Speculative Fiction Showcase

Friday, November 10, 2017

Speculative Fiction Links of the Week for November 10, 2017

It's time again for our weekly round-up of interesting links about speculative fiction from around the web, this week with Star Trek Discovery, The Orville, Thor: Ragnarok, Stranger Things, the World Fantasy Awards, tributes to Karin Dor as well as the usual mix of awards news, writing advice, interviews, reviews, awards news, con reports, crowdfunding campaigns, science articles and free online fiction.

Speculative fiction in general:

Comments on Star Trek Discovery (and The Orville):

Comments on Thor Ragnarok:

Comments on season 2 of Stranger Things:

Deaths and tributes:

Awards:

Writing, publishing and promotion:

Interviews:

Reviews:

Crowdfunding:

Nova Press, a publisher of international science fiction and fantasy in Hebrew translation, is looking for funding.

Con reports:

Science and technology:

Free online fiction:

Odds and ends:

Monday, November 6, 2017

Interview with Joshua Pantalleresco, author of The Wandering God

And today...Joshua Pantalleresco is kind enough to answer those tricky Speculative Fiction Showcase questions...

What prompted you to start running your live Podcast, Just Joshing?

Like all things in my career, by accident.

If you go farther back in my blog, you will see I used to do written interviews. I got the opportunity to interview Robert J. Sawyer at When Words Collide. My master plan was to feature him on the website. This was about the time I finally came into the 21st century with a smart phone and figured I'd record the interview instead of writing it from memory.

During our conversation he mentioned "podcast." I had no idea what I was doing, but I figured why not? It seemed like it was a natural extension of what I've been doing with a dozen years interviewing authors and other creative people. And it's been a blast to do.

In your blog post on February 20, you write about the importance of gratitude and positivity. Why is this important to you as a writer (and a person)?

LE Modesitt Jr's The Recluse Series had a moment when an officer was advised by a near ranking friend to thank the people that helped them. They never had to, and did. It really stuck with me.

I realized a long time ago that no one owes you anything. It seems like such a simple thing, but a lot of people have this tendency to forget that kindness is not a given. I've been through some tough situations and sometimes it's been by myself, but more often then not I have had good people be there for me. They never had to, and I recognize that.

Writing is both the loneliest and most collaborative thing to do. We often find ourselves alone creating the work, but we need people to read it or listen to it. People never have to do that, but it's the greatest feeling when they do.

You are planning to release your book The Cloud Diver in episodic format in May/June of this year. What made you choose that format?

The smart phone. I know a lot of people that read stuff in train stations or on the bus or wherever. Shorter episodic pieces seem like something that would appeal to that crowd. But it's also a different challenge. Can I do a full compelling story in so many acts released to often.

Tell us more about The Cloud Diver. You describe it as “the Matrix meets Indiana Jones”. Those are two contrasting genre movies. What made you choose them as a reference point for your blurb?

My podcast with Ron Friedman. I mentioned the cloud and that it would one day be our archeology. The idea just stuck with me.

Will there be humour as well as adventure?

Yes and Yes.

What is a "data mine"?

In my case, a term I borrowed from Warren Ellis. A data mine is a bot that gathers information on a particular topic.

Thinking about the likes of William Gibson (Neuromancer, Idoru etc) how far has the worldwide web and new technology permeated and changed the world of science fiction?

In my opinion, it's quantified science fiction. Take the computer. Old school processors were these giant difference engines. They were ginormous monstrosities that just screamed doomsday.

Now the most powerful processors in the world are tinier than a molecule. Think about that. Our world is denser and tinier. It's a completely different view than what came before.

On the flipside, we don't look at the social commentary. Old school science fiction looked at the ethical and moral dilemmas that new technologies can bring. What is lost? What is gained? Is there a good choice? Some real critical thinking is in there.

Today, it's not as prevalent with a few notable exceptions.

What is the future for science fiction when some see the present as a dystopian reality?

I'd say that science fiction's biggest question in the next twenty years is going to be the redefinition of what is alive and what is real. We are going to see a lot of changes. Making sense of it all is going to be a question.

Do you use Scrivener or Word? Or another word-processing program? Or pen and paper?

I use OpenOffice right now. One day, I hope I'm cool enough to have Scrivener. That said, I'm using pen and paper more these days. I find pen and paper stimulates a different part of the brain. It's also like writing half a draft. When you type it up, you already make changes as you go.

Would you rather see your stories on the big screen or the little screen?

Depends on the story. Cloud Diver? Small Screen. The Watcher? Big screen.

What films are you watching now?

Don't go to the theatres as often anymore. At home? I'm really digging The Network, and I dig films like The Matrix and Inception. Fitting for what I'm writing yes?

Best film from more recent times I've watched? Rogue One.

Are you--or have you ever been--a gamer?

Absolutely. Most of my spare time right now is being used to play an online CCG called Shadowverse. It's a horror/fantasy flavoured game that's very well done.

On consoles, I'm currently working on Tales of Zestiria and every once in a while I play Persona or Final Fantasy. I also have played tabletop board games and rpgs.

Do you have your own office, study or writing space, or can you write in a cafe or the library?

I tend to type at home. Lately I have done a lot of writing at cafes though. Every Sunday I go to this group in Calgary called write club. A bunch of us writers get together and just do our thing and chat. It's good to get out there.

Who do you consider are the major influences on your writing?

Books: Asimov, Bradbury and Edgar Rice Burroughs are huge influences. I'd be remiss not to mention also Calvin Miller and Samuel Coleridge as well.

Comics: John Ostrander, JM Dematteis, George Perez, Barry Windsor Smith, Warren Ellis and James A. Owen are big ones for me.

Video Games: Final Fantasy 13, Persona 3, Nin No Kuni

If you could have any director to shoot the film of your book(s), who would you choose?

Me.

What next for Joshua Pantalleresco?

Finishing the Cloud Diver for serialization. After that I work with Florence Chan on my final book of the Watcher Trilogy for Mirror World Books. I continue working on the journal for a horror book with Virginia Carraway Stark. Finally, if I see finished pages, release a comic too.

I'm insane.

Just Joshing Podcast | Amazon

About Joshua Pantalleresco:

Joshua Pantalleresco lives in Calgary where he goes to achieve his goals of being a successful writer and podcaster. His podcast, Just Joshing airs on Itunes and can be located at https://jpantalleresco.podomatic.com.

As for his writing, he's written epic poems about children wandering in a post apocalyptic world. His main character in his next book is being chased by zombie mobsters and unicorns that fart rainbows. Stories, he believes, exist everywhere.

As well as he can write, he doesn't draw so well. His stick figures revolt (but that's another story...)

blog | instagram/twitter: @jpantalleresco | Facebook

Saturday, November 4, 2017

Asian Speculative Fiction 99 Cent Promo

Fantasy author J.C. Kang has organised a big sale of Asian speculative fiction with more than thirty Asian fantasy, science fiction, horror and historical novels available for 99 cents.

The sale runs from November 3 to November 5.

The full list of all participating books may be found here.

J.C. Kang has also created a Facebook group for those interested in Asian speculative fiction.

Friday, November 3, 2017

Speculative Fiction Links of the Week for November 3, 2017

It's time again for our weekly round-up of interesting links about speculative fiction from around the web, this week with Star Trek Discovery, The Orville, Blade Runner 2049, Thor: Ragnarok, Stranger Things as well as the usual mix of awards news, writing advice, interviews, reviews, awards news, con reports, crowdfunding campaigns, science articles and free online fiction.

Speculative fiction in general:

Comments on Star Trek Discovery (and The Orville):

Comments on Thor Ragnarok:

Comments on season 2 of Stranger Things:

Comments on Blade Runner 2049:

Awards:

Writing, publishing and promotion:

Interviews:

Reviews:

Crowdfunding:

Con reports:

Science and technology:

Free online fiction:

Odds and ends:

Wednesday, November 1, 2017

Tea and Treachery by Cora Buhlert

Release date: October 25, 2017

Subgenre: Steampunk

**About Tea and Treachery:**

How far would you go to save the one you love?

Lady Violetta Chesterfield travels to the Kingdom of Dragomir on a mission. For her fiancé, Nicholas Blackstone, Captain of the airship Renegade, has been captured and sentenced to death as a pirate and spy.

Violetta is determined to save her beloved from the gallows. Therefore, she arranges a meeting with Count Ostrowsky, prime minister of Dragomir, to beg for her fiancé's life. The Count agrees to meet with Violetta, even though he has no intention of letting Blackstone walk free. However, he has no idea to what lengths Violetta is willing to go to save the man she loves…

This is a short Steampunk adventure of 4650 words or approx. 16 print pages.

Excerpt:

“Your Excellency…” The bespectacled head of his secretary popped into the study, snivelling as always, “…I beg your pardon to disturb you. But you have a visitor. From England.”
“From England? Again?” With a sigh, Count Danilo Ostrowsky returned the silver flask filled with most excellent vodka to a drawer of his desk. “What do they want this time?”
“The same as usual,” the secretary, one Mr. Wurm, replied, “Beg for mercy for the pirate.”
“Send them away then.” Ostrowsky punctuated the order with a dismissive wave of his hand. “The matter is settled. The pirate will be hanged tomorrow at sunrise, together with his comrades.”
Privately, Ostrowsky wondered just why the British were so very interested in the pirate anyway. Whenever a foreigner was sentenced to death here in the Kingdom of Dragomir, you normally had to deal with an overworked consulate clerk, an ambassador at the very most, if the condemned was particularly important or notorious. The pirate, however, had drawn not just the British ambassador to his study, but even an undersecretary from Whitehall. All of which suggested that the man was no mere pirate after all, but a spy. Just as Ostrowsky had suspected from the very beginning.
Oh well, by this time tomorrow, the matter was academic anyway. The pirate and his crew would swing and there was nothing anybody could do about it.
“But Sir…” Wurm’s normally corpse-pallid cheeks had taken on a hint of red, as if an overzealous undertaker had smeared rouge on them. “…the visitor… it’s a lady.”
“A lady?” Now that was a surprise. Ostrowsky hadn’t even known that Whitehall employed ladies. “Is she pretty?”
“Well, Sir, not that I’m an expert in these matters, but… yes, I think one could say that she is quite attractive.”
Ostrowsky sighed. For if there was one weakness apart from fine vodka that he had, it was pretty women. “Well, send her in then.”

As Wurm ushered the lady into the study, Ostrowsky saw that for once, Wurm had not exaggerated.
For the lady was indeed very attractive. She was well-proportioned with gentle curves that were clearly a gift of nature rather than a corset, though she was wearing one, of course. Her hair was the colour of ripe chestnuts. Her gown was of cut according to the latest Parisian fashion. The colour was a deep rich violet, edged in black.
Half-mourning. Interesting. Though certainly appropriate, since the man for whose life she’d come to plead would hang tomorrow.
Ostrowsky rose as the lady entered and rounded his desk to greet her. “My lady.”
He took her gloved hand and bent down for a kiss, his lips barely touching the soft leather of her gloves. “I am Count Danilo Danilovich Ostrowsky, prime minister to His Majesty Roderick III of Dragomir. And whom do I have the pleasure of addressing?”
“Lady Violetta Chesterfield,” the lady said. Ostrowsky noticed that she was carrying what looked like a picnic hamper. Goodness, was she trying to bring food to the incarcerated pirates?
“Enchanted.” Ostrowsky kissed the lady’s hand once more for good measure. “Most enchanted, Lady Violetta. I heard that you — ahem — wanted to talk to me about a matter of some importance.”
“Indeed I do,” Lady Violetta replied, “However, I believe that matters of any importance are best discussed over a nice cup of tea. It’s so much more civilised. Wouldn’t you agree, Count Ostrowsky?”
The British and their damned tea. It could be the eve of the apocalypse itself and the Brits would still be sitting there, sipping tea. Still, if Lady Violetta wanted tea, then tea she should have. Even if Ostrowsky himself vastly preferred a good, strong vodka.
So Ostrowsky bowed and said, “Of course, my lady. I shall have Wurm bring us a pot of tea.”
Lady Violetta shook her head. “There is no need for that. For you see, Count Ostrowsky, I am quite particular about how I take my tea…”
Oh, Ostrowsky just bet she was.
“…and I have everything I need right here.”

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About Cora Buhlert:

Cora Buhlert was born and bred in North Germany, where she still lives today – after time spent in London, Singapore, Rotterdam and Mississippi. Cora holds an MA degree in English from the University of Bremen and is currently working towards her PhD.

Cora has been writing, since she was a teenager, and has published stories, articles and poetry in various international magazines. She is the author of the Silencer series of pulp style thrillers, the Shattered Empire space opera series, the In Love and War science fiction romance series, the Helen Shepherd Mysteries and plenty of standalone stories in multiple genres. When Cora is not writing, she works as a translator and teacher.

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