Here’s some writing prompts inspired by the changes to our planet caused by rising temperatures. … More 10 writing prompts to help you write stories about climate change
Is “preachiness” a problem for climate fiction writers? … More Do climate fiction writers suffer from “preachiness” syndrome?
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
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, usually invisible trends in your romances, adventures, mysteries, and other genre fiction, as well as … More Nine ways to help you start writing climate fiction today
Robot fed Dr. Smith lines that set up the most creative insults ever hurled at a computer. … More Why I miss the old Dr. Smith and Robot in the Netflix Lost In Space reboot.
A writer’s settings are like stages for actors. The places and landscapes influence how characters interact and evolve over the course of the story. … More Three reasons why you should put climate change in your next novel
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
I was hooked by the BBC America television series The Last Kingdom, but the hook is loosening and I may spit it out. … More Grow or die: What happens when a story’s protagonist doesn’t change?
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?
I’ve made a decision. Screw traditional publishing. I’ll sink or swim on my own. … More Just signed a four-book publishing deal. With myself.
Under the best of circumstances, I like to post on my blog about once a week, but school has a way of sucking time out of the universe, at least my universe. … More School is a huge time suck, which isn’t a bad thing
As moral beings, humans try to align their behavior with their values. I don’t use Microsoft Word to write. I’ve successfully resisted putting Office on my laptop. I refuse to have anything to do with Office, if I can help it. I admit it’s a quirk, but it’s how I live my values. Why would … More How LibreOffice freed my inner rebel from the shackles of Microsoft Office
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
Seattle’s reputation as a literary town includes an enormous presence in the science fiction and fantasy universe. The great Octavia Butler, author of the Parable of the Sower, penned her works in the shadow of the Space Needle, the city’s iconic landmark. Other authors include Don McQuinn, Cat Rambo, and Shawn Speakman. Lesser known and … More Two-Hour Transport: A journey into Seattle’s sci-fi and fantasy community
My wife and I drove from Seattle to Powell’s Books in Portland a couple of weeks ago to satisfy an itch. At this point, I’ve written three novels and eight shorts in the world of Carbon Run, but the project has run its course. Is there another way to explore the idea of a post-global … More How would King Arthur’s knights cope with a climate-changed world?
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
The recent mistreatment of Australian author Mem Fox by US Customs and Border Patrol heralds a little-discussed effect of President Trump’s plan to shut the door on immigration. Her detention by CBPÂ could have a chilling effect on the cross-fertilization of ideas that makes open societies so powerful. As Trump attacks illegal immigration, he is sending … More Author Mem Fox and Donald Trump’s chilling of America
I’ve been writing professionally for thirty years, and I’ve tended to see entering contests and competitions as a chore. I’m not sure why, except that I’ve never liked competing against other people, preferring to compete against myself. I like to push myself on and on, to see if I can beat my last personal best. … More For me, 2017 will be the Year of the Contest
Thanks to my sister Steph for the writing tools, which I'm using in my networking classes at South Seattle College. ** #seattle #college #computers #computerscience #writing #notes #oldschool A post shared by J.G. Follansbee (@jgfollansbee) on Jan 13, 2017 at 11:32am PST Last October, I wrote about my layoff from Grays Harbor Historical Seaport. Nearly … More I must be crazy, because I’m a college student again
It’s been years since I’ve made a public appearance, but my friend Wes Wenhardt, the executive director of Foss Waterway Seaport in Tacoma, asked me to give a talk. I’ll be at FWS 12:30 p.m. to 2 p.m., Saturday, December 10. I’ll be speaking about some of my favorite Puget Sound maritime heritage attractions listed … More Hey, Tacoma. I’m making a rare appearance at Foss Waterway Seaport!
