The Cassandra Project will keep you guessing

The Cassandra Project

Mike Resnick and Jack McDevitt

ACE 2012

Review and Interview by Ann Wilkes

 

I love a mystery. I love a mystery so much, that I won't read the genre because it would take me away from science fiction too much. There are, after all, so many hours in the day. So, I'm always delighted when I can have the best of both worlds. The Cassandra Project is a near-future mystery surrounding our exploration of the moon. 

Jerry Culpepper is confronted with evidence of a secret kept by NASA for 50 years concerning the Apollo missions. He's asked not to rock the boat. Leave it alone - it's just someone having a joke or someone being misinterpreted. But it just won't go away and as the evidence trickles in, he's sucked into a conspiracy of the highest magnitude.

Meanwhile, billionaire "Bucky" Morgan Blackstone is convinced that yes, something did happen 50 years ago that the government wants covered up. Since he's set his sites on the moon and stars as the next big money-maker, he takes it upon himself to discover the truth. He woos Jerry because Jerry's got the chops for public relations and understands NASA and space exploration. And he also might know something more than he's letting on.

And then there's the President who doesn't want egg on his face. He is completely ignorant of the matter, but what's worse? Your President being clueless or your President perpetuating a 50-year-old lie? He needs to learn the truth - and fast.

This sets up another race. Not for the first nation to reach the moon, but for the first person to learn the truth and decide whether to share it, or agree with those who so carefully guarded it, that it was best kept secret. The real kicker is not just what, but why. The ending is stunning and surprising. The implications of the "truth" will keep you thinking for days. That's my kind of story.

There is no sense that this novel was a collaboration, which is to say it's a successful one. The prose and voice were consistent throughout. The rich characters have just the right amount of flaws and quirks and you'll be rooting and sympathizing for all three of the major players.

Bucky is a self-centered bastard with admirable drive and ambition. And a great sense of humor. Jerry flails a bit when confronted with the weight of the find, while still evincing a strong sense of decency and moral conviction. The President gains our sympathy because of the whole "lonely at the top" deal. The weight of the world and all that. 

I can't decide if this is a plot-driven or character-driven tale, both aspects being equally powerful. The mystery propels the action forward. It will keep you speculating right up to the end.

I highly recommend The Cassandra Project to mystery lovers and space enthusiasts. What an incredible "what if"! But alas, I can't tell you what the what if is since even that discovery is too delicious to spoil.

Mike Resnick, who graciously agreed to judge a sci-fi short story contest I held last summer, has once again come through with this interview. When it comes to sheer reach, Mike is the master. He has so many novels and short stories available around the globe it makes my head spin!

AW:  Have you collaborated on a novel before this?



MR:  Yes. I collaborated on about 20 “adult” novels with Paul G. Neimark back in the mid-to-late 1960s, and I “collaborated” on a round-robin novel, The Red Tape War, with Jack Chalker and George Alec Effinger in 1990.

AW:  Can you describe your process for collaboration with Jack McDevitt?

MR: We discussed the plot in detail. He wrote the first two chapters, I wrote the next couple, and we traded off, not in exact numerical order; he did most of the chapters with Jerry Culpepper, I did most of the chapters with Bucky Blackstone . . . and since I’ve been both an editor and publisher, I did the chapter where Jerry tries his hand at editing. But of course, as each of us finished a section, it went to the other for revisions, suggestions, and line-editing.

AW:  Did you come up with the concept for The Cassandra Project together?

MR:  No, it was Jack’s. The germ of it – though not the resolution – appeared in a short story he wrote with the same title.

AW:  Was the ending a certainty from the beginning or did it evolve? No
 spoilers, please.

MR:  It was a certainty. I don’t think either of us would ever be comfortable sitting down to write any type of story, of any length, without knowing the plot and the resolution.

AW:  What do you think it will take to get NASA back to the moon? Funding is obvious, but what will prompt that?

MR:  The same thing that got us there in the first place: the fear that
 someone else may do it first.

AW:  Or do you think space explorations SHOULD be privatized?

MR:  Absolutely. It’ll be done far more efficiently, far less expensively, and it will actually serve a purpose that will keep it going: profit.

AW:  What happens when corporations plant their flags on the moon? Will there be no commons?

MR:  I suppose the corporate answer to governmental objections will be: “Come on up and take our flag down.” With Europe’s economy in the tank, and ours and China’s not far behind, I don’t think any government is likely to respond to that.

AW:  If you had the opportunity, would you want to live on a moon base? Why or why not?

MR:  No, there’s still too much of this world I haven’t seen, and at 71 I’m probably running out of time to see it.

AW:  You are the master at foreign rights (at least of any author I know). To what do your credit this success? Can you give any advice, or do we just need the right agent?

MR:  Having the right agent certainly helps, and I’ve had the best in the business since 1983. Writing in a clear, pared-down style that is easy to translate also helps. So does telling stories that appeal to most or all nationalities. Selling short stories (well, reprints of short stories) to magazines on every continent is a huge advantage, because when the book publishers of those countries look to see which authors to import, it helps to already have a fan following there. And of course I keep in contact with most of my foreign editors, long and short form, via e-mail, Facebook, and anything else that works.

AW:  If money were no object, which length do you prefer writing? Short
stories or novels? Or maybe novellas?

MR:  Shorts and novelettes, for the most part. Oh, once in a while I’ll come up with a notion that has to be told as a novel, like Santiago or The Branch, but I do prefer short stories nine times out of ten. That said, money is an object, so of course I’ll continue to produce a few novels each year. In fact, along with the science fiction, I’ve sold two mystery novels in the past year, and plan to do more.

Learn more about Mike Resnick at mikeresnick.com.

Sci-fi and fantasy plays, games, interviews and animation

I'm seeing more and more sci-fi plays. I think it's great. What follows is all over the map, but there should be something for everyone.

Live in or near Toronto? Here's another sci-fi play. It's running through June 2nd. Here's the synopsis I was given:

The show is called "Islands" and it is set in the year 2512. Humanity was almost wiped out by nuclear war a few hundred years earlier, but the civilization on this Island managed to survive. Over time they reached out and re-colonized and brought civilization back to the rest of the world. However, the Islanders have an oligarchy built on science and logic. So eventually they come into political and religious conflict with some of the people whom they've "reclaimed." This play examines the conflict between the two dueling factions, and the dynamic between the governed and the rulers.

Read character bios, expanded synopsis and a video about the concept of the show at www.draft89.com A little late, but here's a trailer for the Game of Thrones RPG.

And there's a fantasy play based on Ursula K Le Guin's Lathe of Heaven. You'll have to click on it to actually read it. If you don't have to, I wish I had your vision!

I'm sending a reviewer, so there's more to come. This is just your chance to save the date.

And swinging back to technology and special effects, here's a video with a producer of a stop-action film with lots of cool special effects where he says how he achieves the effects on the cheap. His last film won an award. Check it out.

And this just in from the Minister of Chance gang. Don't know about Minister of Chance? Then you haven't been a faithful SFOO reader. Pop Minister of Chance in the Google box to the right and you'll find tons of information about this fabulous sci-fi audio play.

We're delighted to say that thanks to your generosity in funding The Minister of Chance Episode 3 that we start recording on Monday at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts in London. We're even more delighted to say that the fantastic Tamsin Greig will be joining the cast as the mysterious Sage of The Waves (yes, that's also Dan's Twitter name!). For more details please check out the new "News" page on the website. Oh and remember to buy loads of merchandise :)

And here's a little something for Leonard Nimoy fans. The Nerdist channel has a two part interview by Hero Complex.

Interview, trailers and freebies

I'm a huge Minister of Chance fan as you already know if you're a regular reader. In case you're new to Science Fiction and Other ODDysseys, I'm including my review from March 2011 again here so you know what I'm talking about, why I love it so and why you'll want to watch the interview below.

The Minister of Chance
Radiophonic Serial
Writer, Producer, Director: Dan Freeman
Starring: Julian Wadham, Jenny Agutter, Lauren Crace (as Kitty), Paul Darrow, Sylvester McCoy and Paul McGann.

Radio shows rock! You don't think so? You haven't heard The Minister of Chance. It's not just visual sound effects that have come a long way. I got totally lost in the story like I was there. The Minister of Chance is a new British science fiction audio series which is sort of like Nazi Germany taking over a backward planet instead of France. But these invaders will politely send you to the dungeon or to the labor camp and wonder why you're not honored to do it. The invaders believe in magic, not science. Their leader is the Witch Prime and their standard salutation is "Happy Spells".



While smuggling food to a scientist who is part of the resistance, Kitty encounters the Minister of Chance. The atmosphere and humor will whisk you away to a world you've never imagined. You'll laugh at Kitty's protestations as she follows the Minister of Chance through a door that wasn't there a second ago and across the frost bridge into another realm. A far cry from slinging ales at the pub where she worked. The Cockney does get a bit thick at times for those unaccustomed to it, but it's so worth it for the flavor that it adds.

The witty, sarcastic dialog and the acting are flawless. I should know. I've listened four times. :) It's space opera at its best. Right up there with Dr. Who. Jonathon Barnes recently interviewed Julian Wadham, who plays The Minister of Chance, over at his Pantisocracy blog.

Here's an interview with Sylvester McCoy and Sophie Aldred. Doctor Who fans should especially enjoy this interview.


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Phoenix Pick’s free ebook for February is Stephen Leigh’s The Shape of Silence. The coupon code is 9991463 and will be good from February 2 through February 29. Download link at www.PPickings.com.

Short Description of the Book:

"Replete with adventure, mystery, and sociological conflict."—Publishers Weekly

First contact was never supposed to be like this.

A sudden rift appears in near-earth space, causing electronic components to permanently fail and cause total chaos. As Earth's fragile technological society disintegrates, no one can answer the obvious question: What is the rift, and who or what has created it?

A new generation comes to age attempting to answer these questions, and Taria Spears, an anthropologist, is selected as part of the crew on the exploratory ship Lightbringer. Lightbringer's mission is to investigate the worm-hole-like Rift and, if possible, to pass through it to find out what lies on the other side, and to seek some answers.

But what if all they find is an alien culture where sound, not sight is the primary sense?

In addition,

Arc Manor/Phoenix Pick is sponsoring a writer’s workshop with some outstanding talent. Participants include Toni Weisskopf (Head of Baen Publishing), Eleanor Wood (Spectrum Literary Agency, representing Bujold, Heinlein estate, etc.), Mike Resnick (GOH this year’s Worldcon), Kevin J. Anderson, Nancy Kress and a few others (full details at www.SailSuccess.com).

Interested? Leave a comment to get a coupon for $75 off your registration.
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Advanced ticket sales through www.movietickets.com and www.fandango.com for The Hunger Games begin on Feb. 22. To get email or text alerts to remind you when the tickets go on sale, go to The Hunger Games facebook page.

Look out for Lockout!


Here's a teaser for a new Indie Web series still in development.

The Silent City - Teaser from Silent City on Vimeo.

Greatshell writes Mad Skills with, well, mad skills

I raced through Mad Skills like a madwoman. What a fun ride through the looking glass. Young Madeleine Grant goes from average teenager struggling to fit in, to vegetable to government experiment with "mad skills" in a very short period of time. Who can be more vulnerable than someone who is trapped in a body with a damaged brain, who is unable to process her surroundings and voice her needs? Scientists use experimental technology to literally hardwire Maddy's brain. But now that she's part tech and the creators are monitoring their tech, what's next? What's real? How can you tell with someone feeding ideas into your head?

Maddy has her faculties back and then some. The speed at which she analyzes a situation and uses raw materials at hand to build a solution makes MacGyver look like an idiot.

Maddy goes back to school after her operation. News crews show up to see the spectacle. After having her Dad drop her around the corner, she gets to work.

As soon as he was out of sight, she walked to a nearby convenience store and browsed the automotive shelves. Making chemical connections in her head, she bought various items and took them behind the store, where she fashioned a peculiar device out of plastic bottles and volatile compounds. It looked like a toy spaceship. The warhead was a can of degreaser with a steel penetrator made from a lug bolt. It took a few minutes to assemble everything, then she had to hurry with it down the street -- she didn't want to be late for school.

A few blocks over, she found what she was looking for: a clear view of the local TV news affiliate. Estimating trajectory, she angled the device just right and lit it off. It went shoosh! and streaked upward, arcing high over the town common. A second later, there was a crash and a puff of flame -- the station's big satellite dish was on fire. People came out, yelling and screaming, and in minutes the news trucks started showing up.

Maddy passed them going the other way. The front of the school was clear of media people. She slipped onto campus unnoticed, grateful that she hadn't missed the bell.

But her functioning brain has come with a price. Not least of which is her freedom. Still in the balance is her sanity. What's with that talking raccoon, anyway? The more she learns of the project and it's goals, the more the carpet is pulled out from under her. She has no one left to trust.

Greatshell's pacing is excellent. And he manages to introduce boy to girl without things getting all mushy and complicated. Maddy has complications in abundance. And what do you do when you find out you're a lab rat and there are lots of other lab rats like you? What do you do when people you've trusted aren't who you thought they were? Read Mad Skills to find out what Maddy does. You won't be disappointed.

It was a real treat to chat with Walter about Mad Skills, his Xombie books and writing.

AW: You wrote a very convincing female protagonist. And I'm sure those in your Xombie novels are equally well-rendered. Maybe I should ask your wife this next question. Do you seek female input or are you really that good?

WG: My wife says, "He's strongly in touch with his feminine side." Which is funny, since I look like a Mack truck. But any little boy who loves books more than sports can't help but feel a certain kinship with girls, who tend to be the most ferocious early readers and writers. And I was raised by a single woman, so that probably helped.

AW: Okay, what's a Xombie?

WG: A Xombie is a person who has been infected by Maenad Cytosis, the disease called Agent X, which attacks the X chromosome and turns women into unstoppable killing (or rather, infecting) machines.

AW: How do they spread it?

WG: By suffocating their victims--either by strangling, or by literally sucking the breath from their lungs. Agent X doesn't work in the presence of oxygen molecules. The O2 has to first be evacuated from the victim's body.

It's a real "kiss of death". My idea was to create a situation where women were the aggressors, and no man was safe. They call it Sadie Hawkins' Massacre.

AW: Who do you credit with nurturing your unique sense of humor?

WG: My sense of humor probably comes from being a bit of a class clown all through school. I liked being a ham, and also loved reading my stories in class.

AW: Have you ever had your sense of humor get you in trouble?

WG: A few times, yeah. I remember once I was being disciplined in front of my 2nd grade class, and I made goofy faces behind the teacher's back--the class cracked up. But then I got caught, and got slapped with a ruler. The good old days...

AW: Mad Skills is a far cry from your usual satirical horror. You seem to be diversifying. What else can we look forward to?

WG: I have a bunch of different books in various stages of development. A Godzilla-like satire about a man who grows to giant size, called Enormity [original title still listed on website is The Leaf Blower]. A steampunk type story about girl flyers at the dawn of aviation. Also a horror novel about a voodoo-type cult on an island (Catalina Island, actually), called Terminal Island.

AW: What genres do you read?

WG: Everything! Lately, a lot of nonfiction. I just read a bio of William Golding, which made me buy his sea trilogy To the Ends of the Earth. But I grew up on all the science fiction greats, as well as Stephen King.

AW: Where did the idea for Mad Skills come from?

WG: Mad Skills was my attempt to do a psycho-thriller in the vein of The Stepford Wives or Coma. That kind of paranoia thriller that was so popular in the '70s. I also am a fan of Dickey's book Deliverance, and always wanted to do that kind of suspense. My agent suggested I work on something in the urban fantasy genre, and Mad Skills was what I came up with. Actually, once I had the rough idea for the novel, it sort of wrote itself. That doesn't happen often, so it was nice.

AW: In Mad Skills, did you ever get tangled up in your layers? How did you keep track of it all?

WG: I just took a lot of notes on scraps of paper--I have a very cluttered type of organization...but it seems to work.

AW: Will there be a sequel?

WG: I'm in the middle of writing a sequel right now, which I think is going to be great. I'm incredibly excited about it, but I can't give anything away because it's too early in the process...but it'll be good.

AW: Woo Hoo! Make sure I get an ARC. :)

WG: Actually I had an earlier idea for the sequel, which would have been kind of an international spy thriller type thing. But this new idea is much better. And of course you'll get the first ARC!

AW: Do you do conventions?

WG: I've just started. I went to Thrillerfest last year, and I've been to Comic Con a few times, and intend to go again. It's fun, but I'm still too obscure a writer to really be able to greet the fans. Hopefully that will change.

I love meeting people and talking about my work--it's a rare treat for me.

AW: Did you have one big break that got you going? Many authors have a dumb luck story about how they found an agent.

WG: I sold my first novel, Xombies, back in 2004. That was an incredible experience: I had been working the night shift at a submarine plant, and the idea occurred to me that people could escape a zombie-type epidemic aboard a nuclear sub.

So I talked to my wife about it, and she agreed that I should take the time to write it. I quit my job, and a year later I had a book called Dead Sea.

I sent it to several agents, and one of them agreed to rep me. He sent it to an editor at Berkley, and they immediately bought it.

AW: That's awesome!

WG: Then I sold nothing for the next five years! But I wrote the whole time, and suddenly out of nowhere, Berkley contacted me again about doing a Xombies series--three books plus Mad Skills.

New owner of Realms of Fantasy Magazine, Damnation Books' Kim Richards Gilchrist

Realms of Fantasy was purchased by Damnation Books. Co-owner and CEO, Kim Richards Gilchrist is a friend of mine. My big chance for a scoop! ;) Not to mention a great full circle since she once interviewed me.

AW: What prompted you to get involved in the publishing industry?

KRG: I started out editing for Eternal Press and a couple of book review places. I’ve written columns; from there I moved on to marketing manager at Eternal Press where I learned a lot about publishing.

Back in 2000, I self-published a book with IUniverse because I had the opportunity to do it free. Though it’s never sold well, the lessons I learned about how the industry works were worth the time and energy spent on it. In some cases, I learned things the hard way. The knowledge I gained from others in the business who taught me what they know and the professional contacts I’ve made along the way have been invaluable. I’ve never been afraid to ask the dummy questions and constantly take online classes, go to webinars and read books on how to produce, market and distribute books.

Since that time, I’ve had books and a number of short stories published. I’ve co-edited The Complete Guide to Writing Paranormal Stories for Dragon Moon Press and am currently working on editing a Writing Horror guide for them.

In March 2009, I quit Eternal Press to start Damnation Books. I’d have loved to do both but felt it was a conflict of interest. It’s funny how, nine months later, we bought Eternal Press when it was on the verge of folding. The combining of the two companies doubled distribution. It opened doors early to a few distributors for Damnation Books because of Eternal Press' reputation. Then we took Eternal Press and added additional formats, including Kindle editions. We also changed the EP printer to Lighting Source for better distribution. I’m proud to say both companies have grown in 2010.

Now we’ve added Realms of Fantasy Magazine to the mix. I know there’s a lot to learn, but most of the staff is staying with us and willing to share their knowledge. Additionally, Warren Lupine, the former owner will consult for us as needed.

I think all of this is in my blood. I’ve found my niche and will never look back. This is a job I love doing so I don’t mind the long hours. I can’t wait to get going in the mornings. That’s saying a lot for someone who’s not a morning person. I also have to give credit to my husband (who co-owns these companies with me). I couldn’t begin to attempt this without his support. He’s neck deep in it too since he’s the financial officer and the webmaster. He created both the Eternal Press and Damnation Books web sites. I know he already has plans for an updated look for Realms of Fantasy after the first of the year.

AW: Where can I find your guidelines? There didn't seem to be a link on the ROF website.

KRG: We have added the guidelines back to the web page at http://www.rofmag.com. Click on the Contact Us tab. Pay rates, submission addresses and everything are staying the same for now.

AW: Will the flavor of the mag shift under your ownership?

KRG: Hopefully not. It’s a professional market with a great look and wonderful stories. We are talking about possibly adding poetry.

I know there are some concerns that Realms of Fantasy will become more horror-oriented so let me lay those to rest. We are planning a dark fantasy theme for the April 2011 issue to coincide with World Horror Convention, because we are already set up with a booth in the dealer’s room and a party.

The 100^th issue of Realms of Fantasy is the June 2011 issue. Plans are already in the works for a longer issue to celebrate this milestone.

AW: What has been your experience with digital offerings with Damnation Books and how will you apply that to ROF?

KRG: The magazine has mainly focused on print sales with very little into the digital market. We plan to continue with the existing print model but expand in as many formats and distributors for electronic editions as possible. I believe it’s important to stay current to survive the long term. Hopefully, I’m correct. You’ll see the back issues and then the December issue begin to appear in the next month or so.

AW: Can you tell me more about your plans to expand your digital offerings?

KRG: Right now PDF editions are available on the web site. I believe Kindle editions are also available now. Part of the plan is to make issues available in various digital formats from a variety of online stores and then tell people about it. We also want to add email subscriptions.

AW: Can you tell us what we might find in the "birthday bash" issue?

KRG: More of everything! I know that sounds vague, but we’ve bounced around a lot of ideas and are just now taking the steps to make them happen. It’ll be longer with more fiction and good stuff. Most likely that’ll be the issue in which poetry debuts.

AW: Will the magazine have more author interviews or reviews?

KRG: I can’t answer that with a definite yes or no. If we do well, those are certainly areas open for expansion, so is adding more fiction. One thing is for sure. We don’t want to mess with the professional quality of the magazine. That’s what makes it so incredible.

Follow ROF on Facebook and Twitter.

Riese: Kingdom Falling SyFy Web series

Riese: Kingdom Falling, even though it's steampunk, has a fairy tale feel to it. It put me in mind of the Brothers Grimm in that there is an exiled princess and young innocents – in this case infants – in danger. The narration by Amanda Tapping certainly added to this overall impression. The difference, of course, is that in 2010 the hero is a heroine. The princess doesn't cower in a dungeon waiting for rescue, but fights, defends and rescues.

Another great aspect of the show is that Riese has a wolf companion. I recently learned that all domestic dogs are descended from the white wolf. Fenrir is loyal and fierce. But he has to stay to the shadows as he is also hunted by Amara's new regime.

The cast includes Christine Chatelain as Riese (photo upper left by Adam Blasberg), Sharon Taylor as Amara, Ben Cotton as Herrick, Patrick Gilmore as Trennan , Ryan Robbins (from Sanctuary) as Rand, Emilie Ullerup as Aliza, Alessandro Juliani as Garin and Allison Mack as Marlise.

L to R: Patrick Gilmore as Trennan, Alessandro Juliani as Garin and Sharon Taylor as Amara. All photos by Adam Blasberg.

I interviewed co-creator and Executive Producer Ryan Copple to find out more about this wave of the future.

AW: Can you tell my readers a bit about the spark for this story idea?

RC: The story actually began as an idea for a short, but Kaleena Kiff (the other co-creator) saw the script and said we should develop it into a series. As for the inspiration, we really wanted to tell a story about someone journeying through a bizarre, but hauntingly similar world to our own. Once we decided to turn it into a series, we introduced the royalty background for Riese and other serialized elements.

AW: Is this the first time SyFy has acquired a Web series? Does it have plans to acquire more in the future?

RC: As far as I know. They did a webseries for Battlestar Gallactica, but I think we’re the first original acquisition. They’re definitely looking into doing more online content though. The fun thing about Syfy as well, is that if the programs do well online, there’s the possibility they’ll develop for other mediums.

AW: I have only peeked at one other Web series, but I gather that there is a definite difference in the medium. The episodes are very compressed, rather like a "previously on ____" summary. As a matter of fact, I was just marveling at one of those for Eureka. Putting those summaries together is an art in itself. Like flash film instead of flash fiction. But I digress. My question is, if Riese becomes a TV series, will it have the same look, or will it be more fleshed out, less compressed? Would it still be narrated, or was that a necessary device for the Web medium?

RC: Riese as a television show would be extremely similar aesthetically, but telling a story on the web is much different than telling it on television. We’d definitely want to flesh out the characters, the world, and especially the steampunk elements. When working on the web, you definitely don’t have the same budget that you would for a television show.

I honestly can’t say about whether or not narration would be part of the television series. It was crucial for the webseries, because we needed a way to smoothly introduce much of the backstory for Riese and the other characters. It also served as the glue for our re-edits, allowing us to move scenes around and bring footage from later episodes into earlier ones. If we do have a narrator, I think it’ll serve a much different purpose than it did in the Web series.

AW: What sort of metrics are you using to track its popularity and what can fans do to help?

RC: Views are definitely the most important metric. Syfy is monitoring the traffic for Riese, so the more eyes fans can get on the series, the better. I also recommend watching them more than once.

Syfy’s also watching the online response as well, so the more positive things people say about the series, the more likely they’ll consider it a good fit for their channel.

AW: When might you know if it will make it to TV?

RC: Syfy is going to wait till all 10 episodes air online before discussing the possibility of a television show internally. I’m guessing we won’t know anything either way until the new year.

AW: Will the present cast continue in that event?

RC: They’re all on board verbally, as they love the story and the characters. However, it’ll really depend on their schedules once we start talking television.

AW: What prompted this shift in story acquisition?

RC: Online serials and dramas are becoming increasingly popular, and it’s a medium that everyone’s trying to dig themselves into and find a way to make it work for their specific brand. For someone like Syfy, it’s an affordable way to do a ‘test run’ for a property without shooting a pilot.

AW: Can you speak to the current trends in TV series production (shorter seasons with shared spots, mini-series instead of a full run, influences from and marketing through the Internet and social media) and how this new method of acquisition might improve programming?

RC: With shows now having a mid-season hiatus, the web can really open up opportunities to keep their fans engaged with supplemental content or additional storylines while waiting for the broadcast episodes to return. Social media is also a force to be reckoned with, because now fans can actually become engaged with the people behind their favorite shows, and really do become part of the team. We’ve always said that if Riese were to go to television, we’d still want to embrace the online aspects of the show as much as possible.

Browncoats: Redemption - Interview with Michael Dougherty and Heather Fagan

Before Browncoats: Redemption neither Michael Dougherty nor Heather Fagan had worked on a fan-made production. But they certainly picked the right franchise and the right fans to appeal to. Never underestimate the power of the Firefly 'Verse and its fans, the Browncoats. I suspect they will have no trouble making money on this project. Here's another trailer to set the mood.



AW: How long have you been doing pre-production work on this film?

MD: We started back in August 2008 with an idea, pitched it to the Browncoats in September, of the same year, at Dragon*Con and then did about eight or nine solid months or pre-production from then on till we filmed in April of 2009.

AW: How long in production?

MD: It ran about four months of evenings and weekends. We were very fortunate that all of our locations, except for the ship, were pre-existing so that cut down on overall construction. We filmed the entire movie over ten or eleven days at about eighteen to twenty hours a day. We wrapped filming at the end of July 2009 and moved into post-production in August of the same year.
AW: Heather, what's the deal about the flying props?

HF: One scene required a prop gun to be thrown towards me and swatted away. Unfortunately, one of the the first throws (on the first day of filming) went a little wild, the swat didn't connect, and the hard resin gun hit my head. The entire set - the entire main cast, about 80 extras, and numerous crew members - went silent while I curled up into the fetal position. Thankfully, instead of trying to figure out how to put me back together again, we had to figure out how to put the gun back together again as it had broken into at least three pieces. Ironically, Mike took over throwing the gun, and there was another fumble later in the day where the gun hit the same spot. My mom and dad always said I was stubborn, but I guess we proved that day that I really do have a hard head.

AW: Why is the Old West and expansion into space such a cozy pairing?

HF: Before Firefly aired, I was skeptical. I remember watching some ads and wondering exactly how a space western would work. And then I saw it, and it just made sense. It's easy to see how, even with all our technology, we would go back to our roots, so to speak, when colonizing other planets.

MD: I’d have to agree with Heather on this one. Old West and Space movies/shows just visually clash, prior to Firefly/Serenity, when you think of the two.

For me, Joss created a universe that allowed you to suspend your disbelief and really think that this could be what it would be like five hundred years in the future. Because of that, you stopped focusing on the fantastical settings and the story of the people became your focus.

AW: What do each of you enjoy most about the Firefly universe?

HF: The interactions between and the growth of the characters. Plus, the characters are all pretty easy on the eyes. Joss Whedon certainly picked a pretty crew.

MD: The characters are always at the top of the list, but for me it’s the stories. Firefly gives you just enough of a story that it leaves you wanting more. You want to follow this crew and their adventures, not because you’re waiting to see what aliens they will run into, but you want to learn more about the story of each character.

AW: In what ways does Heather's character, Laura Matthews, differ from Captain Malcolm Reynolds of the TV series and Serenity (besides the obvious gender thing)?

MD: I’d have to say the choices she makes. Laura doesn’t have the deep connection to the war that drives Mal. She’s had her own experiences that shape the choices she’s made. She puts ship and crew first and not always in that order. If there’s something’s wrong with the ship or the crew, she gives them what they need to repair it. She hates being diplomatic and realizes that sometimes she’s not the best person to make the deal because of that. Laura is Mal’s opposite in many ways. I often wonder what they would be like sitting across the table from each other in a bar.

AW: Does this crew have a wild card: A mysterious crewmember or an unstable one?

MD: They have a new crew member, Petra Jo Chen, which is forced upon them because they accepted a job. The crew is mostly happy with the new addition, but she rubs Laura the wrong way because she’s loud, brash, and everything that Laura is not. I wanted to stay away from the expected “unstable” character like River. It wouldn’t make the characters special just to have them be one off’s of the original characters.

AW: Is there a new enemy or someone new behind the alliance?

MD: There are some new faces behind the Alliance that are the source of the trouble for the crew of Redemption. The ‘Verse doesn’t know that Mal is the one that sent out the signal and the Alliance is looking for a public scape goat for the trouble the signal caused them. The crew of Redemption gets caught up in the whole situation by being in the wrong place at the wrong time.



AW: What can fans do to support this project? To spread the word?

MD: They can visit our website at browncoatsmovie.com or support us by following us on Twitter or Facebook, which can be reached through our website. This project will live and die by the Browncoats so we need their help to rally the troops to move the 32,000 DVD’s we need to make our goal in one year's time. Browncoats are pretty creative in how they get the word out to their friends and fellow fans. We want to make sure they have just enough information to help make the message their own.

AW: What did you most enjoy about Comic-Con?

MD: Everything. The biggest for me was meeting Joss Whedon in person, albeit briefly, and having him autograph the initial email where he gave his blessing on the project back in 2008 when we reached out to him. Hands down that brought home the scope and size of what this project means to me.

Second only to that is speaking to over 250 Browncoats about the film during the California Browncoats panel on Sunday. The overwhelmingly positive response we got to the film and the cameo announcements was worth the trip out. Hats off to the California Browncoats for having us out.

HF: Oh, wow. Where to start? There was just so much to take in, but I'd have to say that meeting Joss Whedon, even as brief as it was due to the size of his autograph line, was the icing on the cake for me.

AW: What surprised you about Comic-Con?

MD: That people would stop Heather and I to let us know they were aware of the film. It was completely unexpected, since we didn’t have a booth, but it means we, and the Browncoats that supported us, are doing an amazing job raising awareness of the film.

HF: Even though I had heard about the scope of things, and been warned about the sheer volume of people and things to do and see, it felt much more like an expo to me than a convention. I didn't expect that, although in retrospect I should have considering all of the big names that have booths there.

AW: Can you each tell me about the best thing you took away from the event and what you might do differently next time? You're going next time, right?

MD: We definitely have intentions of going next time. I think the biggest take away is to never underestimate San Diego Comic Con. We could have done more there to get the word out, but it was our first time there and we had no idea what was in store for us. We have some interesting ideas that we can’t wait to share, along with the film, at next years Comic Con.

HF: We're definitely already planning to go back. The best thing that I took away would be the same as I answered above (meeting Joss). As far as doing things differently next time, if there's ever something in Hall H that I'm interested in, I plan to camp out there all day, not just try to get in line three hours early. I'd also figure out how to make my shoes more comfortable. I thought my hiking boots and gel inserts were nice and comfy before the con started; little did I know that my feet would hate me by the end of the weekend. What I wouldn't do at the moment for a good foot massage!(Maybe I shouldn't admit that...)

AW: What's next for you, Heather?

HF: In addition to helping promote Browncoats: Redemption, I'll be filming an independent horror film in August for Nevermore Films called Metamorphosis. It will be directed by Todd Broadwater, who has also been the Art and Design Director for a number of games and action figure toy lines, including Oblivion and Fallout 3. I'll be playing the lead female role, the wife of a man going through a rather unique metamorphosis (hence the title).

AW: And you, Michael?

MD: Some mandated rest after the release of the DVD. Browncoats: Redemption has been my life, besides my wife and my day job, for two years. I'm not sure how I'll manage not working on something for a bit, but I would hate to go right into a new project without a fresh point of view. I have a script for one of our actors I'm working on tightening up and finishing up the outline for the script to the sequel for when we come around to it.





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Reading, writing, viewing and reviewing SF

This week has been a *;*&@! On the plus side, I didn't forget my radio interview this time. I was interviewed by KRCB (Rohnert Park 91.1) for the upcoming Redwood Writers 2009 Conference. I think it went pretty well. Of course, I was just warmin' up. It was only a 5 min. spot. Last time, when it was just on me, I had a whole hour. It will air Oct. 13, 9AM. The conference is the 24th of October in Santa Rosa, CA.

I just finished Immortality Factor by Ben Bova yesterday. This is a re-release. His first version published in the 90s had to have parts removed. Bova says it's not SF. It's a contemporary novel. All the science has roots in today's scientific developments.

It starts off a bit slow, but as you get to know the characters, it gets more immediate and engrossing. Full review to follow at Mostly Fiction.

Speaking of not SF, in an interview on i09, star Sonya Walger says FlashForward isn't SF. Hmmmm. Could have fooled me. Anyway, it premieres tomorrow night and I plan to watch. I even got to plug it in that 5 min. interview.

The 2009 British Fantasy Awards were announced over at Locus.

I'm currently reading the post-apocalyptic anthology, Grants Pass. I plan to interview, editor and writer Jennifer Brozek to do the usual review/interview thing. This interview will live in a SF mag, however. Details to follow. So far I'm lovin' it. But it's kind of a downer. This the tandem reading. I'm also reading Jasper Fforde's First Among Sequels, the only one of the Thursday Next novels I haven't read yet. If you missed my interview with Jasper Fforde earlier this week, make sure to give it a read.

Writing? Must do more!




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Writing and SF Turned Science

The new job is great (staff writer for a trade journal). I'm finally getting paid to write. I mean really paid. Story sales just don't do it. I shudder to think what the amount I get paid for a story looks like when divided by number of hours spent. But let's not discount the joy of creating something unique and (hopefully) entertaining. I'm planning to really crank out that sequel to Awesome Lavratt in November with all of you NanoWriMo participants. Nothin' like a deadline and peer pressure.

I'm making plans for OryCon30 in Portland, OR. Looks like a lot of fun panels in store.

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While scaring up facts for a column a few things stuck with me. I thought I'd share.

Researches at Purdue University have invented a tricorder! Check it out.

Affordable electric cars coming later this year. Read about the 2009 models. Chrysler is getting into the game. They have three prototypes for 2010. Dodge sports car, Jeep Wrangler and a Chrysler minivan.

On Sunday, the first privately developed rocket achieved Earth orbit. Go SpaceX!

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Coming soon:
Interview with Ben Bova along with a review of Mars Life.
Review of GUD (Greatest Uncommon Denominator), a SF magazine.

Awesome Lavratt Sale and whining and ranting...

For anyone who hasn't purchased their copy of Awesome Lavratt yet, for a limited time (till September 1st-ish), you can get a signed copy with free shipping (US only). Just email me. You can send a check or pay through pay-pal. $12.99.

So, everyone but me is at Worldcon. It's amazing how many of them find time to blog about it while they're there. May I just say, "Wah! Wah! Wah!"? Okay, I'm done boo hooing.

Now I'll rant. Job hunting sucks. Yesterday I went to an interview for a position for nothing. They asked for salary requirements and then apparently ignored them and had me come in for an interview anyway. Their pay scale wasn't even close. Today, I was STOOD UP for an interview! Not a call, an email, nothing! And I drove ten miles and bought my own tea at Starbucks. I guess I should have been leery anyway, that they do their meetings there. Fingers crossed for another job I have an interview for. This one is in walking distance. Pray I get it and you'll save fuel, fuel emissions, and the planet. :)

I have an exciting e-interview with a major SF author coming up right here. Stay tuned!

Horace (Whistlestop) from Awesome Lavratt is coming up on more heroics and adventures. Spent some quality time with him today. I still don't have a name for the sequel, but it's early days yet.