Fall is in the air. Colder temperatures, too. How cold it feels is relative, of course, but this morning was about 45 degrees at 5am (though it's been warming into the 70's and even the 80's during the day). Lots of leaves, too, as many of the trees here in Texas drop their leaves over a very brief (2-3 week) period.
The time has changed, too. Ugh. That and shorter days means less time to do stuff outside after work. But, the other side of that is more time inside, which, for me, translates into more time for writing, blogging, and, of course, finding good stuff for my Weekend Links series.
Here's this weekend's round of links.
Scifi Books that Have Been Banned in the Twenty-First Century
Alien zoo sex, vulgar language, and the horrors of war have earned this novel (which shall remain nameless) a place on many a banned books list. And it’s hardly alone. Even in just the last decade, parents have tried to remove their least favorite titles from school libraries, and works of science fiction have been among the casualties. So, grab a flashlight, hide under a sheet, and read (or re-read) science fiction’s most suppressed books of the 21st century.
Robert Heinlein Explains How to Write for Money
The aspiring SF writer goes through many crises of confidence. Even Robert Heinlein asked himself "Am I good enough?" and "Is a tesseract just goofy stoner bullshit?" After he began publishing in the journal Astounding Heinlein wrote to editor John Campbell about what his rules for writing were, and under what terms he'd continue writing for the publication. This amazing epistle will either make you wonder when the transition "howsomever" went out of style, or stand up John Galt-style and trace a dollar sign in the air. We've got the full letter from the king of entertaining correspondence.
Writers feel the need to share their story
I often encounter words and phrases while reading that make me stop and reread in wonder. As a writer, I confess that I wish I had thought of that particular description, sentence, analogy to attain this perfect synergy. Many of the writers have mastered that admirable juxtaposition of words.
Share your Magic System
I was tapping away in the Spell Speak thread and realised that what I was writing was too long for that thread and also had skidded a fair bit away from what I'd originally intended to say. Then I realised... I want to know what everyone else is doing with their magic. Soooooooo... share your magic system (and maybe a little about organisations, if they tie in) with all of us. I'd like to see what people have come up with.
Russia's Space Program Could Crush the U.S. Over the Next Decade
When NASA retires its three space shuttles in 2010, US astronauts will have to rely on the Russian space program to gain entry to space and the International Space Station. Until 2015, when the Constellation program is scheduled to begin launching the Orion spacecraft, the US plans to purchase seats on the Russian Soyuz craft. Now some NASA officials are warning that America's presence in space could be hindered further by US-Russian tensions and the emerging Chinese program.
9 Awesome Heroines of Epic Fantasy
Nine sexy ladies.