The New York Times Magazine has a glowing tribute to SFWA lifetime member, Jack Vance. If you haven’t read his work before, this article will make you want to do so now. It’s nice to see one of our best recognized.
If you are writing fiction that’s set at any point in the real world’s history, the subject of research can take up countless hours of time. The nitty details can tie up you up while writing anything from alternate history to urban fantasy. Sometimes though, you just need to know a quick date to set the background of your story.
Check out the Google News Timeline, as a quick place to start your search.
With the publishing industry shifting so rapidly now, it’s always interesting to see what people think the new paradigm will be. Bernard Lunn takes a look at it in a two part article at ReadWriteWeb. As with any set of predictions it’s just guesswork, but guesses worth reading.
Kevin Hosey has had short stories published by Simon and Schuster. His first novel is currently going through the editorial gauntlet at a major publisher.
Canadian hard-SF writer Robert J. Sawyer has won the Nebula, Hugo, John W. Campbell Memorial, Aurora, and Seiun awards, all for year’s best novel.
At our sister site, NebulaAwards.com, Charles Tan talks with Nebula-nominated author, Mike Allen, about his story “The Button Bin.”
When attending a social function–whether it’s a small gathering at someone’s home, or a political fundraiser, or a room party at a convention–you are being gifted with the opportunity to meet, mingle, and make contact with a wide variety of people. What I intend to do here is give some pointers on how to get the most out of any social gathering, whether you’re there for business or for pleasure.
Jim C. Hines’ latest book is The Mermaid’s Madness, his 5th book with DAW. He hangs out online at www.jimchines.com
Charles Brown
(1937-2009)
Locus magazine is reporting the very sad news that Charles Brown has passed away. He was a major force in the industry and will be missed.
So here it is. You’re a fairly “new” writer, or at least new to the convention scene, and you desperately want to make some industry contacts in the hopes that it will make it easier to get an agent/sell your work/quit your day job and hire a cabana boy/any of the above. You decide to go to a convention, perhaps picking one of the “big” ones such as WorldCon, or World Fantasy, because you’ve heard that editors and agents are absolutely spilling out the doors.
Here are some guidelines/rules/suggestions to go by:
A mysterious platform appears off the South American coast overnight. Science journalist and popular TV host Sahalie Spark is sure it’s no oil rig. It’s the world’s first space elevator, and despite dangers she’s about to make the first ascent.
A veteran award-winning author of 20 thrilling young adult and middle grade metaphysical adventures–including The Translucent Boy series–Tom Hoffman received a B.S. in psychology from Georgetown University and has lived in Alaska since 1972.
