SOMEDAY
Patrick Swenson
In the fall of 1995, with the help of friends and partners, I started a small press magazine called Talebones. The magazine has been a part of my life for a dozen years now, with 37 issues produced to date. Some of the writers who’ve appeared in the magazine have had good enough experiences that they’ve come back to me when thinking about larger book projects. In 2000, I started Fairwood Press to start publishing some of those larger projects. I’ve contemplated folding Talebones on a number of occasions, but every time I entertain that idea, I remember that 90% of my book projects for Fairwood have come from Talebones alums. The magazine seems to be a pretty good R&D department. Plus . . . people yell and scream at me not to do it.
After starting the magazine, I also began teaching evening writing classes. This is where Ken Scholes comes into the picture. Actually, he was already in the picture, submitting stories to Talebones before I ever knew him personally. He sent me stories, and I would reject them. And yet . . . I knew he was close.
Enclosed with one particular story rejection, I sent him a flyer for the writing class. We still laugh about that: did I send it because I thought he needed it, or what? Truth is, I sent the flyer to all local writers, trying to drum up business. He’ll say otherwise, but although he took the class, he probably didn’t need to. He’s since sold most of the stories he submitted there. In the Winter of 2000, I published his first short story, “The Taking Night,” in Talebones #18. Several more story acceptances followed, including the very popular “Edward Bear and the Very Long Walk,” about a brave little bear who becomes a hero and longs to hear of “Someday.” And of course, Ken sold a lot of stories to other markets, including those much bigger and more prestigious than Talebones.
It was just a matter of time before Ken’s glimpse of Someday arrived. Seven years later, Ken had enough fabulous tales to gather into a collection. And then some. You can bet a second collection will follow on the heels of this one.
Here’s what I like about Ken Scholes’ fiction:
He tells great stories. Our humanity, the good and bad parts altogether, lives on every page, even when those stories don’t directly involve humans. His prose simply bleeds with voice. It is distinct, unique, and always compelling. You’re going to be both entertained and moved by a Ken Scholes story. In some cases, moved to tears. In some cases, you’ll be snarfing up a lung with laughter. Ken’s major multi-book deal for a huge fantasy series will catapult him onto the world-wide stage, and his marvelous writing is going to make him a star in the SF world. I can guarantee it now.
So you’re getting into the action early on with this collection. I’m expecting big things from Ken, as I said, and although he’ll say I helped him starting out, I knew he would find success on his own. I’m just hoping to grab a hold of his coattails from this point on.
Here’s what I like about Ken Scholes, the human being:
He’s genuine. He’s warm, friendly, and doesn’t have a big ego. He can talk with major writers and editors, he can talk to writers just starting out, and he can talk to them all with the same realness that embodies his personality. Along the way, as I got to know him through my publishing ventures, he became a good friend. We’d talked about having someone write a preface for this collection, and we’d decided the James Van Pelt introduction would be plenty. And then Ken changed his mind and said he wanted one. “But here’s the kicker,” he said. “I want you to write it.” A half heart-beat later I said yes.
If you really want to get a sense of Ken the person, start at the back of this book with “Last Flight of the Goddess.” That’s where Ken lives. It’s where his wonderful, lovely wife Jen lives, too, and Ken’s total love of Jen is the cornerstone of that story. But all the way through, you’ll see, embedded in that amazing voice, the Ken Scholes I know. You’ll find him in all the stories here. You’ll also find strange worlds, amazing team-ups of fictional and historical characters, expeditions into the heart, excursions into distant fantasy lands, and you’ll find Truth.
Ken Scholes found his Truth. He found Someday. And now you can too.