The Sword and Laser discussion
Introduction and welcome thread!
Hey, all. I'm Scott. I've been listening for a few months now, occasionally going into the back catalog as well. I've read threads, but haven't joined until now.I'm a librarian, a tabletop role-play gamer, a husband and father of 3 boys (ages 7, 3, and .75), and a lifelong reader. I've consumed a lot of sci-fi and fantasy, a fair amount of mystery/detective, and a wide smattering of about everything else (well, not much romance -- I read two romance books back in high school, and they were so formulaic that I was predicting the next plot points before I'd finished the first one; that and it was booooring to my 14 year old self).
I run an adult book club at the library, among other things, and so I'm always looking for new books and new insights to bring to the club.
Hey there. I'm from the Lake District, (cumbria), in the UK. I have drifted into a TV free existence over the last few years. I still watch some dvd movies/tv series, but I've been seduced by online content.
So my love of all things podcast, revolving around the TWiT universe, and my new Kindle has led me here.
I have a limited time to read, but I intend to take every effort to keep up. Listening to the podcast on and off for some time has rekindled, (oh dear), my interest, so I look forward to the future here.
Hi, I'm Michael and and I want to thank Ryan for inviting me to the group. I just went out to look at the website and it looks really interesting.I'm a fantasy author, my most notable work is The Riyria Revelations. The books are being put out by Orbit. I'd love if you could add them to your calendar.
Theft of Swords: Nov 23
Rise of Empire: Dec 15
Heir of Novron: Jan 30
I'm gonna go look around now ;-)
Hi, I'm Mike. I'm from NJ, born and raised near the Big Apple. I'm mostly an online editor/writer/web producer, and for a short time I even wrote for Happypuppy.com and Gamespy.com.I think I'm a well-rounded geek like most everyone else here. Ever since I picked up a dusty copy of a Tom Swift book in my school library I've been hooked on science-fiction and fantasy. My most sci-fi/fantasy obsessed moment probably came when I read 'The Sea of Silver Light' by Tad Williams in a single 24 hour period...something the author even commented on when he autographed my book at the Borders book store that used to be in the World Trade Center.
Hey, I'm Alan, a senior at UNC. I've been, I guess, following Tom for several years (BOL from around ep #800ish and TNT from its start), so I've heard this podcast/group mentioned many times. I've recently "rediscovered" reading again, mostly in place of significant video game hours, so I've decided to come try to join.I'm a little hesitant to dive straight in, because I've never been much of a "reading for pleasure" person. The fantasy/sci-fi genres are nearly brand-new to me, and I know that a lot of the more popular books are parts of series. I don't think I've ever read a series of anything, so will I still be able to read most of the books?
I guess I'm unsure of what to do and where to start. I have just now joined the group and subscribed to the show. I found the calendar on the website, but I'm still confused, mainly because there are a lot of books listed. I've always thought (read: assumed) that the group read 1 or 2 books for a month, talked about them on the next show, and started a new one or two. Help!
Hi, I'm Rich.Live in Somerset, UK.
Heard Veronica on the Tested Octoberkast and started listening to S&L.
Read Lord of the Rings years ago and thought it couldn't get better but recently I feel like most fantasy I read these days are better written.
Top series' I've read recently are the Farseer/Tawny Man trilogies by Robin Hobb and the Book of Words Trilogy by J.V. Jones.
Just bought a Kindle and look forward to reading a lot more with this group.
Currently reading Ship Of Magic by Robin Hobb.
Hey there! I'm Ben, I'm from Atlantic Canada (Moncton, to be precise)!I've been a longtime fan of Tom and Veronica's from the Buzz Out Loud days and I've always enjoyed their voices. And by that I mean the humour they manage to convey in the various topic they cover, not necessarily the timbre of the voices.
NOT that there's anything wrong with their tones or anything: quite the contrary! Every time I hear them, it's like catching up with old friends... Old friends that never really give me a chance to speak, but that's ok: I forgive them.
ANYWAY, all that to say that I've been listening to Sword and Laser for a while now and thought now would be a good time to start posting on the forums. I would've done it sooner, but yesterday was no good since I was quite busy. Tomorrow is out of the question as well, since I have to wash my hair. Really, there wouldn't have been a good time in the next week either, so it had to be now.
So, cheers! And thank you for being so entertaining and informative over the past years: I'm looking forward to many more.
Michael wrote: "Hi, I'm Michael and and I want to thank Ryan for inviting me to the group. I just went out to look at the website and it looks really interesting.I'm a fantasy author, my most notable work is The..."
A massive welcome from me Michael, I am a fan of yours and devoured the Riryia books this summer. I am really looking forward to Percepliqis coming out but am a bit confused as to its release on the kindle in the UK. Is it called Heir of Novron now?
Can't say enough about how good your books are.....fantasy with real panache...can't wait to see how it ends for Royce and co.
Hi, I'm Jay - I have been a longtime TWIT listener and finally made it over to Sword and Laser and this group. Heard Veronica and Tom talk about it for a long time.I just finished a Song of Ice and Fire marathon. All 5 books back to back. Re-discovering fantasy novels as a great way to relax and unwind. Great group and a great podcast. Looking forward to catching up on the next books. Just set up an audible account too. Really good discussions here!
Hi. I'm NCGrimbo. I've been listening to the podcast for a few months and I finally decided to check out the forums. I'm mostly a lurker, but I will comment every now and then. I love both swords and lasers, but I'm currently reading mostly on the sword side. I try to only read comleted series, but lately I've started two or three that I didn't know were not completed.
Hello. I've been listening for a while and used to listen to buzz out loud long long ago. I've just been too lazy to write on the forums.I generally enjoy science fiction and fantasy. I've stopped reading a majority of it and go only on word of mouth from certain people now. I'm involved in a new little social activist book club in Charlotte it's a lot of fun.
I actually read more Mystery, Thriller, Suspense and non fiction books, than fantasy or sci fi.
Hello! I am a software developer and sometime writer interested in science fiction. Heard Veronica mention the show on Tekzilla or Twitter and started listening a while back. I like the format and the emphasis on listener feedback. Great job!My all-time favorites are works by Asimov or Verne. Currently I am planning to catch up on cyberpunk classics from the likes of Stephenson and Gibson (to build nerd cred, of course).
Hello! I am a mechanical engineer named Vaughn from Jamaica and I am a bookophile. I read/listen to all types of genres of books however I have a strong leaning towards "Swords Epic Novels". I was introduced to the show some time ago when Veronica was a guest on T.W.I.T. and have subscribed and am now an avid S&L podcast listener..... The show is fun you guys; thank you for producing material that is witty, insightful and a way to introduce listeners to authors they may never have discovered on their own.Good job guys,
Vaughn
Hi everyone, I'm AndyI've been listening to the podcast for around a year now and I felt that now was the time to get on to good reads. I'm a Neal Stephenson fanatic and I'm really looking forward to getting into Reamde- I'm not yet organised enough to time my reading with the group, but I'm going to work on it!
Hi, all. My name is Zach. I'm a farm kid from Idaho, but currently living in Austin TX, home of delicious breakfast tacos. (You are envious of my precious, precious tacos.)I've been reading science fiction and fantasy since I was old enough to climb the bookshelf to my mom's collection, where I was introduced to Alan Dean Foster, Piers Anthony, and Edgar Rice Burroughs.
I'm an attorney, writer, and podcaster currently working on a bunch of short stories.
My current favorites include pretty much anything by Jim Butcher or John Ringo, and the best book I've read in the last year is Brandon Sanderson's The Way of Kings.
Hello everyone, I heard about this reading group from a Sword & Laser podcast several weeks ago. I have been following (not in the Twitter sense) Tom and Veronica since the days when they hosted Buzz Out Loud. I would describe myself as a tech fan but not a real geek (since I have no hacking skills). My true loves are books, music, philosophy, movies, games, and poking around on the internet. My background in Sci-Fi is mainly limited to the old classics, but I hope to discover some new writers and share my recommendations with others in this forum.
Hey all! I'm Nathaniel and have always had a preference for SciFi/Fantasy. I am a student and recently purchased a Kindle and started reading more. Just started listening to the podcast by way of Tekzilla and am enjoying it. Some of my favorites include the standard Lord of the Rings, Ender's Game, The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy. Of late I have read a series and am eagerly waiting the next book of Spinward Fringe by Randolph Lalonde.
Hi! My name is Domenico but, to make it easy, everyone calls me Nick and so can you. My favorite authors are Orson Scott Card, Sir Arthur C. Clarke, George R.R. Martin, and Robert Jordan. I live in Wilmington DE and I'm a big fan of Rev3 and TWIT. I work as a caterer during the day and a bartender at night, so if anyone has any questions about mixed drinks I can probably answer them for you.
Hello Tom, Veronica, et al:My name is Ken.
I've been a long-time fan of fantasy and sci-fi, ever since our eighth-grade English teacher assigned us "The Hobbit" to read in the spring just before school was out, and teased us on the last day of school that there was a whole trilogy of sequels that went with it...
Currently I'm slogging back through The Wheel of Time series (on Audible) awaiting the final book (now scheduled for next March, I gather) and I just finished "A Dance with Dragons" (hardback) a month or so ago.
I've listened to the podcast for quite a while but haven't really joined in reading many of the club books yet (at least not as they're discussed) but I'll probably pick some up when they next start.
I've enjoyed these hosts since the early days of Buzz Out Loud and was very glad when this podcast started as a way to keep carrying them around in my pocket and listening to them.
Hello, I'm Joshua! Well. I'm fairly certain my love (lust?) for sci-fi and fantasy got started around the same time our dad read "Lord of the Rings" to my brother and I as a bed time story. (Yes, all three books.)
While I was an avid reader through my youth, I didn't become ravenous until my dad bought me a copy of Dune. My god, how I adore that book.
Over the years I've written on and off (NaNoWriMo next week!) and my tastes in F&SF have grown along with me. China Mieville, Jeff Vandermeer, and Neal Stepehenson are my current literary gods.
Just started listening to the podcast, but I'm excited to join in the discussions!
Been looking around on occasion, as well as commented and I thought I might as well make formal introductions.I'm Sean, an overall geek. I read mostly in bursts, so I can go through 3-6 books quickly then take a few months break. Which also explains my current book queue.
I also have written a book, Hunter (look it up on Smashwords or Lulu for the digital or physical versions). Yes, I do hope to be a professional book writer, or any kind of writer really.
Hi, my name is Matthew and honestly I don't read sci-fi or fantasy. I've heard Tom talk about this group on BOL and TNT and I thought this is certainly not my style. Then I realized I loved The Hunger Games trilogy, really enjoyed The Host, have been blown away by George R. R. Martin's Song of Ice and Fire and am currently engrossed in Brent Weeks Night Angel trilogy. So maybe I could add to my enjoyment by joining this group.
Looking forward to digging a bit deeper into the fiction.
Hello, I'm Bill.I work in the aerospace industry about an hour west of Chicago, and I enjoy PC games (just sprung for the WoW annual pass, so I'm back to that, at least until Diablo 3), playing board games, music, and all around geeky stuff.
Big fan of the TWiT podcasts, and when Tom and Veronica mentioned the S&L podcast on TNT I knew that was something I wanted to check out. I did just that, enjoyed it immensely, and now I'm here. 8^)
I don't read as often as I should, but I am hoping that these discussions will inspire me to take the time to read more. Authors I enjoy include Rothfuss, Pratchett, Adams, Eddings.. the usual suspects, I suppose.
Glad to be here, and looking forward to the discussions!
Hi everyone,First, I'm horrible with introductions. Name's Kyle, though around the net I (obviously) take the name Khet (rhymes with Pet, the H is silent).
Been following Tech News Today for a while and in one of the recent episodes with Veronica the Sword and Laser was mentioned so I just had to check it out. After listening to a few back episodes I just had to get on board.
Umm, don't really have any particular authors I follow, I tend to read whatever catches my eye or just looks interesting. Been really burying myself in steampunk goodness the past few months. So glad this genre is finally getting some recognition.
Yea, that's about it. Hoping for some good finds here, maybe make a few new e-friends and have a ton of good reads. (heh, get it?)
Hi! I'm Nick. I was homeschooled all the way through so I have lots of time to read quite a bit, which my mother encouraged. I'm pretty stuck on fantasy/sci-fi these days, while most of my growing up days were spent reading the classics.
Now I'm in Dayton, OH, and I've been working as a programmer here. While at work, I've been listening to podcasts (never used to) and ran across Sword&Laser through the Frogpants guys. Loving it, so I'm finally signing up... even though I'm unlikely to keep up with some of the reads that you guys are doing. Maybe after I get a Kindle...
That... and I'm planning on joining NaNoWriMo this year, so looking forward to that!
Hello allMy name is Eric and for some reason I've never filled this out. Big fan of the Sword and Laser podcast and pretty much all the podcasts Veronica and Tom do. As for my reading preferences this group pretty much covers it all. Love me a good Fantasy or a good SciFi book. What I do when not reading is Photography.
Hello, my name is Erica. I started listening to the podcast after Patrick Rothfuss posted a link on his blog. Some of my favorite authors are Patrick Rothfuss, Carol Berg, Jim Butcher, Guy Gavriel Kay, and Sharon Shinn.
Erica wrote: "Hello, my name is Erica. I started listening to the podcast after Patrick Rothfuss posted a link on his blog. Some of my favorite authors are Patrick Rothfuss, Carol Berg, Jim Butcher, Guy Gavriel ..."Welcome, Erica. I am also a fan of Jim Butcher, though I only recently started reading his Dresden books. Trying to get into
The Name of the Wind. I have the audio book and have started it a couple of times.
Hello everyone,I'm Ed,also Radarman on twitter. I've been reading about either swords or lasers for more than 40 years. Started with the old Doc Savage series, which is kind of Steam Punk for the 30's to "Ready Player One" which I just finished. I like authors like David Weber, John Ringo,and Heinlein. Presently I'm having fun with the twitter feed #sixwordstory. Write a story in six words, it can be a challenge. If I had to make a recommendation try The Empire of Man (also called the Prince Roger series and the March Upcountry series) by David Weber and John Ringo published by Baen Books. Its a four book trilogy. Gotta say the first few chapters of book one drag, then it takes off.
I guess I better introduce myself. I've been listening to the podcast for a very long time, following I think Tom via his tech podcasts. I'm a part time Library worker, part time networking student and former Classics student. I'm very much a fantasy reader, have been since a 3rd grade reading assignment of The Hobbit. Which then led to roleplaying and being a ancient history nerd. Oh and I'm all the way from Australia.As for reading, as you can guess Tolkien would head that list though I also really enjoyed things like CS Lewis, George RR Martin, Raymond E Feist, Terry Pratchett, Jim Butcher, Elizabeth Moon, Douglas Adams and Tim Zahn.
I think the reason its taken me this long to use GoodReads is that I've been a lifetime member of LibraryThing for so long and so a second book site seemed like the last thing I needed :)
Currently I'm reading Dies the Fire by SM Stirling which I'm quite enjoying despite the premise creating some science issues in my brain.
Hello, I'm Richard.Reading Sci-Fi since I was I guess 7 so if my old brain can do the math roughly 37 years or so. Haven't quite read all the Sci-Fi there is and certainly can't keep up, but love the genre.
While I think I was in the original sword and laser stuff back when Veronica had it was on some other web platform that I can no longer even remember the name of (think it started with an N maybe they shouldn't have started charging for their space :) ).
Now that I have time to read again, just catching back up with everyone.
Regards,
Richard Ashwell
Hi, my name is Jon and I enjoy Fantasy/Sci-Fi novels. I also enjoy Horror, Mystery, Thriller and True Crimes books. I began listening to the S&L podcast at the beginning of this year and those led me here. It appears that there are a lot of topics that look like they fit my interests. We shall see.
hello, my name is Maxwell Sebastian. i stumbled upon the sword and laser podcast while searching for some interviews with Ernest Cline about Ready player one.
i was extraordinarily pleased when i found, listened, and then subscribed to the podcast.
i heard mention of a group here on goodreads, so here i am.
Hello!My name is Sam, and I have recently been hooked by The Sword and Laser podcast. I love reading Fantasy, and I have just recently started reading Science Fiction. I have not always been a big reader, but I have turned in to a book worm in the last few years. My favorite authors are Jim Butcher and Neil Gaiman. I am open to all recommendations. I hope I get some good ones!
Hello all-I've been a listener for some time, but thought I outta checkout the forums. Love the show, though I don't always read the books. It's great as an intro to lots of new stuff.
I'm mostly an artist, teacher and geek as well as an avid reader.
Cheers!
PS- Did Tom ever read Stephan King's Eye of the Dragon as part of his Dark Tower binge? It has a familiar antagonist...
Hello all, Just finished reading Wise Man's Fear and can't wait for then next in the series. Currently reading The City & The City and listening to The Magician King audiobook.
I love finding new books to read and figured this would be a great place to look.
Hello all,My name is Michael Penrow. I have started reading sci-fi more and more lately. Thanks Kindle. I tend to favor lasers as opposed to swords. Just started reading Ready Player One so I am behind. So far I am liking it. The references to 80's culture is awesome!!
Hi! My name is Bree and despite having a Goodreads profile for ages and being a Sword & Laser fan, I'm only just joining the forum. I love speculative scifi; I will read anything by China Miéville, Octavia E. Butler, Kim Stanley Robinson, or Ursula K. Le Guin. I used to nerd out on philosophy, social theory, economics, and history, but grad school fried the nonfiction core of my brain so badly I've had to take some time off to gently heal the wounds with bulk consumption of paranormal romance novels. DON'T JUDGE ME.Umm, so I'm just finishing up A Dance With Dragons and Shadowfever and am rabidly hunting for a discount copy of The Magician King.
And that's it!
Hi All,My name is Kristin and I'm a longtime TWiT listener. I'm also a HUGE sci-fi/fantasy nerd! Currently, I'm on book #4 of the "Wheel of Time" series by Robert Jordan and I'm working through "Reamde" by Neal Stephenson. I've read all of the "Song of Ice & Fire" books and am a big fan of LOTR.
That's all I've got for now...other than I'm working on my Master's in Computer Science, so I don't have as much time as I'd like to read. This makes makes me sad, as I've been known to tear through books in a matter of days, lol. :o)
Hello All,I'm Tracy and I just recently found TSaL podcast after hearing Veronica on the Nerdist pod and started looking into it. Love what i have heard so far and have already added to my list of books to read after listening. Fav books are the Dark Tower series, and the Enders Universe series. Thanks for the place to geek out and keep up the good work!
Hey guys!I'm Reuben, and I read way too many comic books. Preacher, Y: The Last Man, Invincible--probably some of my all-time faves. But recently I've been getting into reading book books--the ones without all the pictures. They make me feel grown up. Some of my latest reads have been Game of Thrones and Snow Crash. I also just finished up Ready Player One, and I LOVED it. Made me feel like Bastian in Neverending Story.
So I found out about S&L by randomly walking into the 2010 Dragon*Con podcast recording in Atlanta, and I've been listening ever since. I just haven't been reading along... until now :D
Hi! My name is Christina. I am sort of a lurker here, but I love all things fantasy and sci-fi and believe it or not it is hard to find people with those genre interests where I live. But, I do love the Sword and Laser podcast. I have been listening faithfully for awhile now although sometimes I don't always read what you guys are reading, but I do try to catch up eventually. And I also enjoy the forums. I love thinking, reading, talking about books. It makes me happy so I am happy to be here. Keep up the good work and I will keep listening and spreading the word!
Hello, Mark here. I also heard about the podcast after listening to nerdist. My other favorite podcasts are WTF, the New Yorker's Fiction podcast, The Bowery Boys NYC History podcast, The Moth and the WoW Insider. And the NPR stuff, of course. I guess I read about 30-50% fantasy/sci-fi. On my to read shelf right now is Antphon by Ken Scholes, Heroes by Joe Abercrombie, A Visit From The Goon Squad by Jen Egan and I just started A Coffin for Demitrios by Eric Ambler. I also play warcraft, where my main character is a priest named jimbutcher.
Greetings. I'm not exactly "new" to this forum, but I've never really posted anything before. Maybe I should have looked for the "lurker" introductions thread? Anyway, my name is Josh, and I'm a book-a-holic, and since I was quite young, my favourite brand has been sci-fi, fantasy, and horror. The first book I ever read when I was a kid was The Hobbit, so Mr. J.R.R.T. should probably be top of my list, since he pretty much started this whole reading fetish of mine. Other favourites include, in no particular order, Clive Barker, Stephen King, Cormac McCarthy, James Michener, James Clavell, Larry Mcmurtry, Irvine Welsh, Will Self, Edward Rutherfurd, David Foster Wallace, and the list goes on. So, um... hi all.
Hello! My name is Chip, and I've been listening to S&L for a number of months after following Tom and Veronica through their TWiT and Revision3 projects. I am a lapsed bookaholic, having been through a heavy David Brin, Tolkien, and Neils Stephenson and Gaiman phase, and was briefly a proofreader/copy editor for Strange Horizons. Then over the last decade or so the combination of parenthood, work, games and INTERNETS! proved too distracting from novels. Ready Player One was the catalyst for me to get off my butt and start actually READING the books I heard about on S&L.While I'm reigniting my love of reading, I keep busy in the world of Doctor Who. I host the U.S.-based podcast Two-minute Time Lord, which provides focused short commentary on the show -- when I don't break format and host longer interviews and panel discussions. If you like the show, I hope you'll check it out.
Hey, Im Jonathan. I recently heard about Sword and Laser from a friend and fell in love. I am a welder by trade and can't find many people who love to talk about nerd stuff, so this is awesome! I have been reading fantasy since I was 11 years old but I want to expand into sci-fi. Looking forward to all the interesting books and people I will soon discover.
Hello, there.I'm Nadine and I also found the podcast through a friend and am now addicted! You guys are fantastic and soooo likeable.
I'm listening in from tiny little Austria and when I'm not reading, I study translation (I'm actually a native German speaker) and work to earn money to spend on more books. I have two cats named Frodo and Oona (they don't mind, even though they don't show any particular regard for fantasy or science fiction when they climb around my bookshelves).
I've been reading fantasy for ages but only got into sci-fi last year. I started with the basics like Ender's Game, Dune, Starship Troopers and fell in love with the genre. Looking forward to lots of tips for new reads and the next podcast. (I share your enthusiasm for the Song of Mice and Liars).
Some of my favorite authors include George R.R. Martin (duh!), Robin Hobb, Chuck Palahniuk, Christopher Moore, Jasper Fforde, Jane Austen and Oscar Wilde.
Jonathan wrote: "I have been reading fantasy since I was 11 years old but I want to expand into sci-fi. Looking forward to all the interesting books and people I will soon discover."Some science fiction books to ease your transition from fantasy:
Anne McCaffrey's "Dragonriders of Pern" series - Dragonflight, Dragonquest and my favorite book from my teenage years, The White Dragon.
Dune by Frank Herbert.
The Destroyermen series by Taylor Anderson: Into The Storm, Crusade, Maelstrom, Distant Thunders, Rising Tides, Firestorm.
Ringworld by Larry Niven.
Midnight at the Well of Souls by Jack L. Chalker.
Linguana wrote: "I've been reading fantasy for ages but only got into sci-fi last year. I started with the basics like Ender's Game, Dune, Starship Troopers and fell in love with the genre. Looking forward to lots of tips for new reads and the next podcast. (I share your enthusiasm for the Song of Mice and Liars)."Jeez, you sprechen zee English better than I, a native speaker, do. I both admire and hate you. :p
Anyway, welcome, and if you liked Starship Troopers, I'd recommend The Forever War by Joe Haldeman and The Old Man's War by John Scalzi, for slightly different takes on that basic story. Many people rave about John Steakley's Armor, but I found it to be too much of a copy of Haldeman's work with worse writing.
I'd also recommend Larry Niven's Ringworld and Protector. Not too big on science in those, but they are cracking good stories.
You also might like The Chronoliths by Robert Charles Wilson, or perhaps Spin. His novels all have the same sense of "really big inexplicable events changing our lives", but they're really well-written.
You might even find a new cat name or two in one of those books. (I sense a Chmee in the future. You'll see what I mean after reading Ringworld.)
The Sword and Laser
Books mentioned in this topic
Ghosts of the Scattered Kingdoms (other topics)The Sword of Shannara (other topics)
Shadow & Claw (other topics)
A Canticle for Leibowitz (other topics)
A Canticle for Leibowitz (other topics)
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Authors mentioned in this topic
Wade Garret (other topics)Gene Wolfe (other topics)
John Scalzi (other topics)
Richelle Mead (other topics)
Brandon Sanderson (other topics)
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I love sff, and I've actually begun writing some sf on weekends. My short stories have been rejected by such publications as Asmiov's, Clarkesworld, and Tor.com. My latest story is set to be rejected by Writers of the Future very soon, so (don't) keep a look out for it!