FOR WRITERS Today’s writer topic comes from QSFer Rory Ni Coileain: How do you show an intimate relationship with Ace characters that doesn’t involve even fade-to-black closed-door sex? This is a potentially sensitive topic, so please be careful to avoid stereotypes and treat the subject respectfully. Legacy chat. Join the chat
FOR READERS Today’s reader topic comes from QSFer K. S. Madden: Hi Scott, 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 … Read more
FOR READERS Today’s reader topic comes from QSFer Angel Martinez: To celebrate Asexual Awareness Week, we thought we’d do a couple discussion topics. First off for readers, what are your favorite ace characters in speculative fiction? Writers: This is a reader chat – you are welcome to join it, but please do not reference your own works directly. Thanks! Join the chat
QSFer R.L. Mosswood has a new MM Fantasy book out: Harem boy might not be the most appropriate role for someone who’s never really seen the appeal of sex, but Elin’s status as dahabi: golden in a land of tan and brown, has marked him for The Dragon’s service since birth. He’s content enough with his life of uncomplicated, if restrictive, luxury, until an unremarkable chore becomes a case of love at first sight. Mysterious newcomer Hathar, a roguish “merchant adventurer” from far-off lands, ignites an exploration of Elin’s first taste of physical desire, as well as a desire to … Read more
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
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
Title: The Beast Without Series: Arcadia Trust #1 Author: Christian Baines Genre: Gay Paranormal Publisher: Glass House Books Pages: 234 Blurb Reylan is everything a Sydney vampire aspires to be: wealthy, handsome and independent, carefully feeding off companions plucked from the gay bars of Oxford Street. When one of those companions is killed by Jorgas, a hot-headed young werewolf prowling his streets, Reylan reluctantly puts his cherished lifestyle of blood and boys on hold to help a mysterious alliance of supernatural beings track down the beast. It can’t be that hard… not when Jorgas keeps coming after him. But there’s … Read more
Jughead, best friend of the title character in Archie Comics, officially came out as asexual in “Jughead No. 4” last year, but in the CW reboot “Riverdale” his sexuality will be straight. Cole Sprouse, 24, portrays Jughead in the upcoming series and told Hollywood Life his character is no longer asexual. “Jughead will have romances with women … and burgers, but at the end of the day, I still had to do my job,” Sprouse says. However, the actor says he will be “fighting for this pretty heavily.” “Asexuality is not one of those things in my research that is … Read more
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