Blogger Laura McConnell

Here are the answers from blogger Laura McConnell

1/ What first got you into SF?
I don't remember not liking SF, but I can't tell you why that is. My parents aren't big into sci-fi and neither are my older siblings or cousins. I think perhaps my science fiction addition is the product of mere chronology and chance (and perhaps a bit of a genetic fluke). In other words, I was simply in the right place at the right time. You see, when I was six years old, I went to the cinema with my family. Not surprisingly, I saw a movie there. I fell asleep that night wishing to be a character in that movie harder than I'd ever wished for anything in my young life. Oh, Elliot, how much I wanted to be you. This can be proven by the roughly three thousand pictures of me in a yellow ET sweatshirt from my early childhood. And speaking of yellow, those lovely Star Wars trading cards didn't hurt my sci-fi love, either.

2/ Who was your first geek crush?
This is a tough one. Commander Riker from Star Trek: TNG got me going, but I don't think I can quite call anything a "crush" until one Fox William Mulder came along in The X-Files. Now, hero worship? That one is far easier. When Luke Skywalker caught that shiny green light saber over the Great Pit of Carkoon, I was smitten. I'd never seen anything so cool in all my life. Completely and totally smitten, I tell you.

3/ If you were a spaceship from a TV show or movie, which would you be (and why)?
Serenity, because even Incom's best X-Wings don't have a comfy couch.

4/ If SFX were to run a convention, which guest would you most like to meet there?
Wil Wheaton. Period and the end.

5/ What's the most exciting thing to happen to you (SF wise) in 2009 so far?
Why, being chosen as one of the 12 distinguished SFX bloggers, of course!

6/ What feature would you most like us to add to this website?
I'm all about a tag system. Some sort of links list in the sidebar for the big topics: Star Trek, BSG, Star Wars, etc. Hit that link and all the articles on that topic come up.

7/ What SF character has most inspired you in your life?
Jack O'Neill, from the television series Stargate SG-1.

Luke Skywalker may be my first (and most enduring) hero, but Jack O'Neill is my first muse. Without Jack, I'd have never written my first piece of fan fiction. And without that, I can say with absolute assurance that there's no way I'd be writing this blog. The journey of a thousand pages can begin with a single fic, you know. My world would be a smaller place without my writing, and 'twas Jack that opened that door for me.

So, yes, world, it's Jack O'Neill. The one with two "L's."

8/ What's always your number one book or DVD recommendation to a friend?
Book? Just A Geek, by Wil Wheaton. DVD? Firefly, The Complete Series.

9/ If you were the boss of SFX magazine for a day, what would be your first command?
You! You there! With the dilithium crystal! Put that down and get me exclusive interviews with men whose names rhyme with "million" immediately! And if your first thoughts were not jointly Paul McGillion and Nathan Fillion, you're fired!

10/ Who'd win in a fight, a caveman or an astronaut?
This varies by situation, of course. Since no situation is given, I'll just go with my overall choice. Caveman. Why? It's really quite simple. Muscles and bones atrophy in space. Therefore, cavemen are stronger. And how many times have aliens with pretty Neanderthal mentalities decimated a spaceship crew? I mean, really. Have you seen Aliens? Now, if that astronaut is Ripley, we can chat more. But any old regular astronaut? Caveman all the way, baby.

SFX Magazine is the world's number one sci-fi, fantasy, and horror magazine published by Future PLC. Established in 1995, SFX Magazine prides itself on writing for its fans, welcoming geeks, collectors, and aficionados into its readership for over 25 years. Covering films, TV shows, books, comics, games, merch, and more, SFX Magazine is published every month. If you love it, chances are we do too and you'll find it in SFX.