It’s really a matter of time. In the short bit of creative space I have between academia, dad life, husband life, and long form fiction, something had to give. And that something turned out to be my beloved shorts.

So imagine how happy I was in 2023 when Uncanny Magazine decided to publish one of my first short stories since 2020–called “How to Raise a Kraken in Your Bathtub.”

Yeah, it’s as absurd as it sounds.

The story is a bit of a departure from my usual type of writing, and a bit experimental. For one, it’s from POV of a character who is, well, quite unlikable. Even as I wrote it, I wondered if readers might be thrown out of the tale for a lack of connection or empathy.

Still, I pushed ahead with the tale. It was inspired by a host of things. Without a doubt, one of those was Jules Verne—whose hometown of Nantes I recently visited, and got to ride his giant steam elephant…like a tamed Mûmakil. The modern mechanical marvel was inspired by Verne’s 1880 work The Steam House, a fictional retelling of the Indian Rebellion of 1857 (the Sepoy Mutiny) featuring British colonialists traveling through India in a giant steam powered elephant. My own story is quite intentionally set in the late 19th century, most specifically Victorian England. With Jules Verne as my muse, it has its share of steampunk elements. But I’m also a fantasist at heart, so there are also mermen. Because why not? One thing about me–I’m gonna gaslamp the heck *outta my punk every time. Colonialism is another evident theme in the story, because how it can it not be given the age? And it was a topic of Jules Verne’s work. When I visited Nantes I was reminded of its other history as a key player in the trans-Atlantic slave trade. So the story seems even more fitting. And that seemingly absurd title? Nope, not a metaphor. In this story you will literally get a kraken and a bathtub. You’re welcome.

When I publish a story I have no idea how it’ll do. Honestly, there’s no telling how readers might respond. Maybe your story hits a nerve because of current events. Maybe its read by the right person who publicizes it through social media or some other platform. And maybe the world is a bit quiet for the moment so your little short breaks through. There’s just no telling. So, once the story is out I just let it be. I don’t go seeking reviews, though some make their way to me. Usually positive, because only the WORST people tag an author to a negative review. Seriously, who does that and what’s the point? Do you think the author will come to your house, feed you tea and biscuits, and rewrite the parts you don’t like? Do y’all not have basic home training? Anyway, point is, I just didn’t think much on how the story was doing.

Then, to my surprise, I found out that the story was shortlisted for a British Science Fiction Association Award (BSFA). Whaaat? Completely unexpected. Then on March 29th, I get to share that the story is nominated for a Hugo Award. Whoa! What is even happening? When the story actually won the BSFA practically the next day on March 30th, I was absolutely floored.

Never thought this story would make it this far. A hearty round of thanks to the voters at the BSFA, all the readers, and Uncanny Magazine for giving this quirky little story a home. And congrats to all the other finalists and awardees! To celebrate, I had me some proper fish & chips… along w/a pint of Newcastle. But no mushy peas. Gotta draw the line somewhere.

Here’s an excerpt of “How to Raise a Kraken in Your Bathtub.” Read more (if you so desire) at Uncanny Magazine. And be sure to pick up a full copy of Issue 50 to support this important ezine to get stories by lots of other fantastic authors I get to share a space with.

Full story here. And thanks for reading! 🦑