Dispatches since 2005
The journal
Announcements, new editions, travel, diving, cooking and the working life of a novelist — 3,174 entries, all of them here in full.
July 30, 2015 · 262 words
The Return . . .
So you all said you wanted more Caroline Sula, the heroine of the Praxis novels. I wrote “Investments,” which featured co-protagonists Martinez and Severin, and you all said, “Thanks, Walter, that was very nice, but we want more Sula!“ Well, I hope to heck you all meant what you said, because I’ve just sold “Impersonat
Read entry →July 29, 2015 · 461 words
Superior Moon
Here we view Lake Superior beneath a (nearly) full moon. The first part of my road trip was full of frenzied travel, the second filled with visits to relatives, and now I’m on my own and kicking back. I’ve rented a one-bedroom “condo” with a kitchen, and tonight I roasted myself a chicken, ate it […]
Read entry →July 27, 2015 · 54 words
Wisdom from the Marmot
If you’re at least as smart as your average marmot, you’ll want to subscribe to my newsletter and get a free Hugo- and Nebula-nominated ebook! Now I call that equitable! (If you’re already a subscriber, you’ve already received an email offering the ebook, so you won’t have to join all over again.)
Read entry →July 27, 2015 · 149 words
Misty Morning
Here through the mist we see the Edgar A. Speer taking on a cargo of taconite, which is the shit iron ore we’re left with after the good stuff has been mined. Below in the mist, the little boat seems a visitor from another world. Taconite, by the way, can be turned into steel, but only through […]
Read entry →July 27, 2015 · 102 words
North Shore Sunset
I’ve spent several days on the Iron Range enjoying the warm hospitality of my relations. The only drawback of being in that lovely part of the world is that the whole region seems a stranger to actual high-speed internet. Twice I found myself eating a truly mediocre lunch in a restaurant because they had […]
Read entry →July 24, 2015 · 737 words
Duluth
As the photo will attest, my wanderings have taken me to the city of my birth and the original source of my literary inspiration, Duluth, Minn. Alas, the sign on the city limits, “Birthplace of Walter Jon Williams,” seems to have been taken down for repair. (And honestly, who else do they have? They […]
Read entry →July 21, 2015 · 437 words
Glorious Sights of Kansas (Volume 1)
I could open this essay with a lame joke about Dorothy not being in Kansas anymore, but I think it’s better if you just imagine it. Anyway, if Dorothy were in Kansas she’d be able to look at space capsules and an SR-71 Blackbird and many other aerospace goodies, that is if Dorothy were in Hutchinson, […]
Read entry →July 18, 2015 · 121 words
Road Trip
I’m on the road, looking for America or the world’s best BBQ or maybe just lightin’ out for the territory. Kathy’s decided to remodel the kitchen, which will involve about a month’s worth of destruction, construction, inconvenience, and noise. I found myself unable to work, eat, or sleep, and so I’m going on a road [&h
Read entry →July 16, 2015 · 94 words
Punchdrunk
So I’ve been trying to wrangle some software to do some basic, simple tasks, and it’s taken three days. Three whole days I’ll never see again. Three days in which, believe me, I’ve had a lot of other things to do. This isn’t helped by the fact that Comcast has apparently decided I’m not allowed to […]
Read entry →July 13, 2015 · 304 words
Customer Service
So Walter, I hear you asking, how did you spend your lovely Monday afternoon? Why, I was dealing with Comcast Customer Service, and it was the most pleasant thing in all the world. To give you an idea of the utter pleasantness of the whole thing, I refer you to the letter below, which I wrote to […]
Read entry →July 10, 2015 · 322 words
Wrapping Up the Bear
The 2015 edition of Taos Toolbox is over, save for the big celebratory dinner tonight. The students were a talented, ambitious crew, and they worked hard, which meant Nancy and I had to work hard, too. The students have scattered all over the county, shopping or sightseeing or just getting away. I’m just bumping around
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