One Small Step...

Hi everyone! I am YA author B A Binns , writer of contemporary and realistic fiction for teens. My tagline tells you what I am about - Stories of Real Boys Growing Into Real Men - and the people who love them. 


Either I’ve been alive a very (very) long time, or history has been moving along pretty fast lately. I remember in history class noting the long times between any events of merit. Not so in my lifetime. I’ve seen the Berlin wall fall. Feared for my brother during the Vietnam War. Watched the once dreaded USSR split into pieces.

Selma isn’t just a movie to me. That march and other acts literally reset my future and changed the lives for many people like me. Then I had to live through the assassination of the man who helped spearhead those changes, Doctor Martin Luther King. That was followed by the assassination of a President and then his brother, a Presidential candidate. All this changed the way we Americans looked at each other.

I’ve seen things happen that people couldn’t even dream of when I was born. A Black man as president of the United States. And pretty soon there will be a Woman President (unless people actually do elect the very scary and unqualified man who preaches hate). I’ve also seen a man walk on the moon. It happened when I was young and full of the glory of science fiction. I’d seen Sputnik, heard President Kennedy vow to have the US lead the race to the moon. I loved him for that alone.

I prayed for Apollo 13 and when Neill Armstrong took his “One small step for man…” I stepped with him. I cried when I watched the Challenger disaster, feeling the same pain that an earlier generation felt when the Hindenburg erupted in flames. Last week I sang along as the lonely Curiosity Rover sang Happy Birthday to itself from its forever home on Mars. I was there for the early pessimism about the Hubble Space Telescope, and now enjoy seeing some of the great pictures it sends us about the reality of the universe we live in.

And I love authors who give me views of possible future realities. I’m not much into the dystopian sub-genre, but I love seeing visions of distant times and worlds that show advancement and an overall positive future. Maybe because too many of the changes I have lived through have been negative.

Nichelle Nichols was my goddess every week from 1966 to 1969. (She still is my goddess for that matter). Zoe Saldano carries the torch well, and I love Uhuru's relationship with Spock in the reboot.  I also love that Star Trek portrays a more positive future, where things get better and the human race evolves. There is no evil Empire of dark side of the force holding us back. That's why I will always be more Star Trek than Star Wars.

As much as I read and watch S/F, for now my own muse insists on remaining in the contemporary realm.  I get my future fix by reading stories Sword and Soul and Afrofuturism stories from authors like Balogun Ojetade, Alicia McCalla, Valjeanne Jeffers and Octavia Butler in books like:

Once Upon a Time in Afrika, a Sword and Soul tale by Balogun Ojetade, is full of magic, gods and demigods. This fairy tale like story tells about a beautiful and badass princess and her father, the king who sets up a tournament that brings on eager suitors, along with an evil war lord out to grab the princess.  Fortunately, the princess is more warrior than wimp, and perfectly capable of picking up her own sword to deal with danger.

 

 

Alicia McCalla mixes West African mythology and Norse mythology in her African Elemental series, to create a story with elements of horror to go along with the science fiction. The heroine is from an African pantheon, the hero a descendent of a Norse god, and they have to accept their calls to become the warriors they are destined to be in order to save their child from a violent predator

 

 

 

Diverse Energies is an anthology of  short fiction. The many stories involve  diverse group of young people - students, street kids, good girls, kidnappers, and child laborers. They are all pitted against their environments, their governments, differing cultures, and sometimes one another. (Okay, many of the stories do have a dystopian air to them after all). This is my go-to book when I want a quick fix of the future or of alternate realities

 

 

 

 

FYI - I teach a class to writers called Writing with Diversity.  During the class two of my all time favorite S/F stories for examples of different techniques. Both Babel-17, a novel by Samuel Delany, and The Lathe of Heaven by Ursula LeGuin, provide examples for two of the lessons:  Worldbuilding and Crafting Characters of  Color.

 

Interview with Gifted Teen Writer Nic Q.

Welcome to Romancing the Genres, Nic! Thank you for doing this Guest Interview for our Highlighting Young Writers Month.

Tell us a little about yourself. What inspired you to start writing fiction?

I am fourteen years old, turning fifteen in over a month, and will attend L.O. High School next year. I first began writing fiction in the second grade, but, since it was many, many years ago, I cannot remember just what my main inspiration was. 

Over the years, however, my inspirations for fiction pieces have included works like Star Trek, Star Wars, The Hunt for Red October, and others.

What’s your favorite place to write? 

I generally prefer to write in a quiet place with computer access where I can feel comfortable and at home. My room fulfills all of those requirements, so I generally do most of my writing there.

Tell us about your latest writing project.

I am presently working on a science fiction novel, which is for the moment untitled, that is set in the far future. It tells the story of a naval officer fighting in a centuries-long interstellar war that has long since degenerated into a long, protracted stalemate, with a corrupt totalitarian regime using it to stay in power. The protagonist finds himself caught in a covert resistance movement attempting to overthrow the government, while simultaneously attempting to end the war through any means necessary. I have actually been developing the plot, characters, and setting for several months now, but due to the pressures of school and recent surgery I have been unable to make much progress.

What was the last great book that you read?

Just a few months ago I read H.G. Wells’ The War of the Worlds and found it to be quite a good read, even though some elements appeared scientifically dated or outright absurd.

What types of scenes (dialogue, action, romantic) do you most enjoy writing and why?

I enjoy writing description, as it allows me to vividly flesh out and elaborate upon the detailed minutiae of my fictional worlds.

Who has helped you most as a writer? What did they do?

All of my teachers since the beginning of my formal education have helped enormously with my writing ability, helping me to refine my work while simultaneously giving considerable support and encouragement. My teacher last year was especially helpful, and I am actually maintaining an email correspondence with him to assist with my novel.

Are your friends writers, too?

Some of them, yes, but they are not quite as interested in writing as I am. However, both of my parents are dedicated writers.

Where do you go for writing help?

Usually I consult online sources (no particular site, just whatever comes up on Google), my parents, or my teachers whenever I encounter difficulties when writing.

What do you hope to accomplish with your writing?

I hope to finish and publish my science fiction novel by the end of high school. Beyond that, I simply aspire to be at least moderately successful as a professional writer.

What question would you like to ask the writers in our audience?

What is the easiest way to get one’s writing published?

 I hope you get some thoughtful answers to that question, Nic. thank you for sharing your experiences and perspective as a young writer with our audience.

Dragon*Con – One Humongous Convention!

by Stacy McKitrick

2012 - 52,000 PEOPLE

52,000 people. 

That's how many people were reported to have attended Dragon*Con (www.dragoncon.org) in 2012. And man, did it ever feel like it!

If you are a fan of Sci-Fi or Fantasy, this is your convention. There were tracks for Star Trek, Star Wars, Stargate, Joss Whedon, Alternative History, Horror/Dark Fantasy, Gaming Programming, Sci-Fi & Fantasy Literature, Science, Space, and Writers (to name a few.) Held on Labor Day weekend in Atlanta, Georgia, every year, this event encompasses five hotels downtown and gets bigger and bigger each year. The convention center has been added for 2013 (mostly for vendors – yeah, you can BUY things there, too!)
 

Frankly, I don't remember it being so packed in 2011 (we were told there were 40,000 people then, which is still a lot, let me tell you.) The lines were absolutely unreal (and they're everywhere for almost everything!)

MORE OF THE 52,000

But then in 2011 (and 2010), I spent most of my time in the Writers Track (but even those tracks are gaining popularity!)

So, what's in a track, you ask? Could be a celebrity panel discussing their show (either current or cancelled – Buffy the Vampire Slayer is wildly popular every year. If you don't get in line early and wait over an hour, you don't get in.) Could be a panel of writers telling you "101 Fascinating Ways to Kill a Character" or fans discussing a favorite author, e.g. Stephen King, or maybe an "authority" on paranormal activity explaining how you can detect your own ghosts.

But while the tracks are fun and interesting, the biggest thing there is the fans. These are people who spend all year coming up with a costume (or four) and making it just so they can walk around Hotlanta (including the Dragon*Con parade), sweat, and get their picture taken. These costumes are not whipped together in a weekend. Most are planned and many are convoluted! But you can see the love and dedication that went into them.

This convention is cheap when I compare it to other conventions I've attended (under $100 for the full convention if you pre-register early enough – the Saturday pass usually runs about $50), but getting a room can be difficult. Registration for the host hotels open up during the current Dragon*Con and sell out in a matter of weeks. You want to go in 2013? I say get a room at one of the overflow hotels before it's too late!

Besides all the tracks, there are celebrities galore (John Barrowman and Adam Baldwin were big last year) and popular authors (e.g. Laurell K. Hamilton, who is there almost every year, and Sherrilyn Kenyon, who made it for the first time last year.) There is a Walk of Fame for most celebrities where you can walk up to them, talk with them, and pay for their autograph if you so desire (be forewarned, if the celebrity is wildly popular, he/she may be sequestered somewhere else and charge a fortune for his/her autograph!) You think Joe Manganiello (Alcide from "True Blood") looks good on TV? Imagine seeing him up close and personal. Oh yeah! Just keep checking the website to see who's been added. It's a crazy weekend and you certainly don't want to be without your camera.

This is definitely not a writers' convention (or a romance one, either), but you can learn a lot in the Writers Track (which has been sponsored by Belle Books in the past) and maybe even meet an editor or two. And while I do spend a lot of time there, it's not the only reason I attend. I am a fan, too! I just don't dress the part.

TIRED, MUCH?

Yeah, my first time to Dragon*Con (in 2010) was scary as hell, but then again, it was my second convention ever (having gone to the Romantic Times Convention earlier that year.) I probably never would have survived without my daughter helping me (she's attended the last ten conventions.) 

But after that first trip, I was hooked.  ~Stacy

Stacy McKitrick writes Paranormal Romance.
You can find her online at http://www.stacymckitrick.com/index.php