Mining and Science Fiction: Great Companions

This week the news feeds are all about the great Chilean rescue of the miners, who have been trapped a kilometer underground for several weeks. This is a great human interest story with an outstanding ending. Yet what is being referred to in many articles as the “miracle rescue” might also be considered a testament to the limitations of our technology, at least as far as penetrating terra firma is concerned. The miners’ stories will no doubt be full of inspiration, once we get to hear them ... which is once they all decide which media outlets will pay the most to hear their tales.

The whole situation reminded me of just how many great stories and films have been done with miners as characters and mines as a setting. The Video Hound's Movie List of films with or about miners and mining has literally pages of such movies.

On the Science Fiction movie front, there is the biggest box office smash of recent history. What was Avatar if not a big mining SF movie? (OK, some might say it is also a big whining SF movie, too, but I still loved it, thin story, heavy-handed message, and all.) There are lots of other examples of SF movies with a mining theme or at least a mining environment, including but absolutely not limited to Moon 44, Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country, The Abyss, and one of my personal favorites, Outland. I know a lot of people nitpicked Outland to death for its ready defiance of several of the laws of physics, but hey, it had Sean Connery! In similar company, another hit movie of recent years which also included miners was Armageddon. Of course oil drillers are miners. And they are still miners when they are drilling on a giant rock flying towards Earth at ridiculous speeds. I regard the scene with space-happy super-brain geologist Rockhound (Steve Buscemi) shooting up the drill site with a big space Gatling gun as one of the funniest, most preposterous SF movie scenes of the last twenty years. Outrageous fun, if you don't demand that your SF come exclusively in credible packaging.

Dozens of science fiction television episodes featuring mining and miners have also made their appearance. Classic Star Trek had several of them, including "The Devil in the Dark" (written by Gene L. Coon), "The Cloudminders" (written by Margaret Armen), and "Mudd's Women" (witten by Steven Kandel). Even Red Dwarf, home to the last human alive, was a mining ship.

More recent and arguably more artistically engineered movies such as the 2009 Moon, (story/direction by Duncan Jones, screenplay by Nathan Parker) come closer to grips with some of the core issues that make mining such a rich landscape we can mine for story. (Sorry, I couldn't resist). Whether the underlying theme is isolation, human vs. hostile environment, individual safety vs. corporate greed, environmental responsibility vs. corporate greed, etc., there’s lots to work with here.

Written SF has also paid due homage to mining as an extreme setting, a hostile environment, a challenge, for person and machine, and for the machined creature as well. An article from Technovelgy.com reminded me of this, the notion of the engineered miner, who is not human. The article mentions Love Among the Robots, Emmett McDowells' 1946 story of mining worms, and Larry Niven's 1968 A Gift from Earth, yet another mining worm story. And of course there is the original Dune, Frank Herbert's story of mining for stuff from worms (because what is the Spice Melange, if not worm doodoo?).

There are dozens more great SF stories and novels where miners and mining play a significant role. I believe that this trend will continue throughout the life of science fiction because of the nature of the universe, of which the nature of mining is a microcosm. So long as there are substances with unique, valuable properties, which are difficult to create or obtain, there will be some group of women, men, and machines ready to seek those substances. For reasons of personal profit, family survival, or mere satisfaction, they will push the barriers of technology and the human spirit and, perhaps, the boundaries of ecological responsibility, to acquire, possess, process, and sell these magic materials. And in so doing, they will inspire future writers.

Let the mining continue ... let the stories continue!

(article image courtesy of ShareYourWallpaper).

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Trolling the Venusian Atmosphere - It's a Drag

An interesting Gizmag article on some ingenious applications of physics and adaption of sensory gear originally designed for other purposes.

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Gliese 581g - 100 Percent Chance of Life?

U of C Santa Cruz astronomy professor speculates on the chance of life on a recently discovered planet.

(Thanks to conspiracy collector Aaagghhh for the link)

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Saturn Auroras - Intriguing Photography from the Cassini-Huygens Mission

Some truly stunning images.

(Thanks to game coding guru QwazyWabbit for the link)

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World Fantasy Life Achievement Winners Announced

This year's Life Achievement winners to be awarded at the WFC are Brian Lumley, Terry Pratchett, and Peter Straub.

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Corey Doctorow Talks about Proprietary Things

Interesting discussion at Locus on what is and is not public domain

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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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Published again! and media magnetism

I've obviously managed to get on a sci-fi media database. I received two emails in one day this week from TV station marketing people. TLC and Comedy Central both have new shows they'd like me to tell you about.

The Comedy Central show, Ugly Americans, may appeal to the young male audience. It's on the Comedy Central station after 10:30 PM for a reason. Ugly Americans is an animated show featuring various, somewhat less than human (or more than human?) creatures like zombies, devil women and vampires who all invade New York City. Well, invade is not really the right word. They act like freakily dysfunctional New Yorkers who can't last 60 seconds without alluding to sex. It premieres on St. Patrick's Day, believe it or not. It's very much like an animated, but smutty, Men in Black. Trailers can be viewed here.

TLC sent me a press release about Paranormal Court, their one-hour program in which psychic medium, Robert Hansen, helps families who have lost a loved one gain justice and closure. Hmmm. Sounds like Judge Spooky. March 27, 10 PM on TLC.

Now to MY news! A short memoir that I wrote about finding my sister, entitled "The Rosary" has gained new life. After a very long wait, the second anthology to pick it up is now available. The volume is called The Mystery of Fate: Common Coincidence or Divine Intervention? Read more about it and purchase it from Amazon or on the publisher's website. Can't wait to get my copy!

Finally, I learned of this article on writing, Writing a story - 12 important elements of dialog, by A. J. Barnet, on a LinkedIn group and thought it worth sharing. Barnet encourages the use of dialog and gives many basic tips on writing and dialog. I'm a dialogaholic. I still think I need to try screenwriting...



vote it up!

Review - GUD (Greatest Uncommon Denominator)

I met the editor of GUD over at LinkedIn and scored a review copy of GUD. It took me a while to get through the pdf version, as I'm an ink and paper miser and don't like reading on the screen. But, at long last, I've finished it.

GUD bills itself as: "GUD (pronounced "good") is Greatest Uncommon Denominator, a print/pdf magazine with two hundred pages of literary and genre fiction, poetry, art, and articles."

First off, I'd have to say that GUD could just as easily stand for Gloomy Utter Doom. Of course, if that's what you're into, it's a veritable banquet. Now that I've peeled myself off the floor and listened to some Blues to pick me up, I'd like to tell you more about it.

The issue I reviewed is the Spring 2007 issue. It's chock full of stories, poetry, and art. It also has a couple of non-fiction pieces. I won't go into the poetry as I'm not the best judge of poetry. I'll stick to what I know. The stories were, as I said, very dark. But they were also well written and unique.

John Mantooth's "Chicken" was so full of emotion as to make me almost gasp. His treatment of a young man's bravado, fear and regret overlaid onto a troubled alcoholic seeing another troubled young man who is frighteningly past caring was a moving, credible symphony of bitter memory.

I enjoyed Jason Stoddard's "Moments of Brilliance". He set the bread crumbs along my path. I knew where they led, but it made me want to run there all the more. Besides, I'm a sucker for the musings of how other beings or even robots might think. The gradual awareness, the piecing together of the various visual and aural input to decipher its surroundings and the meaning of life. Can't say more...

In AB Goelman's "4 Short Parables Revolving Around the Theme of Travel", I found a welcome respite from the doom and gloom and a fun time travel romp.

"Cutting a Figure" provided a bit of comic relief while still making some social commentary. Charlie Anders had me hooked with his dual duty breast implants. Need I say more?

Last, but not least, I'd like to mention "She Dreams in Colors, She Dreams in Hope" by F. John Sharp. His well-rounded characters deal with sweat-shop socialism. The man who seems the most resistant, lets another man's dreams invade his own and imbue him with hope that he carries into the waking world.

If you don't buy the magazine to experience it for yourself, I suggest you head over to their website, if for no other reason than to check out the cover art by Konrad Kruszewski. He also has another very striking image within.

Towel Day, BayCon and Mottos

I've been getting ready for the BayCon, the science fiction convention in Santa Clara, CA this weekend. I couldn't help but notice that Towel Day isn't mentioned on their website. So, whether you're going or not, this is your reminder: Sunday is Towel Day! Don't forget your towel. For those who haven't a clue what I'm blathering on about, it's a reference to Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy and a memorial to Douglas Adams, author of same, who died on May 11, 2001. You can't go hitchhiking in space without your towel. It's essential for space travel.

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I had the privilege of speaking to two high school classes last week. What a rush! The kids were great and they had some thoughtful questions. Thanks to one young lady, I now have a motto. She asked me what my motto was. I got to thinking about a phrase I've been using frequently that I think is original. Ready?

"The positive side of stubborn is determination."

BayCon, Towel Day and Novels to come

I received a tentative schedule for BayCon in Santa Clara. I'll be on 4 panels, reading and signing Awesome Lavratt and possibly organizing a Broad Universe Rapid Fire Reading. It just occurred to me today that Towel Day will be during BayCon this year. I'll have to take another look at that schedule. Surely they haven't passed up the opportunity for a Towel Day celebration. Might have to organize an unofficial one, if that's the case. It can't go unremarked.

I've just sent off my story of sentient whale creatures to my online workshop for critiques. Meantime, I'm trying to put a mainstream novel to rights that I started years ago. Someone asked about it the other day and I need something to work on while I wait to send the rewritten story out. I don't want to work on my new novel until the story is sent off since they are both in the same universe covering most of the same events. Too confusing.

Anyhow, the mainstream novel is Blind Date Blues. It has a flaming co-dependent, sharp-tongued woman, a cowboy who doesn't know what to do with her and his buddy who is fond of death-defying feats and alcohol. Oh, and the woman's kid brother dies under suspicious circumstances and one of the three knows more than they're letting on...

I've also sent a number of short stories off to make the rounds again. I'm still waiting for that last mega-issue to go up at Nanobison. I'll keep you posted...

I've started a new regime. Maybe I'll actually stick to this one. I bet the successful writers are the ones that have found that thing, oh what is it?...ah yes...self-discipline. Meaning they can keep their butt in the chair typing away on their novels while ignoring the laundry, the email, the phone, etc. So I've blocked off two hours a day in which I will do NOTHING else. Wish me luck...

I'm going to be speaking at some high schools over the next couple of months. I'm hoping I can keep the students' attention and perhaps even inspire them. A friend of mind warned me about the continuation school. He was afraid they might eat me alive. I doubt it.

I see most of them when I'm out walking the dog. They hang out at the "420 bridge" over the creek behind my house. I've raised five teenagers. I've found that, generally speaking, they don't bite. I treat them all as though they were my kids' friends. I respect them and they respect me back. And they love our beagle.

However, one time, I turned the corner onto the creek path to find a teenage boy of fourteen or fifteen facing me while urinating on the path. He said, "Ahhh...sorry," and put "it" away.

What did I say? "You should be!" and "I don't even let my dog do that!" His friends just stood there. "You're friends put you up to it?" He could only look at his shoes. His friends were probably fighting laughter, though I didn't turn to look. But none of them said a word as I walked on by.

Not one of my more gracious moments. I guess my sense of humor was on the fritz just then.

Another Awesome Review of Awesome Lavratt!

Wow. I may need a bigger hat. Book Smuggler did a joint review of Awesome Lavratt. Therein are words like: brilliant, wit, skill, quirky, off-beat and--my favorite--wicked sense of humor. It's a must read.

Book Smugglers: Joint Review of Awesome Lavratt

First Review of Awesome Lavratt

Read the first review of Awesome Lavratt at NewMyths.com.

Visit my website and sign up for my email list. I'll keep you up to date quarterly-ish on Lavratt news, appearances and other published works.

Last weekend was Orthodox Easter. I'm BEAT. Four and a half hours sleep two nights in a row. The services were beautiful and joyful as always. Christos Anesti! Christ is Risen!

I need a nap...

Wine Pairing

Jeff VanderMeer ran a book and beer pairing on his blog. Being a non-conformist, not to mention that I hate beer and love wine, I snuck in a book and wine pairing. Check it out here to see Awesome Lavratt paired with Klingon Blood Wine.

What I'm Reading

Since Tim Powers is the Author guest of honor at BayCon in Santa Clara, CA, I thought I'd read some of his stuff. I have several titles on hold at the library and picked up a SFBC edition of The Anubis Gates at the library's used book store. It's got time travel, werewolves, Romany and evil clowns. Woohoo! And 100 pages in, I'm hooked.

Here's the preliminary BayCon guest list including yours truly.

I just finished reading Blackjack by Lee Singer. For the last third, I couldn't put it down. It's a post-apocalyptic tale of a torch singer/mercenary investigating a powerful family out to reunite some of the mini countries that are what's left of the US. Find out more and read the first chapter here.

Science Fiction is for Grown-ups, too!

If I only had a nickel...well, maybe a fiver...for every time someone said to me, "Oh, I used to read science fiction when I was a kid." Or "Yeah, I used to read a lot of it [SF]." I thought it was time I came up with a stock answer for these people. I asked my new friends at Chronicles Network (a SF/F forum) for help. I posted this on a message board on Friday and the discussion is still going on. There are some great ideas. And some of them aren't sarcastic...well, maybe one or two.

How about this one: "Well, maybe you should brave it as an adult. It's been growing up while you weren't looking."

That's mine. It's by no means my favorite. You'll have to hike over to the forum to read the really good ones.

I dance at a Greek taverna whenever I can. I've been asked tons of times (almost every time I'm there, it seems) if I'm Greek. I hate to disappoint, so I came up with a stock answer for that one long ago. "I'm from the Greek Azores." I get some laughs, but also, sadly, some completely blank looks.



So, have you been wondering what to do with that SF hardcover when you're done with it? Well, I keep them forever. But maybe YOU don't. My mother's voice in my head would never let me so much as make a single underline in a book, let alone pull out its pages. But that's me. If I could quiet my mother's voice, perhaps I'd have the nerve to do this. If you click on the link below to Curbly.com, you'll find a how-to video. But what to do for matching shoes??

How to Make a Handbag from a Recycled Book

Speaking Engagement & Missed Opportunity

Well, the article in my home town paper already happened and, alas, is not online. How did I know? Not because the paper gave me a heads up. Must have slipped their mind. No, I got an email inviting me to a writing cooperative in my home town. The reader just skimmed and thought I was local. Anyhow, my plan, which I came up with too late, was to run my story that is set there (Chelan, WA) to coincide with the article. If someone from Chelan places a comment here, and asks nice, I still will. ;)

Just got four books delivered from SFBC. I suppose I better catch up on the ones I haven't read yet. >sigh< So, added to my every growing TBR shelf are: Orson Scott Card's Empire, Jasper Fforde's The Fourth Bear (Which means I have to get The Big Over Easy), Terry Pratchett's Going Postal (I read Making Money first- darn!) and Neil Gaiman's Anansi Boys. Last week, I picked up these used: Humans and Hominids, both by Robert J. Sawyer and Starswarm by Jerry Pournelle, since I haven't read any of his solo novels. My husband has already devoured Humans and moved on to Hominids. Meantime, I'm reading Blackjack by Lee Singer. I'm also wedging in my Christmas present from one of my sons, the complete Kent Chronicles series by John Jakes. That's not SF, but well written and enjoyable. It starts with the American Revolution. And if that's not enough, I just ordered Rolling Thunder by John Varley, The Taken Trilogy by Alan Dean Foster and The Space Opera Renaissance, an anthology edited by David G. Hartwell and Kathryn Cramer.

My next speaking engagement is on April 13th. I'll be the guest speaker for a SF group in Santa Rosa. Here's the specifics. If you're local, come join us.

Press Release

SANTA ROSA SCI-FI AND FANTASY MEETUP April 13, 2008 2-4 PM
Ann Wilkes talks about her new book, Awesome Lavratt, and about writing SF

Mysterious Future Bookstore
531 Fifth Street
(between Mendocino and B St.) Santa Rosa, CA 707/545-5828

Cost: None

Ann Wilkes, author of Awesome Lavratt has been published in several online magazines and two anthologies. Her latest book, Awesome Lavratt, is a tongue-in-cheek space opera filled with mind control, passion and adventure. Called “a fun romp” by Jack Skillingstead, whose stories have frequented the pages of Asimov’s Science Fiction.

Ann will also have books available for purchase and signing.

If you’d like to read her book before you come, you can find it online here: http://www.unlimitedpublishing.com/wilkes or pick it up at Mysterious Future Bookstore. Or email her from her website, and you can purchase a signed copy directly from her.

Where to Find SF Reviews

I just threw the Reviewers list up. I'm hoping it will grow--along with the number of reviews I get for Awesome Lavratt, as I learn of more sites. If you know of more sites, please let me know.
Here's the site in its maiden form.

New Features Coming

I plan to have my "Where to Find SF Reviews" page up this week. Keep those suggestions coming for sites I can add. Thanks for those that have helped already.

I just set up a Live Journal account. It's ann_wilkes, if you're in that blogosphere. This one will continue to be my main blog, but now I can comment on LJ blogs, too.

If anyone remembers the whole sad story of my pirated story, "Immunity Project," (see the post of that name, Dec 07) or even if you don't, I have more news regarding that story. I'm waiting to hear back from a magazine that accepts reprints. If they accept it, you'll get to read it there. If they don't, I'm going to post it here as a serial. Just a little something for my lovely readers. Everyone likes a freebee, right? Failing that, I'll throw "Marfina" up for your reading pleasure. Especially my friends in Chelan, WA. A feature story about yours truly will be in the Chelan Mirror soon. Perhaps they can coincide. "Marfina" is set in Chelan.

I spent half my day researching markets. I did manage to rewrite my story "The Heist"--that story that wanted to be suspenseful AND funny. After receiving a "Dear Jane" on Saturday, all doubt was removed that I took it in the wrong direction. I rewrote it as a funny flash. I'm sure it will fare better now. Fingers crossed. I sent it off today.

Don't Slay the Writer While Saving the Planet!

I just heard a "green tip" on the radio advising people to use the library, buy books used and donate them or give them to friends. Well, that's fine unless you're the writer counting on those sales! Of course, I use the library and bought two books used today. But I also buy new ones. I'm all for saving the planet, but don't forget the starving artists.

In fact, for Christmas I love to find handmade items from local artists. It saves the planet because 1) no one trucked it in. 2) no third world country's work force was exploited and 3) the money stays in the local economy. And they're wonderful gifts that they can't find at their local store.

I spent yesterday trying to confuse myself. I worked on a novel AND a short story covering the same events in the same world with the same people. I must be crazy. But I couldn't wait for the short story to get critiqued before I started on the novel. People live in a habitat on the back of a sentient, telepathic, giant whale-like creature. What's not to love?

Finding SF Book Reviews

I've been trolling the internet off and on for a couple months looking for places that do sf book reviews. There doesn't seem to be any one place that has a list of mags or online sites that do them. I'm considering fixing that problem in the process of my own research. I have to find the information anyway. My publisher doesn't specialize in SF/F, so they don't have those kinds of resources. I figure if I have to compile all this myself, I need to keep track of it for next time. Why not use it as a tool to drive readers to my blog/website in the process? I know HTML and I'm not afraid to use it! :)

Where do you go for SF reviews? You can help me build the site. And readers can report broken links or folded mags.

All suggestions welcome. Even, "That's a bad idea" or "It's already been done right here, why couldn't you find it?". Hey, if you give me a URL that has all this info already without having to click on each magazine and go to their site to see if they do reviews, I'll send you a copy of my book, Awesome Lavratt for free.

March Hare's Literary Tea

This Saturday is the March Hare's Literary Tea, presented by Redwood Writers Club as part of their Odd Month Readings. I'll be the March Hare (MC). I won't be reading at this event, but I will have copies of Awesome Lavratt available.

Here's the specifics:

Redwood Writers Club presents

ODD MONTH READINGS

The March Hare's Literary Tea
March 22, 2008
2-4PM
The Sebastopol branch of the Sonoma County Library
7140 Bodega Ave., Sebastopol, CA

Featuring West County Writers

BYOT
(Bring Your Own Tea)

Arthur C. Clarke died today

Another Golden Age writer gone. He'll be missed.

Read more from CNN.

Crawling out of the Snooze...

I'm slowly getting over this virus. Still not up to par, but can at least be vertical a little longer. The short story I intended to write this week didn't happen, but at least the article did. Maybe I'll rewrite my little people story the other way tomorrow. Make it short and funny instead of tense and dramatic. I couldn't make up my mind and had it trying to do both. I picked the wrong way, I think, evidenced by the rejections it's received.

Here's a fun site for you. I can't even remember how I found it. Oh, yeah, I have a Google alert for Douglas Adams fans. I figure if they like funny SF, they might like Awesome Lavratt. There it is. One of my dirty little marketing secrets. Anyhow, this guy writes a story every week for a year and they all have to do with a monkey, monster or spaceman. Douglas Adams search hit on his story "The Man Who Wasn't There" for week 42, of course. His name is D J Sylvis. The site's called Monkey, Monster or Spaceman?

If anyone wants an autographed copy of Awesome Lavratt, remember, you can order it directly from me for the same price. I'll put a link up on the website for orders next week. Meantime, just use the email link on my website.

Tech "Support"?

Would that I could! I would love to post the transcript of my tech support chat today. Shouldn't a sufficient command of the English language be a prerequisite for helping people in English-speaking countries? And I don't know if he was juggling so many chats at once that he forgot what my problem was or he was just stalling for time while he read the help pages himself. Ugh!

Outlook has moved my emails from the outbox to the sent folder, but it's not clear if they're really gone. One of them bounced and it was an anthology entry with a deadline of noon tomorrow. Gmail came to the rescue there. And Outlook keeps trying to send the same two phantom emails that aren't there over and over again.

I knew I should stick to web mail for my lap top! And this is after losing all my emails when my son wiped my hard drive to fix another problem, because I didn't back them up. Lost those and all my pictures not loaded to Kodak. I guess it could be a lot worse. Some people have their whole hard drive fry with no back up. Oh, and I forgot to back up my desktop one last time, and the reviewer list for the Lavratt was sent from Outlook and stored on the desktop. Tomorrow's project is recreating that list. Not to mention calling tech support since the guy I was in the chat with finally admitted it was more than he could handle.

On the plus side, I finished my first story in the universe of my next novel. The people-living-on-whales one. This was actually a collaboration of sorts. My husband and I bounced ideas around on a walk and a drive. He gave me the ending. I wrote this in three days and love it. I've already posted it to OWWW (Other World's Writing Workshop) with one day to spare on the SSIAW (Short Story in a Week) challenge.

We went out to Himalayan to celebrate. Okay, so we really went out because I lost track of time between writing and tech bologna, and didn't have anything ready for dinner.