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SCIENCE: What Is Dark Matter?

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In the 1930s, a Swiss astronomer named Fritz Zwicky noticed that galaxies in a distant cluster were orbiting one another much faster than they should have been given the amount of visible mass they had. He proposed than an unseen substance, which he called dark matter, might be tugging gravitationally on these galaxies. Since then, researchers have confirmed that this mysterious material can be found throughout the cosmos, and that it is six times more abundant than the normal matter that makes up ordinary things like stars and people. Yet despite seeing dark matter throughout the universe, scientists are mostly … Read more

FOR WRITERS/READERS: Fighting Sexism and Racism

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FOR WRITERS/READERS Today’s writer topic comes from QSFer Anastasia Vitsky: Many proponents of sci-fi point to acceptance of “difference” as why it’s a great genre. However, protagonists of sci tend to be, overwhelmingly, white men. I’m not talking about a secondary character or a walk-on, but the main character whose actions are integral to every major plot point. What responsibility do we have, as authors and readers of queer sci-fi, to work against sexism, racism, and exclusion in the books we read and write? Join the chat

ANNOUNCEMENT/GIVEAWAY: The Holiday Spirit, by Carole Cummings

The Holiday Spirit

QSFer Carole Cummings has a new MM paranormal holiday book out – The Holiday Spirit. It’s hard being the PA for the Holiday Spirit. Julian is more dedicated than most, and knows the job inside and out. But that doesn’t mean he’ll still have a job when the new Holiday Spirit is elected. It also doesn’t mean he’s immune to the *cough* charms of the office, but that’s a whole other problem. Amazon | iBooks | Barnes & Noble | Kobo About the Escape from the Holidays Collection For the second year in a row, Mischief Corner Books is putting … Read more

SPACE: When the Sun Blows, There Will Be Sand Everywhere

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Until now, scientists didn’t know for sure where most of the stuff around us came from. Now, they do. Silica, or silicon dioxide (SiO2), is just about the most abundant thing here on the outer shell of Earth. It makes up most of the planet’s crust by mass — about 60 percent, according to NASA. It’s the main thing in sand at the beach. It’s common in dirt and clay. It makes up most of the stuff in sandstone and quartz, and it’s a critical ingredient in feldspar (a super common sort of rock). Granite has a lot of it. … Read more

The High School Zombie Christmas Movie You Didn’t Know You Needed

Anna and the Apocalyps

The zombie Christmas musical “Anna and the Apocalypse” tries too hard to do too much, but this multigenre hybrid has more than enough good cheer to get viewers through another holiday season on this troubled planet. Set in a small Scottish town a few days before Christmas, the movie tells the coming-of-age story of Anna (English actress Ella Hunt), a popular high school senior who plans to take a year off after graduation to travel. Her overprotective father (Mark Benton) worries about those plans, imagining something out of the “Taken” movies. But when a virus breaks out in the middle … Read more

ANNOUNCEMENT/GIVEAWAY: Spells & Stardust, by J. Scott Coatsworth

QSFer J. Scott Coatsworth has a new queer sci fi/fantasy anthology out: Spells & Stardust. Spells & Stardust is Scott’s first anthology – eight sci fi and fantasy shorts that run the gamut from regeneration to redemption. The Bear at the Bar: A gay fish out of water tale with a pinch of magic. Tight: What happens when your lover disappears in midair? Morgan: The year when everything changed. Re-Life: What if you were reborn in a strange new future? A New Year: They met every eleven years. And each time, Hank’s life changed. Repetition: What if you wanted to … Read more

REVIEW: The Holiday Spirit, by Carole Cummings

The Holiday Spirit

Title: The Holiday Spirit Series: Escape From the Holidays Collection Author: Carole Cummings Genre: Contemporary, Romance, Holiday, Magical Realism LGBTQ+ Category: MM Romance Publisher: Mischief Corner Books Pages/Word Count: 32 pages Buy Link: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07K6W7GKC/ It’s hard being the PA for the Holiday Spirit. Julian is more dedicated than most, and knows the job inside and out. But that doesn’t mean he’ll still have a job when the new Holiday Spirit is elected. It also doesn’t mean he’s immune to the *cough* charms of the office, but that’s a whole other problem. Part of the 2018 “Escape from the Holidays” Series … Read more

ANNOUNCEMENT/GIVEAWAY: Sunshine in the Dragon’s Heart, by Jaime Samms

Sunshine in the Dragon's Heart

QSFer Jaime Samms has a new MM fantasy book out: Sunshine in the Dragon’s Heart. When Sunny retires to the northern Ontario wilderness to mourn his parents’ deaths, he’s hoping the change of scenery will afford him some peace and quiet. His hopes are soon spectacularly dashed. In self-imposed exile, dragon Emile runs across the Fold between his dimension and Sunny’s—and right into Sunny’s arms. Centuries out of touch with human culture, bright, beautiful Emile incinerates any hope Sunny had for an ordinary existence. With dryads and water sprites coming to life all around them, Sunny can’t deny the magic … Read more