Tag: writing

“Blue Karma” A Finalist in Shelf Unbound Indie Book Competition

December 11, 2015

Blue Karma made finalist in the Shelf Unbound indie book competition. Thousands of authors submitted their novels (so I’m told) so top six is a terrific accomplishment. Sarah (@sarahplusbook), the dystopian editor for Shelf Unbound, reviewed Blue Karma this summer and encouraged me to submit it. Thanks, Sarah: here’s further proof that authors need to listen to their readers! Seeing my book … More “Blue Karma” A Finalist in Shelf Unbound Indie Book Competition

The Literature Museum: Sci-Fi and Sexism

August 25, 2015

“Think of it as the literature museum,” my father told me when I was fifteen. I was a dually-enrolled high school student at the local college, and frustrated with some of the ideas I encountered in the curriculum’s so-called classic novels. Dad, a veteran English major himself, helped me contextualize the antiquated stories by likening … More The Literature Museum: Sci-Fi and Sexism

Environmental Hazards: Five Challenges of Writing Climate Fiction (Part 6)

June 9, 2015

This post is part six of a seven-part series discussing my experience writing climate fiction in my novel, Blue Karma. Challenge #5: Step Away from the Soapbox As both a writer and a bibliophile, I think the greatest power of fiction is its ability to provoke thought. Here the cli-fi genre has a clear mission. Less than … More Environmental Hazards: Five Challenges of Writing Climate Fiction (Part 6)

Environmental Hazards: Five Challenges of Writing Climate Fiction (Part 2)

June 5, 2015

This post is part two of a seven-part series discussing my experience writing climate fiction in my novel, Blue Karma. Challenge #1: Packaging Prophecy Sometimes I think “science fiction writer” is a euphemism for “hack prophet”. We see the future in our mind’s eye and set down the vision before it comes to pass. But a setting … More Environmental Hazards: Five Challenges of Writing Climate Fiction (Part 2)

Environmental Hazards: Five Challenges of Writing Climate Fiction (Part 1)

June 4, 2015

Climate fiction, like the global average temperature, is on the rise. If you haven’t heard of this genre, you’re probably not the first. Themes of climate change and ecological disaster have appeared in contemporary fiction since the mid-20th century, but the concept of these as an independent genre is relatively new. The term climate fiction … More Environmental Hazards: Five Challenges of Writing Climate Fiction (Part 1)

Grounds for Hope: Science Fiction as Literature

November 20, 2014

At yesterday’s National Book Awards, celebrated science fiction author Ursula Le Guin received an award honoring her literary achievements. Once small step for the legendary Le Guin, one giant leap for science fiction authors. Two key points in her speech resonated deeply with me both as a writer and a devotee of science fiction: the undervaluation … More Grounds for Hope: Science Fiction as Literature