The Blossom Project

Last year, my good friends David and Anne sent me a note about an upcoming UK anthology, a collaboration between NewCon press and the Institution of Agricultural Engineers in honor of the latter's celebration of their 75th anniversary. A call for short fiction set entirely within my wheelhouse - agriculture, environmental engineering, and sci fi? I couldn't resist.

Here's a link to the Amazon Kindle Edition of Looking Landwards. If you "look inside," you can read my story, "The Blossom Project" in its entirety. Of course, downloading it or ordering a hard copy might be nice, too.

Below are the official promo materials, shout out to fellow authors, and link to the UK page for NewCon press. I have to say, working with NewCon has been a great experience!

With the impending crises of climate change, scarcity of water, dwindling energy reserves and spiraling global populations, the effective management of our land and the food it produces has never been more relevant. Established in 1938 by a small group of far-seeing and enthusiastic engineers and agriculturalists, the Institution of Agricultural Engineers provides a professional nexus for the scientists, technologists, engineers, and managers working in the many and varied forms of land-based industry.
In 1988 the IAgrE marked its 50^th anniversary with a publication that considered the changing face of farming and agricultural engineering over the previous half century. In 2013, to mark their 75^th anniversary, they have chosen to commission a book that looks forward...
- See more at: http://newconpress.co.uk/products-page-2/anthologies/looking-landwards/#sthash.whSnJ0Rk.dpuf

Looking Landwards

"With the impending crises of climate change, scarcity of water, dwindling energy reserves and spiraling global populations, the effective management of our land and the food it produces has never been more relevant. Established in 1938 by a small group of far-seeing and enthusiastic engineers and agriculturalists, the Institution of Agricultural Engineers provides a professional nexus for the scientists, technologists, engineers, and managers working in the many and varied forms of land-based industry.

In 1988 the IAgrE marked its 50th anniversary with a publication that considered the changing face of farming and agricultural engineering over the previous half century. In 2013, to mark their 75th anniversary, they have chosen to commission a book that looks forward at what the future might hold. To help them achieve this, they approached NewCon Press.

Looking Landwards represents NewCon Press’ first ever open submissions anthology. We have been overwhelmed by the response, receiving submissions not only from within the UK but also from the USA, Australia, mainland Europe, Africa, and Asia; from professional writers and would-be writers, from scientists and engineers who are actively involved in dealing with the book’s themes to people who have simply been inspired by them. Looking Landwards features the very best of these stories. Twenty-three works of science fiction and speculation that dare to look to the future and examine what lies ahead for farming, for agricultural engineering and for all of us."

Contents:

1. Introduction by Andy Newbold and Chris Whetnall of the IAgrE
2. The Blossom Project – M Frost
3. Contraband – Terry Martin
4. When Shepherds Dream of Electric Sheep – Sam Fleming
5. Inversion Centre – Darren Goossens
6. Ode to an Earthworm – Gareth D Jones
7. A Touch of Frost – Renee Stern
8. The World Coyote Made – Jetse de Vries
9. Earthen – Alicia Cole
10. Soul Food – Kim Lakin-Smith
11. Charlie’s Ant – Adrian Tchaikovsky
12. Cellular Level – J E Bryant
13. My Oasis Tower – Holly Ice
14. Throw Back – Gill Shutt
15. Mary on the Edge – Steven Pirie
16. Landward – Den Patrick
17. Long Indeed Do We Live… – Storm Constantine
18. Tractor Time – Kate Wilson
19. Veggie Moon – Neal Wooten
20. Wheat – Kevin Burke
21. Blight – Dev Agarwal
22. Black Shuck – Henry Gee
23. A Season – Rebecca J. Payne
24. The Last Star – Nigel Edwards
25. About the Authors