Old trucks found in old towns
35 #35mm #film #filmisnotdead #kodak #portra #portra400 #sf #sanfrancisco #cali #california #petaluma #truck #ford #vintagetruck
Old trucks found in old towns
#sf
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The scientist looked at their lab. Alembics bubbled, great coils had sparks linking them, a large slab with restraints occupied one corner. Screens on one wall showed scenes from the great events in the world.
They pondered. Something was missing. An assistant? No, they were a solitary sort.
They looked up at the high vaulted ceiling.
A raven or a bat? No, they were no good with animals.
But, maybe. They got onto their laptop. "Mirror balls" they typed.
Two days later they looked around. "Perfect!"
The night was stormy, that is true. It was also dark, being a new moon, this is also true. However, on this particular night, the, shall we say 'non-conventional' scientist was not in xyr laboritory, nor digging up a grave, or even playing a completely outsized keyboard.
No, xe were sitting in the window of their apartment, in town, not in some dusty castle, and were enjoying a particularly good mug of hot chocolate. After all, a good storm should be appreciated, not ignored. Even for the best of mad science.
RaeXitchilla knew she'd not had a normal childhood. For starters most kids are not the result of ten years of genetic and biochemical tinkering by their parents, blending two incompatible lifeforms into a coheisve whole.
She had to admit they'd done a good job. Being able to shift in appearance to conform to either bauplan, and look good at it, was a plus. On the down side, all forms of teenage rebellion had to be carefully examined for possible interactions with her distinctly unique biochemistry. At least she got to see her brother struggle through it as well.
Dating had been the worst bit. When she let go, various bits of both her base forms tended to emerge. There had been the people who were revolted. There had been the fetish creeps. And the fact that that had applied to both species was the bit that was really disappointing.
Still, …
RaeXitchilla knew she'd not had a normal childhood. For starters most kids are not the result of ten years of genetic and biochemical tinkering by their parents, blending two incompatible lifeforms into a coheisve whole.
She had to admit they'd done a good job. Being able to shift in appearance to conform to either bauplan, and look good at it, was a plus. On the down side, all forms of teenage rebellion had to be carefully examined for possible interactions with her distinctly unique biochemistry. At least she got to see her brother struggle through it as well.
Dating had been the worst bit. When she let go, various bits of both her base forms tended to emerge. There had been the people who were revolted. There had been the fetish creeps. And the fact that that had applied to both species was the bit that was really disappointing.
Still, there had to be someone out there. She just had to find them. Maybe there was a third intelligent life form out there. Or maybe there was someone on the two worlds.
Somewhere.
Edna was bored. So bored. They looked at the mirror. Red eyes and green skin topped with black hair looked back.
Boor-ring.
Time to try something exotic. Howabout a pale tan, with blue eyes and ... purple! That was it! Purple hair!
They started programming the gene sequencer.
After all, a fourteen year old guy had to have standards!
The child ran, and hid, as their parents had said.
They hid in the most hidden part of the house. The part no-one ever went.
It was dark and dusty. The walls lined with empty shelves that went to the ceiling. In one corner sat a box - completely featureless, except for a small slot, and a single button.
They heard footsteps - and they froze. Would they be found? Would they have the same fate as everyone else?
The footsteps receded.
They stepped back in relief, and nearly tripped over the box. As they did, they brushed the button. It made a small whir, and a piece of paper emerged, covered in words.
They looked at it, looked closer, and saw the tiny metal teeth. Pulling upward, the paper tore off.
Now they could see it clearly, it was a story. One they had never heard. Only short, but …
The child ran, and hid, as their parents had said.
They hid in the most hidden part of the house. The part no-one ever went.
It was dark and dusty. The walls lined with empty shelves that went to the ceiling. In one corner sat a box - completely featureless, except for a small slot, and a single button.
They heard footsteps - and they froze. Would they be found? Would they have the same fate as everyone else?
The footsteps receded.
They stepped back in relief, and nearly tripped over the box. As they did, they brushed the button. It made a small whir, and a piece of paper emerged, covered in words.
They looked at it, looked closer, and saw the tiny metal teeth. Pulling upward, the paper tore off.
Now they could see it clearly, it was a story. One they had never heard. Only short, but a story nonetheless.
Listening for footsteps and hearing nothing, they pressed the button again. Another story. A different one. A third press, a third story.
They sat and read. And pressed the button. And read some more.
Time passed, and their tummy gurgled. Surely it would be safe now?
They emerged from the hidden room to find the house empty.
They made their way to the kitchen. On the table sat a cake, with seven candles on it.
There was a noise at the front door.
"I don't know - they can't have gone too far, even after this time."
"We are going to have to call the police. "
"Mummy? Mums? Did I win?" the birthday child called out, unaware of the dramas they had caused.
They never found the hidden room again.
James S.A. Corey's 'Cibola Burn' is another gripping, fast-paced entry in their SF-adventure 'Expanse' series. I enjoyed it enormously.
https://app.thestorygraph.com/reviews/54355949-cc1f-4a95-b343-fdd3e9c9edeb
#sf #sciencefiction #jamessacorey #theexpanse #cibolaburn #books
Guten Morgen allerseits! 😀 👋
Mit Blick auf die Weltlage und die wohl von uns allen empfundene Ohnmacht in diesem Chaos hier ein wunderbares #Zitat der amerikanischen Schriftstellerin Ursula K. Le Guin (1929-2018):
"You cannot buy the revolution. You cannot make the revolution. You can only be the revolution. It is in your spirit, or it is nowhere."
Ursula K. Le Guin: The Dispossessed (1974)
#leguin #quote #sciencefiction #sf #literatur #autorin #lesen
Review - Black Water Sister
Black Water Sister, Zen Cho
Black Water Sister follows the adventures of Jess, who was brought up in the US but whose family come from Malaysia, just as she and her family return to Malaysia for good. Her parents are a little bit hopeless, very much in need of her support, and she is reluctant to come out to them -- knowing their likely response, and knowing that...
https://breathesbooks.com/2021/08/15/review-black-water-sister/
Sword & Sorcery is the sharp edge of fantasy storytelling. It offers great rewards to readers daring enought to dive in.
https://abastrabooks.com/sword-sorcery-a-genre-for-the-modern-reader/
If #civilization began again from scratch, what kinds of societies would evolve next time? #Communal, #capitalist. #theocratic, #meritocratic, #secular, #egalitarian, #exploitive? Societies are usually a combination of these types, but do they always combine as we expect them to? Are our choices about the type of #society we create completely up to us, or are we constrained by the environment and circumstance? Tomorrow is the last day I’ll be giving away my novel HUMAN to FediHumans. Visit https://bretthodnett.com/FreeHUMAN.html and use the code ‘fedihuman’ to get your free EPUB!
#HUMAN #WhatToRead #BookBlog #Readers #BrettHodnett #SpeculativeFiction #SciFi #WritersOfMastodon #SFF #SF #ScienceFiction #Author #Writer #Writers #Books #Livres #Bookstodon #BookCover #HumanEvolution #PostApocalypse #ApocalypticFiction #Evolution …
If #civilization began again from scratch, what kinds of societies would evolve next time? #Communal, #capitalist. #theocratic, #meritocratic, #secular, #egalitarian, #exploitive? Societies are usually a combination of these types, but do they always combine as we expect them to? Are our choices about the type of #society we create completely up to us, or are we constrained by the environment and circumstance? Tomorrow is the last day I’ll be giving away my novel HUMAN to FediHumans. Visit https://bretthodnett.com/FreeHUMAN.html and use the code ‘fedihuman’ to get your free EPUB!
#HUMAN #WhatToRead #BookBlog #Readers #BrettHodnett #SpeculativeFiction #SciFi #WritersOfMastodon #SFF #SF #ScienceFiction #Author #Writer #Writers #Books #Livres #Bookstodon #BookCover #HumanEvolution #PostApocalypse #ApocalypticFiction #Evolution #EPUB #Ebook #FreeBook #FreeBooks #GiveAway
'Necropath' offers action, intrigue, and emotional depth. Add to this the fact that it's also entertaining, 'Necropath' should be on every SF fan's list of books to read.
http://incompletefutures.com/2025/04/07/necropath-takes-a-dark-and-emotional-path/
When writing the acknowledgements for my novel HUMAN it occurred to me that one of the greatest debts I owe is to all the authors that I’ve read throughout my life. Not only classic literature, fantastical tales and heartbreaking stories, but also non-fiction, whether about #science or #history, #economics or home renovation. In fact, why stop there? I must also include scientific papers, newspaper articles, blogs, and all the various and sundry writings I’ve ever come across.
Together, they provided me with the rich tapestry of stories and facts which have smashed around in my head and resulted in creative thoughts of my own. They also provided me with the knowledge of how to write. I never really learned how to write a story, I’ve only intuited how to do so through reading what others have written.
So I would like to thank everyone who has …
When writing the acknowledgements for my novel HUMAN it occurred to me that one of the greatest debts I owe is to all the authors that I’ve read throughout my life. Not only classic literature, fantastical tales and heartbreaking stories, but also non-fiction, whether about #science or #history, #economics or home renovation. In fact, why stop there? I must also include scientific papers, newspaper articles, blogs, and all the various and sundry writings I’ve ever come across.
Together, they provided me with the rich tapestry of stories and facts which have smashed around in my head and resulted in creative thoughts of my own. They also provided me with the knowledge of how to write. I never really learned how to write a story, I’ve only intuited how to do so through reading what others have written.
So I would like to thank everyone who has ever let loose written words into the world. I’ve made HUMAN free this week for all #FediHumans. Visit https://bretthodnett.com/FreeHUMAN.html and use the code ‘fedihuman’ to get your free EPUB.
#Human #WritingCommunity #SelfPublishing #Writing #Reading #WhatToRead #BookBlog #BrettHodnett #SpeculativeFiction #SciFi #WritersOfMastodon #SFF #SF #ScienceFiction #Author #Writer #Writers #Books #Livres #Bookstodon #BooksOfMastodon #FreeBook #FreeBooks #GiveAway #Fediverse
Sans Dec finished reading Les Oiseaux du temps by Amal El-Mohtar
Bleu et Rouge, deux combattants ennemis d'une étrange guerre temporelle, s'engagent dans une correspondance interdite, …
Ce roman partiellement épistolaire est difficile à classer. Il y a un côté eau de rose indéniable. Poétique et sensuel, ce roman nous entraîne au travers du multivers et du temps, que deux entités manipulent à l’envi en envoyant des agentes pour tuer, orienter, influer. Les êtres humains y sont des objets fragiles et des jouets d’un destin décidé par des abstractions. J’y ai goûté chaque mot. #mastolivre #vendredilecture #SF #fantasy
It was a beautiful cool spring day for an after-work walk.
#SanFrancisco #GoldenGate #SF #spring
