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Posts Tagged ‘science fiction’

No Pie for Pi Day. Books Instead!

Posted in Writing, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , on March 14, 2017| 2 Comments »

Today is what is known among nerdy/supercool circles as Pi Day (March 14th, or 3.14). Now, normally I’d be making a pie, because, well, pie. Through a twist of dessert-related fate, however, I find myself with a surfeit of same, and the thought of adding to the current cache of cookies (chocolate brookies and oatmeal toffee), cinnamon-sugar twist bread and ice cream makes my pancreas shudder in fear.

Instead, today we have two examples of that equally delightful treat, free fiction.

First we have Event Horizon 2017. This is an anthology of authors eligible for the John W.Campbell Award for Best New Writer, and it will be available until July 15, 2017 to anyone willing to part with an email address.

The second batch of goodness comes in the form of the 2016 Nebula Awards Ballot. Not every item is free (books and longer stories, for example, tend not to be), but the list is a great place to start expanding your to-read roster. It also includes links to the short fiction nominees, many of which are free.

Check it out, and enjoy!

 

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Can’t Stop the Feeling!

Posted in Writing, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on March 8, 2017| Leave a Comment »

It’s International Women’s Day and while there are a lot of related events taking place, I’d like to highlight one with particular interest to writers. Tor.com has put together a short fiction collection spotlighting women, justice and persistence.

Here’s an excerpt from Tor’s announcement:

In collaboration with colleagues Patrick Nielsen Hayden, Lee Harris, Liz Gorinsky, Marco Palmieri, and Miriam Weinberg, we have assembled this flash fiction collection featuring several of the best writers in SF/F today. Together these authors share unique visions of women inventing, playing, loving, surviving, and – of course – dreaming of themselves beyond their circumstances.

Look forward to stories from:

Charlie Jane Anders
Brooke Bolander
Maria Dahvana Headley
Amal El-Mohtar
Kameron Hurley
Seanan McGuire
Nisi Shawl
Catherynne M. Valente
Carrie Vaughn
Jo Walton
Alyssa Wong

The stories are inspired by the words “Nevertheless, She Persisted” and will roll out starting May 8th.

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Story Acceptance News

Posted in Writing, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on January 28, 2017| 1 Comment »

Happily, I’ve had two stories accepted this month. I’m particularly pleased on both fronts: one story is a bit peculiar, a flash of magical realism that may not fit into a convenient category, but (hopefully) captures the essence of an emotional experience. The second story is a rollicking sci-fi romp that’s one of my favorites, but its length (it started life at ~12,000 words) made it a hard sell. I’m delighted to have found homes for both stories!

I’ll post specifics when they are available, but celebrating is always fun. Yay!

Here’s hoping that you have things to celebrate this weekend too:)

 

 

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Close Enough

Posted in Writing, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , on December 12, 2016| Leave a Comment »

Happy Monday, everyone! I’ve got a new flash fiction piece out today: “Close Enough” is free and available now from the good folks over at Sci Phi Journal.

If you have ever wondered what you’d do if a question of moral ethics became more applied than theoretical, or if you just like a good revenge tale, this story might be for you.

Enjoy!

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Stories to Tell, Futures to Build

Posted in Writing, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on November 14, 2016| Leave a Comment »

It occurs to me that one of the things we really need now is storytelling. With a Republican-dominated government in the U.S., dissenters won’t have as many direct political options to make change via laws. That leaves hearts and minds.

And what’s best for changing hearts and minds? A compelling story.

•

As I see it, an important part of our job right now as writers isn’t to bombard with facts and figures (or not only, of course there’s a place for that). Fiction writers have a special place in society. We imagine other futures, other paths, other worlds. We bring those experiences, those feelings*, to readers.

Our challenge is to inspire, to engage, to help others envision a better world. With a nod to Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, to make them long for a kinder, more hopeful, and more just sea.

 

 

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* And as Ian Warren argues, at least part of what has happened with Brexit and the U.S. election seems to be that “what data and polling often misses, is how people think and feel” and that “the communication of effective emotional messages is currently beating data alone.”

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Get Your Lightsaber On

Posted in Science!, tagged , , , , , , , on October 19, 2016| Leave a Comment »

While we wait to see if the European Space Agency’s ExoMars mission and its Schiaparelli lander makes it to the Martian surface intact, here is Neil deGrasse Tyson, astrophysicist and Frederick P. Rose Director of the Hayden Planetarium, taking on that most important of questions: are lightsabers physically possible?

Curious? I know I am!

 

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2016 Hugo Award Winners

Posted in Writing, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on August 22, 2016| Leave a Comment »

The good folks over at The Verge have the list of 2016’s Hugo award winners, complete with links and the complete list of nominees. Lots of women and authors of color this round. All in all, this year’s award race largely shrugged off reactionaries and controversy, a real win for diversity and innovative speculative fiction. Enjoy!

Winner: Best Novel

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Popcorn Means Love

Posted in Entertainment, Likes, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on June 10, 2016| Leave a Comment »

I had a post in mind for today that I thought would be cool but, sadly, it’s not ready. Rather than go with something that’s not right, I’m setting it aside until I can do a good job or come up with something better. So in the end, what did I choose as Today’s Thing I Like? Popcorn:)

Here’s an excerpt from the family cookbook to tell you why.

Popcorn
My whole family can make this with their eyes closed, but Dad really deserves credit for setting new and higher standards for butter and salt consumption. He is blessed with a genetic tolerance for such unhealthy behavior; his blood pressure and cholesterol levels are lower than mine.

For years he’d head to the kitchen after dinner, and a few minutes later I’d hear pop pop! as hot oil turned the first kernels inside out. A few minutes more and we’d be piled on the couch with huge bowls of popcorn and masses of paper towels.

There was no television in the house growing up but at some point we acquired a copy of Star Wars and a video monitor. This was back before Blockbusters popped up down the street (or closed down, for that matter), and there were certainly no DVD players.

The tape was black and white and we watched it on a Beta machine. (Don’t remember Beta? That’s funny, no one else does either.) My brother and I watched that tape until it died, literally came apart from use. To this day I can still reel off an annoying amount of dialog and get excited when I see Star Wars in color. What could be better than a cold drink, a hot bowl of popcorn, and reciting C3PO’s lines with people you love?

 

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Working Hard?

Posted in Likes, Writing, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on June 8, 2016| Leave a Comment »

Ah, Wednesdays! That most glorious of days, when Monday’s want-to-do list meets Friday’s ruh-ro-must-do list in a big jumble of expectations, and it can all feel like a bit much. (Or is it just me?:)

Today I’m working on multiple fronts and happy to be making progress. That’s what I push for, most days, even when it’s not easy. On writing, I’m nibbling away at a novel, fixing up a couple of short stories to send out, and doing a workshop exercise. And oh yes, there’s the day job:)

When what I’m doing gets hard, it helps to remember that it’s not carrying a 50-pound boulder across the sea floor hard.

Color me impressed, and inspired.

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Do It On Purpose

Posted in Funny, Likes, Writing, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on June 1, 2016| Leave a Comment »

I realized that I have been trying to write a serious version of what is clearly a goofy, rollicking space pirate adventure. Obviously!

That led me to recall the following wisdom from a modern-day sage (who should know):

Figure out who you are. Then do it on purpose.
― Dolly Parton

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