Our protagonists, an autistic human named Maria and their supervisor, Lah-Shah, who is a member of an alien species known to humans as ‘star dragons’, have been sent to investigate possible illegal actions in a newly inhabited planetary system. The organisation they work for is an intergalactic association of species deemed sentient enough, and humans are the newest, most junior members, after several hundred years of contact.
Lah-Shah has deposited Maria on the plant, pretending to be a research student interested in xenobiology, while he searches the system for the signs of an earlier team sent to do a thorough review of the planets for sentient life, who haven’t been heard from in a month.
Elemental Forces is the fifth volume in the non-themed horror series of original stories, showcasing the very best short fiction that the genre has to offer, and edited by Mark Morris.
This new anthology contains 20 original horror stories, 16 of which have been commissioned from some of the top names in horror, and 4 selected from the 100s of stories sent to Flame Tree during a short open submissions window. A delicious feast of the familiar and the new, the established and the emerging.
Previous titles in the series, all still in print, are: After Sundown, Beyond the Veil, Close to Midnight and Darkness Beckons.
Release Date: 2024-09-24 Formats: Ebook, Paperback EBook ISBN 24th September 2024 | 9781915998019 | epub | £4.99/$6.99/$7.99 Paperback ISBN 24th September 2024 | 9781915998002 | epub | £9.99/$18.99/$23.99
Description
On the heels of the terrorist attacks on the planet Nova’s capital, the Special Projects Team finds itself targeted by the ambitious new head of the Commonwealth Intelligence Directorate, Aidan Kester. When Kovalic and General Adaj are arrested on charges of treason, Tapper, Brody, Sayers, and Taylor are forced to go on the run. While Kovalic and the general attempt to uncover an Illyrican mole within the Commonwealth’s intelligence apparatus, it’s up to the rest of the team to clear their friends’ names, even if that means making a deal with an old enemy to carry out a daring heist that might just get them all killed.
Locus Recommended Reading List 2023 BSFA for Best Non-Fiction, Shortlist 2024 BFS for Best Non-Fiction, Shortlist 2024
Spec Fic For Newbies: A Beginner's Guide to Writing Subgenres of Science Fiction, Fantasy, and Horror. Tiffani Angus (Ph.D.) and Val Nolan (Ph.D.) met at the 2009 Clarion Writers’ Workshop in California and since then have collaborated many times as fans and scholars on panels for SFF conventions and writing retreats.Working together on this book and combining their experience as SFF writers and as university lecturers in Creative Writing and Literature made perfect sense!
Every year they see new students who want to write SFF/Horror but have never tried the genres, have tried but found themselves floundering, or, worse, have been discouraged by those who tell them Science Fiction, Fantasy, and Horror are somehow not “real” literature.
This book is for all those future Science Fiction, Fantasy, and Horror writers. Tiffani and Val are approaching these three exciting fields by breaking them down into bite-sized subgenres with a fun, open, and contemporary approach.Each chapter contains 10 subgenres or tropes, with a quick and nerdy history of each derived from classroom teaching practices, along with a list of potential pitfalls, a description of why it’s fun to write in these subgenres, as well as activities for new writers to try out and to get them started!
My Review
I bought this book at FantasyCon 2023. I’ve got quite a collection of Academia Lunare books now, mostly genre stuff and Tolkien books. Look at the Luna Press Publishing website, under non-fiction and academic, to get a sense of the books I mean. Most of the are small, A6 size, usually with monographs on a uniting subject matter.
This book is different.
Yes, that’s me. I got the laptop camera to work properly. Yes, that’s the Pen & Sword TBR pile behind me.
It’s a guide to the sub-genres of SFFH, with two writing exercises for each sub-genre. I’m not exactly a ‘newbie’, but I don’t know all of the sub-genres, and it was interesting to read about the ones they included.
I enjoyed to quick tour and chatty writing style of this book, especially the genre and sub-genre histories. This book is informed by years of teaching by both authors, and it shows. They’ve clearly come across the same mistakes time and time again, but the enjoyment of both spec fic and teaching also really shines through. I could easily devour a volume on each sub-genre by these authors, but I’m weird like that. I like depth and breadth. I don’t think that’s a criticism of this book, but if you’re expecting in-depth discussions of the nuances of each sub-genre you’re not going to get that. The book provides broad overviews of each sub-genre with reference to specific tropes or movements within the sub-genre.
I enjoyed the tour of 30 sub-genres and the writing left me want more on some subject and no more about others (splatterpunk for example, is really not my thing). There’s enough to get you started on any sub-genre, and that’s what this book is for.
If you’re looking for something to read in a specific sub-genre, I think you could flip to the section in this book and find a place to start in a new sub-genre, because the authors provide lots of examples of works – both film and literary – that sit in a sub-genre.
There are also lots of references if you want to follow up on a particular statement or idea. I like references. More references and access to a database of papers, please. Because I don’t have enough to read…
I found the writing exercises prompted me to come up with new ideas and think it’ll be useful when I’m struggling to put an idea down on paper. I’ve got an idea about zombies and cruise ships, but it’s not going anywhere yet… Anyway, the activities make up a small section of each sub-genre entry, but the information packed in before them informs the activities. I think for a writer at any stage of their career, the activities will prompt the brain to try something new. If you’re a new writer they’ll give you a place to start, and for experienced writers they’re a reminder and refresher when your brain is fried. The writing advice found throughout the text is useful and explained well.
While I read this book from start to finish, I think it could be a good ‘dipping’ book, for those having a go at a new genre or sub-genre. There’s always something new to try – nobody could have written in all thirty of the sub-genres in this book – so dipping in and out as the mood takes you can give the writer practice in a variety of stories.
I have already recommended this book to a very new writer (my nibbling is doing creative writing as part of their OU Open Degree – I’m so proud!) and will be buying volume 2 at FantasyCon in three weeks – Francesca, make sure there’s a copy put aside for me, please!
I mentioned on my book Instagram that I was reading this book and Dr Angus kindly told me to contact her if I need any PhD advice, which I thought was lovely.
Tiffani Angus signed the book. It was signed when I bought it, so Tiffani must have been at FantasyCon last year.
Format: Audiobook Published: August 17, 2021 by Macmillan Audio ISBN: 9781250830777 (ISBN10: 125083077X) Language: English
Description
Things are scary right now. We’re all being swept along by a tidal wave of history, and it’s easy to feel helpless. But we’re not helpless: we have minds, and imaginations, and the ability to visualize other worlds and valiant struggles. And writing can be an act of resistance that reminds us that other futures and other ways of living are possible.
Full of memoir, personal anecdote, and insight about how to flourish during the present emergency, Never Say You Can’t Survive is the perfect manual for creativity in unprecedented times.
My Review
I listened to this book last week and I’ve been digesting it ever since. I am also reading another writing advice book at the moment, so I needed time to separate the two.
In this collection of essays written for tor.com during the pandemic, Anders covers memoir, dealing with catastrophic life events, the utility of positive writing, and writing advice. I enjoy Charlie Jane Anders’ podcast Our Opinions Are Correct, so I’m familiar with her audio work. I don’t generally read YA or comics so I haven’t read any of her books, and this was an opportunity to learn more about her writing style and techniques, as well as receive a bit of a pep talk.
Before I continue, I would like to point out that I cried, a lot, listening to this book. Walking down the street. At the wellbeing centre. On the bus. Seriously, I don’t think I’ve ever had a writing craft book make me cry before! Both the essays that cover her own story and the essays that explore purpose of positive writing in bad times hit me right in the emotions. I probably needed the cry, to be honest.
I have been struggling with my writing recently, for a variety of reasons – work stress, financial anxiety, another ear infection, not being able to get to the pool, just the usual stuff. I’m torn between working on the sci-fantasy star dragons, autistic human and a mysterious disappearance in space story I’ve been sharing monthly with paid subscribers, and working on the fantasy novel I want to write for my PhD (it will contain dragons, autistic people, and shapeshifting. Also murder. But not a murder mystery. The murderer is known, revenge is plotted.) but getting started on the PhD is taking longer than planned, what with me not yet submitting my application and struggling with writing the proposal and writing samples.
Last Friday, after listening to this book for several hours, I sat down and write outlines and a couple of scenes from the end of the novel. I just have to work out how to get back from there to the beginning… There will definitely be murder, pirates, and dragons, that you can be certain of. I was writing for so long I had to reheat my tea! And I’ve had ideas for the space dragon mystery story too, so I’m going to work on that next week. I also made progress on my PhD proposal, so thanks Charlie Jane, I appreciate the kick up the bum.
The author narrates this audiobook, and does rather a good job of it. You can tell she’s been presenting a podcast for a while now. Very smooth, clear diction.
I would say this is one of the best writing guides I’ve read/listened to. There are a lot of writing books out there, but I’ve recommended this one to people already, so I think that’s a positive sign.
Enjoy a visit to the idyllic Cotswolds where the blackberry jam is delicious, the pumpkins are ripe and a killer is plotting death.
Vivian Plover is an unlikely murderer but needs must. If her bumbling husband is ever going to reach the exalted office of Lord-Lieutenant, Vivian, in sensible shoes, twin set and pearls has some murderous work to do. She is beset by challenges, from her godson’s fake fiancée to Dee’s meddling.
With the worthies of Little Warthing falling foul of accidents, can Dee FitzMorris thwart her scheme or will she find herself yet another victim?
Rarely has murder been so amusing.
Indulge in this quirky and humorous cosy crime novel that will keep you entertained from start to finish. Set in modern-day England, amidst the charming British Cotswold countryside, “Season for Murder” delivers a captivating blend of mystery and comedy. With its light-hearted atmosphere and engaging whodunit plot, this British detective series is a must-read for fans of cosy crime murder mysteries.
My Review
I was supposed to review this book for the blog tour but I couldn’t write a positive review. I was feeling very unhappy with this book, but I’ve decided to try to write a constructive review and post it now that the tour is over. I’m also not going to tag the author, because I don’t want to upset anyone.
So, here are my problems:
It’s all tell, no show.
The characters are caricatures. I don’t need to read all their inane thoughts.
There’s no mystery, the murderer tells the reader when, how, and why they did it.
The main character isn’t really made clear until a few chapters in.
The author keeps jumping from head-to-head.
It feels like the author read about NPD and decided to make their murderer a caricature of someone with NPD and loudly signal it with one of the minor characters studying narcissistic personality disorder for university.
I got bored, but pushed through in the hopes it’d improve. It didn’t
The thing is, if it was better written, it’d be a really good mystery. People in a Cotswolds village mysteriously almost dying, clearly murder attempts, but unsuccessful.
I had so many questions:
Who is the main character meant to be?
Is it the older woman who does taekwondo and is involved in her community. She, her daughter, and her granddaughter could have been the main investigators, helped by two admiring police officers, but they aren’t.
Or is it the young couple in a ‘fake couple becomes a real couple through surviving overbearing relatives and murder attempts’ narrative, but they aren’t.
Or it could even have been told exclusively from the villain’s perspective, but it isn’t.
It could have been a sensitive exploration of childhood trauma, the changing nature of wealth and country life, and village pettiness. But it’s heavy-handed, unsubtle, and not funny. I think it’s supposed to be funny, but I could be wrong.
I do feel sorry for the murderer’s husband, but he needed bringing into the story more, and some of the side characters have an outsized position in the plot, but their scenes barely add to the narrative. There are clearly difficulties in the marriage of one couple, but it doesn’t seem important to the plot, for example.
I tried to find something positive, but even the complicated relationship between Emily and Tristan, which could have been a driving force for emotion and comedy in the plot, isn’t engaging. The inclusion of an Italian family, a disabled side character and a gay couple in a long-term relationship feel shoved in for ‘diversity’, rather than being a solid part of the plot. The author treats their ‘differences’ from the majority of the characters as something that needs to be mentioned repeatedly, rather than just a thing that is.
It’s like the author wrote down the village gossip and threw in a murdering posh woman and gave her NPD as the cause, to produce a cosy mystery novel. And it doesn’t work like that in fiction!
I know there will be readers who love the POV shifting and seeing the day to day lives and thoughts of the characters, but my head is loud enough without adding fictional characters thoughts to the jumble, and it slows down the story and confuses the plot.
Okay, I failed at writing a constructive review. I tried. It’s up to you though, if you enjoy cosy crime/slice of village life fiction, borrow a copy from the library and see how you feel. I understand there are two other books in the series.
Talking of libraries, when you borrow a book from the library the author gets a small payment. Twice a year, the ALCS collects and distributes payments to authors, writers, and, journalists. I get about £100 a year from ALCS payments; it’s a life saver. Support your local library – they’re one of the few third spaces left where you can just go and hang out, use a computer, read a book, get help. They also support authors.
Out Now: 16th September Genre: Children’s Fiction Ages: 2-5 years
Blurb
Ellie’s plans for a fun day at the park are dampened by the rain. So when Patrick suggests gymnastics instead, Ellie embarks on a new adventure filled with trampolines, beams, and monkey bars.
Will Ellie have the courage to try something new?
This is a story about being brave, facing your fears, and believing in yourself.
Author bio
Emily Bardwell is a first-time author of the children’s picture book, ‘Ellie the Crocodile goes to gymnastics’.
Working in Social Media Marketing, she has a passion for writing and storytelling. Her book was inspired by her own children, who from a young age, would regularly ask her to tell them stories.
A little crocodile named “Ellie” came to mind, and she began telling them all about an adventure she went on with her animal friends.
For over a year, whenever her children had a quiet moment, they’d ask her to tell them an, “Ellie Crocodile story”.
And so Ellie and her adventures became part of their family. She went everywhere with them; camping, bedtimes, doctor’s surgeries, long car journeys.
Until one day, she decided to start writing them down. ‘Ellie the Crocodile goes to gymnastics’ is her debut story.
Emily lives in Surrey (UK) with her husband and two children.
Everything Is Better With Dragons 