Today’s reader topic comes from QSFer Angel Martinez: In Fantasy, what creatures do we not see enough of? Which ones do you feel have particular symbolism for queer people? 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
When Scott posted an open invitation to write a column for QSF, I thought: “Cool opportunity!” Then I thought, “What the hell am I going to call it?” That question followed me around for a while like a storm cloud, sending me hiding for cover, too filled with angst to even try to tackle a response. I mean, A: I’m an author, so whatever I called this column had to be clever and good. And B: QSF is a site for sci fi and fantasy fans and writers, so the expectation for cleverness is especially high. Then, C: Whatever I … Read more
Today’s reader topic comes from QSFer Hank T. Cannon: Who are your favorite LGBTQIA action heroes? Not necessarily spec-fic. What do you like about them? How do they satisfy action hero tropes? Are they “gay” enough, or does it not matter, because they’re blowing things up? 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
Today’s reader topic comes from QSFer Amelia Faulkner: I’d love to discuss how to attract readers to queer genre fiction. As in, what does it take for a spec-fi reader to pick up Queer spec-fi rather than Het-normative spec-fi? Is there any hope for mass-market appeal? That kind of thing. 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
Today’s reader topic comes from QSFer Aidee Ladnier: “Do you like a lot of crossover between scifi and paranormal/fantasy or do you like to keep your tech and magic separate?” Hmmm… for me, I like mixes of fantasy and sci fi better. But in general it’s fun to play with all the colors. How about y’all? 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
So, this is my first column and I’ll take the opportunity to introduce myself and the basic topics of this column. I’m what is politely called an Independent Scholar of Speculative Fiction. I’ve delivered two papers on the subject of Aboriginal Canadians in Canadian Futurism. Back in the early 90s I’d edited a bibliography of Queer Positive Speculative Fiction which indicated whether content was Lesbian, Gay, Transgender, Other-Gender. I also co-wrote an article for the (sadly) defunct Body Politic on Gay/Lesbian subtext in mainstream comic books. After some 20 years of writing slash, I took a Master Class with the … Read more
I debated a long time this week over what to post. In the end, it felt better to share something from the community rather than try to express things that others in the community have said in more powerful ways. Signal boosting those folks instead. So, in the spirit of sharing something good. We talk about fiction, online, ebook and print, and about graphic novels here at Queer Sci Fi, but we don’t often talk about an interesting phenomenon from queer artists – the web comic. Web comics are an intimate contract between artist and audience. The creators are beholden … Read more
It’s that time again. I went to get a topic for today off my infamous spreadsheet of death ™ and… gasp… it was empty. No new topics. Nothing. Nada. So I need your help. What do y’all wanna talk about? Want to discuss the latest trends in werewolfery? Hot to discuss your favorite new reads? Have a writing question – like why do somepublishers want 12 pt. Times new Roman and others 16 pt ComicSans? Or are you dying to ask why, for the love of God, does your favorite author you love not come out with a sequel? This … Read more
Today’s writer topic comes from QSFer Meraki P. Lyhne: Both writers and readers can join in here. Cussing in the future or in Fantasy worlds. What would readers find belivable? Like do the even consider that many derive from Christianity? Which wouldn’t be belivable in a world without the religion. And in the future? How original should the author be to make a belivable change to vocabulary? I am writing a futuristic story in which I am struggling with this – would my characters still say damn and crap and shit two hundred years on? Would it sound pretentious to … Read more
Today’s reader topic comes from QSFer Paula Wyant: Paula flagged this article for us: http://www.theestablishment.co/2016/05/16/the-importance-of-fan-fiction-for-queer-youth/ Which makes this point: Fanfic communities are often a safe place for young, queer writers to begin navigating their identity. “Sometimes, the online space is the only place they can be out,” says Kristina Busse, founding co-editor of Transformative Works and Cultures. “They are still negotiating what they want to be called—like what their pronouns are—and coming out as trans online allows them to explore that identity.” So what do you think? Are/were you a fan fic reader? If so, did it help you? Or … Read more