Well, crap
Nov. 26th, 2025 11:11 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
james_davis_nicollIt was just pointed out to me that SF artist Stephen Fabian died age 95 back in May.
james_davis_nicoll7thgarden, volume 1 by Mitsu Izumi
Nov. 26th, 2025 08:53 amjames_davis_nicoll
If you can't trust a scantily-clad demon to aid you in your war with heaven, who can you trust?
7thgarden, volume 1 by Mitsu Izumi
Seen at the zoo today
Nov. 26th, 2025 10:36 pmchina_shop- kangaroos (tolerated brief stroking)
- a tight huddle of six ring-tailed lemurs
- red panda trying to sleep in a windblown tree
- sleeping snow leopard
- tiger actually up and doing things
- sunbear ditto (the only bear in Aotearoa, apparently)
- meerkats! climbing on us! (we had a paid "close encounter")
- misc. others
And the rain mostly held off until we were at lunch afterwards. \o/
Aristoi by Walter Jon Williams
Nov. 25th, 2025 09:03 amjames_davis_nicoll
A utopia (of sorts) is endangered by a discontented, powerful, malcontent.
Aristoi by Walter Jon Williams
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Bundle of Holding: Cornucopia 2025
Nov. 24th, 2025 01:59 pmjames_davis_nicoll
Bundle of Holding's 13th annual feast of top-quality tabletop roleplaying game ebooks.
Bundle of Holding: Cornucopia 2025
A forthcoming treatlet
Nov. 24th, 2025 02:44 pmthe_comfortable_courtesanYour amenuensis is pleas'd to announce that there will be a little Christmas treat this year: The Cathcart Apocrypha: Volume 6: Times Changing Belowstairs will be downloadable from the website from 24th December:
Clorinda Cathcart, now the widowed Marchioness of Bexbury, has undergone a radical change of circumstances. These changes have not left her household unaffected; nor have events in their lives stood still.
Enjoy!
Clarke Award Finalists 2023
Nov. 24th, 2025 09:19 amjames_davis_nicoll2023: King Charles III is the most unpopular British King in the last 60-odd years, Health Secretary Matt Hancock and Cabinet Secretary Simon Case’s comic routine is poorly received, and Sunak’s government ushers in a golden age of soaring STD rates.
Bold for have read, italic for intend to read, underline for never heard of it.
Which 2023 Clarke Award Finalists Have You Read?
Venomous Lumpsucker by Ned Beauman
Metronome by Tom Watson
Plutoshine by Lucy Kissick
The Anomaly (translation of L'anomalie) by Hervé Le Tellier
The Coral Bones by E. J. Swift
The Red Scholar's Wake by Aliette de Bodard
Poll #33874 Clarke Award Finalists 2023
Open to: Registered Users, detailed results viewable to: All, participants: 19
Which 2023 Clarke Award Finalists Have You Read?
View Answers
Venomous Lumpsucker by Ned Beauman
4 (21.1%)
Metronome by Tom Watson
0 (0.0%)
Plutoshine by Lucy Kissick
2 (10.5%)
The Anomaly (translation of L'anomalie) by Hervé Le Tellier
0 (0.0%)
The Coral Bones by E. J. Swift
0 (0.0%)
The Red Scholar's Wake by Aliette de Bodard
15 (78.9%)
Bold for have read, italic for intend to read, underline for never heard of it.
Which 2023 Clarke Award Finalists Have You Read?
Venomous Lumpsucker by Ned Beauman
Metronome by Tom Watson
Plutoshine by Lucy Kissick
The Anomaly (translation of L'anomalie) by Hervé Le Tellier
The Coral Bones by E. J. Swift
The Red Scholar's Wake by Aliette de Bodard
The Coming Golden Age of Used Books
Nov. 24th, 2025 08:51 amjames_davis_nicoll
Just as the Great Fire of Rome was a boon for the building trade, so too will a modern catastrophe be a boon for used book stores.
The Coming Golden Age of Used Books
Benefits by Zoë Fairbairns
Nov. 23rd, 2025 09:19 amjames_davis_nicoll
Mother's Benefits become the means by which British governments provide British women with the same benevolent management Britain once provided to India, Ireland, and Africa.
Benefits by Zoë Fairbairns
SGA: Born Under a Bad Sign by Brumeier
Nov. 23rd, 2025 09:10 pmmific posting in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png){kind=small}
fancakeFandom: Stargate Atlantis
Characters/Pairings: John Sheppard/Rodney McKay, Evan Lorne, Radek Zelenka, Laura Cadman
Rating: Teen
Length: 7984
Content Notes: no AO3 warnings apply
Creator Links: Brumeier on AO3
Themes: Mystery and suspense, Psychic powers, Friends to lovers, Complete AU: law enforcement
Summary: Rodney had thought the worst part of his day was coming home from the office and finding a dead man in his living room. He was wrong. But the investigation brought him and John together, and that's when things really got interesting.
Reccer's Notes: This is an engaging story in which Rodney's the head of his own tech company and John's a psychic with clairvoyance and precognitition who works with Lorne, a detective. They get called in when Rodney finds a dead stranger in his apartment, leading to an investigation. The story revolves around Rodney's reactions to John's abilities (mistrust gradually changing to fascination), all while being attracted to him. John is troubled, mostly seeing death and being able to locate killers, after being traumatised by his mother's death. Until he meets Rodney! :D It's romantic, with an interesting plot - an excellent read.
Fanwork Links: Born Under a Bad Sign
Characters/Pairings: John Sheppard/Rodney McKay, Evan Lorne, Radek Zelenka, Laura Cadman
Rating: Teen
Length: 7984
Content Notes: no AO3 warnings apply
Creator Links: Brumeier on AO3
Themes: Mystery and suspense, Psychic powers, Friends to lovers, Complete AU: law enforcement
Summary: Rodney had thought the worst part of his day was coming home from the office and finding a dead man in his living room. He was wrong. But the investigation brought him and John together, and that's when things really got interesting.
Reccer's Notes: This is an engaging story in which Rodney's the head of his own tech company and John's a psychic with clairvoyance and precognitition who works with Lorne, a detective. They get called in when Rodney finds a dead stranger in his apartment, leading to an investigation. The story revolves around Rodney's reactions to John's abilities (mistrust gradually changing to fascination), all while being attracted to him. John is troubled, mostly seeing death and being able to locate killers, after being traumatised by his mother's death. Until he meets Rodney! :D It's romantic, with an interesting plot - an excellent read.
Fanwork Links: Born Under a Bad Sign
“Men Say Peace, Peace, and There Is No Peace”
Nov. 22nd, 2025 03:09 pmndrosenI do not love war, but I do not believe that Ukraine should sign the proposed “peace accord,” nor that the United States should deny aid to Ukraine if Ukraine refuses to sign. There is no reason to believe that signing the accord would bring a lasting peace; it would merely put Russia in a better position for the next round of aggression. Donald Trump, an egregiously incompetent negotiator and an admirer of dictators, naturally fails to understand this, or perhaps does not care.
I will send messages to my Congressman and Senators, urging them to stand firm, and do what they can to support Ukraine.
I will send messages to my Congressman and Senators, urging them to stand firm, and do what they can to support Ukraine.
Ending of a Golden Age
Nov. 22nd, 2025 02:54 pmndrosenJohn Stossel has interviewed Johan Norberg about golden ages, welfare benefits, and decline. I have read Mr. Norbert’s book Peak Human, about the golden ages of various human societies, what contributed to them, and how they were followed by decline, and I recommend it; there’s more to the book than blaming an excess of spending on welfare. You may still want to read the article online, and perhaps follow up on it by reading the whole book.
Books Received, November 15 to November 21, 2025
Nov. 22nd, 2025 09:13 amjames_davis_nicoll
Three books new to me. All are fantasies, two are series.
Books Received, November 15 to November 21, 2025
Poll #33866 Books Received, November 15 to November 21, 2025
Open to: Registered Users, detailed results viewable to: All, participants: 47
Which of these upcoming books look interesting?
View Answers
Mother of Death and Dawn by Carissa Broadbent (March 2026)
4 (8.5%)
Tides of Fortune by Lauryn Hamilton Murray (June 2026)
1 (2.1%)
Everybody’s Perfect by Jo Walton (June 2026)
36 (76.6%)
Some other option (see comments)
0 (0.0%)
Cats!
32 (68.1%)
The Red Queen’s Race
Nov. 22nd, 2025 12:24 amndrosenAnother amendment has arrived, so now I have four on my docket of Amendments.
I have done major work on my oldest Regular New application, but I’m not quite finished. I hope to finish it soon, prepare for an interview with a patent attorney on Monday, and work on a couple of those amendments.
Also, I did a Notice of Abandonment on an application on my Rejected docket which I rejected more than six months ago.
I have done major work on my oldest Regular New application, but I’m not quite finished. I hope to finish it soon, prepare for an interview with a patent attorney on Monday, and work on a couple of those amendments.
Also, I did a Notice of Abandonment on an application on my Rejected docket which I rejected more than six months ago.
20+ Vampire Women for vampiremedia 20in20 challenge
Nov. 21st, 2025 11:46 pmflareonfury posting in fandom_iconsThese icons were made for the first vampiremedia 20in20 challenge. The theme is women. So below are 20 icons for the challenge plus all the extras I made.
[01] Aleera, Marishka & Verona (Van Helsing)
[02] Mavis Dracula (Hotel Transylvania)
[02] Barbara Gordon (DC vs Vampires)
[05] Diana (DC vs Vampires)
[01] Raven (DC vs Vampires)
[01] Rose (Vampire Academy books)
[06] Jubilee Lee (X-Men)
[03] Selene (Underworld)
[06] Lily Munster (The Munsters 2022)
[02] Caroline Forbes (The Vampire Diaries)
[03] Elena Gilbert (The Vampire Diaries)
[01] Katerina Petrova (The Vampire Diaries)
[01] Rebekah Mikaelson (The Vampire Diaries)
[07] Hope Mikaelson (The Legacies)
[09] Lizzie Saltzman (The Legacies)
PREVIEW
vampiremedia 20in20 challenge. The theme is women. So below are 20 icons for the challenge plus all the extras I made.[01] Aleera, Marishka & Verona (Van Helsing)
[02] Mavis Dracula (Hotel Transylvania)
[02] Barbara Gordon (DC vs Vampires)
[05] Diana (DC vs Vampires)
[01] Raven (DC vs Vampires)
[01] Rose (Vampire Academy books)
[06] Jubilee Lee (X-Men)
[03] Selene (Underworld)
[06] Lily Munster (The Munsters 2022)
[02] Caroline Forbes (The Vampire Diaries)
[03] Elena Gilbert (The Vampire Diaries)
[01] Katerina Petrova (The Vampire Diaries)
[01] Rebekah Mikaelson (The Vampire Diaries)
[07] Hope Mikaelson (The Legacies)
[09] Lizzie Saltzman (The Legacies)
PREVIEW
If I ever found myself in possession of a vast fortune
Nov. 21st, 2025 10:56 pmjames_davis_nicollI would definitely found an SF magazine.
Most mags struggle with handling submissions but I had a moment of insight: all I need to do is tell writers to send me _good_ stories. Their crap, they can submit elsewhere. Bang! Workload down by 99%.
Most mags struggle with handling submissions but I had a moment of insight: all I need to do is tell writers to send me _good_ stories. Their crap, they can submit elsewhere. Bang! Workload down by 99%.
