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Readers

Angel’s Bits – Stalking Authors in the Wild

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Authors are much more accessible these days – at least online. We can friend our favorite authors, follow blogs and Twitter feeds, see photos of them with friends and so on. But now you’ve decided to attend an event. Real life, three-dimensional authors will be there. (Gasp!) The time spent face to face with your author quarry can be limited at larger events. You might see them on a panel or at a signing. Other events are geared toward allowing readers to interact with authors. Though the setting doesn’t matter too much – you’ve spotted the author on your personal … Read more

For Readers: Clash vs. Clever

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Boom

FOR READERS Today’s reader topic comes from QSFer Kari Trenten: As well as violence in science fiction (seeing the recent ‘Star Trek’ movie and the ‘Ghostbusters’ remake made me realize how many movies I’ve seen lately involve characters resolving things in a final battle involving their fists, rather than their wits. I love a good fight scene, but I enjoy stories where the land/universe/person is saved through cleverness, as well as strength). So what do y’all think? Are you partial to some good old fashioned wreaking of havoc, especially for a climactic scene? Or do you prefer a more clever, … Read more

For Readers: I Liked the Other Guy Better

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FOR READERS Today’s reader topic comes from QSFer HankT. Cannon: What types of ancillary characters will keep you reading a book even though you dislike the main character? Writers: This is a reader chat – you are welcome to join it, but please do not reference your own works directly. Thanks! Join the chat

For Readers: Reading Moods

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American Gothic

FOR READERS Today’s reader topic comes from QSFer Denise Dechene: Does your mood dictate what when and what you read? Writers: This is a reader chat – you are welcome to join it, but please do not reference your own works directly. Thanks! Join the chat

New Discoveries Day!

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New Discoveries Day

Hey all, Welcome to New Discoveries Day – a day once a month (usually on the last day of the month) when we discuss recent discoveries that fascinate us and that could spawn plot bunnies (or plot squirrels or plot mongeese – your plot animal of choice). So chime in and let us know about any new discoveries you ran across in the last month – links are always appreciated. Thanks to Freddy MacKay for the great idea! –Scott Come Join the Chat!

Angel’s Bits: The Generic Story

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How many times has this happened to you? You read a book, watch a movie, catch something on the Hallmark channel and think, “I’ve read this before. I know this story.” You go off to search and find that, no, you really haven’t. Still, the feeling of story deja vu persists. You’ve just been sideswiped by a generic story. When we talk about tropes, we’re really talking about the essential building blocks of a story, the components a writer uses as construction materials. But there has to be more to the story, of course. Characterization, author voice, unique or surprising … Read more

FOR READERS: Aces High

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Asexual Ace Flag

FOR READERS Today’s reader topic comes from QSFer K.S. Madden: After reading a lot of the recent responses, I’d love to see you do a question post sometime about the surge in interest in seeing more asexual characters. I was at Readercon in Boston a few months ago and there was a panel there as well stating the need for more asexual protagonists in mainstream scifi/fantasy. I’m curious what people want to see. Asexual characters in romantic relationships? Or asexual characters just having adventures and being free of relationships? Or is this partly a desire to see more friendship fic, … Read more

For Readers: Speculative Fiction in Pictures

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Young Protectors

FOR READERS Today’s reader topic comes from QSFer Hank T. Cannon: “Comic books, graphic novels, web comics: what kind of non-prose SF&F works are you into? Do any of them have a particular QUILTBAG focus? Share!” This topic is the perfect lead-in to our Graphic Novel Week, coming in October – we’ll be announcing our week-long line-up of interviewees soon! Writers: This is a reader chat – you are welcome to join it, but please do not reference your own works directly. Thanks! Join the chat

Dispatches from Hogwarts G.S.A.: Tropes we’d like to see

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A famous writer once said: “There is no such thing as a new idea.” That writer was Mark Twain, who is pretty hard to argue with (especially since he’s dead), and here’s his elaboration, which, naturally, is wise and brilliant: “It is impossible. We simply take a lot of old ideas and put them into a sort of mental kaleidoscope. We give them a turn and they make new and curious combinations. We keep on turning and making new combinations indefinitely; but they are the same old pieces of colored glass that have been in use through all the ages.” … Read more

For Readers: Yaoi and Friends

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Yaoi

FOR READERS Today’s reader topic comes from QSFer Kari Trenten: “I’d love to talk a little about anime, manga, yaoi, yuri, shounen ai, and shoujo ai.” Perfect timing, as Angel, Freddy and I are all at Yaoi Con today in San Francisco! Writers: This is a reader chat – you are welcome to join it, but please do not reference your own works directly. Thanks! Join the chat