There was a time when fantasy looked outward, toward lost kingdoms and blank spaces on the map. Today, with the world thoroughly mapped and disappointingly short on hidden plateaus full of dinosaurs, fantasy has shifted its secrets elsewhere. Now the lost world waits behind a locked door in the back of a library, or on a shelf in a bookshop that was not there yesterday.
When I was twelve, I discovered both libraries and science fiction at the same time. The dusty anthologies, John Wyndham, and the town librarians who always knew exactly what I should read next opened an entire universe for me. For Librarian Day, a thank you to the people who quietly changed my life one book at a time.
Writers spend months — sometimes years — alone in a room inventing characters, places, and entire worlds. It can start to feel like writing is a solitary act. But the truth is, a story isn’t finished when the writer types the last sentence. It comes alive when someone reads it. When a reader laughs, gasps, misses their bus stop, or stays up far too late turning pages — that’s when the story truly becomes real.
It’s January, which means the internet is once again filled with people vowing to become Better Versions of Themselves.
More exercise.
Fewer carbs.
A spiritual awakening achieved through color-coded planners.
As an author, I feel it is my civic duty to offer an alternative set of New Year’s resolutions—specifically for readers. These are resolutions you can feel good about and abandon guilt-free by February.
“Short stories are like paper planes—light, quick to launch, and sometimes, they soar higher than you’d ever expect. They’re small vessels that carry big ideas.”
There are a lot of great habits out there—exercise, eating well, getting enough sleep—but let’s be honest: nothing feels quite as good as curling up with a great book and getting lost in a story. And here’s the best part: it turns out that reading isn’t just a fantastic escape—it’s actually good for you.
From SRP Author Cameron Cooper: Last week, I talked about author email lists, free books, and how to handle them
Free books are everywhere. You can find them on every major retail platform, on author websites, in BookFunnel and StoryOrigin giveaways, at signings, in newsletters, and beyond. Readers can easily fill their e-readers with thousands of books without spending a dime. I know this because I’ve done it myself.
But here’s where things get interesting: Readers are increasingly frustrated when an author asks them to sign up for an email list in exchange for a free book. I’ve heard readers say they feel like they “should” be able to get the book with no strings attached. That signing up is a hassle. That they don’t want “more emails.”
Let’s unpack that a little.
From SRP author Tracy Cooper-Posey: This is Part Eleven and the final post of a series: Part 1: Kobo Part
Are you always on the hunt for the next great science fiction or fantasy read? Do you love discovering new authors and winning free books? The SFWA New Release Newsletter (NRN) is a fantastic resource for readers who want to stay ahead of the curve in speculative fiction.
