Trailers
Untangling Quiet
E.D.E Bell discusses what “quiet fiction” is (and isn’t) and suggests some useful spectra for discussing fiction (eg quiet <—> loud).
the history of our future
Lisa L. Hannett discusses her personal, powerful essay about her experience of early motherhood, and seeing the mothers (and lack thereof) in science fiction tv. Read the essay as a bonus in the January-June collection of essays by buying the book, or subscribing to Speculative Insight.
Nice Safe emotions
Joanne Anderson discusses her essay about Murderbot, binging media, and what we might learn about ourselves from this ‘heartless killing machine’.
Rendered harmless
Joyce Chng explains why her essay on literary representations on medieval lady knights, including Joan of Arc, is important.
Forensics for Fairytales
VJ Knipe on her examination of forensics-related language in several SFF novels.
The SEA is Whose?: Ethnic Entanglements in Southeast Asian SFF
Ng Yi-Sheng discusses why he wrote his essay about what it might mean to have greater diversity in who writes, and is read, when it comes to Southeast Asian SFF authors.
The space that ships are built for
Nina Niskanen teases her essay about cargo ships in space and the fact that she thinks a lot of authors get a few things wrong…
The modern place of fairytales
Amelia Brown talks about why she wrote her essay about whether fairy tales have a place in the modern writing landscape.
Magic and Objects of Enchantment in Flemish Folklore
Signe Maene discusses what you will find in her essay about Flemish folklore.
Pratchett’s men
Tansy Rayner Roberts talks about her plans for her column on the men of Terry Pratchett’s Discworld books. The free essays in the series so far:
Male Validation of Women’s Magic in Equal Rites
Male Supporting Characters in Witches Abroad
Ceremony, subjugation, and Camellia sinensis
Kemi Ashing-Giwa discusses her essay about the place of tea in the history of empire, and in her novel The Splinter in the Sky.
Families of the Future
Nina Niskanen explains her favourite thing about having written her essay on how the concept of ‘found families’ is explored in science fiction.