How would you like to order up the weather, just like you order a pizza with pineapple, but no anchovies? That’s the fantasy that comes to life for Bronwyn Artair, a weather forecaster for a rural New England TV station in the novel, Weather Woman. … More Review: Weather Woman is a fantasy about control and illusion
I was thrilled to work with podcasters Ben Franke and Marie Kammerer-Franke on two episodes of their epic Indie Beginning podcast, which features independent authors, such as myself. They recently published two podcasts related to my work. The first podcast was a reading of chapter one of Carbon Run, the first full-length novel in my … More Download the podcast of Carbon Run, chapter one
My Five Questions series is back after a hiatus, and I’m excited to present the answers of Cai Emmons, author of a fascinating new novel, Weather Woman. Climate change plays a big role in this story of a young broadcast meteorologist who discovers a unique talent: she can not only predict the weather, she can … More Five Questions: Cai Emmons, author of Weather Woman
Author Robin MacArthur shows how to demonstrate climate change’s impact without the necessity of thrilling drama. … More Heart Spring Mountain is a poetic approach to the emotional consequences of a changing world
Here’s 10 authors you may not have read, but whom offer amazing and thoughtful stories about a warmed future. … More 10 amazing authors who put climate change into their novels
Interested in reading climate fiction? Check out Tales From A Warming Planet. On sale now! Climate change is the new normal. Frequent torrential rains, extended heat waves, and Category 5 hurricanes affect readers more and more often, and writers need to reflect these experiences in their short stories and novels. How do you incorporate long-term, … More Nine ways to help you start writing climate fiction today
Yes Means Yes is at once a seminar on the law concerning sexual assault on campus and the story of a young woman discovering its complexities at a personal level. … More Review: New novel tackles sexual assault on campus amid the #MeToo debate
In the year 2037, all the uber-wealthy will be Canadian. Because they will have all the NiceCoin. … More Review: Don’t worry. Everything will be fixed by 2037. Or will it?
James Marquis is a Seattle writer and author of science fiction novels, a memoir, and a collection of sci-fi, fantasy, and horror stories titled Dark Day Dreams, written under the pen name of James Hawthorne. He enjoys writing as a way to explore and expose the ways pop culture, politics, music and literature shape our … More Five Questions: James Marquis and his Dark Day Dreams
I heard author Sherry Decker read from her upcoming novel A Summer with the Dead at Two-Hour Transport, a monthly open mic and guest reading series at the famed Cafe Racer in the city’s Roosevelt neighborhood. I’m not normally a fan of horror, but her reading was so compelling, that I thought she was perfect … More Five Questions: Sherry Decker, author of A Summer with the Dead
I’m excited to welcome to Five Questions Minneapolis-based author D.F. Lovett, who released his debut sci-fi novel, The Moonborn, in 2016. David the head editor and writer for the blog What Would Bale Do, and he writes the acclaimed Reddit novelty account /u/DiscussionQuestions. He has also collaborated on several film projects with the production studio … More Five Questions: D.F. Lovett, author of The Moonborn
I’d like to introduce you to Sabrina Chase, a Seattle author whom I met through one of my writers groups. She gave a fascinating talk about how to successfully publish as an independent. It can be very rewarding, but it’s a lot of work, she says. Sabrina is the author of the Argonauts of Space … More Five Questions: Sabrina Chase, author of the Argonauts of Space series
I’d like to introduce Aaron Ward, a debut author who has independently published Upriver, Downriver, described by one Amazon reviewer like this: “The phrase ‘coming of age’ is slapped onto so many lukewarm portrayals of growing up these days, but this story nails it.” Aaron kindly answered all of my “Five Questions,” which is a … More Five Questions: Aaron Ward, author of Upriver, Downriver
The election and inauguration of Donald Trump has left-leaning book lovers scrambling for analogous stories in fiction. Most have cited George Orwell’s 1984 or Aldous Huxley’s Brave New World, both dystopian novels. A few have pointed to Robert A. Heinlein’s science fiction novel Starship Troopers, because of long-standing criticisms of what some believe is its … More Robert A. Heinlein’s Starship Troopers and the veneration of veterans
I’d like to introduce Kevin D. Aslan, a debut author who is self-publishing his fantasy novel Encore as a serial. Encore follows Leo Melikian, a smart but naïve 25-year old in the south of France who discovers he’s suddenly living each day twice: Monday followed by Monday, Tuesday by Tuesday, and so on. Kevin agreed … More Five Questions: Kevin D. Aslan, author of Encore
I’m starting a new occasional feature on my blog called Five Questions. I’ll ask an author five interesting questions and post their answers. Check out the answer for the bonus question! My inaugural guest is Elizabeth Guizzetti, a personal friend whom I met through a sci-fi and fantasy writers group in Seattle. Elizabeth loves to … More Five Questions: Elizabeth Guizzetti, author of The Grove
Possible spoilers ahead if you haven’t seen Arrival. The release of the movie Arrival last month prompted my interest in Seattle science fiction writer Ted Chiang. He has published only 15 short stories, novelettes, and novellas in print, including “Story of Your Life,” the inspiration for Arrival. He’s won Nebulas, Hugos, and host of other … More Ted Chiang’s sci-fi genius arrives with laser-like precision
In today’s publishing market, every author needs a tagline, three to five words that give readers a sense of what he or she offers. This is especially true of unknown authors (like me), and it’s time that I update my tagline to reflect what I hope to offer readers in 2017. I have a few … More Help! I need to update my author tagline. Please take this survey.
As a writer who likes to look at speculative fiction through the lens of climate change, I’m sorry it’s taken me so long to read Monica Byrne‘s debut novel, The Girl in the Road, published in 2014. Though its portrait of two women connected across time and space is classified as science fiction by some, … More The Girl in the Road: Literary fiction with a sci-fi overlay
Author Don McQuinn is a perfect example of a sci-fi and fantasy writer who made it into the big time and then took control of his own destiny. Don and I met earlier this month at a Greek restaurant in suburban Seattle, not far from his home and mine. The vigorous former Marine and octogenarian … More Meeting Don McQuinn and the sound of indie publishing
J.G. Follansbee 