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Genres

Humanoid Aliens

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aliens

Today’s topic comes from QSFer Michael Barnette: “Aliens that are ‘just like us, maybe with cosmetic differences like skin color, or other minor differences. Take away the cosmetic appearance change and otherwise they’re just humans. Do you write aliens this way and why? Do you dislike this type of ‘alien’ and why?” Coincidentally, Theo Fenraven posted this article on the FB page a couple days back: http://www.veronicasicoe.com/blog/2015/04/humanoid-aliens-how-much-likeness-is-plausible/ Veronica breaks it down much better than I ever could. This is something that always bothered me about Star Trek – how is it that 90% of the Star Trek aliens were bipedal … Read more

Announcement: Future Imperfect, by Pelaam

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Future Imperfect

QSFer Pelaam has a new Sci Fi book out: Sterling Rossi thinks he’s just made history as the world’s first chrononaut. But if he’s the first to travel back through time, who is the attractive blond he sees during his jaunt, and why is his team so keen to deny his existence? Sterling soon realizes there are more forces at work than he ever imagined and wonders just what’s really happening, and who he can trust. As the truth unravels, Sterling has to go back in time to save his lover, while a creature from the fabric of time threatens … Read more

Discussion: Wearable Tech

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Apple Watch

With the Apple Watch about to arrive on wrists everywhere, I thought it would be fun to take a day to talk about wearable tech. We’re only a few years in from the introduction of the smart phone, and things are changing yet again. What’s coming next, and where do we go from here? Will tech soon go from wearable to embeddable? What would it look like? What will it do? What are the upsides and downsides of our continuing integration with the tech world as individuals, a species, and in society?

Announcement: Somewhere Out There

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Somewhere Out There

QSF author and Publisher Angelia Sparrow’s press Inkstained Succubus has a new sci fi anthology out: At its best, science fiction presents us not just with a vision of the future, but with more understanding of ourselves and how to get to that future. It presents us with ways to think about relationships and people. And this time, it’s about the shapes of relationships. In these eight stories, we run the gamut. Whether a shipboard fantasy about a captain that turns into more or the new fiancé meeting the former spouse, people remain people, with loves and confusion. Sometimes the … Read more

How Aliens and Elves Get it On

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Alien Sex

Today’s topic comes from QSFer Elizabeth Barrette: “Alien or fantasy sex/gender dynamics. Not just the concept itself, but how it affects biology, plot, and so forth. This includes nonstandard pronoun sets, which are tricky yet rewarding to handle.” OK, so let’s break this down a little. On the sci fi side, you could create a whole new alien species that reproduces in a vastly different way than humans. Maybe they lay eggs. Or maybe reproduction requires three sexes. Or licking. With a second tongue. On the fantasy side, magic might be involved, or inter-species relationships (dwarves and elves, anyone?). And … Read more

Announcement: Where There’s Smoke, by Cari Z.

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Where There's Smoke

QSFer Cari Z. has a new superhero/villain MM book out: Panopolis is a rough place to be an average Joe. I came here looking for adventure and excitement, but nobody cares about one more normal guy in a city filled with super-powered heroes. The closest I’ve come to glory is working in a bank that villains often rob. But then I maybe accidentally-on-purpose helped a villain escape the hero who was trying to save the day. Imagine my shock when, a week later, that villain asked me out for coffee. One date turned into more, and now I’m head over … Read more

Announcement: Down, by Ally Blue

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Down - Ally Blue

QSFer Ally Blue has a new horror book out: Seven thousand meters below the ocean’s surface, the crew of the BathyTech 3 mineral mining facility has found something remarkable: a rock-like sphere of unknown material and origin. For Mo Rees, the discovery calls to his inner explorer and adds color to his dull miner’s life. Even better than the promise of new knowledge is the unexpected connection he forges with Dr. Armin Savage-Hall, leader of the team brought down to study the thing. For Armin, the object is the find of a lifetime. It could prove his controversial theories and … Read more

Writing Electronically

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Pencils

Yes, I’m back, after a five-day hiatus to move to our new digs with Mark, my hubby. Angel did a bang-up job with the discussion topics these last five days, and so she’s graciously agreed to continue the tradition with a new Angel Discussion every Friday. WooHoo! Meanwhile, back at the ranch, today’s topic comes from QSFer Anastasia Vitsky: “How has the use of electronic methods for writing changed the trends in sci fi?” I’d expand this to include cloud technology and the ability to write on the fly with your smart phone or tablet. I’m updating a story that … Read more

“Bone Rider” by J. Fally

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Genre: MM Urban Science Fiction Length: Novel   WHEN THE main characters in a novel are a cowboy, a Russian, and an alien, you know it’s going to be awesome. McClane is a highly sophisticated piece of alien bionic technology, called “bone riders”, and is self aware. In order to save himself from what he feels will be his destruction, he crash lands his spaceship on Earth, and invades a truck driver’s body to stay safe. Riley Cooper is on the run from his mob boyfriend–ex boyfriend–and he really didn’t need another complication in his life. But McClane shows up … Read more

Generational Tech

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Some of us are old enough to remember a time before computers. Some of us are even old enough to recall a time before dishwashers were the norm. What I’m getting at here is how technology becomes a part of the fabric of life and how we react to it when it’s not. My mother resisted getting a dryer for the house for a long time. Why would we need such a thing? We had a laundry line. Now it’s normal for everyone to have them, either in the domicile or the apartment’s laundry room or at the laundromat. They’re … Read more