**It is with great pride that I announce WATSFIC's 50ᵗʰ Anniversary!** On January 13th, 1976, we were officially recognized by the Federation of Students as a student club. For 50-years since then we have been nerding out to all facets of Sci-Fi and Fantasy. From the original release of Star Wars and the animated Lord of the Rings films, to Dungeons and Dragons, Magic: The Gathering, and Wargaming.
To celebrate our first half-century as a club at UW, **we are hosting our 50ᵗʰ Anniversary Event on March 7ᵗʰ. Join us from 11 AM to 11 PM in MC 4041 and 4042** as we take a walk down memory lane. With stops along Ravenloft and the White Plume Mountain, glimpses of the wonders and horrors of space with Mothership and Warhammer, casual pitstops with Board Games and Magic: The Gathering, and some nice R&R complete with classic films and painting.
**Please Sign-Up using this form :** Walk-Ins are welcome, however, we cannot guarantee space for everyone at every activity.
**We'd like to thank everyone** for helping keep this club going strong for 50 years, **and invite you all, first-year to alumni, to join us in this once in a 50-year celebration** of nerdom at the University of Waterloo!
Having made a resolution to try to get more engaged with local politics (on a more-than-just-voting level), I followed up on an email inviting me to meet up with a couple of county and state level representatives. The email clearly stated 4:30 PM today. I just double-checked the original email. But when I arrived at the venue and asked about the event, they said it had been held at 10:30 AM this morning.
The previous time I tried to go to a local meet-up held at a coffee shop, I hung out in the coffee shop all morning (a normal thing for me to do anyway, so not a problem) and the rep never showed. I commented on it to the barista who said, "Oh, yeah, I saw them poke their heads in and look around then they left again."
Contemplating whether to make it 0-for-3 in a couple weeks at a different town hall meet-up I've put on my calendar.
Is it me? Is this a strategy and somehow I need to get on the super-secret "we'll tell you when and where it really is" email list? I mean, this is super-blue California so I don't think my reps are chickening out. But I'm not feeling the love.
Yu know the world situation, which adds its mite ( for definitions of "mite,"watch out for falling pianos) to the stress closer by. The worst of it is feeling helpless to do much besides donate money to the outer stresses and listen as I can to the inner. Which I have been doing, in spite of our income dwindling. But this is a common plight.
My brain did go into revolt, and a bit of OT3 fantasy comedy of manners unspooled itself over the past month and a half or so. I wouldn't mind that happening again because it keeps me busy--besides various books and TV shows. But none of those have lit my fire quite as much as having a brainmovie again.
I do have Katherine Arden's latest here, and it looks good. But it's called The Unicorn Hunters and appears to be based on the tapestries so splendidly displayed in New York. Very handsome tapestries, but whew. Those boys strutting their tight breeches and little short jackets and perfect hair were a bunch of brutes. The tapestries illustrate an exercise in human cruelty, and the news is kind of overflowing with that, so I'm waiting for the right mood for the book.
II've done some rereads, and some new reads, I continue to listen to audiobooks while trudging my daily steps.
Oh! edited to add: I watched the Plympics ice skating and ice dancing. Some really lovely stuff, though they do seem to be obsessed with the quad spin.
I was supposed to spend the afternoon with my husband and instead I am about to spend it at the doctor's. The one is obviously much preferable to the other. Have a photo I took yesterday when I was out and walking and thought I had a decent chance of doing something human with the end of my week.
The Right Swipe is an amazing, well written story about two people of color falling in love as they come to terms with how the physical, psychological, and emotional traumas they experienced continue to affect them both. It was also, for me, a quiet little moment where I felt my existence was acknowledged.
Alisha Rai returns with the first book in her sizzling new Modern Love series, in which two rival dating app creators find themselves at odds in the boardroom but in sync in the bedroom.
Rhiannon Hunter may have revolutionized romance in the digital world, but in real life she only swipes right on her career—and the occasional hookup. The cynical dating app creator controls her love life with a few key rules:
– Nude pics are by invitation only
– If someone stands you up, block them with extreme prejudice
– Protect your heart
Only there aren’t any rules to govern her attraction to her newest match, former pro-football player Samson Lima. The sexy and seemingly sweet hunk woos her one magical night… and disappears.
Rhi thought she’d buried her hurt over Samson ghosting her, until he suddenly surfaces months later, still big, still beautiful—and in league with a business rival. He says he won’t fumble their second chance, but she’s wary. A temporary physical partnership is one thing, but a merger of hearts? Surely that’s too high a risk…
Single Player by Tara Tai is $1.99! Dahlia mentioned this on her monthly Queer Romance Roundup. The main characters work in the video game industry. Did any of you read this?
Two video game creators go head-to-head in this delightful, queer enemies-to-lovers workplace romance debut.
Cat Li cares about two things: video games and swoony romances. The former means there hasn’t been much of the latter in her (real) life, but when she lands her dream job writing the love storylines for Compass Hollow—the next big thing in games—she knows it’s all been worth it. Then she meets her boss: the infamous Andi Zhang, who’s not only an arrogant hater of happily-ever-afters determined to keep Cat from doing her job but also impossibly, annoyingly hot.
As Compass Hollow’s narrative director, Andi couldn’t care less about love—in-game or out. After getting doxxed by internet trolls three years ago, Andi’s been trying to prove to the gaming world that they’re a serious gamedev. Their plan includes writing the best game possible, with zero lovey-dovey stuff. That is, until the man funding the game’s development insists Andi add romance in order to make the story “more appealing to female gamers.”
Forced to give Cat a chance, Andi begrudgingly realizes there’s more to Cat than romantic idealism and, okay, a cute smile. But admitting that would mean giving up the single-player life that has kept their heart safe for years. And when Cat uncovers a behind-the-scenes plan to destroy Andi’s career, the two will have to put their differences aside and find a way to work together before it’s game over.
One Cursed Rose by Rebecca Zanetti is $1.99! This is book one in the dystopian fairy tale Grimm Bargains series. I recently reviewed this and gave it a D, but no judgement if you want to try the crazysauce for yourself.
For fans of Scarlett St Clair and Sarah J Maas, New York Times bestselling author Rebecca Zanetti explores the forbidden and the taboo in this modern twist on Beauty and the Beast – the first in a seductive new dark romance series set in a world where information is power, and those who control the flow of information live like gods…
“Sexy and utterly engrossing!” —bestselling author J.T. Geissinger
They christened me Alana—and while the name means beauty, beneath that surface is a depth I allow very few to see. I’m sole heir to Aquarius Social, a media giant about to succumb to an unseen enemy. My father’s solution is to marry me off to the son of a competing family. My reaction? Not a chance. Now I have just a week before the wedding to change my fate.
Who knew the unforeseen twist would be an assassination attempt on me and an unwanted rescue by Thorn Beathach, the head of the rival social media empire driving Aquarius under? The richest, most ruthless of them all, the Beast protects his realm with an iron rule: no one sees his face. When he shows himself to me, I know he’ll never let me go.
Thorn may think he can lock me in his enchanted castle forever, but I’m not the docile Beauty he expects. If the Beast wants to tie me up, I’m going to take pleasure from every minute of it . . .and we’ll just see who ends up shackled.
RECOMMENDED: A Natural History of Dragons by Marie Brennan is $1.99 and a Kindle Daily Deal! This is the first book in the Lady Trent series, which Carrie really loves. Readers say the book is pretty awesome in terms of concept, but they surprisingly wanted more dragons. Have you read this book or series?
You, dear reader, continue at your own risk. It is not for the faint of heart—no more so than the study of dragons itself. But such study offers rewards beyond compare: to stand in a dragon’s presence, even for the briefest of moments—even at the risk of one’s life—is a delight that, once experienced, can never be forgotten. . . .
All the world, from Scirland to the farthest reaches of Eriga, know Isabella, Lady Trent, to be the world’s preeminent dragon naturalist. She is the remarkable woman who brought the study of dragons out of the misty shadows of myth and misunderstanding into the clear light of modern science. But before she became the illustrious figure we know today, there was a bookish young woman whose passion for learning, natural history, and, yes, dragons defied the stifling conventions of her day.
Here at last, in her own words, is the true story of a pioneering spirit who risked her reputation, her prospects, and her fragile flesh and bone to satisfy her scientific curiosity; of how she sought true love and happiness despite her lamentable eccentricities; and of her thrilling expedition to the perilous mountains of Vystrana, where she made the first of many historic discoveries that would change the world forever.
Look, I'm a Certified* Science Fiction Geek, so I do like me some lasers. But comes news today that the DOD was out playing with their laser again and this time they shot down a Border Patrol drone!
What The Actual Fuck? One would think that the previous incident, the Attack of the Party Balloons, would lead to people thinking maybe we look twice and shoot once. Apparently thinking is in short supply at the moment.
So in looking through my blog, I see I've spoken in the past of the need to visually identify targets. Much like "on the Internet, nobody knows you're a dog," on radar, all flying objects look the same.
Because of course they are. Due to Brilliant Financial Decisions that I can't get into without doxxing myself, work are making some changes. Some of them I can understand; they're standardising opening hours and want shift patterns to line up with each other, cool, that makes sense. Some of them though... Yeesh. Their ideal situation that they're working towards includes but is not limited to:
No full-time contracts, and a hard limit of 25 hours a week max. (Lunch breaks are inconvenient, and if we only work a five hour shift we don't get a break.) Also, no one will need to work extra hours because we'll be fully staffed – ignore every other time we've said that, this time we mean it!
No home libraries; everyone is part of a pool and assigned two or three libraries per week to work at.
No overlap between shifts, so no proper handover between shifts (because why would we need that?).
"We heard your complaints that there's no job mobility that isn't becoming a manager, so we created more manager positions! ♥"
Two fewer libraries in the network – one of them is closing entirely, and one is full of valuable and delicate material so we're going to leave it open and completely unstaffed.
And when people raised questions and objections, they were told "Well, you can always leave."
... Aight, bet.
Now I'm waiting to hear back from one library job, and I've got three other applications to get in by close of play on Monday. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
For bonus points: we were all assigned a mandatory meeting with one of our great-grandbosses to discuss the changes and ask any questions. Me being me, I sent him an email before the meeting with all of my questions so that we had an agenda and he could prepare answers! (ʘ‿ʘ🌺) He told me a lot of things, most of which did not answer my questions, and I sent him a summary of his answers and the questions I would still like answered. (ʘ‿ʘ🌺) I think each email was two pages each, front and back, and I need you all to understand the peak comedy of his reply: "Had a quick read, that looks right, hope it helped you."
I do literally hours of writing relevant and appropriate questions, checking my recording, summarising your useless responses, checking FAQs, and your response is "Hope it helped you."
(ʘ‿ʘ)ﾉ🌺
Met with my line manager on Thursday and accidentally cried at her, because I sent her copies of my messages and her response was "I can tell you really care about this job and your colleagues." Turns out I wanted someone to acknowledge that? I'm not being awkward for the sake of it, I'm being awkward because I want to keep doing my job! She also suggested that I send my questions to Other Great-Grandboss to get actual answers, but only after I revise out some of my... Expressions of frustration... Because Other Great-Grandboss will actually read them, and it won't help me get my answers. But god, I just – I'm irrationally convinced that somehow I can find the magic words to convince the bosses to fucking listen to us and understand why people are upset. I can't, but what if I could.
... Anyway, that's what's going on with me right now. I'm going to cross stitch Pokémon and watch other people play the new Resident Evil game because hahahahaha NO I AM NOT PLAYING THE GAME WHERE SOMEONE STALKS ME IN THE DARK. NO THANK YOU.
Winners will be contacted from the modr@ilona-andrews.com email. If we don’t hear back by Wednesday, March 4th, a new winner will be drawn next Friday.
A special thank you to the Horde’s creativity for keeping me snorting through the week with over 3,000 comments of the most flooftastic alter egos. The portal fantasy realms would not know what hit them if we landed.
Online safety reminder: please be vigilant for social media scammers. We will never ask you to cover postage costs or have any other money transfer related to these giveaways and will only contact you from the official Ilona Andrews accounts, with the public blog post link as proof that you are indeed the winner.
If your name was not drawn this time, do not despair. There are more prizes and surprises to come, as we’re finally heading into the release month of This Kingdom Will Not Kill Me.
I went to the cemetery today and it was the first warm day of spring - even the wind was warm, and all the birds were going absolutely nuts, they were so loud. The snowdrops are in full bloom everywhere and they look so incredibly lovely against the leaf litter.
What are the differences between all these things?
The gradations can be quite fine, in no small part because they're often as much a question of public relations as one of technical definitions. (Especially in a historical context, before political scientists started making technical definitions.) They're all forms of internecine strife, differentiated by how organized they are, how violent, how acknowledged by the official government, and so forth. And so, rather than trying to separate all the possible strands, I'm just going to talk about them in a lump here.
Genre fiction loves the idea of the Big Rebellion. A plucky band of idealists gather together, maybe fight a few battles, kill or capture the king, and put somebody new in charge: Mission Accomplished! A phrase George W. Bush famously used rather prematurely after the U.S. invasion of Iraq in 2003, and I deploy it here quite with deliberate intent, because of course the situation is unlikely to be that simple. Regime changes rarely go that quickly and smoothly, and even if the guy who used to be in charge dies, is that really the end? His loyalists, instead of laying down arms, are liable to find someone else to rally around: a brother, a son, somebody claiming to be a son, etc. It took about thirty-one years for the fighting to end after the Glorious Revolution of 1688 deposed James II & VII from the thrones of England and Scotland, and Henry VII had to deal with multiple pretenders announcing themselves as various lost royal relatives after the Wars of the Roses.
But it's also somewhat rare for a rebellion to sweep in and put somebody totally new on the throne, at least in the kinds of societies we tend to write about. Changes of dynasty do happen, but where there's a strong expectation of titles being inherited within a bloodline, claimants often grasp for some fig leaf of lineage or marriage to a suitable spouse to cover their naked ambition. Winning legitimacy on charisma alone is not unheard of, but it's much less common. Most civil wars within a kingdom look more like the English Anarchy, with the previous king's daughter fighting his nephew for the crown. (She lost, but her son wound up inheriting anyway after her cousin died.)
There are other reasons for civil strife, though, and they tend to be much less explored in science fiction and fantasy.
In particular, a whole swath of this subject can be placed under the header of "listen to us, damn it!" The famous Magna Carta of England was the product of rebellion by a group of barons against King John -- but they weren't trying to replace him. Instead they wanted him to confirm the Charter of Liberties proclaimed by Henry I about a century before, which protected certain elite rights. (Magna Carta itself is not about the rights of the common man, either, though people in later centuries assumed for a while that it was.) If war is the continuation of policy with other means -- the actual phrasing used by Clausewitz, often somewhat misquoted -- then revolts can be a way of angling for leverage in a political dispute.
This is especially true of peasant revolts. It is extraordinarily rare for the common folk to rise up and effect a regime change all on their own; in fact, it is rare enough that I can't think of any ironclad examples. (If you know of one, I welcome it in the comments!) The American and French Revolutions were heavily led, at least in the first instance, by relatively privileged men; even the Haitian Revolution likely would not have succeeded if the rebels hadn't received support from outside. Peasants, slaves, and other such folk simply do not have the resources or knowledge necessary to stand unsupported against people who hold every advantage against them.
But most peasant revolts aren't aimed at installing a new king or swapping monarchy for some other system of government. They're attempts to redress specific grievances, like unfair taxation or judicial corruption, or to achieve improved rights, such as through the abolition of serfdom (one of the goals of Wat Tyler's Rebellion in 1381). And if we're being honest, goals like that are a lot more important to the average farmer in his field than who exactly is ruling the country! Kings come and go, but taxes remain.
The relative achievability of those goals doesn't mean they get achieved, though. Governments have a loooooong and inglorious history of viewing any such resistance as treason, and they put it down with extreme force. Nor is this solely a thing of the distant past: in more modern times, labor organization has been viewed in a very similar light, as a rebellious disobedience to the law, posing a great enough threat to the stability of the nation that it justifies violent or even lethal response.
Nonviolent resistance isn't unheard of in historical eras, but large-scale acts of it have become more common over the past century or so. I wonder -- this is entirely my own thought, not anything I've read, and it's not a subject I'm deeply familiar with -- if its success relies at least in part on mass communication. While nonviolent groups have existed before, as a tactic in effecting widespread social change it seems to be mostly new, and that makes sense when you think about the role played by optics. As I said above, governments tend to respond with force to those who disobey, and that excites a lot more sympathy and support for peaceful protesters when the news can be widely circulated. (Particularly if the event is captured on video.) Of course, routine interpersonal violence has also declined over time, so most disputes these days are less likely to break out into fights, let alone fatal ones.
Civil strife has absolutely not gone away, though, nor do I think it's likely to do so any time soon. Right now in my own country, we have widespread resistance to the authoritarian government of Donald Trump, ranging from peaceful protests in the streets to acts of low-grade sabotage against the secret police of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) arresting and deporting anybody who looks too brown. It's not a revolution to throw him out ahead of schedule and replace him with somebody new, and it certainly can't be accomplished with one climactic fight and a quick denouement . . . but perhaps we could use more fictional examples of how this kind of struggle is fought.
Here is the cover, which could have shown off the books a LOT better.
The full page ad for Connie Mason’s Shadow Walker on the inside cover:
And in case you were wondering: here is the HAUNCH-TASTIC COVER:
There’s a LOT of wind in many of the DeSalvo pictures in this issue, and it is a blessing for him that no wind machine was present whilst he was wearing a loincloth.
Behold: Mustache.
LOOK how uncomfortable that must be, and they have to act like they’re super into each other while perched on some stairs.
And then there was this discomfort from the I Can’t Believe it’s Not Butter launch party:
The senior brand manager at Lipton dipping Susan Paul – this makes me so very uncomfortable on a professional level.
What is on John DeSalvo, and where is that wind coming from?
I LOVE THIS IMAGE OF JANE AUSTEN BY A POOL!
Here is how it appeared in the magazine – inside a browser window!
Time for some 90s covers!
What’s going on with her neck? Is she ok?
That hair color is green, and that dog is very cute.
WHENCE doth this WIND ARRIVE? Also, I’d like to know the conditioner regimen here.
Slightly blurry, but FULL O’ SMARM is Cleve.
No shirt, no idea on shoes, full mullet – I wouldn’t serve him.
Again with the conditioner, but ouch that tree bark.
That poor horse wants to be elsewhere.
I’m really not sure what this was all about, but you could buy these photos.
It looks like he was sawed in half, right? What is up with his mid-section?
You can see why I thought at first glance that these were Indigenous American headdresses and was aghast. They’re mardi gras masks, which, thank heavens.
Also, all the pleated jeans and baggy sweats! Oh, my, the 90s were a time.
What did you think of today's episode? Got ideas? Suggestions? You can talk to us on the blog entries for the podcast or talk to us on Facebook if that's where you hang out online. You can email us at sbjpodcast@gmail.com or you can call and leave us a message at our Google voice number: 201-371-3272. Please don't forget to give us a name and where you're calling from so we can work your message into an upcoming podcast.
Today I took some pictures around the yard and did a couple of garden crafts. These are from the house yard and savanna. (See the Worm Bin and the Water Garden.)
I hope Rob Grant would take it in the intended spirit that when I heard the news of his sudden death, all I could think was "All most of us get is 'Mind that bus!' 'What bus?' Splat!" The first six and a half series of original flavor Red Dwarf (1988–99) were a social staple of my sophomore year of college, watched primarily in my case from the top half of a bunk bed occupied by a structurally unwise number of students who would shortly branch out into whatever British television comedy we could get hold of the tapes for. It became an immediate and ineradicable part of our language. Decades later, the number of quotations from especially the first three series that have worked themselves into my present household lingo would be difficult to estimate without a rewatch. In storage with the rest of my library, I still have some of the tie-in novels, including at least one of the separately authored parallel continuations, which unfortunately for this memoriam may have been Doug Naylor's. I cannot find that I ever saw another project of Grant's except for the first series of The 10%ers (1993–96) and I am still stricken to lose yet another artist while Kissinger's heirs don't even seem to be in this machine. Not everybody has to be dead, Dave.
“Due is an exceptional speaker – brilliantly insightful, delightfully funny – and deeply generous in her commitment to elevating the craft of speculative fiction writing across media,” said SFWA Executive Director Isis Asare. “She is the perfect toastmaster for the Nebula Awards Conference celebrating N. K. Jemisin as the recipient for the Damon Knight Memorial Grand Master Award and Gay Haldeman as the recipient for the Kevin O’Donnell, Jr. Service to SFWA Award.”
A seasoned multimedia creator, Due and her husband/collaborator – Steven Barnes – recently co-directed their first short horror film, “The Keeper” (Samansa/Blackmaled), which will stream on Samansa in September. They alsowrote “A Small Town” for Jordan Peele’s The Twilight Zone on Paramount Plus and two segments of Shudder’s anthology film Horror Noire. In addition, they co-wrote the Black Horror graphic novel The Keeper, illustrated by Marco Finnegan and published by Megascope. Due and Barnes co-host the podcast Lifewriting: Write for Your Life! Due also served as executive producer on Shudder’s groundbreaking documentary Horror Noire: A History of Black Horror.
“It’s such a thrill to be invited to be Toastmaster at the Nebulas, which has such a storied history, especially during a year honoring N. K. Jemisin and Gay Haldeman. Events like this remind us of the power of art to help create hope and change during difficult times,” Due said.
Gearing up to the Nebulas in Chicago
Tananarive Due and Steven Barnes will also participate in author signings, hybrid panels, and in-person craft workshops during the Nebula Awards Conference. Author signings will be open to the public and copies of Due’s work will be available to purchase onsite from local independent bookstore, Call and Response. Hybrid programming will also be available to attendees of Horror Writers Association’s StokerCon as a result of a recent collaboration between HWA and SFWA.
“The Horror Writers Association is pleased to see more collaboration and advancement of partnerships between genre-organizations. We’re excited to offer this unique virtual experience to members of both SFWA and the HWA to encourage virtual participation for both the Nebulas and StokerCon,” stated Maxwell Gold, Executive Director of the Horror Writers Association.
Learn more about the 61st Nebula Awards Conference, running from June 3-7 in Chicago, IL by visiting SFWA.org. Nebula Award Finalists will be announced March 15. Secure early registration pricing until May 1st.
I’ve gotten back into the habit of going to the library once a week on the same day (Monday) to return stuff and pick up my holds. (This is also the best way I’ve found to get myself to return my books on time now that the library got rid of late fees) I keep thinking “this week the stack of new things will be smaller” but it never is. Surely I’ll run out of graphic novels I want to read that the library has at some point? But I’m glad it's not yet.
In other news I have now read more books this year than I did all of last year, which is pretty wild! Like sure they are all short things but I’m just reading so much more than I was few months ago and it’s really nice.
Red Threads by Ila Nguyen-Hayama—A graphic novel about a 15 year old girl in Tokyo who is invited to attend a magical school. This was very cute and charming if a little heavy on the info dumping about Japanese folklore. I really liked the main character's friendship with another girl at school.
Lumberjanes, Vol. 8-14 by N.D. Stevenson and Shannon Watters, et al.— I’d read up through Vol 10 years ago, but now I’m at stuff I haven’t read before. Still very fun!
Lumberjanes/Gotham Academy by Chynna Clugston Flores et al. —A crossover between two very fun comics both featuring teams of teens who deal with supernatural mysteries – I enjoyed it a lot! I wish there was more time for cross team interactions but it would be hard to fit in and keep focus on the story
Animated Batman—It’s nice to be into media that my kid also is interested in. She doesn’t watch anything with subtitles, but she likes Batman. So I’ve watched a handful of episodes of the 90’s animated Batman with her. (I started from where she’s gotten to before so not at the beginning) In terms of Bat-fam its not doing a lot, most of the kids/sidekicks aren’t in this and those that are aren’t around much (though I’m told they show up more frequently latter on) However the show itself is very well crafted! I’m impressed with both the animation (the style! The attention to detail) and the storytelling
What went before: Wednesday. Snowing and partly sunny.
Despite the distress it will of course cause his fandom, I am forced to report that Rookie the Cookie is a Schmuck. Or possibly only a Jerk. He's been knocking stuff off the shelves in the Tech Room -- notably, bottles of liquid toner, which apparently make a lovely thud-SMACK sound when they land (honestly, it's a very distinctive sound; I can recognize a toner bottle hitting the floor from two rooms away). I expect he doesn't really know that I can't easily pick the damn' things up right now, but -- aargh. Get a cat, they said, they'll be fun. Get a Maine Coon Cat, they said. They're very interested in their people and like to engage.
In other news, despite having felt somewhat better last night, I'm back to Square One (minus the THC) this morning. It occurs to me that I better line up a ride to my appointment at Thayer tomorrow afternoon, which -- aargh x 2. I hate bothering people to do stoopid stuff for me.
I've written to my PCP regarding pain management -- the idea being that, going in the front door with back pain (yes, I'm doing my PT homework) needs to be supported by another approach, because even my therapist said that this will keep happening, only as my core gets stronger, an episode will last ... less long. What I want, of course, is The Grail: something that will kill the pain, or get it down to manageable levels, and neither make me sick or fuzz me out, so I can write. And so I'm not a danger to myself or to the cats. That's important, too. As is eating. It's ridiculously hard to eat when you're in pain.
The cats are taking good care of me -- well. Firefly and Tali are checking in regularly to administer lap-sits and purr therapy.
Rookie's knocking shit off the shelves in the Tech Room.
In addition to pain management brainstorm, I arrived at the opinion that I should also figure out ways to work even when I'm feeling this bad. So! I have moved Writing Operations to the comfy chair in my office (which has been Back Pain Central), rigged up the laptop with my favorite keyboard, and brought the WIP, and the portable hard drive here, too. So, hopefully, I'll be able to continue with fixing stuff that's already been written, and that this episode of painful nonsense will vacate before I realio, trulio need to start producing New! Copy!
So, that's the somewhat muddled news from the Cat Farm and Confusion Factory.
How's everyone doing? # So, that was no fun at all.
I don't want to get ahead of myself but I may have gotten around the Horn. Of course, I'm shaky because I haven't eaten anything for 3 days except peanut butter crackers (Note to self: Buy peanut butter crackers; the damn things are lifesavers.) to buffer the meds.
I do have a ride lined up for my appointment this afternoon, so that's good, and my intention is to actually have breakfast and then come back to the comfy chair, do some work on the WIP, and not push things. And eat snacks. What a time to be out of hummus. Bad planning, past me.
Firefly is on my lap and purring.
I'm almost done my Russian Caravan tea Christmas present (Note to self: buy more Russian Caravan tea).
And that's that's the fascinating Thursday report from the cat farm and confusion factory.
Dictated to my phone. # Did some work on the WIP, actually ate food. Steve Symonds gave me a ride to and from the hospital for my test, so that's taken care of. Managed to get the cat fountains changed out, which has been really bothering me. I'm such a bad cat mom. Talked to the accountant, and -- ouch. Not unexpected, but still. Ouch. I'll pick up the papers on Monday, when -- fingers crossed -- I hope to be Fully Operational.
In the meantime *whispers* my back is not hurting, which places as a Minor Miracle, and what I really want to do is go curl up (figuratively) and read Local Custom.
May I just say what a great job we did with Local Custom? The gradual unfurling of the leaves of character, the! worldbuilding!, the things that are said so very plainly and yet don't mean the same thing to the person you're talking with and -- I swoon. No, really.
Damn, I wish I could write like that.
Also? There's a description -- a Very Detailed Description -- of a counterchance board. I. Had. No. Idea.
So, anyway, I see the tax stuff, and that I have to Move Monies in order to satisfy the IRS and the State of Maine, but yanno what?
Imma go read.
Everybody have a good evening. I'll see you tomorrow.
Sorcery and Small Magics by Maiga Doocy is $2.99! Thanks to everyone who let us know about this sale. This one is a queer fantasy with rivals who are now magically connected after a curse goes wrong. Last time this was on sale, the comments mention it’s a slow burn that will continue across multiple books.
Desperate to undo the curse binding them to each other, an impulsive sorcerer and his curmudgeonly rival venture deep into a magical forest in search of a counterspell—only to discover that magic might not be the only thing pulling them together.
Leovander Loveage is a master of small magics.
He can summon butterflies with a song, or turn someone’s hair pink by snapping his fingers. Such minor charms don’t earn him much admiration from other sorcerers (or his father), but anything more elaborate always blows up in his face. Which is why Leo vowed years ago to never again write powerful magic.
That is, until a mix-up involving a forbidden spell binds Leo to obey the commands of his longtime nemesis, Sebastian Grimm. Grimm is Leo’s complete opposite—respected, exceptionally talented, and an absolutely insufferable curmudgeon. The only thing they agree on is that getting caught using forbidden magic would mean the end of their careers. They need a counterspell, and fast. But Grimm casts spells, he doesn’t undo them, and Leo doesn’t mess with powerful magic.
Chasing rumors of a powerful sorcerer with a knack for undoing curses, Leo and Grimm enter the Unquiet Wood, a forest infested with murderous monsters and dangerous outlaws alike. To dissolve the curse, they’ll have to uncover the true depths of Leo’s magic, set aside their long-standing rivalry, and—much to their horror—work together.
Even as an odd spark of attraction flares between them.
Ellie Hayes and the Himbos by Vanessa King is $2.99! This is not a Why Choose, but does have found family elements. The heroine also has chronic pain due to endometriosis. Reviews mention this one is pretty fun!
In this hilarious romantic comedy, a single woman moves in with three buff gym sharks after a medical scare—perfect for fans of Lynn Painter and Hannah Bonam-Young
“A smart, big hearted, and unbelievably funny book.” — Cara Bastone, USA Today bestselling author of Promise Me Sunshine
Thirty-something Ellie Hayes is generally prepared for the worst—living with endometriosis will do that—but when a new medical flare-up points to a possible MS diagnosis, all her careful plans fall apart. Suddenly, Ellie needs a new lease (literally) on life and unexpectedly lands on the doorstep of a house shared by a trio of collegiate beefcakes.
Grant, Alistair, and Diego are toned, beautiful, and woefully short on practical skills. But type-A Ellie thinks living with them could be just the break she needs. She’ll teach them how to adult, and they’ll help her take charge of her fitness and embrace life in all its beautifully spontaneous glory.
Grant’s older brother Ian is the gorgeous man mountain she made out with the night she moved in. But as Ellie and Ian get closer, he feels less like a break from reality and more like an excellent life choice. Could a real relationship be possible, or will her traitorous body be a dealbreaker once again?
For Never & Always by Helena Greer is $2.99! Several of us were excited for this one when it came out! It’s book two in the Carrigan’s Christmasland series
One surprise inheritance, two best friends (now bitter exes), and three months to prove he loves her, forever and always, in this swoony second-chance romance for fans of Alexandria Bellefleur and Ashley Herring Blake.
Hannah Rosenstein should be happy: after a lonely childhood of traipsing all over the world, she finally has a home as the co-owner of destination inn Carrigan’s All Year. But her thoughts keep coming back to Levi “Blue” Matthews: her first love, worst heartbreak, and now, thanks to her great-aunt’s meddling will, absentee business partner.
When Levi left Carrigan’s, he had good intentions. As the queer son of the inn’s cook and groundskeeper, he never quite fit in their small town and desperately wanted to prove himself. Now that he’s a celebrity chef, he’s ready to come home and make amends. Only his return goes nothing like he planned: his family’s angry with him, his best friend is dating his nemesis, and Hannah just wants him to leave. Again.
Levi sees his chance when a VIP bride agrees to book Carrigan’s—if he’s the chef. He’ll happily cook for the wedding, and in exchange, Hannah will give him five dates to win her back. Only Hannah doesn’t trust this new Levi, and Levi’s coming to realize Hannah’s grown too. But if they find the courage to learn from the past . . . they just might discover the love of your life is worth waiting for.
Flirty Little Secret by Jessica Lepe is $3.99! This is a contemporary romance between two teachers at the same school. From what I remember, the heroine has anxiety and depression, and it doesn’t shy away from those experiences.
School counselor Lucy Galindo has a secret.
To her coworkers, friends, and even family, she’s shy, sweet, and constantly struggling to hold off disaster (read: manage her anxiety and depression). But online? She’s bold, confident, and always knows what to say—it’s how she’s become the wildly popular @TheMissGuidedCounselor. It’s also why she keeps her identity anonymous. Her followers would never trust the real Lucy with their problems.
History teacher Aldrich Fletcher thought a new job would give him some relief from his drama-filled family. Instead, he’s dodging his ex-girlfriend and pining over his new co-worker—who only ever seems to see him at his worst. Thankfully, he can count on his online confidant for advice . . . until he discovers @TheMissGuidedCounselor is Lucy.
Now Fletcher has a secret too. And while Lucy can’t deny there’s something between them, she’s not sure she can trust him. Can they both find the courage to share the truth and step out from behind their screens?
This Rec League was suggested by Sarahwasme in the SBTB Podcast Patreon Discord:
I am so mad at US men’s hockey team I could spit. (Not really, I hate when dudes do that.) I want to buy all the sports romances featuring women’s team players and gift them to random people on the street. Maybe with a whistle.
Anyone have recs for romances featuring women’s league/national team? My first thought is FMC/Soccer player in Mariana Zapata’s Kulti – already planning on a reread.
JoVE in the podcast discord: Wake Up Nat and Darcy. ( A | BN | K | AB ) 2 former Olympians doing broadcast at the Olympics. 2nd chance. Forced proximity. It’s good.
Jfhobbit in the podcast discord: Cleat Cute by Meryl Wilsner features two professional soccer players who also play for the USWNT.
Josephine in the podcast discord: If Only You by Chloe Liese ( A | BN | K ) is a female soccer star and queer disaster of a man in a fake friends to lovers. Yes, he’s a hockey player, but Seb (and Ren, his captain and Ziggy’s brother) would never.
There’s a sapphic Cricket series ( A ) that’s not bad too. The first one is members of the Australian national team.
Amanda: We had an Olympics Rec League from 2024 that may have some recommendations.
What books would you recommend? Drop them in the comments!
Stepping out of the house for a short walk around the neighborhood, I discovered that a friend had sent me a surprise gift in the mail and that between their post office and my doorstep it had been stolen. I received a gutted envelope slit down the side containing brown paper from which the gift had been shaken out. The stiff paper of the accompanying note had wedged hard enough into the envelope that after some stricken searching it was still in there; the handmade buttons and the picture were not. I assume the thief was looking for checks or more conventionally defined valuables, but it seems unspeakably cruel to let the envelope continue on its way and arrive to tell me what kindness I had been robbed of. I still have the note. The kindness itself did travel the distance. But I still want the thief to fall in front of a freight express.
For all my friends in the Northeast, how did you fare with the blizzard? We lost power briefly overnight and had to do two shoveling passes. Of course, it’s now a sunny, cloudless day and all the snow looks so fluffy and pristine.
I love seeing all the animal tracks that have shown up in the night. I keep nudging my partner for a wildlife cam.
Lady Jane at Romancing the Data examined Amazon Kindle Store Top 100 Best Sellers in Romance (Paid) list from 2025. Here’s what she found!
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My friends and I have been playing this color matching game for the last week. We’re addicted!
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Don’t forget to share what cool or interesting things you’ve seen, read, or listened to this week! And if you have anything you think we’d like to post on a future Wednesday Links, send it my way!
Home Ice Advantage by Ari Baran is $2.99! This is book three in the m/m hockey series, Penalty Box. Books one and four are also on sale!
Two former hockey pros. One struggling team. And a battle of wills that might just turn two headstrong coaches from rivals into lovers…
Ryan “Sully” Sullivan is a winner. So when the former hockey great accepts a job coaching the bottom rung Boston Beacons, he’s ready to win it all—even if his new assistant coach isn’t exactly his #1 fan.
Eric Aronson’s wins have always come with a well-earned reputation for trouble—and were never quite enough to bring home championships. When the new guy skates in and takes the job he’s worked so hard for, he’s not about to fall short again.
Tensions rise as, no matter what they do, the Beacons can’t pull a W, and a heated argument between Sully and Eric over coaching tactics turns physical—only, not in any way they could have ever imagined.
That kiss changes everything. And suddenly, being able to find the back of the net isn’t Sully and Eric’s only challenge. It’s figuring out who and what they are to each other. And what winning it all might actually mean.
Highland Wolf by Lynsay Sands is $1.99! Her romance covers always deliver on fan service. This is book ten in the Highland Brides series, and I’m a sucker for an “I thought you were dead” trope. Maybe an idea for a future Rec League?
In all her daydreams about her wedding day, Lady Claray MacFarlane never once imagined being dragged to the altar by her greedy uncle and forced to marry a man she didn’t know. But that’s what happened, or would have, had a Highland warrior not snatched her up at the last minute and ridden off with her in his arms. . .
They call him the Wolf. The mercenary’s courage and prowess in battle are known throughout the Highlands, and with his handsome face and black-as-sin hair, he is as intelligent and deadly as the wolf he was named for…
But the Wolf is also Claray’s betrothed. Thought to have been killed as a child, he’s been in hiding all these years. Now he’s determined to earn enough coin to rebuild his home, reclaim his birthright, and honor his marriage contract to Claray. For he’s fallen for the tender-hearted lass…and he will do anything to protect her and their future together.
The Scot’s Seduction by Megan Frampton is $1.99! This is book two in the Heirs & Spares series. The heroine is asked to help the hero’s niece through her Season debut.
A deliciously fun romance blossoms between a fiercely independent woman and a reserved Scotsman, in the latest installment of Megan Frampton’s Heirs and Spares series.
She’ll never say yes…
Lady Drusilla Courtenay has sworn off marriage, though she still dabbles in romance, much to Society’s shock. She’s determined to help other women remain independent, but she lacks the means to see her vision through. When Murdoch, Earl of Cragmore, arrives on her doorstep with his niece, he makes her an offer she can’t refuse; if she assists with his niece’s debut, he’ll turn her dreams into reality. But accepting this bargain doesn’t mean she can’t also have some fun with the burly, handsome Scot—as long as they both keep their stronger emotions in check.
He can’t say no…
Murdoch has never met a woman like Drusilla. Proud, opinionated, intelligent, and fiercely independent, she is also the most passionate woman he’s ever encountered. When she proposes they extend their bargain into something more intimate, he agrees, even though he knows it will end at the conclusion of the Season. As he gets to know her, he falls deeply in love. He knows it is hopeless, since the Drusilla he’s desperately in love with would never agree to upend her life to be with him.
Will the two most stubborn people finally compromise, or will they deny their hearts?
Plot Twist by Erin La Rosa is $1.99! I mentioned this on a previous Hide Your Wallet. However, it seems like other readers feel like La Rosa’s books don’t quite stick the landing of all the trope-filled goodness promised.
She’s written off more than she can chew…
Romance author Sophie Lyon’s ironic secret just went viral: she’s never been in love. Though her debut novel made readers swoon, Sophie’s having trouble getting her new characters to happily-ever-after, and she blames it on her own uninspired love life. With a manuscript deadline looming, Sophie makes an ambitious plan to overcome her writer’s block: reunite with her exes to learn why she’s never fallen in love—and document it all for her millions of new online followers. Which also means facing her ex-girlfriend Carla, the one person Sophie could have loved.
Luckily, Sophie’s reclusive landlord, Dash Montrose—a former teen heartthrob—has social media all figured out and offers to help. But he doesn’t mention that he’s an anonymous online crafter, a hobby that helps him maintain his sobriety. No one knows about his complicated relationship with alcohol and he intends to keep it that way. His family is Hollywood royalty, so Dash has to steer clear of scandal.
As Sophie and Dash grow closer, they discover a heat between them that rivals Dash’s pottery kiln. But Sophie needs to figure out who she is outside her relationships, and Dash isn’t sure he’s stable enough for the commitment she deserves. So Sophie suggests what any good romance author would: a friends-with-benefits arrangement. Surely a casual relationship won’t cause any trouble…
Fun Art & Stuff! PBSVoices: How Navajo Weavers Keep an Ancient Art Alive (Video: 10 minutes). This short film follows two Navajo weavers whose work preserves memory, identity, and ancestral knowledge. Very cool! I don't know anything about Navajo weaving, and would love to watch a longer project about it.
spankulert: Icon post #122. Including The X-Files, Star Treks: Starfleet Academy, Voyager + Discovery, Fallout and more. Really nice to see the ST:SA icons!
NationalTheatre: Take Your Seats | Announcement | National Theatre at Home (Video: 30 seconds). On Thursday 12 March (7pm GMT), lose yourself in the hit production of The Importance of Being Earnest at our free YouTube premiere. Can’t make it? The stream will remain accessible on demand, for free, for one week only. FINALLY! I believe it will go up on the NT's subscription streaming site after that.
Electronic Frontier Foundation: So, You’ve Hit an Age Gate. What Now? Advice for how to proceed with age verifications, since that's going to be part of our fucking lives now.
404 Media: This App Warns You if Someone Is Wearing Smart Glasses Nearby. You might have to get a free account to see this? Anyway, nice that people are trying to code around other people's appalling privacy violations? Even if you don't get the app (which I haven't), good info about the stupid smart glasses.
If you want to have a little extra fun, be a little more yourself, and be part of keeping the site open for everyone in the future, we can’t wait to see you in our new subscription-based section with exclusive content and events.
Everything you’re used to seeing at the Hot Pink Palace that is Smart Bitches Trashy Books will remain free as always, because we remain committed to fostering community among brilliant readers who love romance.
We seem to have gotten behind here. My apologies. Allow me to sum up.
On Saturday, February 21, I gave my presentation at the Waterville Public Library to a small, but enthusiastic room. Questions were asked and answered, books were signed. I had a good time.
I came home and collapsed, got up Sunday, did some work on the WIP, cleaned up the chaos in my "business office," and noticed that my back was hurting.
Aha! I said to myself. Self, this is a perfect time to test the pain-killing features of a thc gummy (1/4 strength). Possibly, I was not wrong; nonetheless, it wasn't my best thought ever. It turns out that thc, even in small amounts, gives me a Really Ugly high, which I could have put up with, if it had nailed the pain, which it didn't. Worse, it didn't even put me to sleep.
Followed Monday, with back pain and exhaustion, being treated with Motrin Duo, and today, Tuesday, when I though I had gotten ahead of it, and actually worked an hour on the WIP this morning before the pain came screaming back, so that's two lost days, and I? Am not amused.
I am feeling somewhat better this evening -- witness the fact that I am writing to you here.
I thought I had to go out tomorrow for a bone density test, and was weighing the wisdom of that, but it seems I misremembered, and the test is on Thursday afternoon, by which time, she said sternly, I hope to GHOD I'm back to what I like to call normal.
So, in terms of catch up -- y'all didn't miss much, and I'm actually glad you missed most of it. Here's a pic from my talk. Photo by Kiri Guyaz.
9 *I Dare (Liaden Universe® #6), Sharon Lee & Steve Miller* 8 Cuckoo's Egg, C J Cherryh, (audio first time) 7 *Plan B, (Liaden Universe® #4), Sharon Lee & Steve Miller 6 Getting Rid of Bradley, Jennifer Crusie (audio first time) 5 *Carpe Diem (Liaden Universe® #3), Sharon Lee & Steve Miller 4 *Conflict of Honors (Liaden Universe® #2), Sharon Lee & Steve Miller 3 *Agent of Change (Liaden Universe® #1), Sharon Lee & Steve Miller 2 A Gentleman in Possession of Secrets (Lord Julian #10), Grace Burrowes (e) 1 Spilling the Tea in Gretna Green, Linzi Day (e)
________ *I'm doing a straight-through series read in publication order
**I screwed up and moved right on to I Dare from Plan B, therefore deviating from publication order. I will now amend myself and go back to pick up Local Custom.
In the wake of the blizzard, the temperature rose a degree above freezing in the blue-and-white brilliance of sun and the local topography of snow-walls to shoulder-height compressed and calved like ice shelves. I had the impulse to visit the Robbins Cemetery on Mass. Ave. while out running errands and was prevented by absolutely nobody having shoveled within a block of the gates. I took a picture of a leftover slam-dunk of snow instead.
Tickets have hiked considerably in price since the last production of theirs I attended, but I am intrigued that the Apollinaire Theatre Company is currently doing Arthur Miller's A View from the Bridge—I assume it was proposed last season because of the topical-political of the undocumented immigrant angle which has only gone Mach 10 in relevance since. I have never seen the play; I read it in 2016 because Van Heflin originated the role of Eddie Carbone in the original 1955 one-act version. I am wondering how I convince their box office that I am actively pursuing a professional arts career.
Many great writers never did. J.R.R. Tolkien was reportedly awful in lecture halls, speaking in a fast mumble to his necktie. On the other hand, Charles Dickens made a second fortune reading aloud, packing halls at home and abroad with fans who heard him read about Tiny Tim or David Copperfield. Which is why we do readings—they’re a time-tested way to connect with readers. People listen to you, they cry, “But wait, what happens next?” And they zip out and buy your book.
Where Should I Read?
Conventions, both in-person and online, often have a readings track. Many writer or fan organizations offer them. For instance, Strong Women Strange Worlds has monthly readings online. The International Conference for the Fantastic in the Arts has a virtual convention every September, and readings are a popular program item.
In-person reading opportunities also abound. The Philadelphia Science Fiction Society has monthly meetings that often feature an author reading. Or how about the KGB in New York, or SFinSF, or the Brooklyn Books & Booze in Brooklyn?
Charles Dickens at his last public reading in London, 1870. Photo courtesy of Duke University Libraries.
Readings are a favorite event at bookstores. And if there’s a coffee shop culture in your town, Open Mike nights are the easiest on-ramp imaginable. You just show up on the night and step up to the mike. An online search should kick up any possibilities in your area.
What Should I Read?
People mostly don’t care whether what they’re listening to is published or not. But as an author, you might want to select something they can buy. Your new book or recent story could probably use a boost on Amazon. Listeners might yearn to hear you read from your classic 2009 space opera, but remind them you have a book out this year as well.
A reading should be reasonably understandable without a lot of explanation. Pick something suitable for a general audience. You don’t want to be obliged to describe the lineage of Aragorn, son of Arathorn. Skip the gory executions or the lurid sex. You want an easy on-ramp into your work.
But your selection should also accurately reflect the tone and subject of the work. If it’s a romance novel, read about the two lovers, and if it’s about Superman, have the Man of Steel appear. Otherwise, the audience may assume that your novel is about Lois Lane’s work life at the Daily Planet.
Time, Time, Time
The length of your reading depends on how much time you’re given, and that’s controlled by the event’s organizers. Ask them when you agree to do a reading. At a convention or a bookstore, they might allocate you half an hour; at a coffee shop open mic event, you won’t get more than 10 minutes.
Read your selection out loud, at home, in advance, timing yourself so that you can be confident you don’t run over. If you’re a little short, you can ask the audience if they have questions. But if you run long, you’re throwing the entire event off schedule. Help the organizers make the event run smoothly, and they’ll invite you back.
The Reading Copy
So, you chose a piece of your novel. Copy it out into a fresh document. Save this as a separate doc, the reading copy. Now you can kick it around. The first task is to add an introductory sentence or two, what you’ll say after you tell the audience your name. Here’s one of mine, selected at random: “This is from The Earl in the Shadows, a Victorian thriller. In this bit, Marian has vanished, and her sister Laura is frantic with worry.” All you need is enough to start the listeners off.
Dickens’s reading copy of David Copperfield. Photo by Robert Kato, courtesy of the New York Public Library.
How about explanations? Charles Dickens’ reading scripts of Nancy’s murder from Oliver Twist survive. They’re visibly different from the text of the published novel. Dickens went through that climactic scene and added words here and there in case his audience hadn’t read the book. Bill Sykes, who? Nancy’s scummy boyfriend. The docks, where? In London.
Nor did Dickens hesitate to bob stuff out. He knew that listening is different from reading. He cut descriptions, trimmed lyrical musings about the weather, shortened moralistic digressions. Here’s a rendition of his reading of A Christmas Carol.
So go through your reading again and prune the words that don’t drive the reading forward—every place where the listener might lose interest or get confused.
How Will You Read?
Some writers read from their phone or laptop. But your devices are dependent upon connectivity. What if the coffee shop loses its Wi-Fi? And good luck balancing your laptop on that music stand. I have sat in an audience, unable to listen to the reader, tensely watching for his wobbling laptop’s impending crash to the floor.
Other people carry a copy of the book. Here, you must see your paper book page. And the lighting may be a single low-wattage reading lamp balanced on that inadequate, unstable music stand.
And what about those edits? You could print all your reading revisions onto a separate page, but you’d have to remember to look at it to say that Bill Sykes is Nancy’s criminal boyfriend.
To avoid all these terrors, you could print out your reading selection. A dead-tree copy is invulnerable against misfortune. Then you could:
Pump the font up to 16-point, in case it’s dark or you break your glasses.
Number the pages in case you drop them, and staple or clip them together.
Write in the margins the pronunciation of strange words, so your tongue doesn’t slip.
Bold the words you want to emphasize.
Wisdom Beyond Dickens
At a D.C.-area convention in the 1980s, Somtow Sucharitkul showed me all his readings in a three-ring binder. He inserted the pages into page protectors and wrote on the plastic with an erasable marker, noting places where he wanted to pause, slow down, or speak louder in that particular hall. Charles Dickens would have been awestruck!
I refined further on this by noting the read time of each reading on the first page. Then I order the readings by length into my binder. At any moment, I can whip out a reading of the required length. The binder is also a good place to store handouts, your bookmarks, or cards. And, you know how at conventions you have a name card, sitting in front of you at your panel? I keep mine. There’s one in my binder, in case I’m sitting at a table for my reading. They say that the customer needs to see the product a few times before they buy—that’s what advertising does. If the audience stares at my name as I read, maybe they’ll remember next time they’re on Amazon.
During the reading, make certain you’re audible. Do not emulate J.R.R. Tolkien! If there’s no microphone, speak up. Ask at the beginning if everyone can hear you. Look up every now and then to make eye contact with your audience. Somtow would remind himself by writing this into the margin of his reading copy. If there’s a microphone, gauge carefully the right distance for speaking. We’ve all sat in the audience when the speaker’s chin is knocking noisily against it.
And the most common listener complaint? It’s that the reader is reading too fast. Slow down! Write a reminder in the margin of your reading copy.
Afterward, thank your audience. Author Michael Swanwick has an alluring trick—he autographs his paper reading copy and gives it away, a great souvenir for a fan. Dickens never thought of that!
Brenda W. Clough is the first female Asian American SF writer, first appearing in print in 1984. Her 2025 novel is a science fiction novel, His Selachian Majesty Requests. In 2024, she published the 12th in the Marian Halcombe series, Servants of the Empress. A historical novel, A Door In His Head, won the 2023 Diverse Voices Award. Her novella May Be Some Time was a finalist for both the Hugo and the Nebula awards and became the novel Revise the World. She is active in the SF community, attending conventions and doing podcasts. Her complete bibliography is up on her web page, brendaclough.net.
Solentine Dagarra. Bastard son of a hero margrave, secret head of the Shears, devoted older brother, cousin, and son. Urbane, charming, ruthless. Noble by day, assassin by night, effortless thirst trap on all occasions.
Favorite quote: “Nothing is more annoying than a man who doesn’t have the decency to die after he’s murdered.”
It is said that the male lead belongs to the heroine.* Solentine is not the male lead. He belongs to everyone.
Large files ahead. Click the images to view the artwork in detail.
A small snippet from Solentine’s short story.
A wiry woman charged Sol, swinging a short sword. He leaned back, and the point of her blade fanned his face, cutting only air. He spun past her, stabbing and slashing. She fell, and he kept moving. A tall dark-haired fighter blocked his way. Sol stabbed him twice, once in the kidney and then in the stomach, rupturing the bowels, and kicked his leading leg out from under him. The third man, in his thirties, with his red hair tied back, dropped his club and raised his hands. Sol pointed his left dagger at the wall, where the small man lay, crumpled on the floor. The man obeyed and ran there.
The last remaining fighter swung a long slender blade, drawing an elaborate pattern around himself. Southeastern style. The man was in his mid-twenties, athletic and light on his feet. A pricy haircut, a decent sword. A small medallion embossed with a white sword hung around his neck. Fador had hired himself a mercenary duelist.
The mercenary cut the air with a flourish. “I am Derrein of Garver. I have never lost a fight to the death.”
“I would imagine so,” Sol said. “Or we wouldn’t be having this conversation, would we?”
“Whom do I have the honor of …”
Sol struck. Derrein saw the attack coming but wasn’t fast enough. Sol’s right dagger slid into his side, lacerating the liver. The mercenary stumbled away, clutching at the red stain spreading through his tunic.
Sol pointed at the door. Derrein fled. If he made it to a healer in time, he’d have a chance to recover, though his ego likely never would.
Shared here and elsewhere so I can find it later - the making of cranks. Money quote:
1) Cranks tend to be isolated from the scientific community. 2) Cranks tend to be paranoids with delusions of grandeur. 3) Cranks almost never settle for a single eccentric belief.
There is no frigate like a book to take us lands away. ~Emily Dickinson
Being a writer is a very peculiar sort of a job: it’s always you versus a blank sheet of paper (or a blank screen) and quite often the blank piece of paper wins. ~Neil Gaiman
Of course I am not worried about intimidating men. The type of man who will be intimidated by me is exactly the type of man I have no interest in. ~Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
The road to hell is paved with adverbs. ~Stephen King
The man who does not read has no advantage over the man who cannot read. ~Mark Twain
I feel free and strong. If I were not a reader of books I could not feel this way. ~Walter Tevis
A reader lives a thousand lives before he dies. The man who never reads lives only one. ~George R.R. Martin
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Amanda and I are traveling back to June 1997 to discuss:
This Rec League was suggested by Sarahwasme in the SBTB Podcast Patreon Discord:
Welcome back!
Brenda W. Clough is the first female Asian American SF writer, first appearing in print in 1984. Her 2025 novel is a science fiction novel, His Selachian Majesty Requests. In 2024, she published the 12th in the Marian Halcombe series, Servants of the Empress. A historical novel, A Door In His Head, won the 2023 Diverse Voices Award. Her novella May Be Some Time was a finalist for both the Hugo and the Nebula awards and became the novel Revise the World. She is active in the SF community, attending conventions and doing podcasts. Her complete bibliography is up on her web page, 
