July 16, 2020
Ninety percent of the books I find these days are when I’m working at the bookstore. Usually, when pulling returns. You take so many of them out, it’s impossible not to look at them. Inevitably you’re going to come across one that catches your interest, leading to reading the book’s blurb, and then adding it to your reading list. Thus,…
July 15, 2020
One of the most common questions authors face is a deceptively difficult one to answer: “Where do you get your ideas?” Yet, the answers to that common question can be almost as interesting as the resulting story. Welcome to You’re My Inspiration, a column dedicated to discovering what inspires a particular author and their work. Whether it be a lifelong…
July 14, 2020
Editor’s note: We haven’t officially discussed many of the Hugo nominations this year, but our fabulous Merrin wanted to tackle the short stories. Who were we to say no! Merrin has covered this particular category of the Hugos twice before, so she knows her stuff. Handy links have been provided for your own reading enjoyment, and you should definitely check…
July 13, 2020
They might not be raindrops on roses or whiskers on kittens, but that doesn’t mean that we love them any less. Welcome back to My Favorite Things, the weekly column where we grab someone in speculative circles to gab about the greatest in geek. This week, we sit down with Theresa Glover, whose Monster Hunter is featured in Falstaff Pride,…
July 10, 2020
At Speculative Chic, we feature a lot of authors who share everything from their favorite things to the inspiration for their work. But why not also share their fiction? Welcome to Fiction Friday, where you’ll be able to sample the fiction of a variety of authors, including those who write at Speculative Chic! Today, we’re featuring our very own J.L.…
July 9, 2020
Indie publishing (also known as self-publishing) has been around for quite a long time, and with the introduction of ebooks and print-on-demand, it is a legitimate and growing industry. Being an indie means wearing a lot of hats and shifting among different roles, all necessary to the overall job of being an authorprenuer. Last month, we talking about things to…
July 8, 2020
One of the most common questions authors face is a deceptively difficult one to answer: “Where do you get your ideas?” Yet, the answers to that common question can be almost as interesting as the resulting story. Welcome to You’re My Inspiration, a column dedicated to discovering what inspires a particular author and their work. Whether it be a lifelong…
July 8, 2020
I’ve mentioned before, I really enjoy Nicole Givens Kurtz‘s work. When the opportunity came up to get an early look at her newest book, I jumped at it! The cover is gorgeous, and the plot summary had me ready to dive into this new world! Kill Three Birds (2020) Written by: Nicole Givens Kurtz Genre: Fantasy/Mystery Series: Kingdom of Aves…
July 7, 2020
Shirley Jackson was a Sagittarius who knew that arsenic goes best with sugar when serving blackberries after dinner. She raised demons into children, wrote with a broomstick, could identify the Amanita phalloide — the death cup mushroom — and terrified the world when she published a short story titled “The Lottery” in late June of 1948. Jackson was the type…
July 6, 2020
They might not be raindrops on roses or whiskers on kittens, but that doesn’t mean that we love them any less. Welcome back to My Favorite Things, the weekly column where we grab someone in speculative circles to gab about the greatest in geek. This week, we sit down with Bishop O’Connell, who is the author of the American Faerie…