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Posts Tagged ‘Fiction’

Worlds of Their Own

Posted in Writing, tagged , , , , , , , , , on September 21, 2023| Leave a Comment »

Other people are some of the best, most interesting sources for story ideas, if you can find your way behind their facades.

Most of us would prefer to avoid awkward conversations with strangers, however.

PostSecret is one way to get a glimpse of the former without the latter.

You are invited to anonymously contribute a secret to a group art project. Your secret can be a regret, fear, betrayal, desire, confession or childhood humiliation. Reveal anything – as long
as it is true and you have never shared it with anyone before.

Some secrets are funny, some poignant, and all are reminders that every person you meet is a complex, ever-changing world of their own.

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Photo by Etienne Girardet on Unsplash

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The Secret of Creativity

Posted in Writing, tagged , , , , , , , on September 19, 2023| Leave a Comment »

According to Ray Bradbury (who ought to know), this is the secret to creativity:

As soon as things get difficult, I walk away. That’s the great secret of creativity. You treat ideas like cats: you make them follow you. If you try to approach a cat and pick it up, hell, it won’t let you do it. You’ve got to say, “Well, to hell with you.” And the cat says, “Wait a minute. He’s not behaving the way most humans do.” Then the cat follows you out of curiosity: “Well, what’s wrong with you that you don’t love me?” Well, that’s what an idea is. See? You just say, “Well, hell, I don’t need depression. I don’t need worry. I don’t need to push.” The ideas will follow me. When they’re off-guard, and ready to be born, I’ll turn around and grab them.

― Ray Bradbury, Zen in The Art of Writing

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Photo by DNK.PHOTO on Unsplash

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Something Old and True

Posted in Writing, tagged , , , , , , on September 17, 2023| 1 Comment »

We read fantasy to find the colors again, I think. To taste strong spices and hear the songs the sirens sang. There is something old and true in fantasy that speaks to something deep within us, to the child who dreamt that one day he would hunt the forests of the night, and feast beneath the hollow hills, and find a love to last forever somewhere south of Oz and north of Shangri-La.

― George R.R. Martin

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Photo by Nick Dunn on Unsplash

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New Visions, New Worlds

Posted in Writing, tagged , , , , , , , , , on September 6, 2023| Leave a Comment »

Elizabeth Bear recently posted about a new Ukrainian speculative fiction anthology at Kickstarter.

Heads up about a very cool Ukrainian SFF Anthology!

The project is focused on Ukrainian and diaspora writers, all translated into English.

I enjoy supporting artists where I can, particularly those in such difficult situations. 

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I’m interested in seeing the current and future world through new perspectives. 

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Sign me up.

Here’s a link to the project.

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Photo by SIMON LEE on Unsplash

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All Set

Posted in Writing, tagged , , , , , , , , on August 10, 2023| Leave a Comment »

“To invent you need a good imagination and a pile of junk.”

― Thomas Edison

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Photo by Valentin Antonini on Unsplash

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Talent, Shared

Posted in Writing, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , on August 7, 2023| Leave a Comment »

The week-long Writers of the Future workshop included a number of interviews touching on topics ranging from our work, how we made it to the contest, to what it was like to win. One of these interviews was for the contest’s own podcast, and we were asked to do an episode. 

Constant blogging aside, I’m actually a bit shy, and I was not looking forward to talking for an hour All About Me. As I headed up to the interview room, I realized that there were already three other winners inside. It was my lucky day: all four of us did the interview together and it was terrific. If you follow this site you’ve seen Elaine’s work before, but here she talks about her history and her writing. Sarah and April are both brilliant illustrators, and it was fascinating to hear more about that side of the contest, as well as their experiences on the way to becoming winners.

Chatting with such interesting and talented women was a great experience. Hope you enjoy the interview too.

Stream episode 237. 4 Award-winning authors and artists discuss their journeys to winning

— Elaine Midcoh, author of “A Trickle in History” (elainemidcoh.wordpress.com) 

— J.R. Johnson, author of “Piracy for Beginners” (jrjohnson.me)

— Sarah Morrison, illustrator of “Death and the Taxman” (sarahmorrisonillustration.com)

— April Solomon, illustrator of “Moonlight and Funk” (AprilSolomonArt.com)

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Man on the Moon

Posted in Writing, tagged , , , , , , , , , on July 24, 2023| 3 Comments »

Today, an award-winning piece from friend and fellow Writers of the Future winner Elaine Midcoh. “Man on the Moon” won the 2022 Jim Baen Memorial Short Story Award, and was also showcased at Escape Pod.

I really enjoyed this story and look forward to more from this world. Read or listen below!


Escape Pod 895: Man on the Moon

Sasha’s eyebrows shot up. Her driver made the final turn back to the resort dome. Within minutes they would enter the airlock and then she would – what? “I’m not a criminal defense lawyer. I haven’t read a criminal case since law school. What am I supposed to do?”

Zander grimaced. “Whatever you can. The next transport to the moon is in ten days. It’s booked up, but we’re trying to clear a seat for a top defense lawyer. Until then, you’re on your own.”

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Photo by History in HD on Unsplash

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Gifts from the Mountain

Posted in Writing, tagged , , , , , , , , on July 21, 2023| Leave a Comment »

Tor.com has another collection out, and in honor of its 15th anniversary it will be free from now until the end of July. (That’s July 2023, to all you time travelers out there.) 

It’s Our Birthday! Download the Free Tor.com 15th Anniversary Short Fiction Bundle

This year on July 20th, Tor.com turns 15! Since that long-ago year of 2008, we’ve published more than 600 original stories from authors around the world. To celebrate, we’ve pulled together some highlights from those last 15 years into a special, free, limited-time bundle!

Free fiction by good writers in a convenient package. What’s not to like?

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Photo by Edgar Soto on Unsplash

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Me, Facing Down My To Do List

Posted in Writing, tagged , , , , , , , , on July 20, 2023| Leave a Comment »

“Do the best you can in every task, no matter how unimportant it may seem at the time.”

— Sandra Day O’Connor

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I think “wear a dragon onesie” wins this list. Photo by Donald Giannatti on Unsplash

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The 2023 Hugo Finalists

Posted in Writing, tagged , , , , , , , , on July 12, 2023| Leave a Comment »

The finalists for the 2023 Hugo Awards have been announced! 

The Hugo Awards

Best Novel

See the full list of nominees across all categories at Locus Online: 2023 Hugo, Astounding, and Lodestar Awards Finalists. Winners will be announced at Chengdu Worldcon in October.

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Photo by Andy Hermawan on Unsplash

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