Our Queer Planet, Week 3

This week we are extraordinarily happy to bring you week three of Our Queer Planet. For those few of you just joining us, Our Queer Planet is a month-long, bumper-sized celebration of queer SF and queer creators.

We have a story from S. Qiouyi Lu, "Her Sacred Spirit Soars".

Bodies pressed together, we soar over the mountains of Guilin and come to a stop on a verdant peak. We fold our wings together, the iridescent feathertips of my wing resting over yours. You bear our weight on your leg; when you tire, I bear our weight on mine. We work our two eyes together.

A column from Nicasio Andres Reed, "The Tourist".

I lived in Seattle for about five years, but only went up to Vancouver two or three times, and that was a crime on my part because it's a beautiful city: great landscape, good eating, packed with Canadians.

As well as a column from Steve Berman, "Some Advice From a Gay Publisher on Writing Gay".

Nearly every other month I am sent an email by an established SF writer who, while teaching a workshop or class, has a student who has written a queer-themed story (or novel) "and I don't know where to recommend he/she send it. Please help!" So, I hope this helps.

Slimm Fabert, who provided this week's piece of art, is interviewed by Tory Hoke.

I love the concept of catharsis, so maybe if I get catharsis from making these things, other people can get it from seeing them? The Greeks were into tragedy, and people have been telling stories and making art of grief and death ever since. People can be really beautiful or really monstrous in amazing, unexpected ways, and sadness is a powerful emotion to give your audience, but I think a lot of media today uses tragedy and trauma cheaply, and it doesn’t quite ring true.

We also have poems by Hester J. Rook and Karolina Fedyk and a bevy of reviews, the first of which is "Two Worlds And In Between and Beneath an Oil-Dark" by Caitlín R. Kiernan, reviewed by Roz Kaveney.

We hope you enjoy this new issue as much as we do.

Be well,
Kate