Here's an interesting project that pairs newer authors with more established names. Organized by Mike Resnick and Phoenix House, it seems like a pretty cool idea.
Janice Hardy runs down a few ideas about things which may kill the "believability" of a story. Of course, this is all relative. I had someone recently critique a story that he didn't understand how a certain robot's AI could actually work. If I knew that, I would be building robots!
I enjoy the aesthetic of steampunk and I hope it sticks around awhile longer before it goes the way of zombies. Here's a smart breakdown of some the tropes and aesthetics.
Here's a panel about The Jewel-Hinged Jaw at ReaderCon. When I read this book, for the first time, about five years ago, it really stoked my interest and confidence in science fiction as a literary form.
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"The Reaches" got bounced twice. Finally got a new ending to "Mongrel" which gives that story some hope.