It’s the Lake Superior State University 2007 List of Banished Words. My favorite: NOW PLAYING IN THEATERS — Heard in movie advertisements. Where can we see that, again? “How often do movies premiere in laundromats or other places besides theaters? I know that when I want to see a movie I think about going to …
Tag: writing
"Moths drink the tears of sleeping birds…"
…is how this story about Madagascarian insect life is headlined, but never mind the science: doesn’t “Moths drink the tears of sleeping birds…” sound like the start to a wonderfully evocative poem by some terribly sensitive poet? Something like: Moths drink the tearsOf sleeping birds;I drink up beersAnd slur my words. *Sniff.* Brings a lump …
December 20: Deadline!
For those who recall (what? you didn’t take notes?) that today is the deadline for my new novel for DAW to be turned in, and are wondering whether I in fact made the deadline, the answer is…yes and no. Yes, I wrote the book and just this morning reached THE END on the revision. So …
Shakespeare doth prod the brain most wonderously
Of course, Shakespeare would have said it better than that. Here’s the gist of this new study: Shakespeare uses a linguistic technique known as functional shift that involves, for example using a noun to serve as a verb. Researchers found that this technique allows the brain to understand what a word means before it understands …
How many novels do you have to write before you sell one?
To find out, SF writer Tobias S. Buckell ran an entirely unscientific but still illuminating poll at his blog, and has posted the results. Here’s the core: 32% wrote one novel13% wrote two11% wrote 38% wrote 49% wrote 53% wrote 613% wrote 7 or more novels6% wrote some short fiction first5% wrote a ton of …
"The much easier demands of merely a good yarn"
In a letter to Quill & Quire, Wayne Jones, currently head of Central Technical Services at Queen’s University Library in Kingston, Ontario, writes, in part: There are piles of historical fiction in Canada and elsewhere not because the national character as a whole is longing for explanations of its present through its past, but because …
The 50 most significant SF&F Books, 1953-2002
I’ve seen the following list of The 50 Most Significant SF & F Books published between 1953 and 2002, originally from the Science Fiction Book Club, then posted by Lou Anders on his blog, in various places, but hadn’t gotten around to doing anything with it until I saw it on Amy Nelson-Mile’s Books, Words, …
The 50 most significant SFF Books, 1953-2002
pI’ve seen the following list of a href=”http://www.louanders.com/2006/11/50-most-significant-sff-books.html”The 50 Most Significant SF F Books/a published between 1953 and 2002, originally from the Science Fiction Book Club, then posted by a href=”http://www.louanders.com/Bio.htm”Lou Anders/a on his a href=”http://www.louanders.com/”blog/a, in various places, but hadn’t gotten around to doing anything with it until I saw it on Amy Nelson-Mile’s …
How’s your vocabulary?
Your Vocabulary Score: A+ Congratulations on your multifarious vocabulary!You must be quite an erudite person. How’s Your Vocabulary? (Via Books, Words, and Writing.)
For those keeping score at home…
…I finished my Janis Joplin biography for Enslow Publishers Monday and emailed it in the same day. Yesterday was mostly a science column-and-revising-Untitled Science Fiction Novel day. More revising today (I’m up to about page 80 of almost 500–still a long way to go–and I’ve already added 3,000 words. Gulp.). Boring stuff like cleaning my …
Why do people not read science fiction?
Carol Pinchefsky at Orson Scott Card’s Intergalactic Medicine Show has some thoughts. It’s an interesting article all the way through, and I think she hits on some interesting possibilities, but I found it hard to finish, having run across this little fact part of the way down the page: The reasons are varied but inarguable …
Photo of the Day: Grading, But Not on the Curve
Tonight I’m in Saskatoon, having just been the guest speaker at the annual awards night of the Consulting Engineers of Saskatchewan. I did a very quick (and humorously quippy!) slide show of some of the images from A Safe and Prosperous Future: 100 Years of Engineering and Geoscience Achievements in Saskatchewan. This is one of …
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Most Recent Episodes
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Episode 165: Dr. Katherine Hutchinson-Hayes – A Fifth of the Story
A chat with author, podcaster, and blogger Dr. Katherine Hutchinson-Hayes about her new spy thriller, A Fifth of the Story Websitedrkatherinehayes.com Facebook@authordrkatherinehayes Instagram@authordrkatherine X@khutch0767 Dr. Katherine Huthcinson-Hayes’s Amazon Page Amazon Links for A Fifth of the StoryAmazon.comAmazon.ca About the Book A fascinating thriller of espionage that takes you into the secretive world of the CIA… -
Episode 164: Kristen Ciccarelli – Heartless Hunter
A chat with New York Times bestselling YA author Kristen Cicarelli about Heartless Hunter, The Crimson Moth Book 1, a “dangerously romantic Scarlet Pimpernel-inspired fantasy.” Websitekristenciccarelli.com Facebook@AuthorKristenCiccarelli Instagram@kristenciccarelli Pinterest@kciccarelli Kristen Ciccarelli’s Amazon Page Amazon Links for Heartless HunterAmazon.comAmazon.ca About the Book Enemies-to-lovers doesn’t get more high stakes than a witch and a witch hunter falling… -
Episode 163: Sebastien de Castell – Play of Shadows
A chat with award-winning fantasy author Sebastien de Castell about Play of Shadows, Book 1 of Court of Shadows, set in the world of his popular Greatcoats series. Websitedecastell.com X@decastell Facebook@decastell Sebastien de Castell’s Amazon Page Amazon Links for Play of ShadowsAmazon.comAmazon.ca About the Book Swordplay, magic, intrigue and friendships stronger than iron: the first… -
Episode 162: Lyn McGinnis – Amarel Mountain
A chat with author Lyn McGinnis about Anu Awakes, an epic fantasy series, and the most recent release in that series, Book 2, Amarel Mountain. Websiteanuawakesseries.com Bluesky@anuawakes Goodreads Instagram@anuawakes Lyn McGinnis’s Amazon Page Amazon Links for Amarel MountainAmazon.comAmazon.ca About the Book Descendants of the Tolku of the Primary Epoch, the Koru, Yakku and Yelda, now… -
Episode 161: Jared N. Michaud – Brightstar
A chat with new author Jared N. Michaud about his upcoming YA science fiction novel Brightstar, first book in the Energematric6 space adventure series. Websiteenergematrice6.com Facebook@Energematrice6 X@Energematrice6 Instagram@jarednmichaud Jared N. Michaud’s Amazon Page Amazon Links for BrightstarAmazon.comAmazon.ca About the Book Brightstar is the beginning of an epic space-adventure series that introduces readers to Nate, a… -
Episode 160: Breakfield & Burkey – Enigma Tracer
A chat with the writing team of Charles Breakfield and Rox Burkey about their long-running techno-thriller series, Enigma, and Enigma Tracer, first book in their new Enigma Heirs trilogy. Websiteenigmabookseries.com Facebook@TheEnigmaSeries X@EnigmaSeries@1rburkey Instagram@enigmabookseries YouTube Amazon Links for Engima TracerAmazon.comAmazon.ca About the Book The clock is ticking … can Gracie uncover the truth? Phillip Pliant is… -
Episode 159: Steve Truitt – The Mindset Chronicles
A chat with author and former television host Steve Truitt about his new science fiction novel series, The Mindset Chronicles. Websitestevetruitt.com Facebook@AuthorSteveTruitt Amazon Links for The DeletionAmazon.comAmazon.ca Steve Truitt’s Amazon Page About the Book In a world where artificial intelligence has become an integral part of daily life, the sudden death of all AI sends… -
Episode 158: Danièle Cybulskie – Chivalry and Courtesy: Medieval Manners for a Modern World
A chat with noted medievalist Danièle Cybulskie about her new book, Chivalry and Courtesy: Medieval Manners for a Modern World. Websitedanielecybulskie.com X/Twitter@5minmedievalist Facebook@5MinMedievalist Instagram@5minmedievalist YouTube@5MinMedievalist Amazon Links for Chivalry and CourtesyAmazon.caAmazon.com Danièle Cybulskie’s Amazon Page About the Book Medieval people are often portrayed as having poor hygiene and table manners—licking their knives or throwing chicken… -
Episode 157: Marie Brennan – The Market of 100 Fortunes (Legend of the Five Rings Book 3)
A chat with Hugo-nominated author Marie Brennan about her Legend of the Five Rings trilogy, which just wrapped up with The Market of 100 Fortunes. Websiteswantower.com Bluesky Patreon Amazon Links for The Market of 100 FortunesAmazon.caAmazon.com Marie Brennan’s Amazon Page About the Book Enthralling fantasy mystery from the world of Legend of the Five Rings as two… -
Episode 156: Douglas Smith – The Lost Expedition (The Dream Rider Saga, Book 3)
A chat with Canadian author Douglas Smith about his young adult fantasy trilogy The Dream Rider Saga, which has just culminated in Book 3, The Lost Expedition. Websitesmithwriter.com Facebook@WritingtheFantastic X/Twitter@smithwritr Instagram@douglassmithwriter Amazon Links for The Lost ExpeditionAmazon.caAmazon.com Douglas Smith’s Amazon Page About the Book The Thrilling Conclusion to the Multi-Award-Winning Trilogy Will is the Dream…
