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Asexual

ANNOUNCEMENT/GIVEAWAY: Ardulum Series, by J.S. Fields

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Ardulum Series

QSFer J.S. Fields has a new lesbian sci fi book out in her Ardulum series – Third Don: The Ardulum series blends space opera and hard science into a story about two women persistently bound to their past, and a sentient planet determined to shape their future. Giveaway: J.S. Fields is giving away an eBook copy of books one and two, AND a special collector’s edition First Don enamel pin to one lucky winner, via Rafflecopter: a Rafflecopter giveaway Direct Link: http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/b60e8d4711/? About the Books Ardulum: First Don (book one) The planet that vanishes. The planet that sleeps. When Ardulum … Read more

ANNOUNCEMENT/GIVEAWAY: Bones & Bourbon, by Dorian Graves

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Bones and Bourbon

Dorian Graves has a new Ace/Bi urban fantasy book out: Half-huldra Retz Gallows is having an awful day. First, he wakes up in the middle of driving to who-knows-where with an angry unicorn head in his passenger seat. This is almost normal, thanks to a lifetime of sharing a body with Nalem, a bone-controlling spirit with a penchant for wicked schemes and body-stealing joyrides. It’s probably a bad idea to ask what else could go wrong. Jarrod Gallows left home with plans to rescue his little brother from possession. Instead, he got saddled with a dead-end job as a paranormal … Read more

ANOUNCEMENT & GIVEAWAY: The Facility, by Sarah Elkins

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The Facility

Sarah Elkins has a new queer paranormal suspense thriller book out: Being psychic is just another aspect of life for Neila Roddenberry. So are dreams of a past life as Nikola Tesla. She’s sure that last part is the result of reading the wrong mind at the wrong time without realizing it. Neither are things she talks about much. Her friends know she’s psychic, but no one knows about the dreams. She’s twenty-three, asexual, and unemployed with ambitions to become a freelance artist and writer. On the way home from visiting friends, Neila gets caught up in a terrorist attack, … Read more

ANNOUNCEMENT: Once Upon a Rainbow Anthology Volume 2

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Once Upon a Rainbow, Volume Two

QSFer K.S. Trenten has a story in a new queer anthology: Your favorite stories from childhood have a new twist. Eight fairy tales of old with characters across the LGBTQIA+ spectrum. Coming Home by Jennifer Cosgrove – No one ever expects to be Prince Charming. Snow Fox by Sara Codair – Jealous Queen E’s attempts on Snow Fox’s life are trending. Deathless by Emmalynn Spark – Love means finding new ways. At Her Service by K.S. Trenten – Dancing to her true desire. Shattered Glass by Lina Langley – The resistance was never ready for this. Finding Aurora by Rebecca … Read more

FOR WRITERS: Ace Characters and Intimacy

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FOR WRITERS Today’s writer topic comes from QSFer Rory Ni Coileain: How do you show an intimate relationship with Ace characters that doesn’t involve even fade-to-black closed-door sex? This is a potentially sensitive topic, so please be careful to avoid stereotypes and treat the subject respectfully. Legacy chat. Join the chat

FOR READERS: Aces High

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FOR READERS Today’s reader topic comes from QSFer K. S. Madden: Hi Scott, 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 … Read more

POV: Why Aren’t Queer Characters Simply Allowed to Be Queer?

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When Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling revealed Albus Dumbledore was gay after the publication of Deathly Hallows, there was an uproar. She broke the cardinal rule — often attributed to Russian playwright Anton Chekhov — show, don’t tell. The theory is simple. In storytelling, don’t tell the audience what a character is like, or how a setting feels, show them through senses, actions, and feelings. By telling fans Dumbledore was gay, rather than showing us (even implications of his relationship with Grindelwald in the seventh book are a stretch at best), there’s a robbery of representation. What good does it do queer … Read more

SCIENCE: Asexual Worm Species Has Survived for 18 Million years

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A species of asexual translucent worm has been discovered by scientists. Diploscapter pachys hasn’t had sex in roughly 18 million years, when it parted from its parent species, by exclusively practicing asexual reproduction. The species has survived for the entire time by copying itself, while still maintaining fairly high genetic diversity. The revelation has taken scientists by surprise – with asexual species usually dying out due to genetic mutations. Biologist David Fitch of New York University said: “It has been a longstanding mystery in biology how some asexual animals have survived for so many generations. By Benjamin Butterworth – Full … Read more

FOR READERS: Favorite Ace Characters

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Asexual Awareness Week

FOR READERS Today’s reader topic comes from QSFer Angel Martinez: To celebrate Asexual Awareness Week, we thought we’d do a couple discussion topics. First off for readers, what are your favorite ace characters in speculative fiction? 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