Cool stuff I'm doing and cool books I'm not reading

Well, I did finally find, or rather hubby did, the sequel to that not-so-fantastical The Last Policeman series. But, meanwhile, I'm struggling to find any reading time at all with my September events in full swing. If you're in the Santa Rosa, CA area on September 21st with a few hours to spare, I desperately need some room monitors for the Sonoma County Book Festival. And if you're going to the Kendall Jackson Heirloom Tomato Festival on September 28th, I just might be taking your ticket.

I'm reading a pretty decent book by Doug Sharp, Channel Zilch, published by Panverse. Really want to throw my Pandigital e-reader across the room, though. It shouldn't take three to five swipes to finally get the page to turn. Very frustrating! And I actually requested a collection of shorts by a newbie that's self-published. Then, of course, there's Gardner Dozois' tome, The Year's Best Science Fiction. I'm feeling a little like Burgess Meredith's character in that classic Twilight Zone episode. Uninterupted reading time would be lovely. Then I might even get to writing as well.

Speaking of Gardner, if you're not FB friends with him, you're missing out. He writes hysterical little bits on the celebrations of the day. My favorite of the ones I've read is the "leave a zucchini on the doorstep and run" day. I just tried to find it, so I could quote from it, but couldn't. Anyway, very entertaining stuff.

I promised a piece to a friend for a domestic violence awareness thing and signed up to do an exquisite corpse and a voice part for a podnovel. I really need to learn my limitations. But there are so many delicious opportunities out there. If only they all paid. ;)

Want to join me for the Exquisite Corpse? It's in San Francisco on October 2. We write a play together and then see it performed by improv actors on the spot. How cool is that? Leave a comment here and I'll tell you more.

Now, since I mentioned it, I just have to slip it in here (and not for the first time).



If you're a Twilight Zone fan, you'll love my short fiction. They are very much like Twilight Zone episodes. Some of it's available online still. Check out the list on my website at www.annwilkes.com.

In SF News...
Apex magazine is losing its Editor-in-Chief and Managing Editor as Lynne M. Thomas and Michael Damian Thomas (respectively) step down. Lynn, who took the reins from Catherynne M. Valente two years ago, told Locus that she needed a break and looked forward to taking up other projects after that.

So, how many Harry Potter fans out there have read her trilogy apparently written for charity entitled Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them? Any good? Well, if so, you'll be glad to hear J.K. Rowling will be writing screenplays for them for Warner Bros. Check out the article at Tor.com.

Do tricks, get treats

HURRY! This first contest is today (Wednesday, October 19th) only!

Log onto Twitter for your chance to win tickets to the LA premiere of IN TIME, starring Justin Timberlake and Amanda Seyfried!

Tweet #intimepremiere today to see a virtual map with the location of the ticket giveaways. There will be five people secretly located around Los Angeles with pairs of premiere tickets to give to fans. As the amount of tweets increase,the closer you'll be to discovering the secret giveaway locations... until time runs out.

Each time fans reach a tweet goal, the virtual map will zoom closer to reveal the location. Be one of the first on the scene and say the passphrase "Every second counts" to claim your tickets to the LA premiere on Thursday, October 20th.

Visit www.intimemovie.com to begin the race!


IN TIME

Thriller
Release: October 28, 2011
Written and directed by: Andrew Niccol
Producers: Eric Newman, Marc Abraham
Cast: Justin Timberlake, Amanda Seyfried, Cillian Murphy, Vincent Kartheiser, Alex Pettyfer, Johnny Galecki
Synopsis: In a future where time is literally money, and aging stops at 25, the only way to stay alive is to earn, steal, or inherit more time. Will Salas lives life a minute at a time, until a windfall of time gives him access to the world of the wealthy, where he teams up with a beautiful young heiress to destroy the corrupt system.

And how about a chance to win a Worldcon membership and more?

SALUTE THE FANDOM CHICON SWEEPSTAKES

Phoenix Pick / Arc Manor will give one lucky recipient a full voting
membership to Chicon 7 (the 70th World Science Fiction Convention) PLUS a
dinner with select authors including Guest of Honor Mike Resnick. Three
runners-up will also get an invitation to the fully paid dinner.

No purchase is necessary to participate. Sign up at www.PhoenixPick.com

Winners will be notified February 15, 2012.

Chicon 7 will be held in Chicago from August 30 to September 3, 2012.

And now avid SF Readers can find all the best titles in one place. See what you think of Adam Doppelt's BestSFBooks site which rates books by awards they were nominated for or have received. It looks a little like my book shelf...