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FOR WRITERS: What’s in the Vault?

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FOR WRITERS Today’s writer topic comes from QSFer Denise Deschene: When did you start writing and how many of your early stories are stored away on composition books or typed up waiting to see the light of day? Do you ever go back and read them, if so have you published any of them, if not why not? Join the chat

FOR WRITERS: Brainstorming

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FOR WRITERS Today’s writer topic comes from QSFer Robin Harper: FOR WRITERS: Brainstorming. That magical time of creation where you let your imagination go and dream up the impossible! There are many techniques, and a thousand pieces of advice on how to do it, and how not do to it! What works best for you? Any methods that completely failed? How do you take the hard drive of your brain and squeeze out it’s riches onto paper to start forming ideas? Join the chat

FOR WRITERS: Local Book Clubs

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FOR WRITERS & READERS Today’s writer topic comes from QSFer Nathan Smith: “Ever had (or been) the author at a local book club? How did it go, what prep-work did you do? Any learning experiences to share?” I’d like to broaden this out just a little further to include local author-reader events. :) Join the chat

FOR WRITERS: Keeping Readers Engaged

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FOR WRITERS Today’s writer topic comes from QSFer Nathan Smith: For writers: how do you keep your reading audience engaged between books (especially for those of us who write at a slower pace than others–I know there are authors out there who can pump out multiple novels or novellas every month or so, I’m not that type of writer at all). Join the chat

FOR AUTHORS: Share Your Facebook Page

Facebook Page

We do this from time to time – asking our QSF authors to share their Facebook page on the site, with a short description of who they are and what they write. Then other authors and readers can follow them to keep up with their new work. So authors, add your FB page link and a short description of who you are and what you write. Authors and readers, like all the ones that interest you. :) Join the chat

Jeff Baker: Boogieman in Lavender – Sleator and Selden; of Genies and Singularities

Jeff Baker

We are out there. We are not always obvious. In the days before the 21st Century’s sometimes grudging acceptance of LGBT YA authors, such authors labored largely in the closet, their works publicly known while their orientation was not. Two authors whose works have recently crossed my desk again are William Sleator and George Selden. Both names are probably jogging a bygone memory or two. Both had at least one familiar hit; Sleator with “Interstellar Pig,” and Selden with “The Cricket in Times Square.” And both men had definite LGBT connections. I’ll start with Sleator (pronounced “Slater.”) I first encountered … Read more

FOR WRITERS: Mixed Boxed Sets

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FOR WRITERS Today’s writer topic comes from QSFer Anna Butler: Not a boxed set of your own series of novels (which I’ll do for Shield as soon as it’s finished), but a boxed set of multiple authors who write on similar themes. Something I’m mulling over is the value of joining with other SciFi authors – 4 or 5, maybe – to publish and promote a collection of novels. Boxed sets can find you readers who might otherwise never have heard of you because they come to buy one particular author and find your novel along with it. Sets can … Read more

FOR WRITERS: Writing a More Hopeful Future

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FOR WRITERS Today’s writer topic comes from QSFer Jana Denardo: I was raised on Star Trek with a happier view of the future than the current trend toward dystopias has. I was wondering why, in so many SF (especially) and fantasy pieces we continue to recreate the homophobic barriers we see in real life instead of showcasing the idea of rising above them? (With the understanding of course, there are topics the author wants to tackle within the framework of spec fic). I’d broaden this out a bit to also include writing a vision of a future in general brighter … Read more