Speculative Fiction Links of the Week for March 20, 2015

And here is our weekly round-up of interesting links about speculative fiction from around the web:

Speculative fiction in general:

• Thomas Watson remembers Dune by Frank Herbert. 
• At Kirkus, Andrew Liptak remembers Jack Williamson's space operas. 
• At Barnes & Noble, Andrew Liptak remembers Andre Norton.
• Aidan Moher explains how Terry Brooks saved epic fantasy. 
• Seth Shorkowsky talks about sword and sorcery.
• At io9, Charlie Jane Anders sings the praises of the fix-up novel. 
• In response to the debate about Kazuo Ishiguro's new book as well as his alleged feud with Ursula Le Guin, Laura Miller points out that boundaries between literary and genre fiction are eroding and that we are all genre readers now.
• At the Telegraph, Martin Daubney spectacularly misses the point regarding campaigns for more diversity in literature.
• Bogi Takács talks about the migrant experience as protrayed in SFF.
• The Book Smugglers take on the current debate about more diversity in young adult fiction.
• Latonya Pennington explains why we need complex rather than just strong female characters. 
• Heather Massey explains how a Steampunk romance challenged her preconceived notions about violence in fiction. 
• Gareth L. Powell shares his top ten essential space operas.
• Shelf Talk takes a look at the curious hybrid genre science fantasy. 
• Adi Robertson criticises the unquestioned nostalgia of Ernest Cline's 2011 novel Ready Player One. 
• At Vulture, six famous authors talk about having written fanfiction.
• At Mashable, Lindsay Rothfeld attempts to explain why we are so obsessed with zombies.
• The Guardian links to reviews of classic science fiction films over the years.
• At Lady Business, Justira takes a look at how Agent Carter challenges both gender normals and heteronormativity.
• Grantland explains what to expect from the new science fiction TV series The Expanse, based on James S.A. Corey's books.
• Charlie Jane Anders remembers how a Japanese anime called Star Blazers helped her through a rough time during her childhood.
• Amy Dieg recounts how she was reluctant to pursue her interest in comic books, because she had been told all her life that comics weren't for girls. 
• Paul Levinson talks about Marshall McLuhan and the Kindle revolution.
• The Daily Beast remembers the work of legendary science fiction cover artist Richard Powers.
• M.C.A Hogarth explains the SFWA membership requirements for indie and small press writers (video).
  

Awards:

• Nerd of a Feather discuss reforming the Hugo Awards. There is also an addendum.
• The winners of the 2015 Jim Baen Memorial Writing Contest have been announced.
• The HWA's Silver Hammer Award goes to Rena Mason.

Tributes to Sir Terry Pratchett:

• At Vice, Gavin Haynes remembers Terry Pratchett. 
• At the Irish Independent, Frank Whelan shares his tribute to Terry Pratchett. 
• At the Observer, Stephen Baxter remembers his collaborator Terry Pratchett.
• At Tor.com, Jo Walton remembers both her personal interactions with Terry Pratchett and her experience with his books. 
• Charles Stross remembers his thirty years acquaintence with Terry Pratchett. 
• John Scalzi remembers sharing a panel and a joke with Terry Pratchett at the 2004 Worldcon.
• Maureen Johnson remembers how Terry Pratchett helped her survive a particularly awful publishing industry party.
• At SF Signal, David Steffen remembers Terry Pratchett and his own introduction to the Discworld novels.
• The Yeovil Express shares their choices for the top ten most memorable characters Terry Pratchett created.
• The writers of Barnes & Noble's science fiction and fantasy blog share their favourite Terry Pratchett novels.
• Brandon Sanderson says good-bye to Terry Pratchett.  
• Robert Dahlen shares his tribute to Terry Pratchett.
• J.B. Whelan shares what Terry Pratchett and his books meant to him.
• Ksenia Anske remember Terry Pratchett and shares her favourite quotes. 
• The XKCD people remember Terry Pratchett with the eloquent comic. 

Writing, publishing and promotion:

• The MIT Technology Review publishes a 1959 essay by Isaac Asimov on creativity for the very first time. 
• Zetta Elliott discusses black authors and self-publishing.
• Kari Sperring talks about skiing, writing and confidence. 
• Elena Linville talks about fearing the blank page.
• Genevieve McKay introduces her character Carolina Brown. 
• Kyra Halland interviews her character Arbrey Carden. 
• Jodie Renner shares a step-by-step guide on how to write a prize-worthy short story.
• Michael Brookes discusses how music helps to improve his writing.
• Harry Connolly talks about attack novels.
• Anne R. Allen shares the top ten social media no-nos for authors.
• Debra Purdy Kong warns of those sneaky publishing scams.
• Mary Robinette Kowal attempts to answer the question, "Should you be a full-time writer?"
• Ruth Nestvold offers advice for creating a wrap-around cover for a print-on-demand book.
  

Interviews:

• The Self-Publishing Round Table interviews Stacy Claflin (video link).
• Michael Brookes interviews Fleur Tomargo. 
• Max Pfeffer interviews Lana Axe.
• Larry Ketchersid interviews Michael Moorcock. 

Reviews:

• Gary Alan Henson reviews Little Differences and Loose Ends by Paul Levinson.
• Michael Patrick Hicks reviews First Activation by Darren and Marcus Wearmouth.
• At the Guardian, Damien Walker gives a shout-out to the Apocalypse Weird series. 
• Ian Sales reviews Starship Seasons by Eric Brown.
• Elena Linville reviews Time Patrol by Bob Mayer. 
• A.C. Wise reviews the film After Earth.

Crowdfunding:

• The epic fantasy novel Citadel in the Sky by Chrysoula Tsavelas is looking for backers.
• Imagined Realms 2, a new book of fantasy and science fiction art by Julie Dillon, is looking for funding.
• Beyond, a queer science fiction/fantasy comic anthology edited by Sfé R. Monster and Taneka Stotts, is looking for backers.
• A collection of the Journals 1990 - 2014 of Rudy Rucker is looking for funding.
• The revival of Fantastic Stories of the Imagination is looking for backers.
• Con Man, a new web comedy series starring Nathan Fillion and Alan Tudyk, is looking for funding.
• The short film Wasp Men from Mars! is looking for funding.  

Con reports:

• Geek Mom shares some lessons learned from science fiction and comic book conventions.
• Geeky Pleasures discusses the Women in Gaming panel at GottaCon 2015 in Victoria, British Columbia.
  

Science and technology:

• NASA confirms that there is an ocean on the Jupiter moon Ganymede. 
• A NASA probe has also discovered hot springs on the Saturn moon Enceladus.
• NASA has also validated a seemingly impossible microwave based space drive.
• Next Big Future points out that the Saturn moon Titan is the best colonisation target in the outer solar system.
• Popular Science takes a look at inflatable space habitats. 
• Researchers at Michigan State University have developed a fully transparent solar cell that looks like a regular pane of glass.
• The strange case of the Dutch woman haunted by dragons.
  

Free online fiction:

• "Crossing the River Styx" by Kristine Kathryn Rusch.
• "Battle Plan" by A. Lee Martinez.
• "Fleet United", part 43 of Musketeer Space by Tansy Rayner Roberts. 
• Chapter 6 of "Darkness Falling", part 84 of The Descendants by Landon Porter. 

Odds and ends: 

• Watch the battle of Hoth reenacted by Lego figures.