NCF Tuesday: Sci-Fi Sex and Mermaids; Writing Contests; Eliza’s Silly Sunday


News

spbkchat.blogspot.com
Sci-Fi Reacquainting Us With Our Own Sexuality

Science fiction authors employ humans characters as well as aliens and intelligent machines in their stories. Kyle Munkittrick discusses the wide acceptance of interracial and interspecies love and sexual relationships found in science fiction and how it will break down the sexual barriers in our own lives in the future.

Do you believe fiction will break down the sexual barriers in our world?

   
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Neil Gaiman Called a Thief by Congressman

Republican Leader of the Minnesota House of Representatives, Matt Dean, urged by his mother, apologized to Neil Gaiman for name-calling. Gaiman received $45,000 for a speaking engagement. Dean felt the payment of $45,000 to Gaiman for a speaking engagement was exorbitant and labeled him a thief.

Do you think $45,000 is an excessive amount to pay a superstar author for a speaking engagement?

weeklyworldnews.com
Mermaids Splashing Onto the Paranormal Scene

Between the new Pirates of the Caribbean movie and the 2011 MerCon in Las Vegas, mermaids emerge on the paranormal scene, overshadowing vampires. Even Stephanie Meyer, Twilight author, plans to write mermaids into her new novels.

What other trends do you foresee in the future?


Contests

FICTION
Glimmer Train Literary Journal
-       Short Story Award for New Writers
-       First Place Prize: $1,200, publication in Glimmer Train Stories, and 20 copies of that issue
-       Deadline: May 31, 2011
-       Details here 

Narrative Magazine
-       Spring 2011 Story Contest: Fiction and Nonfiction of 15,000 words or less
-       First Place Prize: $3,250, considered for publication
-       Deadline: July 31, 2011
-       Details here 

Writer’s Digest Magazine
-       5-Minute Memoir, “Tales From the Writing Life”
o   Personal Essay (600 words or less)
o   Prize: Publication in Writer’s Digest magazine
o   Deadline: Rolling submissions
o   Details here 


Fun
Blogger Eliza shares a funny story. Enjoy!

Comments

Anonymous said…
Well, who wouldn't want to be a Superstar!? More power to Neil Gaiman.

I prefer mermaids to vampires. Just a quirk I have.

Lots of great contest links here. I'm bookmarking this page. Thanks!
Ann Best, Memoir Author
May 17, 2011 at 10:36 AM
Michael Offutt, Phantom Reader said…
I hope that vampire mermaids become the new trend.
May 17, 2011 at 12:22 PM
TMWHickman said…
Well, if Neil Gaiman was charging an elementary school that amount, I might have a problem with it, but otherwise, more power to him!
May 17, 2011 at 8:35 PM
Summer Ross said…
Thanks for the links and I see fairies making a trend too.
May 18, 2011 at 10:26 AM
Anna said…
I totally agree with NJAMB. His speaking rate seems to be reasonable within the realm of speaking-engagement fees.

Also, I heart mermaids. I have no problem with them making a comeback! Do you think we'll see more Peter Pan-style or H.C. Anderson mermaids?
May 18, 2011 at 4:18 PM
ali cross said…
I am pretty much clueless on the trends. I kind of do it on purpose. I'd rather write what I want to write, not to meet some sort of arbitrary trend. Of course, I'm not published so . . . :D
May 18, 2011 at 11:55 PM
Trisha said…
Demon mermaids ftw!!! :) I actually read about a demon mermaid in a Chrysalis story recently ;)
May 19, 2011 at 1:51 AM
Furland said…
Lovelly blog you have here
October 21, 2023 at 8:01 PM
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