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Discussion: Hereditary Magic

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Sword of Shannara

Today, we’ll dip our toes into the fantasy pool courtesy of QSFer Jordan Marshall: “Magic wielding characters. Does the ability to use magic come from an innate gift or bloodline? Are we creating interesting stories by reinforcing the idea of inborn talent?” I’ve always loved stories about magic-wielding characters, especially when it’s something latent in the bloodline – one of the first of these that I read was the Sword of Shannara. I first ran across this book back in my freshman or sophomore year in high school, back in ’82 or ’83 – yeah, I’m old. I was enraptured … Read more

Announcement: Shamrock Lite, by Albert Northlit

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Shamrock Lite

MLR Press author Albert Nothlit has a new Fantasy book out: One lifetime of experience, and suddenly magic. Richard has come to Ireland to reflect on years gone by, not to become mixed up in the affairs of the fairy folk. The handsome stranger he meets will not be denied, however. He makes Richard young again—for a price. Excerpt Richard Trowes got on the tour bus with resigned exhaustion. The trip that had looked so good on the travel agency’s web site was proving to be insufferable, and there was still one more day to go. Plus, whatever remained of … Read more

Writers and Characters of Color

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Black Sci Fi

Today’s topic comes from Anastasia Vitsky: “How about a day devoted to fic by and about authors of color?” I think it’s a great idea. Just as we (ok I) too often focus on the MM part of the LGBTQI world in speculative fiction, we (I) also often neglect some of the other parts of our rainbow. So let’s explore another part of that spectrum today. And lets try to keep this focused on color and not gender… that’s a topic for another day. :) Are you a spec fic writer of color? If so, have you included that part … Read more

Announcement: Foolish Encounters

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Foolish Encounters

A new anthology includes a bunch of QSFers: An April Fool’s anthology, born from an event where authors submitted their most outrageous prompts, Foolish Encounters is a Rainbow Gold Anthology from Wilde City Press: An accident, a chance encounter, a thought blurted out, a boat blown off course, a change in direction that suddenly runs into the line of fire – the smallest misstep can change everything. These foolish encounters are the moments around which lives pivot and sometimes spin out of control. Join us for tales of imprudent choices and bad decisions that can lead just as easily to … Read more

“Normal” is Queer

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Normal

Today’s topic comes from QSFer Elizabeth Barrette – “Queer is what’s different from the local custom peak, not necessarily preferring a partner of the same sex. “What can you do with a culture where something else is the “queer” trait? How does that compare and contrast with the experiences of homosexual people in contemporary culture? “Frex, in the Northern culture of Torn World, nobody cares if you like to rub bits with a same-sex partner (although they do push procreation for survival reasons), but wanting to keep the *same* partner forever is weird. In Terramagne, the weird pairings are someone … Read more

Announcement: Desert World Allegiances, by Lyn Gala

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Desert World Allegiances

DSPP author and QSFer Lyn Gala has a new sci fi book out (second edition): Livre once offered Planetary Alliance miners and workers a small fortune if they helped terraform the mineral rich planet. People flocked to the world, but then a civil war cut the desert planet off from all resources. Half-terraformed and clinging to the edge of existence, Livre devolved into a world where death was accepted as part of life, water resources were scarce and constantly dwindling, and neighbors tried to help each other hold off the inevitable as the desert fought to take back the few … Read more

Flashbacks: Awesome or Bane of Your Existence?

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Flashbacks

Today’s topic comes from QSFer Tam Ames – “Flashbacks in books. Discuss. (As in memories, not PTSD type flashbacks)”. OK, I’m game. I regularly use flashbacks in my stories. I try not to overuse them, but it’s not uncommon for me to use at least one entire scene as a flashback, usually to illuminate a character. But over-use of them can lead to confusion unless it is handled very carefully. In the novella I’m working on now, I do use them fairly liberally, but in a very structured way. So here are my questions – as a writer, do you … Read more

The Midweek Mingle: The BSB

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“You got your sci-fi in my QUILTBAG+ manifesto!” “You got your QUILTBAG+ manifesto in my sci-fi!” And that, my friends, is the gist of the Midweek Mingle (I promise, this’ll be the only post with an intro like this.). Every Wednesday, I’ll be bringing you posts on bringing in the QUILTBAG+ community, both into your writing and into the sci-fi and fantasy community we all know and love. But enough of that. Let’s get into the meat of this.   For several years now, every time I go to Radcon, I’ve been on panels about gender and sexuality, or building … Read more

Announcement: A Good Deed Done by Pelaam

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A Good Deed Done

MLR Press author and QSFer Pelaam has a new paranormal book out: Conner is a hard working farmer with a generous heart and a lonely existence. When a couple of his much needed milk cows go missing he tries to find them. Instead he finds that some legends are truths. Faoladh, werewolves, exist, and a good deed done a couple of years earlier to an injured young wolf leads to changes in his life he could never have imagined. Delighted to have such a beautiful mate as Ciaran at his side, Conner feels his life is complete. But another man’s … Read more

Strange Sci Fi Sex Scenes

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Weird Sex

Today we have a fun topic – what’s the strangest sci fi love scene or sex scene you’ve ever written or read? We’ve discussed this one before, and fair warning, there are almost always tentacles at some point. So have at it – what are some of the quirkiest sci fi love scenes you’ve read or written?