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Gender Imbalance Discussion
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Jul. 2nd, 2008 @ 03:29 pm
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Mind Meld now has a discussion up on "Is There Gender Imbalance in Genre Fiction Publishing?", in which yours truly participated. Interesting takes on the issue by a number of interesting folks. Worth a read. |
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Story up
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Jul. 1st, 2008 @ 12:16 pm
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My short story "An Act of Conviction" is now up at Helix. |
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Clarion West Write-a-thon 2008
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Jun. 20th, 2008 @ 12:58 pm
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It's that time of year again, the brilliant workshop that turned my life around, and once again I will be participating to try to give something back that Clarion West gave me. Among other things, I have pledged to meet donations from sponsors up to $100. I am also offering Tuckerizations to sponsors who are so inclined:
6 minor characters - $20 each
1 secondary character, semi-antagonist, male - $30
1 (remote) love interest, female - $40
1 female narrator - $50
More details available on my Clarion West Write-a-thon page.
Current Mood: Still jetlagged |
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Another sale
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Jun. 6th, 2008 @ 09:49 pm
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Sold my zombie unicorns in space story "Ghosts of Dead Ideas" to the newish mag Renard's Menagerie.
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A couple of announcements
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Jun. 4th, 2008 @ 08:16 pm
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I sold my short story "Troy and the Aliens" (for the second time) to Abyss & Apex. It's scheduled to come out in the fourth quarter. The first sale was to NFG, but the magazine folded before the story could appear. Here's hoping I don't kill A&A too ...
I also have a new piece up at IROSF, "The Parrots of Bad Cannstatt." It's a condensed version of the talk I gave at Italcon in Fiuggi in March.
Otherwise, very busy trying to find bugs in the German version of Eclipse while writing a new novel on the side.
Current Music: The whirring of hundreds of computers |
| » A kind of placeholder |
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I've been meaning for a long time to write a report of Villa Diodati 2, but the time between when I got back and flying to the Triangle for the next Eclipse test was utterly crazy, and once I got here, a combination of jetlag and stress and forgetfulness kept me from updating. So here's a link salad of various things I've been meaning to write about:
Aliette's report on the workshop
Floris's report on the workshop
My pics from Jaulzy.
Pics from recent story research (to supplement memory *g*)
Updates to the Villa Diodati page to follow -- sometime. Me not having the LJ gene and all ...
May. 28th, 2008 @ 04:29 am
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| » 1237 Steps to Enlightenment |
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For our last outing in Thailand, we went to the Tiger Cave Temple north of Krabi with a rental car. The big draw there is Buddha's footprint at the top of the "hill" -- one of those karst formations dotting the landscape all around Krabi province. In order to get up there, you need to climb over 1200 steps, some of them very steep. We did it -- on a very hot Thai spring day. My knees still haven't recovered. There was a stunning view from the top, however, and as drenched in sweat as I was, it was worth the climb.
After all the steps, we went to a national park, Khao Phanom Bencha, and hiked up to a waterfall. I suspect after the rainy season there's a bit more water than there was when we were there, but it was still quite beautiful.
Then on our way back to Ao Nang, we took in Noppharat Thara Bay. Dramatic scenery wherever we went; another perfect day. And the sunset that evening was amazing -- as it had been the night before.
This trip made us into Thailand and Cambodia fans, and we definitely plan to get back to both countries.
Apr. 22nd, 2008 @ 08:07 pm
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| » Ideas and Sale |
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A new piece with Jay Lake on idea generation is up at IROSF.
I also sold a short story to Tales of Moreauvia, "To Act the Witch," an alternate-history-fantasy piece set in a Restoration England in which Charles II did not die from being overbled by overzealous physicians and the revolution was alchemical rather than "scientific."
Hoping to get the rest of my pictures from the Thailand / Cambodia trip up today, along with a final report.
Apr. 19th, 2008 @ 12:46 pm
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| » Ao Nang, Krabi |
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The scenery here in Ao Nang is absolutely beautiful. The coast is dotted with dramatic karst formations like the one right behind our hotel, a lovely setting for swimming. The hotel itself, Peace Laguna Resort, is beautifully landscaped around said lagoon, with three pools and very well designed bungalows in addition to the main house, which inspired Lonely Planet to describe it as "a little like Eden" -- the main reason I booked this particular hotel. Chris and I have decided that as far as the setup is concerned, it's probably the nicest place we've ever stayed. (Although the room itself is average, but we're not hanging out here much.)
After a day at the pool and the beach and checking out the tourist strip, we took a speed boat tour of some of the local islands. Ko Phi Phi was a bit of a disappointment, with ships lining one bay and umbrellas lining the other and a narrow street full of young Western tourists in the middle. It was kind of funny to see the ferry from Phuket arrive, however, and all the backpacks get off.
My favorite island on the tour was Bamboo Island, where we found a lovely little beach to ourselves, that unfortunately we had to leave again too soon.
We also stopped for snorkeling several times, and that was great fun. It isn't as impressive here as it was on the Red Sea, but it's still a bit like swimming in an aquarium with all the beautiful fish around you.
There's a whole industry that has built up here for entertaining tourists who don't want to spend every day roasting themselves in the sun, and the next outing we booked was a combination kayaking trip and elephant trekking. (I vetoed all day kayaking because I knew my arms and back weren't in shape for that kind of exercise anymore. And after our 15-20 kilometer stint was over, Chris admitted I was right.)
But it was stunning, not-to-be-missed, and I'm very glad we did it. More beautiful scenery, rock formations, swamps of mangroves, monkeys in the trees above.
The elephants were quite an experience too. Takes some getting used to, swaying so high above the ground on a rather stubborn beast that likes to stop and pull out large clumps of vegetation on a regular basis.
This evening we rented a car and will be off on our own tomorrow. Probably no more from me until I get back to Germany.
Apr. 8th, 2008 @ 06:08 pm
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| » More Cambodia from Thailand |
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We did a speed boat tour to Ko Phi Phi and several other islands with snorkeling yesterday, but I still have to catch up on Cambodia a bit before going into that in any detail.
All together, we saw over a dozen temples in the Siem Reap area. We didn't visit Angkor Wat until the second day, but we drove past it on the way to Angkor Thom, and my first glimpse of it had me practically high with happiness, yet another dream come true.
And the Angkor temples really are a dream come true, more impressive in person than they could ever be from pictures. It was atrociously hot, and we were suffering from sensory and mental overload, but after seeing so many extensive temple complexes in so few days, and knowing that there are still so many in the area that we didn't see, the overall impression is one of awe.
On the first day, we concentrated on temples and buildings in the Angkor Thom and Roluos group complexes, including Bayon, the Terrace of Elephants, the Terrace of the Leper King, Lolei, Preah Ko and Bakong. That was pretty exhausting after an early morning flight to Siem Reap, and we just had dinner in the hotel. But Angkor Thom was a stunning start to a stunning trip.
On the second day, we visited Banteay Kdei, Ta Keo, Ta Prohm (a fascinating temple that the jungle has nearly reclaimed), Prasat Kravan, and Angkor Wat, where we spent most of the (very hot) afternoon. Our visit was enlivened by temple monkeys -- literally. That evening, we took in a traditional dance performance, which is referred to in Cambodia as Apsara, although it is definitely not the same thing as the sensual dancing girls lining the walls of Angkor Wat and other temples.
On the third day, we saw Banteay Srei, Banteay Samre, and Pre Rup. We also stopped at a village where we got a chance to talk to some of the children, who spoke very good English. After a pool break, we went to the lake Tonle Sap, where we visited a fishing village on the lake. That evening, we finally got into downtown Siem Reap for dinner -- and the atmosphere was amazing. I may not be young anymore, but I can still appreciate a party scene when I see one, at least for a little while. After dinner, we decided to test the Cambodian cocktails (not too impressive, but *very* inexpensive). While we were enjoying the advantage of the fan next to our table, power suddenly went out for the whole block, accompanied by screams and laughter. Very business-like, the waitresses just proceeded to bring candles to all the tables.
Last night, Chris and I realized that only a week ago we were visiting the Grand Palace in Bangkok. Time seems to be distended with all the fascinating sights we're seeing. Yes, time does fly when you're having fun, and we are, oh, we are, but you hop so many cultural boundaries in only a handful of days, relative time can't hack it and distorts.
I wonder if there is already a physical law for that.
Apr. 6th, 2008 @ 12:28 pm
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| » Cambodia, mon amour |
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Something very strange has happened to me that I didn't expect -- I absolutely *loved* Cambodia. Yes, ever since the country has become accessible to tourists I've dreamed about going to see the temple of Angkor Wat and the many other nearby temple complexes, and they were indescribably impressive. But it was more than that. The country is very, very foreign, but at the same time I found myself in awe of the friendly energy of a people who have been through so much in the last few decades that many people would sink into resentment and anger and never find their way out again.
Which in the case of the Cambodians would be thoroughly justified.
Instead, I found a country that is bursting at the seams with change. It's not all good, of course -- our guide had many stories of the everyday corruption that runs things. But the atmosphere was astonishingly cheerful, and the energy of a country that is in the midst of a major transition everywhere.
But on to the temples. I'm afraid it will be almost impossible for me to describe the many extensive ruins we visited in only three days. The names won't mean much to most anyway, other than Ankgor Wat, of course -- the only name I was really familiar with before we went. Instead, I offer images. Perhaps in the course of the week, now that we are on a calmer schedule here in Ao Nang, I can provide some details.
Tomorrow we are off to Ko Phi Phi, famous from the movie "The Beach" with Leonardo DiCaprio which I never saw. My daughter loved it there, so it is a must-see. And in her honor tonight I also had fried rice in pineapple, a recipe she brought back from Thailand when she was here.
Apr. 4th, 2008 @ 06:45 pm
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| » Three nights in Bangkok |
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We arrived in here in Bangkok in the early morning hours, to a hot, muggy big city morning. By the time we got to our hotel, it was about nine a.m., but luckily they had a room for us only an hour later -- and then we slept. May sound like a waste of time, but we were flying from Frankfurt overnight, arriving our time here about midnight (even that before our usual bedtime back home) and we didn't really sleep on the plane.
After a "nap" of about four hours, we hit the pool for some sun and a bit more sleep. Once we were semi-recovered from the flight, we set out to explore and ended up eating -- fabulously. Spicy prawn salad, chicken fried in garlic and pepper, and veggies with tofu and pork. As it was just getting dark, we took the hotel boat shuttle to the main river station at Taksin and wandered, taking in our first couple of temples and the busy night shopping streets of Bangkok.
Day two, we took the boats nearly all the way up the Chao Phraya to the old town. First we visited the Grand Palace and Wat Phra Kaeo, which has the temple housing the Emerald Buddha. Hot, hot, hot, but well worth the effort. The architecture in these enclosed temple areas is like a fairy tale. After that, we walked to Wat Pho, which has the huge reclining Buddha -- and several hundred other Buddhas besides. From the pier, we then took a ferry across the river to Wat Arun, which is right next to the water and looks stunning from the boat.
We had originally intended to hope a couple more boats that day and see many more sights, but as hot and tired and sweaty as we were, we ended up back at the hotel.
Today, out third and last day, we took the boat to Chinatown and did the pushing through the markets thing. I swear, today was hotter than either of the previous two days, and we ended up pretty miserable pretty fast. Nonetheless, we wandered through Chinatown all the way to the edge and Wat Traimit, which boasts a huge buddha of pure gold. According to our guide books, no one knew what a treasure they had on their hands until the fifties, when the temple was being renovated. While moving the buddha, some of the plaster cracked and broke off, revealing the gold. The theory is that the buddha was plastered over during a period of invasion to protect it, and it worked.
After another stop in the old diplomatic district of Bangkok, we were ready for some pool time. Once it was getting close to pool closing time (6 p.m. at the Menem Riverside), we took off for some more unbelievably wonderful food -- and then also treated ourselves to foot and shoulder massages.
Life is good.
Tomorrow we must be up very early to catch the plane to Siem Reap for a whole bunch more temples.
Mar. 30th, 2008 @ 04:07 pm
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| » Fiuggi and Beyond |
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Got back from my first GoH gig last week, Italcon / Deepcon in Fiuggi southeast of Rome. Had a wonderful time, met wonderful people, and signed many many books.
Soon we will be off to Thailand and Cambodia. Depending on Internet availability, I may post some pics and reports.
Mar. 25th, 2008 @ 03:42 pm
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| » If Tears Were Wishes |
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.. is now up at Abyss and Apex.
In other news, my story "An Act of Conviction" has sold to Helix.
Germany is cold and sunny. My daughter is in India and my son is finishing his thesis. My family took me out to familiar beloved places when I was back in the Northwest in January. The Villa Diodati Workshop will be meeting again at a lovely location in France the end of April. Unfortunately, however, it looks as if all the slots are already taken.
Quiet time here for a bit again until my GoH gig in Italy and then our trip to Thailand and Cambodia end of March beginning of April. If I can manage to find Internet cafes, I may try to document that one.
Feb. 14th, 2008 @ 12:32 am
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| » Christmas (market) pics |
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Pics of the Esslingen Mittelaltermarkt (medieval Christmas market) are here.
Enjoy, and happy holidays!
Dec. 20th, 2007 @ 01:12 am
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| » A new way of making a book |
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One of my Codex buddies, Nancy Fulda, has come up with a cool new idea for putting together your own personalized anthology, AnthologyBuilder. It's still in Beta, but it's getting attention already.
Check it out!
Dec. 18th, 2007 @ 11:39 pm
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| » Mars: A Traveler's Guide |
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John Joseph Adams put up an interview with me about "Mars: A Traveler's Guide." Also, some nice reviews of the story already here and here.
Dec. 10th, 2007 @ 05:41 pm
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| » If Tears Were Wishes |
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Sold my story "If Tears Were Wishes" to Abyss and Apex. It's a 4600 word dark and light contemporary fantasy set in my old home town of Eugene, with second generation hippies and revenge and the consequences of having tears that will grant wishes. I'm very glad it found a home.
Dec. 6th, 2007 @ 01:47 pm
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| » In the spirit of time travel |
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Now that Nanowrimo is over and I didn't win, "only" managing a 27,000+ word chunk in the new novel Shadow of Stone, I took a day off today to do some much needed updating of my web page and upload more travel pics to my Flickr site. Trip this time is to Malta and Gozo in October 2004.
Ooof. Back to numerous outstanding collab projects tomorrow ...
Dec. 2nd, 2007 @ 12:33 am
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| » My first GoH gig |
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I've been asked to be a Guest of Honor at the annual ItalCon / DeepCon in Fiuggi next year, March 13 - 16, 2008. Two other guests have already confirmed, the actors Claudia Christian from Babylon 5 and Tom Braidwood from X-Files. They are still trying to get Neil Gaiman -- now how cool would that be, to be a GoH next to Neil Gaiman?!
Dec. 1st, 2007 @ 10:07 pm
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