Boskone56 is nearly upon us! Who’s excited? Me! Last year at this time, I was a hot mess. Boskone55 being my very first convention ever, I had no idea what to expect. I knew authors were going to be there, talking on panels, signing autographs, walking around in the halls, talking to people, and existing in …
I just read a The Martian, a book loved dearly by a LOT of people. I, however, didn’t love it. In my review, I discuss elements of this book that failed me.
It took two ridiculously long posts to cover all the fun of ReaderCon 2018, but I gotta say, I had an incredible time. If you’re a fan of science fiction and fantasy stories, you have to get to ReaderCon. You won’t be disappointed.
I went for three days without seeing the sun. Not best practice in terms of health, but it tells you something about how busy I was at ReaderCon this past weekend. Quick disclaimer: This is going to be a long post, as will be the part 2 follow-up. I’m trying to paint a clear picture …
If you’ve ever watched an Olympic sporting event like the floor routine in gymnastics, you might have seen shots of athletes preparing to compete. They stand to the side, eyes closed, twisting their bodies around in odd ways. You know what they’re doing. They’re envisioning their routine, imagining the jumps, the turns, the tucks. The same thing happening to those athlete’s brains as they pre-visualize their routines occurs inside readers’ minds when they read. Provided, that is, an author uses a few key neuroscience tricks when they write.
ReaderCon is arguably the most significant annual writing conference in Massachusetts. Happening each July in the town of Quincy, the event attracts an impressive line-up of fantasy, science fiction, and horror authors. It’s a must attend for genre fans, both readers and writers. This year, I’m going, and I can’t wait!
Mackenzi Lee might now just be near the top of my favorite writers. This excellent piece of YA fiction is filled with wonderful characters you can get behind, hauntingly beautiful language, all topped off with social themes that YA readers are hungry to explore!!
I would argue that Thunderhead was an even better book than the first book in this series, and that’s a rare thing to find in the world of trilogies. Fast paced, high-stakes, multiple plot threads and character arcs, and an ending that left me desperate for more!
No one I knew had ever heard of Boskone and, truth be told, neither had I until my Fantasy and Science Fiction professor at Lesley University told me about ReaderCon, which happens every summer in Quincy, Massachusetts. In researching that, I stumbled upon Boskone. Right there on the homepage, I saw enough to get me to register: Mary Robinette Kowal and Tamora Pierce.
Now that the high-pressure madness of Christmas shopping is behind us, here’s a list of ten great gift ideas for writers suitable for any occasion.