My friend Louis was telling me about a fictional holiday on the TV show 30Rock called “Leap Day” — like February 29th was an actual holiday with a santa-like character associated with it and a traditional dish and observances… but what sold it to him was there were also traditional Read more…
The number one most common answer when I asked “What should I blog about?” was “How do I get into Analog?” This is a rather presumptuous topic, considering I am not an editor nor in any way a part of Analog magazine, but having sold my ninth piece to that Read more…
Scientists have discovered that we build pathways in our minds for our fictional friends the same as for people we’ve actually met. (Article: https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/the-storytelling-animal/201206/the-power-fake-gay-and-black-friends ) So yes, you really can say Janet on the Good Place is your best friend. Your brain feels the same about her as it does Read more…
“Someone told me they’re adding my story to their Nebula ballot!” I gushed to my friend Nyla. “Which story?” she asked, since, as a member of my writing workshop, she gets to read them all. “Knit Three, Save Four,” I said. She frowned. “But that’s not your best story this Read more…
Over the past six weeks, I pledged to write 100,000 words for the Clarion Write-a-Thon, to raise money for scholarships to attend the Clarion Science Fiction Writing Workshop. The write-a-thon was exactly like it was back in the before-times since it’s an entirely online event, which feels … nice. Check Read more…
“For the quarantine,” I said, “I can run the workshop via zoom.” “Yes, I’ll run the game devs meetup on zoom. For the quarantine. Sure, I’ll do the excuse-to-create meetings, too.”After all, it was temporary. I could run a few monthly meetings. What, just for a few months, right? It’s Read more…
Growing up poor, I knew a lot about bitterness. I was bitter that other kids got to go on vacations, got to have cable TV, got air conditioning and dinner served every night. Mine was the pure bitterness of a child, the black-and-white unfairness of a melodrama heroine. And my Read more…