Women in the Martial Arts, ed. Carol A Wiley

Focusing not on a single statement of what women’s martial arts is but on multiple perspectives on how martial arts isn’t the domain of male fighters that popular imagery portrays, this book will speak not merely to women with an interest in the martial arts but to anyone interested in diversity as a whole. Wiley …

Crab Buckets

Sometimes trying to escape the drear that is the morning news can lead one into equally murky thoughts. And pondering of whether one is actually in one of the dystopias one didn't want to be. One of my common morning behaviours is doing the daily challenges in a solitaire app. I find a few games …

From That Angle

I recently started playing Pine, which the developers describe as an “open-world action adventure game set in a simulated world that does not belong to humans”. What they don't describe it is a “third-person adventure game with a lot of platform jumping puzzles”. Which stoked my pondering of what people choose to prioritise, both when …

Hot Chocolate Macro

If one pleasure is good, then it seems logical two pleasures are better; however, that way might lead to the most lively awfulness. I rather enjoy Yog-Sothothery, computer gaming, and interesting recipes, so when I came across the Necro-Nom-Icon, a game that mixes Lovecraft and cooking, I felt an unspeakable draw. And once I began, …

Keeping It Wheel?

Last week, the social media archons decided my reality should feature discussion of the question “If one of your players wanted to play a character in a wheelchair, would you make your dungeons accessible?” My answer—no doubt unsurprisingly to frequent readers—is: it depends on the exact circumstance. The question hides another one: if one of …

Mythaxis Review Platform, Issue 1

The inaugural issue of Mythaxis Review Platform, featuring an article on changes to Amazon's KDP Reports beta site, is now out. In addition to my thoughts on Amazon's potential replacement for their current author-publisher reporting screens, there are other articles about indie and trad publishing, along with reviews of technology, art, and science-fiction including: ‘The …

Cucku

A poetry community to which I belong selected one of my haiku for October Poem of the Month. Which obviously brought me joy, but also highlighted how subjective the experience of poetry can be. A little cuckoo Echoes from beneath my feet A cave in winter The haiku is part of an ongoing series shaped …

What Time Is Now?

Is midday in the morning or the afternoon? Is it more believable that midday is in the morning or the afternoon? And why might that make the moon landings seem implausible? I took a brisk walk to a nearby business park this morning because the closest health food shop to me rents a unit there. …

Toxic Egotism

I'm fortunate enough not to have any allergies or intolerances that might kill me. However, that doesn't mean they aren't just someone else's problem. I read an article yesterday that complained about "no food please" rules for school events: the thesis was that children without allergies shouldn't have to have another pencil instead of some …

ImmerseOrDie Might Be Too Mellow

One of the accusations levelled at ImmerseOrDie is that Jeff, Bryce, or I look for reasons to fail a book, that readers don't judge books the way we do. I've never been inside Bryce's head, but I feel a deep joy when a book makes it to the line; and we're not alone in noticing …