Rootless, rudderless, opponent-less but not friendless.
Not anymore.
sci-fi
A Commentary on Humanity: Russell Nohelty on Non-Human Characters
Russell Nohelty’s Invasion is a sci-fi coming-of-age story about a boy (Johny) meeting a girl (Debra) in the midst of an alien invasion. And the kicker? Debra’s not human. BELINDA: Tell us about Debra. RUSSELL: Debra is an alien that has spent her entire life on Earth. Her parents came to Earth to start a … Read more
Risking her life: Sue Parritt on Strong Female Characters
Sue Parritt is an Australian science fiction author. Her first trilogy tells the tale of a futuristic Australia ravaged by climate change, and racial oppression.
BELINDA: Tell us about Sannah, what makes her strong?
SUE: Sensuous, emotional and dramatic, Sannah, 39, a descendant of Environmental Refugees from the drowned Pacific Islands, is the Storyteller for Village 10. Storytellers–one for each Brown Zone village–are trained to deliver a distorted version of history to ensure compliance and reinforce White superiority. An articulate speaker, Sannah employs both voice and body to weave a spell around her audience. She also plays the role of ‘lover’ to many White men, to gain information useful to the Women’s Line, an undercover group that assists political prisoners on the run to flee the country and find sanctuary in egalitarian Aotearoa. Intelligent and savvy, Sannah knows what it takes to survive in an oppressive apartheid society ruled by tyrannical troopers, but willingly risks her life to ensure clandestine truth-telling continues. In twenty-fourth century Australia, she is a third-class citizen, but despite her low status, she believes in the power to effect change. This, plus the determination to engage in seditious activities whatever the consequences, makes and keeps her strong.
On fighting, YA and sci-fi: An interview with Fonda Lee
Fonda Lee knows kung fu, so when she writes a fight scene you know it’s going to be awesome. Which is fortunate, since her debut novel, Zeroboxer, is all about boxing (plus you know, intrigue, planet-spanning criminal enterprises and a smattering of romance). Find out how you can win a copy of Zeroboxer at the bottom of … Read more
Daydreaming the future: An interview with Jenny Martin
Cars, racing and a passel of my favourite movies! I talk with Jenny Martin about what makes YA sci-fi awesome and her book, Tracked. Don’t forget to check out how you can win a copy of Tracked at the bottom of the interview. BELINDA: What is YA science fiction to you? JENNY: First and foremost, it’s something near … Read more
On mirrors and YA sci-fi: An interview with N.K. Traver
A computer-hacking teen. The girl who wants to save him. And a rogue mirror reflection that might be the death of them both. That’s a great opening line and it’s on the back of Duplicity, a YA cyber-thriller by N.K. Traver. Find out how you can win a copy at the bottom of the interview. BELINDA: … Read more
Geekdom, YA sci-fi and Africa: An interview with Shallee McArthur
Shallee McArthur is the author of The Unhappening of Genesis Lee, a sci-fi thriller about a girl who remembers everything, until the day she doesn’t. Don’t forget to find out how you can win a copy of The Unhappening of Genesis Lee at the bottom of the interview. BELINDA: What is YA science fiction (sci-fi) to … Read more
On space opera, YA and druids: an interview with Janine A. Southard
Janine A. Southard is the author of the Hive Queen Saga, a sci-fi (space opera, to be exact) trilogy about a group of teenagers who steal (kinda) a spaceship and take off on the adventure of their lives. If you haven’t read the first book, you can find out how to get a free copy of … Read more
A world-building template for when you're on the go
Patricia C. Wrede’s Fantasy World-building questions are great, and the World-building Leviathan is equally awesome, but there are times when they just don’t hit the spot. Like, when you’re halfway (or more) into your novel and you need to sort out what a battle mage can do that an illusionist can’t.
Sure, you can jot down a few notes and whack them into a notebook, but if, like me, you can’t stand the thought of not being organised, something a little more structured is in order.
Normally, I’d turn to Scrivener, but, until the iPad version comes out, it doesn’t work so well on-the-go. Yes, you can sync your files to an external folder and edit them on the iPad (which works great for writing), but whatever file structure you’ve created in Scrivener is lost, and when I’m world-building I need folders, and not just any folders, but nested folders and lots of them.
And so, I set out to make myself a template in which I could make random notes, while still being organised, and that I could use just as easily from my laptop as my iPad.
Meet Hero
Meet Hero, the star of Hero-Fink, a novel set in the far distant future, on a far distant world. Hero Regan is special, and not in a way she likes. She hears voices, the kind of voices that other people can’t hear. Ever since she can remember, she’s been forced to take meds and prodded … Read more