Again, busy with family this week. Cool thing: Heather’s current favorite fandom is A League of Their Own, and a friend set up an opportunity for Heather to do a Zoom call with Abbi Jacobson, writer and lead actor in that series. It was very cool!
Book Review: When She Woke, by Hillary Jordan
Science Fiction 5/5
Hannah, raised a good Christian, learns to reject the values of a country that has placed conservatism over human rights when she is jailed, stigmatized, and persecuted for having had an abortion. Like The Handmaid’s Tale, this story paints an infuriating yet uncomfortably plausible future. At the same time, it is a gripping thriller as Hannah becomes involved in an underground rescue operation taking her to an unknown destination, further and further from the man she loves.
Daughter in Hospice
As predicted, no writing this week. My daughter went into hospice. Having said that, her pain is better-controlled now, and she seems stable for the time being. Did ever tell you, she’s a writer, too? In fact, she has her PhD in Creative Writing from the University of Calgary.
Her first novel (Songbroken, a fantasy) came out in 2021 from Forest Path Books in Washington, and we’ve attended a few conventions together–World Fantasy, ICFA. So far, she’s still writing when she can, and posting a serial to the internet for fans. However, now that she is more stable, I might be able to find a bit more time for my own writing. We’ll see.
Book Review: Everfair by Nisi Shawl
Steampunk 3-/5
Everfair, a country created from land purchased from Belgian king, Leopold II, offers an alternate history wherein historically marginalized people experiment with freedoms they never—in our timeline—had. This book is beautifully written, through the voices of distinct and very human characters, who interact in beautifully immersive settings. I found the plot convoluted and the story too long.
Went to Bouchercon in Nashville this weekend. I’m on the LOC for Bouchercon 2026 in Calgary, so it was an excellent experience for seeing how things are currently being done.
Likely won’t get much writing done in the near future. Just had a meeting with my daughter’s wife and her palliative care nurse, followed by her Death Douala. Family matters will be taking priority for now. It’s hard at this point to get any idea of what the next few days/weeks will look like.