Gods and Monsters Installment 43: Predator and Prey

Gods and Monsters Installment 43: Predator and Prey

Reading Time: 8 minutesRiver enters Bert’s. In spite of himself, his heart leaps at the sight of Pam. He wants his heart to be stone. He wants never to have met her. But wishes are overrun by desire. Love triumphs over fear.
Mothermind

Mothermind

Reading Time: 12 minutesAmong war’s victims are the soldiers and those who care for them. Nothing in our shared future will change that, though some of the details will be new. What will be the reality for cloned soldiers?
Arachnophobia

Arachnophobia

Reading Time: 7 minutes“First contact” is an underexplored sub-genre with many opportunities for miscommunication. Sometimes deadly, sometimes not so much.
The Race

The Race

Reading Time: 4 minutesA young man starts a new job at a seemingly disused rocket ship yard.
Gods and Monsters Installment 42: Death and Memory

Gods and Monsters Installment 42: Death and Memory

Reading Time: 7 minutesRiver wants to forget her, yet he knows that if he does, a part of him will die. Though he feels betrayed, he cannot keep away. He hangs the chain around his neck. He will go to Bert’s and fasten it about hers. Then he will leave, never to return, the prism remaining, a crystal kiss, a tangible memory, a concrete regret.
Is It Me Or My Talent You See?

Is It Me Or My Talent You See?

Reading Time: 3 minutesA writer wrestles with his alter ego.
Goodbye, Nathan, Goodbye

Goodbye, Nathan, Goodbye

Reading Time: 10 minutesIt’s a little boy’s last chance to leave the planet. Can he talk his mom into letting him go?
Gods and Monsters Installment 41: The Color of Empathy

Gods and Monsters Installment 41: The Color of Empathy

Reading Time: 7 minutesBeethoven does not merely drain his victims, he eviscerates them. When there are no more cats, he moves on to dogs and babies, climbing the food chain with grisly effect. 
The Girl Who Was Only Three Quarters Dead

The Girl Who Was Only Three Quarters Dead

Reading Time: 26 minutesSuki finds herself prematurely awoken from an induced suspension between life and death. With her retinas deactivated and her government persona suspended, it’s up to friend and P.I. Gabe, to recover her identity, before she dies for good.
Alexander the Gray

Alexander the Gray

Reading Time: 15 minutesAlexander, an extraterrestrial botanist whose mission to collect plant samples, is tasked with the emergency abduction of Roger Smith. Alexander has never come into contact with a human being, and when he meets Roger, he wishes wish he never had.
Under the Twinkle of a Fading Star

Under the Twinkle of a Fading Star

Reading Time: 26 minutesA veteran soldier in a postwar city, Jackson agrees to search for a friend’s wayward daughter and bring her back to her father. The task will be harder than he expected.
Gods and Monsters Installment 40: The Fabric of the Universe

Gods and Monsters Installment 40: The Fabric of the Universe

Reading Time: 7 minutesIt’s twilight. Jeremy has finished his eight hours of practice and is out walking through golden fields. Smoke weaves the smell of burning wood and sugar through the air. At the end of the field is a tall man.
The Candle Wench

The Candle Wench

Reading Time: 17 minutesOverworked and underpaid, a candle wench finds strange comfort in the warmth of the wax
I Don’t See How That’s Any of My Business

I Don’t See How That’s Any of My Business

Reading Time: 5 minutesWhen a man’s vision changes, he suddenly sees much more about the people around him than he would care to.
The Healing Breath of Alpacas

The Healing Breath of Alpacas

Reading Time: 4 minutesWhen aliens descend on Earth, they request an audience with Karen, the United States’ most statistically average individual to sit judgement.
The End Is Nigh: Gods and Monsters in Retrospect

The End Is Nigh: Gods and Monsters in Retrospect

Sophie GorjanceDec 31, 2024
Reading Time: < 1 minuteThe release of the final installment of Gods and Monsters is only a week away, so we now invite you to look back on the story and hear from King herself about what the writing and publication process has been like for this unique and thrilling novel. 
Red Jenny and the Pirates of Buffalo

Red Jenny and the Pirates of Buffalo

James RyanDec 30, 2024
Reading Time: 25 minutesIt is a time our children will know better. The sloth and frivolousness we wallowed in has left them a world with new players in different positions, where the spotlight has shifted and those that were once proud are now desperate. In this new world, the North American center of political and economic power has moved up above the 49th Parallel, and the relationship between the old and new superpowers is not as warm as it had been before.
Gods and Monsters Installment 44: Premonitions of Endings

Gods and Monsters Installment 44: Premonitions of Endings

E. E. KingDec 24, 2024
Reading Time: 5 minutes“Tarantulas are loners, like you,” says Ryo, resting a weightless hand on Gabriel’s shoulder. “I was a loner too. Perhaps if I had it to do over… But that’s foolish talk. I don’t, I can’t. I don’t know if you can, but…”
Company Man

Company Man

Andrew KozmaDec 23, 2024
Reading Time: 3 minutesSam was a company man. He was exactly what the company needed and what the company wanted. That is what made him so disturbing.
Tuning

Tuning

Zary FeketeDec 20, 2024
Reading Time: 11 minutesA mother who is frustrated with her teenage daughter comes across a magical object that can repair items. She wonders what effect the object might have if she used it on her daughter.
Let the Salt Decide

Let the Salt Decide

Andrew LeonardDec 18, 2024
Reading Time: 4 minutesZeke looked out a kitchen window, into his backyard. Waves crested and lapped the shore, leaving salt-soaked artifacts in their wake. The sea always has a say.
Gods and Monsters Installment 43: Predator and Prey

Gods and Monsters Installment 43: Predator and Prey

E. E. KingDec 17, 2024
Reading Time: 8 minutesRiver enters Bert’s. In spite of himself, his heart leaps at the sight of Pam. He wants his heart to be stone. He wants never to have met her. But wishes are overrun by desire. Love triumphs over fear.
Mothermind

Mothermind

Robert WaltonDec 16, 2024
Reading Time: 12 minutesAmong war’s victims are the soldiers and those who care for them. Nothing in our shared future will change that, though some of the details will be new. What will be the reality for cloned soldiers?
Arachnophobia

Arachnophobia

Geoffrey HartDec 13, 2024
Reading Time: 7 minutes“First contact” is an underexplored sub-genre with many opportunities for miscommunication. Sometimes deadly, sometimes not so much.

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REVIEWS

The Werecleaner Review: Werewolves Against Capitalism

The Werecleaner Review: Werewolves Against Capitalism

Reading Time: 2 minutesOne of this year’s surprises is The Werecleaner. You play as Kyle, a janitor at a corporate company. But — you’re actually a werewolf!
Free Friday: Today’s top free Amazon sci-fi and fantasy books for Dec. 20, 2024

Free Friday: Today’s top free Amazon sci-fi and fantasy books for Dec. 20, 2024

Reading Time: 10 minutesWe read the first few chapters of each of the top five free fantasy and sci-fi books on Amazon. Today’s list has dinosaurs, warlocks and vampires, and a time travel romance by a New York Times bestselling author.
After Yang: The Case for Slow-Moving Sci-Fi in a Superhero-Dominated World

After Yang: The Case for Slow-Moving Sci-Fi in a Superhero-Dominated World

Reading Time: 3 minutesSuperhero movies are no doubt the largest science fiction movies that are being released at this time, but I long for films that give the audience to sit, think and reflect. Kogonada’s After Yang gives viewers that opportunity. It’s a gem of slow moving science fiction that we desperately need more of in today’s short form dominated world.
Free Friday: Today’s top free Amazon sci-fi and fantasy books for Dec. 13, 2024

Free Friday: Today’s top free Amazon sci-fi and fantasy books for Dec. 13, 2024

Reading Time: 9 minutesWe read the first few chapters of each of the top five free fantasy and sci-fi books on Amazon. Today’s list includes epic fantasy, cozy fantasy, dark fantasy — and an EMP attack against Ohio.
High Vaultage Review: Lovable Detectives in the Big Chaotic City

High Vaultage Review: Lovable Detectives in the Big Chaotic City

Reading Time: 3 minutesHigh Vaultage comes fresh off the heels of the Victoriocity podcast, also written by Chris and Jen Sugden. As a disclaimer, I hadn’t listened to the podcast before reading the book, so I was pleasantly surprised the more I read. The book centers on Archibald Fleet and Clara Entwhistle’s efforts and misadventures trying to solve […]
Free Friday: Today’s top free Amazon sci-fi and fantasy books for Dec. 6, 2024

Free Friday: Today’s top free Amazon sci-fi and fantasy books for Dec. 6, 2024

Reading Time: 10 minutesWe read the first few chapters of each of the top five free fantasy and sci-fi books on Amazon. Today’s list includes two romantic fantasies by best selling authors, dragons battling it out over Detroit, and a space opera box set.
A Love Letter to Dredge

A Love Letter to Dredge

Reading Time: 3 minutesI cracked my brain trying to come up with a review for Dredge, but what always came out was a lot of gushing over the game itself. So, I decided to change gears a little: This is not a review, it’s a love letter. 
Free Friday: Today’s top free Amazon sci-fi and fantasy books for Nov. 29, 2024

Free Friday: Today’s top free Amazon sci-fi and fantasy books for Nov. 29, 2024

Reading Time: 10 minutesWe read the first few chapters of each of the top five free fantasy and sci-fi books on Amazon. Today’s list includes an adventure in the multiverse, mysterious artifacts, and a dangerous academy of magic.

Writing Advice of the Week

4 Magical Must-Haves for Fantasy Stories

4 Magical Must-Haves for Fantasy Stories

Fallon ClarkDec 15, 2024
Reading Time: 6 minutesInclude these four elements in your story to fit it within the fantasy genre and reach your intended fantasy readers.
When Characters Do the Unexpected

When Characters Do the Unexpected

Fallon ClarkDec 8, 2024
Reading Time: 6 minutesYour character has done or revealed the unexpected. Now, you must figure out how to navigate your story when the path no longer adheres to your writing plan.
Plot Turning Points and Story Development

Plot Turning Points and Story Development

Fallon ClarkDec 1, 2024
Reading Time: 5 minutesYour story’s plot must include key turning points, which move your characters through the story milestone by milestone.
Writing the Self as a Character

Writing the Self as a Character

Fallon ClarkNov 24, 2024
Reading Time: 6 minutesHow can we show our readers aspects of our truest selves while giving ourselves enough narrative distance and processing space to write ourselves well?

ESSAYS

What is it about the books of Terry Pratchett that make them so difficult to adapt to the screen?

What is it about the books of Terry Pratchett that make them so difficult to adapt to the screen?

Darren Paul FisherAug 16, 2023
Reading Time: 5 minutesTerry Pratchett’s novels have been adapted for the screen 11 times now. Why are his novels so hard to get right?
Two authors are suing OpenAI for training ChatGPT with their books. Could they win?

Two authors are suing OpenAI for training ChatGPT with their books. Could they win?

Reading Time: 4 minutesMona Awad and Paul Tremblay’s lawsuit claims their books were used without their consent. But copyright protection doesn’t apply to ideas – they’ll need to demonstrate the likelihood of economic loss.
Publishers aren’t going to replace writers with AI. Startups are already doing it.

Publishers aren’t going to replace writers with AI. Startups are already doing it.

Maria KorolovApr 13, 2023
Reading Time: 5 minutesStartups are popping up that use new AI tools to bypass traditional publishing and distribution systems entirely.
Life: modern physics can’t explain it – but our new theory, which says time is fundamental, might

Life: modern physics can’t explain it – but our new theory, which says time is fundamental, might

Sara Imari WalkerApr 11, 2023
Reading Time: 5 minutesOver the short span of just 300 years, since the invention of modern physics, we have gained a deeper understanding of how our universe works on both small and large scales. Yet, physics is still very young and when it comes to using it to explain life, physicists struggle.

NEWS

Metastellar Open for Fall 2023 Flash Fiction Submissions Oct 1st

Metastellar Open for Fall 2023 Flash Fiction Submissions Oct 1st

Geordie MorseSep 24, 2023
Reading Time: 2 minutesThe fall 2023 submission cycle for original speculative fiction begins on October 1 and closes at midnight on October 31.
Hugo Award nominations are out, and She-Hulk made the list

Hugo Award nominations are out, and She-Hulk made the list

Maria KorolovJul 6, 2023
Reading Time: 5 minutesThis year’s Hugo Awards nominees include Avatar: The Way of Water, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, Everything Everywhere All at Once, Nope, and an episode of She-Hulk: Attorney at Law.
Left: A purple circle with a yellow spiral galaxy in the center. To the right: the purple text "Nebula Awards." Image source: SFWA.org

Elden Ring, Everything Everywhere All At Once Win Nebula Awards

Terrence SmithJun 17, 2023
Reading Time: 4 minutesThe film Everything, Everywhere, All at Once and the video game Elden Ring were big winners in the Nebula Awards this year.
Robert J. Sawyer on stage accepting his lifetime achievement award.

Lifetime Achievement Award Winner Reflects On Past And The AI Future Of Writing

Terrence SmithMay 9, 2023
Reading Time: 3 minutesDr. Robert J. Sawyer, author of twenty-five novels, including Hominids and the WWW trilogy, won the L. Ron Hubbard Lifetime Achievement Award at the L. Ron Hubbard Presents Writers and Illustrators of the Future Gala this past Friday. This was the day before his 63rd birthday. “Clearly, you’re done achieving when you hit that magic […]
Top ten online sci-fi magazines

Top ten online sci-fi magazines

Maria KorolovMay 8, 2023
Reading Time: 6 minutesWe look up the traffic numbers for 33 of today’s most popular sci-fi, fantasy and horror magazines. MetaStellar is in second place.
Leonardo AI best new alternative to Midjourney — and free

Leonardo AI best new alternative to Midjourney — and free

Maria KorolovMay 2, 2023
Reading Time: 8 minutesLeonardo AI offers 150 free images a day. They’re not quite as good-looking at Midjourney, but within throwing distance.
Adobe’s Firefly will be a Midjourney killer for book cover art

Adobe’s Firefly will be a Midjourney killer for book cover art

Maria KorolovMar 24, 2023
Reading Time: 4 minutesAdobe Firefly’s images are almost as good as Midjourney, the interface is infinitely better, and artists will get paid for their training data. The beta is open now, and it’s looking extremely promising.
WGA backtracks on anti-AI stance, as long as writers get credit

WGA backtracks on anti-AI stance, as long as writers get credit

Maria KorolovMar 23, 2023
Reading Time: 2 minutesThe Writers Guild of America, which represents screenwriters, is backing off on its anti-AI stance, Variety reported today.

ON WRITING

Dall-E 3 looks great, but lacks respect for artist rights

Dall-E 3 looks great, but lacks respect for artist rights

Maria KorolovSep 22, 2023
Reading Time: 3 minutesOpenAI announced its newest AI image generation tool yesterday, Dall-E 3. The images look fantastic, and it can do things that no other AI image generator can do. But it lacks a little bit in terms of respect for creator rights.
Claude Pro is here — and writers should sign up

Claude Pro is here — and writers should sign up

Maria KorolovSep 7, 2023
Reading Time: 2 minutesThis morning, Anthropic announced the paid version of Claude, the best alternative to ChatGPT currently on the market. Writers need to sign up.
Adobe Express offers free AI art and is out of beta

Adobe Express offers free AI art and is out of beta

Maria KorolovAug 24, 2023
Reading Time: 3 minutesAdobe Express is now publicly available, with free AI image generation. Plus, since it’s Adobe, the AI is trained only on fully-licensed art, and artists and compensated.
Scalzi, other spec fic authors head for the X-it

Scalzi, other spec fic authors head for the X-it

Maria KorolovJul 24, 2023
Reading Time: 3 minutesAuthors are leaving Twitter — rebranded today as just “X” — for other platforms. Many are landing on Threads.
Sci-fi author uses AI to promote new book about AI

Sci-fi author uses AI to promote new book about AI

Maria KorolovJul 21, 2023
Reading Time: 2 minutesBest-selling Brazilian author PJ Caldas used AI technology to release a book trailer for his first novel in English.
How to create a good author profile photo

How to create a good author profile photo

Maria KorolovJul 18, 2023
Reading Time: 6 minutesSome free and easy ways to create good-looking author headshots and profile pics.
Can Claude AI fix your grammar mistakes? No, it can’t, but there’s an AI that will.

Can Claude AI fix your grammar mistakes? No, it can’t, but there’s an AI that will.

Maria KorolovJul 13, 2023
Reading Time: 11 minutesClaude AI, the hot new chatbot for book authors, works well as a grammar tutor, but is bad at fixing mistakes in your text. However, I did find one AI-powered tool that caught every error I threw at it.
10 ways Claude AI can help you self-edit your book — for free

10 ways Claude AI can help you self-edit your book — for free

Maria KorolovJul 12, 2023
Reading Time: 16 minutesClaude AI is the single best editor I’ve tried so far. And it can do a whole book at a time. For free.