Oh very cool!! Best of luck! I really liked Bisection in SPSFC4! 🙌🏻
December 1, 2025 at 5:52 PM
Oh very cool!! Best of luck! I really liked Bisection in SPSFC4! 🙌🏻
Better late then never, right? Finally posted my reviews of the SPSFC4 winner, finalists, and a couple books I personally :) think ought to have been finalists.
#booksky 🪐📚💙📚👀 #sff
erinampersand.com/spsfc4-the-w...
#booksky 🪐📚💙📚👀 #sff
erinampersand.com/spsfc4-the-w...
SPSFC4: The Winner, the Finalists, and two near-misses - Erin Ampersand
I was one of the judges for the fourth Self-Published Science Fiction Contest. It’s a contest I believe in, because it helps bring attention to and elevate indie science fiction, and if there was ever...
erinampersand.com
September 17, 2025 at 5:40 PM
Better late then never, right? Finally posted my reviews of the SPSFC4 winner, finalists, and a couple books I personally :) think ought to have been finalists.
#booksky 🪐📚💙📚👀 #sff
erinampersand.com/spsfc4-the-w...
#booksky 🪐📚💙📚👀 #sff
erinampersand.com/spsfc4-the-w...
Still can’t believe my book, SAINT ELSPETH, won the SPSFC4. Thank you! Special thanks to @davedobson.bsky.social @spsfc.bsky.social
September 7, 2025 at 8:47 PM
Still can’t believe my book, SAINT ELSPETH, won the SPSFC4. Thank you! Special thanks to @davedobson.bsky.social @spsfc.bsky.social
My July 2025 round-up has links to last month's book reviews, all of my final round #SPSFC4 reviews (including the ultimate winner!), and a backlist-heavy short fiction section. Turns out stories still getting recommended years later are disproportionately great! www.tarvolon.com/2025/08/07/j...
July 2025 Round-up and Short Fiction Miscellany
Round-up of sci-fi fantasy book reviews from July 2025, plus an SPSFC update, Hugo Awards commentary, and short fiction favorites from Kij Johnson and others.
www.tarvolon.com
August 7, 2025 at 12:44 AM
My July 2025 round-up has links to last month's book reviews, all of my final round #SPSFC4 reviews (including the ultimate winner!), and a backlist-heavy short fiction section. Turns out stories still getting recommended years later are disproportionately great! www.tarvolon.com/2025/08/07/j...
So that wraps up the #SPSFC4.
Being a judge has been an honor, and an eye-opening experience.
I'm going to put together my thoughts for a blog post in sometime in the fall.
Till then congrats to the winner and great job to all the finalists.
Everyone who entered should take pride in their work.
Being a judge has been an honor, and an eye-opening experience.
I'm going to put together my thoughts for a blog post in sometime in the fall.
Till then congrats to the winner and great job to all the finalists.
Everyone who entered should take pride in their work.
August 6, 2025 at 11:43 PM
So that wraps up the #SPSFC4.
Being a judge has been an honor, and an eye-opening experience.
I'm going to put together my thoughts for a blog post in sometime in the fall.
Till then congrats to the winner and great job to all the finalists.
Everyone who entered should take pride in their work.
Being a judge has been an honor, and an eye-opening experience.
I'm going to put together my thoughts for a blog post in sometime in the fall.
Till then congrats to the winner and great job to all the finalists.
Everyone who entered should take pride in their work.
Unless I'm wrong, the #spsfc4 announcement is today. After most of a year, we'll finally have a winner!
I'm trying not to get my hopes up. I've seen the reviews and I think I know who's winning (not Bisection). But I still have a chance at second or third 🫣
I'm trying not to get my hopes up. I've seen the reviews and I think I know who's winning (not Bisection). But I still have a chance at second or third 🫣
August 6, 2025 at 10:59 AM
Unless I'm wrong, the #spsfc4 announcement is today. After most of a year, we'll finally have a winner!
I'm trying not to get my hopes up. I've seen the reviews and I think I know who's winning (not Bisection). But I still have a chance at second or third 🫣
I'm trying not to get my hopes up. I've seen the reviews and I think I know who's winning (not Bisection). But I still have a chance at second or third 🫣
Team Tar Vol On’s final review of #SPSFC4 is a queer hope/cyberpunk romantic sci-fi: Yours Celestially by Al Hess www.tarvolon.com/2025/08/05/s...
SPSFC Finalist Review: Yours Celestially by Al Hess
Review of Yours Celestially by Al Hess, a queer, hopepunk novel with resurrection and romance, finalist in the Self-Published Science Fiction Competition.
www.tarvolon.com
August 5, 2025 at 4:04 PM
Team Tar Vol On’s final review of #SPSFC4 is a queer hope/cyberpunk romantic sci-fi: Yours Celestially by Al Hess www.tarvolon.com/2025/08/05/s...
Team Tar Vol On’s penultimate #SPSFC4 review is a post-apocalyptic first contact novel: Saint Elspeth by Wick Welker www.tarvolon.com/2025/08/04/s...
SPSFC Finalist Review: Saint Elspeth by Wick Welker
Review of Saint Elspeth by Wick Welker, a post-apocalyptic first contact novel and finalist in the Self-Published Science Fiction Competition.
www.tarvolon.com
August 5, 2025 at 12:05 AM
Team Tar Vol On’s penultimate #SPSFC4 review is a post-apocalyptic first contact novel: Saint Elspeth by Wick Welker www.tarvolon.com/2025/08/04/s...
Team Tar Vol On is ready with the first of our final three #SPSFC4 finalist reviews, the female-led space opera Whiskey and Warfare by E.M. Hamill www.tarvolon.com/2025/08/03/s...
SPSFC Finalist Review: Whiskey and Warfare by E.M. Hamill
Team Tar Vol On review of Whiskey and Warfare by E.M. Hamill, feminist space opera and finalist in the Self-Published Science Fiction Competition.
www.tarvolon.com
August 3, 2025 at 6:36 PM
Team Tar Vol On is ready with the first of our final three #SPSFC4 finalist reviews, the female-led space opera Whiskey and Warfare by E.M. Hamill www.tarvolon.com/2025/08/03/s...
My finalist review of Accidental Intelligence by Bryan Chaffin for the Peripheral Prospectors for the SPSFC:
davedobsonbooks.com/spsfc4-final...
davedobsonbooks.com/spsfc4-final...
SPSFC#4 Finalist Review: Accidental Intelligence by Bryan Chaffin – Dave Dobson
davedobsonbooks.com
July 31, 2025 at 8:39 PM
My finalist review of Accidental Intelligence by Bryan Chaffin for the Peripheral Prospectors for the SPSFC:
davedobsonbooks.com/spsfc4-final...
davedobsonbooks.com/spsfc4-final...
My long review of Saint Elspeth by Wick Welker is now at the blog here: garik16.blogspot.com/2025/07/scif...
3/3 📚💙
#SPSFC4
3/3 📚💙
#SPSFC4
SciFi/Fantasy Book Review: Saint Elspeth by Wick Welker
Saint Elspeth is a post apocalyptic sci-fi novel which is one of our finalists for this year's Self-Published Science Fiction Competit...
garik16.blogspot.com
July 31, 2025 at 6:19 PM
My long review of Saint Elspeth by Wick Welker is now at the blog here: garik16.blogspot.com/2025/07/scif...
3/3 📚💙
#SPSFC4
3/3 📚💙
#SPSFC4
SciFi/Fantasy Book Review: Saint Elspeth by Wick Welker: www.goodreads.com/book/show/19...
Short Review: 6.5 out of 10 - A #SPSFC4 finalist featuring a world where humanity responded to non-responding alien visitors by blowing up the world and the only Doctor in the rebuilding San Fran...
1/3 📚💙
Short Review: 6.5 out of 10 - A #SPSFC4 finalist featuring a world where humanity responded to non-responding alien visitors by blowing up the world and the only Doctor in the rebuilding San Fran...
1/3 📚💙
Saint Elspeth
Why did they come? When they appeared across the sky,…
www.goodreads.com
July 31, 2025 at 6:17 PM
SciFi/Fantasy Book Review: Saint Elspeth by Wick Welker: www.goodreads.com/book/show/19...
Short Review: 6.5 out of 10 - A #SPSFC4 finalist featuring a world where humanity responded to non-responding alien visitors by blowing up the world and the only Doctor in the rebuilding San Fran...
1/3 📚💙
Short Review: 6.5 out of 10 - A #SPSFC4 finalist featuring a world where humanity responded to non-responding alien visitors by blowing up the world and the only Doctor in the rebuilding San Fran...
1/3 📚💙
My Long Review of Yours Celestially by Al Hess is now up at the blog here: garik16.blogspot.com/2025/07/scif...
This book is an #SPSFC4 finalist and this review underlines my judging score.
3/3 📚💙
This book is an #SPSFC4 finalist and this review underlines my judging score.
3/3 📚💙
SciFi/Fantasy Book Review: Yours Celestially by Al Hess
Yours Celestially is one of the six finalists in this year's Self Published Science Fiction Competition (SPSFC4), of which I am a Judge...
garik16.blogspot.com
July 29, 2025 at 4:26 PM
My Long Review of Yours Celestially by Al Hess is now up at the blog here: garik16.blogspot.com/2025/07/scif...
This book is an #SPSFC4 finalist and this review underlines my judging score.
3/3 📚💙
This book is an #SPSFC4 finalist and this review underlines my judging score.
3/3 📚💙
Book 24 Completed: Saint Elspeth by Wick Welker: Another #SPSFC4 finalist, this one a post-apoc story featuring a doctor trying to figure out what dying aliens are trying to say before the world is once again torn apart by men. Decently written, but overly cynical and dark the point of irritation.
July 29, 2025 at 3:40 PM
Book 24 Completed: Saint Elspeth by Wick Welker: Another #SPSFC4 finalist, this one a post-apoc story featuring a doctor trying to figure out what dying aliens are trying to say before the world is once again torn apart by men. Decently written, but overly cynical and dark the point of irritation.
SciFi/Fantasy Book Review: Whiskey and Warfare by EM Hamill www.goodreads.com/en/book/show...
Short Review: 7.5/10 -A #SPSFC4 finalist with a terrible title, this book is actually a really fun and well done MilSci novel dealing with middle age and disabled femme heroines as a group of...
1/3
💙📚
Short Review: 7.5/10 -A #SPSFC4 finalist with a terrible title, this book is actually a really fun and well done MilSci novel dealing with middle age and disabled femme heroines as a group of...
1/3
💙📚
Whiskey and Warfare (The Team Huntress Flights #1)
Running on caffeine and spite with nothing left to prov…
www.goodreads.com
July 28, 2025 at 4:32 PM
SciFi/Fantasy Book Review: Whiskey and Warfare by EM Hamill www.goodreads.com/en/book/show...
Short Review: 7.5/10 -A #SPSFC4 finalist with a terrible title, this book is actually a really fun and well done MilSci novel dealing with middle age and disabled femme heroines as a group of...
1/3
💙📚
Short Review: 7.5/10 -A #SPSFC4 finalist with a terrible title, this book is actually a really fun and well done MilSci novel dealing with middle age and disabled femme heroines as a group of...
1/3
💙📚
Got a review up of the queer hopepunk sci-fi Yours Celestially by Al Hess, a finalist in #SPSFC4 www.tarvolon.com/2025/07/27/s...
Sci-fi Book Review: Yours Celestially by Al Hess
Review of self-published romantic queer hopepunk sci-fi standalone novel Yours Celestially by Al Hess for the SPSFC.
www.tarvolon.com
July 27, 2025 at 6:06 PM
Got a review up of the queer hopepunk sci-fi Yours Celestially by Al Hess, a finalist in #SPSFC4 www.tarvolon.com/2025/07/27/s...
My review of Bisection for the Peripheral Prospectors for the #SPSFC:
davedobsonbooks.com/spsfc4-final...
davedobsonbooks.com/spsfc4-final...
July 27, 2025 at 1:53 AM
My review of Bisection for the Peripheral Prospectors for the #SPSFC:
davedobsonbooks.com/spsfc4-final...
davedobsonbooks.com/spsfc4-final...
My top book of #SPSFC4 is finalist Saint Elspeth by Wick Welker www.tarvolon.com/2025/07/24/s...
Sci-fi Book Review: Saint Elspeth by Wick Welker
Review of Saint Elspeth by Wick Welker, a post-apocalyptic first contact novel and finalist in the Self-Published Science Fiction Competition (SPSFC4)
www.tarvolon.com
July 25, 2025 at 12:12 AM
My top book of #SPSFC4 is finalist Saint Elspeth by Wick Welker www.tarvolon.com/2025/07/24/s...
Book 22 Completed: Whiskey and Warfare by Em Hamill: A #SPSFC4 Finalist, this novel features a quartet of older femme ex mercs, as they get back together after tragedy and get caught up in stopping a corporate-aided genocide. Enjoyable with strong rep for older and disabled characters.
July 16, 2025 at 5:14 PM
Book 22 Completed: Whiskey and Warfare by Em Hamill: A #SPSFC4 Finalist, this novel features a quartet of older femme ex mercs, as they get back together after tragedy and get caught up in stopping a corporate-aided genocide. Enjoyable with strong rep for older and disabled characters.
My #SPSFC review for the Peripheral Prospectors for Heather Texle's On Impulse.
davedobsonbooks.com/spsfc4-final...
davedobsonbooks.com/spsfc4-final...
SPSFC#4 Finalist Review: On Impulse by Heather Texle – Dave Dobson
davedobsonbooks.com
July 16, 2025 at 6:17 AM
My #SPSFC review for the Peripheral Prospectors for Heather Texle's On Impulse.
davedobsonbooks.com/spsfc4-final...
davedobsonbooks.com/spsfc4-final...
Got a personal review of a fast-paced space adventure for #SPSFC4 www.tarvolon.com/2025/07/02/s...
Sci-fi Book Review: Whiskey and Warfare by E.M. Hamill
Review of fast-paced self-published space opera Whiskey and Warfare by E.M. Hamill, an easy read with an all-female main cast.
www.tarvolon.com
July 2, 2025 at 8:02 PM
Got a personal review of a fast-paced space adventure for #SPSFC4 www.tarvolon.com/2025/07/02/s...
This is the formula for DNFs I've forged from reading for #SPSFC4 judging. The tough part is when you have to finish those books you'd like to DNF. Reading a bad book is hard work.
June 12, 2025 at 9:06 PM
This is the formula for DNFs I've forged from reading for #SPSFC4 judging. The tough part is when you have to finish those books you'd like to DNF. Reading a bad book is hard work.
Don't miss out on this super-hot Summer Sci-Fi Book Sale.
14-book ebook bundle for ONLY $14. Some awesome scifi authors in this bunch, including a SPSFC4 contest finalist... *coughs* @geektells.bsky.social 😉
itch.io/b/3067/summe...
14-book ebook bundle for ONLY $14. Some awesome scifi authors in this bunch, including a SPSFC4 contest finalist... *coughs* @geektells.bsky.social 😉
itch.io/b/3067/summe...
June 6, 2025 at 12:19 PM
Don't miss out on this super-hot Summer Sci-Fi Book Sale.
14-book ebook bundle for ONLY $14. Some awesome scifi authors in this bunch, including a SPSFC4 contest finalist... *coughs* @geektells.bsky.social 😉
itch.io/b/3067/summe...
14-book ebook bundle for ONLY $14. Some awesome scifi authors in this bunch, including a SPSFC4 contest finalist... *coughs* @geektells.bsky.social 😉
itch.io/b/3067/summe...