It’s Links time, everyone! Let’s all settle in for some stuff around the internet. I’m currently en route to NYC for RWA, like many of the romance community. I’ll have my name badge on and if you see me walking around, do say hello. My resting bitch face is genetic, though admittedly being in New York makes me grumpy.
…
The Ripped Bodice has announced they’ll be starting The Ripped Bodice Awards for Excellence in Romantic Fiction. You can find all the details here about how to submit for the award, the panel of judges, and what prizes are offered to the winners.
…
Author Mary Robinette Kowal had an extremely informative Twitter thread on peeing in space. The more you know!
Let's talk about peeing in space.
Several people, in response to my NY Times essay, have said that women couldn't go into space because we lacked the technology for them to pee in space.
— Mary Robinette Kowal (@MaryRobinette) July 19, 2019
…
The trailer for the movie adaption of CATS launched last week and, like many, I was horrified. CATS played a large part of my childhood and I was hopeful about the update. Oh, how my hopes were crushed.
The Atlantic shared some of hesitancy and litany of questions.
…
We’re all excited for Ruby Lang’s Playing House to release next month! But what if I told you there’s an excerpt out for the next book, Open House?
…
The RWA RITA Report for July 2019 has been released. In it, the organization outlines how they hope to chance the awards going forward. I think it’s a great step, though I know a lot of the work left to do will be up to trial and error.
…
Love fanart? I recently discovered the Instagram account of Eklixio, who has done fanart of some pretty great romance novels. Here’s one for The Unhoneymooners by Christina Lauren. As soon as prints open up in Eklixio’s shop, RIP to my wallet.
…
Don’t forget to share what super cool things you’ve seen, read, or listened to this week! And if you have anything you think we’d like to post on a future Wednesday Links, send it my way!
A RITA proposal with actual actionable steps and hiring an outside consultant instead of vague noises of good intentions as in previous years? Be still, my heart. (Subject to rejection by the board, of course, but it’s more than we’ve ever gotten before!)
Um, what have all those women since Valentina Tereshkva been doing? Crossing their legs and praying?
And that The Unhoneymooners redux is gorgeous and fun.
One of the ladies is a cephalopod fan, right? Carrie maybe? Sorry I don’t remember now…. anyway, saw these socks and while the price is just silly, they are absolutely adorable!
https://svahausa.com/products/dancing-octopus-socks
Mary Roach’s book “Packing for Mars” has lots of fascinating details about quotidian things like going to the bathroom and even Sex In Spaaaaace for those interested in reading more.
The Mary Robinette Kowal thread had me laughing; I’d been aware of who made the space suits, but the rest of it – funny.
In one SF book I read, teens on an orbiting station/habitat referred to sex as “completing the docking maneuver.”
Not happy news, but Less Than Three Press suddenly announced its imminent closure last week at lessthanthreepress.com. Books will be taken down from sale at the site and all vendors by the end of the month, though downloads will be available in LT3 accounts through September. I appreciate their wish to be honorable, though I’m truly sad to see them go.
eklixio’s fanart is DELIGHTFUL, thanks so much for that link!
(As for docking maneuvers, I can only rec the song “Fembot” by Robyn, which is basically one long string of horny science fiction jargon. I heart it.)
Julia Ecklar used to do a wonderful filksong called “Making Love in a Zero-G Environment” which was hilarious. Doubt you can find it anywhere nowadays, though, unless some fan has it on tape somewhere.
And RIP to the magnificent Rutger Hauer. Will never forget him in Ladyhawke.