Hi writing folk! I'm here today for a bit.
#WritingWonders April 29. Hi!

Does your MC have a weakness or an Achilles heel that regularly trips them up?

Her temper. It's getting worse as all starship pilots' tempers do over time - it's an occupational hazard that is mostly, but not entirely, psychological. Kaleida's method of dealing with it has been to deny and suppress it as best she can, which is exactly the wrong way to handle it. She's been able to cover so far, only getting called on it once by her mentor.
In book 5, the current WIP, she's about to walk into a situation where that isn't going to be enough anymore.

As an author, I don't usually pants things, but I'm interested to find out what's about to go down. 😂

#SciFi #SpaceOpera #FeministSF #SFF #Writing #WritingCommunity

#WritingWonders April 26.

Would your MC enjoy a fashion makeover or run the other way?

Kaleida: Run! Run run run runrunrunrun RUN!
< escapes >

#SciFi #SpaceOpera #FeministSF #SFF #Writing #WritingCommunity

#WritingWonders April 22.

What does your MC like about your antagonist?

The biggest antagonist in my current WIP is actually a group of people: Kaleida's deceased bio-mother's family. Kaleida doesn't like anything about the group - they suffer from what she sees as humanity's usual arrogance, self-righteousness, treachery, lack of courtesy, and otherwise general bad manners.
Except for her grandfather. Him, she's coming to have a grudging respect for since he appears to be a being of honor.

#SciFi #SpaceOpera #FeministSF #SFF #Writing #WritingCommunity

#WritingWonders April 15.

What is difficult for your MC but not for others?

Relating to other humans. Kaleida finds it much easier to talk to or deal with another intelligent species, than to relate to humans. Since she wasn't raised by humans, but does remember the few years as a small child among the backward and patriarchal Ryathans, she has no illusions about human 'civilizations'.
(She lived on Ryat until she was 6, before her brothers sold her to a passing trader to get her off the planet. They did it to save her life, and she knows it. And it got them killed. Long, sad story.)

It's much easier to trust and get along with Gatauans, like her adoptive family. Or the crew of the Barracuda.

#SciFi #SpaceOpera #FeministSF #SFF #Writing #WritingCommunity

#WritingWonders April 14

What is attractive in a person, MC POV

Kaleida: Integrity. And they have to be open minded, and adventurous.
Oh you mean physical? Clean fur, bright eyes, and sharp white fangs. And a tail. ... Except for Ethan. He looks okay without all that. Why does he get a pass when other humans don't? Not sure. He looks like himself, maybe.

Firi: Fun. They have to be fun, and smart. I like smart, too. Did I say fun?

#SciFi #SpaceOpera #FeministSF #SFF #Writing #WritingCommunity

#WritingWonders April 5.

On a typical day, what sounds does your MC hear after waking up?

The soothing hum of the Barracuda's engines. Firi's comforting purr-snore from the hammock-nest above hers if he's still asleep.

#SciFi #SpaceOpera #FeministSF #SFF #Writing #WritingCommunity

Inner Space

In case you missed it, be sure to check out Kattullus' post on "A Space of Her Own by Mary E. Papke," an essay about Pamela Zoline and her 1967 science fiction story "The Heat Death of the Universe."

https://www.metafilter.com/198786/the-aliens-destroying-this-world-are-us

#literature #ScienceFiction #SpeculativeFiction #SF #ShortStory #feminism #FeministSF #Zoline #PamelaZoline #Papke #MaryEPapke #NewWave #NewWaveSF

#WritingWonders April 4.

MC POV: if you could teach one subject what would it be?

Kaleida: "I would be pleased to teach
*Minding Your Own Business 101*

A review of taking your nose out of other people's business and letting them live their lives without your interference or stupid attempts at control.

Special attention will be given to the concept that other people's choices are their own business, if you don't like their choices but they're not harming anyone, GTFO.

Special refresher concept for Human participants: 'Other intelligent species are people too, so STFU about special privileges.'

I think I'd be pretty good at it. Oh, and animal abuse is never okay, even if we're talking about prey species. Just saying."

#SciFi #SpaceOpera #FeministSF #SFF #Writing #WritingCommunity

#WritingWonders April 3.

Kaleida's wanted posters (from the series so far). 2 of 2

Gosper: Assault with deadly powers and murder.
"Falsely accused and exonerated!"

Eerhaas: Breaking Federation/Concorde interdict, association, aid, and comfort to enemies of the Eerhaas state, spying, and [spoilers].
"The Aku in charge of the Eerhaas govt were fascists. And anyway, Firi's Eerhaas wanted poster is twice as long!"

Trathian Orbit: Skipjack-jacking, assault, trespass, and [spoilers].
"I brought the skipjack back, in the same condition I borrowed it. Mostly. And the rest of it? They had it coming."

Busy, busy!
"And whose fault is that, Author-person? huh? Besides, you forgot some."

I think we'll just leave it there. 🙄

#SciFi #SpaceOpera #FeministSF #SFF #Writing #WritingCommunity

#WritingWonders April 3.

Kaleida's wanted posters (from the series so far). 1 of 2.

Yalla: Impersonation of a protected class, Theft of government property.
"That's a long story, but I suppose it's accurate." - Kaleida

Kyril Station: Public endangerment, theft of property.
"Property? They're living beings and they were being mistreated."

Vinathela Station: public brawling, weapons charges, release of dangerous animals.
"Considering what *really* happened, I don't see why you're complaining."

Cont.

#SciFi #SpaceOpera #FeministSF #SFF #Writing #WritingCommunity

#WritingWonders April 2.

What's the education system like on your world?

Short answer: The educational systems are multiple, and different, depending on species, and depending on whether you live on the homeworld or a colony, or on a station or ship, Grounder or Spacer.

Long answer: Err. Which one? The list of homeworlds includes:
Gaton (Gatauans)
Sliira (Slii)
Graffatu (Graf)
Eerhaas (Eerhaas)
Braska (Braskans)
The Whelan Armada (Whelans)
And that doesn't account for the many colony worlds and stations like T'ormalin (planet and station), Concorde Station, Pardau Station, Yalla (planet and station), Kyril (planet and station), Tarrix Station, Gosper (planet), and I'm sure I've forgotten a few in the moment.

#SciFi #SpaceOpera #FeministSF #SFF #Writing #WritingCommunity

#WritingWonders April 1.

Two truths and one lie about the work in progress.

1. Kaleida is going to have to deal with some nasty problems without the support of the Barracuda's crew for half the book.
2. There are creatures in the story that TVTropes would classify as Space Whales.
3. Cargomaster Risien will have to break up a fight between Shirley and Eldon on the docks.

#SciFi #SpaceOpera #FeministSF #SFF #Writing #WritingCommunity

#WritingWonders March 31

Have you ever written alternative endings for yourself?

No, I generally know where the story is headed before I start. The ending might change somewhat from it's original conception, but I've never written more than one.

#SciFi #SpaceOpera #FeministSF #SFF #Writing #WritingCommunity

#WritingWonders March 30
Catch up
How has your MC changed since the beginning?

Over the span of the first four books in the series, Kaleida has stopped running from her past, and she's made a good start towards growing into her talents. She's also managed to make some great friends.
I'm proud of her for learning to be true to herself!

#SciFi #SpaceOpera #FeministSF #SFF #Writing #WritingCommunity

#WritingWonders March 28.

Does your antagonist have any redeeming qualities?

The series level antagonist: yes
Various book level antagonists: depends on the antagonist.
Sorry if that's a bit boring, but spoilers left and right.

Nope nope nope! 🤪

#SciFi #SpaceOpera #FeministSF #SFF #Writing #WritingCommunity

#WritingWonders March 27.

What would your MC's favorite book be?

Kaleida: A good translation of the Tao Te Ching

Firi: The Mad Scientists Guide to Electronics Projects

#SciFi #SpaceOpera #FeministSF #SFF #Writing #WritingCommunity

#WritingWonders March 25.

If your MC was on social media, what would be their favorite platform and why?

Kaleida: Reddit. Specifically /r/Aww, of course. In fact, it would be hard to get her off of it. So many adorable creatures! (And /r/Animals, and AnimalsBeingBros, and AnimalsBeingDerps and ... )

Firi: The birdsite. Firi would pay money (reasonable amounts) to troll nasty people and find ways to set them against each other as a lark. For the chaos of it. He'd take screenshots of his successes and show the entire crew, grinning, his whiskers forward in glee.

#SciFi #SpaceOpera #FeministSF #SFF #Writing #WritingCommunity

#WritingWonders March 24.
Catch up.
If your story were a fable, what would the moral be?

The underlying *theme* of the Dimension Runner series is that friends are the family you can choose, and friends don't even have to be the same species.
Also, the universe is a strange and wonderful place.

The moral?
I'll go with the Winston Churchill quote: "If you find yourself walking through hell, keep walking."

#SciFi #SpaceOpera #FeministSF #SFF #Writing #WritingCommunity

#Bookposting!

I recently finished "Unconquerable Sun" by Kate Elliott. I highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys space opera, especially with a feminist & queer bent.

As I summed it up to Hubby: "Lesbian Space Princess Sun kinda wants to fight her Bisexual Queen Mother, but an outside force has attacked, so now they must join forces."

Bonus features: humans with exoskeletons as well as regular skeletons, space battles, plucky young people prevailing over superior forces

Minor complaint: not a big fan of shifting tenses with shifting character POVs. But the author made it work.

#SciFi #SpaceOpera #FeministSF #SFF @bookstodon

My “Looking Back on Genre History” segment on the latest episode of the StarShipSofa podcast focuses on #JoannaRuss.

#SFF #ScienceFiction #FeministSF #Feminism #SpeculativeFiction #StarShipSofa #Books #Bookstodon #GenreHistory

http://www.starshipsofa.com/blog/2023/03/22/starshipsofa-708-steve-rasnic-tem/