As expected the reading this morning was poorly attended, which is to say no one at all showed up for what’s traditionally known as the “hangover” time slot. Not too surprising, given that even GoH Cory Doctorow‘s reading was not that well attended. I don’t get it — I love readings. You can bet I…
Category: science fiction
iPod Touch Named
Just like that, it was clear. I was on the tarot and writing panel and trying to remember the name of Brian Eno’s Oblique Strategies deck, so naturally turned to my digital assistant, who located the necessary information — with a picture — in no time at all. Thank you, Ianto! I would say he…
Pi-Con Day Two
I’m listening to the Syd Barrett box set, already copied into my iTunes on Jackdaw (yes, I name my computers, musical instruments, etc.). It’s good loopy fun for early in the day. I blame Tom Stoppard for this new kick. I was never a huge Pink Floyd fan, but Rock-n-Roll piqued my interest in Barrett’s…
Because I Will Forget
I read Iain [not M.] Bank’s Walking on Glass partly on the trip to Oxford, then finished it in Kalamazoo. Enjoyable — it winds three different stories together. Two strands are mostly mimetic realism (although one character seems to be given to some paranoid delusions), while the third clearly takes place in an unfamiliar realm….
Talk of the Town
Or at least the Town Library: I’m part of a panel on the World of Tolkien at the Colonie Town Library. Here’s the skinny: 6:30 PM: The World of Tolkien- A panel discussion on the works of Tolkien and the films made (and to be made) from them. There will be insight into the roots…
The Curse
Gene forwarded a link to a Wired magazine article where Clive Thompson actually compared genre writing positively to “literature” (i.e. stories with people a lot like you* to whom very little happens except for a small epiphany by the end of the story/novel; subgenres include stories about people who have really horrible chldhoods yet survive,…
Which Torchwood Member are You?
To celebrate seeing the first episode of series 2 of Torchwood, I offer this BBC quiz. They don’t give easy cut-and-paste code, so we’ll have to go with less attractive cut and paste. You are Jack You’re a born leader – fair, charismatic, inspiring, firm, loyal to your team, and, most of all, measured and…
A Blast from the Past
Last night we joined our friends Maryann and Dee for a jaunt to The Rocky Horror Picture Show at the Palace theater (and first stopped by the Pump Station — yum!). I don’t know how many years it has been since I last saw it — hate to count ’em. It may have been back…
Missing Octavia Butler
While looking for another quote by Butler, I ran across this quote as well:Writers use everything. If it doesn’t kill you, you probably wind up using it in your writing. So true. It’s a habit that becomes part of your radar. Even in the midst of something horrible, there’s that thought — hmmm, how can…
Who: Are You?
Over at the Guardian blog there’s wild speculation about the next Doctor Who. In their usual style, there’s a breezy, written-on-the-tube-on-the-way-to-the-office starter and then the barrage of comments varying from the rabid fan to the surreal humorist. Well worth a read if only for the catty in-fighting.