science fiction – Ruth Livingstone

Frozen for revival

What if the thawing process goes horribly wrong?

revivals-gif-500
Today’s story is a continuation of yesterday’s theme, inspired by the sad case of the 14-year-old girl with terminal cancer (known as J.S.) who fought to have her body cryogenically stored.

In my imaginary Biocryonics Facility, they are running out of space. To make room for new clients, some of the old ones must be sacrificed.

The Science Officer argues the cryonics processes back in the early 21st Century was very rudimentary. There is no way that stored clients from that era could be successfully revived. Or could they? Continue reading “Frozen for revival”

Would you choose to be frozen?

But could you choose who to unfreeze?

cryogenic-in-perpetuity-gif-500 That’s the premise for my latest short story.

The vats are full and your failing cryonics company has to make room for a new batch of inmates. Who do you choose to terminate? And does first in, first out seem the fairest way of doing it?

This story was inspired by the real life case, of a young girl dying from cancer at the tragically young age of 14, who wanted her body to be cryogenically preserved in the hope that a cure might be found one day in the future.

But, what if… Continue reading “Would you choose to be frozen?”

A writer’s confession: why I abandoned my novel.

By the time I started typing I already had the novel set out in my mind. I typed quickly, I typed furiously and the words just flew onto the page.

In July 2013, I decided to abandon the novel I had been working on for a couple of years.

In the Beginning…

I began writing with great enthusiasm during NaNoWriMo in November 2011. At that time, I had completed the Open University course “Start writing fiction” and had just enrolled in a BA in Creative Writing at Birkbeck University. I was an avid reader and knew a bit about writing.

At first it was easy. Continue reading “A writer’s confession: why I abandoned my novel.”

NaNoWriMo – final countdown

With a bit of luck, I will get a few thousand words done on Monday and Tuesday and be able to submit for the word-count-hickory-thingy on NaNoWriMo Web site by Wednesday morning. Great achievement!

On the downward slope now, heading for the magic 50,000 words, full steam ahead.

I have a day, tomorrow, when I am unlikely to be able to write much, as I have a work commitment. Yes, I know it is a Sunday!

With a bit of luck, I will get a few thousand words done on Monday and Tuesday and be able to submit for the word-count-hickory-thingy on NaNoWriMo Web site by Wednesday morning. What a great achievement, considering I started so damn late in the month.

I do have a problem though. With 50,000 words nearly done, I am less than half of the way through my novel. Either I have written too much in the first part, or it is going to be a very long book. Reading back through some of the chapters (and, yes, I know you aren’t supposed to do this during NaNo), I spend a lot of time explaining stuff. That is one of the problems with Sci Fi, you feel compelled to explain the quasi-scientific background to some of the devices you employ – like how exactly you travel at faster-than-light speeds through sub-space or, the faster variation, between systems by quantum leaping.

Anyway, editing the thing down to a reasonable size is for another month. This month has only four days left. Write, write, write …..

Worst Science Fiction Book Cover Art ever?

For anyone interested in science fiction, particular old sci fi from the middle part of the twentieth century, I recommend Joachim Boaz’s blog, Science Fiction and other Suspect Ruminations.

I laughed and laughed at this post (see below). Actually, I don’t find this cover particularly offensive. Just rather silly.

Has anyone got any suggestions as to what the story might be about?
– a woman who turns into a shark at full moon?
– an alien woman who keeps a shark as a pet?
– a man meets an alien woman who bites and scratches …. (perhaps I better stop there!)

I nominate the cover of Michael G. Coney's The Jaws That Bite, The Claws That Catch (1975) as the worst I've ever seen. I've submitted it to Good Show Sir so hopefully it gets posted on that hilarious website soon. Kelly Freas is considered one of the best sci-fi artists of all time — but this, is there an explanation for this pathetic/sexist piece of ___? Perhaps if I knew what the book is about (the internet doesn't give me any clues) — I m … Read More