Frida explains her absence, then disappears into a puff of magic purple smoke

Hoo boy, I’ve been MIA since April 2012. Yeah, there’s been lots going on in my life: moving, job searching, etc. which is why Adarna SF has dropped down from my priority list. I can’t say my life is settled enough yet for me to have a regular reviewing schedule, so I’m mostly-on-hiatus as a reviewer. I want Adarna SF to keep chugging along as a review site though, so I’ll see if I can find more contributors.

If any of you Vancouverites are free this Saturday night October 20, I’ll be attending an event at the Rhizome Cafe from seven onward: “Six Queer Artists for Six Years of Rhizome: Gathering Spaces, Queering Places”. There’s an awesome line-up, but a guest of note is Japanese-Canadian writer, Hiromi Goto. I haven’t read any of Hiromi’s books, but I know of her through her insightful blog posts about cultural perspectives and appropriation in speculative fiction, which are highly recommended reading for writers and analytical readers out there. I’ll respond to shouts of “FRIDDAAAAAA” if you’re not afraid to make such shouts in public.

On another topic, I’d like to mention a brave little girl named Phoenix.

Art by by Carlo Sayo

She was almost five years old, battled leukemia like a warrior, and was growing up to be a superhero. I attended her funeral last night–I didn’t know her well, but she’s a family member of several people who are close to me. As a friend of mine put it, this fire bird has transcended her physical bounds, but she will be sorely missed.

Rest in power, Nenix.