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SPACE: NASA May Have Discovered Evidence of Life On Mars. Then They Set It On Fire.

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Mars - Pixabay

In the late 1970s, two Viking robots sailed to Mars, pillaged the soil and burnt any traces of life they found. That was never the plan, of course. When NASA first landed the twin spacecraft named Viking 1 and Viking 2 on the surface of Mars 40 years ago, scientists were ecstatic to finally start studying Martian soil for signs of organic (carbon-based) molecules that could prove the Red Planet was hospitable for life. It should’ve been a slam-dunk mission. The pockmarked face of Mars was constantly being pelted with tiny, carbon-rich meteorites, after all — detecting signs of that … Read more

Sources of Inspiration: Ideas Sparked by Interests

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Anne Rice, a writer whose works I’ve adored since I was a teenager, offered up some advice I’ve never forgotten. To go where the pleasure is, as well as the pain. Expressing what’s raw and painful can be cathartic. It’s a powerful source of emotion to draw upon, our own pain. Writing about what’s fun, what fascinates you, well, there’s a good chance you’ll keep writing if you’re interested, isn’t there? How apt that Anne Rice was the one who offered this advice. She’s been the source of many of story I loved. Her concept of vampires utterly hooked me. More … Read more

ANNOUNCEMENT: Seashell Voices, by Alexis Woods

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Seashell Voices

QSFer Alexis Woods has a new MM fantasy story out: Seashell Voices. Once upon a time, a merboy spied a human child. The merboy, who longed to walk the sandy shore, spent his days watching the human boy grow to become a man who loved the sea. A man he’s admired from afar. The one he wishes he could be. But how can a merman express his greatest wish when he has no voice with which to speak? *Part of Seasons of Love Anthology* Approx. 7,000 words 99¢ Beaten Track Publishing | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Smashwords Excerpt … Read more

Sophia, the First Robot Citizen

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Sophia

In a video that’s as unsettling as it is awe-inspiring, Sophia — the world’s first robot citizen — breaks down everything from gender to ethical robot design. Sophia spoke last month at a festival of the future called Brain Bar in Budapest, Hungary. Since Sophia was activated in April 2015, she has appeared publicly to speak about women’s rights issues, her own citizenship and other topics. The android made big news in October 2017, when she was granted citizenship in Saudi Arabia at the tech summit Future Investment Initiative (FII). And more recently, Sophia spoke at Brain Bar, which describes … Read more

ANNOUNCEMENT: Tight, by J. Scott Coatsworth

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Tight - J. Scott Coatsworth

QSFer J. Coatsworth has a new MM contemporary fantasy short out: Christopher woke with a splitting headache, from a night of drinking and trying to forget the loss of his husband Eric. Trying to block out the beautiful elfin man in his strange dreams. It was time for Christopher to take his first flight since Eric’s mysterious mid-air disappearance. But the stress of it all was too much, as the world slowly closed in on him. When had everything gotten so tight? Where had Eric gone? And what would happen when Christopher just couldn’t take it anymore? Get it On … Read more

TV: Voltron’s Big Gay Reveal Fizzles

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Voltron

Netflix recently dropped Season 7 of Voltron: Legendary Defender on their streaming platform. Some fans, however, took issue with the queer representation in the season. Warning: The following article contains spoilers for Season 7 of Voltron. Earlier this summer at San Diego Comic-Con, fans found out one of the main characters of the show, Shiro, is gay. They also found out he’s in an interracial relationship with Adam. Or, well, was. The start of the season revealed Shiro previously lived with his partner/fiancé Adam on Earth before heading out to space for an ill-fated mission. Then they went with the … Read more

ANNOUNCEMENT/GIVEAWAY: Euphoria, by Jayne Lockwood

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Euphoria

QSFer Jayne Lockwood has a new queer sci fi book out: It might take the arrival of an alien being to remind an isolated man what it means to be human. With a stressful job, his boss breathing down his neck for profitable results, and an estranged wife and daughter, scientist Kurt Lomax doesn’t think life can get much harder. Until a nonbinary extraterrestrial with an otherworldly beauty, captivating elegance, and a wicked sense of humor inconveniently shows up at his apartment. Vardam watched the destruction of their own world, and they don’t want to see the same thing happen … Read more