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Announcement: Memory’s Curse, by David Berger

Memory's Curse

QSFer David Berger has a new sci fi-fantasy book out: For Aegis, Zodiak, Aether, and Talon, life should have returned to normal after they fulfilled their destiny. With history born anew, paranoia plagues this new time line, and tight-fisted governments mandate control through a pervasive military presence, DNA scans, and surveillance cameras. Strange occurrences all over the world give way to a new mission for Task Force: Gaea when an ancient cloudlike evil referred to in prophecy only as The Nebulous One emerges from Tartaros, with the intention of devouring the Olympeian gods. But, before she can find them, all … Read more

Humanoid Aliens

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

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

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?

The Midweek Mingle: SJWs

A lot of talk goes around the net about SJWs. Social Justice Warriors. And for the most part, it’s used as an insult, though I can’t really understand why. I proudly proclaim my status as an SJW, and am constantly working to become a better one. If you don’t know, an SJW is someone who works to spread justice for everyone. Equal rights, freedom, liberty, et cetera. When it’s used as an insult, the term SJW normally refers to someone who is hostile about their beliefs, and who goes on lengthy diatribes or goes to an extreme in the matter. … Read more

Announcement: Somewhere Out There

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

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.

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

Me Me Monday!

Welcome to ME ME MONDAY at our FB discussion group – your chance to pop in and tell us about your latest success. Have a new book or short story coming out? Let us know. Just sell something? Let us know so we can cheer you on. HOW IT WORKS: I’ll pin this topic to the top of our FB discussion page for the day. –Please post your announcement as a separate post, so I can also share it over to our FB page (as opposed to this discussion group). –If you want, send me your book announcement info at … Read more

Announcement: Down, by Ally Blue

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