Cait Gordon's Blog, page 4

Wanna win a free ebook of Iris and the Crew Tear Through Space?

Guess what? You could win a free ebook of Season One: Iris and the Crew Tear Through Space! and other awesome books! The Indieverse Awards are doing a book giveaway with some of their nominated works. Go to the following post on Instagram to learn how to enter! Last day is May 10!

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I’ve been really impressed by this new awards org for indie and small press authors. They really seem to care about community building and are so nice! I’m proud that my disability-hopepunk adventure is a nominee for Best Sci-Fi Novel!

Good luck!

Cait Gordon is an autistic, disabled, and queer Canadian writer of speculative fiction that celebrates diversity. She is the author of the award-nominated disability-hopepunk adventure, Season One: Iris and the Crew Tear Through Space! Cait also founded the Spoonie Authors Network and joined Talia C. Johnson to co-edit the multi-genre, disability fiction anthologies Nothing Without Us (a 2020 Prix Aurora Award finalist) and Nothing Without Us Too (a 2023 Prix Aurora Award winner).

Lisa Timpf Reviews Iris and the Crew in Interstellar Flight Press

I am over the moon and gobsmacked! The amazing Lisa Timpf reviewed Season One: Iris and the Crew Tear Through Space! at Interstellar Flight Press, in her article, “An Inclusive Future for Space Opera.”

“As a fan of Star Trek: The Original Series, I have often marveled about the fact that devices that may have seem far-fetched at the time they were introduced on the show have, in many cases, become reality. The ability to make video calls is now commonplace with apps like Zoom and FaceTime. I even had a flip phone once that bore a resemblance to the Star Trek communicators. And, as I learned while reading Dinner on Mars, the capability for making synthetic food is continually expanding. In other words, imagine it, and there’s a good chance that it will be developed (although we don’t have the transporter . . . yet . . . )

“Perhaps books like Iris and the Crew Tear Through Space will set the foundation for broader thinking about assistive technology — or better still, help us get to the point where, as is the case with the crew of the S.S. SpoonZ, the word “disability” will have no relevance.”

Lisa Timpf, from “An Inclusive Future for Space Opera,” Interstellar Flight Press

Read the entire review here! As an author, it’s always so rewarding to read a review where someone understands the motivation behind my work! I’m very grateful and full of squeefulness!

By the way, if you’re in the Toronto area on Saturday May 4, 2024, I’ll be at Glad Day Bookshop giving a reading from Season One: Iris and the Crew Tear Through Space and signing copies of the books at a multi-title book launch! Join us from 7-8:30pm, 499 Church Street!

Thanks as always for your support of my works!

Cait Gordon is an autistic, disabled, and queer Canadian writer of speculative fiction that celebrates diversity. She is the author of the award-nominated disability-hopepunk adventure, Season One: Iris and the Crew Tear Through Space! Cait also founded the Spoonie Authors Network and joined Talia C. Johnson to co-edit the multi-genre, disability fiction anthologies Nothing Without Us (a 2020 Prix Aurora Award finalist) and Nothing Without Us Too (a 2023 Prix Aurora Award winner).

Featured image by Markus Winkler on Pexels.com

Come see me at Glad Day Bookshop on May 4!

Hope you can join us at the wonderful Glad Day Bookshop, 499 Church Street, Toronto, from 7-8:30 pm on May 4!

I’m so thrilled to be part of this multi-title book launch that features my disability-hopepunk adventure, Season One: Iris and the Crew Tear Through Space, along with Carolyn Charron’s Hunting a Seas-Glass Heart and H.E. Casson’s anthology, There’s No Place: Stories About Home By Storytellers Who Have Experienced Homelessness (I have a story in this one too!).

There will be readings, signings, and as the Irish say, good craic!

If you have bought other books by me, such as Life in the ’Cosm, The Stealth Lovers, or the anthologies I co-edited with Talia C. Johnson: Nothing Without Us and Nothing Without Us Too, I would be happy to sign them! Bonus: Talia will be at the launch, so we can both sign the NWU and NWUTOO anthologies. They also sell them at Glad Day, I believe!

This event celebrates disabled and/or queer creatives, so I thank you in advance for considering supporting our works. And for supporting this amazing indie bookshop and their Glad Day Lit programming!

I look forward to saying hi to you!

Cheers!

Cait Gordon is an autistic, disabled, and queer Canadian writer of speculative fiction that celebrates diversity. She is the author of the award-nominated disability-hopepunk adventure, Season One: Iris and the Crew Tear Through Space! Cait also founded the Spoonie Authors Network and joined Talia C. Johnson to co-edit the multi-genre, disability fiction anthologies Nothing Without Us (a 2020 Prix Aurora Award finalist) and Nothing Without Us Too (a 2023 Prix Aurora Award winner).

Iris and the Crew Tear Through Space is an Indieverse Award nominee!

Much excite!

My disability-hopepunk adventure created during the COVID-19 pandemic has been nominated in the Best Sci-Fi Novel category of the Indieverse Awards!

It’s so thrilling to have Season One: Iris and the Crew Tear Through Space! up for another nomination! (It’s also a finalist for the 2023 Indie Ink Awards.) I know this seems like a cliché, but I do find it an honour to be nominated. Anything else is bonus!

What’s also fun about the Indieverse Awards is that it’s new, and they really seem to care about community building with indie and small-press authors. I am hoping to be involved in author interviews, an ebook giveaway, and maybe a panel. I’ve only just applied for those events, so I will keep you posted! Follow me also on the socials for updates! I’m caitgauthor on IG, Threads, Facebook (CaitGAuthor), and Bluesky!

Voting for the winners takes place in November, but do please consider following @indiverseawards on Instagram because they will also post updates about their cool events and giveaways!

Now, if you will excuse me, I have much squeeing to do.

Okay, one for here:

SQUEEE!

Cait Gordon is an autistic, disabled, and queer Canadian writer of speculative fiction that celebrates diversity. She is the author of the award-nominated disability-hopepunk adventure, Season One: Iris and the Crew Tear Through Space! Cait also founded the Spoonie Authors Network and joined Talia C. Johnson to co-edit the multi-genre, disability fiction anthologies Nothing Without Us (a 2020 Prix Aurora Award finalist) and Nothing Without Us Too (a 2023 Prix Aurora Award winner).

Spoonie Guilt: When You Just Can’t Give a Should Anymore

I just published the first post on the Spoonie Authors Network for 2024. It was time I was honest with myself and our followers about how important it’s been to put my health first and how difficult it’s been to put aside my advocacy for authors who manage spoons.

I’m coming back though, slowly. Here’s a link to the article. Cheers!

Spoonie Guilt: When You Just Can’t Give a Should Anymore

Read this article and more on the Spoonie Authors Network website!

Cait Gordon is an autistic, disabled, and queer Canadian writer of speculative fiction that celebrates diversity. She is the author of the disability-hopepunk adventure, Season One: Iris and the Crew Tear Through Space! (a 2023 Indie Ink Award finalist). Cait also founded the Spoonie Authors Network and joined Talia C. Johnson to co-edit the multi-genre, disability fiction anthologies Nothing Without Us (a 2020 Prix Aurora Award finalist) and Nothing Without Us Too (a 2023 Prix Aurora Award winner).

Featured photo by Pedro Figueras on Pexels.com

Why Writing Neurodivergent Romantic Interests is Important To Me

I only discovered I was autistic close to age 50. When I did, I blinked twice and noticed nearly everyone around me I was close to was also neurodivergent (ND). Welp. That explained a lot!

I’ve been married for almost 33 years and yes, one can be autistic and in a longterm relationship. Unfortunately, there are people out there who might disagree or who will argue that I’m not really ND.

But I am. I have a loving spouse and loving friends. Deal with it.

As an author, it finally hit me that I have always been writing neurodivergent characters who get involved romantically. In Life in the ’Cosm, Noola is very much the extroverted, blurty me I was in my 20s. I knew I had written her with a neuropathic disability, but it only occurred to me years later that she’s also ND. What was nice for me was how much readers loved her. That warmed my heart.

When I decided to explore Xax and Viv’s backstory (two beloved warrior-dads from Life in the ’Cosm) in The Stealth Lovers prequel, I’d made another discovery. “I think Xax is neurodivergent,” I said to my BFF. Xax was also blurty, but in a sassy and snarky way, and he had acute observation qualities. His hyperfocus also helped him be an extraordinary fighter pilot.

It was only after that book was published did I have my own epiphany about being autistic. So, when I approached Season One: Iris and the Crew Tear Through Space!, I was much more intentional about how I wrote Horatio Herbert, Head of Engineering. A lot of who I am as an autistic person is poured into Herb, and little Gerri, who he takes care of later in the book. But it was really important to me to first have Herb be involved in a romance with a fellow he really loved. His love interest is not neurodivergent and doesn’t ever expect Herb to change. In my worldbuilding, the Keangal is an accepting place, and it was great to have Herb just be himself. Because we don’t have to become or act more neurotypical to love and be loved.

And now, I’m currently working to complete the first draft of Hot Wings and Sauciness, where I just put my foot on the pedal for Colleen O’Donnell, my 50-something autistic and disabled space station tech. This is the space opera Romance nobody asked for, but I’ll still be glad to share it with the world one day. Colleen might not be your typical romantic heroine, but her snarky, sweary self throws the dashing captain everyone drools over right off his guard. I still can’t tell if this story is about the desire for a man or the coveted basket of scrumptious wings at Coq of the Walk. Maybe both? I mean, if it’s a Cait Gordon space opera, food has to play a major role, right?

I wish I lived in a world where writing autistic romantic heroes wasn’t an extraordinary thing. But there are a lot of writers all over the neurodivergent spectrum of awesomeness, and as I always say, fiction has the power to influence. So, may we continue to influence how we are perceived by neurotypical people through our storytelling. Hopefully this will bring the fullness of our humanity to the forefront, which in turn could bring an awareness of the supports and accommodations we require to live our best lives.

Hey, gal can dream, right?

In the meantime, all you neurospicy and neurofabulous authors, keep putting your art out there! Show us your ND protagonists! We’re not a monolith, so let’s represent the diversity of neurodiversity! It deserves to be a part of the world!

Woo!

Cait Gordon is an autistic, disabled, and queer Canadian writer of speculative fiction that celebrates diversity. She is the author of the disability-hopepunk adventure, Season One: Iris and the Crew Tear Through Space! (a 2023 Indie Ink Award finalist). Cait also founded the Spoonie Authors Network and joined Talia C. Johnson to co-edit the multi-genre, disability fiction anthologies Nothing Without Us (a 2020 Prix Aurora Award finalist) and Nothing Without Us Too (a 2023 Prix Aurora Award winner).

Prix Aurora Awards are open for nominations. I have works in three categories!

It’s that time of year when speculative fictions works by Canadian citizens and Permanent Residents can be nominated for the final ballot of the Prix Aurora Awards, given by the Canadian Science Fiction and Fantasy Association (CSFFA).

What’s cool is that all fans of speculative fiction who are Canadian citizens and Permanent Residents can vote for who gets to be nominated! Membership to the CSFFA is only $10 per annum. And membership includes a voters package, so when the final nominees are chosen, you get some free reads to help you decide who should win each category! Visit the CSFFA website to become a CSFFA member!

So, what are my eligible works?

Here’s the stories and art by lil’ ol’ me that can be nominated!

Season One: Iris and the Crew Tear Through Space!

My disability-hopepunk adventure, Season One: Iris and the Crew Tear Through Space! can be nominated for

Best NovelBest Cover Art/Interior Illustration

Not gonna lie, having Iris and the Crew for Best Cover Art/Interior Illustration moves me deeply because of how Nathan Fréchette encouraged me to do all the episode sketches and the characters and ship for the book. The way my fibromyalgia and arthritis has affect my fingers over the years, I just couldn’t draw. And even though I might not be the most talented artist in the world, I am very proud of what I was able to achieve with these sketches. (The background of the cover is a starry image from InstaWalli from Pexels, which I modified. Pexels’ licenses allow modifications of their images and we credited the artist inside the book.)

Front CoverEpisode 6: Jaq and Iris as teensEpisode 5: Beachfront sulkingEpisode 11: Captain Warq gets punched by LarthaEpisode 7: Captain Warq is holding a distressed priestessEpisode 10: Clarence is worried about Lartha and ReezEpisode 12: Davan is at the helmEpisode 8: Herb and Gerri

And I know it’s a long shot to have Iris win a nomination for Best Novel, but I would be over the moon if it did. Hey, you gotta try, right?

Putting a Bee in Their Bonnet

I am so proud to have “Putting a Bee in Their Bonnet” in Mighty: An Anthology of Disabled Superheroes. My short story can be nominated for

Best Short Story

This work stars Cayleen, a 50-something writing educator for an adult class at her community centre. She’s autistic, very anti-ABA (Applied Behaviour Analysis) but pro-ABBA (as in that 70s band from Sweden!). One day, after a class where she was autism-splained by a Susan who is not autistic, Cayleen waits for the bus during an impending storm while listening to her favourite ABBA songs. She soon becomes so engrossed with schooling someone on social media about the harms of ABA, she doesn’t seek shelter, and ZOLT—she’s struck by lightning. But Cayleen survives.

So, what’s her super power? All I can say is with great music comes great responsibility.

And by the way, Mighty: An Anthology of Disabled Superheroes, can also be nominated for Best Related Work!

Thank you for supporting the works of Canadian and Permanent Resident authors

There are so many amazing works in all of the categories, I’m sure you’ll have a tough decision selecting your faves, but thank you for your votes. And I wish good luck to all of the folks whose works are eligible for a nomination. Go you!

(And many thanks for those of you who choose to nominate my works. It matters so much when I see disabled creatives on these lists. I’m so glad our stuff is being recognized in Canadian Spec Fic communities!)

Cait Gordon is an autistic, disabled, and queer Canadian writer of speculative fiction that celebrates diversity. She is the author of the disability-hopepunk adventure, Season One: Iris and the Crew Tear Through Space! (a 2023 Indie Ink Award finalist). Cait also founded the Spoonie Authors Network and joined Talia C. Johnson to co-edit the multi-genre, disability fiction anthologies Nothing Without Us (a 2020 Prix Aurora Award finalist) and Nothing Without Us Too (a 2023 Prix Aurora Award winner).

Header photo from Canva.com.

So many ideas, so few spoons…

CN: post-surgery stuff: side effects, mentions of bruising

Today is 13 days after my gallbladder removal surgery, otherwise known as a cholecystectomy. Other than the barfies and vertigo from painkillers that I decided NOPE on and an abdominal bruise that looked like my navel had been bashed with a thousand hockey pucks, everything seems to be going as expected. The bruise is looking much better and has gone from five colours of ow to only two. Our bodies are amazing things.

For the past two years, I have been ill as heckin’ heck, even became afraid of eating. That’s how bad my gallbladder systemically affected me. And still, I was heavily involved in the production of Season One: Iris and the Crew Tear Through Space! and even finished a substantive editing assignment just days before the operation. Spoonies… we often do a shocking amount of work despite feeling craptastic.

So, now what? I have nothing scheduled at all. No editing assignments, no books going into production. All this free time.

I’m so bored.

I know what I would like to do though. I’d like to finish the futuristic awkward romance nobody wanted—Hot Wings and Sauciness—but every time I try to work on it, my brain says, “What? We have to think now?” This morning, I tried to write a blog about editing on my company’s website, and my brain said, “Ugh, this requires effort too.”

Okay, so maybe it’s still too early to arrange words. What about crafting? I love crafts!

Nope. I sat down for a few minutes, and the thought of starting a project resulted in me napping all afternoon.

That led me to remember a thing. I am also recovering from burnout. Before the cholecystectomy, I was reminding myself that I have to respect my burnout and only do what I can. No pushing.

Sure, right now I would like to

gather a team of volunteers for the Spoonie Authors Network to support the works of creatives even morefinish Hot Wings and Sauciness and share its romantic whackiness with the worldbegin the audiobook recording of Iris and the Crew do promo events for Iris and the Crewmake an untold amount of jewellery and learn how to use my 3-D printer penparticipate on writers’ panels get back into my exercise routine hang out with friends and do fun stuffread so many books

But I am really tired, body and mind. Fibromyalgia is still running among the background processes too, so that’s also a factor.

So, in the end, for right now at least, I need to be patient. My long-suffering Broose has been wonderful throughout all of this. Maybe when I can keep alert, we will assemble those Formula One race car LEGO builds.

Hopefully my energy will come back at least a bit more soon. One day at a time, right?

Hey, at least I wrote this blog entry! That’s a thing!

Let’s see what next week brings!

May those of you who are low in spoons remember to be kind to yourself. I hope you generate more spoons soon.

Cait Gordon is an autistic, disabled, and queer Canadian writer of speculative fiction that celebrates diversity. She is the author of the award-nominated disability-hopepunk adventure, Season One: Iris and the Crew Tear Through Space! Cait also founded the Spoonie Authors Network and joined Talia C. Johnson to co-edit the multi-genre, disability fiction anthologies Nothing Without Us (a 2020 Prix Aurora Award finalist) and Nothing Without Us Too (a 2023 Prix Aurora Award winner).

Header photo by Negative Design on Pexels.com.

Rejections, Rewrites, and Resubmissions

Sometimes I write a story I love so much, and it just doesn’t get any love back. After being a published author for over seven years, a rejection can still sting like BEES, BEES! Especially when it’s for a work I’m really attached to.

I mean, sure, there are many reasons why a work doesn’t get accepted:

It doesn’t really fit what the editors or publishers are seeking. (Fair.)It doesn’t appeal at all to who’s reading it. (Ouch.)It might be so close, but another story just fits that much better. (Aw, rats.)It might actually need some work. (Hmm!)

I’ve sat twice now on the editor side of an anthology, so, I empathize with editors who choose not to accept stories. As a submitting author, I can feel disappointed despite understanding that my works won’t always earn an acceptance.

But again, what if it’s a story I really love? Do I just toss it in a drawer, metaphorically speaking? Well, at first, I let myself feel the feels, maybe seek comfort from fellow authors, then I’ll probably take a little time away from the work.

After that? Something magical happens! Okay, maybe not magical, but calls for submissions eventually head my way, and my enthusiasm returns full force! So, I submit!

Then the rejection comes again. But never fear, because here’s another opportunity!

And another rejection.

Poop.

Sometimes rejections also arrive within lovely letters or scathing criticism. I learn from these responses too because how they are written gives me insight about what it would be like to work with these editors. I kinda store away those perceptions in my brain for future reference.

You might think that scathing criticism would be something my brain auto-yeets, but that’s not always true. Oftentimes, I try to consider what the spirit of the feedback is, and if I can take anything from it to improve the story.

So, onto rewrites! I roll up my sleeves, do the thing, and then I love the story even more!

Now, newly in literary love, I submit my work one more time to another publication and am convinced it will be accepted! Super-duper positive it’s the perfect fit!

Nope!

But by this time, I know the story is where it should be, so I just decide to be patient. Maybe I’ll just keep it for my own short story collection. Completing a work is never a waste of time, in my opinion.

What’s next? Do I take Elsa’s advice and let it go? Well… as expected, there’s one more call that crosses my feed. I can’t help myself! I just have to submit it! I hafta!

And guess what ?

It got rejected.

No, I’m totally kidding! It got accepted!

Hooray!

This particular story is called “Courier of the Skies,” and it will appear in the Spring into SciFi 2024 anthology, published by Cloaked Press in March! I’m really thrilled about it because I got to work with a new publisher and editor, and I’ll read more works by authors I might not know yet! Much excite!

This short space opera stars a queer, disabled, and neurodivergent protagonist who runs courier missions for The Network, a resistance movement who defies the eugenics government system know as the Welliams. You probably know I have a passion for disabled heroes, and there’s a thread of romance between two neurodivergent characters in this story. Maybe not what you’d expect as a romance, but in my brain, it reflects how special it is when someone knows you so well, they’re with you even when they’re not with you.

I’ve had a few experiences of stories that eventually found a home. My first novel, Life in the ’Cosm, was rejected several times, sometimes so fast, my head spun. Then one day, I got lost at a con while dressed as a fashionista dalek and a publisher shouted, “Hey! I like your costume!” A bit of my blurting autistically turned into an accidental pitch and voilá! An invitation to submit (then an acceptance.)

So, what am I saying? Maybe just offering a little encouragement. If you love your work, chances are someone else will too. It might just not have found its home yet. Rejections of your work aren’t a rejection of you (or they shouldn’t be) and any feedback can be valuable whether you take it or not. Sometimes doing a rewrite or revamp can take your work to the next level and you might even impress yourself with what you come up with to improve it!

Rejections are also super subjective. That’s important to keep in mind as well. I highly recommend finding comforting authors to help you process the stings, though. We’ve all been through them. A healthy critique group or critique partners can offer constructive feedback to give you their impressions of your work. That might lead to great inspiration too!

I ask one thing of you. Just one thing. If you feel like giving up being a writer because of rejections, please search deep down to ask if you really and truly want to give up? Because if you still want to be a writer, don’t stop doing what you love.

You could become someone’s favourite author one day.

All the best for arranging the alphabet in 2024!

Cait Gordon is an autistic, disabled, and queer Canadian writer of speculative fiction that celebrates diversity. She is the author of the award-nominated disability-hopepunk adventure, Season One: Iris and the Crew Tear Through Space! Cait also founded the Spoonie Authors Network and joined Talia C. Johnson to co-edit the multi-genre, disability fiction anthologies Nothing Without Us (a 2020 Prix Aurora Award finalist) and Nothing Without Us Too (a 2023 Prix Aurora Award winner).

Obligatory 2023 Roundup Post!

(Okay, I really didn’t feel obligated to write this. I really wanted to!)

This year has been awful and awesome.

Awful because of multiple health issues turning into so many appointments, tests, and maintenance tasks that the weight of it all escalated to a point where I am now recovering from mental and physical burnout.

Awesome because… well check it out!

Iris and the Crew came to Earth!

Those who follow me on the socials have seen how much I have been promoting this book. But Season One: Iris and the Crew Tear Through Space! is a work that means so much to me. Fed up of being an “Only” during the pandemic as in, only people like me who are chronically ill or disabled will die or get long-COVID, I needed to flee where disability is so accommodated, people don’t even know what a disabled person is. Iris and the Crew has that world-building. But it’s still a fun Cait Gordon space opera (and of course there are scenes with dessert).

Where to buyThe ultimate WTF moment at the Prix Aurora Awards

I did not have this on my 2023 Bingo Card. At. All. And it was so funny behind the scenes because Talia and I were in casual clothes. She was even wearing a T-shirt that said, I’m here, I’m Queer, and my pain is moderate to severe! I had just finished a panel earlier that day in my sleeveless top and jeans. We didn’t think we’d win, so we didn’t change for the award ceremony!

And then we won in an unprecedented tie with The Astronaut Always Rings Twice!

Where to buyI moderated a disability panel at Can-Con 2023!

It was my first time back at an in-person conference in four years, and I had the honour of moderating a panel I had proposed called Disability in SciFi and Fantasy: Worldbuilding for disabled heroes. Joining me as panelists were the amazing Ada Hoffman and Melissa Blair. Our discussion was fantastic and there were wonderful questions from the audience too.

Two anthologies included my stories!

For the first time ever, I wrote a foreword for a book! That was awesome. Mighty: An Anthology of Disabled Superheroes (edited by Jennifer Lee Rossman and Emily Gillespie) also includes my anti-ABA and pro-ABBA story, “Putting a Bee in Their Bonnet.” What happens with my autistic 50something superhero? All I can say is with great music comes great responsibility…

Where to buy

My flash fiction piece, “Alien,” is in There’s No Place, edited by H.E. Casson. I just love how H.E. is so inclusive about the spectrum of homelessness that they even include a glossary that defines the various diversity of homelessness experiences. I am thrilled to have a work in this collection!

Where to buyInterviews happened!

I spoke with humans about my work and disability representation!

NOW with Dave Brown—November 7, 2023I was so thrilled to discuss Season One: Iris and the Crew Tear Through Space! with Dave Brown on Accessible Media Inc. (AMI) TV!Speculating Canada, a discussion with host Derek Newman-Stille—November 5, 2023

This was a great talk and nice to be part of the relaunch of Speculating Canada’s website!

Interview with Cait Gordon on Disability in Science fiction, Humour, and Space Opera

The Self Advocate: Summer Reading Episode with with Dev Ramsawakh and Cait Gordon, July 18, 2023

Disability advocate and CFRO 100.5 FM Vancouver Co-op Radio host Alison Klein interviews Dev Ramsawakh and me about our advocacy and literary works.

(There’s no transcript for this episode, but if you enable Live Captions on Google Crome, the captions should appear when you play this episode.)Cosplaying, at last! The Squidblings are back! And now Nat is blue! E.D. Bell, Melissa Yi, Eric Rockfort, and I are dressed in red capes as superheroes. We all have stories in the Mighty anthology!Another nomination!

I discovered two really cool organizations that support the works of indie and small-press authors: Indie Story Geek and WriteHive! Indie Story Geek has a website full of book listings you can peruse. WriteHive hosts the Indie Ink Awards and have cool events too!

And Iris and the Crew Tear Through Space is a nominee in the Writing the Future We Need: Disability Representation by a disabled author category! (Dec 31 is the last day to vote!) I would love for Iris and the Crew to make it to the finalist round, but I’m very happy I found out about these cool orgs!

What’s next for the rest of 2023?

Well, food, of course! Bruce and I are making our annual Hogmanay meal and yes, WE WILL RELEASE THE CRANACHAN!!!

Have a safe New Year’s Eve, folks, and all the best for a great 2024! See you next year!

Cait Gordon is an autistic, disabled, and queer Canadian writer of speculative fiction that celebrates diversity. She is the author of Season One: Iris and the Crew Tear Through Space! Cait also founded the Spoonie Authors Network and joined Talia C. Johnson to co-edit the multi-genre, disability fiction anthologies Nothing Without Us (a 2020 Prix Aurora Award finalist) and Nothing Without Us Too (a 2023 Prix Aurora Award winner).

Header image phot by Engin Akyurt on Pexels.com