"The People's Republic of the Edelweiss Village Putt-putt Golf Course"

[sergebroom]

When I finish reading an issue of Realms of Fantasy, I often find myself thinking that I have to wait two months before the next issue appears in my mailbox. The February 2008 issue was no exception.

Among the various stories, there was Margaret Ronald's And Spare Not The Flock, in which a young priest is cast out of his church for giving the last sacraments to an old werewolf woman. The only way back into his flock is to cross early medieval Europe all the way to Rome, and his sole companion is the werewolf girl who, by bringing the old woman to him, was responsible for his being cast out.

Benjamin Rosenbaum's The King of the Djinn tells the tale of Musa, who sees God's handiwork in everything that is alive, in every grain of sand of the desert. One day, while driving his truck between El-Nasr and Cairo, he once again meets Gil, who hasn't aged over the last 50 years and who may be a djinn if not an angel. This time though, Gil offers to fulfill any wish that Musa might have. For himself. Or for his only son.

M.K.Hobson has had a few stories ppublished in this magazine, the previous one being Hotel Astarte, in their June 2007 issue, which I mentionned in http://serge-lj.livejournal.com/50876.html. Her latest, The People's Republic of the Edelweiss Village Putt-putt Golf Course, is, as you guessed from its title, far more whimsical, and my favorite in this issue. Jeremy Schutz is a very conscientious worker, but one night he forgets to empty the mini-golf's garbage cans, starting a chain of events that culminate in the miniature castle's miniature inhabitants rising against their king and turning to communism.

Comments

[fledgist.livejournal.com]

Just a note: Musa is the Arabic form of Moshe (Moses).

[serge-lj.livejournal.com]

I didn't know that. Thanks for the info.

[fledgist.livejournal.com]

No problem!

[mkhobson.livejournal.com]

Thank you for the kind words -- I'm really glad you liked it!

M

[serge-lj.livejournal.com]

Thanks for writing the story. May I ask what's next down the writing pipeline?

[mkhobson.livejournal.com]

Well, publishing-wise I've got a "devil-in-the-manicure-salon" story coming out in the spring issue of Shimmer, a "spaghetti-fantasy-western" coming out in Postscripts next Winter, and another "Thurberish" story (a lot like the putt-putt golf one in tone) coming out in Interzone I'm-not-sure-when. Realms of Fantasy has another story of mine--It's in Shawna's pile, and she hasn't let me know if she's taking it. Fingers crossed.

Writing-wise, I'm actively working on a time-travel story, a disco pirate story, a story about anarchists, and several novel proposals--one of which requires extensive research into the gold standard. (It's going to be an economic fantasy.)

All in my spare time, 'course! ;-)

M

(P.S.
Thanks for asking. You put a little superstar shine on my day!)

[serge-lj.livejournal.com]

You're welcome. Nothing but good stuff in the future then, and I really mean it. Disco pirates, devilish manicures, economic fantasies... Would the latter be an hex-and-spend kind of economic fantasy?

[mkhobson.livejournal.com]

Would the latter be an hex-and-spend kind of economic fantasy?

You're *so* close to the actual concept there, it's scary. ;-)

M

[serge-lj.livejournal.com]

Me and my punning...