#s.e. smith

[farewell-to-lorien]

This Machine, by S.E. Smith.

[gatheringbones]

S. E. Smith, from An Outsider In My Own Landscape, from Non-binary: Memoirs of Gender and Identity, edited by Micah Rajunov and Scott Duane, Columbia University Press, 2019

[the-final-sentence]

At the BART station around the corner, the elevators are, as usual, out of order.

s.e. smith, from “The Beauty of Spaces Created for and by Disabled People”

[wocinsolidarity]

Be the Change: Six Disabled Activists On Why the Resistance Must Be Accessible

A roundtable with disabled advocates, leaders, and protesters on how they came to activism, building an inclusive movement, and resources you should know about. February 13, 2017

Hello, allied resistance forces! Carrie here, and I’m in the Be the Change driver’s seat this week to talk about a crucial point in all protests and campaigns: accessibility.

I know it’s a dry word that you might not think applies to you. But guess what: you’d be wrong! Because you know someone with access needs whether you realize it or not. And even if you’re able-bodied, you’re gonna want to know this stuff for your own use eventually (whether thanks to a sprained ankle, an acquired disability, or good old-fashioned aging). In order to successfully throw sand in the gears, we need as many people out there throwing it as possible — and that means a movement that includes all kinds of bodies and minds.

I’ll be honest: my protest experience so far has been a mixed bag there. Using a wheelchair during the Women’s March made it marginally easier to battle the crowds (as did having a girlfriend from Brooklyn who knows how to unleash an “OUT OF THE WAY, SIR!” like I’ve never heard). I’ve seen my fair share of disabled folks waving signs in the street. But for every one of us, there are ten fellow protesters who bump into our chairs without regard or who still think the worst thing about Trump’s disability politics is that he was mean once. For every one of us, there are countless more who aren’t there because the organizers overlooked them. But the good news is that for every one of us, there’s another disabled activist leading the charge toward a more inclusive movement.

Here are six of those activists, leaders, and advocates on how we can all move forward, whether on our feet, on wheels, or online — plus a resource list you need to read and use.

[the-final-sentence]

Our brains are all in this together, and the only way out is through, unless you have a line on a tesseract, in which case, let's talk.

s.e. smith, from “Call Me Crazy”

[the-final-sentence]

His fear of not being able to make his Amate happy melted away as love filled his heart.

S.E. Smith, from Hunter’s Claim

[the-final-sentence]

Now, he and Matrix just needed to get them all home.

S.E. Smith, from "A Mate for Matrix" in Pets in Space

[ghostflowerdreams]

Book Review - Tink's Neverland (Cosmos' Gateway #1) by S.E. Smith

She touched his hand, and everything changed.... Jasmine “Tinker” Bell has always had a love for life, looking forward to any new adventure that happens to come along, but when a friend’s experiment creates a portal to another world, she finds herself immersed in far more adventure than she ever dreamed. J’kar ’Tag Krell Manok had given up hope of ever finding his bond mate. Then a pint-size female unlike anything he has ever seen suddenly appears on his spaceship to save the life of his brother, and disappears just as suddenly. He will do anything, follow her anywhere, to get her back - and he just might be able to do that, because she left a very important piece of technology behind... Discover new worlds, new species, and the hilarity that can ensue when Tink, an eternally optimistic, quirky, small town mechanic meets J’kar, a serious Prime warrior from a far-off galaxy who is used to being in control!

2 stars: ⭐⭐

It’s nice to get a bubbly, upbeat female lead, but she comes across as way too perfect. Twenty-two-year-old Jasmine “Tinker” Bell, or “Tink” as she prefers, is incredibly smart—she can modify an AI program her mother created, help Cosmos with his experiments like optimizing his power source to generate more electricity, work as a mechanic at the local garage, hold a part-time job at the college, and play in a band at the brewery. On top of all that, she’s attractive: a petite blonde with a pixie haircut, long legs, and a large chest. Every guy wants her, yet she’s still a virgin because none of them have been worthy.

I was hoping her mechanical skills would play a meaningful role, but most of the time I’m just told she does things, and the wrench ends up being used more as a weapon than a tool. Tink feels unrealistic, and I wish she felt more human—believable, with struggles and flaws that make her relatable, and strengths that feel earned rather than effortless.

The male lead, J’kar, is nothing special. He comes across as a generic alpha, and if you asked me what stood out about him, I wouldn’t be able to name a thing. Tink completely overshadows him. He doesn’t even look alien. He is just a huge human guy who is sexually repressed with an imprint/mating bond gimmick. His people are advanced enough to have spaceships, translators, and medical devices, but at times they still come across as primitive.

The story isn’t terrible, but it isn’t anything amazing either. That said, I can’t be the only one who found this section jarring to read:

Looking around Zariff, Tink glared at him, “You wouldn’t let me go. You keep your cotton-picking hands to yourself!”  Tink winced when Zariff touched her forehead.

Of all the things to say, why that? It still carries classist and racial undertones. From that point on, I read more cautiously, wondering if the author chose it intentionally or if it slipped in without awareness of its implications.