The Table of Contents for the Best of Apex 2006 anthology is out.

The list is final. The decision has been made. We are publishing the following stories in this year’s Best of Apex 2006 collection.

Blood Baby - Jennifer Pelland
The Queen of Stars - Bryn Sparks
That Old Sandlands Fever - Douglas F. Warrick
Cerbo en Vitro ujo - Mary Robinette Kowal
Genesis Six - Shane Jiraiya Cummings
Starfish - Steve Parker
Indigestion - Robby Sparks
How to Raise a Human - Deb Taber

SFRevu has a nice positive review of the issue and devotes a sentence to my story.

In “Locked In”, Mary Robinette Kowal gives us a two-page thriller.

A fellow writer turns out to be a handy woodworker. Check out this violin chair that Gray Rhinehart made.

The “Take a Seat” exhibition opened on Saturday, April 28th at Cary’s “Spring Daze” event. The chairs will be exhibited in the local mall (Cary Towne Center) through May 16th, then over the rest of the summer the entries will be on display at various locations around Cary. They will be exhibited all together again at Cary’s “Lazy Daze” festival on August 25th. After that, the chairs will be auctioned off to “support public art and education programs in Cary.”

This project was so fun that we would love to do more–in fact, we have in mind an entire series of “Musical” Chairs, from violin-, cello-, and guitar-modeled chairs to a double bass love seat and a piano “bench.” In fact, if we could find enough customers this might be the dream job we’ve been waiting for.

So, if you know anyone–including yourself–who loves music and might be in the market for a unique, handmade chair, let us know!

I am so angry I am shaking.

Carlile

You are more than welcome to file a claim, however, it will be denied. Your nine months and one day expired on December 28, 2006. In the eyes of freight carriers and court cases that is ample time for a claimant to gather all the evidence they need to gather and to submit a claim. It was almost 13 months later when you first contacted Carlile that you were missing this crate. Ideally missing freight should be alerted to the carrier immediately when it’s known ample time has passed for delivery so that the carrier may act upon the missing freight immediately. Thirteen months later, employees that were involved may have left the company, the freight might have been disposed of or it’s so far beyond the expectation of anyone to remember one particular shipment. This information regarding time limits for filing a claim is stated on the bill of lading which unfortunately isn’t necessarily read by shippers or consignees. Kim is very diligent in researching missing shipments as are the entire warehouse and terminal staff, but unfortunately if you were to file a claim now it would be 13 months later, well beyond freight carrier standards of reasonable allowance for filing a claim which as stated before is 9 months and 1 day. Thank you.

Me

Let me explain. I was out of the country while my puppets were being rented. I did not know that they had not been returned to the storage facility until I returned in December. While it is unfortunate that I was not aware of the missing crate until then, this incident was brought to your company’s attention as soon as I was. It was within the nine months and one days that you cited.

That it did not go immediately to claims is not my fault, nor should I be penalized for it. I have been extremely patient while Kim has searched for the crate, knowing that the eight months that had passed since it went missing would make things more difficult. Had I, at any point, been informed of a deadline for filing a claim then I would have done so. This is complicated by the fact that the school which rented my puppets was responsible for returning them, so I have never seen your contract. Still, the original contact was made within the nine months and one days you cited.

Since your company was contacted within the time frame you specified, I would like to know how we continue with the claims process.

Carlile

While I sympathize with your situation understand that I’m bound by contractual regulations. While I understand that you were out of the country and unable to contact us regarding your missing shipment, that does not negate the contractual requirements or put the fault on Carlile for not being notified. When you contacted Kim regarding your lost shipment you were already well beyond the time limits for filing a claim. Yes, claims should have been notified immediately but even in March you were beyond the nine months and 1 day. As stated you are more than welcome to file a claim but as stated the claim will be denied.

Me

Let me be succinct. I would like to file a claim, since Carlile was notified that the puppets were missing within the nine months and one day stipulated. Please tell me how to do this.

Carlile

Unfortunately phone calls are not considered a notification of a claim or pending claim. Notification of a claim must be in writing, usually in the form of a claim form accompanied by an invoice, that is not just Carlile’s rules those are the rules set forth by all carriers per federal regulations.

What I can do is if you have some sort of proof emails etc that you contacted Carlile prior to December 28, 2006 regarding this lost shipment I can see what I can do for you. However that is NOT a guarantee Carlile will pay the claim. If you don’t have some sort of proof that you attempted to contact us prior to December 28, 2006 then I cannot offer much more on the
situation. Kim has stated that she has tried to help you for at least a month or month and a half. Thank you.

Me

Please send me a copy of the contract and the necessary forms to file a claim. You may send them either to my email or physical address.

Carlile

Here is the claims form. I will need the invoice for the puppets as well as any proof you contacted a Carlile employee prior to December of 2006. As you are well aware, this will be denied due to the time limits. Thank you.

Me

Thank you for the claims forms. Please send me a copy of the contract as well.

I am now contacting a lawyer.

I confess, this mess with Audrey II is making my head spin enough that I don’t have the energy to give you a blow by blow of the motorcycle trip. But I did promise a picture, so ta-da! The short version is that I enjoyed the trip. We have nice friends. The passenger seat of the motorcycle was only comfortable for about an hour. It gets cold in the mountains when there is no car between you and the outside. I prefer twisty roads to straight roads. And we’ll do it again.

Another HorrorScope: review of Apex # 9 is up at Horrorscope.

A piece of flash follows next with Locked In by Mary Robinette Kowal. It wouldn’t be included here if it wasn’t engaging. It concerns euthanasia in a domestic setting involving a mute participant. Of course, with any cool piece of flash, the ball doesn’t get rolling until the final sentence … and this one literally.