Posted in Writing, tagged #365Ways, #365Ways2022, Clarkesworld, creativity, Fiction, free fiction, genre fiction, inspiration, Naomi Kritzer, sff, Writers, writing on April 11, 2022| Leave a Comment »
Fun free fiction for folks. Because Monday. And because you can’t have enough dragons.
The Dragon Project by Naomi Kritzer : Clarkesworld Magazine
“We’ve now created dragons for you twice, you’ve had the opportunity to inspect our work at every step of the way, and both times you’ve refused to take delivery. Timothy is a very good dragon, and you don’t deserve him anyway. You’re fired.”
* * *
Posted in Writing, tagged #365Ways, #365Ways2022, Fiction, free fiction, genre fiction, Nature's Futures, sff, Thoughts, Writers, writing on March 28, 2022| Leave a Comment »
For fun today we have a short bit of free fiction from Nature‘s Futures column.
Star Corps Crew Manual Section 15-A37: On Mental Dislocation
If your parallel-universe self seems to be planning some kind of invasion, remain calm…
Good advice.
* * *
Posted in Holidays, Writing, tagged #365Ways, #365Ways2022, Fiction, genre fiction, hope, inspiration, J.R.R. Tolkien, sff, Thoughts, Writers, writing on March 25, 2022| Leave a Comment »
On this day, eons ago, the brave Frodo Baggins and Samwise Gamgee fulfilled their quest to destroy the One Ring in the fires of Mount Doom. And so it was decreed that March 25th would ever after be known as Tolkien Reading Day!
What does that mean?
Today is Tolkien Reading Day! – The Tolkien Society
And as an extra bonus, J.R.R. Tolkien’s Estate Releases Treasure Trove Of Drawings And Maps.
See those maps and more here: Maps – The Tolkien Estate.
* * *
“There, peeping among the cloud-wrack above a dark tor high up in the mountains, Sam saw a white star twinkle for a while. The beauty of it smote his heart, as he looked up out of the forsaken land, and hope returned to him. For like a shaft, clear and cold, the thought pierced him that in the end the Shadow was only a small and passing thing: there was light and high beauty for ever beyond its reach.”
― J.R.R. Tolkien, The Return of the King
* * *
Posted in Writing, tagged #365Ways, #365Ways2022, creativity, Fiction, flash fiction, genre fiction, inspiration, sff, Writers, writing, writing contest on March 21, 2022| Leave a Comment »
Tap into your inner Hemingway* with this (very) short story contest:
Enter the Incredible Six Word Wonder Contest 2022 – Doug Weller Writer
This is the place for you to enter your absolute best six word stories, memoirs, poems, and jokes, with the chance of winning $100, getting published, and being named the Six Word Wonder!
* * *
* Ok, Hemingway probably didn’t write that classic six-word story, but the example (and its supposed author) occupy an established place in the heart of flash fiction.
* * *
Posted in Writing, tagged #365Ways, #365Ways2022, creativity, Fiction, free fiction, genre fiction, inspiration, Murderbot, Nebula Awards, sff, Writers, writing on March 18, 2022| 1 Comment »
The Nebula Award finalists for 2021 have been announced! (Actually, they were announced over a week ago but I missed it because there’s a lot going on in the world right now, you know? It’s still nice to take a little time for new fiction.)
What’s on the list? Is Uncanny still killing it? (They are.) Are the good folks at Diabolical Plots represented? (They are.) How much of it is free to read right this very? (Links below!) And what do you mean, no Murderbot? Read on!
* * *
Nebula Award for Novel
The Unbroken, C.L. Clark (Orbit US; Orbit UK)
A Master of Djinn, P. Djèlí Clark (Tordotcom; Orbit UK)
Machinehood, S.B. Divya (Saga)
A Desolation Called Peace, Arkady Martine (Tor; Tor UK)
Plague Birds, Jason Sanford (Apex)
Nebula Award for Novella
A Psalm for the Wild-Built, Becky Chambers (Tordotcom)
Fireheart Tiger, Aliette de Bodard (Tordotcom)
And What Can We Offer You Tonight, Premee Mohamed (Neon Hemlock)
Sun-Daughters, Sea-Daughters, Aimee Ogden (Tordotcom)
Flowers for the Sea, Zin E. Rocklyn (Tordotcom)
The Necessity of Stars, E. Catherine Tobler (Neon Hemlock)
“The Giants of the Violet Sea”, Eugenia Triantafyllou (Uncanny 9–10/21)
Nebula Award for Novelette
“O2 Arena”, Oghenechovwe Donald Ekpeki (Galaxy’s Edge 11/21)
“Just Enough Rain”, PH Lee (Giganotosaurus 5/21)
“(emet)”, Lauren Ring (F&SF 7–8/21) [available free for a limited time]
“That Story Isn’t the Story”, John Wiswell (Uncanny 11–12/21)
“Colors of the Immortal Palette”, Caroline M. Yoachim (Uncanny 3–4/21)
Nebula Award for Short Story
“Mr. Death”, Alix E. Harrow (Apex 2/21)
“Proof by Induction”, José Pablo Iriarte (Uncanny 5–6/21)
“Let All the Children Boogie”, Sam J. Miller (Tor.com 1/6/21)
“Laughter Among the Trees”, Suzan Palumbo (The Dark 2/21)
“Where Oaken Hearts Do Gather”, Sarah Pinsker (Uncanny 3–4/21)
“For Lack of a Bed”, John Wiswell (Diabolical Plots 4/21)
Andre Norton Nebula Award for Middle Grade and Young Adult Fiction
Victories Greater Than Death, Charlie Jane Anders (Tor Teen; Titan)
Thornwood, Leah Cypess (Delacorte)
Redemptor, Jordan Ifueko (Amulet; Hot Key)
A Snake Falls to Earth, Darcie Little Badger (Levine Querido)
Root Magic, Eden Royce (Walden Pond)
Iron Widow, Xiran Jay Zhao (Penguin Teen; Rock the Boat)
Ray Bradbury Nebula Award for Outstanding Dramatic Presentation
Encanto, Charise Castro Smith, Jared Bush, Byron Howard, Jason Hand, Nancy Kruse, Lin-Manuel Miranda (Walt Disney Animation Studios, Walt Disney Pictures)
The Green Knight, David Lowery (Sailor Bear, BRON Studios, A24)
Loki: Season 1, Bisha K. Ali, Elissa Karasik, Eric Martin, Michael Waldron, Tom Kauffman, Jess Dweck (Marvel Studios)
Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, Dave Callaham, Destin Daniel Cretton, Andrew Lanham (Walt Disney Pictures, Marvel Studios)
Space Sweepers, Jo Sung-hee 조성희 (Bidangil Pictures)
WandaVision: Season 1, Peter Cameron, Mackenzie Dohr, Laura Donney, Bobak Esfarjani, Megan McDonnell, Jac Schaeffer, Cameron Squires, Gretchen Enders, Chuck Hayward (Marvel Studios)
What We Do in the Shadows: Season 3, Jake Bender, Zach Dunn, Shana Gohd, Sam Johnson, Chris Marcil, William Meny, Sarah Naftalis, Stefani Robinson, Marika Sawyer, Paul Simms, Lauren Wells (FX Productions, Two Canoes Pictures, 343 Incorporated, FX Network)
Nebula Award for Game Writing
Coyote & Crow, Connor Alexander, William McKay, Weyodi Oldbear, Derek Pounds, Nico Albert, Riana Elliott, Diogo Nogueira, William Thompson (Coyote & Crow, LLC.)
Granma’s Hand, Balogun Ojetade (Balogun Ojetade, Roaring Lion Productions)
Thirsty Sword Lesbians, April Kit Walsh, Whitney Delagio, Dominique Dickey, Jonaya Kemper, Alexis Sara, Rae Nedjadi (Evil Hat Games)
Wanderhome, Jay Dragon (Possum Creek Games)
Wildermyth, Nate Austin, Anne Austin, Douglas Austin (Worldwalker Games, LLC)
* * *
So seriously, you may be asking, no Murderbot? No, but it’s a good thing.
Author Martha Wells graciously declined her nomination as a novella finalist this year for Fugitive Telemetry: Murderbot Diaries, Book 6, published by Tordotcom. Wells felt that the Murderbot Diaries series has already received incredible praise from her industry peers and wanted to open the floor to highlight other works within the community.
— SFWA Announces Nebula Award Finalists – The Nebula Awards®
And that’s that. Go forth and read!
* * *
Posted in Writing, tagged #365Ways, #365Ways2022, creativity, Fiction, genre fiction, sff, Thoughts, writing, yay on March 13, 2022| Leave a Comment »
The world remains a challenging place in many ways but today I’m lucky to be able to carve a bit of calm out of the quagmire, mostly by avoiding the news. I’m working on a cookbook update, paying taxes, continuing yesterday’s fun design project, and helped* disconnect the old dishwasher. I also heard back on one of my favorite stories and was very happy to get an acceptance. It’s always nice to share what you love.
Not too bad for a Sunday. Now, where’s my book?
* * *
* * *
* A very little. Mr Man is good enough not to need much help.
Posted in Holidays, Writing, tagged #365Ways, #365Ways2022, Fiction, free fiction, genre fiction, Murderbot, sff, Valentine's Day on February 14, 2022| Leave a Comment »
I can’t share the lemon meringue pie I made for Valentine’s Day, but I can share three free books from Tor.com.
Download Tor.com’s BUNDLE O’ LOVE — Before February 19th! | Tor.com
You’ll need to sign up for Tor’s free e-book club, which means they’ll offer you a free book every month. I don’t mind that. (Yes, they’ll use your email to promote other books but you can always use a throw-away address if you don’t want to hear from them.)
This bundle is only available for the next few days but if you haven’t read these titles it’s a great opportunity for three good books.
Especially Murderbot. Because everyone loves Murderbot.
* * *
Posted in Writing, tagged #365Ways, #365Ways2022, Fiction, free fiction, genre fiction, inspiration, sff, Writers, writing, yay on February 10, 2022| Leave a Comment »
Looking for new fiction? Like free stuff? Me too, and Tor.com has just released its free compilation of delicious good stuff from 2021. Click the Buy Now button here to access the ebook via major retailers.
Have fun!
Some of the Best From Tor.com 2021 Is Out Now!
Table of Contents
* * *
Posted in Writing, tagged #365Ways, #365Ways2022, creativity, Fiction, genre fiction, publishing, sff, speculative fiction, speculative fiction novels, submissions, Writers, writing, writing a novel on February 7, 2022| Leave a Comment »
Attention writers!
Are you un-agented? Have you been waiting for a high-profile publisher to send out a call for submissions? Do you happen to have a science fiction, fantasy or horror manuscript lying around the house, waiting for its dare-to-be-great moment?
Then this, my friends, is your lucky day!
Angry Robot has announced a week-long open submission period for un-agented works. I don’t happen to have one handy but maybe you do? If so, may the odds be ever in your favor!
* * *
The Submission period will run for one week, from Monday the 21st of February to Monday the 28th February.
We are looking for:
– Novel length works.
– A synopsis of the full work in a separate Word document.
– An elevator pitch and author bio in your email.Science Fiction, Fantasy and Horror.
– Adult fiction.
– Finished manuscripts.
To apply, please send us:
– A sample that consists of the first three chapters of your work (or first fifteen pages if the chapters are short).
– A synopsis of the full work in a separate Word document.
– An elevator pitch and author bio in your email.
* * *
Posted in Writing, tagged #365Ways, #365Ways2022, cli-fi, climate change, creativity, Fiction, genre fiction, inspiration, sff, Writers, writing, writing contest on February 1, 2022| 1 Comment »
tl;dr scroll for climate fiction contest info
You may have noticed that we are in the midst of a climate shift that is affecting all facets of life. What comes next, and how do we fix it?
Science is great for understanding what will change but to better understand the squishier bits like how it will impact our lives and societies? That is where fiction excels.
I’ve mentioned climate fiction before but if you’re interested in what’s out there, here are a few examples:
* * *
Want to try at hand at writing us all into an optimistic future? Good news, Fix is back with another short story contest titled Imagine 2200: Climate Fiction for Future Ancestors.
We’re looking for stories of 3,000 to 5,000 words that envision the next 180 years of climate progress — roughly seven generations. The winning writer will be awarded $3,000, with the second- and third-place winners receiving $2,000 and $1,000, respectively. An additional nine finalists will each receive $300. Winners and finalists will be published in Fall 2022 in an immersive collection on Fix’s website and celebrated during a virtual event.
There is no cost to enter and story copyright and ownership remains with the author. More details here.
Let’s write ourselves a better future!
* * *
J.R. Johnson 
You must be logged in to post a comment.