Seanan McGuire (seanan_mcguire) wrote,
Seanan McGuire
seanan_mcguire
  • Mood: accomplished
  • Music: Talis Kimberley, "Still Catch the Tide."

But that was long ago, and the past is another country.

We have successfully weathered the release of Chimes at Midnight which means that you deserve a treat. And here it is:

A brand-new story about Tybalt, "Forbid the Sea," has been posted on the Toby Daye short fiction page. It is available in ePub, MOBI, and PDF formats, and is free for download. Please download rather than trying to read locally; my server will thank you.

This story is best read after "Rat-Catcher" if possible, since it is sequentially set ten years after that piece, but should make sense regardless. It is a story about loneliness, and cats, and what it means to love the sea. Nothing good will ever come of it.

Cover graphics are by Tara O'Shea. All short story electronic conversion thus far has been done by scifantasy. As both of them are awesome, we applaud them now.

Go forth, read, and please feel free to use this as a discussion post, which means there may be spoilers in the comments. Tread carefully.

Enjoy.
Tags: short fiction, toby daye
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hoppytoad79

September 18 2013, 19:44:22 UTC 3 years ago

*squees loudly* Tybalt fic! Off to read.

seanan_mcguire

September 19 2013, 16:11:51 UTC 3 years ago

Yay!

reedrover

September 18 2013, 19:53:31 UTC 3 years ago

That was painful beauty. Thank you for the gift.

seanan_mcguire

September 19 2013, 16:13:39 UTC 3 years ago

You are very welcome.

thegreenyear

September 18 2013, 20:51:34 UTC 3 years ago

yaaaaaay thank you! I *just* finished Chimes at Midnight yesterday, and I was having withdrawals.

thegreenyear

September 18 2013, 21:33:08 UTC 3 years ago

oh except now I'm crying. that was really amazing.

I love that your characters aren't all monosexual!

seanan_mcguire

3 years ago

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anne_d

September 18 2013, 21:57:27 UTC 3 years ago

*snifflesnifflesniffle*

seanan_mcguire

September 19 2013, 16:14:17 UTC 3 years ago

Aw.

lazzchan

September 18 2013, 22:00:02 UTC 3 years ago

I just screamed with delight. *bolts to story*

seanan_mcguire

September 19 2013, 16:14:24 UTC 3 years ago

Glee!

heavensgardener

September 18 2013, 22:10:16 UTC 3 years ago

That was absolutely lovely and just what I needed after being in at work at 6 am to markdown clothes all day. Even if the last lines just utterly broke me.

That being said, I think an element of common dating advice in Faerie really should be "never date a Selkie". because track records show..,

seanan_mcguire

September 19 2013, 16:14:37 UTC 3 years ago

Seriously. Date a Selkie, get screwed.

heavensgardener

3 years ago

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museclio

September 18 2013, 22:22:42 UTC 3 years ago

I think I write this every time.

Ow.

seanan_mcguire

September 19 2013, 16:14:46 UTC 3 years ago

Yes.

debmats

September 18 2013, 22:23:45 UTC 3 years ago

Ooooh! Thank you!

seanan_mcguire

October 4 2013, 17:13:20 UTC 3 years ago

Very welcome.

lazzchan

September 18 2013, 22:30:54 UTC 3 years ago

GAAAAH, Tybalt... It was absolutely fantastically lovely to get a story that is a Tybalt story, but man oh man... I have a feeling his life is filled with sadness like that. D:

seanan_mcguire

October 4 2013, 17:13:34 UTC 3 years ago

Hundreds of years of sadness.

cerulean_sky

September 18 2013, 22:47:26 UTC 3 years ago

(/high pitched squeals of joy)

seanan_mcguire

October 4 2013, 17:13:40 UTC 3 years ago

Yay!

calico_reaction

September 18 2013, 22:59:26 UTC 3 years ago

Wonderful! Thank you!

seanan_mcguire

October 4 2013, 17:13:47 UTC 3 years ago

Very welcome.

silvertwi

September 19 2013, 01:58:19 UTC 3 years ago

*grabs tissues*

What a gripping story. I just want to hug Tybalt and make him purr again.

seanan_mcguire

October 4 2013, 17:46:07 UTC 3 years ago

He's not having the best day, it's true.

jennygriffee

September 19 2013, 02:47:45 UTC 3 years ago

Loved that. And the last couple lines... damn.

seanan_mcguire

October 4 2013, 17:46:14 UTC 3 years ago

<3

myuki_chan

September 19 2013, 03:29:47 UTC 3 years ago

Oh Tybalt. :(

seanan_mcguire

October 4 2013, 17:46:24 UTC 3 years ago

Yes.

mackknopf

September 19 2013, 04:28:32 UTC 3 years ago

Dear Seanan,

A new Tybalt story, for free? That's wonderful! But...Is there a "tip jar" anywhere? I remember there used to be one for certain of your short stories, but I can't find it on the website. Was it removed because people (not me) thought it was declasse to ask for money, a concept which boggles the mind, since money says "thank you" quite nicely? Or am I just poor at website navigation tonight?

You give your readers such lagniappe, bonuses thrown in for buying and reading: wallpapers (I have the hope chest from "Rosemary and Rue" on my tablet), icons, inscribed copies, book giveaway contests, and even free short stories. While I love having free stories (I've read "A Fantasy Medley 2" and am looking forward to the new Tybalt romance), I would be happy to show financial appreciation. Hopefully I'm not alone...

Anyway, I appreciate the story post, and I'm going to read my download tonight.

P.S. Thanks to the Jefferson County library system for their copy of _Fantasy Medley_ and "Rat-Catcher." If a reprint doesn't come out some day soon from some publisher, I suppose I'll have to haunt alibris.com, ebay, amazon.com, etc. A lovely, bittersweet tale.

Mack

kentuckckykat

September 20 2013, 19:59:18 UTC 3 years ago

you are not alone.

vixyish

3 years ago

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seanan_mcguire

3 years ago

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falnfenix

September 19 2013, 04:47:02 UTC 3 years ago

**flails**

I WAS GOING TO BED BUT NOW I CAN'T. THANKS, SEANAN. dangit. :)

falnfenix

September 19 2013, 05:26:27 UTC 3 years ago

oh...oh Tybalt. :(

seanan_mcguire

3 years ago

  • New comment

georgiamagnolia

September 19 2013, 05:57:28 UTC 3 years ago

Today has been made of much win, I got a CD (stars fall home) in the mail and then this story, and and and.... much crying in my house tonight. *sigh* Why are beautiful things so often the ones that make me cry the most?

seanan_mcguire

October 4 2013, 17:47:11 UTC 3 years ago

Beauty comes with a price.

rhodielady_47

September 19 2013, 06:52:00 UTC 3 years ago

Oh goodie! Something great to read this weekend!
Zippity doo dah!!!!
:^D

seanan_mcguire

October 4 2013, 17:47:27 UTC 3 years ago

Glee!

faecat

September 19 2013, 12:46:04 UTC 3 years ago

Oh, Tybalt. So much love.

seanan_mcguire

October 4 2013, 17:47:40 UTC 3 years ago

Yes. Always.

notalwaysweak

September 19 2013, 14:11:56 UTC 3 years ago

If I emailed you proof of purchase of 'Rat-Catcher', as I bought it yesterday, would you have a PDF version of it so I can read it rightnowrightnowrightnow and then read 'Forbid the Sea' without waiting three weeks for shipping of the anthology 'Rat-Catcher' is in? Or would that be a pain in the arse?

mackknopf

September 20 2013, 06:04:55 UTC 3 years ago

Dear Notalwaysweak,

I think I can answer this one for you, based on memory of a post here and my working knowledge of contract law. Seanan has said before on this journal that she does not currently possess the electronic rights to redistribute "Rat-Catcher. She sold the physical print rights and other rights when the story was bought for _A Fantasy Medley 2_. The contract usually gives first electronic publication, but not always, depending on the negotiated contract. The publishers of that anthology own these rights.

Therefore, she cannot just decide to put up PDFs on her own accord; she would need new, negotiated permissions which are not forthcoming right now. Releasing PDFs like that would be (I assume) a breach of contract, with resulting liability, ill will, and potential for damages. If this status changes, she will let us know. It's also unlikely that she will go into more detail about her publishing contracts; it's really none of our business.

Sorry this was wordy -- I am paraphrasing from memory of her post, . You could probably find the exact words by doing a search of the LJ, if she has that enabled. Also, I practice plaintiff and disability law, not contract law, so my contract knowledge doesn't usually get much of a workout. Jane Friedman, editor, has a blog where you can find more info on how publishing contracts work, if you're interested.

http://janefriedman.com/

Gemma Mason

3 years ago

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seanan_mcguire

3 years ago

  • New comment

twilightviolet

September 19 2013, 15:23:33 UTC 3 years ago

THANK YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! SO HAPPY!!!

seanan_mcguire

October 4 2013, 17:48:03 UTC 3 years ago

Very welcome!

hevia

September 19 2013, 15:45:25 UTC 3 years ago

Thank you for the story! Poor Tybalt. I, too, am convinced dating Selkies is bad luck. How is September Torquill related to Sylvester? I don't have my books handy so I can't check to see if it's mentioned. Was she January's mother maybe? Naming Torquill women after months does seem to be a thing. Makes you wonder how October fits in. I'm glad Tybalt's attitude is mostly theatrics though. Otherwise he'd be insufferable. I like him more and more with each new story.

kentuckckykat

September 20 2013, 20:00:31 UTC 3 years ago

sister....January's mom

the_darkstar

3 years ago

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jenfullmoon

3 years ago

  • New comment

seanan_mcguire

3 years ago

  • New comment

trixiaw

September 19 2013, 18:54:40 UTC 3 years ago

Thank you.

seanan_mcguire

October 4 2013, 17:48:42 UTC 3 years ago

Very welcome.

arcaneblades

September 20 2013, 03:28:24 UTC 3 years ago

Thank you for this. I haven't managed to read Rat-Catcher, but it was beautiful all the same. Made me cry, but beautiful.

seanan_mcguire

October 4 2013, 17:48:55 UTC 3 years ago

Good to know!

mackknopf

September 20 2013, 06:13:35 UTC 3 years ago

Testing...

seanan_mcguire

October 4 2013, 17:49:04 UTC 3 years ago

Pass.
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