- From the New Weird to the Next Weird at the Guardian: If the New Weird writers represent a turning point it is because they are the first generation of writers to grow up completely immersed in the culture of sci-fi. For such writers the language of speculative fiction is the first and preferred means of expression, because it is the only way to describe a real world permeated on every level with unreality, fantasy and fiction. Whatever the Next Weird may bring, it seems certain that the real experimental energy of literature will remain in genre fiction.
- The Forgotten Edition of the Golden Fuse Awards (see esp. the prophecies section), and speaking of Fuse, Betsy also has a fabulous guest post from someone who played Scrabble against John Hodgman and John Oliver (for charity–826NYC) and survived (actually, won!).
- Buster Keaton in The Hayseed. (Via.)
- Simmone Howell advocates for the John Waters approach to saving reading: "If you go home with someone and they don’t have any books don’t f**k them."
- Feeling charitable? Laini Taylor has a great suggestion on where you can help save some dogs.
- Julie Holderman and Tamora Pierce are launching an effort to organize a convention especially for YA SFF. You can volunteer to help out in the comments.
- How to clean like a maid. (For those of us who, sadly, don’t have one.)
- The Guardian on the ever-expanding world of girls in comics (both as writer/illustrators and characters). Who knew that Smurfette was finally getting a posse? (Via Cecil, who gets some love.)
- Winter advice from northern climes.
- "Why Sci-Fi is the Last Bastion of Philosophical Writing" at Wired. (Via the new Clarion blog.)
- James Hynes on Lewis Hyde’s The Gift, which every writer, artist, and possibly human being really should read. (Via Erin.)
- Wunderkammen vs. Cabinets of Curiosity at Cabinet of Wonders.