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Asexual

ANNOUNCEMENT/GUEST POST: Trans Liberty Riot Brigade, by L.M. Pierce

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Trans Liberty Riot Brigade

L.M. Pierce has a new genderqueer ace/aro sci fi book out: Andi knows being born an intersex “Transgressor” and then choosing to stay that way can have lethal consequences. After all, surgical assignment is mandated by law. But she ain’t going to spend her life hiding from the Society, hooked on Flow, and wanking tourists just to make a few bucks. She’s a member of the Trans Liberty Riot Brigade, an underground faction of Transgressors resisting the government’s war on their illegal genitalia. But it’s not enough to tag their messages on shithouse walls and sniff down the next high. … Read more

ANNOUNCEMENT: Blood Borne, by Archer Kay Leah

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Blood Borne

QSFer Archer Kay Leah has a new queer (ace, genderqueer, panromantic, trans) fantasy tale out: For Ress, survival is a complicated nightmare. Caught between two masters on different sides of the law, his life is falling apart one bad decision at a time. All he wants is to be is a good person, a loyal family man, and a successful metalsmith—a dream he can never obtain while he works for the Shar-denn, the violent gang that plagues the republic of Kattal. To make matters worse, he works as an informant for the High Council. He scrapes through both jobs waiting … Read more

Boogieman In Lavender Review: Heiresses of Russ

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Jeff Baker

The story was that some people had learned to read again.—-line from “The Tip of the Tongue” by Felicia Davin. That most conventional of female archetypes, the bride, figures in several of the unconventional stories in “Heiresses of Russ,” the 2016 edition of the best Lesbian speculative fiction of the year, edited by A. M. Dellamonica and Steve Berman and published by Lethe Press. Leading off is the first of several award nominees, (Nebula nominee, shortlisted for the Hugo and Tiptree awards) “Grandmother-Nai-Leylit’s Cloth of Winds,” by Rose Lemberg. A story of gender fluidity, magic and deepnames where men and … Read more

ClexaCon to Focus on Queer Women in Entertainment

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ClexaCon

Conventions are a popular way to bring die-hard, like-minded fans together — from the star-studded Comic Con in San Diego to the D.C. Awesome Con, which has featured cast members from fantasy/sci-fi shows like “Doctor Who” and “The Walking Dead.” ClexaCon, the first con created by queer women for queer women, will unite a more specific part of fandom culture that has been demanding attention for a long time. ClexaCon is a three-day convention for queer women in entertainment from March 3-5 at Bally’s and Paris in Las Vegas. The name “Clexa” comes from the fan favorite couple Clarke and … Read more

SCIENCE: Shark Reproduces Asexually

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zebra_shark

Chalk it up to 2016. For the first known time, a shark has reproduced asexually after having previously produced offspring through mating. A zebra shark in an Australian aquarium has been reported to have made the switch in April of last year. The proud and apparently determined mother, Leonie, delivered three pups, Cleo, CC and Gemini, at the Reef HQ Aquarium in Townsville, Queensland. She had previously had a male partner from 2006 through 2012, birthing 20 pups, until aquarium staff had trouble keeping up with the number of young she was having. But she had apparently not let that separation cramp her … Read more

Announcement: Interface, by Lucy Mihajlich

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Interface

QSFer Lucy Mihajlich has a new YA Ace book out: The future always seemed bright, but it turns out that was just global warming. Meals don’t come in pills, shoes don’t lace themselves, and there are flying cars, but the gas mileage sucks. There is one difference. People have always searched the internet for answers. Now they actually worship it. Pen Nowen’s father was the founder of Interface, a computer company so big and powerful that people began praying to it. Especially when his death almost tanked the economy. Seven years later, Pen’s just finished her junior year of high … 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

Review: Every Heart a Doorway.

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Title:  Every Heart a Doorway Author: Seanan McGuire Series: Wayward Children Genre: Magic Realism, and Queer Fiction Publisher: Tor Books Pages/Word Count: 176 pages Blurb: Eleanor West’s Home for Wayward Children No Solicitations No Visitors No Quests Children have always disappeared under the right conditions; slipping through the shadows under a bed or at the back of a wardrobe, tumbling down rabbit holes and into old wells, and emerging somewhere… else. But magical lands have little need for used-up miracle children. Nancy tumbled once, but now she’s back. The things she’s experienced… they change a person. The children under Miss … Read more

For Writers: Alien Ace

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Today’s writer topic comes from QSFer Matthew J. Metzger: For ace: is the tendency of asexual characters to be non-human actually damaging perceptions of asexuality rather than providing positive representation? That’s an interesting question. Yes, I know it may be a shock to some of you, but there are asexual people among us. Ace ranks way down the totem pole on LGBTIQA rights and awareness. I didn’t even know that I knew any ace folks until fairly recently. So my questions today: Why is there such a scarcity of ace characters in queer fiction? And why are so many aliens? … Read more