On Wednesday, April 19, at 6:30 p.m., CATHERINE LUNDOFF reads from her fiction. Catherine Lundoff is an award-winning author and editor (and newbie publisher) from Minneapolis, where she lives with her wife and fabulous cats. She toils in IT by day and writes all the things by night. Her recent stories have appeared in “Callisto: A Queer Fiction Journal,” “Respectable Horror,” “The Cainite Conspiracies: A Vampire the Masquerade V20 Anthology,” “The Mammoth Book of Jack the Ripper Tales” and “The Mammoth Book of the Adventures of Professor Moriarty.” Her short story collection “Out of This World: Queer Speculative Fiction Stories,” is now available from Queen of Swords Press and she teaches writing classses at the Loft Literary Center.
www.catherinelundoff.com

Speculations is a co-production of DreamHaven Books and SF MINNESOTA, a multicultural organization that also sponsors a midsummer speculative fiction convention, DIVERSICON, the 25th edition of which will be held July 21-23, 2017 at the Best Western Plus–Bandana Square, St Paul, with Guests of Honor ELEANOR ARNASON and MELISSA SCOTT.

Our latest in the SPECULATIONS reading series —

In a departure from the usual speculative readings, Dr. Lisa C. Freitag will read from her
upcoming book on caregiving called “Extreme Caregiving : The Moral Work of Raising Children with
Exceptional Needs”.  Dr. Freitag is a retired pediatrician with a Masters Degree in Bio-Ethics,
and is a long time member of the local SF fan community. After reading from her book she will also
answer questions about the current politics of caregiving.

On Wednesday, June 14 at 6:30 p.m. TYLER TORK reads from his fiction. Tyler is a local, not yet famous writer and a frequent panelist at local science fiction conventions. His works include the steampunkish novel Doctor Dead, and the non-fictional “One-Hour Author Website.” Having decided he’s ready to sell out, he’s currently at work on a lesbian candy shop cozy.  Tyler grew up in Louisiana, among other places. Little known fact: Donald Duck comics were banned from Finland because he doesn’t wear pants. Tyler is seeking representation, and has a Master’s degree — in Science!

On Thursday, July 20 (Moon Landing Day), from 6:30-7:45 p.m., MELISSA SCOTT and ELEANOR ARNASON read from their respective works.

Melissa Scott is the author of some two dozen science fiction and fantasy works.  Including several co-authored with her late partner, Lisa A. Barnett.  Scott’s works are known for their elaborate and well-connected settings. While her works, with the exception of Shadow Man (1996), don’t usually deal directly with lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender themes, most of her protagonists are LGBT.  She won the John W. Campbell Award for Best New Writer in 1986, and has won several Lambda Literary Awards.  Her novels include Trouble and Her Friends (1994), Dreaming Metal (1997), and The Shapes of Their Hearts (1998).  She is also the author of Conceiving the Heavens: Creating the Science Fiction Novel (1997).

Eleanor Arnason has lived in Manhattan, Chicago, London, Paris, Washington, DC, Detroit, Saint Paul, and Minneapolis.  Since 1973 she has published five novels and over 30 novellas, novelettes, short stories, and experimental short forms.  Her fourth novel, A Woman of the Iron People (1990), won the James Tiptree, Jr. Award for gender-bending science fiction and the Mythopoeic Society Award for Best Adult Fantasy. Her fifth novel, Ring of Swords (1995), won the Minnesota Book Award.  Her most recent book is the collection Hwarhath Stories: Transgressive Tales by Aliens (2016).

Local poet Bryan Thao Worra will be reading at DreamHaven on Wednesday, August 30th. His books include On The Other Side Of The Eye, Touching Detonations, Winter Ink, Barrow, The Tuk Tuk Diaries: My Dinner With Cluster Bombs and DEMONSTRA.

On Wednesday, September 20, TERRY FAUST reads fiction. Terry writes, “Born 15 August 1953. My enjoyment of speculative fiction writing developed from my love of drawing, photography, and film making. I’ve earned my living over the past forty years as a still photographer and video producer. My young adult urban fantasy, Bearer of the Pearls, was just released by North Star Press of St. Cloud. I have been an assistant organizer of the Minnesota Speculative Fiction Writers Network since 2005 and assist in the monthly critiques and presentations. Outside of writing, I am a freelance photographer, and an inventor, maker of weather vanes, and folk engineer. I love walking the West River Road Flats of South Minneapolis, where I search for Urban Bigfoot—sometimes referred to as Sasquatch of the Cities.”

William F. Nolan will not be able to make it to the store this evening, as his flight plans have changed and he won’t be in Minnesota until tomorrow. If we are able to set up another time this weekend with him, we will post it here on the website as well as on our Facebook page. Right now, your best bet to see Mr. Nolan is to head over to Arcana this weekend, where he is appearing as Guest of Honor.

S.N.Arly writes adult and young adult fantasy, science fiction, and dark fiction from her basement in St. Paul, MN. She has had several short stories published in a variety of magazines and anthologies. She is currently working on novels, with the exception of the occasional short story her brain foists upon her.

The Speculations Readings Series continues monthly, mostly on Wednesdays from 6:30-7:45 p.m. at DREAMHAVEN BOOKS, 2301 38th St E, Minneapolis. Each reading includes a reception with free soda pop and cookies, and a post-reception expedition to a local bistro.

Speculations is a co-production of DreamHaven Books and SF MINNESOTA, a multicultural speculative fiction organization that also hosts a midsummer SF convention, DIVERSICON, the 26th edition of which will be held July 27-29, 2018, with Guests of Honor CHARLIE JANE ANDERS and BRYAN THAO WORRA .

“It’s Not Just a Job, It’s an Adventure!” Starting a Small Press: a Presentation by Catherine Lundoff, publisher at Queen of Swords Press.

Queen of Swords Press is a new small publisher of genre fiction, with 4 titles out so far and more on the way. Catherine will be talking about how she got started in independent publishing, what she’s learned so far and what’s next. Q&A to follow. Queen of Swords Press titles will be available for sale and light refreshments will be served.

On Wednesday, February 7 MICHAEL MERRIAM reads from his fiction. Michael Merriam is an author, actor, poet, playwright, and professional storyteller. He has published three novels, two short story collections, four novellas, and over 90 pieces of short fiction and poetry. His debut novel, Last Car to Annwn Station, was named a Top Book in 2011 by Readings in Lesbian & Bisexual Women’s Fiction. His scripts have been produced for stage and radio, and he has appeared on stage in the Minnesota Fringe Festival and over the air on KFAI and Minnesota Public Radio. Michael is a co-founder of the Minnesota Speculative Fiction Writers and a member of the Artists with Disabilities Alliance, the Steampunk Artists and Writers Guild, and Story Arts Minnesota. Visit his homepage at www.michaelmerriam.com.

Speculations is a co-production of DreamHaven Books and SF MINNESOTA, a multicultural speculative fiction organization that also hosts a midsummer SF convention, DIVERSICON, the 26th edition of which will be held July 27-29, 2018, at the Best Western Plus—Como Park (by Bandana Square), Saint Paul, with Guests of Honor CHARLIE JANE ANDERS and BRYAN THAO WORRA.