Yesterday I was asked a great question: whether the featured image of the post calling for anthology contributions is AI-generated. To the best of my knowledge, it is not. It’s a public domain image that I found on Pixabay, by searching for “steampunk robot” and filtering out Al-generated images. If you zoom in far enough all the little details make sense. I tweaked the colours in Canva to match the colour scheme of this website. The art is by Bildmonteur.
(more…)Month: May 2026
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TBT: Futurisms
As a science fiction geek, I want to know where my fully automated luxury space communism went.
I don’t want to live in the Handmaid’s Tale, aka Project 2025, though I acknowledge that all the things in the Handmaid’s Tale have already been done to Black and Indigenous women.
These are only the most obvious and visible dystopian nightmares, however. In the dank corners of the internet, other scary visions are brewing.
There are also some hopeful scenarios available.
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Call for contributions: Pagan, Heathen, animist, and/or polytheist responses to AI
I’d like to see Pagan, Heathen, animist, and/or polytheist responses to artificial intelligence (AI) — but our way is to platform multiple perspectives on an issue.
AI is shaping up to have a significant impact on human society and our relationship with Nature, each other, and our humanity.
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The Oxford Comma (and Friends)
Here at Vox Clamantis Books, we are big fans of the Oxford comma. Not just because we used to live in Oxford, but also because it makes more sense in most situations.
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Writing tips
I’ve been writing for most of my life, so it’s hard for me to analyze what I do. Most of the time I just write. However, even for the most experienced writer, it’s helpful to practice different styles and types of writing, as that’s a good way to improve.
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Trope maps
A trope map is a nifty summary of your book that tells potential readers if they’re going to like it.
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Soul Alchemy
Alchemy was the attempt to make gold out of base metals, mostly lead. The word alchemy comes from Greek khemeioa, possibly referring to Egypt as the land of black earth, or from Greek khymatos “that which is poured out,” from khein “to pour”.
Even at the height of the quest for gold, alchemy involved the transformation of the alchemists’ soul at the same time as the substances they were working with, and metaphorical imagery abounded.
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Solarpunk
Solarpunk is one of our touchstone ideas at Vox Clamantis Books.
Books like Always Coming Home by Ursula Le Guin, A Psalm for the Wild-Built and A Prayer for the Crown-Shy” by Becky Chambers, The Fifth Sacred Thing and City of Refuge by Starhawk.
These are books that envision a solar powered, sustainable future. There may be dystopias over the horizon, but home is a place where handicrafts and home-made things nestle together with solar power and sustainable technology.
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Weaving and spinning
A touchstone for Vox Clamantis Books is weaving and spinning.
Both weaving and spinning have been used as metaphors for storytelling. The magical qualities of weaving, and the mesmerizing effect of spinning, both lend themselves well to the concept of storytelling and narrative.
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The spirit of Samizdat
Samizdat is one of the touchstones that inspires Vox Clamantis Books.
Samizdat was literature as resistance:
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