Cozy science fiction is one of the newest corners of the genre, and it’s still finding its identity. After reading Automatic Noodle and revisiting A Psalm for the Wild-Built, I’ve been exploring what makes a story “cozy,” how it connects with the philosophy of hopepunk, and why readers are increasingly drawn to optimistic, character-driven futures.
Cozy Science Fiction: A Genre That’s Still Finding Itself Read More »
Most readers remember C.S. Lewis for The Chronicles of Narnia. I remember him for his science fiction. On his birthday, I’m looking back at the Space Trilogy and the remarkable way Lewis used speculative fiction not to predict the future, but to challenge how we see ourselves—and humanity’s place in the universe.
Happy Birthday, C.S. Lewis: Remembering His Science Fiction Read More »
When I was twelve, I discovered both libraries and science fiction at the same time. The dusty anthologies, John Wyndham, and the town librarians who always knew exactly what I should read next opened an entire universe for me. For Librarian Day, a thank you to the people who quietly changed my life one book at a time.
The Librarians Who Opened the Universe Read More »
“Short stories are like paper planes—light, quick to launch, and sometimes, they soar higher than you’d ever expect. They’re small vessels that carry big ideas.”
Why I Write (and Read) Short Stories. Read More »
I do read in genres outside SF, especially when I’m in the midst of writing SF. But I’d prefer a good space opera on my screen—book, TV series or movie—any day of the week. Except, lately, they’re getting hard to come by. Amazing Stories has been reporting for several weeks on the growing penetration of
Where has all the science fiction gone? Read More »
If you love stories, then finding more time to appreciate them is a good thing. Stories have been around for as long as man has walked upright. They began as spoken tales, that taught us how to survive. So Paleo Bob’s story around the campfire, “This time my mate was eaten by a tiger and
5 Ways to Find More Time to Read More Read More »
Has it been a while since you were really bitten, hog-tied and spell-bound by a book? Do most books you read these days seem okay, but not super-duper fantastic the way they used to be even five years ago? I can help you change that. We’re Too Busy These days. I grew up in Australia,
A Hack to Enjoy Reading Again Read More »
To stay young requires unceasing cultivation of the ability to unlearn old falsehoods. Robert A. Heinlein – The Notebook of Lazarus Long We’ve all heard the expression “set in their ways” – which is the other side of the coin to Heinlein’s observation. There’s growing scientific evidence that “age” is a state of mind far
Age as a state of mind Read More »
The last book in a series is always difficult to write, in one respect, because there is a lot of wrapping up to do. Plus the story has to be, well, worth the effort of reading all the books that led up to it. And the same time, the last book in a series is
The Last Book in the Imperial Hammer series is now out Read More »
I confused the hell out of the readers of my novels under a different pen name recently, when I released what I was properly calling a novelette. Those readers were confused over book lengths and what makes a book a book, or a novel a novel. They didn’t know what to think about a novelette.
What Makes A Book A Book? Read More »