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Discussion: Using Descriptive Language

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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

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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

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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?

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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

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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

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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

“Good Bones” by Kim Fielding

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Genre: MM Paranormal Romance Length: Novel   Dylan Warner is an architect; fairly together, responsible, and usually not that reckless. However, one night he meets a guy, fools around, and then that guy turns into a wolf, bites him, and takes off. Next month—oops—Dylan’s a werewolf too. Shit. Dylan is also a responsible member of society, so instead of hanging around in the city of Portland and endangering tons of people, he moves off into the Oregon country so that he can’t hurt anyone when he goes beastie. He gets points for that. I appreciated the usual jokes about Portlanders: … Read more

Announcement: Starry-Eyed, by Abraham Steele

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Starry Eyed

QSFer Abraham Steele has a new paranormal book out: Class schedule and textbooks – check. Rainbow pin on each butt cheek – check. Badass pothead fag hag – check. Yes, Dayton is ready for his freshman year of college. All the omega twink needs now is a cutie (or several) to play with. After years of being bullied and ignored, he’s finally out on his own – and he’s ready to take full advantage of that! As soon as Dayton sees his astronomy professor, all thoughts of sluttiness go out the window. No one else can compare to the handsome … Read more

Discussion: Creating Alien Races

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Alien

Today’s topic comes from QSFer Theo Fenraven: “How does one go about inventing a believable alien race? Where do you start? What resources do you tap?” For our purposes, it seems to me that there are two competing parts to this discussion. On the sci fi romance side, it’s necessary to have an alien race that isn’t TOO different, so they can still interact with, and fall in love with, humans. On the more strictly sci-fi side, the idea that an alien race evolving from a separate ecosystem on a planet hundreds or thousands of light years away would end … Read more