Category Archives: Fiction

RIP, Ray Bradbury

RonF has commented twice, now, that Ray Bradbury’s passing has passed without comment here. I have to admit I’m a little puzzled, myself. Here we celebrate, among other things, creative endeavor, including writing and speculative fiction. If this non-commentary state … Continue reading

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I cry a lot because I miss people. They die and I can’t stop them. They leave me and I love them more.

R.I.P., Mr. Sendak. You created one of the great anarchic works of literature, Where the Wild Things Are, which in its brevity is far deeper than most thousand-page novels. If you missed Sendak’s unbelievably amazing interview with Stephen Colbert, or … Continue reading

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A Short Story for Today

If you have not yet had the opportunity to read Amanda Ching’s marvelous dystopian short story “ILU-486,” you need to clear ten minutes and do so. Now. A brief excerpt: Rachel Saunders had three kids and two bedrooms. Both boys … Continue reading

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2 Novelettes and a Short Story by Rachel Swirsky

I’ve been busy reading books for the Norton Award so I didn’t put aside the time to do as all the other writerettes do and post a few pieces of mine that were published in the previous year. Fields of … Continue reading

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Reviewing SF&F for Young People Part I: Akata Witch, All Men of Genius, Anna Dressed in Blood, Anya’s Ghost, Between Sea and Sky

This year, I’m binge reading science fiction and fantasy books that are accessible to young adult and middle grade audiences. I’ve picked about thirty to review (1). They’re books that I felt I had something to say about, not necessarily … Continue reading

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Guest Repost: Tansy Rayner Roberts–Joanna Russ's How to Suppress Women's Writing Is a Book that Must Not Be Forgotten

The following is a response to Joanna Russ’s How to Suppress Women’s Writing, reposted with permission from Tansy Rayner Roberts. Roberts is a Tasmanian writer with a fantasy trilogy called The Creature Court coming out from HarperVoyager starting June 2010, … Continue reading

Posted in Feminism, sexism, etc, Fiction, literature, Media criticism | Comments Off  

Good Boy, by Nisi Shawl (part 2)

This is part 2 of “Good Boy,” by Nisi Shawl. Click here to read part 1 of “Good Boy.”

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Good Boy, by Nisi Shawl (part 1)

“Alas” is pleased to present the third of three short stories by Nisi Shawl. This story will be presented in two parts. Nisi Shawl is the co-editor of Strange Matings: Science Fiction, Feminism, African American Voices, and Octavia E. Butler … Continue reading

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Bird Day, by Nisi Shawl

“Alas” is pleased to present the second of three short stories by Nisi Shawl. Nisi Shawl is the co-editor of Strange Matings: Science Fiction, Feminism, African American Voices, and Octavia E. Butler (forthcoming from Wesleyan University Press) and the co-author … Continue reading

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The Water Museum, by Nisi Shawl

“Alas” is pleased to present the first of three short stories by Nisi Shawl. Nisi Shawl is the co-editor of Strange Matings: Science Fiction, Feminism, African American Voices, and Octavia E. Butler (forthcoming from Wesleyan University Press) and the co-author … Continue reading

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