Interview with Megan Mary, author of The Dream Haunters: A Metaphysical Mystery of Magick (Witches of Maple Hollow Book 1)

Today it gives the Speculative Fiction Showcase great pleasure to interview Megan Mary, whose novel The Dream Haunters: A Metaphysical Mystery of Magick was our featured new release on October 3rd 2024.

What was the inspiration for your novel The Dream Haunters: A Metaphysical Mystery of Magick, which was our featured new release on October 3rd?

Ten years ago, I had an incredibly vivid dream about a time traveling, talking cat named Wixby and a young girl named Hannah, that felt so real I had to capture it in writing. What began as a 10,000-word short story was set aside for years. It wasn't until I went through a series of profound spiritual awakenings that I felt compelled to revisit and complete it. The story evolved, taking on an entirely new life and meaning into what became The Dream Haunters.

The Dream Haunters is your first book in a new series, The Witches of Maple Hollow. What can you tell us about the series?

The series blends fantasy and mystery, weaving in compelling female characters from women’s fiction and incorporating a rich array of metaphysical elements. This creates a unique blend of paranormal, supernatural, and spiritual themes. It features beloved tropes such as Found Family, Good vs. Evil, Time Travel, Discovered Powers, Spiritual Awakening, Secret Societies, Fated Destiny, Talking Cats, and, naturally, Dream Interpretation.

Your protagonist, Hannah Skye, is a young woman in search of meaning. How is she drawn into a hidden and magical world?

Hannah receives a cryptic letter from her long-lost aunt that she cannot read. It is illegible, or so it seems, but does include a plane ticket to Maple Hollow. Hannah is a seeker, drawn to mysteries, so she cannot let this go without investigating further.

What can you tell us about Hannah’s Aunt Jewelia, who is missing at the start of the book?

Aunt Jewelia lives at Skye Manor with a kindly older gentleman known by some as “Old Man Adams.” She is a bit like Morticia from the Addams Family in that she is demure and elegant, but also magickal and mysterious. At the beginning, we see her doing magic whilst a tumultuous storm brews outside, setting the scene for the mystery to unfold.

Dreams and their significance play a key role in The Dream Haunters. How does a dream influence Hannah’s life-changing decision?

Hannah has a recurring dream about a pumpkin patch, but she never can quite figure out what it means. Feeling lost at a crossroads in her life, and just having lost her job, she decides it is time to take some chances and make a change. She follows a series of synchronicities that lead her not only to discover her long-lost family, but also a legacy that changes her life forever.

You yourself are a dream analyst. What can you tell us about that role and the experience that led to it?

I have always been fascinated by dreams, but I didn’t always listen to them. After suffering from multiple chronic illnesses, I underwent a long period of healing, during which I returned to the wisdom of my dreams and meditation. What I discovered there was a calling to share with others the mysteries and importance of dreams through my stories and the dreamwork I do in real life with other women.

Why are dreams important, and how did you come to make them the basis of a novel?

I feel that dreams are the doorway to our subconscious. They speak to us in a language unique to each dreamer, which once understood, allows us to unlock our inner wisdom, tap into our intuition and access our higher self and purpose.

Who are The Dream Haunters of the title and how much can you tell us about them?

The Dream Haunters are nefarious spirits that take advantage of celestial influences to trap unsuspecting dreamers in their nightmares. Those that ignore their dreams and disregard them as meaningless are the most at risk. 

What can you tell us about Maple Hollow and Skye Manor and how Hannah travels there?

Maple Hollow is a fictional, magical island of eternal autumn located somewhere in New England. Skye Manor is a mysterious ancestral manor located on Maple Hollow. Hannah flies to New England from the mountain town she lives in when she receives a cryptic letter and a one-way plane ticket from her long-lost aunt.

To what extent does The Dream Haunters mingle personal experience and imagination?

As a debut author, my fiction is exceptionally based in personal experience. There are parts of me in every character, in fact, even some of the cats are my actual cats! There are 13 dream scenes in the novel, and since reality is stranger than fiction, a number of them are actually inspired from my own dreams.

The Dream Haunters has been well-received: The BookLife Prize, sponsored by Publisher's Weekly, gave it a 9.25 out of 10 critic's rating. What does that mean to you?

I was beyond thrilled to receive the critic’s rating from The BookLife Prize. It actually brought tears to me eyes. To have a reviewer, that has probably read thousands of books, call my debut a “highly inventive work” that was “relentlessly imaginative” was truly a dream. I also really appreciated that the review covered the plot, prose and character execution, all which received excellent marks calling the setting, “brilliantly realized, with every nook and cranny overflowing with vibrant energy and atmosphere,” and the series, “a fascinating metaphysical journey into a fantastical world full of magic spells, dreams, and spirituality.”

What themes or tropes appear in the story and how important are the cats?

The story delves into themes such as Found Family, Good vs. Evil, Time Travel, Discovered Powers, Spiritual Awakening, Secret Societies, Fated Destiny, Dream Interpretation, and, of course, a talking cat. Cats hold a special significance in the narrative, as one of them originally inspired the book. Not only are there multiple feline characters, but two are based on my real-life cats, Merlin and Milu, including one who has since passed on into the spirit realm, Mystera.

How do you see your readers?

Much like my podcast, my creative work centers on supporting women. I envision my readers as those who enjoy mystery, fantasy, and women’s fiction, as well as anyone drawn to metaphysical themes—perfect for those who love exploring metaphysical shops. My books cater to readers seeking a unique blend of entertainment and inspiration, offering stories that are both reflective and educational. They’re for seekers—those embarking on a fictional journey that ultimately brings them back to themselves, feeling empowered and touched by a sense of magic.

Are you working on the next book in the series and what can you tell us about it?

Book 2 is called The Dream Mirrors and will be released in May 2025. It combines the metaphysical themes of duality, portals, mirrors, reflection and illusion. This celestial fall-themed mirror fantasy weaves dreams and mystery into an enchanting tale of magick and self-discovery. Book 3 is currently underway as well and slated to be released October 2025.

Amazon.com | MeganMary.com | Books2Read

About Megan Mary:

Metaphysical author Megan Mary, a dream analyst, intuitive, and mystic, intertwines her passion for personal transformation, magick, and cats with the ethereal realm of dreams.

In addition to a career spanning over twenty-five years creating, managing and marketing websites, she holds a BA and an MA in English Literature, certification in British Studies, and is a member of the International Association for the Study of Dreams.

After being diagnosed with three chronic illnesses, she experienced a spiritual awakening. She now empowers women all over the world to live more authentic, aligned, and abundant lives through dream empowerment and mystical guidance. Her podcast, Women’s Dream Enlightenment, has been voted as one of the Top 20 Spiritual Awakening Podcasts You Must Follow. When she’s not dreaming or weaving digital webs, she enjoys spending time with her husband and two magickal cats.

Website|Twitter/X|Instagram|Threads|Pinterest|YouTube|
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The Dream Haunters: A Metaphysical Mystery of Magick by Megan Mary (Witches of Maple Hollow Book 1)

 

Release date: October 3rd, 2024

Sub-genres: Mystery, Fantasy, Supernatural, Speculative, Metaphysical, Women's Fiction, New Adult

About The Dream Haunters:

Hannah Skye, a young woman in search of meaning, receives a cryptic letter from her missing and eccentric Aunt Jewelia. Her experience of a recurring powerful pumpkin patch dream unfolds into a spiritual journey to a mysterious island of eternal autumn, Maple Hollow, where she discovers the mystical Skye Manor and her magickal family legacy.

Haunted by shapeshifters bent on trapping people in their nightmares, Hannah, with the help of wise villagers and feline companions (including a talking cat dream guide), must solve the riddle, unlock her powers, and dive into the dream dimension to save her aunt by Halloween night, when the veil between the worlds is thinnest.

Escape into this metaphysical mystery of magick, where spells, music, and dreams converge in a vortex of secret societies and spiritual inheritance. Travel beyond time and space into a world of unexpected portals, ancient traditions, and dreamscapes.

Excerpt:

A sudden clap of thunder broke the silence. Jewelia’s eyes snapped open. Jarred out of her placid place of meditation, she reached for a pad of paper. She wrote and then stopped, holding her pen just away from the paper as if in a channeled trance, then continued on, only to stop again a few words later. Once her words had fully inked the page, she folded the letter and placed it in a small white envelope. She firmly pressed a stamp into the red wax simmering nearby, sealed the envelope, and wrote 

Hannah 

in large letters in the middle.

She rose quickly from her seat, the cat springing off her lap. She ran out to the foyer, then down the long dark hallway toward the back door, grabbing a cloak hanging on a nearby hook and departing from the shelter of her home. 

Skye Manor sat in the middle of an enormous, circular pumpkin patch. There was one straight path that led from the manor through the center of the patch, ending at the sea. This path was lined on both sides with immensely tall cypress trees. They stood like guards, perfectly lined up, creating a dark corridor to the water. Jewelia ran down this corridor toward the shore, cutting through the patch.

The storm swirled around her, thunder cracking and breaking across the sky. She headed for the dock, heart pounding in her chest. The wind whipped the trees, making them swirl as if they would be lifted right out of their roots, their branches thrashing to and fro. The rain beat on Jewelia’s head and shoulders as she approached the dock.

On the dock, she knelt down and reached for the ropes that held the rowboat, her long black hair wet and matted against her face. She untangled them one by one until the small craft was freed from its attachments. It bobbed up and down on the rough water, ready to float away of its own accord. Steadying herself on a wooden dock post wrapped in weathered rope, Jewelia stepped into the boat, first her right foot, then her left. She sat on the wet wooden seat and fished around for the oars below her.

She began to row, pushing and straining the muscles in her arms, heaving back and bracing her legs. She was rowing as hard and fast as she could. She made it away from the dock and headed south, along the shore, further and further from the manor and around the bend of the tiny island. The rain fell harder and harder, as if it were trying to prevent her from proceeding any further. But she paddled on, exerting herself as much as she could. 

As she rowed, she began to chant—softly at first, the words a whisper under her heavy breath. They formed a rhythm of their own as they dropped from her lips into the foggy air that had begun to envelope both her and the boat. She started to chant louder, the words becoming an incantation, carrying her emotions on the wind, swirling around her and rising out of her body.

Suddenly, a colossal thunderclap boomed above her, followed by a magnificent strike of lightning. White light, as bright as if she stood next to the moon itself, surrounded her, and then there was total silent darkness. 

Jewelia had vanished.

Amazon.com | MeganMary.com | Books2Read

About Megan Mary:

Metaphysical author Megan Mary, a dream analyst, intuitive, and mystic, intertwines her passion for personal transformation, magick, and cats with the ethereal realm of dreams.

In addition to a career spanning over twenty-five years creating, managing and marketing websites, she holds a BA and an MA in English Literature, certification in British Studies, and is a member of the International Association for the Study of Dreams.

After being diagnosed with three chronic illnesses, she experienced a spiritual awakening. She now empowers women all over the world to live more authentic, aligned, and abundant lives through dream empowerment and mystical guidance. Her podcast, Women’s Dream Enlightenment, has been voted as one of the Top 20 Spiritual Awakening Podcasts You Must Follow. When she’s not dreaming or weaving digital webs, she enjoys spending time with her husband and two magickal cats.

Website|Twitter/X|Instagram|Threads|Pinterest|YouTube|

TikTok|LinkTree|LinkedIn

 

Indie Speculative Fiction of the Month for October 2024

 

It’s that time of the month again, time for “Indie Speculative Fiction of the Month”.

So what is “Indie Speculative Fiction of the Month”? It’s a round-up of speculative fiction by indie and small press authors newly published this month, though some September books I missed the last time around snuck in as well. The books are arranged in alphabetical order by author. So far, most links only go to Amazon.com, though I may add other retailers for future editions.

Once again, we have new releases covering the whole broad spectrum of speculative fiction. This month, we have urban fantasy, epic fantasy, historical fantasy, fantasy mysteries, fantasy romance, paranormal mysteries, paranormal romance, space opera, military science fiction, near future science fiction, horror, space marines, lost starships, immortals, demons, guardian angels, ghosts, crime-busting witches and much more.

As always, I know the authors at least vaguely, but I haven’t read all of the books, so Caveat emptor.

And now on to the books without further ado:

Recon Marine by Jonathan P. Brazee:

Anxious to forge her own path away from her father's shadow, the newly minted Second Lieutenant Esther Lysander jumps into her first command, an infantry platoon. Driven to excel, she's not going to let anything get in her way as she climbs to the top.

Leading a pack of Marines, however, requires more than just courage and understanding the tactics of war.

She has to lead, not merely command.

As much as she wants to succeed in her own right, it isn't that easy. For good and bad, everyone knows who she is and the legacy she carries.

She can't escape the Lysander name.

Sentinel of Time by Lindsay Buroker:

Kaylina must dodge assassins and kidnappers while revelations about her past, and power she never knew she had, stun her to the core.

She has the support of Lord Vlerion, the ranger she’s developed feelings for, but he has problems of his own, and an insidious plot threatens to take him from her forever.

The Unknown by M.R. Forbes:

A starship lost. An enemy revealed. A galaxy on the precipice of extermination.

Soren hasn’t found his daughter, but the terrifying truth of her disappearance has come to light, and with it knowledge of a threat beyond imagination. With the Federation woefully unprepared and the Wraith and her crew grounded, nothing can slow the coming storm.

Like his father, Alex refuses to give up, and he’s not about to let anything stand in his way. He’ll do whatever it takes to see Soren and the Wraith back in the fight.

Otherwise, there won’t be anything left to fight for.

All Heck Broken Loose by Rachel Ford

Halloween is finally here, which means it’s finally time for Marshmeadow’s festival to celebrate the opening of the all-new downtown. It also means it’s the time when the veil between the worlds of the living and dead is thinnest and most vulnerable.

Tennessee Evans couldn’t be more excited. Her big plans for the town have finally come to fruition, and Marshmeadow is buzzing. Little did she expect a group of rogue souls to take advantage of the same weekend to break out of the afterlife.

With the town flooded with malicious spirits intent on some serious haunting, it looks like her triumph might become a disaster.

Fortunately, her guardian angel is on the job, dispatching friendly ghosts to help round up the escapees.

Unfortunately, there’s something far more malicious than rogue souls prowling Marshmeadow. There’s also a killer haunting the busy streets…

The Hawthorne University Witch Series Collection by A.L. Hawke:

The Hawthorne University Witch Series, Books 4-6, is now available in this three-book collection. This trilogy is a standalone series that can be enjoyed without having read the previous books.

Witch Mirror, Book 4:Reflections of a wicked witch. Cadence Hawthorne's love life is threatened by a demon-witch, but she has her teacher’s magic to protect her. Actually, not only does she have her magic, she has Alondra’s spirit inside her, possessing her.

Ravens, Book 5: When evil lands on my doorstep. Cadence’s friends believe she is fighting a curse. But Cadence feels like she has to do whatever it takes to save the town, even if it means teaming up with her archenemy witch, Enora. Evil empowers Cadence, but her dark spellcasting threatens to drive a stake right through her heart and the heart of Hawthorne University.

Shadow Cast, Book 6: You can't cast shadows in darkness.Enora claims Cadence is haunting her coven’s dreams. A séance is performed. But during the séance, Cadence doesn’t just see ghosts or spirits, she sees evil. Her new revelation might be enough to protect Bryce and her unborn baby—or save her greatest adversary.

Content warning: The Hawthorne University Witch Series is a new adult college paranormal romance containing profanity, sexual scenes, adult situations, and, of course, witchcraft.

Hexy Hijinks by Amanda M. Lee

Luna Thorn was happy being a witch. Being a traveler is another thing entirely. Just when she thinks she’s ready to wrap her head around her new reality, though, things fall apart.
Again.

Absolute chaos descends on Detroit when a federal investigator focuses his attention on Luna…and he seems determined to take her down.

Paranormal problems are one thing. Being considered a suspect in the death of a man masquerading as a police officer is another. Wherever Luna goes, the Feds follow…and it’s seriously cramping her style.

The last thing she needs is another problem. So, of course, the past she can’t remember comes back to haunt her at the exact wrong time.
With her powers going haywire—the past overlapping with the present at regular intervals—Luna is in big trouble. It’s the sort of trouble a jail cell won’t help.

Between mob bosses, gorgons, federal agents, and a past that just won’t quit, Luna is in over her head.

Then the mage and god come to town and make things worse.

Strap in for excitement, because Luna’s world is about to explode. Will she survive to rebuild it yet again?

The Starlight Contingency by Kyoko M.

Orphaned siblings Scarlett and Duke Nam have had it rough. Cast aside by society, they've managed to stay afloat as thieves on the streets of Alexandria, Virginia. Things plunge straight to hell when a heist goes wrong and they're on the run from the cops, but after they stumble into a nearby home to escape, something seemingly impossible happens - the house transforms into a spacecraft and leaves the Earth's orbit.

Scarlett and Duke awaken to find that they are now prisoners aboard the Titan International Spaceship. The Earth has been destroyed by the Bergleute des Todes, AKA The Miners of Death. Scarlett and Duke are given the chance to become soldiers to fight the alens who destroyed the world.

The only thing left for them is the hardest thing of all: Survival.

The Starlight Contingency is the new space opera from USA Today best selling author Kyoko M. (She Who Fights Monsters, Of Cinder and Bone).

The Dream Haunters by Megan Mary

Hannah Skye, a young woman in search of meaning, receives a cryptic letter from her missing and eccentric Aunt Jewelia. Her experience of a recurring powerful pumpkin patch dream unfolds into a spiritual journey to a mysterious island of eternal autumn, Maple Hollow, where she discovers the mystical Skye Manor and her magickal family legacy.

Haunted by shapeshifters bent on trapping people in their nightmares, Hannah, with the help of wise villagers and feline companions (including a talking cat dream guide), must solve the riddle, unlock her powers, and dive into the dream dimension to save her aunt by Halloween night, when the veil between the worlds is thinnest.

Escape into this metaphysical mystery of magick, where spells, music, and dreams converge in a vortex of secret societies and spiritual inheritance. Travel beyond time and space into a world of unexpected portals, ancient traditions, and dreamscapes.

Lifers by Keith G. McWalter

Electric with compelling action and trenchant social commentary and perfect for fans of Nikki Erlick’s The Measure, this genre-straddling work of speculative fiction examines ageism from a new and challenging perspective.

In the year 2050, the man known as Zinn is on the run from the consequences of his greatest creation: an artificial genome that wildly increases the human lifespan. His “Methuselah gene” has gone viral, and he’s being hunted by Adele, a semi-retired CIA biowarfare specialist who hopes to find a way to reverse the genome’s effects before it’s too late.

As the longevity plague spreads, populations explode, economies are upended, and intergenerational resentments boil over. Adele searches for a cure while her former lover, Dan Altman, and his wife, Marion, wealthy political operatives both, become leaders of a movement of hundred-plus-year-old “lifers” and fight to create a sanctuary for the ultra-aged in the wilds of Colorado. Meanwhile, the Altmans’ son, Nolan, thinks he has the answer to the longevity crisis: a suicide pill that kills after one year, a death wish algorithm that will influence the super-aged to take it, and his beautiful daughter, Claire, who is a spokesperson for the growing anti-lifer backlash and the head of the federal government’s new Department for Longevity Management.

Combining a hugely topical premise with a vein of social-political satire, Lifers evokes a world where society’s ingrained ageism turns lethal and the fear of death is replaced by the challenge of living on . . . and on.

Point of Knives by Melissa Scott

Nicolas Rathe and Philip Eslingen are back, drawn together from opposite sides of the law to investigate a series of murders whose impact stretches deep into Astreiant’s underworld. Eslingen is now a professional knife working for a prominent crimelord while Rathe is an Adjunct Point, sworn to uphold the city’s laws. By rights, they should be wary foes, but instead they find themselves sharing an investigation as well as a bed as their search takes them into the heart of Point of Knives and at its center, the Court of Thirty-two Knives, the hub of Astreiant’s underworld. A single misstep could mean disaster, a single doubt could be the end of all their hopes.

The Demon by Victory Witherkeigh:

The Demon is now in full possession of the Girl's body, and she is starting her journey in Berkeley, California. She should be thrilled and ecstatic?the plan worked!

Except she doesn't remember the plan. The Demon has memories of the Girl's life and vague impressions of a deal made with the Filipino warrior LapuLapu. She reconnects with her former master, Death, and discovers that her bargain went against his will.

Death's punishment is beyond her comprehension - enduring the cruelties of mortality and leaving her imprisoned in the former Girl's university life. Life experiences, toxic friendships, emotional and physical attachments, and finally, heartbreak prove sadistic even for a Demon.

Can a demon have an identity crisis? What happens when the Demon shows more independence of thought and understanding of the cycle of dependency?

Death isn't the only one waiting to find out...

Speculative Fiction Links of the Week for May 18, 2018

It's time for the weekly round-up of interesting links about speculative fiction from around the web, this week with Avengers: Infinity War (spoilers mostly marked, but reader beware), The Handmaid's Tale, Deadpool 2, Solo: A Star Wars Story, various TV show cancellations, tributes to Margot Kidder, an uproar involving Origins Game Fair as well as the usual mix of awards news, writing advice, interviews, reviews, con reports, crowdfunding campaigns, science articles, free online fiction and much more. 

Speculative fiction in general:

• James Davis Nicoll shares yet more forgotten and about to be forgotten women SFF authors of the 1970s.
  
• Starship Library shares a list of science fiction novellas with lesbian protagonists.
• Gordon Van Gelder talks about the popularity of repopulation stories in 1950s and 1970s science fiction and their eventual decline.
• Joe Sherry revisits the 1992 science fiction novel Ammonite by Nicola Griffith. 
• Rob Bedford revisits Julie E. Czerneda's 1998 science fiction novel Beholder's Eye.
• Leah Schnelbach revisits Deus Irae, a 1976 post-apocalyptic novel by Philip K. Dick and Roger Zelazny. 
• Sandy Ferber revisits the 1934 planetary romance The Outlaws of Mars by Otis Adalbert Kline. 
• A.C. Wise, Bogi Takács, Brandon O'Brien, Vanessa Fogg and Bridget McKinney discuss their short fiction reading habits.
• Emma Newman shares five science fiction books that find an interesting use for asteroids that does not involve destroying the world. 
• Sam Reader shares six terrifying digital plagues from science fiction.
• Camestros Felapton discusses the mind transfer trope in science fiction, as exemplified by Jordan Peele's horror film Get Out! and Mur Lafferty's nove Six Wakes.  
• Melanie R. Meadors discusses the appeal of dark fantasy.
• Emily Asher-Perrin discusses the use of pop culture to tackle the unknown in The Avengers, Guardians of the Galaxy and Farscape. 
• Phil Nichols shares his thoughts on the new TV adaptation of Ray Bradbury's classic dystopian novel Fahrenheit 451.
• Stuart Heritage wonders why the TV seris Lost is undergoing a reappreciation eight years after it finished.  
• Paul Levinson shares his thoughts on the latest episode of The Crossing.
• Paul Levinson shares his thoughts on the season finale of Timeless.
• Sarah Gailey revisits the 1992 science fiction comedy Death Becomes Her.
• Anne Billson explains how the fantasy film Revenge redefines the rape revenge drama subgenre.
• Ben Allen reports how much upcoming Thirteenth Doctor Jodie Whittaker enjoys filming Doctor Who.  
• Jonathan Alexandratos talks about the toys briefly glimpsed in the Star Wars movies.
• Strawberry Gatts talks about the use of holograms in the 1976 science fiction film Logan's Run.
• Zack Sharf reports that the original Iron Man suit used in the first Iron Man film has been stolen.

Comments on Avengers: Infinity War:

• Steve Vernon explains why Avengers: Infinity War rocked his world.
• Harrison Blackmann complains about the manipulative storytelling of Avengers: Infinity War. 
• Brandon O'Brien addresses Marvel's Gamora problem.
• Nicholas Grossman ranks all the deaths in Avengers: Infinity War (spoilers, obviously) 
• Steven M. Moore shares his musing on the Mavrel Cinematic Universe and Avengers: Infinity War. 
• Charles Pulliam Moore attempts to answer the question whether Thanos is hot.
• Ian Cardona claims to have found a Fantastic Four Easter egg in Avengers: Infinity War.
  

Comments on season 2 of The Handmaid's Tale:

• Arielle Bernstein discusses the problematic feminism of The Handmaid'd Tale. 
• Sophie Gilbert wonders whether the relentless depiction of the suffering of women in season 2 of The Handmaid's Tale becomes exploitative. 
• Lisa Miller also feels that the relentless torture and violence in The Handmaid's Tale is becoming exploitative. 
• Laura Hudson, Tasha Robinson, Devon Maloney, Adi Robertson and Megan Farokhmanesh wonder whether The Handmaid's Tale is still worth the agony of watching it.
• Hannah Rose Yee discusses a sex scene between June and Nick in The Handmaid's Tale.  
• Natalie Zutter shares her thoughts on the latest episode of The Handmaid's Tale.
• Allison Shoemaker shares her thoughts on the latest episode of The Handmaid's Tale.
• Cheryl Eddy shares her thoughts on the latest episode of The Handmaid's Tale.
• Danette Chavez, Laura Adamczyk and Caitlyn Penzey Moog have a roundtable discussion about the latest episode of The Handmaid's Tale.
• Jane Mulkerrins visits the set of The Handmaid's Tale and interviews several members of crew and cast.
• Laura Bradley profiles actress Sydney Sweeney who plays Eden in The Handmaid's Tale.
• Emma Gray interviews Bruce Miller, showrunner of The Handmaid's Tale.
• Meanwhile, Nancy Jane Moore revisits Margaret Atwood's original novel and finds the racial implications problematic.
  

Comments on Solo: A Star Wars Story: 

• Peter Bradshaw calls Solo: A Star Wars Story a boisterous bromance and rollicking adventure.
• Michael Rechtshaffen calls Solo: A Star Wars Story an engaging throwback origin story. 
• Robbie Collin calls Solo: A Star Wars Story a thrilling adventure that enriches the Star Wars universe.
• Jesse Hassenger declares that Solo: A Star Wars Story is entertaining, though not really necessary.  
• Glen Weldon declares that Solo: A Star Wars Story is not necessary to understanding anything that happens in the other Star Wars movies, but that it is enjoyable in its own right.
• Meg Downey declares that Solo: A Star Wars Story shoots first, but totally misses the target.
• Bill Bradley reports that according to screenwriter Jonathan Kasdan, Lando Calrissian is pansexual in Solo: A Star Wars Story and beyond.
  

Comments on Deadpool 2:

• John DeFore calls Deadpool 2, just as funny as its predecessor, if less surprising. 
• Brian Truitt declares that Deadpool 2 raises the bar, compared to the original.
• Peter Travers calls Deadpool 2 a superior sequel. 
• Hugh Armitage declares that Deadpool 2 has struck gold again. 
• Ignatiy Vishnevetsky calls Deadpool 2 smarter, sillier and uneven.
• John Nugent calls Deadpool 2 refreshing and as entertaining as ever.
• Jen Yamato overall enjoyed Deadpool 2, but feels that it's more of the same. 
• Alonso Duralde feels that Deadpool 2 is not as funny and entertaining the second time around.
• Meg Downey declares that Deadpool 2 feels like just another superhero movie. 
• Andrew Barker declares that Deadpool 2 throws everything at the wall and is not overly concerned about what sticks. 
• Fionnuala Halligan enjoyed the humor of Deadpool 2, but found the plot somewhat overstuffed and underdeveloped.
• Glen Weldon is somewhat annoyed by the many references to other movies in Deadpool 2. 
• A.O. Scott enjoyed the many references to other movies in Deadpool 2, but felt that the film maybe tried a little too hard.
• Steve Rose enjoyed Deadpool 2, but is bothered by some of the ethnic stereotypes deployed.
• Helen O'Hara calls Deadpool 2 a sequel strictly for fans. 
• Shawn Cooke declares that Deadpool 2 can fuck right off and generally expresses his dislike for superhero movies.
• Kevin Melrose answers the question if Deadpool 2 has a postcredit scene. 
• Amanda Dillon reports that Rob Liefeld, creator of Deadpool, Cable, Domino and Shatterstar, cried at the end of Deadpool 2.
• James Whitbrook takes a look at the comic origins of the various X-Force members in Deadpool 2.
• James Whitbrook shares five great Deadpool stories from the comics that are about more than humor. 
• Ross Johnson shares eight essential Deadpool comics.
• Watch a tongue in cheek look at ten years of the Deadpool movie universe.  
• Watch a video of Ryan Reynolds, star of Deadpool 2, sing "Tomorrow" from the musical Annie on South Korean TV, while dressed as a unicorn, and watch a video of the reactions upon Reymolds unmasking.
  

Tributes to Margot Kidder:

• Actress Morgot Kidder, who played Lois Lane in the Christopher Reeve Superman films of the 1970s and 1980s, has died aged 69.
• Evan Narcisse remembers Margot Kidder.
• Kevin Melrose remembers Margot Kidder.
• Lisa Respers France remembers Margot Kidder.

Comments on various TV show cancellations:

• Nellie Andreeva reports that The Expanse has been cancelled by Syfy after season 3, but that the production company is seeking a new home for the show. 
• Beth Elderkin reports that Lucifer and The Exorcist as well as the non-SFF shows The Mick and Brooklyn Nine-Nine have also been cancelled.
• The cast and crew of Lucifer are disappointed and angry that the show has been cancelled, especially since the last season ends on a big cliffhanger.
• Ian Cardona reports that Neil Gaiman, co-creator of the character, has urged Fox to renew Lucifer. 
• Dino Ray Ramos interviews Joe Henderson and Ildy Modrovich, showrunners of Lucifer, about their plans for the new cancelled fourth season.
• To nobody's great surprise, Marvel's Inhumans has been cancelled as well.  
• James Whitbrook reports that Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. has been renewed for a sixth season.
• Nicole Sabon reports that the fate of Gotham hinges on whether the TV show Lethal Weapon can find a new lead actor quickly, after star Clayne Crawford was fired for bad behavious on set.   
• Matt Webb Mitovich reports that Gotham has been renewed for its fifth and final season and that Lethal Weapon has found a new star as well.
• Liz Shannon Miller reports that the fans of Brooklyn Nine-Nine, including many celebrities, are mourning the cancellation of the show.   
• Nicole Sobon reports that Brooklyn Nine-Nine has been saved and was picked up by NBC.
• Josef Adalian explains why the decision to rescue Brooklyn Nine-Nine makes business sense. 
• Sam Stone reports that The X-Files will definitely not be returning for a 12th season. 
• Gillian Anderson, who plays Agent Dana Scully in The X-Files, shares her thoughts on the lack of renewal.
• Kirsten Thompson reports that the proposed Supernatural spin-off Wayward Sisters will not happen.   
• Denise Petski reports that the mermaid show Siren has been renewed for a second season.
• Angel Wilson cannot help but notice that the TV cancellations overwhelmingly hit shows with diverse casts and characters as well as many popular genre shows. 
• Erik Pedersen offers an overview of all the TV shows that have been cancelled so far.

Awards:

• The nominees for the 2018 eFestival of Words Best of the Independent eBook Awards have been announced and one of Cora's stories is a finalist.  
• The winners of the 2018 Neukom Institute Literary Arts Awards in Speculative Fiction have been announced. 
• The shortlist for the 2018 Deutscher Phantastik Preis has been announced.
• The nominees for the 2018 Premio Ignotus have been announced.
• The 2018 finalists for the Premios Kelvin 505 have been announced.
• The shortlist for the 2018 Tähtifantasia Awards has been announced.
  

Writing, publishing and promotion:

• Wendy van Camp talks about her novel reference journal.
• Marie Brennan talks about weapons and worldbuilding. 
• Tyler Whitesides recalls how meeting his idol Terry Brooks inspired him as a young fan.
• Nathan Bransford shares some tips for pitching and blurb writing.
• M.L. Humphrey shares a quick and dirty guide to AMS ads for authors.
  

Interviews:

• Pallavi Varma interviews Hugo finalist Mimi Mondal.
• Joel Cunningham interviews Elizabeth Bear. 
• Megan Leigh interviews Martha Wells.
• Howard Andrew Jones interviews Ilana C. Myer. 
• Jonathan Thornton interviews Ruthanna Emrys.
• Jonathan Thornton interviews Nina Allan.
• The Qwillery interviews Tyler Whitesides.
• Dennis Chekalov interviews Steven M. Moore. 

Reviews:

• Paul Weimer reviews Artificial Condition by Martha Wells. 
• Tadiana Jones reviews All Systems Red by Martha Wells.
• Jana Nyman reviews By Fire Above by Robyn Bennis.
  
• Ceridwen Christensen reviews Six Wakes by Mur Lafferty. 
• Ceridwen Christensen reviews Jade City by Fonda Lee.
• Ceridwen Christensen reviews Armistice by Lara Elena Donnelly.
• Liz Bourke reviews Armistice by Lara Elena Donnelly. 
• Katie Burton reviews Barry's Deal by Lawrence M. Schoen. 
• Tobias Carroll reviews The Pisces by Melissa Broder. 
• Jo Niederhoff reviews Jagannath by Karin Tidbeck. 
• Jana Nyman reviews The Queen of Sorrows by Sarah Beth Durst. 
• J.C. Kang reviews Nightblade by Ryan Kirk.
• Jamie Garwood reviews Rose Gold by Dave Barker. 
• The Quiet Knitter also reviews Rose Gold by Dave Barker. 
• Susan Forest reviews Typhoon Time by Ron S. Friedman.
• Terrie Farley Moran reviews Charmed Bones by Carolyn Haines.
• Geoff Matthews reviews Sufficiently Advanced Magic by Andrew Rowe.
• Michael Patrick Hicks reviews Terror Is Our Business: Dana Roberts' Casebook of Horrors by Joe R. and Kasey Lansdale.
• Michael Patrick Hicks reviews Aetherchrist by Kirk Jones.
  

Crowdfunding:

• We Shall Be Monsters, an anthology of stories from marginalized authors edited by Derek Newman-Stille and intended to celebrate the 200th anniversary of Mary Shelley's Frankenstein, is looking for funding. 
• Crossing, a paranormal comic by Enrica Jang and Alex Cormack is looking for funding to publish two new issues.
• The Future of Books is Female: The Second Shelf Quarterly, a rare book catalogue cum literary magazine issued by The Second Shelf bookshop, which focusses on forgotten works by women authors, is looking for funding.
• Andy Blinston is looking for funding to cover the editing costs for his new fantasy novel Oblivion.
• Mary on the Green, a campaign to put up a statue of Mary Wollstonecraft, author of A Vindication of the Rights of Women and mother of Mary Shelley, is looking for funding.
  

Con reports:

• Jamie Sugah shares a beginner's guide to New York Comic Con in New York City.
• Trae Dorn reports that Dark Carnival Games Con in Denver, Colorado, has been cancelled by the hotel mid event due to safety concerns.
• Mike Glyer reports that Origins Game Fair in Columbus, Ohio, first invited controversial author Larry Correia as Guest of Honour and then disinvited him following protests on social media.
• Camestros Felapton shares some reactions to the disinvitation of Larry Correia. 
• Camestros Felapton also uses the case of Larry Correia as an example to talk about personal brands, private and public personas and how they can become toxic. 
• Ken Stone reports that comic vendor Bud Plant will no longer attend San Diego Comic-Con in San Diego, California, for the first time in 48 years.
• Alisa Krassnostein shares the results of her survey of Australian science fiction conventions, their codes of conduct and their enforcement.
  

Science and technology:

• Mary Halton reports that carbon and other minerals have been discovered on a transplutonian asteroid in the Kuiper Belt. 
• The BBC reports that NASA is planning the send a helicopter to Mars to engage in a flight test.
• Smart Bitches, Trashy Books profile astronaut Stephanie Wilson in their "Kickass Women in History" series.
• Sandi Doughton reports that ravens are messing up an experiment carried out at the LIGO observatory in Hanford, Washington.
  

Free online fiction:

• "Umbernight" by Carolyn Ives Gilman in Clarkesworld. 
• "In Blue Lily's Wake" by Aliette de Bodard in Uncanny Magazine.
• "Be a Thunder, Release a Roar" by Osahon Ize-Iyamu in Robot Dinosaur Fiction.
• "Discard the Sun, for It Has Failed Us" by Marina J. Lostetter in Uncanny Magazine. 
• "Lava Cake for the Apocalypse" by Wendy Nikel in nature.
• "Sactuary" by Wendy van Camp in Medium. 
• "Our Side of the Door" by Kodiak Julian in Lightspeed.
• "Grace's Family" by James Patrick Kelly at Tor.com.
• "Red" by Naomi Muse.
• "Regarding Your Application Status" by John Scalzi at Whatever.
  

Odds and ends: 

• Watch a trailer for Occupation. 
• Watch a trailer for Mission Impossible - Fallout.
• Watch a trailer for Tremors - The Series.
• Watch a trailer for Sense8: The Series Finale.
• Watch a trailer for season 3 of Humans. 
• Watch a trailer for the new version of Charmed. 
• Watch a sizzle reel for the fall TV season on The CW, including lots of clips from SFF shows. 
• Watch a video of a clockwork dragon catching fire during the daily parade at Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida.
  

Speculative Fiction Links of the Week for May 15, 2020

It's time for the latest weekly round-up of interesting links about speculative fiction from around the web, this week with the various iterations of Star Trek, the various iterations of Star Wars, season 5 of Outlander, Stargirl, the final season of She-Ra and the Princesses of Power, the various film versions of Dune, Spaceship Earth, the latest convention cancellations due to the corona virus and much more. 

Speculative fiction in general:

• James Davis Nicoll demolishes the view that classic science fiction had absolutely no political agenda whatsoever. 
• Kathryn H. Ross takes a look at how science fiction tackles race.
• James Davis Nicoll shares five truly inhospitable fictional planets. 
• S.L. Huang wonders about the distinctions between thriller and science fiction. 
• Martin Wolk asks several authors to share their favourite post-apocalyptic novels. 
• Esther Jones declares that science fiction builds mental resiliency in young readers.
• Candace Levy shares five new audiobook fantasy series to enjoy.
• Carly Silver shares five fantasy books for fans of the documentary series Tiger King. 
• Richard Marpole talks about forests in myth, fantasy and media.
• Natalie Zutter shares ten longrunning SFF and horror fiction podcasts. 
• Dr. Sam Hirst revisits women authors of gothic novels in the 18th century. 
• Hillel Italie shares her appreciation for the works of Octavia E. Butler.
• Brendan Byrne makes the case for Stanislaw Lem as one of the great unsung giants of science fiction. 
• John Hertz remembers Roger Zelazny.
• Phil Nichols marvels about how prolific Ray Bradbury was. 
• Anna Felicity Friedman talks about the depiction of tattoos in Ray Bradbury's work.
• Brittany Callen compares the characters Gawyn Trakand from The Wheel of Time and Éowyn from Lord of the Rings and their very different fates.
• Alexis Ong shares her appreciation for Legends of the Condor Heroes by Jin Yong and traces its impact in popular culture.
• Marina Warner talks about the fascination with the Arabian Nights stories in the West.
• Megan Margulies, granddaughter of Captain America co-creator Joe Simon, explains how her grandfather and Captain America helped her through difficult times.
• Mike Glyer reports that the fanfiction site Archive of Our Own is experiencing a boom due to the corona virus.
• Sian Cain reports that the 1982 thriller The Virus by Stanley Johnson, father of UK prime minister Boris Johnson, will be republished.
• William Hughes reports that Neil Gaiman's Goodreads account was apparently hacked to deliver a jibe at Amanda Palmer.
• French science fiction author G.J. Arnaud has died aged 91.
  

Film and TV:

• Danette Chavez declares that Snowpiercer charts new dystopian territory, but is a bit bumpy.
• Abigail Nussbaum shares her thoughts on season 3 of Westworld. 
• Danette Chavez shares her thoughts on the latest episode of Penny Dreadful: City of Angels. 
• Katie Rife shares her thoughts on the latest episode of What We Do in the Shadows.
• Leslie Felperin calls Proximity a campy science fiction film. 
• Paul Levinson shares his thoughts on the French time travel series Twice Upon a Time.
• Josh Pearce and Arley Sorg share their thoughts on Upload and Motherland: Fort Salem.
• Katie Rife calls Z a horror movie that will make you jump in your seat. 
• Cath Clarke calls Captain Sabertooth and the Magic Diamond a serviceable pirate film for young children.
• Leticia Urieta shares her thoughts on the Mexican SFF series Los Espookys.
• Peter Bradshaw shares his thoughts on the documentary The Atom: A Love Affair. 
• Stuart Heritage tries rewatching several classic animated Disney movies and finds them lacking.  
• Time Out shares the 100 best horror films. 
• Stuart Heritage and Toby Moses debate whether you should (re)watch Game of Thrones, while self-isolating.
• Graeme Virtue revisits the 1932 thriller The Most Dangerous Game.   
• Benjamin Lee revisits the 1980 slasher film Friday the 13th for its 40th anniversary.  
• Laurence Topham revisits the 1989 adventure film Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, his favourite film aged 12.  
• Ignatiy Vishnevetsky revisits the 1995 film Mortal Combat.
• Noah Berlatsky revisits the 2004 zombie comedy Shaun of the Dead. 
• Alex McLevy revisits the 2007 Neil Gaiman adaptation Stardust.
• Jesse Hassenger revisits the 2012 take on Dark Shadows and finds it better than its reputation. 
• Kyle Buchanan interviews the cast and crew of Mad Max: Fury Road. 
• Zach Baron interviews Robert Pattinson, star of Twilight, The Lighthouse and Batman to be.
• Matt Patches profiles Josh Trank, director of Capone and the 2015 Fantastic Four movie. 
• Craig Elvy remembers the wood-panelled secondary control room of the TARDIS, which appeared during the Tom Baker era of Doctor Who. 
• Connie Willis traces the history of the ruby slippers from The Wizard of Oz.
• Kath Leroy shares some Easter eggs viewers probably never noticed in the first episode of Supergirl.
• Cheryl Eddy lists ten film and TV aliens that she wouldn't mind being abducted by.
• Leah Schnelbach shares her favourite in-universe superfans from various SFF movies and series.
• Andreas Wiseman reports that CJ, producer of Parasite, and Ari Aster and Lars Knudsen, directors/writers of Midsommar and Hereditary, will remake the South Koren cult science fiction film Save the Green Planet!
• Andrew Liptak reports that the much delayed New Mutants film finally has a release date.
• David Robb reports that the producers of Deadpool 2 have been fined more than 200000 US-dollar for an on-set motorcycle accident that killed the stuntwoman Joi Harris.
  

Comments on the various iterations of Star Wars: 

• Andrew Liptak reports that Temuera Morrison, who played Jango Fett in the Star Wars prequel, has been cast as Boba Fett in The Mandalorian.
• Emmet Asher-Perrin has five questions about Boba Fett's upcoming appearance in The Mandalorian.
• Peter Sciretta reports that Katee Sackhoff will appear in season 2 of The Mandalorian, most likely as Mandalorian warrior Bo-Katan Kryze, a character she voiced in Star Wars: The Clone Wars and Rebels. 
• Emmet Asher-Perrin wonders whether Jedi sleep naked.
• See some images of megayachts featuring Star Wars characters and vehicles.
  

Comments on the various iterations of Star Trek:  

• Duncan Barrett wonders whether recent versions Star Trek revealing longterm characters Sulu and Seven of Nine as LGBTQ is just a gimmick and why their sexual orientation is still revealed in "blink and you'll miss it" moments. 
• Daniel Montgomery interviews Sir Patrick Stewart, who plays Captain Jean-Luc Picard in Star Trek: The Next Generation and Star Trek: Picard.
• Keith R.A. DeCandido revisits the Star Trek Voyager episodes "Meld" and "Dreadnought".
• Alvaro Zinos-Amaro revisits the 2008 Star Trek Deep Space Nine tie-in novel Fearful Symmetry by Olivia Woods.
  

Comments on season 5 of Outlander (spoilers):

• Paulette Cohn shares everything you need to know about Outlander before the season 5 finale.
• Allison Keene calls the season 5 finale of Outlander both great and frustrating.
• Natalie Zutter shares her thoughts on the season 5 finale of Outlander. 
• Paul Levinson shares his thoughts on the season 5 finale of Outlander.
• Kayla Kumari Upadhyaya shares her thoughts on the season 5 finale of Outlander.
• Julie Kosin offers a breakdown of  dream sequence in the season 5 finale of Outlander.
• Jennifer Vineyard interviews Catriona Balfe, who plays Claire Randall Fraser in Outlander, as well as screenwriter Matthew B. Roberts and Diana Gabaldon, on whose novels the series was based.
• Paulette Cohn also interviews Diana Gabaldon, author of the Outlander novels, about the season 5 finale.
  

Comments on Stargirl: 

• Gwen Ihnat declares that Stargirl goes to some dark places in spite of its sunny heroine. 
• Nicole Drum takes a look at some character designs from the upcoming Stargirl series. 

Comments on She-Ra and the Princesses of Power:

• Shannon Miller declares that the final season of She-Ra and the Princesses of Power has more heart than ever. 
• Emmet Asher-Perrin shares everything you need to remember about She-Ra and the Princesses of Power before its final season.

Comments on the various film versions of Dune:

• Beth Elderkin offers a guide to Dune's large cast of character and who will play them in Denis Villeneuve's upcoming adaptation.
• Beth Elderkin shares seven things she liked  and eight things she didn't like about David Lynch's take on Dune.
  

Comments on Spaceship Earth: 

• A.A. Dowd shares his thoughts on the documentary Spaceship Earth.
• Adrian Horton shares his thoughts on the documentary Spaceship Earth.

Awards:

• The finalists for the 2020 Aurora Awards have been announced.
• The finalists for the 2020 Seiun Awards have been announced. 
• The finalists for the 11th Xingyun Awards have been announced. 
• The finalists for the 2020 Tähtifantasia Award have been announced.
• The shortlist for the 2020 Gollancz and Rivers of London BAME SFF Award has been announced.
• The finalists for the 2020 Best Translated Book Award have been announced. 
• The winner of the 2020 Deborah Rogers Foundation Writers Award has been announced. 
• The finalists for the 2019 Leo Literary Awards have been announced.
• Jeff Somers offers an overview over the novel and novella finalists for the 2020 Hugo Awards.
  

Writing, publishing and promotion:

• Charlie Jane Anders shares some advice for writing through difficult times.
• Art Taylor talks about writing what you know. 
• Damien Walter explains why all stories are fractal. 
• Chris Rhatigan shares an approach to writing short stories. 
• Joanna Hershon explains what an improv theatre class taught her about writing. 
• Diana Urban discusses how authors are approaching book promotion during the corona virus crisis. 
• Evelyn Maguire shares fifteen ways authors are using Instagram to promote their books while self-isolating.
• Diana Urban shares how authors are supporting other authors and their book launches during the corona virus pandemic. 
• Diana Urban shares eight ideas for virtual book launch events.
• Carlyn Robertson explains how reader behaviour is changing during the corona virus pandemic.
• Rachel Cook discusses how the corona virus impacts the publishing industry in the UK. 
• Diana Urban discusses how publishers are handling book marketing during the corona virus crisis.
• Shelf Awareness reports that the Comicbook United Fund has raised 950 000 US-dollar to help the comic book stores shuttered due to the corona virus.
• The SFWA announces that members voted overwhelmingly that writing comics or graphic novel should qualify writers for membership.
  

Interviews:

• Andrew Whalen interviews Martha Wells. 
• Locus interviews Elizabeth Bear.
• Daryl Gregory and Veronica Roth interview each other. 
• Redditors interviews Arkady Martine.
• Redditors interviews Ruthanna Emrys. 
• Andrea Johnson itnerviews Corey J. White. 
• The Qwillery interviews Alina Boyden.
• Paul Weimer interviews Jay Sherer.
• Adrian Horton interviews Lawrence Wright. 
• Shelf Awareness interviews Tom Gauld.
  

Reviews: 

• Steve Mullis reviews Network Effect by Martha Wells. 
• Kat Hooper reviews Strange Love by Ann Aguirre.
• Mihir Wanchoo reviews Nightshift Dragons by Rachel Aaron.
• Tadiana Jones reviews Minor Mage by T. Kingfisher. 
• Adam Roberts reviews The City We Became by N.K. Jemisin.
• Liz Bourke reviews Goldilocks by Laura Lam.
  
• Blue Book Balloon reviews Goldilocks by Laura Lam. 
• Books, Bones and Buffy reviews Goldilocks by Laura Lam.
• Carolyn Cushman reviews The Last Smile in Sunder City by Luke Arnold and Potions Are For Pushovers by Tamara Berry. 
• Amy Goldschlager reviews Meat Cute by Gail Carriger.
• James Davis Nicoll reviews Race to the Sun by Rebecca Roanhorse.
• Philip Womack reviews Burn by Patrick Ness.
• James Davis Nicoll reviews Burning Roses by S.L. Huang.
• Mary Retta reviews Chosen Ones by Veronica Roth.
• Genine Tyson reviews Forged in Fire and Stars by Genine Robertson. 
• Kat Hooper reviews Sixteen Ways to Defend a Walled City by K.J. Parker.
• Rich Horton reviews City of a Thousand Feelings by Anya Johanna DeNiro and The Menace from Farside by Ian McDonald.
• Samantha Shannon reviews Under the Pendulum Sun by Jeannette Ng.
• Em Nordling reviews The Fascinators by Andrew Eliopulos.
• Anthony Cummins reviews The Mermaid of Black Conch by Monique Roffey.
• Mary Retta reviews The Down Days by Ilze Hugo. 
• Bill Cpaossere reviews Nevertell by Katharine Orton. 
• Raven Crime Reads reviews King of Crows by Russell Day.
• Janet Webb reviews Edgar Allan Poe and the Empire of the Dead by Karen Lee Street. 
• Jason MacGregor reviews Mission to Methone by Les Johnson.
• Sourdough Jackson reviews The Pursuit of Pankera by Robert A. Heinlein. 
• Skye Walker reviews Cog by Greg Van Eekhout. 
• Kat Hooper reviews Providence by Max Barry.
• Jason Sheehan reviews Little Eyes by Samanta Schweblin, translated by Megan McDowell. 
• Runalong the Shelves reviews Green Fingers by Dan Coxon.
• Adrienne Martini reviews Interference by Sue Burke. 
• Spacefaring Kitten reviews Summerland by Hannu Rajaniemi.
• Mary Retta reviews My Mother's House by Francesca Momplaisir 
• Runalong the Shelves reviews Threading the Labyrinth by Tiffani Angus.
• Mark Brandenburg reviews The Magpie Coffin by Wile E. Young.
• Andrew Fowlow reviews Imaginary Friend by Stephen Chbosky. 
• Adri Joy reviews The Book of Koli by M.R. Carey.
• Amy Goldschlager reviews The Regrets by Amy Bonaffons.
• Sonja van der Westhuizen reviews The Waiting Rooms by Eve Smith. 
• Kat Hooper reviews Bloom by Kenneth Oppel.
• Michael Patrick Hicks reviews Arterial Bloom, edited by Mercedes M. Yardley.
• Paula Guran reviews Out of Water by Sarah Read and Shadows & Tall Trees Vol. 8, editd by Michael Kelly.

Classics reviews:

• Sandy Ferber revisits the 1920 dytopian novel The People of the Ruins by Edward Shanks.
• John Miller revisits the July 1933 issue of Weird Tales.
• James Wallace Harris revisits the 1938 science fiction story "Helen O'Loy" by Lester Del Rey.
  
• Cora Buhlert revisits the 1944 science fiction novelette "City" by Clifford D. Simak. 
• Ruthanna Erys and Anne M. Pillsworth revisit the 1946 horror story "The Small Assassin" by Ray Bradbury. 
• Judith Tarr revisits the 1954 spy thriller At Swords' Points by Andre Norton. 
• Phil Nichols revisits the 1962 collection The Small Assassin by Ray Bradbury. 
• Mark Yon reviews the 1965 post-apocalyptic novel A Wrinkle in the Skin by John Christopher.
• Gideon Marcus revisits the June 1965 issue of Galaxy.
• John Boston revisits the June 1965 issue of Amazing Stories.
• Victoria Silverwolf reviews the July 1965 issue of Worlds of Tomorrow.
• Joachim Boaz revisits the 1971 science fiction novel Candy Man by Vincent King.
• James Davis Nicoll revisits the 1979 fantasy novel A Shadow of All Night Falling by Glen Cook. 
• James Davis Nicoll revisits the 1984 anthology The Year's Best Science Fiction: First Annual Collection, edited by Gardner Dozois. 
• Runalong the Shelves revisits the 1989 Discworld fantasy novel Pyramids by Terry Pratchett. 
• Kat Hooper revisits the 2006 time travel novel Blood of the Heroes by Steve White. 

Con and event reports:

• Mike Glyer reports that the 2020 Westercon in Seattle, Washington, and the 2021 Westercon in Tonopah, Nevada, have both been moved forward a year to 2021 and 2022 respectively due to the corona virus. 
• Gavia Baker-Whitelaw reports that the cancelled San Diego Comic Con in San Diego, California, will move online.
• Steve Davidson offers an update regarding the virtual AmazingCon.
• Registration is open for the virtual version of Wiscon in Madison, Wisconsin. 
• The 2020 NASFIC in Columbus, Ohio, has been cancelled due to the corona virus.
• Ed Nawotka reports that BookCon and BookExpo in New York City are both going virtual in response to the corona virus.
• StokerCon in Scarborough, UK, announces that M.R. Carey will be one of their special guests.
• Andrew Pulver reports that the 2020 Cannes film festival in Cannes, France, has been cancelled due to the corona virus, but that the festival will sponsor showings of movies supposed to premiere there at other festivals.
  

Science and technology:

• Jonathan Amos reports that the nearest black hole to Earth has been discovered.
• Jonathan Amos reports that scientists have managed to obtain a spectacular infrared image of Jupiter. 
• Jennifer Aldrich reports that a comet is visible to the naked eye in the southern hemisphere and will soon be visible in the northern hemisphere as well.
• The BBC reports that Richard Branson will sell his stake in the space tourism company Virgin Galactic to support his airline Virgin Atlantic.
• Caroline Delbert reports that scientists have created the world's first liquid metal lattice.
• Gideon Marcus reports about computer programming in 1965. 
• Paul Rincon reports that Neanderthals and homo sapiens coexisted longer than previously believed.
• Rutger Bregman reports what happened when six teenagers were shipwrecked on a desert island for more than fifteen months in 1965/66.

Free online fiction:

• "Through the Veil" by Jennifer Marie Brissett in Uncanny Magazine. 
• "Dirt Under the Nails" by Aaron Menzel in Fireside Magazine.
• "For Change is the Moon's Domain and Tonight She Watches" by Izzy Wasserstein in Fireside Magazine.
• "Albedo Season" by Ray Naler in Clarkesworld.
• "Benjamin 2073" by Rjurik Davidson at Tor.com. 
• "Does Earth Have a Future?" by Andrew E. Love Jr. in Daily Science Fiction.
• "One Hundred Sentences About the City of the Future: A Jeremiad" by Alex Irvine in Lightspeed.
• "The Fenghuang" by Millie Ho in Lightspeed.
• "The Whalers Song" by Ray Cluley in The Dark. 
• "On the Cusp of Darkness" by C.L. Holland in Luna Station Quarterly.
• "The Skinned" by Jarla Thang in Nightmare Magazine.
  

Odds and ends: 

• Watch a trailer for Snowpiercer. 
• Watch a trailer for Shirley.
• Watch a trailer for Monstrum.
• Watch a mini documentary about The Witcher's Bestiary.
• Watch a documentary about the making of Dr. Strangelove or How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb.
• Lyndsay Burginger shares a recipe for Dandelion Wine, inspired by Ray Bradbury's epoynmous collection.