When I finished The Mimicking of Known Successes a couple weeks ago I knew I wasn’t in love with that book, but that I wanted to continue reading the series to see how Malka Older built out her world and dug into her sapphic Watson & Holmes stand-ins because I had become quite attached to […]| faintingviolet
I was selected to moderate a panel at the Seattle Worldcon 2025, “SF&F Short Stories from the Mists of Time”. I signed up for this because I love short SFF, I have an affection for older SFF, and I like to moderate. The description was: What were the first modern science fiction and fantasy tales […]| A Deep Look by Dave Hook
Back in early 2022, I wrote an essay to celebrate International Women’s Day by celebrating women in SFF, titled “A Fan’s Celebration Of International Women’s Day in Science Fiction/Speculative Fiction“. In essence, it was a summary of the women authors and editors whose works I liked, and those works. In 2024, I was on a […]| A Deep Look by Dave Hook
I am a semi-retired water resources civil engineer. I ended up on a panel at Seattle Worldcon 2025 about the Lake Washington Ship Canal, titled “Lowering the Lake: Seattle’s Marine Engineering Marvel”. I can’t remember if I just applied to be on this panel or if I was asked to be on it. Either way, […]| A Deep Look by Dave Hook
I was on a panel at Seattle Wordcon 2025 on “1949: Books and Stories Worth Remembering”. I was probably part of the reason for this panel, suggesting it to Seattle’s Programming team as an option to remember and enjoy fiction from the year that would have been selected for the Retro Hugo Awards if Seattle […]| A Deep Look by Dave Hook
I had a “throw me in the briar patch” moment when I appeared on the “A Needle to Space” panel at Seattle Worldcon 2025 recently. This essay is #2 about panels I was on there. The description on the Seattle Worldcon 2025 programming website said this: A Needle to Space Built for the 1962 World’s […]| A Deep Look by Dave Hook
This is Essay #1 from the panels I was on at the Seattle Worldcon 2025. I was the moderator for “Tales for Eternity: A Reading List”. The description for the panel read: Much earlier sc…| A Deep Look by Dave Hook
The goal is to make your world consistent, believable (within the context of a story), and enjoyable to readers.| Speculative Fiction Writers Association
by Daniel Crépault “Zagosian Holographics, my name is Sam. How may I assist you today?” “You’re not one of those damned bots, are you?” a gruff voice asked through the phone. “No, sir, thank God.” Sometimes, a small lie was necessary to put customers at ease. “May I get your name before we proceed?” “It’s […]| The Lit Nerds
Roadside Picnicby Arkady Strugatsky and Boris Strugatsky.Translated by Olena Bormashenko,foreword by Ursula K Le Guin, afterword by Boris Strugatsky, 2012.Gollancz, 2012 (1972). Know then thyself, presume not God to scan;The proper study of mankind is man. From ‘An Essay on Man: Epistle II’ by Alexander Pope Superficially a speculative thriller, the Strugatsky brothers’ Roadside Picnic … Continue reading A being darkly wise| Calmgrove
The third temptation of Christ: Christ and the devil on a pinnacle of the temple.’ Coloured chromolithograph after John Martin. Wellcome Collection. (CC BY 4.0) One Billion Years to the…| Calmgrove
The final image at the end of Stranger Things season 4. This post contains minor spoilers for all four seasons of Stranger Things, although they relate only to character arcs rather than the main plot-lines. One of the seminars I’ve run for years now for the undergraduate students who take our second-year team-taught module at Newcastle on histories of … Continue reading Don’t Bury Your Gays: Queer-Coding and Stranger Things| Laura Tisdall
Story from Issue 22.1| The Cincinnati Review
The Last Children of Tokyo (The Emissary in North America): Kentōshi (2014) by Yōko Tawada, translated by Margaret Mitsutani. Granta Books, 2018. The first reaction to Tawada’s novella might well be, as it was in my case, confusion. What is it really about? What is the author trying to say or achieve? And what exactly … Continue reading Isolation: #WITMonth| Calmgrove Books
Since 2014, I've compiled an annual ranking of science fiction and fantasy magazines, based on prominent awards nominations and "best of" placements over the previous ten years. If you're curious what magazines tend to be viewed by insiders as elite, check the top of the list. If you're curious to discover reputable magazines that aren't as widely known (or aren't as widely known specifically for their science fiction and fantasy), check the bottom of the list.| schwitzsplinters.blogspot.com
by Deborah Z Adams She packs essentials: wine, Oreos, candles, and thirteen copies of the spell printed in 24-point font, because they all misplace their glasses. And their keys and some nouns. Despite these lapses, their youth is still sharp-edged and full-color. One flew the friendly skies until matrimony and company policy collided. One taught […]| The Lit Nerds
My favorites for 1949 SFF, with links to my essays on each area. Novels (see link to full essay): I read, or considered reading, 19 novels published in 1949. My favorites were the two classics, Nineteen Eighty-Four by George Orwell, Secker & Warburg/Harcourt, Brace & Company, Earth Abides by George R. Stewart, Random House/Gollancz, and the superlative What Mad Universe, […]| A Deep Look by Dave Hook
The Short: I have been reading speculative fiction for the 1949 panel at the 2025 Seattle Worldcon. My favorites include superlative short stories “The Long Watch“, by Robert A. Heinlein, and “The Martian” (AKA “Impossible”), of The Martian Chronicles, by Ray Bradbury, superlative novelettes “Opening Doors“, by Wilmar H. Shiras, and “The Witches of Karres“, […]| A Deep Look by Dave Hook
As of June 10, Tashie Bhuiyan through Instagram the cover to her first speculative YA romance novel titled Right As Rain, which is set to be published in 2026! It follows a Desi girl named Megh liv…| The Booked Shelf
Hi, all: First of all, and before sharing my new review, I wanted to invite you to visit a post by one of my favourite authors and fellow bloggers, who has often featured here. She was kind enough to invite me to participate in a new series he was planning to feature, and although I […]| Just Olga
Hi, all: I bring you another book I’ve discovered through Rosie’s Book Review Team, and it is a pretty special one. Bridge of Dreams. A Speculative Triptych by Kevin P. Keating Comprising three interlinked novellas, Bridge of Dreams: A Speculative Triptych centers around a young woman who embarks upon a spiritual quest over the span of […]| Just Olga
In Ned Beauman's 2023 novel Venomous Lumpsucker, the protagonist happens upon a breeding experiment in the open sea: a self-sustaining system designed to continually output an enormous number of blissfully happy insects, yayflies.The yayflies, as he called them, were based on Nervijuncta nigricoxa, a type of gall gnat, but... he'd made a number of changes to their lifecycle. The yayflies were all female, and they reproduced asexually, meaning they were clones of each other. A yayfly egg wou...| The Splintered Mind
Climate fiction, often referred to as “Cli-Fi,” is a genre of literature that focuses on the impacts of climate change and environmental issues. It explores how these changes affect individuals…| Speculative Fiction Writers Association
In this interview, author Emily Buchanan discusses the balancing act of speculative fiction and realism in her debut novel, Send Flowers.| Writer's Digest
This summer, we’re back again with a series of workshops for writers and artists! Coming off the success of our 2021 and 2022 workshops, we wanted to give back in a bigger way. That means twice as many workshops! Want to learn the ins and outs of submitting to literary and speculative journals? Or how […] The post Augur Workshops | Summer 2023 appeared first on Augur Literary Society.| Augur Literary Society
Fiction writers have a lot of rules. “Show, don’t tell” sits near the top. But sometimes we follow those rules straight into a literary box canyon.| Speculative Fiction Writers Association
Deep in the thick of marking, I wanted to kick off 20 Books of Summer with immersive, quick reads, and these two sophomore novels about intense but non-sexual bonds delivered. Ling Ling Huang’…| Laura Tisdall
As with many other people, Ursula K. Le Guin’s The Dispossessed was both a gateway into science fiction for me as a child, as well as a very early political textbook. The bleak egalitarianism…| anenduringromantic
I didn’t think she’d agree to it – my granddaughter. Months earlier I endured facial surgery to remove what we thought was an unexpected birthmark, which instead turned out to be skin cancer. Origi…| roughwighting
The Short: With John O’Neill’s help, I finished reading The Girl with the Hungry Eyes, and Other Stories, Donald A. Wollheim editor, 1949 Avon. It’s the first anthology of origina…| A Deep Look by Dave Hook
Sunday, May 18, 2025 Welcome, to my humble sanctuary. This is not a poem — I don’t write poetry. Maybe a rhyme or if I put my mind to it, an occasional limerick, but I wouldn’t even k…| Teagan's Books
Moving On Robin No regrets. It’s good to be back in Tarfen. In Fendle, I appreciated being the one to set the pace for a change, while Jay floundered. Now I have made that mental break from my fixa…| Writing Wrinkles, and Random Ramblings
Buying Time Jay I lay in bed and surveyed my room. For tonight, it was still my room. The mutt lay curled at the end of the bed on a heap of my clothes. How did he get in? Fin had turned up at the …| Writing Wrinkles, and Random Ramblings
New Book Spotlight A Wereshark’s Memoir I & II A mini-interview Justin T. O’Conor Sloane Tell us about your new books? There are periods of time during which I literally must…| Space Cowboy Books
Back Home Jay We settled the bill and left the tavern together. Outside, I stopped and checked that my pack was securely fastened. “Um… my family doesn’t know everything… about the breakup with Sto…| Writing Wrinkles, and Random Ramblings
Bend a world to the needs of your story and enthrall the imagination of your reader.| Speculative Fiction Writers Association
Friends in Need Robin Eden had been quiet after work yesterday, even offhand. Ro seemed puzzled by the silence, so I made reassuring noises about work being busy. Eden was still uneasy at the prosp…| Writing Wrinkles, and Random Ramblings
A New Day Jay The sky outside lightened, and I despaired. It was tomorrow already. The other rooms were at last silent, but the chance of sleep had passed. My throat was dry, and my head ached. I d…| Writing Wrinkles, and Random Ramblings
The Mucky Duck Jay I had walked to the Assembly buildings from the Mucky Duck. It was further than I’d realised, but the walk back seemed longer still. I told myself I had taken Rob by surprise, bu…| Writing Wrinkles, and Random Ramblings
Meeting Up Robin Eden said, “You and Jay will want to go and catch up. Perhaps we’ll see you tomorrow.” Tomorrow? I thought. Surely, you’ll see me tonight? I held the office door open a…| Writing Wrinkles, and Random Ramblings
Fendle Jay When I returned to the shores of consciousness and found myself in my own bed, the throbbing had reduced to a dull ache and my remaining fingers didn’t hurt so much. They didn’t move muc…| Writing Wrinkles, and Random Ramblings
Day Twenty-four, Jay On the last night of our journey, I had settled myself for sleep when Storm found me. Our thoughts met, and I hadn’t the energy to block the incoming regret. Having registered …| Writing Wrinkles, and Random Ramblings
I think its important to build community and I’m a big fan of what Suyi Davies Okungbowa is doing with the Literary Laddership for Emerging African Authors, a virtual fellowship founded in 2022. The fellowship supports African authors by offering fellows $500 grants, a three-month virtual residency, and access to a community of practice. This … Continue reading The Literary Laddership for Emerging African Authors| Wole Talabi
Hey y’all, just a quick note to let you know my novelette “Encore” (first published in Deep Dream: Science Fiction Exploring the Future of Art, edited by Indrapramit Das) is now a…| Wole Talabi
Speculators break the rules and take risks. Strive to deserve the name of ‘creative’ writer.| Speculative Fiction Writers Association
Day Nineteen Jay My head hurt. My eyes wouldn’t open. Well, they might if I tried harder, but I didn’t want to risk it. I had drunk too much strong cider and barley wine. (Storm tasted of barley wi…| Writing Wrinkles, and Random Ramblings
Day Eighteen, Robin It was Funday: the week’s end after six days of work. In the past, teaching hadn’t felt so much like work. I had spent too long at home. Eden arrived dressed for the occasion in…| Writing Wrinkles, and Random Ramblings
Day Eighteen, Jay After a full day’s rest, I felt better, and made sure to say so. Once settled in its sling, the throbbing in my hand had receded to a background ache, so long as I didn’t try to m…| Writing Wrinkles, and Random Ramblings
Congratulations to this year’s Cybils Award Winner in Young Adult Speculative Fiction: Hearts Still Beating by Brooke Archer! I was honored to serve on the selection committee for this categ…| What's Not Wrong?
Day Nine Robin I had eavesdropped on stronger feelings than I had believed Jay capable of… passion, yearning for someone – who wasn’t me – and, worst of all, anticipation. The shock was almost phys…| Writing Wrinkles, and Random Ramblings
Day Six, The Green Man The sky cleared, although the sun had barely time to warm the air before it sank behind the treetops. Mikki joined the locals and the older traders crowded inside the Green M…| Writing Wrinkles, and Random Ramblings
Day Five Jay We reached High Wenn later than we’d planned. The rain slowed us, and each day’s journey stretched longer to compensate. As we crossed the bridge by the Green Man, the heavens relented…| Writing Wrinkles, and Random Ramblings
—- There’s also this too.| Wole Talabi
Here’s a list of work you can buy directly from authors. This is often one of the most direct ways to support an author whose work you enjoy (or a specific cause), with the plus side that you might encounter writing that’s more unusual, niche or out of the mainstream. A quick FYI: typical royalties … Continue reading Author-Published Books| STARK HOLBORN
I was thinking about two of my favorite authors of speculative fiction, Cordwainer Smith and James Tiptree, Jr. I have included the cover of Fantasy Book #6 January 1950, where Cordwainer SmithR…| A Deep Look by Dave Hook
The Short: I just finished reading Out There Screaming: An Anthology of New Black Horror, Jordan Peele and John Joseph Adams editors, 2023 Random House. I am not typically a fan of horror, but I re…| A Deep Look by Dave Hook
The Short: I recently read “The Experience Arcade and Other Stories” by James Van Pelt, 2017 Fairwood Press. It includes 24 short stories, an Introduction by Patrick Swenson, an Afterwo…| A Deep Look by Dave Hook
The Short: I recently read the Nalo Hopkinson collection Falling in Love with Hominids, 2015 Tachyon Publications. I loved her Foreword and the story introductions, and most of the stories. While I…| A Deep Look by Dave Hook
The Short: I was recently thinking about co-written, co-authored or collaborative short SFF with more than one author. Here is a direct link to my favorite 10 short speculative fiction works. My fa…| A Deep Look by Dave Hook
Clients quite often ask me for recommendations of novellas-in-flash featuring speculative, fantastical, magical realist, or science-fiction elements. The honest answer is that — as far as I’m…| The Novella-in-Flash
Sorcerer to the Crown is the first book in a historical fantasy trilogy. This novel which marks Zen Cho’s debut, …Continue reading →| Push
Late 2012, someone pointed me to a submissions call for a project named Mothership:Tales from Afrofuturism and Beyond. The first …Continue reading →| Push