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Will Our AI’s Be Autistic?

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Andrew Sullivan at The Dish flagged this interesting tidbit: Most of the commercial work completed by AI will be done by special-purpose, narrowly focused software brains that can, for example, translate any language into any other language, but do little else. Drive a car, but not converse. Or recall every pixel of every video on YouTube but not anticipate your work routines. In the next 10 years, 99 percent of the artificial intelligence that you will interact with, directly or indirectly, will be nerdily autistic, supersmart specialists. In fact, this won’t really be intelligence, at least not as we’ve come … Read more

A Setback for Space Tourism

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Kenneth Chang brings us the latest on the Virgin Galactic tragedy: The Virgin Galactic space plane that broke apart over the Mojave Desert on Friday shifted early into a high-drag configuration that was designed to slow it down, federal accident investigators have said. The accident killed the co-pilot, Michael Alsbury; the pilot, Peter Siebold survived after parachuting out of the plane. Clive Irving puts the disaster in perspective: From the beginning in 2004 there has always been a credibility gap between the fairground hyperbole of [Virgin Group founder Richard] Branson’s formidable publicity machine and the scientific reality of the enterprise. … Read more

Announcement: Perfect Timing, by Various

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There’s a new anthology out, compiled by Michelle Rae, with some of our favorite authors – thanks to QSFer LV Llyod for bringing this to our attention: Perfect Timing is the third anthology published by Moral Fortitude. The theme for Perfect Timing was Eras. Each story is written in or has made use of an era. Nine authors contributed stories for this anthology and all have provided quality stories that are enjoyable to read. Authors are : LV Lloyd, Daniel Breham, T.S. Matiano, Fay Summers, EJ Kellan, Dezdemona, Abigail B. Field, David Love and Tess McKenzie. Excerpt from Lost, by … Read more

Plot Bunny Time

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Hi all, I thought we’d have a little fun today. I know all you writers constantly have lots of plot bunnies at your feet (probably playing with the dust bunnies down there, but that’s a different story). So let’s unleash some of them into the world – maybe they will find a loving home. Readers, feel free to jump in too. What are some of your wild, fun, silly, deadly serious, never-gonna happen, or just plain average ideas for a sci fi, fantasy or paranormal story? Extra points for an LGBT tie in. Please mind the bunnies underfoot.

Announcement: Nico’s Fire, by Sui Lynn

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QSFer Sui Lynn has a reissue of a futuristic paranormal novel out, the sequel to Adel’s Purr: Under constant attack, Jesuit Inquisitor Jude Jamison suspects his cover is blown. Without the gargoyles his friend Evan sent as his guardians and his ability to start fires, he’d already be dead. As he lies injured among a heap of rubble, the world as he knows it ends, and he fears the monster he’s become. Nicolai Daemarkus, a fire daemon hiding among the humans, sees a gargoyle circling a smoldering building. Upon investigating, he is totally unprepared to discover his human mate. Unfortunately, … Read more

Book Review: Human Rights, by S.L. Armstrong

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Another review sent to us by Boy Meets Boy: After landing in the pound after being abandoned by yet another family, Ewan is convinced he’s too old to be adopted out again. For a pet like him, the only fate left is to be put down. But when Sir Jiat–of the City Guard, no less–visits the pound, he goes straight to Ewan. Jiat prefers the more mature pets and treats Ewan better than he’s ever been treated by any previous owner. Ewan sleeps at the foot of his master’s bed, not on the floor or outside; he is given toys … Read more

What Are The Best LGBT / Sci Fi, Fantasy, Paranormal Review Sites?

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Today’s question comes from QSFer Angel Martinez: “What are the best review sites for LGBTQ SFF?” We have a few sites we work with that provide reviews to us at QSF: Boy Meets Boy Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words The Novel Approach Who are some of the others that you guys know about, whether it’s a place you submit your own books to, or one you read regularly for their reviews of sci fi, fantasy and paranormal?

Book Review: The Pining of Kevin Harding, by Devon McCormack

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Kevin Harding wanted an exciting life. Now, he’s a vampire and wishes he could go back to his average, boring one in the suburbs. His master is furious that he refuses to hunt, but Kevin knows it’s only a matter of time before he caves. The longer a person is a vampire, the more compliant they are to their master’s will. When Kevin decides to give the hunt a try, he’s kidnapped by vampire hunters. Rather than endure their severe torture, he agrees to help them kill his master. The hunters’ plan goes horribly awry, and they flee the scene … Read more

Announcement: The Haunted Maze, by Theo Fenraven

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OK, it’s not actually paranormal, but it DOES have a haunted house theme. And it’s from our own Theo Fenraven: Still in his twenties, Percy Callendar is one of the richest men in the world. In an attempt to find the future love of his life—and because he likes to have fun—he builds the ultimate haunted house and assembles a select group of men to go through it. Sage Donovan, owner of a fledgling IT company, is the seventh applicant to receive an invitation. He figures completing the maze—something no one has done yet—will guarantee fame and maybe fortune, and … Read more

Music in Sci Fi

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Today’s topic comes from QSFer Jim Comer: “Music and musicians in SF/F and the best and worst uses of music in a story.” Hmmm… I’m thinking about my own extensive reading in mainstream sci fi, and my not-so-extensive reading in LGBT sci fi. For me, in mainstream my favorite would have to be Anne McCaffrey’s “Crysta; Singer” series – I loved how the main character, Killishandra, used her voicde to tune the crystals, and how the harmonics during a storm could drive you crazy. She also taught me what perfect pitch was. In MM, I really liked Angel Martinez’s Vasilly … Read more