Fans of Kaleidoscope will find more tales of wonder, adventure, diversity, and variety in this collection devoted to stories with teen protagonists.

Our goal is to uncover the best young adult short fiction of the year published in the anthologies dedicated to the form, the occasional special edition of a magazine, and individual pieces appearing in otherwise “adult” anthologies and magazines, and bring them together in one accessible collection.

Table of Contents

Songs in the Key of You - Sarah Pinsker

Blood, Ash, Braids - Genevieve Valentine

Mosquito Boy - Felix Gilman

The Rainbow Flame - Shveta Thakrar

The Sixth Day - Sylvia Anna Hivén

For Sale: Fantasy Coffin (Ababuo Need Not Apply) - Chesya Burke

Kia and Gio - Daniel José Older

Bucket List Found in the Locker of Maddie Price, Age 14, Written Two Weeks Before the Great Uplifting of ll Mankind - Erica L. Satifka

Function A.save (target.Dawn) - Rivqa Rafael

Noah No-one and the Infinity Machine - Sean Williams

Forgiveness - Leah Cypess

Probably Definitely - Heather Morris

I'm Only Going Over - Cat Hellisen

The Ways of Walls and Words - Sabrina Vourvoulias

Reflections - Tamlyn Dreaver

Entangled Web - E C Myers

Blue Ribbon - Marissa Lingen

Bodies are the Strongest Conductors - James Robert Herndon

Pineapple Head - Joel Enos

Grass Girl - Caroline M. Yoachim

The Birds of Azalea Street - Nova Ren Suma

From the risks of having goddesses walk among us to surviving a fall from space with an improbable flying pig, Pen-Ultimate II brings you a new collection of tales from the imaginations of alumni from the Boston area Ultimate Science Fiction Writing Workshop. 

Journey with us as we explore inhuman dreams of love, perplexing alien lifeforms, time and matter manipulation, the divine and not-so-divine consequences of our choices and more in worlds like and unlike our own.


This speculative fiction anthology contains sixteen stories written by twelve graduates of the Boston area Ultimate SF Writing Workshop. All proceeds from the sale of the book will be donated to the SFWA (Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America) emergency medical fund.

Stories by:
KJ Kabza
Chad Kroll
Orin Kornblit
Chris Howard
Scott Davis
Talib S. Hussain
LJ Cohen
William Gerke
David P. Fischer
Meredith Watts
T.S. Kay
Pam Phillips

Consisting of a number of well-known open source products, JBoss is more a family of interrelated services than a single monolithic application. But, as with any tool that's as feature-rich as JBoss, there are number of pitfalls and complexities, too.

Most developers struggle with the same issues when deploying J2EE applications on JBoss: they have trouble getting the many J2EE and JBoss deployment descriptors to work together; they have difficulty finding out how to get started; their projects don't have a packaging and deployment strategy that grows with the application; or, they find the Class Loaders confusing and don't know how to use them, which can cause problems.

JBoss at Work: A Practical Guide helps developers overcome these challenges. As you work through the book, you'll build a project using extensive code examples. You'll delve into all the major facets of J2EE application deployment on JBoss, including JSPs, Servlets, EJBs, JMS, JNDI, web services, JavaMail, JDBC, and Hibernate. With the help of this book, you'll:

Implement a full J2EE application and deploy it on JBossDiscover how to use the latest features of JBoss 4 and J2EE 1.4, including J2EE-compliant web servicesMaster J2EE application deployment on JBoss with EARs, WARs, and EJB JARsUnderstand the core J2EE deployment descriptors and how they integrate with JBoss-specific descriptorsBase your security strategy on JAAS

Written for Java developers who want to use JBoss on their projects, the book covers the gamut of deploying J2EE technologies on JBoss, providing a brief survey of each subject aimed at the working professional with limited time.

If you're one of the legions of developers who have decided to give JBoss a try, then JBoss at Work: A Practical Guide is your next logical purchase. It'll show you in plain language how to use the fastest growing open source tool in the industry today. If you've worked with JBoss before, this book will get you up to speed on JBoss 4, JBoss WS (web services), and Hibernate 3.

Corina Lairsey has just clawed her way free from one controllingrelationship when she finds herself in another-only this guy, Aleximor,has really gotten under her skin. Literally. A 400-year-old sorcerer who gathersthe drowned dead off the ocean's floor for the King of the Seaborn, he's insideher head and is wearing her body like a wetsuit. Corina desperately schemes toregain control of her self, fighting against time as Aleximore trades pieces ofher life away in exchange for power over the path between the worlds of theliving and the dead . . . Kassandra is the King of the Seaborn's granddaughter. She comes from thesea, but has spent her whole life in exile on the surface, struggling to controlfrightening powers she barely understands. She declares war on her murderousgrandfather and manipulates her family, friends, oceanic royalty, and the USNavy to aid her- but Aleximore intends to use Kass to carry out hisrevenge against the entire Seaborn royal line. And she's also fallen inlove-one more struggle for an already troubledsoul.

Waterpower is the largest source of renewable energy in the world today, and microhydro is a mature, proven technology that can provide clean, inexpensive, renewable energy with little or no impact on the environment.

Serious Microhydro brings you dozens of firsthand stories of energy independence covering a complete range of systems, from household pressure sites to higher pressure installations capable of powering a farm, business, or small neighborhood. Topics include:

Low head and medium head sites AC-only systems as well as ones using a battery/inverter subsystem Stand alone power supply or grid intertie setups Hybrid systems (combined with photovoltaics or wind)

With all the variables involved in microhydro, there is no “typical” system. These case studies represent the most comprehensive collection of knowledge and experience available for tailoring an installation to meet the needs of a site and its owner or operators. If you are considering building a system, you are bound to find a wealth of creative solutions appropriate to your own circumstances.

Serious Microhydro shows how scores of people are achieving a high standard of living from local energy sources with a minimal ecological footprint. It has particular appeal to homeowners, teachers, renewable energy professionals, activists, and decision makers who want to understand the technology from a “hands-on” perspective.

Scott Davis is an award-winning renewable energy project developer with decades of experience operating, installing, designing, selling, and teaching microhydro technology. He is a founder and president of Friends of Renewable Energy BC, and the author of Microhydro: Clean Power From Water.

A dazzling eco-thriller set in a terrifying world with some chilling similarities to our own . . . 17-year-old Banyan is a tree builder. Using salvaged scrap metal, he creates forests for rich patrons who seek a reprieve from the desolate landscape. Although Banyan's never seen a real tree--they were destroyed more than a century ago--his missing father used to tell him stories about the Old World.  Everything changes when Banyan meets a mysterious woman with a strange tattoo, a map to the last living trees on earth, and he sets off across a wasteland from which few return. Those who make it past the pirates and poachers can't escape the locusts . . . the locusts that now feed on human flesh. But Banyan isn't the only one looking for the trees, and he's running out of time. Unsure of whom to trust, he's forced to make an alliance with Alpha, a beautiful, dangerous pirate with an agenda of her own. As they race towards a promised land that might only be a myth, Banyan makes shocking discoveries about his family, his past, and how far people will go to bring back the trees.

Anne Rice's uniquely gothic, sensuous, and existential approach redefined the modern vampire mythology. Shaped by personal tragedies, critical successes and failures, and a fervent rediscovery of her Catholic roots, Rice has penned over 27 novels from supernatural to historical tomes, erotica and religious themes. But Anne Rice's life is just as interesting as the tales she spins. This expanded collector's version includes several special extras including a pictorial tour of Rice's beloved New Orleans, a brief overview of the origins of the vampire myth, and an illustrated bibliography.

As the gods conspire against him, Perseus' quest to recover his beloved son and heir to the throne of Argos is thrown into peril. From the volcanic depths of Mt. Aetna, the whirlwinds blow one of the fiercest demons into his path... Typhon, whose hundred, horrible heads touch the stars, whose blackest eyes drip venom, whoseÊgaping jaws pour lava and red-hot stones. Perseus may be the son ofÊZeus, but he will need more than the blessings of Olympus to defeat this monster. But help does come from an unexpected source from the past. IN SPANISH: Nubes de tormenta se reœnen en el horizonte en el pueblo de Argos. Su pr’ncipe reciŽn nacido, el hijo de Perseo, fue robado nada m‡s nacer. Perseo ha luchado contra muchos monstruos m’ticos, pero nunca ha probado un golpe tan doloroso. Reuniendo toda su fuerza y astucia, Žl sale en busca de su primogŽnito y heredero. Esto lo lleva de vuelta al oscuro mundo de las tres brujas que poseen la clave que le ayudar‡ a encontrar a su hijo Perseo. Pero la informaci—n tiene un precio peligroso: adquirir el Cuerno de los C’clopes.

More than 50 million people believed Al Gore should have been President of the United States in 2000. He was practicially groomed for the job since childhood. But this former Congressman, Senator, Vice President, Oscar winner and Nobel Peace Prize winner followed a different path. One of the more fascinating, polarizing and perplexing political figures in recent memory Al Gore's life has been a contrast of opposites. From Senator's son to environmental movement champion, Al Gore is a Political Power.

An addictive new drug fuels superhuman strength and speed in this action-packed sci-fi thriller that will have fans of Scott Westerfeld and Marie Lu on the edge of their seats.

Only those young enough can survive tetra, a dangerous drug that creates a pulse-pounding rush of enormous strength and incredible speed. Seventeen-year-old Alana West has been trained to use tetra so she can pursue the young criminals who abuse its power—criminals like the one who nearly killed her kid brother.

On tetra, Alana is unstoppable—an explosive blur as she surges through New York City. But with the clock ticking down to her eighteenth birthday, Alana will soon be too old for the rush . . . when just one more dose will prove deadly.

Supported only by her steady handler, Tucker, Alana goes undercover, infiltrating an elite gang of breaknecks to stop their supply of the drug. But when Alana gets trapped on the wrong side of the law, she learns the breaknecks are not quite what they seem—especially Ethan, the boy who seems to see the truth inside her. With her dependency on tetra increasing, Alana must decide where her loyalties lie, before the rush ends. Forever.

Corina Lairsey has just clawed her way free from one controllingrelationship when she finds herself in another-only this guy, Aleximor,has really gotten under her skin. Literally. A 400-year-old sorcerer who gathersthe drowned dead off the ocean's floor for the King of the Seaborn, he's insideher head and is wearing her body like a wetsuit. Corina desperately schemes toregain control of her self, fighting against time as Aleximore trades pieces ofher life away in exchange for power over the path between the worlds of theliving and the dead . . . Kassandra is the King of the Seaborn's granddaughter. She comes from thesea, but has spent her whole life in exile on the surface, struggling to controlfrightening powers she barely understands. She declares war on her murderousgrandfather and manipulates her family, friends, oceanic royalty, and the USNavy to aid her- but Aleximore intends to use Kass to carry out hisrevenge against the entire Seaborn royal line. And she's also fallen inlove-one more struggle for an already troubledsoul.

 Kaleidoscope collects fun, edgy, meditative, and hopeful YA science fiction and fantasy with diverse leads. These twenty original stories tell of scary futures, magical adventures, and the joys and heartbreaks of teenage life.

Featuring New York Times bestselling and award winning authors along with newer voices:

Garth Nix, Sofia Samatar, William Alexander, Karen Healey, E.C. Myers, Tansy Rayner Roberts, Ken Liu, Vylar Kaftan, Sean Williams, Amal El-Mohtar, Jim C. Hines, Faith Mudge, John Chu, Alena McNamara, Tim Susman, Gabriela Lee, Dirk Flinthart, Holly Kench, Sean Eads, and Shveta Thakrar.

A dazzling eco-thriller set in a terrifying world with some chilling similarities to our own . . . 17-year-old Banyan is a tree builder. Using salvaged scrap metal, he creates forests for rich patrons who seek a reprieve from the desolate landscape. Although Banyan's never seen a real tree--they were destroyed more than a century ago--his missing father used to tell him stories about the Old World.  Everything changes when Banyan meets a mysterious woman with a strange tattoo, a map to the last living trees on earth, and he sets off across a wasteland from which few return. Those who make it past the pirates and poachers can't escape the locusts . . . the locusts that now feed on human flesh. But Banyan isn't the only one looking for the trees, and he's running out of time. Unsure of whom to trust, he's forced to make an alliance with Alpha, a beautiful, dangerous pirate with an agenda of her own. As they race towards a promised land that might only be a myth, Banyan makes shocking discoveries about his family, his past, and how far people will go to bring back the trees.

 Fans of Kaleidoscope will find more tales of wonder, adventure, diversity, and variety in this collection devoted to stories with teen protagonists.

 

Table of Contents

Left Foot, Right - Nalo Hopkinson

Selfies - Lavie Tidhar

The Vitruvian Farmer - Marcelina Vizcarra

The Lady and the Fox - Kelly Link

Cat Calls - Margo Lanagan

Walkdog - Sofia Samatar

No Lonely Seafarer - Sarah Pinsker

The Endless Sink - Damien Ober

No Mercy for the Executioner - Deborah Biancotti

The Ancestors - Laurie Tom

Jelly and the D-Machine - Suzanne Church

Kneaded - S. G. Larner

Resurrection Points - Usman T. Malik

Memory Lace - Payal Dhar

Collected Likenesses - Jamey Hatley

Scout - Will McIntosh

Selfie - Sandra McDonald

The Boy Who Grew Up - Christopher Barzak

Cookie Cutter Superhero - Tansy Rayner Roberts

The Stuff We Don't Do - Marissa Lingen

Figment - Jeri Smith-Ready

 Our goal is to uncover the best young adult short fiction of the year published in the anthologies dedicated to the form, the occasional special edition of a magazine, and individual pieces appearing in otherwise “adult” anthologies and magazines, and bring them together in one accessible collection.

Fans of Kaleidoscope will find more tales of wonder, adventure, diversity, and variety in this collection devoted to stories with teen protagonists.

Table of Contents

Selkie Stories Are For Losers  -  Sofia Samatar
By Bone-Light  -  Juliet Marillier
The Myriad Dangers  -  Lavie Tidhar
Carpet  -  Nnedi Okorafor
I Gave You My Love by the Light of the Moon  -  Sarah Rees Brennan
57 Reasons for the Slate Quarry Suicides  -  Sam J. Miller
The Minotaur Girls  -  Tansy Rayner Roberts
Not With You, But With You  -  Miri Kim
Ghost Town  -  Malinda Lo
December  -  Neil Gaiman
An Echo in the Shell  -  Beth Cato
Dan's Dreams  -  Eliza Victoria
As Large As Alone  -  Alena McNamara
Random Play All and the League of Awesome  -  Shane Halbach
Mah Song  -  Joanne Anderton
What We Ourselves Are Not  -  Leah Cypess
The City of Chrysanthemum  -  Ken Liu
Megumi's Quest  -  Joyce Chng
Persimmon, Teeth, and Boys  -  Steve Berman
Flight  -  Angela Slatter
We Have Always Lived on Mars  -  Cecil Castellucci

Nanowhere... it's a love story with all the usual elements: rogue soldiers, computer hacking, tyranny, cryptography, hit-men with an affinity for rolled adhesives, rebellious skateboarders, and sentient billion-node self-organizing nanotech ghosts.

Chris Howard has released an interesting and well-written sf thriller called Nanowhere along with a bunch of supplementary materials that purports to be the lab notes and publications of one of the book's characters... —Cory Doctorow, Boing Boing

rom the creators of 10th Muse, ISIS, and Judo Girl, StormFront is ready to introduce the next generation of heroes. In the coming months you'll get to know such memorable characters as the New 10th Muse, Insane Jane, Violet Rose, Gearz, and those sexy assassins from the other side of the Pond, VSS. But you can meet them right now in StormFront's 32-page sampler. Get a quick taste of some of the industry's up and coming artists and writers. Follow the new adventures of old friends and explore the worlds of some new titles coming to your comic shop very soon. This book includes samples from: 10th Muse, Isis, Gearz, Insane Jane, Tom Corbett: Space Cadet, Blackbeard Legacy, Ninth Order, Lost Raven, Judo Girl, Violet Rose, and more!

From the creators of 10th Muse, ISIS, and Judo Girl, StormFront is ready to introduce the next generation of heroes. In the coming months you'll get to know Tom Corbett: Space Cadet, Styx and Stone, Missile to the Moon, Tony & Cleopatra, and Plan 9 from Outer Space. But you can meet them right now in StormFront's new 32-page sampler. Get a quick taste of some of the industry's up and coming artists and writers and follow the new adventures of some old friends and explore the worlds of some new titles coming to your comic shop very soon. You will also find previews of some of the NEW Ray Harryhausen titles.

Andin Teller can change the world with a pencil and paint brush. Teller isn’t just his name. It’s what he is—someone who can manipulate memories, reality and even shift time with the right pencil line, paint stroke, or story. But it doesn’t come without a cost, and he isn't alone. When he discovers his mother is part of an otherworldly organized crime family in the middle of a secret war—and has been abducted by a rival family, Andin sets out to rescue her with his closest friends, Taryn, a mathematics and patterning genius, and down-to-earth, motorcycle-driving Itoshi. With their help, Andin navigates a world he doesn’t understand, taking on family betrayers, killers, and others like himself—others who have powers greater than his own.

Teller shares a few characters and takes place almost a hundred and seventy years after the events in the Seaborn Trilogy (Saltwater Witch, Seaborn, Sea Throne), but is a stand-alone story.