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LGBT

“Fantastic Beasts” a Queer Rights Metaphor?

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fantastic-beasts-and-where-to-find-them

A columnist for a US tabloid has claimed JK Rowling’s new Harry Potter spin-off is, in fact, a metaphor for LGBT rights. ‘Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them’ is released today (Friday, November 18) and takes fans of the magical universe across the Atlantic to explore the wizarding world of the United States. Writing for the New York Post, Kyle Smith claimed the film is a “gay liberation epic” and might be the “gayest superhero movie since X-Men: First Class”.  Comparing the wizarding world of New York City to the LGBT community, he said the film “explores a clandestine … Read more

Asta’s Annotations: Editing Tips for Sci-Fi/Fantasy Writers

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Today I thought I would cover three of the common editing queries I see from science fiction and fantasy writers. 1) World and Race Names The common issue here appears to be whether or not to capitalise. My advice is to follow standard English conventions, unless you have a strong reason not to do so. In either case, the real key is consistency. Don’t swap and change from chapter to chapter; make a decision on your preference and stick to it. Here is an example based on common English usage, followed by a fantasy rendering. In Denmark, many Danes enjoy … Read more

Review: “Kestrel’s Talon” by Bey Deckard

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Kestrel's Talon

Title: Kestrel’s Talon Series: The Stonewatchers #1 Author(s): Bey Deckard Genre: Fantasy Publisher: Self Published Pages/Word Count: 426 Pages Blurb: Following the Prentish/Nemarri war, Kes is rejected by his homeland under the guise of religious purity laws. Though he’s spared execution, the proud Nemarri’s fate is only marginally more merciful than death when he is sold into sexual slavery at a prosperous pleasure house. Despite his stoic endurance, Kes knows he’s reaching his breaking point, but there is nothing he can do—there is no path to freedom in the Holy Prentish Empire, only a lifetime of humiliating servitude. That is, … Read more

For Readers: When is It Queer?

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Today’s reader topic comes from QSFer Paula Wyant: How much does a character’s sexuality have to feature explicitly in a story for it to fall into the LGBTQUIA category? Do they have to be a relationship? Does the relationship have to be the central focus to the story? It’s a good question. We had this one at a Rainbow Con panel last year, from an audience member. For me, the simple fact that the protagonist is queer is enough, and introduces subtle changes throughout a story. But what do y’all think? Writers: This is a reader chat – you are … Read more

LGBT Superheroes Brought to Life in Stunning New Trailer

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If you want to #GiveCaptainAmericaABoyfriend or are an LGBT fan of comics hoping for more LGBT representation in comics, you’ll likely enjoy a new video that imagines what would happen if major movie studios portrayed openly LGBT superheroes. Director Mike Buonaiuto created a video titled #LGBTSuperheroes which urges studios to “stick to the script” when it comes to the sexual identities of some famous superheroes. Writes Buonaiuto on YouTube: Iceman, Mystique, Catwoman & many others are LGBT in the comic books but appear as straight on screen. It’s time all superheroes were accurately portrayed. By Sean Mandell – Full Story … Read more

Announcement: The Sky People, by D.C. Juris

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The Sky People

Torquere Press author DC Juris has a new sci fi book out: Driven by visions of his soul mate, Tristan, Jinsu steps through the portal to Earth, leaving all he has ever known behind.. Seven months into their fairy-tale romance, and Tristan and Jinsu couldn’t be happier. But when Jinsu falls ill with a mysterious, lingering condition, everything changes. Jinsu’s magic is dying and taking him with it. Suddenly the couple’s desire to find a way back to Jinsu’s home world is more than just a dream–it’s a necessity. With Jinsu’s time quickly running out, Tristan is forced to seek … Read more

Announcement: Aegis: Season One, by Will Norman

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Aegis

Sci fi author Will Norman has a new sci fi podcast out: Author and zillapreneur W.P. Norman has launched a sci-fi comedy serial podcast. Muscle-boy pacifist Commander Video is on a mission to bring love, peace, and video content exchange to the murderous planet Synthra. The planet’s evil bleach blonde Minister Supreme sees him as a shrewd threat and… possibly her chance to seize power. Solomon the Gluteus Surfer, who captures Video, sees only a slab of beef ready to be sold on the slave market; and Video’s star navigator thinks he’s just plain stupid. Commander Video may arguably be … Read more

Discussion: When is it Sci Fi, and When is it LGBT?

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Today’s topic comes from QSFer Heather Rose Jones: How do people (authors and readers) view the relationship between “LGBTQI SFF” and “SFF with LGBTQI characters”? Do you read/write both? Do you consider them identical or distinct categories? Are the two angles in dialogue with each other, and if so how? Great questions. I was asked at Rainbow Con during a panel if a character was really gay if their sexuality wasn’t overtly expressed during the story. So what do y’all think? Join the chat!

News: Five Small LGBT Presses You May Not Have Heard Of

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book review

There are tons of LGBT publishing companies out there, and many of them are so small you might not even know you’re missing them. Here’s our list of five presses to check out and what kinds of books you can find there. 1. Red Bone Press: all genres Founded in 1997 by Lisa C. Moore, Red Bone Press publishes work from black lesbians and gay men, and according to their website also seeks to promote “understanding between black gays and lesbians and the black mainstream.” Their selection includes the classic does your mama know?, an anthology of coming out stories … Read more