Jan. 2011 (Issue 8)

Digital painting gives me possibilities and freedom that I wouldn’t have in traditional media. It’s easy to experiment and trying different things without destroying whole work which is extremely important for self-taught individual.

Science Fiction

Postings from an Amorous Tomorrow

by Corey Mariani

As of this second there are 3,236,728,909 people over the age of four living in the world, all of whom I am intimately familiar with. Of these, there are 876,852,003 that I love, and one that I am currently in love with.

Author Spotlight

Author Spotlight: Corey Mariani

The reason I am not depressed when I look around and see only selfish behavior. I don’t want to hurt you or anyone else because it would hurt me to do so. I think it’s better than altruism.

Nonfiction

The Future’s So Bright I Gotta Wear Shades: Guessing the Aesthetics of Tomorrow’s Social Media

by Genevieve Valentine

Social networking has become one of the most widespread phenomena of the last decade. It’s already revolutionized advertising, customer service, and the news. It’s not going anywhere.

Science Fiction

Cucumber Gravy

by Susan Palwick

Being legal would be nothing but a pain in the ass, even if I didn’t have to worry about keeping people from finding out about the space cucumbers.

Author Spotlight

Author Spotlight: Susan Palwick

Rural isolation lends itself to clandestine activities; so does Nevada’s laissez-faire brand of rugged individualism. Were I writing the story now, I’d have to explain why Welly’s selling pot instead of meth.

Nonfiction

Neurotransmitters: God’s Way of Getting You High

by Christopher Sedia

Considering that the human brain comes equipped with the desire as well as all the necessary neurological equipment to get us high, it’s not surprising that ever since humanity began, we’ve been searching out creative ways of doing so.

Science Fiction

Black Fire

by Tanith Lee

So while I watch, all this fire-thing just storms into and through the trees and down and it hits the ground, and I think something’s crazy then, because there should be a God-awful great bang, yeah?

Author Spotlight

Author Spotlight: Tanith Lee

Tempted women. An ultimate (forbidden?) knowledge. The scent and taste of an apple. The fear that it may have all happened before, and been Science Fiction back then too.

Nonfiction

Interview: The Redemption of Paolo Bacigalupi

by Christie Yant

With fantasy, you get the luxury of control. Every aspect of the world can be manipulated for your purpose, and the reader is willing to suspend disbelief to a much larger degree than with science fiction.

Science Fiction

The Elephants of Poznan

by Orson Scott Card

Into this square came the elephants, a group of males, making their way in what seemed a relentless silence, except that a trembling of the windows told us that they were speaking to each other in infrasound.

Author Spotlight

Author Spotlight: Orson Scott Card