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LGBT

Discussion: Bending the Mainstream

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Gay LOTR

Another fun topic today. There are so many mainstream/straight stories out there. Growing up, most of us were immersed in a sea of heterosexuality. As we’ve discussed many times in this group, there has historically been a real lack of LGBT representation out in the world culturally – in film and in literature. That’s changing now, but there are still many iconic books, shows and films that have virtually no LGBT content. Here’s your change to change that. If you could take a current mainstream sci fi/fantasy/paranormal story (film, book, etc) and give it a real LGBTQI/QUILTBAG twist, which series … Read more

“The Queen of Lies” by Michael J. Bode

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Genre: LGBTQ+ Epic Fantasy Length: Novel   The story in The Queen of Lies is incredibly complex and detailed, as an epic fantasy should be, and we have several wonderful point of views to explore. There’s Maddox, the arcane student who fucks up his exams and accidentally winds up immortal—at first no one is certain whether they should praise him or condemn him. There’s Jessa, heiress to the throne of a long line of storm-callers. Her mother is conniving and maniacal (I may be downplaying the crazy part). And there are Heath and Sword, who are essentially mercenaries; Heath is … Read more

The Midweek Mingle: SJWs

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A lot of talk goes around the net about SJWs. Social Justice Warriors. And for the most part, it’s used as an insult, though I can’t really understand why. I proudly proclaim my status as an SJW, and am constantly working to become a better one. If you don’t know, an SJW is someone who works to spread justice for everyone. Equal rights, freedom, liberty, et cetera. When it’s used as an insult, the term SJW normally refers to someone who is hostile about their beliefs, and who goes on lengthy diatribes or goes to an extreme in the matter. … Read more

Announcement: Somewhere Out There

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Somewhere Out There

QSF author and Publisher Angelia Sparrow’s press Inkstained Succubus has a new sci fi anthology out: At its best, science fiction presents us not just with a vision of the future, but with more understanding of ourselves and how to get to that future. It presents us with ways to think about relationships and people. And this time, it’s about the shapes of relationships. In these eight stories, we run the gamut. Whether a shipboard fantasy about a captain that turns into more or the new fiancé meeting the former spouse, people remain people, with loves and confusion. Sometimes the … Read more

The Midweek Mingle: QUILTBAG+ Tropes

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It’s no secret that QUILTBAG+ characters in fiction have been widely misrepresented. And it’s no secret that it’s a big issue that needs solving. Personally, I think speculative fiction is the perfect battleground for that fight. In speculative fiction, we craft worlds from the ground up. Worlds, characters, cultures—more than any other genre, sci-fi and fantasy give the writer complete control over every aspect of their fictional playground. Not to mention we have a history of QUILTBAG+ representation to bring to play, and a history of tackling society’s issues in our fiction. Star Trek: The Next Generation comes to mind. … Read more

Announcement: Dreams of the Forgotten, by Lexi Ander

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Dreams of the Forgotten

QSFer Lexi Ander has a new fantasy book out: For Tristan and Ushna, nothing comes easy and with each passing day the challenges grow and the dangers multiply. The safe home they are building for their family and tribe is threatened from all sides, and the peace they seek is being torn apart by enemies and internal strife. Tristan dares not reveal his condition to any but those closest to him, all the while he’s plagued by dreams he cannot remember upon waking… And over all of it hangs the knowledge that his time with Ushna is running out. Because … Read more

The Midweek Mingle

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I’ve been to a lot of conventions over the years, on both sides of the table. And doing that, I’ve met a lot of convention organizers. I count some of them among my acquaintances, and some of them among my friends. But either way, we talk to each other, and the conversation often turns to the inevitable topic of their particular SF/F convention. Now, you should know that I live in Washington, which I considered as a whole to be a very liberal state. All about freedoms and rights and all that. We’ve legalized same sex marriage, and have some … Read more

Announcement: The Eye and the Arm, by Andrew Q. Gordon

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Eye and the Arm, by Andrew Q. Gordon

Andrew Q. Gordon has a new Fantasy book out: After defeating Meglar at Belsport, Farrell returns to Haven to recover from his injuries, but Khron, the god of war, has other ideas. He gives Farrell a new mission: free the survivors of the ancient dwarf realm of Trellham from their three-thousand-year banishment. To fulfill Khron’s near impossible task, Farrell will need the help of his distance ancestor, the legendary wizard Kel. But Kel has been dead for a thousand years. Farrell finds information hinting that Kel is alive, so he moves his search to Dumbarten, Kel’s birthplace. To reach Dumbarten … Read more

Announcement: Cosmic Encounters

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Cosmic Encounters

QSFer Nicolette deSada alerted us to a new erotic sci fi anthology she’s in: From across the universe these stories have come together to guide readers through a whole gambit of erotic pairings and interactions all with a science fiction twist. Be it mutated humans or aliens from far flung worlds there is something for everyone. Excerpt Happily Ever After… The Dwarf was looking dispiritedly through the wanted ads in The Stage when Snow White came in, shaking the cold and wet off her coat. “Anything?” she asked brightly, feigning a smile. “Not a one,” he replied glumly. “Oh well, … Read more

The Midweek Mingle: From the Horse’s Mouth

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Horse's Mouth

Last week, we talked about the Big Scary Barrier for including members of the QUILTBAG+ community in the SF/F community, and right there at the end, I put it on content creators (myself included) to create more diverse characters. By doing that, there’s more for someone queer to latch onto, and that will make that person feel more welcome. But that raises the big question: how? The easy answer would be for QUILTBAG+ individuals to start creating more content, and we do see that happening more and more, both with new authors entering the field and established authors coming out … Read more