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History & Alternate History

Announcement: Soldiers of the Sun, by Jana Denardo

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Soldiers of the Sun

QSFer Jana Denardo has a new paranormal historical book out: Caleb Davies and Agni Pradesh are worried about their teammate and lover, Temple Chevalier. Not only has he lost his long-time partner, Fu Li, but he nearly died fighting a demon himself. Also, Temple isn’t sure he’s ready for a new teammate after Li. Caleb and Agni are even more concerned that their three-way relationship with Temple exists less because he loves them and more because he’s hiding from the pain of Li’s loss. 1932 shapes up to be a terrible year for the Soldiers as they welcome the New … Read more

Announcement: Carolina Daemonic, by Brian Barr

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Carolina Daemonic

QSFer Brian Barr has a new Alternative History/Paranormal book out now: Carolina Daemonic is a dystopian alternative timeline urban fantasy-horror with LGBT, steampunk, and occult elements. It’s 2020. The South won the Civil War and achieved manifest destiny in the United States. Great Britain, known as Victoria, and China, have maintained their empires. American slavery was abolished in the late 20th century instead of the late 19th century. Steam powered machinery and electricity make up the bulk of modern technology. In the shadows of the Confederacy, there is magic. Esoteric sciences arcane and archaic survive from forgotten times, and strange … Read more

Reflections on *The Great Mirror of Male Love*

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Gomen nasai! I’m Jim Comer and I read, edit, and post on QueerSF. This is the third of an irregular series of dispatches from the front: I read very widely across the fields of history, science, language and religion, and want to make sure that the QUILTBAGs back home are suitably informed. For writers and readers, here is the third in a series of book reviews, on tales of same-sex love (“nanshoku”) in Japan. I hope that you enjoy it. Reflections on The Great Mirror of Male Love, by Ihara Saikaku J. Comer Reading a text from another place, and … Read more

Announcement: Rooks and Romanticide, by J.I. Radke

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Rooks and Romanticide

DSPP author J.I. Radke has a new Fantasy book out: In an alternate world, Romeo and Juliet are gunslingers. Verona gives way to a steampunk Victorian London. The victims of turf wars are dumped in an alley they call Lovers’ Lane, and the moment the son of his family’s enemy touches his face, Cain’s revenge is poisoned by love. Fate would have it no other way. Levi Ruslaniv is the heir to the Ruslaniv family gang, but ridiculous ancient feuds do not interest him. Cain Dietrich’s vengeful hatred for the Ruslaniv family is rooted deep, since he believes the Ruslanivs … Read more

“The Picture of Dorian Gray” by Oscar Wilde

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Genre: Gay Paranormal Historical Length: Novel   As is well known, this is a story about a man, Dorian Gray, whose soul is housed in a painting, keeping his body from showing the stains of his immorality. The novel is told in third person omniscient, mostly using these three viewpoints: Dorian Gray, Basil Hallward, and Lord Henry Wotton. Dorian Gray is an impressionable youth, beautiful beyond measure. Basil Hallward is a painter, and inspired by Dorian, he paints his portrait week after week, until one day he creates his magnum opus. Lord Henry is a good friend of Basil’s, and … Read more

Announcement: Terror of the Frozen North, by Angelia Sparrow and Naomi Brooks

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Terror of the Frozen North

QSFer Angelia Sparrow and Naomi Brooks have a new paranormal book out: War is hell, but coming home is even harder. Edward Kilsby, Lord Withycombe, flying ace and noted adventurer, has grown increasingly restless with civilian life. He seeks refuge from his depression and nightmares in adrenaline, and when that fails, in painful sex. Until his erstwhile fiancé blackmails him into making an arctic expedition. In the frozen wastes, Edward and his secretary, Charlie, work hard, facing the rigors of the climate and the lethal war machines they are testing. But no-one is prepared for what lies under the ice. … Read more

Announcement: Late Summer, Early Spring, by Patricia Correll

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Late Summer, Early Spring

DSP Publications author Patricia Correll has a new Fantasy/Paranormal book out: Hour of the Lotus: General Sho Iwata is devastated when the man he secretly loves, Prince Narita, is struck with a mysterious illness. Iwata’s current lover, Hiroshi, is well aware of the general’s unrequited passion. But that isn’t his biggest problem. His sister is Narita’s favorite consort, but Hiroshi believes she has been replaced by an imposter. When they discover the true cause of the illness, they will have to battle an ancient spirit and survive. Fox Hunter: Lord General Iwata Sho sets out in search of the mysterious … Read more

Article: When ‘Womanless Weddings’ Were Trendy

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Image from A. F. Weaver Collection/Portal to Texas History

History holds some of best quirks, don’t you think? How rich is a world that has a fundraising event like this one: When ‘Womanless Weddings’ Were Trendy Definitions of marriage in America keep expanding, but for most of the country’s history, the word “wedding” has called to mind images of a woman in a white dress and a man in a black tuxedo. And traditionally, June was the most popular month to get hitched. So, there’s no better time to reminisce about a once-popular community ritual — still perhaps practiced occasionally — that would seem to be on the edge … Read more

Know Your History: LGBT Themes in Speculative Fiction

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Knowing the history of your genre gives you insight into how it’s viewed in the larger world. Why do publishers eschew works that push the boundaries? Which archetypes touch something in readers? Do you know your history well enough to shape the future of Science Fiction? Click here for a primer on LGBT themes in speculative fiction

Discussion: Alternate History – When Things Changed

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JFK alternative history

Today’s topic comes from QSFer John Allenson: “When things changed. What stories do you like that rewrite an event in history? Examples: What if Napolean had decided to invade Scotland rather than Russia? What if Abraham Lincoln had lost the election to become POTUS?” I like this one. It’s an area of speculative fiction we don’t discuss all that often – the future as seen from the past. There are so many moments when history spun on a dime and went off in another direction because of a single event or series of events. So where would you change the … Read more