Science fiction author, Joe Haldeman

I was introduced to Joe Haldeman's work in the pages of Analog Science Fiction and Fact, where I read Marsbound, the first book (which was serialized there) in that trilogy. Haldeman has authored over 30 books. He's received Hugos and Nebulas for short story, novella and novel and several other prestigious awards for his science fiction novels and stories. He teaches writing as an adjunct professor at MIT. I'm sorry I didn't get to meet him in person at Radcon. He was billed as the husband of the Fan GOH, Gay Haldeman. Behind every great man...

When you're done with the interview, don't forget to check out my review of Starbound at Mostly Fiction Book Reviews later today.
(photograph by Mary G. Haldeman)

AW: How are you? I know you experienced some medical problems last year and into this one.

JH: Recovering pretty fast. The docs say it will take a year (until September) to get back to normal strength, after months of confinement. But I managed eleven miles on the bicycle a couple of days ago and hope to do a twenty-miler within the month.

AW: What themes run through your sci-fi stories and novels?

JH: Identity, responsibility, love, understanding. Big machines and explosions. Anything except the term "sci-fi," which is odious.

AW: Why is "sci-fi" odious? Is it like someone calling our beloved San Francisco, Frisco?

JH: Ann, the neologism "sci-fi" demeans and trivializes science fiction.

It's not the word's definition. It's the connotation.

AW: Is your wife, Gay, your number one first reader?

JH: We don't have a regular schedule. She often is the first person besides me to read one of my books.

AW: Do you launch a new story or novel from a character, a "what if?" or a world?

JH: Depends on the story. The current one, Earthbound(sequel to Marsbound and Starbound) started with a character. Camouflage started with an idea, a what-if, generated by a science-fiction world. The Hemingway Hoax was a literary challenge. The Forever War started with a line (the first line of the book).

AW: When did you begin writing? Has it always been science fiction?

JH: I began writing poetry in the second or third grade. At least four of my books are not science fiction.

AW: Tell me about your most memorable con or book signing experience.

JH: Winning my first Hugo, for The Forever War, was my most memorable convention experience. I was on top of the world. Heinlein was there and congratulated me. He said he had read the book three times.

AW: Do you read other genres? Which ones? Does this help with your science fiction writing?

JH: I like to read mysteries when I'm traveling. I've read westerns, biking out west. I'll read any genre except romance, and little high fantasy. Every book I read has some influence on my writing.

AW: In Marsbound and Starbound you feature a unique take on first contact. How did you come up with the idea of a race created by aliens to communicate with us?

JH: The idea actually came from thinking about mayflies; insects that only live for hours. If they were intelligent, how would we communicate with them? We might create a translator race, fast enough to talk to them but not too fast to talk with us. (Or a series of translators.) The Others in the Marsbound trilogy are creatures who live so long and so slowly that we are like mayflies to them.

AW: What are you working on now?

JH: Earthbound, the last book in the Marsbound trilogy.

Visit Joe Haldeman's Web page.

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Avatar and Dr. Who

Sadly, David Tennant is leaving Dr. Who. Check out this video interview with him and Russel T. Davies conducted by Richard Metzger right after ComicCon this year. He will be missed.

I saw Avatar in 3D on Friday. All I can say is, "Wow!" OK, maybe I can say a bit more. I kind of went in thinking I'd enjoy the animation, but the plot would be a well-worn one. I was wrong. I've seen other movies where we're the aliens. In fact, I reviewed Battle for Terra last April, which had a very similar plot. That movie was animated and had many of the same elements. The military is desperate to terraform this other inhabited planet because ours is dead and we're wandering in generational ships looking for a home.

Avatar made that movie seem like a little cartoon. Avatar wasn't just a movie, it was an experience. It's a little long at almost 3 hrs, but it was exactly as long as it needed to be.

I was furious with the military general and my Cherokee blood did boil at the way white men were clearing the land of natives again. I'd like to think that by the time we can reach other habitable planets, we'll behave better. But don't you think that the African slaves or the American Indians in the U.S. of the 19th century thought we'd have learned by now? That kind of thing is still going on today. There are still slaves in the southern U.S. if you know where to look. There are still "ethnic cleansings" going on in Africa, the Balkans, Southeast Asia and the Middle East. I'm sure I've forgotten some regions here.

Well, hurray for Avatar for making us think and making us mad. Well done all around.

Look for an interview with Cat Rambo on Christmas day. Merry Christmas!



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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

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.

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.