This month, we have our regular issue's worth of outstanding original stories--with only two more issues to go of our 24th year of continuous publication!

This past month has been a bit odd. I was asked to go back to swing shift to help train people for a job they've gotten. With all the recent unpleasantness, the company is running short-handed I should be back at my normal job before the end of the year, however. That said, rotating shifts are just as unpleasant as I remember. The people I'm working with are fun to be around, don't get me wrong. It's just the longer hours and changing from days to nights and back again that're hard to bear. Oh well, I managed to do it for four decades--I can manage again for a few months. After all, I have less than three years to go before I retire.

In other news, both the anthology "Steam-Powered Dream Engines" and my first collection of Mare Inebrium stories are being re-issued by new publishers! Also, I am working on a new collection of Mare Inebrium stories, and am almost finished with the prequel to the Tom Darby book, "Abducted." Over on my Bandcamp site, I recently released my ninth album, "Invocation," a more meditative offering than is per my usual.  I have a few more new pieces done as well, but nearly enough to have a go at a tenth album yet. There are a few other irons in the fires as well, so I'll keep you posted as and when news develops.

Later this month I will be attending Joe McKeel's Hallowcon convention. It's a small "relaxicon" affair, very intimate and laid back, where I will have a small space in the vendor's room to hopefully get a few copies of my books into the hands of new readers. All the proper precautions will be taken, rest assured, and several of my LibertyCon and AnachroCon friends will be there. This will be my first in-person con since AnachroCon ended in early 2020, although it is looking like there will be a live LibertyCon next Summer, so perhaps we are coming to the decline of the convention drought at last. 

I didn't intend for this editorial to be all about me, but I have to go to work tonight, and so I wanted to get Aphelion online before I have to head out...

About time I quit talking and let you get to reading!

Dan