September 25, 2020
I enjoy escaping into space opera, and as a librarian, I enjoy promoting my favorite reads. I loved K.B. Wagers’ The Indranan War trilogy, starting with 2016’s Behind the Throne, which starred a gun smuggler-turned-princess who leveraged her past in negotiating alliances, avenging her family, and stopping wars. So I was excited to hear about A Pale Light in the…
February 25, 2020
In 2016 (the year reading challenges really took off on the Internet) a good friend asked if I’d like to do a reading challenge. Most of the challenges I’d seen so far that year were fluffy — nothing wrong with popular fiction, etc., but I’d been looking for something different, as was my friend. We are both interested in social…
July 20, 2019
Hello once again, friends and readers! Welcome back to the Weekly Roundup, where I practice the art of summary (with a bit of awkward alliteration thrown in for good measure) in order to recap our recent genre delights. Buckle your safety belts, keep your hands inside the vehicle, and let’s ride the rollercoaster that was this week!
July 19, 2019
While June has come and gone, here at Speculative Chic we’re continuing Pride by bringing you the creators, creatives, and creations from the LGBTQIA+ community that we absolutely love. Just as there are many colors in the rainbow, there are many things that enrich our lives and bring us joy. Take a look! J.L. Gribble: As a professional writer, I…
June 10, 2019
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 our very own Venessa Giunta, whose Blue-Edged Soul, a short…
May 28, 2019
In January 2018, I set myself a goal of reading six translated SFF works. Amatka is my third book. (I know, it’s 2019!) Prior to this, I attempted Eden, by Stanislaw Lem, which I’m sorry to say was a slog, and one of Lem’s admittedly more difficult works; and I Remember You, by Yrsa Sigurdardottir, a properly chilling ghost story…
February 14, 2019
Editor’s note: We are pleased and honored to welcome Genevieve Iseult Eldredge to Speculative Chic today! Her article needs no introduction from us, so we will simply step aside and let her take it away. It’s no secret that diversity is gaining ground in popular media. Our world is amazingly diverse, and marginalized people are rightfully demanding movies about protagonists…
January 22, 2019
Pyschologists in science fiction or fantasy are kind of a rare character type. Professor X, Nancy Thompson, and Counselor Deanna Troi are great examples. It makes sense that Professor X would be a psychology professional, but to discuss his exploits would take pages that I don’t have here (so go here and here). And as a kid watching TNG who…
November 27, 2018
Earlier this year, Chic-mate Ronya F. McCool reviewed JY Yang’s The Black Tides of Heaven, and I was intrigued. I finished that series recently and decided to round up a few more titles whose characters are nonbinary or trans*. Representation matters–and I was rewarded with several works that were thoughtful, humorous, and all-around great examples for a range of ages, interests,…