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james_davis_nicoll ([personal profile] james_davis_nicoll) wrote2025-07-01 06:02 pm

2025 CSFFA Hall of Fame Inductees

The quotation below is a quotation


CSFFA (The Canadian Science Fiction and Fantasy Association) is proud to announce the 2025 CSFFA Hall of Fame inductees.

Clint Budd, fan, convention organizer, modernized CSFFA and created the CSFFA Hall of Fame
Charles R. Saunders, author, journalist, and founder of the “sword and soul” literary genre
Diane L. Walton, editor, mentor, and a founding member of On Spec: The Canadian Magazine of the Fantastic

More information here.


Congratulations to the Inductees!
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trope_mod ([personal profile] trope_mod) wrote in [community profile] trope_of_the_month2025-07-01 08:41 pm
Entry tags:

July: Amnesty Month

July is another Amnesty Month. That means that instead of a new theme, the challenge this month is to create new works for any of the previous themes.

You can find the previous themes in the tag list under t.

Posting guidelines are here. Please remember to tag your fandoms and themes!

If you have any prompts or recs for previous themes, you can leave them in the comments using the template below:

For recs:


For prompts:


The amnesty period will last until 31st July.
oursin: a hedgehog lying in the middle of cacti (hedgehog and cactus)
oursin ([personal profile] oursin) wrote2025-07-01 07:37 pm

Through dangers untold and hardships unnumbered, am in Birmingham

Wot a saga, eh, wot a saga, first time I have ventured significantly forth these many years -

And to start with, MAJOR HEAT EVENT.

In anticipation, I had - or so I thought - prudently booked a taxi via taxiapp, with a certain amount of leeway, just in case -

- which turned out very prudent, as when I went to check the booking this morning the app was showing 'network error' and this was clearly on their end rather than mine, and a little looking about suggests that this is not their first rodeo server problem.

So when, at designated time, taxi cameth not, I set out towards the Tube, not without some hope that a black cab might pass me on my way, but that Was Not To Be -

And on reflection, I should perhaps have waited for a Bank train, because getting out on Charing X platforms at Euston involves rather too many stairs.

However, Avanti kindly texted me the approx time my train would be boarding, and this all seemed set - although my (1st class) seat was aisle, backwards, there was nobody in the other 3 seats so I switched -

HAH.

When we reached Coventry, choochoo sighed and gave up, and we had to debouch and take the next Birmingham bound train - which was delayed....

At Birmingham New Street had considerable faff trying to discover a Way Out that would take me to a taxi rank.

When I finally arrived at hotel booked by conference organisers there was an immense performance trying to find the right group booking, as it was not under any title that I might have thought of but that of some hireling booking agency.

However, I am now in nice cool room and have had tasty room service snack. Even if I have had to wrestle with getting my laptop to talk to the free wifi...

ride_4ever: made for me by hiswasburgundy (Fangirl for Canada - Mountie)
ride_4ever ([personal profile] ride_4ever) wrote2025-07-01 01:27 pm

Fannish 50 Challenge 2025: Post # 20: Canada Fandom: Canada Day

From this U.S. fangirl for Canada on today's Canada Day and every day: declaring my love and respect for the Great Sovereign Land of Canada.




Ten Inspiring Quotations About Canada.

(And furthermore: Fox Delta Tango!)
runpunkrun: combat boot, pizza, camo pants = punk  (punk rock girl)
Punk ([personal profile] runpunkrun) wrote in [community profile] fancake2025-07-01 09:19 am

Round 176: Working Together

Photograph with added text: Working Together, at Fancake. Workers in India use wide wooden paddles with long handles to shove a huge yard of drying grains into big piles. The grain, most likely rice, is a beautiful golden color, and there's a mix of western and traditional clothing among the seven men and women.
Our theme for July is working together!

This round is for fanworks that feature characters working together to achieve a common goal or—and this is not necessarily the same thing—fanworks set in the workplace.

The tag for this round is: theme: working together

If you're just joining us, be sure to check out our policy on content notes. Content notes aren't required, but they're nice to include in your recs, especially if a fanwork has untagged content that readers may wish to know about in advance.

Rules! )

Posting Template! )

Promote this round! )

Cake Wrecks ([syndicated profile] cakewrecks_feed) wrote2025-07-01 01:00 pm

Fetch Me A Hammer, 'Cuz I'm Gonna NAIL THIS

Posted by Jen

I just realized that the term "nailed it!" can have two meanings. Well, three. But despite my naughty word outburst yesterday, this IS still a mostly family-friendly establishment, and the third meaning is a little TOO family-friendly, IF you KNOW what I'm SAYING.

Sorry, my caps lock HAS DEVELOPED A MIND of its OWN.

AND I'VE ALSO BEEN DRINKING.

Where was I?

No, I mean yesterday: where was I? Because I'm guessing these feathers came from somewhere.

Perhaps I should start again.

So. "Nailed it." It can mean, "What ho! I have successfully accomplished my intended endeavor!" *OR* it can mean you hit something with your car.

Pay attention now, because this is a very long setup for a very flat punchline:

NAILED IT.

 

THANKS TO ANN LEE, who I'm hoping can tell me what kind of bird sheds strawberry-scented feathers. And glitter. And...oh. Waaaaiiit....

*****

"What do you need a 5 pack of assorted body glitters for?"

"The question is what DON'T I need them for."

Unicorn Snot Body Glitter Gel Pack

Plus they're called Unicorn Snot. C'mon. BONUS.

*****

And from my other blog, Epbot:

Simon ([personal profile] swaldman) wrote2025-07-01 02:22 pm

Arty stuff in London

HOT

But aside from that, partly in search of a/c, I went to the Royal Academy summer exhibition. Mostly it was stuff that did nothing for me, but clearly thought very worthy. That’s OK, art is about personal taste. THe things I liked were generally £15000 or more, but that's also OK, as I didn't go in with the intention of buying anything - I know that buying art at the Royal Academy isn't for the likes of me.

Except, right at the end, there was a screenprint of wind turbines that spoke to me; it really captured the amount of energy in the air in a way that photos of a wind farm can’t. I bought a limited edition print for a just-about affordable amount.

The next day I met up with friend L and we went to see the musical of Benjamin Button. I was a little sceptical of this, but it won me over: An intimate show in a small theatre, and not a typical West End show. Musically it's folky, trying (and succeeding) to be anchored in Cornwall. There is no orchestra per se. The actors all play instruments - usually more than one - and switch between singing, acting, and playing, fluidly, sometimes within a line of a song. Must have been a nightmare to cast for. If I have a criticism it's that the lyrics don't have great depth, but that doesn't really matter. It's good music, it's good storytelling with impact and humour, it's nicely lit, and most of all it is really well directed - with the exception of the titular character it's an ensemble piece where the audience’s attention has to be guided slickly around the stage, and it accomplishes this with ease.
Worth a visit if this appeals to you. Act 2 is a tearjerker...
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james_davis_nicoll ([personal profile] james_davis_nicoll) wrote2025-07-01 09:10 am
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james_davis_nicoll ([personal profile] james_davis_nicoll) wrote2025-07-01 09:02 am
Entry tags:

The Dreamstone (Ealdwood, volume 1) by C J Cherryh



Only the brave, the arrogant, the naïve, or the desperate Men trespass in Arafel's Ealdwood. Into which category does the latest visitor fall?

The Dreamstone (Ealdwood, volume 1) by C J Cherryh
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james_davis_nicoll ([personal profile] james_davis_nicoll) wrote2025-07-01 08:58 am
Entry tags:

July 2025 Patreon Boost



Jealous of all the people who support Aurora-finalist James Nicoll Reviews? Want to join them? Here are your options:

July 2025 Patreon Boost
cimorene: Cartoon of 80s She-Ra on her winged unicorn flying against cloudy blue sky (where are we going?)
Cimorene ([personal profile] cimorene) wrote2025-07-01 12:40 pm

the extroverts were right

I was making smalltalk with the bus driver along with the other guy at the bus stop and he asked if I was a student, lol. (Wearing a baseball cap and sunglasses took twenty years off I guess.) I said, No, but I'm going to driving school!

And he said close enough and gave me the student ticket rate.
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the_comfortable_courtesan ([personal profile] the_comfortable_courtesan) wrote2025-07-01 08:35 am

Connexions (16)

What they had not at all anticipated

Flora and Hannah were quite in agreement that Mr Thornton seemed an entirely eligible prospect as tutor – had not shown at all discomposed by their medley of orphans, was a promising sign, had shown very proper respect to darling Verrie –

Really, said Flora, that is a very good set of young men, who would have anticipated the like around Saythingport’s son?

Hannah gave a little wistful sigh. Perchance 'tis the like case to Milord – for thus, among themselves, they spoke of Gervase Reveley, the late Lord Raxdell, Beatrice’s father – that Lord Peregrine observes his father and wishes to take an opposite course?

You may be right, my love! What a pity that he is not the heir, rather than that inebriate lout.

That might come with irksome responsibilities, not that they seem to bother young Talshaw –

Flora groaned. Would that dear Beauf was not so conscientious filial in the matter, one sees that he finds it exceeding tiresome and yearns for Nitherholme. Sure one is glad that Bobbie Wallace now follows in his father’s footsteps and is no longer a trifling idler, but one could have wished he had remained His Grace’s secretary.

Hannah smirked and remarked that even so, she fancied that Beauf and Flora had found some compensations in his presence in Town.

Flora blushed, reaching to take Hannah’s hand. You do not mind, dearest?

Oh, poo! Here we are nearly at Attervale – she glanced out of the train window – and I hope you will not mind do I manifest a certain affection towards Lady Emily.

For somewhat to her amazement, what had begun as rather in the way of a passing flirtation, had become an enduring devotion that ran happily alongside their other loves. Indeed, Hannah was like to suppose, was best thus: could not quite imagine living with Em, that rose extreme early of the morn to tend to hawks and horses – was mostly preoccupied about those and the estate business of Attervale – entirely accepted within local county society –

Whereas Hannah was a creature of Town to her very bones.

So here they were at last at Attervale – so that Flora could convoke with Lalage Fenster over village education, and Hannah, besides having the opportunity to see Em, intended to go visit Sir Hobday Perram in her capacity at Bibliophilia, to write up his collections for The Speculum.

What they had not at all anticipated was that Bella would also be a guest at Attervale. Hannah bit her lip – doubtless the girl would be hanging out after Em in positive heroine-worship, exceeding ennuyant.

Though seemed curiously subdued: one heard she had been smitten with a chill after that matter of being bolted with by a skittish mare during a visit to Hackwold, but seemed in perfect health now – no worrying matter of coughing or sniffling –

But although she rode out on their morning ride – for Em was quite able to mount her guests – and tended to The Gascon on their return as had been well-trained in doing by Belinda Penkarding – instead of hanging about the stables and the mews all day, after breakfast – and one observed she made a hearty breakfast! – went recline upon a sopha with a deal of reading matter.  Most odd.

After Em had showed off her hawks, along with the owl and the raven, all in excellent good health, to Hannah, they went take coffee in Em’s room that was part office and part sitting-room and part study. For Em, that would claim that she had been brought up an entire ignorant miss – Milly was a darling, but we were sad inattentive pupils – came about to be considered quite the authority upon horseflesh and its ailments and quite the savant concerning hawks, and had a deal of correspondence upon those matters.

So, said Hannah, putting her feet up upon a convenient footstool, what is ado with Bella? Surely no young woman that eats as much as she does can be in a decline.

Law, said Em, looking up from sorting the post that had just arrived, for they were old enough friends not to stand upon ceremony, 'tis give out that she was badly shook up by that business at Hackwold. Sure Leah and Inez go make a deal of a sensational melodrama out of it, alleging that there was some plot afoot to make Thessaly, that was well-known a skittish creature, bolt, so that Blatchett could effect a daring rescue – as if Bella was not entire capable of rescuing herself, indeed she kept her head, found herself in familiar country and ended up at Jupp’s farm, where The Lady and Gertie Jupp were in residence.

Hannah put down her cup a little too hard and coffee splashed into the saucer. Blatchett, you say?

Had been showing marked interest in Bella. But although she came off unharmed from this adventure, Quintus Ferraby apprehends that there was some shock to the nervous system and that she would be better for recruiting a little out of the whirl of the Season.

Hannah said Good Lord, that was not what one anticipated at a Hackwold party –

Em responded that she heard that Sir Antony and Lady Mary had been called away – some matter of a sick relative – leaving the party with an aged spinster aunt and that awful creature Mr Mortimer Chellow to host.

O, one might expect some tragedy like unto The Mistletoe Bough in that case, or perchance some scandal involving cards, mayhap billiards!

O, quite. The old hen collapsed in spasms and went demanding a physician: those naughty nieces of mine will enact her. Em sighed. Really, that pair. First they go acquire most respectable, though one must admit, exceeding dull, suitors – entirely enviable partis I daresay – well, I should not care to have that tittering imbecile Lady Gabrielle as a sister-in-law, but who knows but that she may marry herself? – and appear to go sober down remarkably. Positively unnatural – and then Lord Gilbert comes back trailing a romantic history of duels and love-affairs with opera-singers in Vienna and Buda-Pesth &C&C and they both go yearning after a younger son that is, one hears, entirely dedicated to his career in the Diplomatic and has no intention of marrying. O, one dares say that did he have a wish to wed, there is some Mulcaster estate or other he might look after – mayhap go into politics – but would be very tame for one that has, one hears, ridden with Cossacks, gone wolf-hunting and a deal of other adventures.

Hannah responded that Lord Gilbert certainly had a touch of the brooding Byronic strain about him but one did not hear that he emulated the late poet in other particulars.

Why, she wondered, had she – and Flora – not known about this incident at Hackwold? She could not suppose that Clorinda, Flora’s beloved Tiger, had not known the all almost before it happened. There had been time and occasion for her to communicate the matter to Flora.

One had to ponder whether there was more behind than the tale put about by the young ladies: and knowing what she and Flora did of Blatchett, she wondered whether the plot had had more to it than performing a mere daring rescue.

She had no immediate opportunity to convoke with Flora – went to pay what she anticipated would be a first call, leaving her card, at Perram Place, but was received with great enthusiasm by Sir Hobday, that declared having heard so much about Miss Roberts from Her Grace and Mr Davison would not stand upon ceremony and convention –

'Twas all entire fascinating, and would, she fancied, work up into a deal of possibilities beyond a staid account of his library and collections for The Speculum – one might pass on a few hints to Sybil Vernall as seeds for tales!

But the upshot was that by the time she returned to Attervale Flora was already about dressing for dinner, that they took at country hours.

La, my love, I may bustle into a very suitable gown! Do not fret.

Flora sat at the dressing-table, brushing her unruly curls into some degree of order. She looked over her shoulder with a grin, saying, she did not really suppose that Sir Hobday had kidnapped Hannah to be an odalisque in his hareem!

And how did you pass the day?

Flora made a moue. O, Lady Isabella takes a sudden whim to be interested in politics, and has been interrogating me about various matters in Aspasia’s columns – sure there are a deal of allusions that one needs to be informed to make sense of.

Really? Hannah shook out the skirts of her gown, and looked in the pier-glass, wondering mayhap her corals, since they would be in company? To relieve the severity? She did not say aught about the Hackwold business or Blatchett?

Flora twisted right round. What?

Hannah disclosed what she had learnt from Em.

Flora growled. Hah. I am very like to suppose there was a good deal more behind – but I had heard nothing. Tiger has been entirely mute upon the subject except to mention that Bella had been rather knocked-up by her wild gallop in a chilly sleety night.

Oh! She stood up, clenching her fists. She has no confidence in my discretion – I know I was a foolish careless creature who did not reckon with the consequences of speaking out about free love and preventive checks and how that would affect my ability to work for other causes –

She sighed. Hannah went over to put an arm around her. It was a grief to Flora that her work for village education and certain other causes had to be conducted by informal convocation by way of conversation with friends, as there were those would not wish to be associated with that scandalous Miss Ferraby.

Did she suppose I would immediately be about publishing denunciations of Blatchett? And mayhap being sued for libel? No, these days I am good sensible prudent Flora, even would I desire to eat his heart in the marketplace and would at the very least consult Mr Geoffrey Merrett upon the state of the law in the question.

And Beauf has kept this secret too! she cried.

The important thing, Hannah pointed out, has been to protect Bella’s reputation – have you not spoke of the wicked fragility of female reputation?

Flora gave a little sob. ‘Tis so, and one sees the reason, but meanwhile that monster roams free.

Free, but these days somewhat shunned of the herd, one hears.

They looked at one another. Flora gave a gulp, and straightened up, and managed a little grin. Is’t not possible that Tiger herself has some device in play? Sure I should not wish to blunder in.


delphi: An illustrated crow kicks a little ball of snow with a contemplative expression. (Default)
Delphi (they/them) ([personal profile] delphi) wrote2025-06-30 07:03 pm

REC: Day by Day by surprisepink (Our Flag Means Death, Stede Bonnet/Izzy Hands)

Fandom 50 #22

Day by Day by [archiveofourown.org profile] surprisepink
Fandom: Our Flag Means Death
Ship: Stede Bonnet/Izzy Hands
Medium: Fic
Length: 1361 words
Rating: Teen
My Bookmark Tags: slice of life, romance, humour, happy ending, established relationship, izzy lives, future, flirtation, compatibility, service
Summary: A typical raid for Captain Bonnet and his new first mate.

Excerpt:
“I’m getting the hang of this, if I do say so myself,” says Stede, cheerily.

“And you do.”

“What’s that, Izzy?’

“Say so yourself.” The man looks entirely unimpressed, but it does take a lot to impress Izzy. Stede has accepted it by this point, and knows not to take it personally. Knows, too, that if Izzy actually wasn’t at least a little happy with him, he could leave the ship just about anywhere and find another pirate crew to join. And yet, port after port, he doesn’t.

And all Stede had ever wanted was for people to stay.

This is everything I love about the idea of Stede and Izzy together on the Revenge, with Stede captaining and Izzy serving as his first mate. The way they rile each other up is perfect, tempered to just the right heat by a better understanding of each other. Izzy's ways of trying to serve Stede while keeping his ego in check are moving, and so is Stede's growing sense of what he's doing and what it means.

The story's funny, with a comedic moment early on that made me laugh out loud, and the sexual chemistry between Stede and Izzy absolutely crackles. This one really made my day.
forestofglory: patch work quilt featuring yellow 8 pointed stars on background of night sky fabrics (Quilt)
forestofglory ([personal profile] forestofglory) wrote2025-06-30 01:42 pm
Entry tags:

More Doll outfit pictures!

I have been sewing a lot recently! It's really fun!

many pictures )
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oracne ([personal profile] oracne) wrote2025-06-30 03:50 pm
Entry tags:

Readercon 2025 Schedule

My schedule is finalized! I didn't list participants in case there were changes.

Who will I see at Readercon next month?

The Works of P. Djèlí­ Clark

Salon I/J Friday, July 18, 2025, 1:00 PM EDT

Our Guest of Honor P. Djèlí Clark rounded out his first decade as a published author with a Nebula and a Locus for his fantasy police procedural novel, The Master of Djinn, and both those awards plus a British Fantasy Award for his monster-hunting novella Ring Shout. His short story "How to Raise a Kraken in Your Bathtub" is short-listed for the Hugo this year. As a History professor at University of Connecticut, he investigates the pathways leading from West African storyteller/poets (griots, a.k.a. djèlí) to the American abolitionist movement. Help us celebrate the works of our honored guest!

The Purposes of Memorable Insults in Sci-Fi and Fantasy

Salon I/J Friday, July 18, 2025, 5:00 PM EDT

Some of the most quotable lines in science fiction and fantasy are zingers. Wit can do a lot to build a character, a world, and a universe, and has the ability to either support or undermine reader expectations. This panel aims to explore and elaborate on the use of wit—and especially takedowns—in literature, exposing how a verbal jab can serve as more than just a punchline.

Moving from Traditional Publishing to Self-Publishing [I'm moderating this one]

Salon G/H Friday, July 18, 2025, 7:00 PM EDT

It's becoming increasingly common to hear of authors whose self-published work was so successful that they were picked up by a traditional publisher. But what of the authors who have gone the other way, by turning their backs on traditional publishing and going into self-publishing? Panelists will survey the varying reasons for making this transition, how authors have navigated it, and what this might say about the state of publishing overall.

Kaffeeklatsch: Victoria Janssen

Suite 830 Friday, July 18, 2025, 8:00 PM EDT

Meet the Pros(e) party

Salon F Friday, July 18, 2025, 10:15 PM EDT

Program participants are assigned to tables with a roughly equal number of conferencegoers and other participants, and then table placements are scrambled at regular intervals so that everyone gets to meet a new set of people in a small-group setting. Think of it as a low-key sort of speed dating where you need never be the sole focus of anyone's attention, and the goal is just to get to know some cool Readerconnish people. Please note that this event will include a bar and is mask-optional, unlike most other programming.

The Works of Cecilia Tan [I'm moderating this one]

Salon I/J Saturday, July 19, 2025, 12:00 PM EDT

Our Guest of Honor, Cecilia Tan, has a publication history that spans Asimov's, Absolute Magnitude, Ms. Magazine, Penthouse, and Best American Erotica, among others. Writer and editor of science fiction and fantasy, especially as they intersect with erotica and romance, she is also the founder of Circlet Press, an independent publisher that specializes in speculative erotica. Her own writing earned a Lifetime Achievement for Erotica in 2014 from Romantic Times magazine. She also contributes to America's other pastime, baseball, in her role as Publications Director for the Society for American Baseball Research (SABR). Come hear our panel discuss Cecilia's many talents and accomplishments.

Un-Kafkaesque Bureaucracies [I'm moderating this one]

Salon I/J Saturday, July 19, 2025, 7:00 PM EDT

In fiction, bureaucracies are generally depicted as evil in its most banal form, yet many of the actual bureaucracies that shape our lives exist to protect us from corporate greed. How can—and should—we tell other stories about bureaucrats and bureaucracies, particularly as the U.S. stands on the precipice of disastrous deregulation? And might fantasies of bureaucracy (such Addison's The Goblin Emperor and Goddard's The Hands of the Emperor) be the next cozy subgenre?

The Endless Appetite for Fanfiction

Create / Collaborate Saturday, July 19, 2025, 8:00 PM EDT

In an article of the same name (https://www.fansplaining.com/articles/endless-appetite-fanfiction), Elizabeth Minkel discussed how "2024 was the year [fanfic] truly broke containment—everyone seemed to want a piece of the fanfiction pie, leaving fic authors themselves besieged on all sides." Attempts to steal and monetize fanfic proliferated, as did reviews treating living authors as distant and unreachable. What do these trends say about larger changes in attitudes toward stories and creators? How can fans of all kinds nurture supportive connections to authors?

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james_davis_nicoll ([personal profile] james_davis_nicoll) wrote2025-06-30 03:44 pm
Entry tags:

Bundle of Holding: Broken Tales



The English-language rulebook and supplements for Broken Tales, the tabletop fantasy roleplaying game of upside-down fairy tales from Italian game publisher The World Anvil Publishing.

Bundle of Holding: Broken Tales