My latest creative nonfiction piece follows a pair of herring gulls who took up residence on the roof outside my window in April and decided it was a good place to raise a family. The story unfolds in three parts:
Part One: Feathered Siege – The invasion begins
Part Two: Fluffy Occupation – Three chicks turn my life upside down
Part Three: The Last Gull Standing – I thought I knew how this story would end. I was wrong.
Available now on the platform of your choice:
I attended a great show and vary daring show at HUNGR as a part of the Tallinn Fringe and I thought you might enjoy my review, Pole Dancing with the Gods: Norse Mythology for Adults published at Sour Cream and Dill.
Someone wearing a sheet over their head topped by a pair of antlers slipped towards the stage. The specter carefully polished the pole and disappeared again. The crowd hushed as three women entered the stage area: the elven-eared girl and two others in less identifiable costumes. Was the leather-clad dancer with the pixie cut Freya? Were the angel wings meant to signify a Valkyrie? Each took a turn dancing in front of the pole and then on it. The pole quivered but held steady, even when one woman pulled her way to the very top.
If you are in Tallinn, I recommend checking out the events in HUNGR. They are a queer-friendly space who are taking the opportunity to do something different.
I am in Tartu! I’m attending Transitions, the 2024 annual conference of the Science Fiction Research Association. Tartu is also hosting Futures Better and Worse as a part of the Tartu Internationa Literary Festival, so it promises to be an action-packed week.
My presentation will be on Friday, the 10th of May at 15:30.
Navigating the Final Frontier: The Journey into Old Age in ‘Star Trek: Picard’
This paper explores themes of leadership, legacy, and the human aging process in ‘Star Trek: Picard’. Traditionally, Star Trek has suffered from persistent ageist tropes, most blatantly celebrating old age in alien races while depicting human elders as frail, emotionally unstable and unfit for leadership. ‘Star Trek: Picard’ explores human old age through the character of Jean-Luc Picard, who is forced to confront the challenges of aging: loss, regret and the need for reinvention. As he reunites with the crew of ‘The Next Generation’, the series has the opportunity to explore many facets of old age and aging across a range of personalities. This analysis focuses on the first series and whether ‘Star Trek: Picard’ promises a a more nuanced view of old age or reinforces those very stereotypes that have dogged the Star Trek universe from the beginning. The author seeks seeks to contribute a deeper understanding of how popular science fiction influences and reflects societal attitudes towards aging. ‘Star Trek: Picard’ may not have broken the barriers of ageist stereotypes, but the first series undeniably sets a course for new discussions.
If you are in Tartu this week for either of the events, please let me know; it’d be great to say hello!
I’ve recently returned from a month-long artist residency in Hrísey, a small island in northern Iceland’s Eyjafjörður fjord. During this intensive period, I completed the first draft of a new manuscript exploring themes of isolation, adaptation, and finding connection in unexpected places.
The unique setting – a remote island village with a population of 150, accessible only by ferry – provided the perfect backdrop for deep focus on the work. It took me about a week to get going. I spent a lot of that time sleeping. I needed some time to think my way into the project and work out how to start chipping away at it. I had the workroom to myself and I loved having two walls that I could just cover with my project. I wanted to be able to visualise things because I knew I would struggle without my computer and full-sized monitor.
I completed a manuscript of 98,000 words which turned out to be a lot more heartfelt and emotional than I had planned. I’m giving it one more pass and then it will begin its journey toward publication.
I’m pleased that I will be presenting on the subjectof Murderbot and AI at Estcon 2024. The conference is taking place in July at Udu Talu and I will post full details under events.
This is a fun presentation and I’m pleased for the opportunity to revisit it.
I am pleased that my proposal was accepted for Transitions, the SFRA 2024 annual meeting. I will be presenting my paper on The Journey into Old Age in ‘Star Trek: Picard.
The conference takes place in Tartu in May and I’m very happy that I’ll be attending in person. For more information on the conference, please see their website: SFRA 2024 | Transitions.
I’m very pleased that my report on Disruptive Imaginations, the joint annual conference of the Science Fiction Research Association & the Gesellschaft für Fantastikforschung Joint Annual Conference was published in the November issue of Locus magazine.
Report on the Disruptive Imaginations Conference
There remains a story I didn’t tell, about going hiking in a nightgown, but that will have to wait for another day.
I’m going to be attending the AXALP ’23 Air Force display next month! This is a flight display and live-firing exercise run by the Swiss Air Force every year. The spectator areas are 2,200 metres amsl (7,200 feet) and although there’s a shuttle taking me from Briez to Axalp, I’ll be hiking the final 708 metres (2,320 feet). I cannot tell you how excited I am about this.
If you are interested in more detail, please read my newsletter post about it here: Wheels Up for Raclette
I’m thrilled to have another story in Nature Futures! I have to admit, this one has an author’s note that’s longer than the story.
“Don’t be mean, Paul. We’ve never had to live through data scarcity.” I cleared last week’s menu, as if that helped. Paul was right, Mom was getting worse. There was nothing so trivial that she wouldn’t save it to the cloud and then make a back-up.
You can read the entire story and author’s note at Nature.
I’m pleased to be presenting at Disruptive Imaginations, the Joint Annual Conference of the SFRA and the GFF in Dresden. I’ll be speaking on the subject of Murderbot and AI on Thursday morning in room ABS/114. I hope to see you there!
