Big news in the SF/F world and my part of it

You may have been wondering what happened to Science Fiction and Other ODDysseys for the past month. Well, fearless, but not tireless, editor/writer Ann Wilkes, has been wrestling with new ventures. Though she absolutely loves boosting the signal for sci-fi indie films and interacting with her fans, the reviews have been bogging her down and her passions have shifted somewhat.

(This is where the blog shifts entirely into first person - you can say you were there.)

I'm not a fast reader, which is probably part of why I'm such an excellent editor. That said, I would like to occasionally read something - gasp - not science fiction. Or maybe not new science fiction. There are some serious holes in my reading of the classics. I got a Kindle Paper for Christmas and would just like to bury my head in it for a while. I bought a book - can't remember when I last did that! - and found myself mentally critiquing it, even though I'm not going to be reviewing it. That's a hard habit to break, but I'm looking forward to some long-awaited pleasure reading. I'll try my best to turn the critic off. If I don't like a book, I just won't finish it - period.

I have also trotted out a novel I hadn't touched since 2008, which was nearly finished. I've had a request for first chapter and synopsis from a sf/f publisher. I have to get that ending nailed down with a view to the sequels the publisher will need, so that I can write the synopsis. The latter half of the novel needed some work. The book basically died the death of chapter-at-a-time critiquing. I would get so sick of it by the middle, that I would abandon it. I only had to fix some commas and such in the first half. I did, however, enjoy rewriting the sex scene for the second half. Much steamier than its predecessor. :)

I'm also looking forward to hearing my voice on Emerian Rich's horror podnovel. I recorded my part in September. Read more about Artistic License by Emerian Rich.

I'm considering doing a site where local music lovers can find out where all the live music is on one page. Kevin and I are always scouting this venue and that, email lists and Facebook events to find the best live music to dance to. I have thought of doing this for two years now, but finally have some ideas for getting paid for my time. My husband Kevin and I are also considering teaching couples dancing on a private and group basis. People ask us about it from time to time. People actually come up to us, and with a finger pointed at us, say, "You're those dancers!" We get around. ;)

At the video/CD recording party for Gator Nation Nov. 2013

Science Fiction and Other ODDysseys will not be a thing of the past. However, it may change to match the life of its founder, Ann Wilkes. It will still cover science fiction, but will make detours into my other "ODDysseys" and contain more of my own writing news. I won't be posting any more reviews, as I said, but will keep it truly geeky. No worries there.

Now for the big news in the greater world of science fiction: Simon & Schuster has launched a sci-fi imprint. No shit! Here's the press release about Simon451:

SIMON451: NEW SCIENCE FICTION IMPRINT AT SIMON & SCHUSTER

New York, N.Y., January 14, 2014 –Simon & Schuster’s adult trade imprint announced today that it will launch a new imprint called Simon451, dedicated to publishing literary and commercial speculative fiction across categories such as science fiction, fantasy, dystopian, apocalyptic and the supernatural.

Simon451 will publish in multiple electronic and printed formats, with a focus on digital-first publishing and ebook originals. Its editors will develop new authors and branded series, and bring established authors to new audiences with the ability to move quickly and nimbly between digital and print publication, taking advantage of marketplace opportunities as awareness builds for authors and series. Simon451 will experiment with publishing serialized novels and original short stories, and will also re-issue classic backlist titles in ebook.

“Within the science fiction and fantasy genre, e-books and online communities are becoming the primary means of reading and discovery,” says Senior Editor Sarah Knight, who is spearheading the new imprint. “With Simon451 we aim to give those readers what they want, when and how they want it.”

The inaugural Simon451 list will launch in October 2014 with the first volume of the EarthEnd Saga series by actress Gillian Anderson, best known for her role on ”The X-Files,” and co-writer Jeff Rovin. Brit Hvide of Simon & Schuster acquired worldwide rights from Doug Grad at The Doug Grad Literary Agency to a trilogy of titles from Anderson and Rovin, the first of which is entitled A Vision of Fire.

“This is a very exciting endeavor, and I’m thrilled that Simon and Schuster has taken us under their wing,” says Anderson. “Together, we will make the most of what I hope will be a compelling series of adventures.”

Other launch titles include the Paris-set dystopian novel The Undying by Ethan Reid; these books and more will be featured in events and promotions at New York Comic Con, October 9-12, 2014. To sign up for the e-newsletter or find information regarding submissions, please visit www.Simon451.com.

The imprint’s name, “Simon451,” pays homage to Ray Bradbury’s seminal science fiction novel Fahrenheit 451, which has influenced countless readers, writers and publishers, and which Simon & Schuster published in e-book for the first time in 2011, along with other works by Bradbury.

Simon & Schuster, a part of CBS Corporation, is a global leader in the field of general interest publishing, dedicated to providing the best in fiction and nonfiction for consumers of all ages, across all printed, electronic, and audio formats. Its divisions include Simon & Schuster Adult Publishing, Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing, Simon & Schuster Audio, Simon & Schuster Digital, and international companies in Australia, Canada, India, and the United Kingdom. For more information, visit our website at www.simonsays.com

I'd write an article about it, but I want to write that novel ending, finish my profile at WriterAccess, get groceries and go on a bike ride. My theme for this year? Don't let people "should" on you. It's actually been my motto for a while. I'm just applying it more fully to SFOO now. I hope you'll hang in there with me and follow SFOO's possibly less-frequent sci-fi news and news of my writing endeavors. If you hear about something that would be good to share here, send me an email. Once I tell all the media folks I'm no longer doing reviews, I'll actually be able to find your email! Seriously. I even get requests to review romance novels, cook books and self-help books. What really bites is getting invited to pre-screenings of awesome-looking, yet non-sci-fi movies. First because they're in LA. Second because I can't take advantage since I'm not able to review it here.

Here's wishing all SFOO fans and my personal fans a fabulous new year filled with limitless possibilities and fantastic voyages! 

  

Flash Contest and Ann's Flash to Kick It Off

I haven't ran a flash contest here for a while. I got this notion about mirror balls and wondered what other folks could come up with. It's really a mystery to me why they're still around. Send me a speculative story of under a thousand words about disco balls or a disco ball to ann at my domain, annwilkes.com (paranoid of spiders grabbing my email for nefarious activities).

The contest begins today and the last day to submit an entry is March 26, 2013. The winner will be announced April 9th. Please, no gratuitous sex or gore and make sure the story has a speculative element. Also, standard submission formatting rules apply. 

Judging this contest will be author and editor, Micah Joel, who read flash for Flash Fiction Online last year and is now reading flash for Shimmer. We were on a flash panel at FOGcon and he agreed to judge my little contest. Thank you, Micah!

The winning piece will be published here with a link to your website or other works. I claim only first time electronic rights. You're free to publish it elsewhere after three-months' time. The winner will also receive . . . a mirror ball! 

As always, here's my story for your entertainment and to kick things off.


"Mirror Images"
by Ann Wilkes


"Did you feel that?" Sandra whispered in Marty's ear while they danced Cajun-style to a Country-Western tune.

"Feel what?" he whispered back. "The Earth move under our feet? You know you always do that to me."

"Well, that to, but no. A puff of air, like from a fan or from someone whizzing past."

Marty raised her hand up, cuing her into a turn, then looked into her eyes after she gracefully twirled. "I didn't feel anything. But, then again, I don't have as much skin exposed." Then he nuzzled her bare neck before spinning her again. Sandra squirmed with delight.

She decided she just imagined the puffs of air on her shoulders and back. For about a minute. Looking up at the ceiling above the dance floor, she noticed a distressing lack of fans, or vents. Just the funky disco ball and cheap, tacky light fixtures meant to look like chandeliers. She remembered some monitor amps have fans, but she and Marty were much too far from the stage for that to be felt, if such fans were there.

The band played lively music they could swing, Zydeco and even polka to, with the occasional waltz, cha-cha and nightclub two-step. The venue, however, was an ancient dive. It looked like an old hunting lodge that time forgot. Smokers, unable to smoke inside, huddled just outside the door, out of the torrential rains, their pungent smoke wafting in each time a patron came or went. Marty spun her again and dipped her. She hung her head down, getting a view of the huge, brick fireplace with the moose head mounted above the mantel.

The place must have been more than 100 years old. Old buildings are drafty, Sandra thought. But not in the middle of a room. She felt it again, on the back of her legs this time. The song wound down and Marty dipped her for a big finish.

They walked hand in hand to their table by the dance floor. Sandra sipped her Chard and smiled warmly at her fiancé. While he took a long draught of dark ale, she gazed around the room at the other tables. They didn't know anyone there, but the Mountain View Club wasn't one of their usual haunts and the stormy night probably kept many people home.

A flash of lightning darted through the high, dirty windows. Sandra felt suddenly cold. Then came the thunder, and the rain pounded down harder on the slate roof.

Marty saw her shiver. "Are you okay? The storm have you spooked?"

"It's not the storm, Marty. Something else is here."

"What do you mean 'something else'?" He looked at her intently, his brows knit in concern.

"You know that feeling you get that you're being watched or followed when there's no one there?"

"Yeah . . . ."

"I think this place is haunted."

"It is old. Who knows what stories these walls could tell? Do you want to leave?"

"No. I know it's silly." Sandra looked up, searching for words to describe what she felt and it seemed to her that the mirror ball had lowered itself. "Marty, do you like mirror balls?"

"What?" He let out a nervous chuckle, taken back by the non sequitur.

"Mirror balls, disco balls. Do you like them?"

"No," he said. "I think they're tacky and should have died in the 70s."

"Yeah. Know anyone who likes them?"

"I haven't exactly taken a poll, but I doubt it."

Sandra nodded, her lips pressed together.

"What are you getting at?" He reached for her hand across the rough pine table.

"What if they have like two way mirrors with cameras behind them?"

"Really?" He raised his eyebrows. "You know how silly that sounds, right?"

"Yeah." She chuckled. "Pretty far-fetched, huh? Why would the owners want to watch the dance floor? I gotta go pee." A breeze caught her in the ankles as she pushed through the sticky women's room door, raising the hair on the back of her neck and goosebumps on her bare arms.

No one was in there, the two stalls were open and empty. Her heart pounded. She stood at the sink, rubbed her ankles together and gazed at her reflection. She looked sane, she thought. A bright flash of light appeared in the windowless room and an image materialized in the mirror of a two-headed androgynous human with greenish skin standing behind her. She shut her eyes and opened them again, hoping to rid herself of what could only be a hallucination. The figure persisted. She wanted to turn around, but looking at it head-on, rather than a reflection somehow seemed more real and frightening. Fear rooted her to the spot.

The thing spoke in English with a lilting, tinny voice and a foreign accent. Or alien accent. She shivered at that thought.

"How did you know?" it said.

"Knoowww? she stammered.

"That we were watching?"

"I . . . I . . . who are you?" She tried again to move. Her whole body felt like she had ice water surging through her veins as she turned around to cast her eyes on the alien.

"We are the Liinoyavaii. We are here on a 50-year expedition to Earth to study your mating rituals. The mirror balls are our surveillance devices, as you surmised. A little mild mind control is all that's needed to make anyone with a dance floor believe it to be a necessity. We implant our equipment within through means you would not understand. It's completely undetectable. Which is why we are so amazed that you figured it out. The door creaked behind her and another chill was the last thing she felt.

The woman in the red dress who entered the bathroom found it empty and thanked the stars that she didn't have to wait in line.

Bragging rights and zombie nights

It's not science fiction, but it is in a science fiction magazine, and, more importantly, was written by yours truly... Please read my article on Airships at Strange Horizons. If you really appreciate my blog and my writing, show the love and leave a comment there. Thanks so much!!

Airships: Not Just Flying Billboards by Ann Wilkes

Here's the free e-book from Phoenix:

Our free ebook for May is Jack L. Chalker’s ‘The Messiah Choice.’

The coupon code is 9991511 and the will be good from May 2 through May 31. Links for downloading the book (as usual) from our online catalogue at www.PPickings.com

Short Description for the Book:

Sir Robert McKenzie, owner of the Magellan Corporation, dies suddenly in a mysterious and grisly way. His daughter may be next, for a Satanic cult is determined to herald the arrival of the apocalypse.

Greg MacDonald unravels the mystery of the cult, run by scientists with a distorted sense of duty and a computer that may be the Antichrist itself.

I just had two offers to try out sf apps for my phone. I had to tell them both that, alas, my phone is dumb. Tell your friend about the blog and maybe I can one day have a smart phone again. ;) It will be a win-win. I'll tell you about cool new apps for your smart phones. And now that I have spent two hours digging through all of my emails to find the goodies worth posting, it's 10:20 and the rest of the goodies will have to post another day. Sorry. But I have to keep you coming back for more, right?

And where are the zombies, you ask? Well, aside from the fact that I'm starting to look like one from lack of sleep, stay tuned for a zombie game giveaway in the near future.

Finally, just a reminder. Turn your cell phone off before you go to bed. Those spammers like to text you at 2AM. Trust me on this. Where's that sociology book? That will put me to sleep.

OryCon Blew Me Away

Con Report by Ann Wilkes

Can we do it again next weekend? I had a ball at OryCon in Portland, OR last weekend. I sat on 9 panels, did my pro bit at the writer's workshop and read at the Broad Universe Rapid Fire Reading (twice).

The Writer's Workshop was my first gig at 5PM on Friday. It went well, but could have used more time. We had 3 pros and 3 victims-er beginning writers. Each writer heard a critique from their peers and the pros and then had 5 mins for questions all in an hour. If you do the math, you will see that it simply does not add up. We did the best we could and handed over very detailed crits to the authors.

Who would have guessed that "To Outline or Not to Outline, that is the question" would be an animated, fun panel? We had fearless moderator, MK Hobson, who is the anal outliner, Alma Alexander whom you couldn't pay to produce an outline and Peter A. Smalley, who mostly does outline, but not in as much detail (70 pages, really? ) as Mary. I just hope we weren't having so much fun that we forgot about the audience. ;) And where do I stand? An outline? Only if I'm desperately trying to find my way out of blind alley and then only a couple sentences per chapter, no tiered structure.

"Women Role Models in Science Fiction" sort of morphed into a study of the shifts in gender roles and how both sexes are still figuring things out in the real world. The fact that a strong female role model is not a warrior with tits was only the beginning.

I moderated "That's gotta hurt!" with GOH EE Knight on my left and Rory Miller, with a gory photo album of real injuries, on my right. We went the full gamut from torturing characters with set backs, to nearly killing them, to killing everyone around them. And Rory kept it real, with real-life examples, the physical and emotional cost and what doesn't work.

Aimee Amodo and I delivered "How to give a stellar reading". Aimee talked about all the things that make writers - or anyone - afraid to speak or read before a crowd. We went on to list numerous tips to make your reading the performance it should be. Then came the fun part. I asked for volunteers (very forcefully - ;) ) to deliver readings to work on their voice inflection, volume, modulation, eye contact and body language. So they wouldn't be distracted by unfamiliar words, I had them use nursery rhymes. Imagine hearing Humpty Dumpty and Three Blind Mice as a eulogy, Mary Had a Little Lamb as a candidate speech and others as a newscast or an acceptance speech. And Aimee charmed us with one as William Shatner. Fun stuff.

I actually learned stuff on the "How to Prepare a Manuscript" panel from my fellow panelists, moderator John C Bunnell, Patrick Swenson and Camille Alexa.

Mary Robinette Kowal deftly moderated the "Alien Etiquette" panel. The discussion continued to lead back to how hard it is to come up with aliens who are more alien than some isolated tribes on our own planet. We mostly take a custom that is odd to us and push it to the extreme or invert one. And the devil's in the details. We have to come up with the cultural norms, manners and behaviors for our aliens that fit their unique setting and circumstances.

I had a ball moderating "Blah, blah blah, she said". We had five or six pros (including GOH EE Knight and William F. Nolan) who never tired of sharing dialog don'ts and giving examples of best practices.

My last panel on Saturday was a Feedback Workshop, the expected structure of which no one understood. As moderator, I sort of winged it based on who showed up and what they expected to get from it. It turned out fine and I think everyone had something to take away.

Sunday I was glad to be the traffic cop for "A Touch of Farmer, a Pinch of LeGuin" since I was the least-well-read person on the panel. Just going down the table sharing our influences took half of our time. Writers are passionate about good writing.

While reading at the Broad Universe reading, a crying baby made its entrance. I had no trouble speaking over the dear, but BU host extraordinaire, MeiLin Miranda felt bad, and since we fired a little more rapidly than expected, I was able to read a second piece that I had brought in case I couldn't shave the first one down to the required five minutes. I read an excerpt from a story I'll be sending out later this week after a few more final touches and my fractured fairy tale that always gets a roomful of laughs, "Troll Games".

Friday night after my panel marathon, I hosted a dinner with Broad Universe pals and other con friends. I should have got off my tush and taken more pics. I know Joyce took a bunch, but I don't have them yet. Here's what I do have.
Left to right - David A Levine, MeiLin Miranda, Joyce Reynolds-Ward, SA Bolich.

Even though her eyes are closed, this is great of Alma Alexander. That's Brenda Cooper to her left. On my other side were Andrea Howe and her hubby, Jeff. At the other table, besides David and MeiLin, were Mark Ferrari, Shannon Page, Camille Alexa and a couple of Mark's friends.



And across from me were Renee Stern and an unfortunately blurry Rhiannon Held.

At a room party Friday night I became fast friends with Vivian Perry, who lives in Oakland and sings Jazz. Definitely won't wait till the next con to get together with her. She gave me a CD and the girl can sing. ;) And don't you think she looks like Moriarty's girlfriend, the Duchess Bartholomew from STNG?


I also had fabulous conversations with Richard A. Lovett, G. David Nordley, Bob Brown, Amy Thompson, SA Bolich, Brenda Cooper, Alma Alexander, Joyce Reynolds-Ward and many others. After the con, I met my Aunt and cousin Richard and family for lunch. Then my cousin, JoAnn took me to the airport. When she picked me up at the hotel I still had to fetch the books that didn't sell in the dealer's room. I'm pretty sure next year I'll be staying with her and she'll be coming to the con. The dealers room alone bowled her over - yes I snuck her in. But, hey, I converted her for next year. ;)

Pictures and gamer and gadget goodies

I didn't get around to posting these pictures from the book fair. They were taken by Camille Picott's mother. That's Camille with me on the Redwood stage after the Broad Universe reading at the Sonoma County Book Festival on September 24th.

I read "Troll Games".

I never get tired of reading that. It works so well for a short reading because I can read the whole thing - or a slightly abridged version - in three minutes. And it's fun to read with the troll voice and everyone laughs at the ending. I'm seriously considering recording it and putting it on my website for readers to get a tiny taste of my funny side. As I've said before, I write in two flavors: funny or tragic. Occasionally, I combine the two. I love irony!





I've had several game-related press releases lately and thought I'd give them some airtime. Here's some eye candy for the gamers out there.



Gameforge interviewed Star Trek DS9 actors Nana Visitor (Kira Nerys) and Rene Auberjonois (Odo) about their upcoming release of Star Trek Infinite Space. You can view an HD trailer on the its website.



The load-down from Gameforge about its free-to-play online game:

About Star Trek - Infinite Space

Star Trek - Infinite Space is set in the diverse "Star Trek: Deep Space Nine" timeline focusing on the looming war with the menacing "Dominion," featuring:

* The first browser-based Star Trek game eliminating the need to download a client

* Advanced Unity 3D technology, delivering rich 3D graphics in the web browser

* Some of the series' most beloved characters and recognizable locations

* Easy-to-pick-up gameplay, and is enjoyable for both casual and hardcore gamers

Star Trek - Infinite Space is slated for a late 2011 release. Players can secure exclusive items and benefits, such as beta key priority, by pre-registering for the game at http://landing.startrek-is.com.

Now this is the kind of thing that makes me wish I had an iPad. I'm just going to have to leave it to my buddies, Allen M. Steele and Greg Bear to tell you how great it is. Bear reviews it at Tor.com. And according to the publicist, Steele endorsed it with, “Journey to the Exoplanets turns your iPad into a starship. What an amazing app!” Here's a peek at what this iPad app from Scientific American in collaboration with Farrar, Straus and Giroux can do.


Finally, this was just way too cool not to share. An invisibility cloak. No. Really. Check it out. First, here's the video.

Paula Johnson to judge Freaky Weather contest

If you missed it on Friday, I launched another flash fiction contest.

Here's the deal:
I have till Friday to write and polish a flash (under 1K words), speculative fiction story in which freaky weather features prominently. You're going to hold me to it. And for your trouble, I'll post it here Friday, June 10th.

Write one of your own and get it to me at kawilkes AT gmail DOT com by Friday, June 10th and I'll post the winning entry the following Friday (June 17th). Put Freaky Weather in the subject. RTF attachments are fine, or put your entry in the body of the email.

I have a guest judge lined up and may add another depending on the number of entries.

Paula Johnson is the founder and editrix of the Rose City Sisters, a blog that presents flash fiction with a Pasadena twist. By day, she's a copywriter/designer whose client projects include everything from website development to radio spots to book design.

Please visit Rose City Sisters to see what she likes. You can also read my "Your Smiling Face" there. :)

And while you're crusin' the web, you might like to read an interview with yours truly over at Wordshaping. I'm interviewed there by Amber Polo about why I write fantasy (she includes science fiction in her fantasy category).

Press for Ann Wilkes and sf tidbits

Lots of sf news this week. Some of it is even about Ann Wilkes. ;)

Broad Universe, that wonderful organization I keep hawking here, has just published its May Broad Pod, which features a story written by yours truly. I read five minutes of "Immunity Project", my offering in the newly released Defending the Future IV: No Man's Land (Dark Quest Books, May 2011).

Trisha Wooldridge from A Novel Friend Writing and Editing hosts this month's collection of short readings celebrating mothers from women writing across the realm of speculative fiction.

The Broad Pod is sponsored by Broad Universe, an international, non-profit organization dedicated to promoting, honoring, and celebrating women writers of science fiction, fantasy, and horror. Find out more about our organization, including new fiction released by women, more podcasts, and information about writing and publishing for women, visit our website at www.broaduniverse.org

May is for mothers, and our podcast today celebrates all kinds of motherhood. Vonnie Winslow Crist shares surprising and magical consequences when a young woman mothers a baby bird back to health; Ann Wilkes' military science fiction has strange visitors chatting with a mother in her home; Roberta Gregory's people are celebrating the mother goddess; a young wizard has to rescue his mother from a terrible date in Katherine Mankiller's tale; and Suzanne Reynolds Alpert introduces us to the 16-year-old embodiment of the mother goddess Quan Yin.

Listen now.

Along that same vein, there's a DTF IV: No Man's Land book giveaway of that anthology over at Goodreads. Now would be a good time to friend me there, too. But not if you don't have any books listed. No pretenders. ;)

I am also interviewed at MilSciFi.com.

That's enough about me. Now to give a little love to my friends.

First up, is my good friend and excellent writer, Juliette Wade. She has this awesome, ambitious endeavor going on at Talk To You Universe. She offers a chance for anyone to share their culture. She's compiling a sort of cultural database. A close-up and personal look at those hard to research aspects of Folklore, Religion, and Cultural Practices. It's called The Writer's International Culture Share and promises to be an excellent source for writers around the globe.

Alma Alexander, another talented writer and Broad Universe member, announces the Fall release of River, an anthology she has edited which features "a stellar selection of authors who between them have been nominated for, finalists for, or have won, practically every known industry award (including the Campbell, the Tiptree, the WFA, the Mythopoeic, and yes, even the Hugos...)."

Last, but not least, Episode 2 of the Minister of Chance is now available from the Minister of Chance site and iTunes. I listened already and enjoyed the continuing adventures of Kitty and the Minister. And there be monsters and dark and a mysterious horseman.

Secret Technology - Is It More Dangerous?

I was listening to NPR last week when a news story came on about how legal bans on texting while driving may actually be increasing the number of accidents and fatalities where such laws are now in place. ( NPR STORY LINK )

The concept here is simple enough: if someone is texting while driving, they are distracted. In the two to five seconds their eyes are targeting something other than the road, they can run through a red light or over a pedestrian. If someone is texting while driving, but taking extra care to not be seen doing it, their eyes might be further away from the road, and for longer periods of time.

What plagued me about this story was the idea that technology, secret technology, might be more dangerous than technology that is known and used out in the open. This seems to me to be very much a science fiction theme. But how would this play out with other technologies? What other credible parallels can be drawn?

Part of the answer depends on what one considers to be a 'technology'. I'm rather nerdly, yet I use a fairly low-tech standard ... if I can't make it in my garage using stuff left over from the last time I fixed my backyard gate, it's a technology. (This says not very much about my gate maintenance skills, I know.)

So what are some viable candidates for this discussion? Putting the moral issues aside, because that is not what we are talking about, there are a lot of things we do as individuals to utilize technology which are not necessarily done under public scrutiny. One example: drugs. Are secret drugs, those taken illicitly, without prescription and without public knowledge, more dangerous than prescribed, legal drugs? That seems likely for a number of reasons, whether the drug is heroin, alcohol, or steroids. What about abortions? Surely the procedure of abortion could be considered a technology. Would a secret abortion be more dangerous than one performed in a public medical facility? That would also seem a reasonable conclusion.

Turning this around, I thought to look at what might be considered protective technologies, something secret that is not necessarily being done to our bodies. Would these stand up to the same sort of basic "known-is-good ... secret-is-bad" test? Let's try a couple of examples. What about bullet-proof vests? You know ... the Kevlar things they wear on all the cop shows. Would wearing one secretly put the wearer in more danger? Or less? It depends, I suppose, on how many people are trying to kill you and if they are good enough to make a headshot.

How about home alarm systems? Would a secret alarm system make one safer? That is a good question, since here we have slipped into the area of deterrence. Would the "Protected by ACME Alarms" sign on your front lawn prevent would-be burglars from breaking in any more or less than the alarm system itself? Possibly, at least if your would-be burglar could see the sign, could read it, and believed it was true (that you had the system, not just the sticker). ( eHow Alarm Stick Link )

In keeping with my ready love of all things post-apocalyptic, extending the idea to nuclear deterrence as well seemed a next logical step. Is a country with nuclear weapons somehow safer from its neighbors than a country without them? The more I thought about this, the more the whole model of the technology-secret-danger relationship became muddled up and twisted in my mind.

I finally reached a conclusion that makes some sense to me. In this new, simplified model I look at myself as a natural biotechnology, a human body, using technology as an amplifier, a mechanism to extend my basic capabilities. If I choose to "juice up" my bio-engine with some sort of drug technology, and I amplify it too much, I could die. This is true if I choose to use some illicit street drug or if I overmedicate on a prescription drug. Some statistics suggest, in fact, that the number of deaths per year in the US from accidental overdose of prescription drugs far exceeds the number of deaths from illegal drug use. So, secret or no, if I jack up my body, I might die. On the other hand, if I put on armor, such as a bullet-proof vest, to boost my body's ability to reject projectiles, I probably am safer overall, regardless of whether people know I have the vest or not.

Does this model extend if the "organism" is a nation, using nuclear technology? Probably.

Why? Because ultimately, all technology amplifies something more fundamental than our attack strength, our defensive strength, or our ability to communicate with friends near and far. Technology amplifies our basic natures: if we are behaving in a fundamentally stupid way, our technology will help make those stupid things we are doing more collossally stupid and the consequences more catastrophic. This applies to individuals as well as Group Organisms like nations.

Ultimately, all technology has the power to extend the reach of our own stupidity. The preoccupied teenager driving past the mall up the street, texting behind the wheel of mom's Ford Bronco really is, by virtue of her rolling two tons of steel, somewhat more dangerous than her Amish counterpart reading a book behind the reigns of his horse and buggy on some rural road.

I would prefer not to be run over by either of them.
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The Event - A new science fiction show from NBC. If you have not seen it, catch it. If we don't watch these emerging broadcast TV science fiction shows, they might stop making them.
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Changing Your Mind - This CBC documentary, airing again on October 14, sheds light on some fascinating new developments in neuroscience. SF author Robert J. Sawyer says this show offers some clues as to the subject matter of his next novel.
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Justin Stanchfield in October Analog - In addition to its other fine fact and fiction offerings, this month's Analog includes an interesting story of ecoterrorism, genetic destiny, and love in space from writing colleague Justin Stanchfield. His story appears to be at least part of the inspiration for Stanley Schmidt’s “Science and Simplicity” editorial in this issue. Buy a copy.
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"Live" Mystery Science Theater 3000? Close enough. Check out this multi-theater event, being conducted nationwide this October 28th. RIFFTRAX LIVE: House on Haunted Hill
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A special thanks to Ann for bringing me on board as Staff Blogger here at SFOO. I promised her I would keep my accounts of alien abduction, spiritual rebirth, political revolution, and personal hygiene to a minimum. My intent is to maintain her fine standards and continue to share information of interest to science fiction fans including those who are also writers of speculative fiction. If you have some good info, please send those useful data bits on to her and to me as well.

- D. E. Helbling
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Interview on PodioRocket of yours truly and Avatar - again

Well, now it's my turn. Due to various emails going astray, my scheduled interview for tonight is postponed. What's up with gmail anyway? Or is it on their end. Hmmmm. Anyway, Brian Rathbone interviewed me during World Fantasy and the interview just posted on PodioRacket yesterday. It's with an interview with one of my cohorts, Andrea Howe of Blue Falcon Editing.


Give it a listen.

Of course this reminds me that I have one-hour interview at a local radio station that I still need to edit down and break up. I read a complete short, short story during the interview. I was going to pull that out and edit the thing down. I can make the whole thing available, too, but that would be huge file.

But when? I have to catch up on writing, reading and reviewing.

For anyone who still hasn't seen Avatar. Are you kidding me? Go! Now! But you'll have to buy tickets in advance and get there early for a good seat. I still need to make the trip to an IMAX theater to see it. I'm so ready to see it a third time. It's setting all kinds of records. According to an article in BBC News, it may be the most successful movie - EVER!


Official Avatar Movie









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Busy, busy, busy - but still have some SF news

Have you heard that the series "V" is being trotted out again? This time with Morena Baccarin as Diana, the leader of the alien race that is here to "help" us. Not! Read more here and here.

Ursula K. Le Guin turned 80 this week. Happy Birthday!

This contest gives a whole new meaning to "forward thinking". Science Fiction and Fantasy held it in 1980 asking for predictions of which SF concept would be realized by the year 2010. Read more at Locus. The winner receives $2010.

I'm preparing for my presentation, "Developing your online presence" at the 2009 Redwood Writers Conference on Saturday. This subject is inexhaustible. Everyday I learn more. The trick is to pull out the best bits for the one hour I'm given.

I just searched on Facebook for: Science Fiction Readers. I wanted to find them on Facebook. I have almost 700 "friends," but they're mostly other writers. The scary thing is that three groups popped up. Yup. Just 3. And they had less than 20 members between them. Where are these SF readers?

Are media SF fans more inclined to network than those who read SF books? Interesting question....

World Fantasy Convention follows the next weekend. This will be my first WFC. I couldn't miss this one as it's so close I don't have to spring for airfare.

Someone rated my blog over on blog catalog >waves and blows kisses to spearcarrier<. I think that's my first rating outside of Networked Blogs. It's a glowing review. I must find others to tell the world what a great blog this is. >wink, wink, nudge, nudge< There are lots of lovely buttons at the right you can click on to vote me up or follow to rate me.

On Friday, I'll be posting an interview with Jennifer Brozek. She writes for RPGs and dark spec fic. She's also the editor for a number of anthologies. Don't miss it.


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Alice Henderson - a frighteningly good writer

Alice Henderson is a horror writer whom I had the pleasure of sharing a book signing with at a local comic book store. We swapped books, Voracious for Awesome Lavratt. I don't usually read horror, but I needed a good escape one weekend when my back was out. I hadn't promised to review it, either, so it wasn't "required reading". I inhaled Voracious in two days. My review—I had to do one since I like it so much—can be found on Mostly Fiction. Maybe I'll have to start reading horror now... at least Alice's. :)


AW: What was your first published fan fic piece?

AH: Fan fiction is actually different from licensed media tie-in fiction, which is what my Buffy the Vampire Slayer novels are. I’ve actually never written any fan fiction. The work I’ve done with licensed universes (like Buffy and Star Wars) were always written after the publisher contacted me and gave me the go ahead to officially write for that franchise. My first piece of media tie-in fiction was my novel Night Terrors, which was set in the Buffy universe. Simon & Schuster wanted to do a series of Buffy books written in the style of a Choose Your Own Adventure book. They created the Stake Your Destiny series, of which Night Terrors was a part. It was a fantastic challenge to write. I had an immense flow chart on my wall that tracked all the possible threads and endings.

AW: You have written some Buffy the Vampire novels, including a choose your own adventure one. Why Buffy?

AH: I wanted to make some solid connections with editors, and I thought writing a tie-in novel might be a good way to break in. I loved the show and was very familiar with the characters and types of plot lines they used. I also have a love of horror and the supernatural. It was a blast to write for Buffy. I had a lot of creative freedom, and was honored to contribute some stories to that universe. I’m very excited to say that my second Buffy novel, Portal Through Time, won a Scribe Award for Best Novel (which is an award given by the International Association of Media Tie-In Writers to honor licensed fiction like Star Wars and Star Trek novels, etc.).

AW: How did you land an agent?

AH: I talked to a lot of writers about their agents before I approached any. I found writers to be very willing to discuss how helpful, communicative, etc., their agents were. I’d heard very good things about an agent who represented a fellow Buffy writer. I had an offer from a publisher on my novel Voracious, and I asked this agent if he’d be willing to negotiate the deal. He said yes. Getting an agent can be very difficult, and having an offer in hand is really helpful, as is having a publishing history. By the time I got my agent, my two Buffy the Vampire Slayer novels had already been published. It also helps to go to conferences to meet agents in person, talk to other writers, and get recommendations for other agents to approach.

AW: You were telling me about some of your experiences with "drive-by" signings. Can you share some here? Perhaps best, worst, funniest and most unexpected?

AH: I did a slew of these after the release of my novel Voracious. I’d read that signing your stock at a bookstore is a win/win situation. Your autograph adds value to the book for the bookseller, and it benefits the writer as the books are often faced out on the shelf with an “autographed copy” sticker. But I quickly learned that with drive-by signings, I never knew what I was going to encounter. I’d visit a bookstore, find my books on the shelves, and offer to sign them. I am always very polite, kind, and friendly. In return, I’ve been greeted with kindness, rudeness, enthusiasm and absolutely bewilderment. During a few (my best), the booksellers were very kind and ordered more copies of my book into the store. They also suggested I come back for a regular signing. That’s the best outcome, what I hoped would happen. During the worst experiences, I was forbidden to sign them because the bookseller did not seem to understand I wasn’t a random person off the street wanting to write in a book, but that I was the actual author. Sometimes once the person understood this, I was then given the green light to sign copies. But on a few occasions, this concept was never understood and I had to leave without signing the stock.

AW: Can you give advice to newbies on why and how to foster relationships with booksellers directly?

AH: It’s very important to develop a positive relationship with booksellers. Go talk to them in person. Tell them about your book. If you are local, be sure to tell them that. Be polite and upbeat. If you can win over a bookseller, they are far more likely to hand sell your book, suggesting it to more readers. They will invite you back for author events. When you go into a store to do signings, order pizza for the staff. Give them something (a bookmark, a mug) that you have personalized. Be approachable and kind. Go to bookstores that specialize in your genre and meet the owners and staff. Independently owned specialty bookstores tend to do the most events for writers in specific genres. They are usually avid supporters with an in-depth knowledge of their genre. And when you go in there to talk to them, support them in kind by buying a book.


And here we are getting excellent ideas from Kathy Bottarini at The Comic Book Box in Rohnert Park.



AW: We obviously share a love of shapeshifters. What character sparked that interest for you?

AH: I don’t think it was any specific character that sparked my interest in shapeshifters. I’ve had a love of monsters and the supernatural from the time I was little. I loved tales of werewolves changing at the full moon, and vampires transforming into bats or mist. I wanted to create a character who had the ability to change into whatever he desired, and so I created Stefan for my novel Voracious.

AW: Who are your three most favorite authors and why?

AH: Robert McCammon is a huge favorite of mine. His novels truly immerse me in their worlds. I feel like I’m there, as if I know the characters, as if I could call them up on the phone and invite them out on an adventure. His novel Boy’s Life is simply amazing. Richard Adams is another favorite. Watership Down is rich with folklore, characterization, a whole world created between those pages. Mark Twain has written some of the most hilarious non-fiction I’ve read. His travel accounts and essays frequently make me laugh out loud. If I can add a fourth author, I must say that the writer I spend the most time with is George Gissing, a Victorian novelist who kept a diary that truly does the writer’s struggle justice. He wrote openly about the struggles (“days of blank misery,” as he would say), triumphs, the sheer joy of finishing a novel and the agony of being confounded by a plot. It’s comforting to know that the journey of a writer, though a century separates us, is still universal.

AW: What are you working on now?

AH: I have several projects going on right now, a horror novel, an urban fantasy novel, and a Crichton-esque science thriller. The research for the thriller has completely taken over my desk and floor. I can barely see over the stacks of books and maps. But it’s fascinating, and the discovery process of writing a novel, when one is first figuring out the plot, is one of the most exciting stages of the craft.

Visit Alice at www.alicehenderson.com.

Photos by Patrick Wilkes

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Silicon con report and SGU

This was my first time at Silicon. It seems to have more of a science bent? And it's definitely smaller than BayCon. I don't know if the venue was just larger than needed or their attendance was down. Or maybe I'm just used to BayCon. Interesting panels, though.

On the Joys of research panel, we discussed resources, methods, narrowing your search and finding experts to steer you in the right direction. One of my fellow panelists, as it turned out was Candy Lowe. Candy (as C.S. Lowe) has co-written many stories for Analog with G. David Nordley, who was already on my interview list. Candy and I shared lunch after the panel. I'll be interviewing both of them, now. All the better! But not until November, at least. I'm reserving this month for horror.

I have Alice Henderson, author of Voracious and several Buffy books and Jennifer Brozek, editor and writer of sf, horror and rpg worlds. I shared both of my panels on Saturday with author Fred Wiehe. He has a story collection coming out in a couple of weeks called Holiday Madness. So now we have yet another horror writer for October. I know he'll be good for a stimulating interview.

I attended a great panel on alien autopsies, complete with grizzly slides led by Pat McEwen. The grizzly slides were mostly of dead humans, of course.

I skipped the parties Saturday night and got some much-needed sleep.

Sunday, I attended a worldbuilding panel that Gerald (Nordley) was on. Gave the garage rocket ship panel a miss reluctantly. My back couldn't take any more sitting.

I picked my books from the dealer's room and headed home. On the way, I drove by my childhood home in San Leandro. Of course, I couldn't remember or recognize which one was mine. They all looked alike and I can't remember the house number. I also don't remember the neighborhood being so dumpy. Either it went downhill or my perception has changed. I was 8 years old when we moved away. I wonder if our kids will have a similar experience if they ever decide to visit this tract home long after we've moved away. How can you get sentimental over a tract home in a suburb or bedroom community?

Of course, first on the agenda when I got home: SGU (Stargate Universe)
OK. So we have Lost in Space, complete with Dr. Smith (Rush) and The Last Starfighter (Eli Wallace)trying to horn in on the SG franchise. Hmmm. And who's idea was this? I was unimpressed.

I have another reading gig. This one at the Hotel Healdsburg (in Healdsburg, CA) with other local authors. Dec. 5th. More info to follow.

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SF Friday linkage

I've been doing way more reading than writing lately (except at the day job). I'm hoping to finish a rewrite this weekend on one story and work on another short I started a month ago. Tomorrow morning I'm going to a presentation on giving presentations with digital projectors. A friend of mine is giving it and maybe he can tell me what to do when the venue's outlet is wonky and your laptop battery is dying in the middle of your presentation.

Today, was a very sad day for me. My dear friend and number one fan passed away on Monday. The funeral was today. She was such a loving woman that knew how to speak her mind. I'm going to really miss her. She was almost 92 and was leading the conga line at her great-granddaughter's wedding not too long ago.

In SF news:

Pantechnicon has had to fold. They were attacked by a virus and the site could not be restored. (I erroneously had Abandoned Towers listed here but that one is alive and well - my bad.) I'd like to play the grief AND sinus headache card on this one. Horrible blunder. That's how rumors start!

I don't know that it will take its place, but I do like balance... I got an email from the editor of a new PDF H/F/SF magazine. It's called Strange, Weird and Wonderful.

Big kudos to Ellen Asher and Jane Yolen on their World Fantasy lifetime achievement awards.

Here's a youtube video mashup you might enjoy on SyFy Wire: Watch the History of SF Visual Effects in 5 Minutes.

Apparently (How do these things happen?), I'm on the publicity committee for WorldCon 2011 in Reno, aka RENOvation. I'll be helping to spread the word and manning tables and parties at local cons.

Here's one last reminder about the Tachyon party in SF this weekend:
Come celebrate!!
-- Tachyon Publications --
A San Francisco-based independent press
publishing quality
science fiction & fantasy
"Saving the world...one good book at a time!"
Sponsor of SF in SF
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Sunday, August 30th
2 PM - 6 PM
Borderlands Books
www.borderlands-books.com
866 Valencia Street (at 20th St.)
San Francisco, CA 94110
415.824.8203
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Featuring the Emperor Norton awards, a star-studded tribute to the Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction's 60th Anniversary (with a special giveaway gift for the first 50 guests!), food and drink, and lots of very special guests,
like authors Peter S. Beagle & Richard A. Lupoff!



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