Feeds:
Posts
Comments

Posts Tagged ‘genre fiction’

Exploration Zone

Posted in Writing, tagged , , , , , on April 12, 2024| Leave a Comment »

Science fiction has long been considered a harbinger, and sometimes a driver, of future innovations. It can also be one of our best venues for the “cultural brainstorming” required to interpret current social, technological and political challenges.

How do some of our leading authors view the impact of SF on society as a whole?

This fascinating interview asks N.K. Jemisin, Andy Weir, Lois McMaster Bujold, David Brin, Cory Doctorow and Charles Stross about this and much more.

Does Science Fiction Shape the Future? by Namir Khaliq in Nautilus

Recently, I interviewed six of today’s foremost science-fiction authors. I asked them to weigh in on how much impact they think science fiction has had, or can have, on society and the future…

 * * *

Photo by KNXRT on Unsplash

Read Full Post »

No Knights Need Apply

Posted in Funny, Writing, tagged , , , , on April 3, 2024| Leave a Comment »

Is your troll of boss driving you crazy? Are you tired of the backbreaking work involved in cleaning up after Medusa? Or having to answer three questions from the Sphinx before you can get through the employee entrance? I’m sorry (and may I suggest you add an axe of cold iron, a very shiny shield, and a riddle book to your daypack?).

Still, this job posting is here to remind you that things can always be worse!

Dragon Hoarding Enormous Pile of Treasure Seeks Unpaid Intern – McSweeney’s Internet Tendency

The work is not just coffee-fetching and gold-polishing — you will gain plenty of on-site experience. Past interns have been lucky enough to watch a knight be brutally murdered. Successful interns are detail-oriented, unafraid of random bursts of fire, and able to jump at least three vertical feet to avoid a swinging, razor-sharp reptilian tail.

* * *

Photo by János Venczák on Unsplash

Read Full Post »

In Pursuit

Posted in Writing, tagged , , , , , on March 30, 2024| Leave a Comment »

We’re out and about today, and I’m finding inspiration in both natural and human worlds. I don’t have time to get started right now, but I’ve got two story ideas competing for space in my head. I look forward to chasing them down soon.

* * *

Photo by Karly Santiago on Unsplash

Read Full Post »

Follow the Yellow Brick Road

Posted in Writing, tagged , , , , , , , , on March 24, 2024| Leave a Comment »

More excellent free science fiction, this time by my friend Arthur H. Manners in Dreamforge.

Empty Nest

I was feeding the cuttlefish when a newsreader announced that the Children had crossed the heliopause. My stomach sank as I turned up the TV and watched the newsreader refer to a grainy image in the corner of the screen. All our best telescopes could see of the Children’s starship was a fuzzy white dot sailing into the abyss beyond the edge of the solar system.

“They were serious. They’re actually leaving,” I said. 

The cuttlefish could see me talking. A few of them used their chameleon-like skin to conjure yellow haloes on top of their heads. 

:: ? ::

I switched on the translator pad strapped to my chest. “Ah guys, where do I even start?”

Filled with science and humanity, a little heartbreak and a lot of hope, this is a great short story by a terrific writer and all-around good human.

I know I’m a little biased, but seriously, my Writers of the Future cohort is the best.

* * * 

Image by Naveen Manohar from Pixabay

Read Full Post »

On a Bit of a Tear

Posted in Writing, tagged , , , , , , , on March 23, 2024| Leave a Comment »

This isn’t something I would normally say, but I think I’m reading a little too much.

I’ve been on a bit of a tear, rereading some of my favorite stories. I’ve just finished to the tenth book plus spinoffs in one series, and I think I need to slow down after this.

It’s cutting into my writing time.

* * *

Photo by Ed Robertson on Unsplash

Read Full Post »

The Nebula Award Finalists

Posted in Writing, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , on March 22, 2024| 1 Comment »

Fun, new reading recommendations! SFWA Announces the Finalists for the 59th Nebula Awards – SFWA

Here are links to the short story and novelette finalists. Most are free to read. For the full list with info links (including those below), see Finalists for the 59th Nebula Awards | MetaFilter.

Nebula Award for Novelette

Nebula Award for Short Story

I read this delightful short by R.S.A. Garcia with lunch: Tantie Merle and the Farmhand 4200 – Uncanny Magazine

You could meet him if you want but take off the recorder first. I tell you my story, but you have to ask him if you want to hear his.

* * *

Photo by Nataliya Melnychuk on Unsplash

Read Full Post »

The Rules of Magic

Posted in Writing, tagged , , , on March 17, 2024| Leave a Comment »

My mother was asking some questions about genre fiction and the rules of magic. This comic seemed like an appropriate post for today:

https://xkcd.com/2904/

* * *

Photo by willsantt on Pexels.com

Read Full Post »

Sci-Fi Book Blast

Posted in Writing, tagged , , , , , , , on March 16, 2024| Leave a Comment »

Today only (well, yesterday and today, for any time travelers out there)!

Free free free book giveaway from a wide array of science fiction authors. I heard about it through Krista D. Ball, another SFCanada member who is part of the event. 

Here’s the main link: Sci-fi Book Blast March 15 – 16, 2024

Books available in the following categories: Adventure, Alien Invasion, Colonization, Crime & Mystery, Cyberpunk, Dystopian, First Contact, Galactic Empire, Humor, Military, Post-Apocalyptic, Short Story Anthologies, Space Opera, Time Travel

Note: it does say to be sure to check that the link is free because database updates don’t always work like they should, and I did run across a few that were either not free or not available. That said, there are over a hundred books in the list so lots to choose from.

I ended last night in a bit of a funk because I 1) finished my book, and 2) the ending was disappointing as hell. Was it supposed to be a dramatic climax and just fizzled, or was the author so committed to his (also annoying) cliffhanger that he decided to just bypass the climax altogether? Ugh.

Either way, I am very much in the market for a new book and new authors, so this giveaway is excellent timing. Hope you find something you like!

* * *

Read Full Post »

Uniquely You

Posted in Writing, tagged , , , , , , on March 8, 2024| Leave a Comment »

“The one thing that you have that nobody else has is you. Your voice, your mind, your story, your vision. So write and draw and build and play and dance and live as only you can.”

— Neil Gaiman

* * *

Photo by Evgeni Tcherkasski on Unsplash

Read Full Post »

Reading Clarkesworld

Posted in Writing, tagged , , , , , , on March 4, 2024| Leave a Comment »

The award-winning SFF magazine Clarkesworld recently released their Best Of 2023 list based on reader votes. While I don’t always love every Best Of story out there, I do like using those lists as starting points to explore new and interesting writers. 

If you do too, check out the top 3 short stories and longer-form works.

Editor’s Desk: The Best from 2023

Best Novelette/Novella
3rd Place: “Imagine: Purple-Haired Girl Shooting Down the Moon” by Angela Liu (novelette)
2nd Place: “Light Speed Is Not a Speed” by Andy Dudak (novelette)
2023 Winner: “To Sail Beyond the Botnet” by Suzanne Palmer (novella)

Best Short Story
3rd Place: “Window Boy” by Thomas Ha
2nd Place: “Day Ten Thousand” by Isabel J. Kim
2023 Winner: “Better Living Through Algorithms” by Naomi Kritzer

* * *

Photo by CONNOR BOTTS on Unsplash

Read Full Post »

« Newer Posts - Older Posts »