April 27, 2019
Hello once again! I’m writing to you from lovely Kumamoto as the Heisei era winds down to its final days, and the new emperor Naruhito will ascend the Chrysanthemum Throne. That sounds so majestic as I write it! And I think it’s exciting to be able to say I’m living through my third Japanese era (Showa to Heisei and now…
March 26, 2019
Very recently a certain cat played a big role in Captain Marvel. He just about stole the show, in fact, except that Brie Larson needed no help in that department. So the cat was a welcome addition to the film and to Marvel lore overall. I decided to take a look at some of my favorite faithful companions in the…
February 26, 2019
What are conlangs? I’ll be honest, I’d answer that in Klingon, Irathian, Quenya or Sindarin, but I don’t know how to speak any of them. I do know I enjoy marveling at listening to constructed languages, and science fiction and fantasy are full of them—everything from Tolkien’s fantasies to The Expanse (more about that below). I am no language expert.…
February 15, 2019
In honor of Black History Month, and this month’s book club selection, How Long ‘Til Black Future Month?, we’re taking a look at the Black creators and performers who inspire us and lead the way towards the future. Who is your favorite? Maybe they made the cut! Read on for more!
January 26, 2019
Hello! I have returned from my adventures, I didn’t really find myself in need of a time travel device, and all went well last weekend! I know that you were all sitting at the edge of your seats just waiting to hear that. Anyway, you should all know the drill by now, so line up and then we shall proceed…
December 31, 2018
Hello, friends and amazing readers! I wanted to take a moment to sit down, breathe, and reflect not only on last week, but on the year that we’ve had here at Speculative Chic. I know that we usually throw the roundup party on Saturdays, but given that it was a holiday week, and that this is New Year’s Eve, I…
December 25, 2018
Exactly two years ago, I wrote up a post about my favorite TV shows centered around female protagonists. I think it’s time for an update. When I was a kid – we’re going there – there were very few TV shows about women. And three of them (that I can think of at the moment) were spinoffs of shows that…
December 1, 2018
‘Allo! Welcome to December! Is it just me or has 2018 been the longest year ever? I normally reach the twelfth month and wonder just where the time went. Not the case this year. Anyway, it’s December, and that means that soon I’ll be reading Terry Pratchett’s Hogfather for the fifteenth or so time, because some traditions are too good…
October 27, 2018
Happy Saturday, friends! And happy almost-Halloween! It truly is the most wonderful time of the year. Pumpkin everything, spooky stories, decorations, candy…I adore it! Unfortunately, I haven’t been able to observe the holiday season as thoroughly as I usually do. I’ve watched some movies, and I’ve had my fair share of seasonal treats, but I want more. I can’t believe…
October 23, 2018
Last year I wrote about vampire stories, and talked about how I find Halloween waaay more exciting than Christmas. As a kid I looked forward to December; in recent years Halloween has become my favorite holiday. Every October 1 it’s time to break out the soundtrack to The Nightmare Before Christmas. (And yeah, I also like the Marilyn Manson version…