STNG celebrates a birthday - at the movies

This just in from Pure on behalf of Fathom:

“Boldly go where no one has gone before” and don’t miss the only opportunity to see two of the most popular Next Generation episodes, Ep. 106 “Where No One Has Gone Before” and Ep. 114 “Datalore” on the big screen.

NCM Fathom and CBS TV are coming together to present a special one night event to celebrate the 25th Anniversary of Star Trek: The Next Generation.

This special event will include exclusive looks at the massive restoration of season one, never-before-seen interviews with the original cast members and behind-the-scenes looks at the artists who created the original FX elements and photography during the making of the show. Audiences will also be privy to an unseen sneak-peak of “Measure of a Man.”

Set in the 24th century, The Next Generation was created by Gene Roddenberry over 20 years after the original Star Trek series. The Next Generation became the longest running series of the Star Trek franchise, consisting of 178 episodes over 7 seasons.

Star Trek: The Next Generation 25th Anniversary Event is the first opportunity to see this transcendent digital presentation like no man before, in movie theaters, on Monday, July 23rd at 7:00 PM (local time) with additional late night showings at select movie theater locations.

If you have any questions, please let me know. For more details and ticket information, visit www.fathomevents.com

We’ll see you at the movies!

The July Free Phoenix Pick is here! 

Joan Slonczewski’s Daughter of Elysium

The coupon code is 9991545 and will be good from July 2 through July 31.
Links for downloading the book (as usual) from our online catalogue,
www.PPickings.com

Brief description of the book:

The pristine city of Elysium floats on the water world of Shora, inhabited
by 'immortals' who have succeeded in unlocking the secrets of life.

Outsider Blackbear Windclan wants to share the secret of immortality with
his own people, but can he, and the City of Elysium, survive the
corruption and decadence that immortality has bred into the ageless
society?

And what of the consciousness of self-aware nano-sentient servitors and
their quest for vengeance?

"An enormously impressive achievement...A marvelous array of cultures
presented in astonishing depth"—Kirkus Review

And this is just too fun.

Human with Alien Relationship?

In fantasy and science fiction anything is possible but not always plausible. Let's face it, there aren't too many science fiction novels out there that are 100% plausible. But sticking to the plausible makes for duller reading in a way. The reality about space is that it's well...VAST...and largely empty. Doesn't always make for exciting prose.

So, we've already bent the rules for the sake of entertainment. So what? That's what fiction is supposed to do: entertain! There's a place for entirely plausible SF. In fact, there's even a new genre for it. It's called Mundane SF.

But getting back to the rest of the SF universe, say you meet an alien. Say you're out there in space cut off from most other humans. And the alien is not all THAT alien. Would or could a human be attracted to one? Let's say it's mostly humanoid in appearance. Could we look past the appearance and the taboo? Could we be drawn to his or her personality and mind? Or would we actually find the physical otherness compelling? Or would it just be the attraction to something forbidden?

These are the questions that I'm toying with as I work on rewrites of Under the Suns of Sarshan. Who can guess how we'll react to a situation mankind has never encountered? I can only draw comparisons with Earthly "aliens", people who are very different from us in appearance and manner. Then it's a matter of pulling off that crossing of the line in a convincing way.

Comments welcome. After all, I'm writing for the reader.

Raining Cows?

Not much happens in Chelan, Washington. Which is why, when I wrote "Marfina," a story about hangin' with my friend when we were teens, it had to be SF. We spot something fall from the night sky and crash behind Chelan Butte. When we sneak out to investigate, things get really strange...or should I say alien?

And I thought I had a good imagination! Never would I have thought to have the missile be a cow! Mr. and Mrs. Charles Everson, Jr. never would have imagined it either...until one landed on the hood of their minivan while they were driving by the lake last Sunday. They were in nearby Manson celebrating their first wedding anniversary. That will be one anniversary they'll never forget! Read the story.

PS You can find "Marfina" in the anthology, Vintage Voices: A Toast to Life.