Cat Rambo's Blog

I am Cat Rambo and This is What I Believe

I am Cat Rambo, and this is what I believe.

I believe every human being has dignity and worth. That one should treat others with respect, including their pronouns and the pronunciation of their name. That people should be free to live, worship, and connect with the universe as they please. That decency, ethics, and accountability are core values. That understanding and acknowledging one’s own privilege is part of that accountability.

I believe stories matter. That they shape how people think about and understand their lives and the world at large. That they gift us with hope and empathy.

I believe that all paths to publishing – traditional, indie, small press, crowdfunded – are valid for writers and that nowadays more and more people are able to create their own art and tell their own stories in a new way that has created a wealth of great new writing, including many stories that wouldn’t have been told through traditional publishing.

I believe that historically the publishing industry has – like the world around it – disadvantaged people for reasons of sex, race, religion, disability, sexuality, social class, and a host of other isms, and that this has affected who has and hasn’t been able to be published. Because of that, we all need to continue to push towards an industry – and world – where that is not the case.

I believe my students are a major part of my legacy. They provide me with joy and pride as they work and write and do things in a world that is not particularly kind to people who create art. I try to live my life in a way that will not disappoint them.

I believe in the power of thank yous, because they say “I saw what you did and it’s appreciated”. And I believe in volunteering, because giving back to the community when you have the time and resources is a duty as well as often a joy. The science fiction and fantasy world runs on volunteer power, and acknowledging those volunteers is vital.

I believe that I am the product of many influences, including my Unitarian Universalist faith, which draws in turn from Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Humanism, Islam, Judaism, and Paganism. And all of those influences lead me to believe one should strive to leave the world a better place rather than a worse one.

I believe that claiming to be apolitical is itself a political act, and one bolstered by privilege.

I believe that what is happening in Gaza is wrong, and that there needs to be an immediate, and permanent, ceasefire. Over 40,000 have died in Gaza so far, most of them women and children. That is uncategorically wrong and it is symptomatic of a world where other wars are being waged on those who cannot fight back, primarily the poor.

I believe that a system that drives the vast majority of the wealth up to a specific few, rather than benefiting all, is broken and needs to be replaced. And I believe that those wealthy few are doing their best to foster divisions between the groups they’re exploiting, in order to keep anyone from noticing.

I believe in science and the power of rational thought. And that destroying books, whether by burning, shredding, or other means, is a symbolic destruction of the ability to think and learn.

I believe that people trying to hurt other people in petty ways are often – perhaps even usually – deeply in pain themselves, and that generally it’s better to hope they find the help they need than to try to hurt them back. Hate begets hate, which is sad when that hate is a twisted call for help.

I believe that karma is a force that works in this universe and that continuing to send out good energy and positive vibes will stand me in far greater stead than not. Kurt Vonnegut Jr. said “Be careful what you pretend to be, because you may become it.” I have never pretended to be anyone or anything other than what I am. And that’s what I will continue to be.

Novel Workshop Starting September 7

Got a science fiction, fantasy, or horror novel that you want to start (and keep) writing? This is the workshop for you. In this six session workshop, I will guide you as you plan out and begin writing the underpinnings of your book as well as develop a process that will enable you to keep writing and complete your book.

In this workshop you will:

Figure out the emotional heart of your book, and how it connects to the journeys of the main characters.Perform pre-work and exercises designed to help you figure out the deeper motivations of your characters, nuances of world-building, how to drive action, and other information that will keep you on track.Brainstorm and discuss in a supportive group setting.Develop a plan and schedule for writing it – and get a solid head start on that writing.Receive guidance at one of the most crucial stages of novel writing – the beginning.

Six sessions on Saturdays, 12:30-3 PM Eastern time

Sept 7, 14, 21, 28, October 5, 19 (we skip Oct 12)

Cost for Patreon supporters and community members: $499; otherwise $599.  To register, mail me at cat@kittywumpus.net and indicate how you would like to pay. All scholarships have been awarded.

Newsletter for 8/13/2024

Here’s what’s in this newsletter:Back from GenConWriting Your Way Into Your Novel extended workshop in Sept/OctBook on saleNew Patreon levels and offeringsMarket News and Links of InterestMonthly giveaway

Back from GenCon

I had an absolutely lovely weekend at GenCon. My panels were pretty excellent – I did have one where there was only one audience member, so we just waved him up to sit nearer and then we all just talked about what new books and games and such we were really enjoying lately. If you’d like to see what panels I was on, you can find them here.

GenCon is always one of my favorite conventions, because I’ve been playing Dungeons & Dragons since I was 12, and I remember some of the early GenCons, back in the day when it was held up in Lake Geneva, Wisconsin. I did pick up some books while I was there but I resisted the urge to get games because with three cats, games with lots of pieces are less feasible to play than they used to be.

The workshops I did were on horror subgenres and how to write them, story fundamentals, and writing magic systems. I thought they went pretty well, but there’s always a horrible moment in every class where I become worried that I’m not making sense. God bless the people who smile and nod, and let you know that you’re still on course.

Now that I’m back, my writing focus this month is finishing up this draft of Sahalah to give to beta readers and two stories that came to me recently, and which I’d like to get written before they fade. (Patreon supporters can read the first two chapters here.) I’m also prepping for a new workshop I’ll be giving in September/October. Details are in the next section!

Extended Novel Workshop

Got a science fiction, fantasy, or horror novel that you want to start (and keep) writing? This is the workshop for you. In this six session workshop, I will guide you as you plan out and begin writing the underpinnings of your book as well as develop a process that will enable you to keep writing and complete your book.

In this workshop you will:

Figure out the emotional heart of your book, and how it connects to the journeys of the main characters.Perform pre-work and exercises designed to help you figure out the deeper motivations of your characters, nuances of world-building, how to drive action, and other information that will keep you on track.Brainstorm and discuss in a supportive group setting.Develop a plan and schedule for writing it – and get a solid head start on that writing.Receive guidance at one of the most crucial stages of novel writing – the beginning.

Six sessions on Saturdays, 12:30-3 PM Eastern time

Sept 7, 14, 21, 28, October 5, 19 (we skip October 12)

Cost for Patreon supporters and community members: $499; otherwise $599. Scholarships are available. I’ll announce this publicly at the beginning of August if there is space left after Patreon sign-ups. To register, mail me at cat@kittywumpus.net and indicate how you would like to pay. All scholarships have been awarded.

Book Sale and Appearances

If you haven’t read my first space opera, YOU SEXY THING, it’s on sale right now for $2.99 on the Kindle. https://www.amazon.com/You-Sexy-Thing-Cat-Rambo-ebook/dp/B0879HBYB2/ The second book, DEVIL’S GUN, appears in paperback this month, and next month, the third book, RUMOR HAS IT, will be released on September 24. You can preorder it here! https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0CQHK7FQJ

I did an interview with Paul Semel about Devil’s Gun. I also talked with C.M. Caplan for the Before We Go blog. Here’s a nice mention of upcoming Rumor Has It in Reactor Mag. My next face to face appearance will be at the Surrey Writer Conference in late October but I will be at virtual gatherings Flights of Foundry and Virtual ICFA.

Jennifer Brozek and I appeared on Tea Time with Miss Liz. Watch it here!

New Patreon Levels/Offerings

Over the last couple of months, I’ve been working on a new website with clear navigation, organized drop-down menus, and an online payment option. It’s scheduled to go live on September 1. So it seems like a good time to revamp my Patreon levels, with some new rewards and new tiers appearing at the same time.

Sign up for the Patreon here.

Here are the new tiers:

Free members

Weekly “Prompts Used” write-up and monthly “Rabbit holes” posts.NEW! Each month one session of the (weekly or monthly events) will be open to free as well as paid members of the community.

$2 per month: Campus Pass Lite

Consider this a chance to tour the campus. This level lets you take part in the community and gives you class discounts, advance sign-ups, and cat pictures!

Access to Discord server, including the #motivation (weekly goal check-in) and #critclub (story critique) channels.Friday coworking – come chat for the first ten minutes, then do three half hour work sessions with check-ins between each session.Daily feral co-working.Posts: Cat (BabyBear, Bruce, and Clark) and travel pictures.Advance sign-up and discounts on live classes and workshops.

$5 per month: Campus Pass

This level gives you access to a variety of craft-oriented events, each with its own custom Zoom background, and gives you a monthly video with a writing tip.

Everything from previous level.UPDATED: Wednesday Writing Games is now “Writing to Prompts,” with a different theme for each week throughout the month.Week 1: Prompts are tailored to current market calls.Week 2: “Get Lit” where we will focus on practicing a specific literary device.Week 3: Musical and other aural prompts.Week 4: “Tell Me Something Good,” prompts that add a little something to delight your readers.

After each session, “prompts used” will be posted on the Discord under “Local Announcements” and on Patreon the following Thursday.

Short story discussion – come and discuss classic SF stories. We meet twice a month, once on a Wednesday and once on a Sunday, to discuss that month’s story. We will continue to have bi-annual visits from the authors, as we have had in the past.  These will be recorded.Craft book discussion – come and discuss a chapter from a craft-focused book each month. We’ll meet twice a month, once on a Wednesday and once on a Sunday, to discuss that month’s chapter.  These will be recorded.NEW! Monthly writing tip video on the 1st of each monthNEW! Rambo Academy Zoom backgrounds and other digital swag

$10 per month: Campus Pass with Library Card

For those who want more, here’s access to the library of recordings from past events and speakers as well as motivational sessions and goal-setting.

Everything from previous levels.Recordings from discussion groups, workshops, and special speakers.Submit questions in advance for groups, workshops, and special speakers.NEW! Quarterly planning sessions will meet at the beginning of the year and then every three months to help you plan and execute your goals.NEW! Monday motivation sessions at 12:30 PM Eastern every Monday. Come check in about your weekly goals and obstacles and get the week started right.NEW! Patreon thank you credits on website and monthly writing tip videos.

$25 per month: Campus Pass, Scholar Edition

Enjoy the new book club discussing recent F&SF with the authors (Mur Lafferty will be the first one on October 22) as well as a writing class every three months.

Everything from previous levelsNEW! Quarterly book club. Get a chance to read something new and interesting and then discuss it with the author.  NEW! Quarterly class. (Free at $25 level, otherwise $49 for Patreon members, $59 for non-members)

$100 per month: Schoolhouse Rock Edition Campus Pass

Ready for more than group discussion? Here’s a level with a monthly coaching call or developmental edit.

Everything from previous levelsA 15-30 minute coaching call OR developmental edit of a story up to 4,000 words each month

$300 per month: Super Extra Deluxe Campus Pass (3 month minimum; by application only)

Enjoy a 45 minute coaching session, as well as suggestions, encouragement, and prompts tailored to your needs.

Everything from Scholar Edition levelsNEW! Monthly 45 minute coaching/planning session, which can include 10 page review and feedbackNEW! Random encouragement and promptsNEW! Personalized monthly challenges and reading suggestions

NOTE: Discord memberships will continue to be available to everyone via Patreon, Paypal subscription, as well as invited members. Free memberships are available to folks who can’t afford the paid subscription. *If you are interested in sponsoring a membership for someone or contributing to the rolling scholarship fund, I’d love to hear from you.

Additional Details on Live Workshops

Quarterly single-session classes will be free for Patreon supporters at the $25 and up level; discounted for all other Patreon supporters ($49), and otherwise $59. Those classes will be:

Sep 15, 2024, 12:30-2:30 PM Eastern time: Fixing the Broken StoryDec 15, 2024, 12:30-2:30 PM Eastern time: How to Finish StoriesFeb 16, 2025, 12:30-2:30 PM Eastern time: Ins and Outs of OutlinesMay 11, 2025, 12:30-2:30 PM Eastern time: Everything You Need to Know about Titles

In 2025, I’m also planning another international Wayward Wormhole in an amazeballs location with stellar instructors.

Rabbit Holes from the Internet

Community Links

Pauline B has a new story, “Ten Easy Steps to Boost Your Civilization’s Kardashev Rating” in the Offshoots: Humanity Twigged anthology https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0D8CVYDMY , and another, “Unraveled” in Flashpoint SF. https://flashpointsf.com/2024/07/26/unraveled/T.B. Jeremiah has a Flash piece, “Learn to Count with the Doomed Expedition” in Drabblecast. https://www.drabblecast.org/2024/07/25/drabblecast-491-learn-to-count-with-the-doomed-expedition/Priya Sridhar has an article on Medium, “’Accountable’ Shows the Consequences of Racism and Harassment. https://medium.com/counterarts/accountable-shows-the-consequences-of-racism-and-harassment-25395ae426a5Here’s the prompts we used in this week’s writing games.

Market & Related Links

Uncanny Magazine will be open for submissions Aug 5 to Sept 2 (750 to 10,000 words) This is probably their last submission period for the year. https://www.uncannymagazine.com/submissions/ as per Edgard WentzThe Commuter is open for non-fiction articles related to SF and paying $100/piece.  https://www.chillsubs.com/magazine/electric-litAliens Among Us (SpeKulative Stories Anthology Series) https://www.omicronworld.com/anthology-submissions?fbclid=IwAR1m_D2BRxnFH5VIOQeiCCFGdOtU5sA4uFeh4i0d9mQZiWzHAMey1HONhiAUtopias Science Fiction is open for Flash under 1000 until Nov 1, 2024  https://www.utopiasciencefiction.com/submitFor people writing novellas, here’s a list of publishers taking them: https://blog.reedsy.com/publishers/novella/Strange Horizons is looking for a nonfiction editor – https://x.com/strangehorizons/status/1820914543020609741Small Wonders Magazine is looking for more first readers! This is a volunteer position. If you’re interested, please fill out this form: https://airtable.com/applzdlHLTpefTmE7/pagZEtdaca1eg1FK5/form

Informative Links

The Olympic Games in 1908I don’t sparkle, I sharkle.Are you Author type A or B?

Daily Life pictures

It’s like he’s emerging from his cocoonThis handsome boy knows he’s secretly my favorite.Couldn’t leave the dealers room without picking up a few books!This is his latest thing.

GenCon 2024: Where I’ll Be

Thursday, 10 AM
Twenty Types of Terror: Exploring Horror Subgenres in Fiction and Games
Marriott Ballroom 1 – Cost $16, duration 2 hours

Horror comes in a variety of flavors, each with its own special advantages and disadvantages. Content warning: horror writing may range into all sorts of sensitive areas, including graphic violence and death. In this workshop, award-winning author and teacher Cat Rambo will run through the various forms, talking about how to write them, and performing exercises to generate storylines in several subgenres.

Thursday, 2 PM
Get in the Fight: Activism in Genre Writing
Marriott Ballroom 2 – free, duration 1 hour

Join our panel of writers as they discuss the need for every one of us to do what we can in the fight for equality – and what that could look like within the pages of your stories. Featuring: Cat Rambo, Bryan Young, Danian Darrell Jerry, Khaldoun Khelil, Victor Raymond PhD.

Thursday, 4 PM
Book Signing and Meet & Greet with Cat Rambo and Jeremy Bernstein
Exhibit Hall – free, duration 1 hour

Swing by the back of the Exhibit Hall to meet the panelists of the Writers’ Symposium and get your books signed. Or, buy a book or game – and get it signed on the spot. Or, just stop by and say hello! Most panelists will have merchandise for sale, but you’re welcome to bring what you already own to get signed. You may stop by without a ticket and we’ll try and accommodate you, time permitting.

Thursday, 6 PM
Meet the Writers
Wabash Ballroom 1 – free, duration 2 hours

Join writers of the Gen Con Writers’ Symposium to say hello, get your existing books signed, or purchase new ones here). Tickets are nice but not required during this 3hr open-house event! Many authors will have books for sale, and the GCWS USB drive will also be for sale. Featuring: Akis Linardos, Anthony W. Eichenlaub, Ava Kelly, Ben Riggs, Bradley P. Beaulieu, Brady McReynolds, Brandon Crilly, Brandon O’Brien, Bryan Young, C. S. E. Cooney, Carlos Hernandez, Cat Rambo, Kwame Mbalia, Danian Darrell Jerry, Daniel ‘Doc’ Myers, Dedren Snead, E.D.E. Bell, Erin M. Evans, Gabrielle Harbowy, Gregory A. Wilson, Howard Andrew Jones, James Farner, Jason Sanford, Jennifer Brozek, Jeremy Bernstein, Jerry Gordon, Jordan Jones-Brewster, Jordan Kurella, Khaldoun Khelil, Linda D. Addison, Marie Bilodeau, Michael R. Underwood, Monica Valentinelli, Richard Dansky, Sharang Biswas, Sheree Renée Thomas, Victor Raymond PhD, and Will Sobel.

Friday, 10 AM
Ageism in SFF: Broadening the Ages of Protagonists
Marriott Ballroom 3 – free, duration 1 hour

Join our panel of writers as they discuss ageism in genre fiction, and the need for and techniques of writing diverse protagonists of a certain age. Featuring: Ava Kelly, Cat Rambo, Chris A. Jackson, Danian Darrell Jerry, and Jeri “Red” Shepherd.

Friday, 12 PM
Embrace Your Weirdness (and Find Where it Intersects with Markets)
Marriott Ballroom 2 – free, duration 1 hour

Join our panel of writers and multi-media creators as they discuss how to effectively market authentic weirdness – and love yourself more for it!
Featuring: Cat Rambo, Akis Linardos, Briana Lawrence, Jerry Gordon, and Shauna Aura Knight.

Friday, 2 PM
New Books! New Games! New Love!
Marriott Ballroom 3 – free, duration 1 hour

Join our panel of authors as writer and host S.E. Lindberg asks each about the inspirations and challenges behind their new books, games, and works. This fun experience back from last year by request! Featuring: S.E. Lindberg, Cat Rambo, Erin M. Evans, and Kwame Mbalia.

Friday, 5 PM
Story Fundamentals: How to Write Short Stories – Cost $34; duration 4 hours

A compressed version of a six-week workshop, this single-session class gives you all the tools you need to start writing and sending out your own stories. You will do some writing exercises in class, but most of the time will be spent on lecture and discussion. You should emerge from the class with a greater command of storywriting as well as a hearty store of encouragement and motivation for creating new stories. In this workshop, award-winning author and teacher Cat Rambo will cover story structure, character-building, worldbuilding, plotting, and submitting the stories you’ve written.

Saturday, 10 AM
How to Unban Books
Marriott Ballroom 4 – free, duration 1 hour

Practical advice on how to challenge book challenges, run for school and library boards, and otherwise defend books. Featuring: Mikki Kendall, Cat Rambo, Dedren Snead, Kwame Mbalia, and Richard Lee Byers.

Saturday, 1 PM
Book Signing and Meet & Greet
Exhibit Hall – free, duration 1 hour

Swing by the back of the Exhibit Hall to meet the panelists of the Writers’ Symposium and get your books signed. Or, buy a book or game – and get it signed on the spot. Or, just stop by and say hello! Most panelists will have merchandise for sale, but you’re welcome to bring what you already own to get signed. You may stop by without a ticket and we’ll try and accommodate you, time permitting.

Sunday, 9 AM
Systems of Magic: How to Use Your Magic to Enrich Your Worldbuilding
Marriott Ballroom 2 – cost $16, duration 2 hours

How magic works in your world affects its inhabitants, its economy, and so much more, down to the smallest details. We’ll cover how to use a magic system to create a world that can cast a spell over its readers. In this workshop, award-winning author and teacher Cat Rambo will provide tips, techniques, and writing exercises will enable you to create or flesh out a world’s intrinsic magic.

Sunday, 10:30 AM
Farewell Breakfast for Patreon supporters and Wayward Writers Academy supporters
Location TBD – free, duration 1 1/2 hours

Time to say goodbye! Let’s do it over a late breakfast in a location that will be announced on Patreon and the Discord server, or ping Cat in e-mail to get the details.

Guest Post: Inspiration and Trying to Understand Otherness with Dan Rice

When I first buckled down to seriously try writing after graduating from college, I dreamed of crafting epic fantasy similar to books by George R.R. Martin and Joe Abercrombie. Their works were breaths of fresh air. Unlike the novels of Tolkien or Robert Jordan, these authors eschewed the black-and-white worldview of good versus evil for shades of gray. I wanted to write just like them.

Of course, I eventually discovered that there’s a reason Martin and Abercrombie are best-selling authors, and Martin takes many years between books. What they do is really, really hard.

Switching to Young Adult

Discovering that writing epic fantasy is a monumental task was the first step in finding my authorial voice. My critique group told me that my writing was more suited to a young adult audience. At first, I was dismissive of this observation, but I came around when I started reading more young adult fantasy and science fiction. I soon appreciated these books possess an intoxicating sense of adventure and discovery.

Eventually, I abandoned my quest to craft an epic fantasy for adults to attempt a young adult fantasy. A theme that fascinated me was the sense of estrangement and otherness that young people often feel at one time or another. At least, I recall feeling that way as an adolescent. My interest in this topic was enhanced by my experience traveling solo to Japan while a young man.

I have been fascinated with Asia, especially Japan, from a young age. My initial interest in Japan stems from the original Shogun miniseries and my father’s fascination with the country. Even now, close to twenty years later, I vividly recall visiting Japan’s ancient capitals, Kyoto and Nara, and traveling to Himeji to tour the majestic castle there. It was a fantastic trip that enhanced my interest in Asia and taught me a lesson about how people who find themselves in the minority for whatever reason feel.

Growing up in the Pacific Northwest in the 1980s and 1990s, I always found myself in the majority. Most of my classmates and friends looked like me and had similar upbringings. The struggles of minorities, either in race, gender identity, ideology, or social standing, always seemed distant. These people and their challenges were something I only experienced on the nightly news, never firsthand.

I can’t claim to know precisely what it’s like to be a minority because I’m not one. But in Japan, I came about as close as I probably ever will. Kyoto is a touristy city, but most tourists are Japanese. While meandering the grounds of ancient temples, I was often the only foreigner, a gaijin. I attracted attention wherever I went, especially from school children with assignments to speak English to a foreigner. None of these interactions were negative, but I was very aware that in this environment, I was in the minority, that I was the other. For someone who had never experienced that before and was naturally introverted, it was uncomfortable at the time. I look back at it now as a wonderful experience. It gave me an inkling of what it is like to be a minority and taught me firsthand that the Western view of the world is only one perspective among many.

Later, I would draw upon my experiences in Japan and Southeast Asia in my writing for young adults.

Weaving in Themes

Feeling like the other and being caught between two worlds are themes that come up time and again in my young adult fantasy series, The Allison Lee Chronicles. Being a fantasy series, in some ways, the themes are apparent. Allison discovers she is a shape-shifting monster. Eventually, everyone knows she’s different; some people are fans, and others are not. However, I wanted to express these ideas more subtly, too, and that proved a difficult task.

While working on Dragons Walk Among Us, the first novel in the series, I was fortunate enough to read Seraphina by Rachel Hartman and EXO by Fonda Lee. These authors explored themes similar to those I wanted to investigate. Their protagonists were caught between worlds with divided loyalties and experienced feeling like the other due to their heritage and outlooks, and the novels’ antagonists weren’t evil villains. In many ways, the books were as morally gray as George R.R. Martin’s and Joe Abercrombie’s works without being relentlessly grim.

Reading the novels of Hartman and Lee helped me express Allison’s internal struggles of feeling like the other and being trapped between two worlds more subtly than I would have otherwise. I owe these authors and their books a debt of gratitude. They helped open my eyes to how wonderfully imaginative and thoughtful the young adult genre can be.

Conclusion

If I’ve learned anything on my writing journey it’s that your authorial voice can differ from what you expect or want it to be. When I first started writing, I never anticipated ending up as a young adult author. I also didn’t think my travels as a young man to Japan would have a thematic impact on my writing. But it did.

As a writer, I have benefited from being open to new experiences and perspectives and willing to reinterpret old ones. It helped me craft my authorial voice and find success.

Author Bio

Dan Rice pens the young adult urban fantasy series The Allison Lee Chronicles in the wee hours of the morning. The Wrath of Monsters, the third installment in the series, will be out on June 19, 2024.

To discover more about Dan’s writing and keep tabs on his upcoming releases, check out his blog and join his newsletter.

If you’re an author or other fantasy and science fiction creative, and want to do a guest blog post, please check out the guest blog post guidelines. Or if you’re looking for community from other F&SF writers, sign up for the Rambo Academy for Wayward Writers Critclub!

Guest Post: Neurodiverse Alien Encounters in The Neurodiversiverse by Anthony Francis

A common science fiction trope is that aliens would think differently from humans. Larry Niven’s carnivorous Kzinti are curious only about things that interest them, C. J. Cherryh’s T’ca are multi-brained aliens that speak in matrices readable in any direction, and Steven Spielberg’s aliens from Close Encounters of the Third Kind communicate with music and gesture.

But, even just on the Earth, every human being thinks differently! This tremendous variation is called neurodiversity, and each individual’s distinctive cognitive style is their neurodivergence. Many kinds of neurodivergence are common, including autism, anxiety, synesthesia, and more – sometimes presenting challenges to individuals if society demands a different thinking style.

But could these different thinking styles actually help us understand aliens? Many autistic folks experience hyperfocus on special interests: could they better empathize with Kzinti? Could someone with dissociative personality disorder better understand the multiple-brained T’ca? And could a person with difficulty verbalizing better harmonize with Spielberg’s aliens?

My co-editor Liza Olmsted and I decided to explore whether neurodiversity would help us understand aliens in The Neurodiversiverse: Alien Encounters, a hopeful, empowering science fiction anthology from Thinking Ink Press exploring neurodivergent folks encountering aliens. Over forty contributors shared with us stories, poems and art exploring this theme.

For example, in “The Space Between Stitches” by Minerva Cerridwen, an autistic person’s hyperfocus helps her effortlessly repair an alien’s broken teleporter. In “Where Monolithic Minds Can’t Travel,” Akis Linardos explores whether aliens with multiple minds would resonate with dissociative disorder, unlocking travel to the stars. And in “Music, Not Words” by Ada Hoffmann, aliens that speak in music find harmony with a young woman who has trouble with words.

Many stories in The Neurodiversiverse are told from an authentic #ownvoices perspective, in which authors write stories about characters who share their own distinctive experiences. For example, I struggle with social anxiety disorder, and in my own “Shadows of Titanium Rain,” give those experiences to the character Djina as she struggles to understand solitary aliens.

Liza and I feel #ownvoices are particularly important because they improve the representation of marginalized voices in stories, which is part of the mission of Thinking Ink Press. Sometimes, it can be hard to imagine achieving something if you’ve never seen someone like yourself doing it – and it can be hard to solve a problem if you have no words to describe it.

We’re bringing The Neurodiversiverse to life no matter what, but because we’re a small press, we’re running a Kickstarter to help defray the costs of producing and promoting the book. In particular, we want to pay our authors the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writer’s Association (SFWA) “professional rate” of 8 cents a word, and the Kickstarter will help us do that.

Creating The Neurodiversiverse has been a voyage of discovery for us. Recently Thinking Ink Press embraced its identity as a publisher focused on marginalized voices – something we had always done, but not precisely noticed that we were doing; but once we noticed that it was our focus, we decided to lean in on that and do it well.

Exploring the topic of neurodiversity inspired me to propose “The Neurodiversiverse Anthology,” which I shared with our team to ensure we handled it sensitively. Liza was enthusiastic, joining as my coeditor and helping craft the anthology’s explicit focus on hopeful, empowering and #ownvoices stories. And work on the book awakened my understanding of my own struggles with neurodivergence, particularly social anxiety disorder and autism.

The Neurodiversiverse has opened doors for us as not just editors but as people with our own struggles with neurodivergence, and we hope it has a similar impact on everyone who reads it. So please back our Kickstarter (accessible during the campaign via neurodiversiverse.com) where you can not only help us pay our authors, you can get a copy of the book and find out the answer to the question, “Would neurodiversity help in an encounter with aliens?”

You can find the Kickstarter here.

About the author: By day, Anthony Francis teaches robots to learn; by night, he writes science fiction and draws comic books. His “Dakota Frost, Skindancer” urban fantasy series begins in the award-winning FROST MOON and continues in BLOOD ROCK and LIQUID FIRE. His latest novel is JEREMIAH WILLSTONE AND THE CLOCKWORK TIME MACHINE. He co-edited the anthology DOORWAYS TO EXTRA TIME and is the co-editor of the forthcoming anthology THE NEURODIVERSIVERSE: ALIEN ENCOUNTERS; for more information check out neurodiversiverse.com . You can read more about Anthony’s words, art and science on his blog “The Library of Dresan” at dresan.com.

If you’re an author or other fantasy and science fiction creative, and want to do a guest blog post, please check out the guest blog post guidelines. Or if you’re looking for community with fellow fantasy, science fiction, and horror writers, sign up for the Rambo Academy for Wayward Writers Critclub!

Wayward Wormhole Update: Deadline Extension

We ended up granting a couple of deadline extensions for the novel workshop, and it seemed fairer to me to extend that to everyone. So if you are someone who wanted to apply and just didn’t get their stuff in order, you’re got an extra two weeks if you want to apply.

If you’re interested in the short story workshop, its deadline is the end of this month!

All details are here: https://www.kittywumpus.net/blog/the-wayward-wormhole-new-mexico-2024/

On Eating Frog Legs and White Asparagus by Jennifer Brozek

Imagine this. You are nine or ten or eleven years old. In your “tweens” as the hip kids call it. Or is that “cool”? You have moved to a foreign country “overseas” because your father was stationed there and you are experiencing non-American food for the first time. Belgium. A little country partially notable by the fact that NATO exists within it. (And so much more…)

First, it is all hotel food because there are no quarters available for you and your military family in SHAPE, Belgium (Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe). And the food is good. I mean, really good. We’re talking fresh fruit, chocolate croissants, and Belgian waffles. My mom complained that she gained a pound for every day we were required to stay in that hotel. I don’t remember how long. It was too long for nine-year-old me. I just wanted a home and my things around me.

Then we were there. Living in a 300-year-old manor house in Brugelette, Belgium in 1979 because “the franc was so good.” The backyard was bigger than any school playground I’d ever played in before. The house had history. Real history. This is where “Dear Penpal, Belgium 1980” was born. “Dear Penpal, Belgium 1980” is a unique, middle grade-appropriate ghost story told through 24 physical letters that I am kickstarting from March 26th to April 26th.

In the letters a recipient will receive, I’ve included description of fritz. Real fritz (I’m convinced that Belgium is the only place to get this near-mythical food) and fritz stands with their paper cone conveyances for food beyond fritz. The only thing I really remember were the fried meatballs my father loved so much with a condiment concoction we called “goopy.” We recreated it at home with a mixture of ketchup and mayo. Dad insisted on having goopy with his fries for the rest of his life. 

I also remember going to 3-hour long meals at a tiny Belgian restaurant…whose name I never knew…that had maybe five tables, where I ate all manner of things. In this place, we were known as “the polite American family” and they would bump other reservations for us if Dad called. It was within this restaurant that I learned to be fearless about “foreign” cuisine. I would willingly taste everything at least once. 

I had two favorites: Frog legs (that really did taste like gamy chicken) in the most delicious sauce and white asparagus. The frog legs were a treat. A birthday meal. The same with the white asparagus that I thought was a special type of asparagus. It took me into my adulthood before I looked up how white asparagus was made. (I’m not going to tell you. You need to look it up yourself.) But, since then I have always loved asparagus and I consider any restaurant to serve white asparagus high class indeed. 

My time in Belgium gave me a boon. That boon is the ability to say “yes” to whatever local cuisine is offered to me. As a Guest of Honor at GothCon in Gothenburg, Sweden, I was offered smoked puffin as an appetizer at a restaurant that was located at the corner of Baldur’s Gate and Odin’s Way. I accepted. It was fine. Not really to my taste, but I’m glad I did taste it. As a Guest of Honor at Tracon in Tampere, Finland at a Viking feast, the interesting food I was offered included duck heart (so tasty) and tar ice cream (a campfire in ice cream form). Both of which were marvels to taste. My hosts were so pleased that I was willing to try the food from their country. American GoHs have a reputation of being shy around “exotic” food.

Living in Belgium during my formative years gave me a willingness, and a fearlessness, to try foods outside my comfort zone, and I have been richer for that experience. My rule is: I am willing to try anything once. Twice if I am in a bad mood the first time. It’s a rule I encourage others to adopt. Otherwise, you won’t know what you are missing. 

I hope you check out my new passion project: “Dear Penpal, Belgium 1980”? Won’t you be my penpal?

—

Jennifer Brozek is an award winning author, editor, and tie-in writer. A Secret Guide to Fighting Elder Gods, Never Let Me Sleep, and The Last Days of Salton Academy were all finalists for the Bram Stoker Award. She won the Scribe Award for best tie-in Young Adult novel, The Nellus Academy Incident, and won an Australian Shadows Award for best edited publication. Visit Jennifer’s worlds at jenniferbrozek.com, or follow her social media accounts on LinkTree.

If you’re an author or other fantasy and science fiction creative, and want to do a guest blog post, please check out the guest blog post guidelines. Or if you’re looking for community from other F&SF writers, sign up for the Rambo Academy for Wayward Writers Critclub!

Guest Post: The Cake is a Truth by Clara Ward

Note from Cat: I’m so pleased to see Be The Sea out in print. I read an early version and it’s a lovely book. Please pick it up or request it through your local library!

A Yule log cake features prominently in my new novel, Be the Sea. While preparing it, four characters share bits of their history involving kitchens and cooking.

Kai, an outgoing enby poly pansexual from Hawai’i says, “Where I grew up, I loved everyone’s kitchen except mine.”

Aljon, a quiet ace sailor turned ship’s cook from the Philippines responds, “I felt safe in our kitchen and extended that to others.”

They’re both vegan, and Matt, who loves to feed people and is simultaneously making his second and third cakes for Yule, is Pagan. So the cake they make together is vegan, filled with pistachio cream spiraled inside chocolate cake. It’s frosted with whipped chocolate, applied in thick swoops with a knife, then textured using the tines of a fork to resemble bark. Powdered sugar is dusted on top as if there’s been a light winter snow; after all, this is a Yule log cake.

In truth, my household makes the same cake fashioned as…a groundhog.

Why? What’s the truth behind my fictional cake?

First, like my story’s point of view character, Wend, I love chocolate but grew up with a single mom who had little interest in or time for cooking, let alone baking. Second, and completely unrelated to my novel, my mom had a peculiar obsession with Groundhog Day (the holiday, not the movie). As she told it, this arose from a chance encounter with a newspaper reporter in San Francisco in the ‘60s who was asking passersby on the street if they knew what day it was. Evidently, the moment in my mom’s life when she felt most seen and affirmed was when she answered correctly that it was February 2nd, Groundhog Day.

I will never know if my mom would have identified as enby or ace (although I have my suspicions) because she passed away in the early ‘90s. What I know is that she made exactly one kind of cake. I don’t make it the same way she did, but once a year, for Groundhog Day, my chosen family chooses from several options for chocolate roll cakes. The tines of a fork pluck at the frosting until it looks like fur. A diagonal slice through the center makes one cake into two, each with a sloped face that can be decorated with nuts for ears and jellybeans for eyes.

In different times and different kitchens, each of us may share our own truths. We will see the same cake in new and different ways. And sometimes, in the eyes of a reporter or a groundhog, we will feel seen.


Choose your own—traditional, vegan, gluten-free, or nut-free—log or critter cake:

1) Cake

Preheat oven to 350 F. Line a 17×20” jelly roll pan with greased parchment (flour top if not gluten-free).

Baking for a traditional or gluten-free party? Jump to 1a.

Let’s make it vegan! Jump to 1b.

1a) Melt 4 oz melted bittersweet chocolate and allow it to cool a bit. In a mixing bowl, beat ¼ cup sugar and 6 egg yolks together for 5 minutes. Beat in chocolate, scrape down sides, blend until consistent.

In a separate mixing bowl, beat 6 egg whites until bubbly, add ¾ tsp cream of tartar, and beat until soft peaks form. Add 2 Tbsp sugar and beat until stiff peaks form. Fold into chocolate mixture a quarter at a time. Pour into prepared pan and bake 15 minutes (or until not shiny and center springs back when touched). Sprinkle with 1 Tbsp unsweetened cocoa and cover with damp towel while it cools. Jump to 2.

1b) Blend in a food processor until finely ground: 4 oz flour, 4 oz sugar, 4 oz unsweetened chocolate, and 2 oz blanched hazelnuts. Place in a sealed container in the freezer for at least an hour.

Mix until stiff peaks form: 12 oz water, 8 oz sugar, ¼ oz Versawhip (modified soy protein), and ¼ tsp xanthan gum. Refrigerate for at least an hour. Rewhip and quickly fold in chocolate mixture from freezer. Pour into a prepared pan and bake for 20 minutes (or until center springs back when touched). Sprinkle with 1 Tbsp unsweetened cocoa and cover with damp towel while it cools. Jump to 2.

2) Filling

Pull out yet another mixing bowl.

Stay nut-free with a traditional whipped cream filling! Jump to 2a.

Choose your favorite nuts (pistachio, walnut, cashew…) and stay vegan. Jump to 2b.

2a) Whip until soft peaks form: 1½ cup extra heavy whipping cream, 1½ Tbsp sugar, and ½ tsp vanilla (may use gelatin, agar agar, or Cobasan to stabilize if desired). Jump to 3.

2b) Blend 4 cups nuts, ½ cup maple syrup, seeds from 1 vanilla bean, and ½ cup water in a food processor until fluffy. Chill. (If using hard nuts like pistachios or cashews, it helps to soak them for 4 hours ahead of time with the vanilla bean slit open in the same water.) Jump to 3.

3) Frosting

Craving a classic creamy chocolate? Jump to 3a.

For intense vegan chocolate frosting that requires almost nothing beyond chocolate and finesse: Jump to 3b.

3a) Run 12 oz of your favorite bittersweet chocolate in a food processor until very fine. Keep that running as you pour 1½ cups of nearly boiling heavy whipping cream in a steady stream. (Adding ¼ cup more cream will make it fudgier. Adding ¼ cup of room temperature butter at the end will make it fluffier.) Cool completely once smooth. Jump to 4.

3b) Whip 9 oz of very hot water into 12 oz of melted bittersweet chocolate. Place in ice bath and whip until spreadable. (May be best to prepare this option after you roll the cake and spread immediately.) Jump to 4.

4) Bakers Assemble!

Spread the filling evenly onto the cake. Use the parchment to lift one long edge and roll, pulling back the parchment as you go. Refrigerate for one hour before slicing center diagonally (if desired for face or other decoration).

Spread with frosting, texture with a fork, and add candy or nut features to create the final—jump off the page to your own creativity!

Author bio:

Clara Ward lives in Silicon Valley on the border between reality and speculative fiction. Their latest novel, Be the Sea, features a near-future ocean voyage, chosen family, and sea creature perspectives, while delving into our oceans, our selves, and how all futures intertwine. Their short fiction has appeared in Strange Horizons, Decoded Pride, Small Wonders, and as a postcard from Thinking Ink Press. When not using words to teach or tell stories, Clara uses wood, fiber, and glass to make practical or completely impractical objects. More of their words along with crafted creations can be found at https://clarawardauthor.wordpress.com and their short stories can be found at https://clarawardauthor.wordpress.com/short-stories/

Announcing the Next Wayward Wormhole – 2024 in New Mexico

The Rambo Academy for Wayward Writers is pleased to announce the second annual Wayward Wormhole, this time in New Mexico. Join us for the short story workshop to study with Arley Sorg and Minister Faust, or the novel workshop with Donald Maass, C.C. Finlay, and Cat Rambo.

Both intensive workshops will be hosted at the Painted Pony ranch in Rodeo, New Mexico. The short story workshop runs November 4-12, 2024, and the novel workshop runs November 15 through 24, 2024.

The Rambo Academy for Wayward Writers has been in existence for thirteen years, serving hundreds of students who have gone on to win awards, honors, and accolades, including Nebula, Hugo, and World Fantasy Awards. “I attended Clarion West, and have taught at multiple workshops now,” says Academy founder Cat Rambo. “While others have delivered the gold standard, I decided to stretch to the platinum level and deliver amazing workshops in equally amazing settings. Last year’s was a castle in Spain, this year a fabulous location in southwestern America. And wait till you hear what we’ve got cooked up for 2025!”

More details about these exciting workshops and how to apply!