How to Know You’re a Crazy Liberal: Move to Florida

I’m a graduate student at the University of Florida, as some of you well know (studying science fiction and fantasy and postcolonialism and anything that fits into the cracks). The experience, thus far, has taught me a few things about what it’s like to be a graduate student and a teacher, and about myself. That […]

Writer Problem: Genre “Bias” as Weakness?

Stay with me here. The other day I was thinking about my writing and wondering if one of my problems is that I always write the same genre (or genres, since I occasionally do fantasy, but mostly do science fiction, as far as short stories are concerned). I don’t know how many of you who […]

Plots Are Not Copyrightable

(I am not directing this topic to any specific event, though I know some of you who read my blog will remember me making this statement in relation to a particular incident; here, I am not making the argument in that relation, but in a more general sense.) As much as writers might want to […]

Writing Prompt #6: Random Death

Well, now that we’re in the month of October, it’s high time for yet another writing prompt! This month’s prompt is to write a short story or novel chapter involving the following: An unknown person is found stabbed to death. Seem simple enough, right? So have at it! You’ve got the rest of the month. […]

Not Fit For Office: Sarah Palin

No, this is not a regular feature here. This is one of those random off-topic posts. I don’t expect many of you to agree with me here, though if you take a moment to read my arguments and understand why I would never support Sarah Palin in any position, maybe you would agree too. I […]

Quickie Movie Reviews (2009): Volume Eight

Another batch. There’s a little bit more science fiction and fantasy this time. Have at it: Ghost in the Shell 2: Innocence (Mamoru Oshii)Following the acclaimed Ghost in the Shell, this installment follows Bato through a maze of virtual worlds and crazed robots as he tries to discover the reason for a string of brutal […]