Pixel-Stained Technopeasants

Hmm. How to explain International Pixel-Stained Technopeasant Day? The easiest way is just to shamelessly quote from the Boing Boing article I linked to:

Jo Walton (author of the incredible, haunting novel Farthing, which you should read right now, but not if you plan on getting any sleep for the next week) has declared April 23 to be “International Pixel-Stained Technopeasant Day” (a reference to Howard Hendrix’s now-infamous webscabs rant) to be celebrated by authors giving away a “professional quality work” on their websites.

(As further explanation to the link-averse, Hendrix, the vice-president of the Science Fiction Writers of America, railed against SFWA members—all professional authors—who “post their creations on the net for free,” because they are “undercutting those of us who aren’t giving it away for free and are trying to get publishers to pay a better wage for our hard work.” I’m really not sure whether it was more insulting to people who post work online or to actual union organizers.)

Well, not only have I not read Farthing, I don’t qualify as an SFWA professional. But screw all that—I’m participating anyway. See, I’ve been chewing for about a year on whether releasing a story or two from Why Coyotes Howl might stir up more sales and just generally be, you know, more visible. This is a good opportunity to find out.

So, on April 23rd, I’ll be making “Why Coyotes Howl” (the title story) available online in its entirety for free.