Today’s helping of women writers of science fiction and fantasy includes Justine Larbalestier, Doris Lessing, and Kelly Link. If any of their work sounds interesting to you, please do check them out — and if you have enjoyed something by them that I haven’t mentioned, let me know in the comments. Continue reading
“Blood Brother” for sale
As promised, this is the other story I’ve put up for sale recently. It’s what’s technically known as a novelette — about 13,000 words — longer than a short story, shorter than a novella. The cover is by Jade E. Zivanovic (her Facebook profile). The first two scenes follow the break. If you’re interested in buying it, those links are provided, too. Continue reading
Short story “Spiders” for sale
Last week, I put up a couple more short stories for sale. I’m going to tell you about one of them today and one next week — I’m still waiting for it to go live on the Kindle store.
Lenny and Steven are best friends in a society where everyone lives forever — except for those who die on their fiftieth birthday. No one knows whether they’ll be one of those to die until they start showing symptoms, and by then it’s too late. Lenny, however, is convinced he’s going to die, and that colors everything in their friendship.
Kenyon, Kiernan, Kress
Today, I’m talking about books by Kay Kenyon, Nancy Kress, and Caitlín R. Kiernan: two science-fiction works and one not-quite-ghost-story. If anything sounds good to you, be sure to check out the book and other work by that author — and if you have enjoyed something by them that I haven’t mentioned, let me know in the comments. Continue reading
Friday flash — growing ivy
Today’s drabble is inspired by Chuck Wendig’s flash fiction challenge, using three of the following five words: enzyme, ivy, bishop, blister, lollipop. (Note if you haven’t visited his site before, some of the language is not words I would say in front of my kids.)
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Roots from the ivy pushed between the bricks on the bishop’s chimney. He knew he needed to have the gardener deal with the plant before it damaged the house, but it looked so picturesque, and appearance was everything, wasn’t it? Growth in the diocese, innocence of the mayor, functioning of the enzymes that made insulin in his treacherous body.
He glanced again at the lab report. Maybe it was time to accept things as they truly were. Tell the truth, and let his successor deal with the ensuing outrage.
Afterward, the gardener could always plant ivy next to his tombstone.
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I’m not terribly happy with this drabble — it sounds more like the opening of a story than a complete story, but his rule was no more than 100 words, so this is what I have.
N.B.: Changed “peace” to “growth” to avoid certain assumptions, which could easily be read into the story.
Jemisin, Jones, Jones
Today’s review of women writers of science fiction and fantasy includes N.K. Jemisin, Diana Wynne Jones, and Gwyneth Jones. If any of their work sounds interesting to you, please do check them out — and if you have enjoyed something by them that I haven’t mentioned, let me know in the comments. Continue reading
Running into autumn
Yesterday was the half-marathon I’d planned to run in this year. (The main event is a marathon, but they also have the half-marathon and a 5k.) I knew earlier this year that I wasn’t going to be able to do it — too many weeks off to illness or letting my foot recover, plus family vacation coming over the summer — but I still hope to participate next year. Continue reading
Ian, Ibbotson, Ingalls
Putting together today’s post was a bit of a challenge; there just aren’t that many I authors out there, and when you limit it to women authors of speculative fiction, the number dwindles further. (Yes, I am aware that Q and X will also be difficult. Stay tuned to see my approach, which will either be brilliant or a brilliant failure.) Today’s authors include Janis Ian, Eva Ibbotson, and Rachel Ingalls. I would also have included Sue Isles, but I couldn’t find any of her books locally.
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Crossing the streams of genre
Okay, crossing the streams is an obvious image to use when talking about crossing anything, especially with any kind of an SF/F background (or an ’80s movie background). But it’s a bad analogy, because crossing genres is a good thing, if done well.
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Hale, Haley, Hambly, Hurley
Today’s contributions in the ongoing series of women authors in science fiction and fantasy are Ginn Hale, Carolyn Haley, Barbara Hambly, and Kameron Hurley. The books reviewed range from classic fantasy to recently released science fiction, and the characters are just as diverse. If something sounds interesting to you, please check the book and the author out.
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