As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.

scott

Discussion: Using Music in Speculative Fiction

by
Yellow Dancer

Editor’s Note: Angel is hoarding her bits today, but hopes to share them with us again next week. Today’s topic comes from QSFer Hank T. Cannon: Music! What are the ins and outs of using song lyrics in a story, or novel as temporal or emotional touchstones. Is licensing involved, or only after a certain point? Does it detract from a story by anchoring it too much in a certain time and place? Great questions. I’ve used songs in stories, only to have the lyrics yanked out over publisher concerns of copyright issues. What’s your experience with music in stories? … Read more

Announcement: Shifter Born, by AT Weaver

by

QSFer AT Weaver has a new paranormal book out: After seeing his family betrayed and executed during the French Revolutionary War, Marrok De Clarency, an immortal, natural-born shifter makes his way to the New World. As he moves from place to place across the American wilderness, he finds not only the means to his revenge, but love. Even as the world progresses around him, he prefers the quite life away from cities and homesteads in remote areas. He gives his heart again and again, each time hoping that this time, he’s found his mate. A chance encounter in the woods … Read more

News: New Giant Telescope Aims to Answer the Question: Is There Anybody Out There?

by
Lima telescope

On a remote hilltop 8,000 feet above sea level in Chile’s Atacama Desert, scientists hope to answer one of the most fundamental questions facing humankind: Is there life elsewhere in the universe? That’s one of various goals of the Giant Magellan Telescope, or GMT, now in the early stages of construction and scheduled to start scanning outer space in 2021. Once it does, it’s expected to offer views of the farthest depths of the universe ever achieved. With seven curved mirrors giving it a record optical surface 80 feet in diameter, the GMT will have the sharpest images of any … Read more

Announcement: A Little Bit Langston, by Andrew Demcak

by
A Little Bit Langston

QSFer Andrew Demcak has a new paranormal book out: Being different can be dangerous, and discovery can be deadly. High school freshman James Kerr is finding out he’s not quite like his classmates. Around the time he realizes he’s attracted to his best friend, Paul Schmitz, James starts channeling a dead writer’s poetry and also discovers he has an ability to manipulate energy—a super power. Before James can figure out why this is happening to him, tragedy strikes in the form of Paul’s abusive father, and James is sent to a government-run school, The Paragon Academy, which specializes in juvenile … Read more

Discussion: Pop Culture After the Apocalypse

by
Mr. Burns Play

Anyone see the play Mr. Burns? One of our local theaters put it on last season, and it was fascinating to me. Basically, there’s some kind of apocalypse, and some of the survivors gather and start recalling the details of an episode of the Simpsons. It’s a comforting bit of shared culture that literally helps them get through the night together. As the play moves forward in time, troupes form to perform remembered episodes, going so far as to pay people for remembered scenes or dialogue to complete each episode. And by the end, the Simpsons show has evolved and … Read more

Announcement: The Harvest: A Tah’Narian Christmas, by M.A. Church

by
The Harvest: A Tah'Narian Christmas

QSFer M.A. Church has a new Sci Fi book out: So what’s an alien to do when his mate refuses to say what’s bothering him? Why, he sends a deep space message to his mate’s mother on earth, what else? Keyno not only learns the importance of Christmas to his chosen, he’s also shocked and confused as to why Dale hasn’t shared this with him. There is no such celebration on Tah’Nar, but that doesn’t stop Keyno from trying to bring happiness to Dale. He’s not only a starship captain, he’s also an excellent strategist. He gathers his closest friends—Doc … Read more

Discussion: Visiting the Scene of the Crime

by

Last year, while working on a story set in San Francisco after global warming, the hubby and I drove down to San Francisco to scout out some of the scenes (OK, it’s also a great excuse to visit The City!). I was projecting a sea-level rise of 20-30 feet, so I wanted to see if it would be possible to hop from building ledge to ledge above the new water line, among other things. I was setting part of my story in the then abandoned Giants stadium too, so I needed to get a first-hand look. Doing so improved the … Read more

Discussion: New Discoveries Day

by
New Discoveries Day

Hey all, Recently we launched New Discoveries Day – a day once a month (usually on the first day of the month) when we discuss recent discoveries that fascinate us and that could spawn plot bunnies (or plot squirrels or plot mongeese – your plot animal of choice). So chime in and let us know about any new discoveries you ran across in the last month – links are always appreciated. Thanks to Freddy MacKay for the great idea! –Scott Come Join the Chat!