About Sylvia
Sylvia Spruck Wrigley was born in Germany on the 7th of March
1968. She spent most of her childhood in Los Angeles but escaped
at the end of the 1980s. After a few years of drifting, she moved
to England where her accent was irretrievably damaged. She
somehow ended up in Estonia with no good explanation. You can
contact her by email at
[email protected].
Newsletter
I'm 55 years old and five foot tall and my knee aches when it rains. I write about embarrassment and passion and anger. I write about conflict. Sometimes that conflict is not wanting to overpay for garlic, other times it's trying to enter a foreign country without any paperwork.
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Transitions (Tartu Prima Vista)
6 May 2024
I am in Tartu! I'm attending Transitions, the 2024 annual conference of the Science Fiction Research Association. Tartu is also hosting Futures Better and Worse as a part of the Tartu Internationa Literary Festival, so it promises to be an action-packed week.
My presentation will be on Friday, the 10th of May at 15:30.
Navigating the Final Frontier: The Journey into Old Age in 'Star Trek: Picard'
This paper explores themes of leadership, legacy, and the human aging process in 'Star Trek: Picard'. Traditionally, Star Trek has suffered from persistent ageist tropes, most blatantly celebrating old age in alien races while depicting human elders as frail, emotionally unstable and unfit for leadership. 'Star Trek: Picard' explores human old age through the character of Jean-Luc Picard, who is forced to confront the challenges of aging: loss, regret and the need for reinvention. As he reunites with the crew of 'The Next Generation', the series has the opportunity to explore many facets of old age and aging across a range of personalities. This analysis focuses on the first series and whether 'Star Trek: Picard' promises a a more nuanced view of old age or reinforces those very stereotypes that have dogged the Star Trek universe from the beginning. The author seeks seeks to contribute a deeper understanding of how popular science fiction influences and reflects societal attitudes towards aging. 'Star Trek: Picard' may not have broken the barriers of ageist stereotypes, but the first series undeniably sets a course for new discussions.
If you are in Tartu this week for either of the events, please let me know; it'd be great to say hello!
Exploring AI, Ethics and Snarky Conversation
18 January 2024
I'm pleased that I will be presenting on the subjectof Murderbot and AI at Estcon 2024. The conference is taking place in July at Udu Talu and I will post full details under events.
This is a fun presentation and I'm pleased for the opportunity to revisit it.
Navigating the Final Frontier at SFRA 2024 Transitions
21 December 2023
I am pleased that my proposal was accepted for Transitions, the SFRA 2024 annual meeting. I will be presenting my paper on The Journey into Old Age in 'Star Trek: Picard.
The conference takes place in Tartu in May and I'm very happy that I'll be attending in person. For more information on the conference, please see their website: SFRA 2024 | Transitions.
SFRA/GfF: Disruptive Imaginations
13 November 2023
I'm very pleased that my report on Disruptive Imaginations, the joint annual conference of the Science Fiction Research Association & the Gesellschaft für Fantastikforschung Joint Annual Conference was published in the November issue of Locus magazine.
Report on the Disruptive Imaginations Conference
There remains a story I didn't tell, about going hiking in a nightgown, but that will have to wait for another day.
Heading to Switzerland
22 September 2023
I’m going to be attending the AXALP ’23 Air Force display next month! This is a flight display and live-firing exercise run by the Swiss Air Force every year. The spectator areas are 2,200 metres amsl (7,200 feet) and although there’s a shuttle taking me from Briez to Axalp, I’ll be hiking the final 708 metres (2,320 feet). I cannot tell you how excited I am about this.
If you are interested in more detail, please read my newsletter post about it here: Wheels Up for Raclette
6 May 2024
Transitions (Tartu Prima Vista)18 January 2024
Exploring AI, Ethics and Snarky Conversation21 December 2023
Navigating the Final Frontier at SFRA 2024 Transitions13 November 2023
SFRA/GfF: Disruptive Imaginations22 September 2023
Heading to SwitzerlandSylvia's Books
Pilot Error
Buckle up for an exhilarating ride through the world of aviation mishaps in Pilot Error! Aviation expert Sylvia Wrigley provides an eye-opening exposé of mistakes made in the cockpit, ranging from comical blunders to catastrophic consequences.
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Without a Trace 1970-2017
The disappearance of Malaysia Airlines flight 370 in 2014 is considered the greatest aviation mystery of our time but it does not stand alone. How could a military pilot chasing a glowing unidentified object disappear from radar in an instant? How did India's military misplace five fighter jets? Did a young Australian pilot flying over the Australian coast really get abducted by aliens? These questions and more are explored in Volume 2 of Without a Trace.
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Without a Trace 1881-1968
For many, aviation still brings with it an air of mystery, a century-long magic trick. Though most of us will board an aircraft at some point in our lives, we know little about how they work and the procedures surrounding their operation. It is that mystery that makes these losses, such as the vanishing of Malaysia Airlines flight 370, so terrifying.
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Why Planes Crash — Case Files: 2003
Why Planes Crash Case Files: 2003 follows eleven aircraft disasters from 2003, detailing how the accidents happened and how they might have been avoided. This "CSI for aviation enthusiasts" series examines both the history and the current climate of aviation to unravel the instigating events which led to these catastrophes.
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Domnall and the Borrowed Child
The best and bravest faeries fell in the war against the Sluagh, and now the Council is packed with idiots and cowards. Domnall is old, aching and as cranky as they come but, as much as he'd like to retire, he's the best scout the Sithein court has left.
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The Mystery of Malaysia Airlines Flight 370
In this age of constant surveillance, it shouldn't be possible to lose a Boeing 777 carrying 239 passengers. It's inconceivable that the aircraft flew for seven hours without anyone noticing that it was up there, completely off track. Yet, that's exactly what happened.
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Why Planes Crash — Case Files: 2002
The second book in the Why Planes Crash series covers incidents and accidents in 2002, including two in-flight suicides, the Sknyliv airshow disaster, how to write off a Saab 2000, an aircraft collision over the runway, a dramatic river landing, Air China 129’s flight into a Korean mountain, and finally, an in-depth view of the Überlingen mid-air collision.
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Why Planes Crash — Case Files: 2001
This, the first of the series, deconstructs eleven of the most interesting incidents that the world saw in the year 2001. These include a detailed analysis of the disastrous runway incursion at Linate, the passenger interference leading to the Avjet Aspen Crash and why an Airbus A300 disintegrated over Queens.
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You Fly Like a Woman
Getting a pilot's licence was the furthest thing from her mind – until an ex-RAF instructor suggested that she wasn't competent to do so. The thing is, he could be right. Sylvia has just a few weeks to prove that she can fly as well as any man.
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