Monthly Archives: April 2008

Twee for Two

nihilistic_kid has a post on writing fantasy, distinguishing it from some thing(s) he calls “fantatwee.” By this he means “second order fantasy” or fantasy which derives from other people’s fantasies. He links to a story by Theodora Goss here, and … Continue reading

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The Truth About “Ghoti”

Remember the old G.B. Shaw gag that ghoti is an alternate spelling of fish? Apparently it’s not Shaw’s at all, but comes out of the “reformed spelling” movement of the 19th C. Language Log has the details, including yet more … Continue reading

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Brackett Bold: Lorelei of the Red Mist

As a big Leigh Brackett fan I’ve naturally been snapping up the Haffner omnibuses that promise to collect all the “planetary romances” (i.e. space operas, not kissing-in-space, although there is some of that) by the greatest practitioner of that form. … Continue reading

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100 Million Years and Counting…

Someone at APoD has a Leigh Brackett-like sensibility. (Higher praise it would be difficult to bestow.) The title of yesterday’s picture was “Doomed Moon of Mars”–which sounds like something from the ToC of Planet Stories circa 1948.

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Genre Barleycorn vs. Rooster Cogburn: Grit in SF/F

A recent entry in peadarog‘s blog has got me thinking about realism and grit in fantasy. My favorite definition of sword-and-sorcery is Joseph McCullough’s: “Fantasy with dirt.” In high fantasy, Aragorn grapples with Sauron over the rule of Middle Earth. … Continue reading

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Blog Tour: Return of the Sword

Today I am host to the blog tour supporting The Return of the Sword from Flashing Swords Press (also available from Amazon). Modesty forbids me from telling you what a great book it is, since I’m in it, but it … Continue reading

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