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For Readers: Queer Villains

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Young Protectors

Today’s reader topic comes from QSFer John Allenson: “It used to be the only gay characters were the villains. How is it possible to have gay villains given the history of homophobia? Will you stop reading a story if the antagonist is gay?” For a long time, back before the best representation we could manage in fiction was the gay best friend, queer characters were almost always the villain. And once we pushed back, it was pretty much verboten to write a queer villain anymore, because history. But now, have we moved past that taboo? Have we put enough time … Read more

New TV Show to Feature Gay Superhero

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The Ray

There will be a new show on the CW featuring a gay superhero, following hit series like Arrow, The Flash, Legends of Tomorrow and Supergirl. And this time, there will be another show from the DC Comics universe: The Ray. It will take inspiration from Grant Morrissons Multiversity, which took superhero team Freedom Fighters and updated them to better reflect modern America. It will also be different from the comic book origins of the character. Instead of being born with superhero powers, Raymond Ray Terrill is a reporter who discovered a group of government scientists working on a secret project … Read more

Announcement & Guest Post: Inherent Cost, by Alicia Cameron

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Inherent Cost

Forbidden Fiction author Alicia Cameron has a new MM post-apocalyptic paranormal romance out, and she is stopping by QSF today with a guest post. Welcome, Alicia! Guest Post Inherent Cost is the third and final book in the Inherent Gifts series, the first book of which was published in 2012. The ideas, and the books and short stories that I have written in the process, started back even further, in 2010, when I first came up with the ideas for Jere, Wren, Isis, and a little rural slave town called Hojer. Somehow, six years have passed since I first “conceived” … Read more

For Writers: Inspired by Readers

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Today’s writer topic comes from QSFer Ryane: “Do you talk to your readers for inspiration?” I’ll broaden this out a little. Do you have any fans who help with your creative process, either directly or indirectly? Maybe a fan who also betas for you and knows your work so well that they catch continuity errors even you missed? Do fans ever offer suggestions for your characters that ultimately change the work? Do you interact with your fans in other creative ways? Join the chat

Star Trek Discovery to Include Gay Character, Female Lead

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star trek discovery

News emerged from the Television Critics Association’s summer press tour on Wednesday that CBS All Access’ forthcoming Star Trek series, Star Trek Discovery, will feature a diverse set of new characters, including an all new gay character and a female lead. Series runner Bryan Fuller said he wanted to continue in the tradition of the diversity of the first Star Trek series, according to The Hollywood Reporter: “We wanted to paint a picture of Star Fleet that’s indicative of encountering people who are much more different than we are.” Fuller confirmed that his Star Trek also will feature a gay … Read more

Announcement: Priest & Pariahs, by Mann Ramblings

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Priest and pariahs

QSFer Mann Ramblings has a new MM sci fi romance book out: Costa McQuillen is a Pariah, a para-human with tech empathic abilities who has escaped from Earth, where being para-human is illegal—and marks him for extermination. Arrogant and standoffish, Costa is unable to trust anyone, but is willing to risk everyone’s safety to reach the planet Omoikane. His best solution: gaining passage on board the Santa Claus. Arbor Kittering, the crew’s newest coding tech, is a medical oddity. With the technologies available to prevent birth defects, Arbor’s status as a dwarf brings the kind of attention he could happily … Read more

For Readers: Tropes We Hate

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Secret Baby

Today’s reader topic comes from QSFer Angel Martinez: We’ve talked a lot about the tropes you love (and when I say trope I mean story component/ archetype, not cliche.) What tropes are guaranteed to make you walk away from a book, and why? Writers: This is a reader chat – you are welcome to join it, but please do not reference your own works directly. Thanks! Join the chat

Want a Zombie House?

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Zombie Home

Just across the road from Atlanta’s Grant Park, this 19th century Victorian home has seen plenty of action – literally – in the past years. If you’re a fan of AMC’s smash zombie hit The Walking Dead, the home might look slightly familiar. It was, after all, the set for Sheriff Rick’s house in the first season, albeit viewers will have seen it in worse shape than it is now – but considering he was in the midst of a zombie apocalypse, it’s safe to say there were bigger issues to be dealt with. Dating back to 1897, the Victorian … Read more

Announcement: Radisq, by Toby Aden

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Radisq

QSFer Toby Aden has a new MM fantasy romance out: By the general law of their species, once a royal fae hit one hundred, the fae was to spend a year touring the four kingdoms. However, for Prince Radisq, it would be his first journey away from all he was familiar with. The celebration held in honor of his hundredth birthday marked not only his sojourn into the other kingdoms but also marked his first foray into finding his mate, with the mating call only occurring once every hundred years, and only lasting a few months. For Aaeren, the firstborn … Read more

Writing More Diversity

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For Writers: Today’s writer topic comes from QSFer Angel Martinez: “How are you challenging yourselves to write more diverse fiction?” For my own part, I have started to stretch myself, writing characters other than young gay men. I’ve writte a couple trans characters, lesbian characters, and bi characters. But diversity extends beyond the LGBTIQA spectrum. We also need older characters, characters of color, characters with disabilities, and more. So to ask Angel’s question again: “How are you challenging yourselves to write more diverse fiction?” Join the chat