Welp, last week was exhausting, and this week–and today, specifically, in which I worked a bit over ten hours at the day job–hasn’t been much better, though it has been slightly more productive. Only slightly, though, and most of that productivity was expended on selecting blog material for the Hugo Award voter’s packet and putting it together in ebook form. Plus reading Space Opera, which is the first perfect book I’ve read this year. Now I’ve moved on to A Princess in Theory by Alyssa Cole, and it is delightful and exactly the sort of light read I needed after Space Opera.

This coming week is probably still going to be busy and tiring, so I’m not sure what I’ll be able to accomplish. In spite of my desire to work more like 25 hours a week, I’ve been working pretty much full time the last few weeks, which is a huge barrier to blogging. Even just consuming media has been more than I’m up for most days, and the sort of active critical engagement necessary for writing is mostly completely beyond me right now. I’ve also got a lot going on, just in general. This week, on top of work, I’ll be busy planning and executing my daughter’s birthday party (she just turned 15, which makes me feel a little old), taking her to a doctor appointment, and trying to squeeze in an appointment for me to get my hair cut and colored (thinking of going platinum). Tomorrow, I think we’re going to see The Cat Returns, and Wednesday my daughter’s a cappella group has a performance.

Fortunately, even if I’m not being productive, plenty of other people are, so I’ve got two weeks’ worth of links to share.

I still haven’t read Ilana C. Myer’s first novel, Last Song Before Night, but the more I read about her new book, Fire Dance, the more I think I ought to carve some time out for it.

• Here’s Myer’s Big Idea.
• Ilana C. Myer on when to stop researching and start writing.
• Myer’s Favorite Bit of Fire Dance.
• An interview with the author at Black Gate.
• Myer’s guest post at Uncanny on three images that helped inspire Fire Dance.

Breaking the Glass Slipper has Five Questions with Martha Wells. The next book in Wells’ Murderbot Diaries, Artificial Condition, comes out May 1.

Catherynne M. Valente shared her Big Idea last week as well as five things she learned writing Space Opera.

Did you know there is a collection of short fiction inspired by Justina Ireland’s Dread Nation?

Fantasy Faction interviewed Ruthanna Emrys about her upcoming Lovecraftian novel, Deep Roots, the sequel to last year’s Winter Tide.

Catch 6 Books with Emma Newman over at nerds of a feather.

You can also find Emma Newman this week being interviewed at The Illustrated Page.

Also at The Illustrated Page, an interview with R.F. Kuang, whose debut novel, The Poppy War, just keeps creeping up towards to the top of my TBR even though it sounds much darker than I’ve had much taste for lately.

At the Book Smugglers, Michael R. Underwood talks inspirations and influences for Born to the Blade.

Matt Wallace talks about finishing up his fantastic Sin Du Jour series.

Jeanette Ng writes about reclaiming classics for today.

L.D. Lewis’s novella, A Ruin of Shadows, comes out this week. Preorder it! I did! If you aren’t convinced yet, be sure to read this Q&A with the author over at Dancing Star Press.

Ann Leckie’s 2019 fantasy novel, The Raven Tower, has a cover.

So does Ana Mardoll’s first short fiction collection, No Man of Woman Born.

Read an excerpt from Micah Yongo’s Lost Gods.

Bogi Takács kicked off a new series on QUILTBAG speculative classics over at Tor.com. FIrst up: The Gilda Stories by Jewelle Gomez.

Also at Tor.com, an appreciation of Ellen Datlow and Terri Windling.

Emily Asher-Perrin breaks down the myth of Robin Hood.

Chloe N. Clark’s Horror 101 series continues with a look at Private vs. Global horror.

Atlas Obscura asks (and answers), why do fantasy novels have so much food?

It’s time for Fantasy Book Cafe’s annual Women in SFF Month again!

• Renay from Lady Business started things off with a post about reading challenges and reading diversely.
• Cass Morris wrote about historical fantasy.
• Kim Wilkins shared her memories of falling in love with Princess Leia.
• Peng Shepherd shared the book that served as her gateway to the genre.
• Rowenna Miller wrote about women and the authenticity falsehood in fantasy.
• R.F. Kuang shared a Chinese legend and what it means to her and how it influences her work.
• Melissa Caruso talks fighting in ballgowns.
• Ausma Zehanat Khan expounded upon the main theme of her Khorasan Archives series (which, incidentally, led to me finally ordering the first book).
• Jeannette Ng offered a taxonomy of fairies.
• Claire North had some thoughts about strong women.