The King's Daughter Poster. To left, Pierce Brosnan standing, with the daughter seated to his right. Palace interior in the background,I asked on Twitter if The King’s Daughter was based on The Moon and the Sun by Vonda McIntyre, but no one answered. Reason.com came to my rescue, via File 770. Yes, it is. The film was made eight years ago, this article says, and the review is… not kind. Maybe I’ll just reread the Nebula-winning book.

I’d hate to think I didn’t fill you guys in the “squeecore” thing! Is it a controversy? A dust-up? A revelation of a movement? A kerfuffle, a tempest in a teapot? You be the judge.

Basically, “squeecore” is a word a couple of podcasters invented for speculative fiction they don’t like very much. Here is the original podcast. Is squeecore a movement? Simon McNeil weighs in, and so does Camestros Felapton. And then again.

This seems like a William Gibson thing, or an elaborate joke. Atlas Obscura shares Iceland’s historic Final Big Mac, now 12 years old, which mummified instead of decomposing, according to MacDonald’s, because of a lack a moisture. (Are they saying their burgers are dry?) Or maybe it’s a horror story—the mice in the owner’s garage didn’t touch the bag in twelve years.

Self-promotion, but you’ll benefit from it. From today through Friday, January 28, Barnes and Noble is offering 25% off all pre-orders. Enter the promo code Preorder25. My editor sent this to me and you’ll notice it just happens to come up to my book.

I stopped at this LitHub article for the photos, but the author comments tickled me, and I got a couple of good book recommendations out of it. I hope you enjoy it.

This Publishers Weekly article on a longitudinal study of bookstores can be depressing. It doesn’t address used bookstores, and because it’s looking back, not much discussion of the ways brick and mortar stores are thriving. And we know what we need to do if we love our brick and mortar shops.

In Cornwall, the first Sunday in May, people gather with “the May horns” and other noisemakers to drive out winter. Their chief cheerleader is Old Ned, a giant crow figure who dies three times, reviving each time, along the trek. You may see this again, closer to May. The video is about 3 minutes. (Note: the Mayers make noise, not music. If you expect music, you will be disappointed.)

Author

  • Marion Deeds

    Marion Deeds, with us since March, 2011, is the author of the fantasy novella ALUMINUM LEAVES. Her short fiction has appeared in the anthologies BEYOND THE STARS, THE WAND THAT ROCKS THE CRADLE, STRANGE CALIFORNIA, and in Podcastle, The Noyo River Review, Daily Science Fiction and Flash Fiction Online. She’s retired from 35 years in county government, and spends some of her free time volunteering at a second-hand bookstore in her home town.