Nerd news and notes

Last week I played nerd chaperone. I took my teen and two friends to TineeCon, an anime con. I scrambled eggs for breakfast while they got their Demon Slayer cosplays ready, then I got into *my* cosplay and off we went. (Who was I cosplaying as? Let's just say it would be easier if my favorite Critical Role character didn't have white hair.

marlainacockcroft.com

Recovering from StokerCon

I made some assumptions when I went to the Horror Writers Association's StokerCon last week. One was that the drive to Pittsburgh wouldn't take an entire day. Another was that Pennsylvania rest areas are just like New Jersey and New York rest areas and have restaurants available, instead of making you leave the highway to find food. A third was that I would have the time and energy during the conference to work on my novel.

marlainacockcroft.com

The Chilling Effect of Supreme Court

While the Mahmoud v. Taylor ruling may have seemed narrow, the impact has been broad.

slj.com

Why scary is good

Reading or watching a horror story is like riding a roller coaster. No, hear me out. It's scary. There are unexpected twists and turns. There's a horrific drop and your stomach leaps into your throat. You close your eyes, you don't want to look. You think this goosebump/shivering/screeching moment will never end. And then it does, and you're okay. You breathe a sigh of relief and you might even be proud of yourself for surviving so well.

marlainacockcroft.com

Are LGBTQIA+ Voices Being Pushed Out of Kid Lit?

Authors and agents say manuscripts by and about the LGBTQIA+ community are being rejected at an alarming rate as publishers seem to be trying to avoid controversy and complaints.

slj.com

Still debating

Here's what it means to be a minority religion/culture within a majority society: Every time something is scheduled on one of your holidays, you have to decide whether it's worth the pushback. Purim began on Monday night (all Jewish holidays start at sundown, as does Shabbos). I also had a meeting on Monday night. I serve on the board of this group, and I already knew the meeting date couldn't be moved.

marlainacockcroft.com

New story announcement

Write what you know. It's good advice but so easy to misinterpret. Taken to the illogical extreme, writers wouldn't be allowed to write anything beyond their own lived experiences, and that would kill a lot of good writing. You can create whole worlds with a decent amount of research, imagination, and empathy, so why wouldn't you? I think the point is to write what you know…

marlainacockcroft.com

An announcement, and a message

I had the call for submissions up on my screen when my 16-year-old walked in and said excitedly, "Is that an Odyssey anthology?" Like any standard fantasy nerd, my 16-year-old is having a Greek mythology phase. Mine started in grade school (Clash of the Titans!). My kiddo's is based around Percy Jackson and Epic: The Musical, and this is a shout-out to the other parents who…

marlainacockcroft.com

Myths, Gods & Immortals | Contents Announcement | Odysseus

We’re excited to present the list of stories featured in our new Odysseus book! Selected from open submissions, eighteen tales by modern authors retell Odysseus’ life and journey, imagining alternativ...

blog.flametreepublishing.com

Superpowered in Delaware

Getting short fiction published can feel like it's all in your head. You get an emailed acceptance, you get emailed a contract and edits. Getting your copy of the anthology or magazine (or the publication link) is proof that the acceptance was real and your name is in print. It's building a sandcastle, hoping that someone will see it and praise it before the tide comes in.

marlainacockcroft.com

Writing in these times

I check the news every day. Several times a day. Yes, I am perpetually frustrated and outraged. No, it's not great for my mental health. (Or for the actual physical health and safety of so many other people. Worry about them, not me.) At the end of the day, at the end of the week while we're lighting Shabbos candles, I focus inward: …

marlainacockcroft.com

Things are changing

There's change for the bad, and for the good. And sometimes both. The worst part of losing a pet is having to make the decision. I kept hoping Theo would die peacefully in her sleep, but even as she lost her appetite and her ability to walk, she kept hanging on until we brought her to the vet. The last time I lost a cat, she died in the car on the way to the emergency vet.

marlainacockcroft.com

Students Love Literacy Food Truck Program

Arkansas library media specialist Chelsey Smith has kids combine food truck fun with their favorite books, resulting in projects like a Captain Underpants-themed truck with

slj.com

Issue #45, Second Place | On the Premises

Fiction Magazine

onthepremises.com

Despite the storm

We were in the Poconos recently on a family trip. Rain was threatening, and thunder rolled across the lake. My son and I sat on the balcony of our hotel room, casually chatting, while the thunder got louder and the rain poured down and lightning flashed around us. A strange crackling, crashing sound startled us; we guessed lightning had hit a tree somewhere around the lake.

marlainacockcroft.com

Starting over, again

One of the hardest parts about baking—bread, biscuits, cookies, whatever—is trying not to overmix the dough. Knowing when the ingredients have more or less come together and that you haven't whisked, mixed or kneaded them into stiffness, because otherwise the dough won't hold its shape properly and might crack in the oven. Then you're stuck with a final result that doesn't represent your best work.

marlainacockcroft.com

What About the Little Guys? “Banned” Books from the Authors’ Perspective — The Headlight Review

Many think that for an author, getting their book banned is a badge of honor. That their sales will skyrocket with the free publicity. But this is only true for “celebrity” authors, or authors who are...

theheadlightreview.com

Getting neurodiversity wrong

I put our Passover Seder together in a hurry last weekend* because we were on a college campus for most of it, attending an accepted students' weekend for our son. Our autistic son. I don't talk about my kids much online, because they're entitled to their privacy. But certain newspapers and public figures recently seem intent on suggesting (again) that ADHD is overdiagnosed and overmedicated and (again) that autism is a horrible thing and autistic people are somehow a burden on the rest of society.

marlainacockcroft.com

Majority of attempts to ban books in US come from organised groups, not parents

Last year 72% of demands to censor books were initiated by pressure groups and government entities; with just 16% of ban attempts made by parents

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