Cover Reveal of My New Book

Posted on March 14, 2023March 14, 2023 by Sally Wiener Grotta

Of Being Woman, Coming mid-August, 2023

I’m over the moon that my publisher Noble Fusion Press sprang for this cover. It captures all the energy and emotion of my soon-to-be-published collection of feminist science fiction stories.

What do you think? Will folks be drawn to check out a book that has such compelling art on the cover? I do hope so.

I’m also hoping that you’ll help me get word out about the book and otherwise build up the buzz. Here are some ways you could help:

Pre-Order Of Being Woman using the button or QR code in the sidebar to help boost the book in Amazon’s algorithms.
Share the cover and link with your friends and family.
Reviewers: If you’re interested in writing a review of Of Being Woman, please email my publisher Barbara E. Hill at BHill@noblefusion.com.

To wet your appetite, download a free story excerpt from Of Being Woman:
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Sally reads an excerpt of a new short story

Posted on October 11, 2022October 11, 2022 by Sally Wiener Grotta

This past weekend, I joined fellow authors Sarah Kozloff, Stephanie Ann Smith, and Robert V. S. Redick, as we read excerpts from our recent works of fiction for the autumn virtual ICFA (International Conference for the Fantastic in the Arts).

The VICFA was on Zoom, so naturally, when I read from my my new short story “Anywhere But Here,” Shayna and her cousin dog Maggie made an appearance, too. Well, Maggie’s tail did, and they were both in good voice, barking in the background. (Apparently, the neighbor’s cat was teasing them through the patio glass doors by walking on “their” property.)

I hope you enjoy the reading.

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Sally Wiener Grotta reads an excerpt from a new short story

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Video: Sally Wiener Grotta Reads Her Beatles Short Story “The Truth Within”

Posted on April 12, 2020April 15, 2020 by Sally Wiener Grotta

For your listening pleasure, below is a video of me reading my story, “The Truth Within,” from Across the Universe: Tales of Alternative Beatles.

George Harrison is on a mission: To convince the leader of the free world to stop going to war — abroad *and* at home. But will President Richard Nixon listen?

“I’ve got to get Nixon hooked on transcendental meditation. Can you imagine a chilled Nixon, at peace with himself? No more daring the world to knock that chip off his shoulder. No more ‘manning’ it up to hide his inner doubts. TM will get him past all the nonsense that blinds him to the truth within him. And poof! No more carpet bombing and napalm and so many dead and wounded. No more war.”

If you enjoy this story, please share it with your friends.

Click here for more author video recordings from Across the Universe: Tales of Alternative Beatles.

And buy the book here.

Living the Creative Life: Embracing Reciprocity Failure

Posted on December 30, 2019March 14, 2021 by Sally Wiener Grotta

When I was a young photographer, I enjoyed experimenting with reciprocity failure.

While it may sound like a philosophical or psychological concept, reciprocity failure relates to the chemical limitations of film. Back in the 20th century, photographers quickly learned that each type of color film (known as its emulsion) was rated for certain light parameters. Push an emulsion beyond its rating by using a longer than acceptable shutter speed (to capture a picture in low light situations), and you’d end up with false colors. Those were the barriers inherent in the technology that pro photographers just didn’t overstep.

But… well… I never did color within the lines.

When I toyed with reciprocity failure, I purposely pushed beyond what was “correct” to seek new creative visions. I remember one moonless night Read More

Reading at the Philadelphia Museum of Art

Posted on December 23, 2019January 8, 2020 by Sally Wiener Grotta

What a thrill and an honor it was to be invited to read one of my science fiction short stories at the Philadelphia Museum of Art on Sunday, December 22nd. The event was hosted by Lawrence M. Schoen, and also featured a reading by David Walton. And it was in conjunction with the museum’s fascinating Designs for Different Futures exhibit which combines art, sculpture, science and futurism.

“Sally and David read two very thought-filled stories about an all-too-believable woman who’d won the Nobel-prize in medicine (Sally Wiener Grotta) and the problems inherent in a new type of ‘drive-by’ accident (David Walton)”
~ Samuel R. Delany

David read the first chapter of his novel Three Laws Lethal, which is a thriller about how self-driving cars and AI are rewriting our futures. It’s been getting all kinds of raves, including being listed first on “The Wall Street Journal’s” Best Science Fiction of 2019.

I read an excerpt my story One Widow’s Healing, a Health Odyssey award winner which explores the personal and ethical issues of technology-driven health care.

And Lawrence provided an interesting intro regarding science fiction predictive “what if” nature, and how mass media has taken over part of that role.

The art museum’s staff made us feel very welcome, and what a great audience! I’m still riding high on the entire experience. Thank you everyone.

photos by Carol Gyzander and Sally Wiener Grotta

Awards Eligibility Post

Posted on December 21, 2019February 20, 2020 by Sally Wiener Grotta

2019 has been a busy year for me, mostly because I decided to live outside my comfort zone creatively. (See my essay The Creative Life: Embracing Reciprocity Failure on the subject.) In other words, I pushed myself to try new perspectives, styles, genres, etc. to see where they would take me. It’s been quite an adventure, flexing my muscles to write works unlike anything I’ve written before. And it resulted in a number of publications. I’m rather pleased with three: two short stories and a novelette. One was in a relatively new Hope Punk magazine, and the other two are in anthologies that you may not have noticed. That’s why I’ve collected them here in this post to share with you.

This whole process of putting out the word about my award eligible work is, in itself, also outside my comfort zone. In fact, in many ways, it’s more difficult than the decision to push myself forward into new kinds of work. (It’s the difference between challenging myself privately and sticking my neck out publicly.) But I’ve been encouraged (read “prodded”) by friends and fellow authors. So here they areRead More

Please come. I’ll be reading at the Philadelphia Museum of Art!

Posted on December 3, 2019December 3, 2019 by Sally Wiener Grotta

I’m thrilled that I’ve been invited to read some of my science fiction at the Philadelphia Museum Art on December 22nd. David Walton will also be reading. Below are the details from the flyer: (Or if you prefer, here’s a flyer that you can share, in PDF or JPEG.)

Lawrence M. Schoen
presents a special Galactic Philadelphia event

GLANCES INTO OUR POSSIBLE FUTURE

Science fiction readings by authors David Walton & Sally Wiener Grotta
in conjunction with the Philadelphia Museum of Art’s
Designs for Different Futures Exhibit

Sally Wiener Grotta, author & speaker — Sally Wiener Grotta

Sunday, December 22nd, 2:00 to 3:00 PM

(in the exhibit’s Future Therapy Lab, free with museum admission)

DAVID WALTON‘s latest book is Three Laws Lethal, a thriller about how self-driving cars and AI are rewriting our futures. He is the recipient of the Philip K. Dick Award for distinguished science fiction and the John W. Campbell Award for best science fiction novel. The Wall Street Journal wrote that David Walton “has brought hard sci-fi roaring back to life.” He lives a double life as an aerospace engineer with Lockheed Martin by day and mild-mannered father of eight children by night.

SALLY WIENER GROTTA will read from her short story “One Widow’s Healing” (a Health Odyssey award winner), which explores the personal and ethical issues of future technology-driven health care. Her books include The Winter Boy (a Locus Magazine’s 2015 Recommended Read) and Jo Joe (a Jewish Book Council Network selected book). Her far-ranging experiences as a journalist covering all corners of the world flavor her tales with a sense of wonder, otherliness and common sense. A popular speaker, Sally has a reputation for stimulating meaningful discussions and workshops on creativity, storytelling, and on crossing our tribal divides.

Lawrence M. Schoen, author — Lawrence M. Schoen

LAWRENCE M. SCHOEN holds a Ph.D. in cognitive psychology, is a past Campbell, Hugo, and Nebula, nominee, and twice won the Cóyotl award for best novel. His science fiction includes many light and humorous adventures of a space-faring stage hypnotist and his alien animal companion. Other works take a very different tone, exploring aspects of determinism and free will, generally redefining the continua between life and death. Sometimes he blurs the funny and the serious.

John, Paul, Ringo & George as we never knew them

Posted on November 21, 2019November 21, 2019 by Sally Wiener Grotta

Across the Universe: Tales of Alternate Beatles

edited by Michael A. Ventrella & Randee Dawn

Across the Universe is the Beatles tour you never thought you’d get a front row seat for, with speculative fiction stories examining other galaxies, worlds, professions and existences John, Paul, George and Ringo might have experienced
… or maybe they did ….

Join us for the book launch party & readings December 3rd in Brooklyn
(details below)

Coming out next month from Fantastic Books, this short story anthology reprints two classic alternate takes on the Fab Four: Spider Robinson’s “Rubber Soul” and Gregory Benford’s “Doing Lennon.” Plus it features new stories by Matthew F. Amati, Eric Avedissian, Patrick Barb, Charles Barouch, Pat Cadigan, Brenda W. Clough, Keith R. A. DeCandido, Gregory Frost, David Gerrold, Alan Goldsher, Carol Gyzander, Gordon Linzner, Gail Z. Martin, R. Jean Mathieu, Jody Lynn Nye, Beth W. Patterson, Cat Rambo, Kenneth Schneyer, Christian H. Smith, Allen M. Steele, Bev Vincent, Lawrence Watt-Evans… and me!

My story “The Truth Within” explores the unexpected repercussions when George Harrison follows through on his plan for World Peace that involves teaching transcendental meditation to Richard Nixon.

The anthology got raves from both Library Journal and Publishers Weekly (See the attached back cover.) The PW review included a mention of my “The Truth Within.”

Preorder the Book

You can preorder the trade paperback or the hardcover from Amazon or Barnes & Noble! (Links aren’t up yet for the eBook editions, nor are any links up yet on Indie Bound or Kobo.)

Amazon: trade paperback or hardcover
B&N: trade paperback or hardcover

Party with Us & Enjoy the Readings

On December 3rd. Doors open at 6:30 PM. Readings start at 7:00 PM

New York Review of Science Fiction Readings, Brooklyn Commons Cafe, 388 Atlantic Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11217

I’ll be joining several other contributors in reading portions of our stories. You’ll also meet Randee Dawn, one of our editors, and Ian Randal Strock, our publisher. Randee has been hinting that we may have cake. A group of us got together for pre-launch readings to a packed-room audience at Philcon a few weeks ago; it was a blast. (See the picture below.) This one promises to be at least as much fun, if not more so.

My Short Story “One Widow’s Healing” Honored by Jefferson Hospital

Posted on May 10, 2019July 11, 2019 by Sally Wiener Grotta

I received the email while I was at the International Conference for Fantastic in the Arts this past March.

Thank you for participating in 2100: A Health Odyssey! This has truly been an exciting and fun competition… The quality and diversity of the entries we received were outstanding. We are pleased to announce that your story has been selected as one of our six winners! Congratulations! (And, yes, the bold font was part of the email. I suppose it was just in case I missed the point.)

I had to read the email six or seven times. Was it really saying that my story One Widow’s Healing would be honored on May 7th at a gala celebration of six writers? Even after reading and rereading, I was sure it was a mistake. It wasn’t until I received a follow-up email asking me to fill in a W-9 IRS form so they could arrange for my prize money, that it began to sink in.

I don’t normally enter short story or other fiction contests. But this one was intriguing. The writing prompt was to write a science fiction story that would illustrate the future of health care, specifically in the year 2100. What was most interesting is that the competition was sponsored by Thomas Jefferson Hospital in Philadelphia, one of the highest rated health care facilities in the country. Specifically, they wanted a positive, hopeful story that could potentially influence how health care will actually develop in the future. In the words of Dr. Stephen Klasko, the CEO of Jefferson, “Almost anything you can dream can happen, if you do it in science fiction.”

Here’s Dr. Klasko’s visionary description of what they were seeking:

Watching that video, how could I not want to participate?

To say that I’m thrilled that the judges felt my story gave them hope about a possible health care future is to put it mildly. No, I didn’t win the grand prize of $10,000. But my prize money is enough to pay for several weeks this summer during which I can put aside everything and just write fiction. That’s quite a present to receive. And what an honor!

Many thanks to Dr. Klasko, the impressive panel of judges and Jefferson Hospital.

Click here — One Widow’s Healing — to read my short story. Then, please let me know what you think.

Of Being Woman, Coming mid-August, 2023

To wet your appetite, download a free story excerpt from Of Being Woman:Please enable JavaScript in your browser to complete this form.Email *Name *FirstLastDownload Now

Sally Wiener Grotta reads an excerpt from a new short story

Lawrence M. Schoen presents a special Galactic Philadelphia event