{"id":43,"date":"2017-04-08T01:59:09","date_gmt":"2017-04-08T01:59:09","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.shaenon.com\/testsite\/?p=43"},"modified":"2025-11-28T00:26:57","modified_gmt":"2025-11-28T00:26:57","slug":"words-without-pictures","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.shaenon.com\/?p=43","title":{"rendered":"Words without Pictures"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

My writing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

Books<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n

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What Would Velma Do? Life Lessons from the Brains (and Heart) of Mystery, Inc.<\/strong><\/em>
Running Press, 2023<\/a>
An illustrated ode to the breakout star of Scooby-Doo<\/i>, exploring the life lessons this iconic nerd girl teaches us and why we should all aim to be the Velma of our friend group.<\/p>\n

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The Zombie Gnome Defense Guide<\/strong><\/em>
with Andrew Farago and Brian Heemskerk
Running Press, 2018<\/a>
\nCompiled from the notes of three zombie gnome experts (among them a Van Helsing-like zombie gnome hunter, a horticulture student, and a gardening columnist), this guide includes a detailed study of zombie gnome habits, hiding places, and offensive tactics, as well as an intimate history of the zombie gnome rise and eventual war with humanity.\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Short Fiction<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

“My Collectors”<\/strong><\/a>
\nPublished in Kaleidotrope<\/em>, October 2025.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“Select All Bicycles”<\/strong><\/a>
\nPublished in Uncharted<\/em>, March 2025.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“The Repairers of Reality”<\/strong><\/a>
\nPublished in The Drabblecast<\/em>, March 2025.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“Sister, Come to Me”<\/strong><\/a>
Published in Uncharted<\/em>, August 2024.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“The Lady with the Look”<\/a><\/strong>
Published in LOLcraft: A Compendium of Eldritch Humor<\/em>, December 2022.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“Cast Member Rules at Old Tech Town”<\/strong><\/a>
Short story published in Cast of Wonders<\/em>, April 2020.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“You Came to the Tower”<\/strong><\/a>
Short story published in Future Science Fiction Digest<\/em>, October 2019.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“The Best Scarlet Ceremony Ever!”<\/strong><\/a>
Short story published in The Drabblecast<\/em>, September 2019.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“Beatrix Released”<\/strong><\/a>
Short story published in Escape Pod<\/em>, December 2018.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“Grandma Novak’s Famous Nut Roll”<\/strong><\/a>
Short story published in Lightspeed Magazine<\/em>, December 2018.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“Red Kelly Owns the Moon”<\/b><\/a>
Short story published in Escape Pod<\/i>, May 2017.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“Leg”<\/b><\/a>
Short story published in Kaleidotrope<\/i>, April 2017.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“Bonsai”<\/b><\/a>
Short story published in Podcastle<\/i>, January 2017.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“The Last Bad Ladies”<\/b>
Short story published in the “Star Trek” issue of The Mondegreen<\/i>, January 2017.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“The Deliverable”<\/b><\/a>
Short story published in Unidentified Funny Objects 5,<\/i> September 2016.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“Demon Clown Diary”<\/a><\/b>
Short story published in The Sockdolager<\/i>, Summer 2016.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“To Whatever”<\/b><\/a>
Short story published in The Drabblecast<\/i>, August 2014.
Reprinted in The Cackle of Cthulhu<\/a>, January 2018.
Voted Best Story of 2014 in the Drabblecast People’s Choice Awards<\/i><\/p>\n\n\n\n

“The Invasion Commander’s Motion for New Business”<\/b><\/a>
Short story published in Day One<\/i>, June 2014.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“Francisca Montoya’s Almanac of Things That Can Kill You”<\/strong><\/a>
Short story published in Lightspeed Magazine<\/i>, April 2014.
Reprinted in Wastelands: The New Apocalypse<\/a>, June 2019.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“Flying on My Hatred of My Neighbor’s Dog”<\/b><\/a>
Short story published in The Drabblecast<\/i>, October 2013. Podcast available.
Reprinted in Funny Science Fiction<\/a>, January 2016.
Voted Best Story of 2013 in the Drabblecast People’s Choice Awards<\/i><\/p>\n\n\n\n

“Punk Voyager”<\/b><\/a>
Short story published in Escape Pod<\/i>, January 2013. Podcast available.
Voted Best Story of 2013 in the Escape Pod Reader’s Poll Award<\/i><\/p>\n\n\n\n

“He Could Be Ambrose Bierce”<\/b>
Short story published in Daily Science Fiction<\/i>, December 2012.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“Colorless Green Ideas”<\/b>
Short story published in James Gunn’s Ad Astra<\/i>, July 2012.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“Librarians in the Branch Library of Babel”<\/b><\/a>
Short story published in Strange Horizons<\/i>, October 2011.
Reprinted in Funny Fantasy<\/a>, April 2016.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“The All-Night Truck Stop Polka Band”<\/b><\/a>
Short story published in Strange Horizons<\/i>, June 2011.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“Prison Knife Fight”<\/b>
Podcast available at Machine of Death<\/a>.
Short story published in Machine of Death: A Collection of Stories About People Who Know How They Will Die<\/i>, 2010.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Nonfiction<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Publishers Weekly<\/b><\/a>
\nI write reviews and articles for PW.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Otaku USA<\/b><\/a>
I write reviews and edit the manga review section.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Comics Journal<\/b><\/a>
I write essays for TCJ.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Anime News Network<\/b><\/a>
Archive of the weekly manga column I wrote with Jason Thompson for Anime News Network from 2013-2015.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Books featuring my nonfiction writing include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n