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fantasy

Discussion: Using Music in Speculative Fiction

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Yellow Dancer

Editor’s Note: Angel is hoarding her bits today, but hopes to share them with us again next week. Today’s topic comes from QSFer Hank T. Cannon: Music! What are the ins and outs of using song lyrics in a story, or novel as temporal or emotional touchstones. Is licensing involved, or only after a certain point? Does it detract from a story by anchoring it too much in a certain time and place? Great questions. I’ve used songs in stories, only to have the lyrics yanked out over publisher concerns of copyright issues. What’s your experience with music in stories? … Read more

Announcement: King of the Storm, by B.A. Brock

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I am BEYOND THRILLED to present the first published book by my dear friend and our QSF reviewer BA Brock. You can see my interview with BA here. No one can outrun destiny or the gods. In Epiro, a kingdom in Greece, Perseus is prophesied to be a great demigod hero and king, with a legacy that will shape the world of Gaia. When he was born, his grandfather exiled him, and his mother brought them to Seriphos, where she created an academy for demigod youth. Perseus trains there and waits for the day when he will be able to … Read more

Announcement: Travels Through the Scarlet Equinox anthology

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Travels Through the Scarlet Equinox

Mischief Corner Books has a new anthology out, and it features four QSFers: The Autumnal Equinox—when the trees dress in their formal scarlet and gold and the crisp air whispers of chance and change, when bright days turn into sudden storms and the veil between reality and imagination thins. Join the Mischief Corner authors as they share stories evoking this often unpredictable time of year. A Bear’s Bear by Toni Griffin Matthew Warner’s been a Chicago Bears fan as far back as he can remember. What other team was a young bear shifter from the Smokey Mountains supposed to root … Read more

Announcement: Emerald: Good and Evil, by M.D. Grimm

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Emerald Good And Evil

QSFer MD Grimm has a new fantasy book out: Home. Family. Those words often invoke a sense of love and comfort. But for the dark mage Morgorth, they mean hate and pain. As the seventh son of a seventh son, many believe Morgorth’s destiny is to become the Destroyer. His father embraced such a future and trained Morgorth through torture and fear to become his weapon. Morgorth managed to escape his father’s cruelty, but not the nightmares that still haunt him. For many years he’s lived with the stain of his father’s savagery, but now he must confront his nightmares … Read more

Discussion: Steampunk and Fantasy

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Steampunk Fantasy

Today’s topic comes from QSFer Freddy MacKay: Steampunk AKA The Red Headed step child of SF and why a fantasy world with steam is not steampunk. AKA what caused it to get shoved into fantasy. It’s a fascinating question. We have all these sub genres, but some seem to be more dominant: Science Fiction Fantasy Paranormal Horror While some seem relegated to secondary status and have to be shoved into one of the “master” genres: Steampunk Superheroes Shifters Post Apocalyptic So who decides these things? And with genre boundaries blurring ever more, is it time to reshuffle how we think … Read more

Announcement: Cardinal Sins, by Lissa Kasey

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Cardinal Sins

QSFer Lissa Kasey has a new paranormal/fantasy book out: Paris Hansworth, star whore turned senator and the most powerful man in City M, has been hiding his terminal illness for years. Searching for a way to reverse the toxic environment that’s killing him, Paris stumbles upon a lost research facility, and a merman named Rain. Years alone have made Rain long for companionship, and the beautiful man on the other side of the glass intrigues him. But Rain speaks the wrong language, and is decades out of touch. He isn’t quite sure what to think of the new environment he’s … Read more

Announcement: The Prince’s Consort, by Antonia Aquilante

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Prince's Consort

QSFer Antonia Aquilante has a new fantasy book out: Legends tell of large cats defending the principality of Tournai, but such creatures have been lost to time. Or have they? Prince Philip inherited the throne at a young age, and since then, his life has centered around ruling his country and resisting those pressuring him to take a wife and conceive an heir—forcing him to hide his attraction to men. When kind-hearted Amory is offered to the prince in exchange for more time for Amory’s father to complete a commission, both Philip and Amory are horrified. But Philip agrees to … Read more

Announcement: Wings of Renewal Anthology

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Wings of Renewal

QSFer Jesse Elloris has a story in a fascinating new “solarunk dragon anthology: The future is vibrant, hopeful, and filled with dragons. In WINGS OF RENEWAL, twenty-two authors explore the exciting new subgenre of solarpunk through the lens of these majestic creatures. Whether they irrigate dry terrain or serve as spaceships, are mythic beasts come to life or biomechanical creations of man, these dragons show us a world where renewable energy overcomes gas and oil, and cooperation replaces competition. If you love fantasy/sci-fi fusion, this is an anthology you do not want to miss! So hop on solar wings, and … Read more

Announcement: Lord Mouse, by Mason Thomas

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Lord Mouse

QSFer Mason Thomas has a new fantasy book out: Scoundrel by nature and master thief by trade, Mouse is the best there is. Sure, his methods may not make him many friends, but he works best alone anyway. And he has never failed a job. But that could change. When a stranger with a hefty bag of gold seduces him to take on a task, Mouse knows he’ll regret it. The job? Free Lord Garron, the son of a powerful duke arrested on trumped up charges in a rival duchy. Mouse doesn’t do rescue missions. He’s no altruistic hero, and … Read more