No one should have to fear for their lives because of the colour of their skin.
Infinite Natures
Book Review: Forged by Iron
Forged by Iron is based on Olaf Trygvason’s saga, which appears in Snorri Sturluson’s Heimskringla, among other sources. Fortunately for modern storytellers, the sagas tend to focus on the big picture, which leaves plenty of room for literary license, and Schumacher’s retelling modifies some aspects of the story for narrative purposes.
Cautious Optimism in the Age of COVID-19
Writing, editing, and the arts in general may prove to be more valuable than ever, with people being quarantined or staying home out of an abundance of caution.
This Mortal Coil of Mine
I’ve been listening to Caitlin Doughty’s Smoke Gets in Your Eyes after burning through most of her videos this week. Her frank and unflinching approach to death…… Read more “This Mortal Coil of Mine”
Link Roundup #5: Trade in the Viking Age
The stereotype of the raping, pillaging Norseman has its roots in the very earliest days of Viking raids. The plundering of Lindisfarne in 793 CE was one of the earliest recorded raids, and the target—a church—made the act all the more heinous in the eyes of the Anglo-Saxons, who wrote terrifying reports of the event. However, most Old Norse people were more interested in trading. (More taxes, fewer axes.)
In With the New
This year has been a blazing furnace of insanity. The world is burning, but this time we did start the trashfire—or at least we insisted on fanning the flames. Fortunately, the world hasn’t ended quite yet, and while we are facing a time of great change, there is also tremendous potential and hope.
Character Sketch: Thor
Thor is one of Norse mythology’s most prominent gods and perhaps the ultimate representative of the Old Norse conception of masculinity. He’s not exactly the sharpest sword in the armoury, but his sheer strength and courage combined with a general lack of guile makes him more honest and forthright than the average man. He doesn’t mince words, only enemies.
Update re a Predatory Publisher and Concerns for the Future of Publishing
The Canadian speculative fiction industry has been shocked by the sheer number of accusations against ChiZine Publications, a small Canadian publisher of horror fiction. What started with allegations of non-payment of royalties from a few authors exploded into dozens of stories of non-payment for editors, publicists, and other professionals, as well as allegations of sexual harassment, threats, gaslighting, and various other forms of emotional abuse.
Spotlight on a Dark Corner in Canadian Publishing
Tonight, I’m hearing numerous horror stories from other members of the publishing industry about abuse and toxicity at Canadian horror publisher ChiZine. This is sad and awful news. My heart goes out to all the writers, editors, publicists, and others who have endured emotional abuse, harassment, or gaslighting from the publisher or anyone affiliated with it, or who have been denied payment for work they have done or royalties earned. This behaviour is disgraceful and unacceptable.
Link Roundup #4: Vikings — The Ultimate Immigrants
Although Viking raiders and warriors certainly earned their reputation for brutality, most of the Old Norse people lived rather mundane domestic lives. They were largely subsistence farmers who traded for what they could not produce, and when prospects seemed better elsewhere, they moved to new areas. Sometimes they created new settlements in previously uninhabited lands, such as Iceland, but most of the time, they were the new kids on the block. You might be surprised at how well they got along with their new neighbours.
Find yourself in many worlds 