1. Some people in the world have a great deal more privilege than others. This is a fact.
2. I’m privileged in some ways and not in others. In areas where I’m privileged, I have a responsibility to confront that privilege. I must work to understand it, break it down, and share it with others. All of this work must be done while listening to non-privileged individuals and learning what actions are necessary for me to support them.
3. I will continue to write diverse characters in my stories, including characters of color and disabled characters. I can’t promise to always get it right, but I do promise to strive for accuracy, honesty, and realism. Which leads to number 4…
4. If I fail, I want to hear about it. (Privately is appreciated, unless the fail was spectacular). I will listen and learn to the best of my ability. If a public apology is due, I will make one–and I will be sincere.
5. I can’t change the world, but I can change myself–and if enough people change themselves, the world will change.

SIX NAMES YOU GO BY:
1. Vylar
2. Vy
3. Vylarbeans (Shannon only)
4. Kitty
5. Muppet wrangler
6. Fireman-princess-veterinarian (okay, that’s technically my job title)

THREE THINGS YOU ARE WEARING RIGHT NOW:
1. Pajamas
2. Left sock
3. Right sock (but on which foot??)

THREE THINGS YOU WANT VERY BADLY AT THE MOMENT
1. …
2. …
3. …it’s been a good day. I can’t think of anything. The oil spill should magically disappear and all the damage be undone?

THREE THINGS YOU DID LAST NIGHT
1. RAAR! Arkham Horror, the board game.
2. Talked with wild_irises at length. Yay!
3. Watched Law & Order: Criminal Intent on Netflix streaming.

THREE PEOPLE YOU LAST TALKED TO ON THE PHONE: (I’m counting texts)
1. ombriel
2. dancingsinging
3. meej

THREE THINGS YOU ARE GOING TO DO TOMORROW:
1. Critique a short story
2. Get maintenance to fix the AC
3. Laundry

THREE OF YOUR FAVORITE DRINKS:
1. Water
2. Dessert wine
3. Apple-grape juice

THREE THINGS THAT MADE YOU SMILE TODAY:
1. Jim Henson’s “The Storyteller” where they use the dog’s ears to card wool.
2. meej’s bewilderment at the strange moonbeast which lives by my door, known as Meh.
3. Finally understanding bathroom etiquette in Antarctica. See, penguins can have unisex bathrooms. Because all the male penguins are together and the female penguins are together somewhere else (except while breeding). The sign on the door can just be a penguin and they only need the one bathroom.

“I’m an exoskeleton for coffee so it can explore the world.”

Oh my God.

Arizona school demands that black and Latino student faces on a mural be changed to white.

If only this were a parody. But it’s not. It’s happening in Prescott, AZ.

The news is all over the net by now, but there’s a new SF magazine, and it’s worth checking out. From the press release:

Lightspeed’s focus is exclusively on science fiction. It features all types of sf, from near-future, sociological soft sf, to far-future, star-spanning hard sf, and anything and everything in between. No subject is considered off-limits, and Lightspeed writers are encouraged to take chances with their fiction and push the envelope.

And I’ve got the first story in the first issue, with cover art to match! (woot!) Here it is: I’m Alive, I Love You, I’ll See You in Reno. There’s also an interview with me that involves Penthouse and bear traps. If you want to learn more about relativistic travel, you can read Mike Brotherton’s accompanying essay.

If you prefer podcast format, you can download I’m Alive, I Love You, I’ll See You in Reno at Escape Pod.

If you’ve been reading my blog and thinking, “Gosh, I should read Vylar’s fiction sometime,” this story is a good place to start. Enjoy!

The lovely poster for the Taboo reading at WisCon, done by MK Hobson.  The Taboo series is our edgy work–the hair-tingling, spine-curling, jaw-sweating, armpit-clenching stuff that you secretly read at night.  Or don’t.

Taboos have ranged from gambling to pedophilia, to fecal matter to 9/11.  Nothing is off-limits.

This year we’ve got four new taboos.  Come hear what they are.

Vodka shots in the eyeball.

PEOPLE! WHY???

Does anyone else have a pre-made travel checklist stored in their computer? Does this list include a section to add specific items for each different trip?

Does anyone else print this list 3-5 days before leaving? And put all those items in a staging area in a corner of the living room?

And does anyone cross off each item as it’s packed, including the checklist of things to do before leaving like “run dishwasher” and “remove pocketknife from keychain”?

Do I have a problem here? Or should I be planning weddings for a living?

I offered the critique and the serenade over in the debsliverlovers group. Thanks for the help in deciding what to do.

Just signed two contracts.

My story “The Orange-Tree Sacrifice” will be in “Way of the Wizard,” an anthology from Prime Books edited by John Joseph Adams.

Also, another podcast. This time for “I’m Alive, I Love You, I’ll See You in Reno,” which is forthcoming in the debut issue of Lightspeed Magazine, also edited by John Joseph Adams. It’ll be at Escape Pod when Lightspeed launches.