I’ve just returned from a cycling marathon puffing up Welsh mountains visiting names such as World’s End, Heol Offa, Horseshoe Pass and Llangollen. A non-writing friend  in Coedpoeth, Wales, I dropped in unannounced, for a cup of tea en route was keen to tell me how much he enjoyed Escape Velocity: the anthology I’d given him a few weeks ago. He’s been reading SF for over 40 years and pressed upon me that it was by far the very best collection he’d ever read. Wow. I know I’d spent two years going through thousands of submissions, selecting the best from our Escape Velocity mag included. One of mine is in there to lower the standard but he liked that too. Then he said why not enter it for the BFS best anthology? I said I don’t think as editor that I am allowed… but perhaps another member of the BFS could.

Details: Escape Velocity: The Anthology contains stories from 40 contributors including Jaine Fenn, Sonny Whitelaw, Ian Whates, the controversial Rebecca Latyntseva, TTA’s Roy Gray, Rob Harkess, Catherine Edmunds, and so on. A mix of hard SF, time travel, thoughtful ponderings, a cartoon…

Published 8 April 2011 by Adventure Books of Seattle, (owned by Robert Blevins) edited by Geoff Nelder and Robert Blevins ISBN-13: 978-0982327197

or Kindle on Amazon see http://amzn.to/H04ZqB

pub website http://adventurebooksofseattle.com/

Between you and me I’d hoped that by involving 40 writers that they would have bought copies for themselves and friends but few have done so. It really is an excellent collection and even though I plugged it here and there a lone voice isn’t enough. If you are a member of the BFS I would be very grateful if you would consider nominating our Escape Velocity: The Anthology (31 March 2012 deadline –  aaarrgh)  http://www.britishfantasysociety.co.uk/british-fantasy-awards/

for the category of best anthology collection of short stories.