Blog – Page 5 – Joanna Maciejewska

SciFiMonth: Aliens Who Don’t Speak English

This post is a part of SciFiMonth by Lisa from Dear Geek Place and Imyril from One More, celebrating all things science fiction. Join us on Twitter at #SciFiMonth and check out all the posts!

As much as I love the colorful galaxies full of various alien species that coexist in a more or less peaceful manner, I think the biggest power of science fiction is presenting the unknown. And to present an alien species that is truly different from human species, not only in its anatomy but also in the way it thinks, is an art in and of itself. Therefore, books that explore this aspect of speculative fiction always get my attention. Here are some that I consider noteworthy, even years (or decades) after I’ve read them. (more…)

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November 23, 2020

Consuming all things SFF

SciFiMonth: Polish Science Fiction I’d Love to See Translated

This post is a part of SciFiMonth by Lisa from Dear Geek Place and Imyril from One More, celebrating all things science fiction. Join us on Twitter at #SciFiMonth and check out all the posts!

A great part of what makes being science fiction fan so great is the ability to share the passion with other fans. Discussing your favorite book, newly discovered show or even joining a co-op fight against alien creatures in a game often enhances the experiences. But when you also read in a language other than English, you suddenly discover that nobody has read that exceptional book and you can’t share your excitement with anyone in the English-speaking world. With so many wonderful books around the world, there are never enough translations, and it’s hard to be aware what available outside of the anglophone world.

So today I’m sharing my list of Polish science fiction I would really love to see translated in English. (more…)

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November 16, 2020

Consuming all things SFF

SciFiMonth: My Favorite Science Fiction Books

This post is a part of SciFiMonth by Lisa from Dear Geek Place and Imyril from One More, celebrating all things science fiction. Join us on Twitter at #SciFiMonth and check out all the posts!

My transition from adventure and action books to speculative fiction happened through fantasy. To the teenage girl I was back then, magic had more appeal than technology-heavy books. Even though I enjoyed science fiction movies, some recommended books discouraged me from diving into the genre (back then, in Poland, prevailed socially involved hard scifi, and the teenage me didn’t find them appealing). It wasn’t until a few years later, when my library was running out of fantasy books I wanted to read, I started picking up science fiction books. I discovered that science fiction could be fun too, and my imagination as well as the understanding of possible future technologies broadened, so I wasn’t bogged down by technical details anymore.

I still tend to read more fantasy than science fiction, but if you ask me about my favorite speculative books… the science fiction ones always first come to mind. (more…)

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November 2, 2020

Consuming all things SFF

Liftoff!—Joining SciFiMonth

I think it was 2 years ago when I first came across the SciFi Month on Sarah Higbee’s blog. I loved the idea, since I’m as much a fan of science fiction as I am of fantasy, but it felt rushed to try joining mid-month. Instead, I hoped to join the following year, which in the end, never happened.

This year, I was determined to not miss it. I noted the date in my calendar and started gathering ideas—and there were so many! Time, of course, flies and I might be far from feeling prepared, but I’m still joining it. (more…)

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October 26, 2020

On Writing

Why I Decided to Become an Indie Author

“Dreams do not come true just because you dream them.” – Shonda Rhimes

Back in my youth, when I was only starting my writing journey, it always seemed clear to me that I would one day be traditionally published. But while I grew as a writer, gathering short story publications from publishers small and big, the world around me grew as well, changing in the ways I couldn’t have predicted. Traditional publishing wasn’t the only valid way anymore.

Over the years, my perspectives broadened, and my priorities shifted, leading me to realize that it was time to change my decades-old approach to my writing.

I decided to become an indie author, and here’s why.

(more…)

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October 12, 2020

On Writing

Invisible Writing Progress – Q3 2020

If you’re on social media, you’ve probably seen memes about how 2020 delivers countless plot twists without being bothered with logic and structure of a story. In that vein, it delivered one to me, and though it wasn’t one of the curve balls it seems to have in an endless supply, my third quarter of the year still ended up under its heavy influence. (more…)

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October 5, 2020

Consuming all things SFF

The Wasted Potential of Netflix’s Dragon’s Dogma

I played Dragon’s Dogma shortly after the game came out, back in 2012 (has it really been that long already?). The gameplay was enjoyable, and the setting felt just right: dark, but not overly gritty, showing a world with little hope but without trying to shock the player or plunge them into the depths of despair.

And though I might have missed the initial news of Netflix preparing an animated adaptation, once I’ve learned about the project, I was, well, hopeful. My expectations weren’t particularly high: a decent show capturing the game’s best aspects would do. And now, over a week after the series’ release, I can’t get over my disappointment. (more…)

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September 28, 2020

News

Interview on JD Estrada’s website

I have been interviewed by wonderful JD Estrada, so if you'd like to know a few random bits about my art, writing, and how to pronounce my name, or you simply would like to read something with your morning coffee, head over to his blog!

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September 2, 2020

On Writing

The Most Challenging Novel I Wrote So Far

When I’m writing these words, it’s been only a few days after I had finished the first draft of my standalone fantasy, Memories of Sorcery and Sand. There’s still a lot of work ahead of me, but the most important bit is done: I have laid what I hope is a solid structure to probably the most challenging story I attempted to write up to date.

And to be honest, part of me still can’t believe I pulled it off.

(more…)

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July 27, 2020

On Writing / Personal Rants

Invisible Writing Progress – Q2 2020

Time is a peculiar thing. On one hand, it flies so fast that before you blink, you cross the midpoint of the year. On the other, when you look back at all that happened, it feels like it’s been ages since 2020 started. Of course, it doesn’t help that the year itself seems to be a story of a mad writer or a random plot generator… Yet, as we say in Polish, “one has to go on living” even if things didn’t exactly get back to normal during the second quarter of 2020. (more…)

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July 6, 2020