Monthly Archives: August 2015

After the Hugos – So How Do I Feel Now?

Posted on August 29, 2015 by Pat Bowne

Months ago, before the enslatening, I posted in support of the Sad Puppies. It wasn’t because I read their kind of fiction, or cared who won the Hugos, or wanted less diversity in the field; it was because something about … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Comments Off on After the Hugos – So How Do I Feel Now?

Against Political Criticism

Posted on August 25, 2015 by Pat Bowne

If I wanted to write political arguments, I could. But I write fiction instead, because I think political arguments are incomplete and one-sided. They’re simplistic answers, and the only way you can get to such answers is by ignoring half … Continue reading →

Posted in rants, real life, Uncategorized | Comments Off on Against Political Criticism

Angstfic Monday

Posted on August 17, 2015 by Pat Bowne

I had an attack of angst about my WIP. Who’s going to fall in love with these characters? Who’ll turn the page just to find out how their problems get solved, make up fanfic about soothing their fevered brows, etc. … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Comments Off on Angstfic Monday

Team Message Fiction

Posted on August 16, 2015 by Pat Bowne

Lots of talk in fannish circles this year about big bad message fiction, and how it’s either corrupted the field or always been embedded in the field. Talk about fiction in service of a message (BAD), as opposed to fiction … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Comments Off on Team Message Fiction

Midnight Riot by Ben Aaronovitch

Posted on August 9, 2015 by Pat Bowne

For years I’ve been rolling my eyes at people who said SFF needed more diverse characters, but if they had just handed me this book I would have been an instant convert. What a tremendous lot of lively fun Mr. … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Comments Off on Midnight Riot by Ben Aaronovitch

When do we get to talk in private?

Posted on August 7, 2015 by Pat Bowne

So apparently this week’s news is that administrators at the University of Illinois used personal email accounts to discuss the Salaita case. I have to say, I don’t blame them one bit. They had a situation in which whatever they … Continue reading →

Posted in academic happenings, in the news, life around campus, real life | Comments Off on When do we get to talk in private?

Ooh, shiny! The next new knitting rage.

Posted on August 5, 2015 by Pat Bowne

Fox Paws didn’t use up my stash. I have a feeling that I could yarnbomb all of Milwaukee without using up my stash. But that doesn’t matter because I’ve just downloaded the most exciting new stash-buster pattern – Zanzibar by … Continue reading →

Posted in lace knitting, real life | Comments Off on Ooh, shiny! The next new knitting rage.

You know you’ve read too much academic commentary when…

Posted on August 4, 2015 by Pat Bowne

Every piece of academic commentary I’ve read this week has seemed to be going around in circles so fast that it was about to disappear up its own arse. Folks are mad at a faculty member who said that increasing … Continue reading →

Posted in academic happenings, in the news, real life | Comments Off on You know you’ve read too much academic commentary when…