Monthly Archives: May 2011

Limitation

Posted on May 31, 2011 by

I have been re-reading my early books as I convert them to e-books–a humbling but ultimately satisfying, exercise.  Humbling because: God, I was young.  The books are full of beginner mistakes (well I was a beginner–a beginner with a very … Continue reading →


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Posted in Book View Cafe | 8 Comments

The Stallion: Perfect of His Kind

Posted on May 30, 2011 by

The stallion is the ultimate macho fantasy critter. A knight won’t be seen on anything else. A hero rides a big one, preferably white. A heroine tames a wild one and rides to the rescue of her personal world. Of … Continue reading →


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Posted in Animals, Blogs, horses | Tagged , , , , | 13 Comments

Gender Bias in Science

Posted on May 29, 2011 by

By Steven Popkes Like any opinionated adult, I’m drawn to gender bias discussions like a moth to a flame. Two interesting articles came across my desk a while back. Why Can’t a Woman Be More Like A Man? by Christina … Continue reading →


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Posted in Book View Cafe, Culture, Science | Tagged | 2 Comments

The Problematical Prologue

Posted on May 29, 2011 by

by Sherwood Smith I had some misgivings when I discovered that a panel I’d volunteered for had in its program description some fairly heavy weaponry: I hate fantasy and SF prologues! If I see that a book opens with a … Continue reading →


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Posted in Books and Reading, fantasy | Tagged , , | 34 Comments

The Anti-Placebo Effect

Posted on May 28, 2011 by

By Chris Dolley I must admit to a certain fascination with the Placebo effect. I love the idea that the mind can exert an influence over the health of the physical body. I’m also amazed that it’s not studied more. … Continue reading →


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Posted in Animals, Health | Tagged | 2 Comments

Practical Meerkat’s 52 Bits of Useful Info for Young (and Old) Writers, week 21

Posted on May 27, 2011 by

by Laura Anne Gilman The previously scheduled entry is being bumped for a by-request special report from the floor of the Javits Center – this week also known as Book Expo America. BEA, as you might have seen it referenced, … Continue reading →


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Posted in Publishing, Writing life | 1 Comment

To Save Free Enterprise, Books Must Die

Posted on May 27, 2011 by

To Save Free Enterprise, Books Must Die Publishers Weakly – May 27, 2011 The publishing house Harpy (formerly Harpy & Roe, then Harpy Collie, then HarpyCollie, now just Harpy again), a wholly owned subsidiary of the international corporation headed by … Continue reading →


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Posted in Books and Reading, eBooks | 11 Comments

Getting Your Backlist Up: A Report from the 2011 Nebulas

Posted on May 26, 2011 by

by Brenda W. Clough, Sue Lange, Amy Sterling, and Judith Tarr. The Nebula Awards weekend is not a Worldcon.  It is a business-oriented function sponsored by the Science-Fiction & Fantasy Writers of America.  We were very pleased to be called … Continue reading →


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Posted in Book View Cafe, eBooks, Publishing | Tagged , , , , , , | 14 Comments

Is the “Real” Truth Always Grim?

Posted on May 26, 2011 by

There are no good people in Paolo Bacigalupi’s Hugo- and- Nebula-winning novel, The Windup Girl. Everybody is out for themselves and even people you think are loyal, if not decent, turn out to have betrayed each other. I say this … Continue reading →


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Posted in Book View Cafe | 16 Comments

The Old Witch and the Children

Posted on May 25, 2011 by

By Sherwood Smith As I get older (in a few days I’ll turn sixty) I look back over those decades. Before I retired from teaching, I was asked to emergency substitute in first grade the first week of school, and … Continue reading →


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Posted in Book View Cafe | Tagged , , , | 19 Comments