Speculative fiction in general:
- Scott Dadich explains how science fiction can help people make sense of an undertain future.
- Cassandra Khaw discusses the "urban" in urban fantasy.
- N.K. Jemisin shares what she would do, if the Fifth Season happened for real.
- Ruth La Ferla discusses the next generation of Afrofuturism.
- Camestros Felapton shares the not quite serious thermodynamic model for distinguishing fictional science from fictional magic.
- Jeff Somers shares ten science fiction and fantasy books that were almost never published.
- Jacey Bedford talks about her favourite books and the towering "to be read" stack.
- Jason Sanford explains why the famous SFF authors of old may not be the best entry points into the genre for new readers.
- Michael Herbert shares his appreciation for The War of the Worlds by H.G. Wells.
- Benjamin Breen shares his appreciation for The Star Rover by Jack London.
- Leah Schnelbach profiles Shirley Jackson on her 100th birthday.
- Emily Jackson compares We Have Always Lived In The Castle by Shirley Jackson and White Is For Witching by Helen Oyeyemi.
- Marge Piercy looks back on writing Woman on the Edge of Time forty years on.
- David Barnett profiles Liu Cixin and Chinese science fiction in general.
- Laura Pearson profiles Mary Robinette Kowal.
- Emily Mills profiles Alex Bledsoe and his Tufa series.
- Fantasy Faction reports about a controversy surrounding Patrick Rothfuss.
- Mike Glyer reports about a controversy surrounding Foz Meadows' post about politics in SFF.
- Alexandra Erin comments on the controversy surrounding Foz Meadows.
- For Meadows article about politics in SFF is available again here.
- Michael Moreci talks about communication and faith in the movie Arrival.
- Andrew Pulver shares his thoughts on the movie Passengers.
- Adam Ellis shares fourteen seasonal horror movies to watch this Christmas.
- Alasdair Stuart discusses the storytelling of Westworld.
- Michelle Villanueva explains why the manga and anime series One Piece is a problematic favourite.
- Cher Martinetti reports that Wonder Woman was stripped of her honourary UN ambassador for women title after only two months.
- Homer Hickam shares a tribute to the late John Glenn.
- Actor Bernard Fox died aged 89.
Best of 2016 lists:
- Tracy Mumford shares her favourite science fiction and fantasy books of 2016.
- Sharon K. Reamer shares her ten favourite books of 2016.
- E. Catherine Tobler shares the books that surprised her in 2016.
- Red Star Reviews share their favourite SFF book of 2016.
- From Couch to Moon shares the best SFF books she read in 2016.
- Sam Reader shares the best horror books of 2016.
- Katharine Trendacosta shares the ten best and five worst SFF TV shows of 2016.
Comments on Star Wars: Rogue One:
- Germain Lussier declares that Rogue One understands how to be a great Star Wars movie.
- Peter Bradshaw calls Rogue One a sleek addition to the Star Wars canon.
- Mike Avila and Tara Bennett share some spoiler-light first impressions of Star Wars: Rogue One.
- Jordan Hoffman shares an in-depth spoilerish review of Rogue One.
- Sammy Nickalls reports that some supporters of Donald Trump have announced that they will boycott Star Wars: Rogue One, because they believe the film to be againt Trump.
- Katharine Trendacosta shares some particularly stupid comments about Rogue One from Daily Mail readers.
- Katharine Trendacosta points out that Star Wars is and has always been political.
- Andrew Colman is rather lukewarm about Rogue One.
- Mick La Salle declares that Rogue One is a war movie, not a Star Wars movie, and that it is depressing.
- John Patterson profiles Ben Mendelsohn who plays villain Orson Krennic in Rogue One.
- See an infographic comparing the grosses of the various Star Wars films.
- See a gallery of ten actors who have played Darth Vader.
Awards:
- The nominees for the 2017 Golden Globes have been announced with plenty of nods to SFF movies and TV shows.
- Eric Flint reminds everybody that genre awards are not in competition with each other and that there is room for more than one literary genre award.
Writing, publishing and promotion:
- Kameron Hurley reminds us that there have always been times like these and that writing can help us overcome dark times.
- Andrea Phillips talks about the high responsibility of fiction, particularly in troubled times.
- Chuck Wendig shares some tips regarding how to create art and make cool stuff in times of trouble.
- Sashayed shares some advice for male writers.
- Sarah Ash talks about the initial image, the spark of inspiration that will eventually grow into a piece of fiction.
- Katharine Trendacosta explains why protagonists so often suck.
- Kathy Steinemann shares some tips for describing texture in your writing.
- Marie Force has released the results of her 2016 indie author survey.
- Rebecca Swift shares a step by step guide to making an e-book cover in Photoshop.
- Bruce Fottler discusses DIY book cover blunders.
- Joanna Penn and Melissa Addey talk about merchandising for authors.
Reviews:
- Ross Johnson reviews After the Crown by K.B. Wagers.
- Joe Sherry reviews Babylon's Ashes by James S.A. Corey.
- Jonathan Thornton reviews The Wall of Storms by Ken Liu.
- J.D. Byrne reviews The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss.
- Lis Carey reviews The Voices of Martyrs by Maurice Broaddus.
- Fletcher Vredenburg reviews Sea of Time by P.C. Hodgell.
- Marian Deeds reviews Everfair by Nisi Shawl.
- Michael Patrick Hicks reviews Tijuana Donkey Showdown by Adam Howe.
- Michael Patrick Hicks also reviews Loch Ness Revenge by Hunter Shea.
- Adrienne Martini reviews The Regional Office Is Under Attack by Manuel Gonzales.
- Richard Bray reviews The Bear and the Nightingale by Katherine Arden.
- Paul di Filippo reviews The Corporation Wars: Dissidence and Insurgence by Ken MacLeod.
- Aaron Pound reviews Seveneves by Neal Stephenson.
- Camestros Felapton reviews The Liberation by Ian Tregillis.
- Amal El-Mohtar reviews Iraq + 100, edited by Hassan Blasim.
Interviews:
- Laura Pearson interviews Michi Trota.
- Carl Slaughter interviews Neil Clarke.
- Paul Weimer interviews Michael Livingston.
- Civilian Reader interviews Joe M. McDermott.
Crowdfunding:
- People of Color Take Over Fantastic Stories, a special issue of the magazine Fantastic Stories, is looking for funding.
- Writer Keffy Kehrli needs some help to finance gender reassignment surgery.
- Patty Jansen has organised the "Help an Author Christmas Promotion" to support authors in need.
- Seven ways to help the people of Aleppo.
Con reports:
- Adele Oliveira reports about the first ever Indigenous Comic Con in Albuquerque, New Mexico.
- Matthew Drzymala shares his experiences of taking part in the book signing event at the Renfield Conference Centre in Glasgow, Scotland.
- Mark L. Blackman shares a report about the New York Review of SF Family Night reading in Brooklyn, New York, featuring Ellen Kushner and Delia Sherman.
- John Hertz shares a report and some photos of the Rotsler Award Exhibition at Midamericon II, the 2016 WorldCon in Kansas City, Missouri.
Science and technology:
- Curiosity's Mars drill is jammed.
- Japan has launched an electric whip into orbit to deal with space junk.
- The woman scientists who took India into space.
- Astronomers may have found an exo-planet with weather so hot its clouds are vaporized gemstones.
- A dinosaur tail was discovered encased in a piece of amber in Myamar.
Free online fiction:
- "The Autobiography of a Traitor and a Half-Savage" by Alix E. Harrow at Tor.com.
- "Zombies in Winter" by Naomi Kritzer in Persistent Visions.
- "The Hunger After You're Fed" by James S.A. Corey in Wired.
- "The Souls of Horses" by Beth Cato in Mythic Delirium.
- "The Things My Mother Left Me" by P. Djeli Clark in People of Colo(u)r Destroy Fantasy.
- "Eyes of Carven Emerald" by Shweta Narayan in People of Colo(u)r Destroy Fantasy.
- "When All Colors Have Gone" by Joyce Chng in Rambutan Literary.
- "A: Only Through Death Will You Learn Your True Identity" by Etgar Keret in Wired.
- "Subtext: It Knows What You're Thinking, Stop Thinking" by Charles Yu in Wired.
- "The Evaluators" by N.K. Jemisin in Wired.
- "The Critics - The Current Entertainments: Lemoin's Assaut Sur L'Univers" by Glen David Gold in Wired.
- "Grandmother Blackmore" by T.S. Paul.
Odds and ends:
- Watch a trailer for Spider-Man: Homecoming.
- Watch another trailer for Spider-Man: Homecoming.
- Watch a trailer for Assassin's Creed.
- Watch a trailer for Transformers: The Last Knight.
- Watch a trailer for War for the Planet of the Apes.
- Who is Portland's mysterious, lightsaber-wielding night horseman?
- See the Spaceship Earth sphere in Disney's Epcot Center transformed into the Death Star.
- NASA now has a Pinterest account.
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