As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.

Announcing the Winners of the Second Annual QSF Flash Fiction Contest

by
Queer Sci Fi Flash Fiction contest

Hey all, OK, we’ve gone through all the entries – covers and stories – for the flash fiction contest. There were some amazing stories in there, and overall the level of sophistication was very high. Judging was done blind, so we didn’t know who the winners were until the stories were chosen. We had 115 to choose from – a huge increase from last year’s 16 stories. Congrats to everyone who entered! We’ve chosen the winners – no easy task. And so, without further delay (drumroll please) – For the stories: First Place – Self-Actuating, by Jenn Burke Second Place … Read more

Me Me Monday!

by

Welcome to ME ME MONDAY at our FB discussion group – your chance to pop in and tell us about your latest success. Have a new book or short story coming out? Let us know. Just sell something? Let us know so we can cheer you on. HOW IT WORKS: I’ll pin this topic to the top of our FB discussion page for the day. –Please post your announcement as a separate post, so I can also share it over to our FB page (as opposed to this discussion group). –If you want, send me your book announcement info at … Read more

Announcement: The Klockwerk Kracken, by Aidee Ladnier

by
Klockwerk Kraken

QSFer Aidee Ladnier has a new MM Sci Fi book out: When the right space pilot walks into his bar, a desperate bartender uses all his wiles (and tentacles) to talk the man into business and his bed–but the spacer is still enslaved by his past and isn’t sure he can deal with a two-armed lover, much less one with six. When the supply shipments stop coming, Teo Houdin needs all his tentacles to keep his waystation bar open. Facing a riot by thirsty miners stranded in the backwater of the galaxy, Teo helps a greenie space pilot buy a … Read more

Discussion: Using Descriptive Language

by
description

Today’s topic comes from QSFer and Admin Angel Martinez: “How about descriptive language? What pet peeves do you have in authors’ descriptions in stories? (too long, certain items, certain words, etc.).” I’m on the fence with this one. One the one hand, I almost fell asleep reading one of Jean M. Auel’s Clan of the Cave Bear books, where the devoted something like TWENTY NINE PAGES in an epic data dump describing all the plants and herbs of the prehistoric period – an apparent effort on the author’s part to show off all the stuff she had learned during her … Read more

News: The Sexual Future is Here

by
Lovely

These days, everything we own is becoming “smart” – from the smart watch, smart TV, and smart fridge, to the smart fitness tracker and smart glasses – so it should come as no surprise that now smart wearable technology is coming to sex toys too. Meet Lovely, a penis ring now on Indiegogo that does way more than just vibrate – its built-in sensors send data to an accompanying smartphone app in order to track your sexual performance, give you tips on what you could do better next time, and count how many calories you’ve burned. Made from medical-grade silicone, … Read more

Announcement: Hard as Stone, by Rory Ni Coileain

by
Hard as Stone

QSFer Rory Ni Coileain has a new Fantasy book out: Tiernan Guaire was exiled from the Fae Realm a century and a half ago for his brother’s murder. His soul torn in half, he lives by his vows — never to trust, never to love. And if he can only be whole by finding and loving the human with the other half of his soul? He’s content to live broken and half-souled. Kevin Almstead’s future, the career he’s worked for as long as he can remember, has been taken away by a vote of the partners at his law firm. … Read more

Discussion: What Are You Writing or Reading?

by
Books

Hey all, It’s Saturday, so we thought it would be fun to have a light topic today. I’ll keep it simple. If you’re a writer, what are you working on in the speculative fiction arena? And as a reader, what are you reading? Come talk with us about it on FB: https://www.facebook.com/groups/qsfdiscussions/

Announcement: Hedon, by Jason Werbeloff

by
Hedon

QSFer Jason Werbeloff has a new sci fi book out: In 2051, the Bhutanese Empire rules post-apocalyptic Shangri with iron-fisted Buddhist compassion. Happiness is compulsory, but making everyone happy isn’t easy in an overpopulated world. Breeders are ghettoed, homosexuality is mandatory, and Shangrians’ happiness levels are strictly monitored by hedometers implanted in their heads. Become depressed, or feel too happy without helping others feel the same, and The Tax Man will get angry. Very angry. Gemini and Cyan, winners of the pregnancy lottery, are on the run. Cyan can’t fall pregnant, and Gemini is addicted to the Experience Machine. Will … Read more

Discussion: Future Pets

by
Star Wars pets

OK, so I’ve had this topic kicking around for a bit on the Great List of QSF Topics. Then John Allenson’s comment on the FB group made me think maybe it was time: “I was thinking more ‘designer pets’.” OK, so let’s dive in. We already have designer pets, if you think about it – not designed with technology, but through breeding programs that have lasted centuries and have given us the diverse world of dogs and cats we enjoy today. But given the coming technology, what kind of pets might we see in the future? Where will current trends … Read more