Nicole Sune Sbitani (she/her) is a diplomat by day and speculative fiction author by night. The views expressed in her newsletter or on her website are her own and do not necessarily represent the views of the U.S. Department of State or the United States.
What is Fics & Dip?
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Hi, there! For years, many of my friends and family have asked where they can find my fiction writing and my thoughts on popular media set in my area of expertise, diplomacy (the most common requests are Madam Secretary and The Diplomat). Well, I finally created a place for all that with Fics & Dip! My goal starting out is to post every 1-2 weeks with updates on my fiction writing and/or thoughts on another creative work (including which books, stories, movies, shows, and games do international affairs well, which don't, and why). I hope this can be both a fun read and a resource for readers, watchers, other writers, and curious people who care about the world. All new subscribers will receive in their inboxes a copy of my first-ever professional science fiction publication, a flash fiction called "100 Ways to Pass as Human." Just sign up and reply to any newsletter email if you would like to request a topic for a future post or let me know what you think - it's that easy! Thanks for joining me! Nicole Disclaimer: The views expressed in my newsletter or on my website are my own and do not necessarily represent the views of the U.S. Department of State or the United States. |
Nicole Sune Sbitani
Nicole Sune Sbitani (she/her) is a diplomat by day and speculative fiction author by night. The views expressed in her newsletter or on her website are her own and do not necessarily represent the views of the U.S. Department of State or the United States.
Hi, there! Today's post is special: I'm interviewing fellow fantasy and science fiction author Louise McLaughlin! She has such a unique perspective on publishing and some very cool themes relevant to international affairs in her work. I hope you enjoy her insights as much as I did! Regards, Nicole Q: Hi Louise, thank you so much for agreeing to this interview! I know everyone's writing journey is different, so what made you interested in being a fantasy and science fiction author? A: I have...
Hi, there! Let me start by saying I'm not an expert on race or anthropology. I just have my own educated-layperson-level intellectual interests and lived experience as a mixed-race person to go off of, but objectively publishing is very white. Most publishing industry professionals are white, the vast majority of published authors are white, and so it's no coincidence that most fictional characters are also white. (People, after all, often say "write what you know!") (A statistic I'll never...
Hello! At a friend's recommendation, I started reading a sci-fi book called Where it Rains in Color by Denise Crittendon. This author really excels at something that I personally struggle with, which is extremely immersive and vivid world-building. For me, it often takes many drafts to get the atmosphere and setting of a story right - the plot comes to me much more easily, and then the characters, and then the setting. As soon as I started reading Where it Rains in Color, though, I was blown...