Tag Archives | fantasy

Crafty Cool

By on in advent, blog, films, troves, tv, words, yonder


5 geek craft projects to make your own

The best way to justify a day in front of Netflix is to be knitting/sewing/making while you do it. Instant ‘I’m being productive’ vibes, while you binge so many shows that the plots get confused. Were the clones in Orange Is the New Black, or Orphan Black? Was I just crying at Riverdale or the Vampire Diaries?

Bonus: make people stuff & they think you’re clever and creative. It’s quicker & cheaper to knit up a zombie hat than it is to attend university.

So, today I bring you the very best in knit & crochet fandom. You’re welcome ;-).

1. Knit your own Death Star

The one time you want holes in your knitting, or else how will the rebels get in?
This pattern from Nicole Kostelec is free on Ravelry, aka the best knitting site around.

2. Hook up with the Firefly crew

Behold the cuteness of Lucy Collin’s Firefly amigurumi! Why not buy the patterns from Etsy here, make all of them and send them to me. Please. I can crochet but I’m too lazy. I also love her Adventure Time cuties.

3. Fake a Futurama face

In the future, we won’t need Zoidberg costumes because the sea-levels will have risen and it’ll be ‘Evolve or Die’. Finally us humans will have our own tentacley crustacea thing going on. Til then, why not knit this Zoidberg balaclava and mittens? They’ll call you futuristic. They’ll be right.

4. Bring Your Own Brains

Pessimists among you may dispute my ‘in the future we’ll all have gills’ theory. Perhaps you think it more likely that a zombie plague will wipe us out before we get to evolve to Zoidberg heights. Knit yourself a zombie brraaiins hat and go to war against the zoidberg-balaclava people. Fight! Fight! Fight!

5. Dream with Doctor Who

Me, I’m a pacifist, more about the theorising than the fisticuffs, so I won’t get involved in the dispute. I’ll be at home, snuggled under my Doctor Who quilt. Night night. Sweet dreams.

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Summer stories: fantasy and science fiction podcasts

By on in blog, music, reviews, yonder

girl on a hazy sunny day needs a fantasy or science fiction podcast to listen to

It’s never too hot to read.

But it *is* hellmouth hot here in the UK right now. What’s a slightly sweaty, story-starved girl to do?

Sure, you could lug a book to the park. Will there be room in your bag, though, once you’ve packed your your sun hat, water & Chocolate Salted Caramel Booja Booja ice-cream?

(My hardback of Strange The Dreamer by Laini Taylor is making sad-eyes at me right now. “Why won’t you read me? I’m so pretty! And you can bet I’m full of beautiful words!” Because you’re too big, my darling, and I am too lazy to carry you around when my slim kindle has lots of tiny books in it (plus I know you’ll slay me with your perfect sentences and some brand new flavour of heartache, damn you Taylor).)

Sure, you could take your kindle/ipad to the beach. Get ready to knock the screen up to full brightness, though, & watch out for seagulls who’ll think it’s a yummy snack to swoop on.

OR: just lie back on your picnic blanket, in your sunglasses and high SPF, & let someone tell you stories instead? Keep your hands free for making daisy-chains & holding elegant parasols.

Here are 3 podcasts** to listen to from your lawn, and a bonus playlist of songs I associate with being hot. I wish it was a cool relaxing beach-chill mix you could impress your smooth friends with while eating sophisticated gelato, sorry, but blasting noisy 90s alt guitar bands while dunking chips in mayonnaise is more authentically me.

Happy summering!

My three top fantasy and science fiction short story podcasts

  1. Lightspeed I’ve probably mentioned this one before, right? Four new fantasy or science fiction short stories every month. Always fabulously narrated. You can listen to all the stories from year one as an audiobook, too.
  2. Starship Sofa Short SF stories, genre chat & the finest example of a Geordie accent you’ll ever hear. Tony’s enthusiasm always cheers me up, and the stories are top notch.
  3. Far-fetched Fables A fantasy slanted sister show to Starship Sofa. Both shows are part of the District of Wonders stable, who have a patreon set up to fund paying their writers & narrators, aka paying people for the new worlds, characters and stories we love. Definitely something to support!

My noisy summery playlist

*I’m averaging at least two tubs a week right now. What? Vegan means good for you, right? 😉

** I use the free Overcast app to listen to podcasts, because it links to Twitter and tells you what your friends there are listening to. It’s got ‘smart speed’ and ‘voice boost’ settings which improve how shows sound, too. iphone/ipad only, though).

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British Fantasy Awards Best Novel Jury 2016

By on in blog, books, words

jury deliberations british fantasy awards best novelI am delighted to announce that I’ll be a juror for the British Fantasy Awards again!

This year I’ll be on the jury for Best Novel, which is sooo exciting. Read the cream of the crop of the year’s sci fi/fantasy novels and then talk about it with other people? Oh, alright then…!

Previous BFS winners include Frances Hardinge, Lauren Beukes, and the Women Destroy Science Fiction Lightspeed anthology (which was my favourite as a juror last year).

Juries for all the awards are posted on the British Fantasy Society’s site now.

I’ll post again when the nominees are public – fingers crossed for your favourites!

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My May To Read List

By on in blog, books, words

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