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Creating a Welcoming Mixed Environment

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diversity

Today’s topic comes from QSFer Heather Rose Jones: We could touch on the ways labeling and categorization affect “discoverability”. And techniques that web sites, reviewers, blogs, etc can use to move beyond being “open” to the entire spectrum to being actively welcoming. For example, a LGBT review site that has 90% M/M content and no easy way to search for the marginalized categories isn’t actively welcoming because of the extra work imposed on non-M/M readers to find their interests. This is something that even Amazon has a major problem with once you move outside the Romance categories. So, discussion topic: … Read more

Announcement: Perihelion, by Tami Veldura

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Perihelion

QSFer Tami Veldura has a new Sci Fi book out: Kato Ozark, crown prince and soldier, has just been chosen to pilot his family’s queenship. He’s trained his entire life for this honor, but it comes with a catch. It seems that First Engineer Mas’ud Tavana has also been chosen as the queen’s pilot. Mas’ud has no formal training, and they both believe a mistake has been made. But when an attack on a distant Ozark queen forces them to work together, it’s clear their minds are better as one than apart. They might even go on a proper date. … Read more

News: Space X Success!

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Company successfully lands reusable rocket onto a drone ship: “This was the fifth attempt in 15 months by SpaceX to land one of its rocket boosters on a drone ship; in each of the previous four tries, the rocket reached the ship successfully, but failed to stick the landing. During today’s landing, SpaceX staff members crowded around the company’s control room, and let out a roar of applaus when the rocket booster touched down. SpaceX has made one successful landing of a Falcon 9 booster in December 2015 — but that was on a landing pad on solid ground, at … Read more

Announcement: The Kitchen Boy, by August Li

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The Kitchen Boy

QSFer August Li has a new Fantasy book out: Kitchen servant Yoli is one of only three men who know a carefully guarded secret about High Commander Koehen, the brilliant general who united their lands against a common invader. The enemy wants that secret, and they are willing to use either kindness or cruelty to obtain it. Yoli must decide if his loyalties lie with the commander, who has shown him more affection than anyone in Yoli’s life, or with his own best interests. High Commander Koehen’s attention is capricious at best—he summons Yoli only when it is convenient for … Read more

Thousands Pre-Order Gun Disguised As Phone

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There’s a new gun in town: Carry with confidence, conceal in style. The best gun is always the one you have with you. In today’s day and age, carrying a concealed pistol has become a necessity. But what if you didn’t have to conceal? That’s where Ideal Conceal comes in. Smartphones are EVERYWHERE, so your new pistol will easily blend in with today’s environment. Not everyone is thrilled: Sen. Chuck Schumer issued an urgent plea Monday for iGun Control ahead of the release of a new firearm that looks like a smartphone. The .380-caliber double-barrel handgun, manufactured by Ideal Conceal, … Read more

Support Queer Sci Fi

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Red Bubble

Queer Sci Fi is, in many ways, a labor of love for us. But we do have some expenses, including conferences we attend under the QSF banner. There are a few ways to help support us, and they all get you something too! Red Bubble We’re partnering with a site called Red Bubble to offer Queer Sci Fi branded merchandise. You can now buy a shirt, mug, mousepad, and much more with the QSF brand – and every purchase helps support the site. :) Amazon Associates Many folks like to buy their books directly from independent publishers. And that’s fantastic! … Read more

Where Your Ice Cream Comes From

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Pooping Unicorn

OK, I just had to share this one. I mean, it has a unicorn and a prince, right? From the Dallas Voice: I’m not the newest person to this ad, but it did intrigue me enough to repost. I was on YouTube, looking for a video, when this ad popped up. As is often the case, it had one of those “you can skip this add in 5 seconds” buttons on it. But as I watched, I didn’t want to skip it. I couldn’t tell if it was really an ad (it is) or some put-on (it isn’t). Plus the … Read more

Angel’s Bits: Spec Fic Writers and First Responders

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Hi all! Scott and I just got back from Dreamspinner’s author conference in Orlando. Going to author conferences is a great way to connect, to get those personal contacts and have some face to face meetings, but they also tend to be packed with classes. This is true of the DSP conference, but also large conferences like Romantic Times and so on. As writers, we should always be learning something. It’s up to the writer to decide what you think you need, but we should always strive to grow as professionals – craft, business, knowledge base. If you think you … Read more

New Queer Urban Fantasy Story – Free

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Marionettes in the Mist

Hey all, Today’s the launch of the new serial story “Marionettes in the Mist” over at the Mischief Corner Books blog. It’s written by four QSFers – J. Scott Coatsworth, Angel Martinez, Freddy Mackay, and Toni Griffin, and new chapters will be posted every Monday and Thursday. The story follows four characters – a goblin rock star, a skin walker down on his luck, a dragon rider, and a phoenix with an axe to grind, as they come to terms with separate tragedies that put them on the road to a fated meeting. It’s been a lot of fun working … Read more

For Readers: I Love Fan Fic

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Fan Fiction Meme

Do you read fan fiction? Do you write it? Which worlds do you like to spend time in? And if you read it, where do you find the good stuff? Writers: This is a reader chat – you are welcome to join it, but please do not reference your own works directly unless you are talking about fan fiction. Thanks! Join the chat