point of view

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Point of View: Sometimes You Can Go Back

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A little over fifty-eight years ago, my Mom went to Disneyland when I was about two months old and snapped the picture above (on the left) on the It’s a Small World ride. I came into possession of this photo some time back, and it has always stuck in my mind – a simple image from when Disneyland was the only Disney park (Disney World would open in Florida three years later), and before Disney became a huge, globe-spanning empire, encompassing such varied brands as Star Wars, Marvel, and (amusingly) the Aliens franchise. Which, as some have noted with glee, … Read more

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Point of View: Off to WorldCon!

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I’m posting this a couple days earlier than usual because we’re off on an epic road trip tomorrow to Anaheim for WorldCon! This will be my third time (and the second time I’ve done the full con). Marco is coming with me this time, and we are caravanning down with our friends Marvin (author M.D. Neu) and his husband Eric. I’m so excited to have him with me, and am hoping he can find some panels he’ll enjoy at the con. We’ll have a LimFic table with a number of great author friends: and Kim and I will be previewing … Read more

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Point of View: It’s a New Day

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man watching the sun rise - deposit photos

It’s a big week. First off, Coredivers is off to my beta readers, with an expected return date of the end of October. So that book should be coming out probably around the beginning of next year. It’s the sequel to Dropnauts and I’m so excited to finally share it with you. Second, we’re getting ready to head to WorldCon next week. We will be there for the full con, and Liminal Fiction will have a table in the dealer’s room, featuring: And Kim and I will be previewing in paperback our second book in the Chaos and Order series, … Read more

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Point of View: Politics and Being a Writer

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protest fists - deposit photos

Writers of fiction, especially often escapist fiction like romance, sci-fi, and fantasy, are usually told to steer clear of politics. You don’t want to alienate half of your potential audience, they say to us. In some ways, it’s sensible advice. Readers are looking for an escape from their daily lives, not another diatribe on the dire state of the world. If they wanted to be depressed about the events of the day, they would turn on one of the 24 hour news stations. There’s already plenty of commentary out there about politics and the savage world we are living through. … Read more

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Point of View: Search For the Lost Sneak Preview

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Search for the Lost cover sketch

Hey all, We’re just about a month out from the release of book two of Chaos & Order, Search for the Lost, and the return of Crispin & Leopold (Leo to his friends). So I thought I’d give you a little teaser with the first sketch fr the cover (above) and the first chapter (below). Enjoy! Chapter One A sharp banging at the door brought Crispin back to the present. Or rather, to the past, when Leo had been taken away from him by Juzir and Qyl. They shared a look. Leo was clearly thinking the same thing.  Wordlessly, he … Read more

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Point of View: Playing In Someone Else’s World

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Book sci-fi - deposit photos

I am in the running to write a story set in someone else’s fictional sci-fi world, in this case, continuing an existing series working with a well-known author. While I can’t give any details right now, it’s been a fascinating experience. I’ve read the existing books in the series, and I’m now going back through them with a fine tooth comb to create my own series bible. There was an existing one, but unfortunately didn’t have all the little details I would need to know to continue the story with consistency, and without missing important story arcs and character quirks.  … Read more

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Point of View: Living in the Gap

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In the Gap - deposit photo

A few years ago, one of the ministers in the church we were attending at the time brought up a concept called living in the gap. It was postulated by a black Pastor from the South – unfortunately I don’t remember his name at this point. But the idea behind it stuck with me. It goes like this. There’s a place we are at, and the place we want to be, as individuals, and as a society. We are always trying to bridge the distance from one to the other, but often it’s a project that will take more than … Read more

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Point of View: Scott the Event Planner

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event planning - deposit photos

One of my favorite drag queens of all time is Bob the Drag Queen. In part because he just seems like a genuinely real and kind person. And in part because I just love his name. Calling yourself Bob the Drag Queen normalizes drag in a way that names like Trinity the Tuck or Pandora Box don’t. And while I love both of them too, there’s just something down to earth about a drag queen named Bob Which brings me to my latest endeavor. I’ve been Scott the Bookseller, Scott the Publisher, Scott the Webmaster, Scott the Author, and a … Read more

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Point of View: On the Shoulders of Giants

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Jim Comer

I just got back from running Nebula Con, SFWA’s annual convention for the Nebula Awards. I feel hugely honored that they entrusted me with this responsibility, and it was an unforgettable experience that I will delve into more next week. The award ceremony itself was uplifting and moving in a way that I did not expect. You can watch it here if you haven’t had a chance to see it. Especially N.K. Jemisin’s speech which was is profound, moving, challenging, and a balm to all of us in these uncertain times. Partway through the ceremony, they showed an honor roll … Read more

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Point of View: We’re Off to See the Wizard…

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Wizard of Oz

As writers, we stand on the shoulders of those who came before us. I was reminded of this today, while working on one of the final chapters of the sequel to Office of the Lost. There’s an undeniable thread of the Wizard of Oz running through the whole book. It wasn’t intentional – it just kind of snuck up on us during the writing process. But now it’s become an integral part of the plot. When I was a kid, we all had much more of a shared culture than we do now. Believe it or not, here were only … Read more