Friday Link: Astronomer Maria Mitchell

Happy Friday!

This week was Ada Lovelace Day, dedicated to celebrating women in science, technology, engineering and mathematics. Even though I’m a bit late, I’d still like to share…

Maria Mitchell (1818-1889) is one of those intrepid American women who deserves to be better known today. Not only was she the first American woman to work as a professional astronomer, the first woman member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, and the first professor at Vassar College, but she also discovered the first “telescopic” comet (a comet too distant to be visible to the naked eye.)

And yes, she did all that in the nineteenth century. Read more about Maria Mitchell over at the excellent historical blog Two Nerdy History Girls.

I’m out for this week. See you back here on Monday!

Friday Link: Cover Reveal

Thanks again to all the fabulous guest bloggers who kept the lights on while I was away! I’ll be back for real on Monday, but in the meantime, I have some exciting news. The indie press I’m a member of, Turtleduck Press, has a new science fantasy novel coming out in less than a month, and the cover has just gone public. Take a look:

Isn’t it pretty? To read more about the novel, hop over to Erin Zarro’s blog.

Have a great weekend, and I’ll see you back here on Monday!

Friday Link: Bald and Beautiful

I am fascinated by photos of difficult subjects — poverty, palliative care, grief, cancer. If the photographer is sensitive, the photos are beautiful but often stark. It’s no surprise that they might be lacking in joy — in fact, one might even say that’s expected.

But recently I came across a set of photos that just blew all that out of the water.

Photographer Brandi Reynolds writes,

So my friend, Val, texts me one night and says she has this friend that is going through cancer treatment. The friend has lost her hair and decided that she wanted to do something artful/fun with her newly bald head and would I be up for a photo shoot?

I said yes immediately, so honored that Val would think of me, got in touch with Sara (the friend) and last friday we met in Sundance Square in Ft. Worth for a photo shoot.

I didn’t know what to expect going into the shoot. On the one hand, my heart went out to her (to anyone) going through cancer treatment. I lost a friend to cancer and I remember his journey and how hard it was. I’m a little sensitive, a little emotional, to the word cancer.

But yet, this was someone who decided to take the loss of her hair and turn into art and I was excited and curious to experience that.

I hope you’ll click through to see her photos and read the rest of the post.

(Hat tip to S.M. Hutchins of Live Wonderstruck for the link)

Friday Link: Photos to Restore Your Faith in Humanity

Administrative note: You’re in for a treat on this blog. For the next two weeks, I’ll be featuring some awesome guest bloggers who are keeping the lights on here while I move house. I’ll still be responding to comments as I’m able and posting Friday links, and I’ll be back for real on July 9. Until then…

Friday Links: RIP Ray Bradbury

You’ve probably already heard the news that Ray Bradbury passed away this week. To me, he was a master of the twist ending, of combining science fictional ideas with beautiful prose. I remember being shaken by “The Veldt” and “All Summer in a Day” and “There Will Come Soft Rains” — I thought the endings were horribly sad, but I also never forgot them. Fahrenheit 451 also made a great impression on me, with its mingled dystopia and destruction and hope and sense of wonder. He was truly a giant.

Here’s a collection of remembrances and other related things from around the ‘net this week.

Neil Gaiman posted two tributes, one on his blog and one in the British newspaper The Guardian.

Gaiman also posted an audio file of himself reading a beautiful short story called “The Man Who Forgot Ray Bradbury”. This is what finally made me cry. (Side note: even if you’re not big on audiobooks, if you haven’t heard Gaiman reading, go listen! He’s brilliant at it.)

SF author John Scalzi posted a tribute on his blog.

The New Yorker published a piece by Bradbury himself (via Better Know a Book).

Long may he be remembered.

Weekly Roundup

Housekeeping note: We’re back to the “weekly links roundup” format because it seems to be more popular than the Friday videos. What do you prefer for quick-and-easy blog posts (whether reading them or writing them)?

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Here’s what I found in my meanderings around the Internet this week. Enjoy!

Books

An overview of Africa-related science fiction.

A website dedicated to “books and movies for smart, confident, and courageous girls”.

Friday Video: Automata in the Modern Age

For your Friday viewing pleasure, I’ve found a short BBC slideshow/video about antique automata. Unfortunately I wasn’t able to embed it, but if you like steampunk, vintage toys, or old things in general, do have a look. (Don’t click if you have a fear of mannequins or clockwork toys.) It’s quite wonderful.

Automata in the Modern Age

Have a wonderful weekend, and I’ll see you back here on Monday!

Weekly Roundup

As we head into the weekend, here’s what I found on the Interwebs for your reading pleasure…

Book News

I’m not sure how I feel about this, but A Wrinkle in Time is being made into a graphic novel (via The Mary Sue).

Geekery

For those who are watching Game of Thrones or are interested in conlanging, here’s an interview with the guy who created the Dothraki language (via Juliette Wade’s worldbuilding blog).

Inspiration

If you’ve ever beaten yourself up (as I do, all the time), you might need to read this:

My inner dialogue sounded like “come on, you idiot. You were stupid enough to say you could do this, so you effing well do it. Now. No, you’re not going to bed till you freaking get it done.” Now it’s more “come on, girl. You can do this. You’re smart and awesome, and you can do this.” Guess which works better to get things done?

Sing it, sistah! Read the rest at KD Sarge’s blog.

 

That’s it for the week. Go forth and be merry! Me, I’ll be dancing all weekend.

Weekly Roundup

Happy Easter long weekend to those of you who are lucky enough to have one! Here’s the best of what I found online this week…

Book News

Toronto writer Leah Bobet is celebrating the release of her debut novel, Above, featured as a Big Idea piece on John Scalzi’s blog.

General Geekery

The Mary Sue has found art of dapper dinosaurs in top hats.

For the aspiring Companions among us, Doctor Who sticky notes (also via The Mary Sue).

Inspiration

If Narnia is more your style, go forth and ogle this Dawn Treader concept art.

For Writers (and Interested Third Parties)

Adam Roberts has a fascinating post about the importance of monsters as myth and how bigger is not always better (via Juliette Wade).

John Scalzi points out that the identity of the bad guys in science fiction movies often depends on one’s point of view.

 

That’s all for this round. Have a wonderful long weekend!

Weekly Roundup

Happy Friday to the blogosphere! Here are the best links I found on the Interwebs this week, for your reading pleasure…

Book News

Have I geeked out at you yet about SF&F writer Elizabeth Bear? No? I’ll have to do that, because she’s awesome. In the meantime, she has a new book out this week, Range of Ghosts. It’s epic fantasy inspired by Genghis Khan, and you can read about it in a Big Idea piece on John Scalzi’s blog.

General Geekery and Science

Somebody has re-created what Shakespeare’s works sounded like in the original pronunciation.

Scientists have figured out how to make cyborg snails (aka the mollusc militia).

The New York Times interviews scientist Rachel Graham,  the Jane Goodall of sharks.

Inspiration

Offbeat Home finds a Belgian B&B that belongs in a fantasy novel.

For Writers (and Interested Third Parties)

If you’re writing fantasy or science fiction, Juliette Wade offers some ways to approach measurements in your worldbuilding.

Deborah Biancotti points out that we are all running our own race.

Hope to see you back here on Monday, when I’ll be talking about Queen’s Man, the new science fiction release from KD Sarge at Turtleduck Press. Until then, happy weekend!