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Posts Tagged ‘science fiction’

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!

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Visions of the Future

Posted in Science!, Writing, tagged , , , , , , , , on December 31, 2023| Leave a Comment »

For me, the end of a year is a great time to think about the future. 

What did one of science fiction’s most acclaimed writers think about the future back in 1980, what’s changed, and which of his predictions have already come to pass?

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Photo by Ali Pazani on Unsplash

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StoryBundle Last Call!

Posted in Entertainment, Other, Writing, tagged , , , , , , , , , , on October 5, 2023| Leave a Comment »

It’s last call for StoryBundle’s To the Stars Adventure SciFi bundle, featuring Writers of the Future v.39 and so much more!

This new StoryBundle will take your autumn, and your e-reader, to the far edges of the universe. Curated by bestselling author Kevin J. Anderson, this cosmic batch of eighteen books showcases the range of epic science fiction, from galactic empires to time-travel adventures to alien invasions. These books are from classic award-winning science fiction authors and hot new indie authors. 

Only a few hours left to grab this Great Deal on Sci-Fi. Enjoy!

Am I biased? Sure, I happen to think our collection is great. But the bundle is curated by Kevin J. Anderson and also includes books by other names sci-fi/fantasy fans may have heard of, like Todd McCaffrey and Nancy Kress, as well as others I look forward to discovering.

Enjoy!

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Photo by Massimiliano Morosinotto on Unsplash

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Stellar Cartography

Posted in Entertainment, tagged , , , , on September 27, 2023| 1 Comment »

Ever wonder where your favorite books, shows and movies take place in space? This person has you covered. Stellar!

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Photo by Greg Rakozy on Unsplash

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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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Always Time for Sci-Fi

Posted in Writing, tagged , , , , , , , on March 5, 2023| Leave a Comment »

Short on time but still want to explore the wonders of the universe? Check out Dust, an outlet for short sci-fi videos:

The YouTube Channel Sci-Fi Fans Need To Watch – CNET

…Dust’s absolutely balling YouTube channel, which functions as a receptacle for hundreds upon hundreds of sci-fi shorts with surprisingly high production values. If you’re a fan of sci-fi and you have around 15 minutes to kill, I 100% recommend hopping onto Dust and hitting play on pretty much anything. … As a spot for aspiring filmmakers to show off their talents, Dust’s videos mostly feature high-concept sci-fi – sort of like a post-modern Twilight Zone for zoomers. Almost all have surprisingly good special effects, decent acting performances and – above all – come bursting with grand ideas.

Have fun out there!

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Photo by Alex Shuper on Unsplash

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Nonfictional Fiction

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

I started multiple posts today (mackerel? Winnie the Pooh? cracking CIA kiddie codes?) but none seemed quite right. I think I’ll go shovel some snow and see if that gets my mind going.

In the meantime, here’s a piece about the usefulness of science fiction in the nonfictional world.

Connecting Science Fiction to Science Policy by Avital Percher

Science fiction can help the science policy community envision both where we end up as well as how we get there. As our social-technological problems grow ever more complex, we need a range of stories that spans the human experience and even beyond. How will we leverage new tools to improve equity and democracy in society? Science fiction can help us imagine future possibilities, opening not just our minds but our hearts as well.

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Photo by Dylan Shaw on Unsplash

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The Tranquil Sea

Posted in Science!, Writing, tagged , , , , , , , , on November 26, 2022| 1 Comment »

I am working on story edits today and found myself needing to look up a lunar technicality. Next thing I know, I was reading a detailed account of the first lunar spacewalk at Tranquillity Base. I thought you might enjoy it too.

Wide Awake on the Sea of Tranquillity | NASA

July 20, 1969: The day began on the farside of the Moon. Armstrong, Aldrin and crewmate Mike Collins flew their spaceship 60 miles above the cratered wasteland. No one on Earth can see the Moon’s farside. Even today it remains a land of considerable mystery, but the astronauts had no time for sight-seeing. Collins pressed a button, activating a set of springs, and the spaceship split in two. The half named Columbia, with Collins on board, would remain in orbit. The other half, the Eagle, spiraled over the horizon toward the Sea of Tranquillity.

“You are Go for powered descent,” Houston radioed…

This also got me thinking about the farside of the moon. We’ve learned a lot about it since these images in 1959:

First Photo of the Lunar Farside – Moon: NASA Science 

Check out the image comparison a few paragraphs in. Or heck, here’s my version:

Image credit: NASA

And since we’re talking about the moon, let’s wrap with an update from Artemis:

NASA to Share Artemis I Update with Orion at Farthest Point from Earth | NASA

Orion entered a distant lunar orbit on at 4:52 p.m. EST Friday, Nov. 25, where the spacecraft will remain for about a week to test systems in a deep space environment about 40,000 miles above the lunar surface before beginning the journey back to Earth. 

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Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com

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‘Tis I.

Posted in Other, tagged , , , on October 26, 2022| Leave a Comment »

How many writing samples does one need to build an AI of a person? And could it take meetings?

Asking for a friend.

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Frazzled robot.
Photo by Rock’n Roll Monkey on Unsplash

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Cream of the Crop

Posted in Funny, Writing, tagged , , , , , , , , on July 28, 2022| Leave a Comment »

While chatting with my father about a sci-fi book he’s reading, I remembered this short bit of free fiction from John Scalzi. Now I share it with you, too.

When the Yogurt Took Over: A Short Story | Whatever

When the yogurt took over, we all made the same jokes – “Finally, our rulers will have culture,” “Our society has curdled,” “Our government is now the cream of the crop,” and so on. But when we weren’t laughing about the absurdity of it all, we looked into each others’ eyes with the same unasked question – how did we ever get to the point where we were, in fact, ruled by a dairy product?

Enjoy!

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Photo by Mae Mu on Unsplash

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