What day is it? What month is it?
Good afternoon! Our dear Kristina is unavailable this week. I volunteered to take her place…then promptly forgot what day it was. I spent all of yesterday thinking that it was Friday. So, here you are, my best beloveds, one day late, but nothing whatsoever short.
Let’s go!
Monday 
Guest Paul Krueger, author of the delightful Last Call at the Nightshade Lounge and this month’s book club pick, Steel Crow Saga, joined us on Monday! This week, he’s discussing the wild world of anime, and the influence that it had on his writing. It’s a great read! Check it out!
Tuesday
Merrin powered through the entire first season of Picard recently. Any Star Trek fans out there? Have you watched this one yet? If so, hop in the teleporter and beam yourself over to her review to have a chat. If you haven’t watched, be aware that there are great, big spoilers here! They are clearly marked and a generous spoiler space is provided for your reading comfort.
Wednesday
Erin interviewed the voice behind some excellent video game characters, Cissy Jones! Jones has voiced characters in games across the spectrum, big and small. So, if you’ve played Firewatch or perhaps Destiny 2, you’ve experienced her talent. Go read the interview, then go play some games.
Thursday
Starting off this double-header Thursday, author Gemma Files reviewed the newest iteration of The Invisible Man. This version is re-imagined by Leigh Whannell, and features Elizabeth Moss of Mad Men and more recently, The Handmaid’s Tale. Gemma goes into great depth here. You do not want to miss this review! But beware of the spoilers.
On Thursday afternoon, we were delighted to reveal the cover for our very own Venessa‘s newest work of fiction, Tempus Anima! It’s beautiful! Go see!
Friday
This month’s roundtable discussion focused on something that everyone could use more of: moments in speculative fiction that have brought us happiness, satisfaction, or moved us in some way. There are some excellent options here, and I have to agree with all of the ones that I’ve experienced for myself. So go take a look and join the discussion!
Book Club
I’m rusty at this (hi there leave of absence!), so I’m going to repeat what Kristina said last week:
“We’re drawing closer to our Book Club discussion for April! We’re talking Paul Krueger‘s Steel Crow Saga, a fantasy featuring battles waged with enchanted steel and magical animals and memorable characters — a prince, a detective, a soldier, and a thief. Nancy is leading this discussion on April 24th — you still have time to get cracking!
You can also learn about our Book Club choices for the upcoming months:
- May — The Tethered Mage by Melissa Caruso, hosted by Lane Robins
- June — Midnight at the Blackbird Cafe by Heather Webber, hosted by Kelly McCarty
If you want to know more about the book choices above, read here and here, and we’ll see you soon!”
I was unable to participate in this month’s roundtable. I’m one of those “essential workers” that you’ve heard about or encountered on your supply runs, so I don’t have a lot of time on my hands. But I’m still going to give you a peek at one of my favorite happy moments. To do this, I need to give you a bit of context: I’m a sucker for watching groups come together. When the Avengers assembled, my heart grew three sizes that day. When Angel and his allies took their last stand against the army of demons that was unleashed upon the world in the finale of the eponymous series, I cried a little. When I watched Catching Fire and the tributes joined hands during their final interview with Caesar Flickerman, I cried a lot.
What a beautiful, moving moment in a series that is focused on so much darkness. These people may be enemies, but they realize that they have something in common: they are, each and every one of them, victims. And here they stand together in the face of tyranny and show that while they know that they are playthings to entertain the wealthy, they cannot be wholly controlled. It’s a poignant reminder that we all need to stand together right now, in the face of the uncertainty that the world is so filled with today.
And that’s my time. Kristina should be back in the saddle next week, and I’ll bet you that she does not lose an entire day, so it’ll even be on time! Get well soon, Kristina!
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