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Posts Tagged ‘Fiction’

The Topsy-Turvy World of Trade

Posted in Other, Writing, tagged , , , , , , , , on September 15, 2026| Leave a Comment »

For dinner-related reasons, Mr Man and I were recently discussing the humble fish finger. What were they like in childhood, which were the best now, and how does a “fish finger” get made, anyway? Imagine my surprise when I ran across this article on that exact topic. It’s interesting and full of supply-chain related surprises (that “30,000 mile” bit isn’t a typo!).

The 30,000-mile fish finger – by Ed Conway – Material World

This journey, a journey about which most people tucking into their fish fingers today are almost completely oblivious, tells you rather a lot about the way the modern world – what I like to call the Trade World – really works.

I find stories like this fascinating, and they’re also an interesting window into ideas for fictional worlds. If your fantasy kingdom has been around for a couple of centuries, it’s probably part of an international trading network. And that network would be rife with all kinds of history and conflict, complications and opportunities, legal and otherwise.

Just a thought!

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Photo by Haseeb Modi on Unsplash

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For Those Who Like Sci in Their Fi

Posted in Other, tagged , , , , , , , , on August 20, 2026| 1 Comment »

Do you like your fiction with a whole lot of responsibly deployed science? Seven Rasmussen, astrobiologist and author, has some suggestions for you! 

An Astrobiologist’s Guide to the Best Sci-Fi Reads

Flex your mantle cavities over here, because I’m going to tell you about my favorite books and the science in them, from the astrophysics of Gideon the Ninth to the evolutionary biology of Children of Time. Please bear in mind that my choices (in no particular order, mind you), while they are technically opinion, they are absolutely correct, written in stone, and enforceable by federal law.

In case your to-be-read list needs a bit of a boost:)

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Photo by Daniel Joshua on Unsplash

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Fiction’s Footprints

Posted in Other, Writing, tagged , , , , , , , , , on August 9, 2026| 2 Comments »

I like books and I like maps, which is why I was excited to run across this website combining the two:

Reading Maps – Maps & Travel Routes from Books & Films

The site’s tagline is “Journeys from fiction drawn on the real world.” That won’t be much use when it comes to Middle Earth or Star Wars, but is very cool when considering more local stories. Like Homer’s The Odyssey. Or Doyle’s Sherlock Holmes. Or Little House on the Prairie, which was somehow not where I expected it to be! 

They have lots of classic books and also movies (like Raiders:). Have fun!

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Photo by Suhash Villuri on Unsplash

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Story Ideas

Posted in Writing, tagged , , , , , , , on June 13, 2026| Leave a Comment »

It’s a classic question for writers: “Where do you get your ideas?” In my experience, they come from lots of sources, and certainly not the same places for everyone. Find what interests you and follow it. Think big, think small, think sideways.

And if you’re stuck or just looking for new inspiration, you could do worse than follow advice from one of the masters of the field.

“Make a list of ten things you hate and tear them down in a short story or poem. Make a list of ten things you love and celebrate them. When I wrote Fahrenheit 451 I hated book burners and I loved libraries. So there you are.” — Ray Bradbury

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Photo by S O C I A L . C U T on Unsplash

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Getting the Sad Out

Posted in Writing, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , on June 3, 2026| Leave a Comment »

I try to keep things fairly light here, so when I write a piece that is… not that, I can end up in a bit of a bind. 

Do I share because that’s where I was on that particular day? I don’t, usually. For example, I recently wrote a drabble that has not even a sprinkling of humor to lighten the mood. That’s how it goes sometimes.

I’ve been writing less than I’d like, and what I do write is darker than I’d like. It’s easy to get distracted by the world. But that’s also our context right now, and what we need to get through in order to move on to the next better thing. 

It’s like football great Rosey Grier’s classic song, “It’s Alright to Cry”: 

“It’s all right to cry

Crying gets the sad out of you.” 

So today I’m going to share one of my darker drabbles, because what is art if not a reflection of the maker’s time and place? (But I’ll add an extra step to view here in case this isn’t your thing right now.* I get it!)

Remember I Love You

“I love you,” she would say as I ran outside. 

Determined, I searched for water, scrap metal or other goods extricated from the rubble. Fuel, usually the kind that used to be someone’s house. Food, always.

Anything to keep the family going. I learned that from my mother.

She stayed with my little brother. He stopped crying two days ago.

“Remember I love you,” she’d say, her eyes turned away from the morning sun. She watched our last pot simmer, making stew with whatever she could find.

Her hand could still grasp the wooden spoon. 

She had three fingers left.

Told you it was dark. But if that’s the rain, I think we’ve earned a rainbow!

* With apologies to my email subscribers, who apparently get the unfiltered version.

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Photo by Nabih E. Navarro on Unsplash

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To the Billionaires Among Us

Posted in Writing, tagged , , , , , on May 21, 2026| Leave a Comment »

Hmm. Maybe writing after reading the news isn’t a great idea? Or maybe it is.

To the Billionaires Among Us

What will you do?

When the skies pour fire onto cracked and desolate earth,

tornadoes skip from your first mansion to your third yacht

and hail plays paddy whack with your bones?

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What will you do 

when the oceans rise and the gates fall,

and there is nothing left to consume 

but yourselves?

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Photo by Photoholgic on Unsplash

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Safe Travels, Winners!

Posted in Writing, tagged , , , , , , , , , , on April 17, 2026| Leave a Comment »

Congratulations to the latest class of Writers & Illustrators of the Future winners! Their workshop week in LA just ended and I’m sure they are chock full of interesting observations and ideas for future projects. They will certainly have met some terrific fellow artists and had a fascinating experience. (I’m also betting they’re exhausted because that week is intense, but they can sleep on the way home!)

I look forward to reading volume 42!

If 42 is the answer, these stories ask the questions worth thinking about.

Discover fifteen unforgettable science fiction and fantasy short stories—illustrated in full color—featuring twelve emerging voices alongside three acclaimed masters of the genre. From visionary sci-fi to emotionally rich fantasy and quiet horror, this collection delivers bold “what ifs” that linger long after the final page.

What if a perfect rescue went catastrophically wrong?

What if the “better you” doesn’t want to share your life?

What if love could survive inside a virtual reality?

Inside, you’ll encounter a flawless time-rescue gone wrong, a beauty treatment with terrifying consequences, a detective hunted by a body-hopping killer, and a homesteader uncovering a truth that rewrites Earth itself. You’ll also find dragons that defy myth, fairy-tale chaos, supernatural horror, and high-concept science fiction that blends heart, humor, and imagination.

If you’re reading this and thinking, “Well, that sounds interesting, and also I am not a professional (yet) and might qualify for this competition,” I say go for it. The contest is free, accepts entries quarterly, and can be excellent as a motivating deadline. (And who knows, you may find yourself in a room with the writers of some of your favorite childhood books. Now that’s magic made real.)

Writer Contest | Writers & Illustrators of the Future (illustrators too!)

Enter a short story science fiction, fantasy, light horror. 

Up to but not exceeding 17,000 words. 

Free to enter and entrants retain all publication rights. 

Enter 1 story per quarter, up to 4 per year. 

Anonymous judging. This is a merit-based competition.

Here’s to this new round of winners, and to artists everywhere!

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Photo by Jeff Tumale on Unsplash

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Still Progress

Posted in Writing, tagged , , , , , on November 18, 2025| Leave a Comment »

I wrote a drabble yesterday but decided not to share it. Why not? Because it’s dark and it’s sad. I like to keep things largely upbeat here, for my readers and for myself. 

That doesn’t mean I’m all unicorns and rainbows, obviously, but I want you to come away from this site feeling at least a little hopeful. I try to focus on the future, and I hope that it’s a good one. 

Sometimes that means facing down darkness, and I’ve done that before even in a 100-word format. Not this time, though, so I’ll keep it in my files for now.

Still, progress is progress, and I’m happy to be writing!

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Photo by K. Mitch Hodge on Unsplash

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Welcome to the School Year

Posted in Writing, tagged , , , , on August 29, 2025| Leave a Comment »

As the run-up to back-to-school time is starting up again, I’m thinking about students and teachers and technology.

With that in mind, I share this short in the tongue-in-cheek spirit in which it was written:

How I Learned to Stop Teaching and Love AI by Brian Michael Murphy

All students, for all assignments, should use ChatGPT to complete each task. Why would you waste your time writing a paper? We now have a tool that can do that for you. And all professors will save massive amounts of time and energy by using ChatGPT to grade all those papers. Isn’t that great? I mean, what an educational revolution.

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Photo by Lasse Jensen on Unsplash

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Speculative Fiction, Fantasy Edition

Posted in Writing, tagged , , , , , , , , on July 8, 2025| Leave a Comment »

I talk about science and fiction here, but I also like fantasy, science and otherwise. What’s up in the world of speculative fiction, fantasy edition? The World Fantasy Awards shortlist, that’s what!

Here’s the full ballot, with links to the short fiction list where available:

Here Are the 2025 World Fantasy Award Finalists – Reactor

Short Fiction

“Our Best Selves” by Hiron Ennes (Weird Horror Magazine #9)

“Godskin” by CL Hellisen (Strange Horizons, March 4, 2024)

“The V*mpire” by PH Lee (Reactor, October 2024)

“Raptor” by Maura McHugh (Heartwood: A Mythago Wood Anthology)

“Everything in the Garden is Lovely” by Hannah Yang (Apex Magazine #143, March 2024)

Do some of these look dark and scary and filled with content warnings? They do, but perhaps that’s your thing? If not, check out the other novels, novellas and more. 

Winners will be chosen and awards presented at the World Fantasy Convention in the UK this November! 

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Photo by Vitaliy Shevchenko on Unsplash

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