I’ve read the first few chapters of each of the top ten free fantasy and sci-fi books on Amazon. Today’s list includes two magic schools, dragons, space battles, and some very proper Victorian zombies.Read More →
There are a lot of all-you-can-read and free e-book options out there. Learn all about Kindle Unlimited, Prime Reading, OverDrive and Libby, Project Gutenberg, Open Library, Scribd, 24Symbols, and Bookmate. There’s even a service that will send print books to you by mail, BookLender.Read More →
I’ve read the first few chapters of each of the top ten books on Amazon’s fantasy and sci-fi list of free books, and today’s list includes a paranormal investigator, a succubus, and a magic-wielding orphan in a dystopian future.Read More →
I’ve read the first few chapters of each of the top ten books on Amazon’s fantasy and sci-fi list of free books, so you don’t have to.Read More →
Did you know that Amazon has a list of the top-selling and free sci-fi and fantasy books? Here are the top ten — and my takes on each of them.Read More →
Here are seven books on Amazon with over a 100 positive reviews that will help you finish your writing project — are free to read with a Kindle Unlimited subscription.Read More →
The British Fantasy Society announced the winners of the 2020 British Fantasy Awards yesterday, and RJ Barker’s The Bone Ships was selected as the best fantasy novel of the year.Read More →
NASA has been releasing photos as they arrive from Mars and they are awesome.Read More →
To understand ourselves and our place in the universe, “we should have humility but also self-respect,” the physicist writes in a new book.Read More →
While more progress is being made all the time in artificial intelligence, some scientists and philosophers warn of the dangers of an uncontrollable superintelligent AI.Read More →
The U. S. Postal Service announced its new lineup of stamps for 2021, and sci-fi legend Ursula K. Le Guin is the latest addition to the Literary Arts series.Read More →
Galactic Civilizations 3 is free from Epic this week By Maria Korolov Every Thursday, Epic offers a PC game for free. Yesterday that was Stardock Games’ Galactic Civilizations 3, a critically-acclaimed, popular game that’s like Sid Meier’s Civilization, but in space. Other differences include the fact that you can playRead More →
I just finished “Renna’s Crossing” by Geordie Morse and was surprised, and humbled, by the author’s approach to gender issues.Read More →
Climate-focused short story contest offers $8,700 in prizes By Maria Korolov Grist, a publication that focuses on climate, sustainability and social justice has announced a contest for short stories that focus on climate change. Entry is free, the deadline is April 12, and the short stories should be between 3,000Read More →
Have you ever stared at your screen or typewriter or notebook and couldn’t force yourself to write? I have, and here’s what I do to fix it.Read More →
If you haven’t seen this excellent movie yet, go watch it on HBO Max, then come back. I’ll wait.Read More →
I came for Tony Shalhoub and I was not disappointed.Read More →
Yesterday’s directive promoting the use of nuclear power in space, including in low Earth Orbit, presents lots of interesting plot possibilities for thrillers.Read More →
A very, very long list of ways to show emotion through body language or actions.Read More →
Pre-made book cover sites offer low-cost, professional-looking covers for independent authors.Read More →
Excerpt: Krim Times By Maria Korolov Once upon a time, there was a virtual world that was almost, but not quite, completely unlike 1500s England. The assassin peered out from the window overlooking Leadenhall Street. It was mid-day and there were plenty of targets. Local residents, mostly, but also aRead More →
Update: Netflix is not picking up Away for a second season. Pandemic Bingewatch: Away By Maria Korolov I have to be honest. I’m not really the target audience for Netflix’ new science fiction drama, Away. Yes, it’s about humanity’s first manned mission to Mars. And yes, it stars Academy Award-winningRead More →
BBC America just released the first video previews of “The Watch,” a series based on Terry Pratchett’s Discworld novels, and it’s not looking at all like what people were expecting.Read More →
What if “The Office” was staffed by vampires? Here’s the answer, folks. Read More →
A new virtual reality camera was successfully delivered to the International Space Station today and will allow the astronauts to film spacewalks in VR.Read More →
Our master list of best resources for writers of fantasy, horror and sci-fi.Read More →
Last Friday, billionaire inventor Tony Stark — I mean, Elon Musk — showed off progress on his latest project, the Neuralink.Read More →
Terry Pratchett is one of my all-time favorite authors, and even though he died five years ago, a new book is now out, a collection of never-before-published short stories he wrote for local newspapers back in the 1960s and 1970s.Read More →
Sci-fi and fantasy author Brandon Sanderson’s 13 hour-long “Writing Science Fiction and Fantasy” lectures are up on YouTube.Read More →
‘Oumuamua, a weird interstellar object that was discovered passing through our solar system in 2017, might be alien after all.Read More →
According to new research, it’s possible that we could have wormholes large and stable enough for humans to be able to travel to distant stars.Read More →
Living on the surface of the Moon, or of Mars, is dangerous. The lack of a protective atmosphere means that radiation is a constant hazard, for example. Lava tubes can be the solution, scientists say.Read More →
Netflix’s new show “Away”, the first 10-episode season of which drops Sept. 4, takes a realistic, personal approach to the first manned trip to Mars.Read More →
Wireless power transmission is the future, but there are a lot of technical challenges to overcome.Read More →
New York Times bestselling author N. K. Jemisin’s short story Emergency Skin was named the winner of the 2020 Hugo Award for Best Short Novelette.Read More →
A Memory Called Empire, by Arkady Martine, wins the 2020 Hugo Award for best novel.Read More →
Here are my top 14 reasons to try Google Docs, if you’re not using it yet.Read More →
A couple of people in this group have talked about Mary Robinette Kowal’s The Calculating Stars. The book won the 2019 Nebula Award for Best Novel, the 2019 Locus Award for Best Science Fiction Novel, the 2019 Hugo Award for Best Novel, and the 2019 Sidewise Award for Alternate History.Read More →
Here’s our list of great online resources and websites for speculative fiction authors.Read More →
Short story contest opens Sept. 1 Submit your workRead More →
Submit your book excerpt Do you have a fantasy, horror or science fiction book that just came out, or is about to come out? Send us an excerpt of your book, with an illustration, and links to where people can find out more.Read More →