This story I’ve written is the winner of the November Science Fiction Microstory Contest. It had to deal with a change of seasons, mention gemstones and ancestors and be no longer than 750 words. It’s surprisingly difficult to write such a short story, but I had a lot of fun.

The Obelisk Gate is the second book in ‘The Broken Earth’ trilogy, and a winner of the Hugo award as well. It’s not meant as a standalone, so, if you haven’t read the The Fifth Season yet, check it out first.

Okay, I have to say right away, I feel like it’s more fantasy than sci-fi, but it was recommended on a podcast as sci-fi, and once I’ve started reading it, I couldn’t stop. I believe it can be classified as science fantasy though — a mixed genre that combines elements of science fiction and fantasy.

This is definitely one of the classics that has a huge international fandom, but I only discovered it a couple of years ago. Those were the first sci-fi books by a female author, Lois McMaster Bujold, that I’ve read, and they got me completely hooked.

I’ve loved reading since I was a child. I took a book with me everywhere I went, and whenever I finished one, I immediately started a new one.