Tonya R. Moore's Blog: Tonya R. Moore, page 50

Disability in Speculative Fiction by Rose B. Fischer

Speculative fiction is a playground for writers and readers who enjoy “playing” with societal norms, pushing boundaries, and asking “What if…?”

I love that it allows me to break apart and examine social constructs like race and gender, to create societies where cultural norms and mores are vastly different from mine. It helps me stay open minded — helps me remember that my way of thinking and my perceptions may be faulty. Even if they are sound, my approach to a situation may not be the only v...

STARCHASER Chapter 6: Excerpt

Vrath was a vicious looking thing with big, buggy orbs for eyes, and leathery skin that sagged at the jawline and flapped about as the creature moved. From the mouth grew curly tentacles coated with slime. The vrath had two pairs of arms and legs twice as long as Laila’s, which made it twice as fast. In a flash it was right beside her.

It was enough to make any self-respecting traveler shake in her boots. This primeval fear was unwarranted—the vrath were insect-eaters, after all. Though Laila...

Nighthawks at the Mission by Forbes West

The Oberon. Off-World. Thousands of settlers from America have come to live in this mysterious land accessed only by an energy portal in the South Pacific. The settlers are there to mine orichalcum- a mineral that can give even the casual user magical powers – and to reap the strange high tech salvage that litters the dead cities of an extinct human civilization.

In today’s universe, it’s the last place a settler from the USA can find the old American dream alive and well. Facing a futureless...

Starchaser: Now Live at Jukepop Serials

My new space opera web serial, Starchaser has been accepted for serialization at Jukepop.com.

Hegira is a leviathan ship, home to thousands of sapient alien races. The ship of legend left behind by a nearly extinct race of beings called Starchasers is a powerhouse barreling across galaxies effortlessly. There are many who seek to take control of this rare jewel but to control this ship, one must control her pilot.

Chapters 1-5

Bex Atria is many things. Violent. Human. Mercenary. She is one of tw...

Flashfic Recap: 9/10/2013 – 7/11/2014

This is a list of all the pieces of flash fiction that I’ve posted on this blog between September 2013 and yesterday. I didn’t realize there had been this many. I guess it’s good to take a step back and see how far you’ve come every now and then. I figure there are probably a bunch that some of you have missed, so here’s the complete list with links to the each flashfic posted so far—with mini excerpts.

The Light Offering

She waits there, sheltered in the arms of the forest with only the sounds...

FridayFlash: Going Dark

Dran’s sphere flickered then glowed brightly. Finally, the signal was strong enough for live-talk again. Frantic, he fumbled with it.

“Wheela! What in the stars happened? Answer already!”

“Well, hello to you too, Dran.” Her voice was hoarse, irritated and it was obvious that talking took monumental effort but she was stubborn. He was banking on that because the thought of her going quiet on him again was maddening.

“You have any idea how worried I’ve been?”

“Dran…”

There must have been something m...

Nearly Drowning Was Good for Me

Some time ago, I went to the beach and learned something valuable that really stuck with me. I was knee deep in the water. The waves were rough. It was hard to stand in the water without getting knocked off my feet. In fact, I did at one point.

It was a little frightening because getting back up without getting dragged under by the boisterous waves was harder than I expected. Somehow, I regained my footing. I wanted to go deeper out but non-swimmer that I am, I didn’t dare with those waves thr...

Aldnoah Zero: Princess of Mars {review} | The Spec Fiction Hub

“In 1999, humans landed on the moon and discovered the technology of ancient Martians. A group of people came forward, claiming rights to this ancient technology as the denizens of VERS (AKA Mars). They are actually humans who once migrated to Mars and now consider themselves a distinctly separate and superior race. Interplanetary war ensued.”

READ MY ENTIRE ARTICLE:Aldnoah Zero: Princess of Mars {review} | The Spec Fiction Hub.

Filed under: Miscellany Tagged: aldnoah zero, Anime, earth vs VERS...

Curation for Productivity & Inspiration

A few weeks ago, I carted out a 13 gallon garbage bag filled to the brim with old, handwritten notes that I’d been hoarding for years. I didn’t feel even a twinge of regret. Gone are the days of scribbling in my trusty notebook, paper napkins, my hand or whatever else happened to be within reach whenever inspiration struck.

Yes, gone are those days but I’ve gotta say, I don’t really miss them that much.

Writers scribble, all the time. It’s true. Going somewhere without at least one notebook use...

FridayFlash: Witch & Spider

Whips of lightning cracked the dreary night’s fragile shell. The sea was a harridan, driving away what little warmth was left on the wind. The beastly sky rumbled. The earth trembled. The explosive boom of a starship taking off ripped a hole into the distant horizon.

The earth had long become another backwater industrial throwaway. Most ships only stopped here long enough to fill up on fuel and necessities on the way to someplace else. Even the meanest weather couldn’t convince a pilot to dela...