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Random Articles - RAW 161209

Welcome to the weekend! Did you know Space Opera was Science Fictions not-quite-respectable little cousin? I didn't, I'm guessing it's because not many people liked talking to me about SciFi so wan't up with all the gossip.  So to increase your intelligence I've also added some advice from Robert Frost.  Anyway sit back with your favourite beverage and enjoy reading this weekend.




S. K. Dunstall on Why They Write Space Opera - Unbound Worlds

Sci-fi author team S. K. Dunstall dispels the once-popular belief that space opera is the not-quite-respectable little cousin in the science fiction family.



How to Read Intelligently and Write a Great Essay: Robert Frost’s Letter of Advice to His Young Daughter – Brain Pickings

During her junior year in college, Lesley shared her exasperation over having been assigned to write an academic essay about a book she didn’t find particularly inspiring. In a magnificent letter from February of 1919, found in The Letters of Robert Frost, Volume 1 (public library), the beloved poet gave his daughter sage counsel on her particular predicament, emanating general wisdom on writing, the art of the essay, and even thinking itself.



An Illustrated Interview With Maurice Sendak. You’ll Watch It Again and Again! – Crafty House

Back in 2011, Maurice Sendak did an interview with NPR’s Terry Gross on “Fresh Air”. Artist Christopher Niemann was so touched by it he put the interview to pictures. It is so beautiful!



10 Things Every Writer Should Know About Amazon Publishing | WritersDigest.com

In 2012, right before my third novel, Forgotten was released, my agent let me know that my US publisher, William Morrow, would not be picking up my fourth novel, Hidden. I was, to put it gently, upset. My first (Spin) and second (Arranged) novels had published with them that year, had been well-reviewed, Target Emerging Author Picks and mid-list sellers. Also: no one ever talks about being rejected after getting a book deal!



The Hottest Trend In Digital Publishing are Serialized eBooks Good E-Reader News

The big new trend in digital publishing in 2016 is serialized novels that are delivered to you via an app or directly to the email inbox. Large publishers and a number of startups believe that most people do not read complete novels on their phone, but do have time to read a chapter a day.



NASA's Physics-Defying EM Drive Passes Peer Review

The reactionless thruster known as the EM Drive has stirred heated debate over the past few years. If successful it could provide a new and powerful method to take our spacecraft to the stars, but it has faced harsh criticism because the drive seems to violate the most fundamental laws of physics. One of the biggest criticisms has been that the work wasn't submitted for peer review, and until that happens it shouldn't be taken seriously. Well, this week that milestone was reached with a peer-reviewed paper. The EM Drive has officially passed peer review.



The funniest wildlife photos of 2016 - Australian Geographic

We're pretty certain that animals being either hilarious or adorable make up 99 per cent of the internet. So it can be difficult to sift through all those viral gifs, memes and YouTube clips of cats playing keyboard to find the cream of the crop. Thankfully, the Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards have taken care of all the hard work with their annual competition, and last week they announced the 2016 finalists – 40 chuckle-worthy photos ranging from clumsy pelicans to romantic ants.




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