Unpossible launched two weeks ago at World Fantasy, and has already garnered a “Year’s Best” nod from Publisher’s Weekly.  This is fabulous news for both Daryl and for Fairwood Press, published by Patrick Swenson.  Rose Fox wrote,  “This is a collection to linger over, or to set aside for as long as you can manage (a day, maybe two) and then compulsively return to,” in her blog post on the book.

I had the great pleasure of sitting beside Daryl at a group dinner in San Diego, and was very impressed with him as a person.  I have my copy of Unpossible, but have not yet had time to read it.

Given that Jim Van Pelt (one of our very best literary SF short writers) looks up to Daryl for his writing, I am positive I will enjoy the stories.  But even more, I’m happy to see the book get attention.  Fairwood is a true small press, and this is nice notice.   It’s worth noting that ALL of the titles on this year’s list came from small to slightly-bigger-than-small presses.  Perhaps this is a reward for them for risking on books that might not be immediate bestsellers (something the big whatever-the-number-is-today publishers in new York are not doing as much of).

In the interest of full disclosure, I am an unpaid board member for Fairwood Press, which means I attend one meeting a year and take notes and occasionally sit at the table during convention so Patrick can catch a meal.  But I don’t read or review Fairwood books any more than books form any other press. I’m just tickled to see this nod for Daryl and Patrick.