Chat About Anything

[Lena]

Avatar is the only non fully animated movie I can think of, which is sad.

Edit: parts of Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets was Solarpunk. There are some beautiful societies pictured.

But Avatar was the better movie.

[Fiona]

Good thought Rebecca, that was an awesome movie! I haven't seen Valerian - will have to check it out.
I can't think of any movies I'd call Solarpunk, but there is a game that gets close. My Time At Portia, it's just left early access. It's not quite solarpunk, but the feeling is definitely along those lines.

[Fiona]

It is also on steam, for PC players, if you more usually use a computer :)

[Teddi]

I think it is a strong, positive ad. The message is about the behavior of men, how exactly could that not be "male-centric"? A message American men need to hear.

[Lena]

Just found this through Sarena Ulibarri of Glass and Gardens: Solarpunk Summers. From her website:

My solarpunk western story "The Spiral Ranch" is part of the Founders Issue of DreamForge Magazine, a new pro-level science fiction and fantasy market devoted to optimistic speculative fiction. They even commissioned original illustrations for my story! DreamForge launches on February 14, 2019, and they're currently running a Kickstarter to fund their next several issues.

Obviously, I immediately subscribed: https://dreamforgemagazine.com

[Fiona]

That looks like exactly what I've been looking for, thanks for the heads up Lena! Immediately subbed too, but have to wait for the shipping calculation to NZ before it's confirmed. Nice that they'll actually offer international shipping though!

[Lena]

I just got the electronic version but the glossy magazine does looks amazing!

[Fiona]

Lena wrote: "I just got the electronic version but the glossy magazine does looks amazing!"

Couldn't resist it. And since I cancelled all my loot crates/book boxes last year (I was lucky enough to cancel just about a month before all that Nocturnal Book Box drama started to go down!), I miss getting surprise things in the mail. This is a much more cost-effective moment of joy ^^

[Lena]

I know what you mean. I get Asimov’s in print and am in Goldsboro Book of the Month Club.

[Fiona]

Lena wrote: "I know what you mean. I get Asimov’s in print and am in Goldsboro Book of the Month Club."

Oh, how is the Goldsboro club? I've thought about joining - they've had some fantastic books in previous months. And they seem to be books I wouldn't have come across on my own - bonus. Would you say it's worth it?

[Lena]

This is almost a year of Goldsboro. The first book I received was The Seven Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle, epic start! The Innocent Wife was bought on sale and, so far, my only disappointment.

As an omnivorous reader, I have enjoyed being exposed to different genres and books I might have never picked up.

That said, there were two books I skipped this summer: Resin and Baxter's Requiem. They are both highly rated but I’m not interested.

Each book is a signed, numbered, first edition with a brodart cover on any book with a dust jacket. Many have sprayed edges, ribbon markers, or come with custom bookmark. They are bubble wrapped and shipped like the precious babies they are - you pay for this.

As a GBM member you get free book (whatever didn’t sell, lol) on joining, 10% off other books, and exclusive offers. You can skip months but your 10% off will go away for those months.

After converting British Pounds to US Dollars I’m charged less than $40 a month, which is a smidge less than I was paying Nocturnal Readers.

It’s also a hell of a lot less than the books I use to buy from Subterranean, Centipede, PS, Cemetery, Grim Oak, etc. Of course, the aforementioned books are made in heavier paper, sewn, and often illustrated.

On a purely monetary basis of worth, fancy first editions appreciate delightfully:

The Seven Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle (Feb 2018):
https://www.abebooks.com/signed-first...
The Gutter Prayer (Dec 2018)
https://www.abebooks.com/signed-first...
The Good Son (Member Exclusive):
https://www.abebooks.com/signed-first...

Selling the books I don’t like at three times what I paid for them will be a nice future discount 😉.
So far, that’s just one book but - reality.

Reviews so far: https://www.goodreads.com/review/list...

This was all an outrageously long way of saying it has been, and continues to be, worth it for me and might be for you too!
https://www.goldsborobooks.com/book-o...

[Fiona]

That looks amazing - it's not just regular copies, but signed first editions? I'm so in. I've just got to wait for payday....the 15th can't come soon enough!
Thank you so much for all that info, too, it definitely wasn't outrageous in length :) There's been too many iffy monthly book things, and that all was exactly what I needed to know.

[Lena]

Oh good. Signed (sometimes two signatures: translator and author), numbered first editions. I would use a credit card and not let them debit from your checking because they charge “around” the time of shipping. This is especially important if you buy Future Releases from them. I made this mistake once. Once.

[Fiona]

Ahh thank you - excellent tip! And as my favourite boss once said, make as many mistakes as you want. Just never the same one twice! :)

[Ken]

In the news:

https://grist.org/article/how-sci-fi-...

[Fiona]

The March buddy read has kicked off! We're reading Wings of Renewal: A Solarpunk Dragon Anthology this month, and so far it's really good. Come on over and join us in the thread here: https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/... - we're always careful to avoid spoilers, so there's no pressure to keep up with the book, or read the stories in order.

[Lena]

Favorite photo of the day! Yay Climate Strikers!

[Fiona]

That's a great photo - yay indeed! :)

[Fiona]

Rebecca wrote: "Once a month, there is a solarpunk chat on Twitter. I participated for the first time in the most recent chat (which was last Saturday). It was pretty cool. It was mostly writers, editors, and publ..."

That sounds fantastic, thanks for the heads up, Rebecca. What kind of topics come up for discussion?

[Lena]

Happy Earth Day Solarpunkers! I bought compostable straws at Walmart today. I’m going to keep them in my car for whenever I go out to eat.

[Fiona]

That's a great idea! Happy Earth Day Lena. Thank you for starting this awesome group, which has inspired me to start making Earth-friendly changes! (And found some great reads :D)

[Lena]

Awe thanks. I’m getting better about bring my own bags to the grocery stores too, kiwi style!

[Lena]

Free on Audible: https://www.audible.com/pd/The-Muelle...

[Teddi]

I bought a set of stainless steel straws. Keep them in a ziplock in my purse, wash in hot water when home. I have picked up thousands of plastic straws off California (and other) beaches, because I love walking beaches but I always bring a bag and pick up trash to leave it cleaner than when I arrived. You never see plastic straws the same after doing that for a while.

[Fiona]

Teddi wrote: "I bought a set of stainless steel straws. Keep them in a ziplock in my purse, wash in hot water when home. I have picked up thousands of plastic straws off California (and other) beaches, because I..."

I always take a bag on my walks too - it's such a good idea to do that on a beach! Even in a small country like NZ, I never come back without at least a couple of pieces of rubbish.

Thanks for the tip, Lena! Should be interesting.

[Lena]

Soothing bucolic Chinese girl has just made a new fan with her awesome low tech kitchen.
https://youtu.be/FWMIPukvdsQ

[Fiona]

Lena wrote: "Soothing bucolic Chinese girl has just made a new fan with her awesome low tech kitchen.
https://youtu.be/FWMIPukvdsQ"

Just realised my reply to this got lost somewhere, but LOVED this. Very soothing!

[Fiona]

In other news, we had a four-way tie on the poll this month - that's right, all four books got an equal 25% of the vote. Lena and I talked it out and decided that a)it's been a while since we read any non-fiction, and b)we all seem to be enjoying the (large) nonfiction portion of this month's read; so with that in mind we made it Mod's call, and book of the month for July will be Saving Tarboo Creek: One Family’s Quest to Heal the Land.

[Kalin]

Perhaps we should "recycle" those options that got a good number of votes (say, 3+) but weren't selected as monthly reads? Give them another chance?

Anyway, for the following polls, I propose including Reckoning 2. If we select it and then like it enough, we can try the other issues of Reckoning too.

[Lena]

Each book only got two votes. Reckoning looks cool. The books on the polls are selected from the suggestions of those participated in that month’s group read discussion. Then everyone votes.

[Kalin]

I meant nominations from older votes. There were some with 3+ votes which didn't win, right? Maybe they deserve a second chance/vote.

[Lena]

Sometimes I renominate for my own cast but it’s up to the individual participants. You can nominate the same book more than once!

[Kalin]

Oh! I didn't know. :)

[Lena]

The best four minutes of erudite ranting over Game of Thrones!
https://youtu.be/B4zGTD6Pa6Q
Go South China Post!

[Johannes]

File under real life solarpunk: "The Biggest Little Farm," a film about a city couple that bought a defunct farm and their (many, many) struggles to form a viable, sustainable, organic farming ecosystem. Haven't seen it yet.
https://datebook.sfchronicle.com/movi...

[Lena]

That was gorgeous! Here’s the trailer for the movie: https://youtu.be/UfDTM4JxHl8

[Lena]

Oh my childhood!
The new Dark Crystal
https://youtu.be/zSV42j8lccg
A little too much CGI for my taste but I’ll take it gladly!

[Johannes]

Here's an aesthetic question for all you discerning Solarpunk readers who still read hardcopy: glossy vs. matte covers—do you have a preference? If you go into a brick and mortar bookstore, you'll notice that 90% of new sci-fi and fantasy genre books have matte covers (actually, this trend applies to most fiction genres these days). This was NOT always so. Glossy once conveyed excitement, fun, adventure, bling, brave new worlds. Matte (once?) conveyed a sense of "literariness," seriousness, elegance, understated something-something. I'm sure the pendulum will swing back, or the hybrid matte/glossy/foil/unicorn-vellum combo will become ascendant (e.g. The Overstory).

[Fiona]

Johannes wrote: "Here's an aesthetic question for all you discerning Solarpunk readers who still read hardcopy: glossy vs. matte covers—do you have a preference? If you go into a brick and mortar bookstore, you'll ..."

I tend to prefer matte, just because it wears better - until recently I moved frequently, and any wear and tear shows up much more on the pretty glossy covers :(
However, there's definitely something to be said for a combo - I love a good tactile book cover.

[Lena]

My favorite is the touchable soft matte that my copy of Vermilion and The Measurements of Decay have. Shiny covers I remove because who wants grubby fingerprints on their book cover?

[Johannes]

Johannes wrote: "An aesthetic question: glossy vs. matte cover..." Fiona and Lena, thank you for your thoughts. I checked out (in the real world of air and atoms) the covers for Vermilion (which is colorful enough to pop even in matte, and it adds a touch of supernatural mystery that fits the book) and The Measurements of Decay, a dark cover made darker by the soft finish. The visual vs. the tactile research will continue.

[Lena]

Johannes wrote: "File under real life solarpunk: "The Biggest Little Farm," a film about a city couple that bought a defunct farm and their (many, many) struggles to form a viable, sustainable, organic farming ecos..."

A million flowery thank you’s for bringing this to my attention. Just came back from the theater - it was probably the best thing I’ll see all year. A seven year story of hope, fortitude, humor - all the things you need to find balance with nature.

I gasped, I clapped, I cried. 5 stars!

[Lena]

Solarpunk Movie!!!
https://youtu.be/p-rTQ443akE

[Fiona]

Lena wrote: "Solarpunk Movie!!!
https://youtu.be/p-rTQ443akE"

That looks fantastic - I'll have to see if we're going to get it in NZ or if I'll have to order it in :)

[Fiona]

The poll for August's book of the month is up! Find it here: https://www.goodreads.com/poll/show/1...
We've had some great discussions and books in the book of the month, so now's your chance to vote on what we'll be reading next :)

[Lena]

I guess I approve of the idea of the Truckla, but man, that is one ugly truck.
https://youtu.be/R35gWBtLCYg

[Lena]

Champions of Hope

[Kalin]

Hey everyone!

For October, I nominate Reckoning 2. If we select it and then like it enough, we can try the other issues of Reckoning too.

[Lena]

Anytime you read the book of the month, and participate in the discussion, Fiona or I will email you for a suggestion for the poll.

[Kalin]

I first suggested Reckoning 2 while we were reading The Weight of Light. It wasn't included in the following polls, so I'm suggesting it again.