Dispatches since 2005
The journal
Announcements, new editions, travel, diving, cooking and the working life of a novelist — 178 entries, all of them here in full.
December 6, 2014 · 381 words
What I Are Watching
A few months ago I asked for recommendations about what I should be watching on the tube, and I’m pleased to report that I’m enjoying some of your recommendations. I’m finding “Continuum” pretty darn good, though I think Keira loses points for somehow not noticing that she is a jackbooted enforcer for an illegitimate s
Read entry →December 2, 2014 · 71 words
Toolbox in the House!
December 1 is the first date for applications for Taos Toolbox, the master class for science fiction and fantasy, taught by Nancy Kress, yours truly, and special lecturer Carrie Vaughn. The workshop will take place June 28-July 11, 2015, at the Snow Bear Lodge in beautiful Taos Ski Valley. If you’re serious about a wri
Read entry →December 2, 2014 · 98 words
Episode Five
Part Five of the Hardwired serial is now available at Barnes & Noble, Kobo, Amazon, and Smashwords. Apparently the folks at iBooks are still hung over from the holiday weekend, since I don’t see it there. It should be there soon, however, possibly by the time you read this. [UPDATE: Here’s your iBooks link.] In Episode
Read entry →November 27, 2014 · 163 words
Holiday Tradition
It’s a Thanksgiving tradition, apparently, for people in the UK to fill out maps of the US. Which has happened again this year. They seem pretty good sports about it, too. It seems a little unfair. We don’t spend our Bank Holiday Weekends trying to identify Old Jersey, Old York, and Old Hampshire. Apparently […]
Read entry →November 25, 2014 · 799 words
Remembrance of Kings Past
While noodling around on Tor.com after admiring the John Picacio art on my story, I found an essay by the excellent and learnèd Ada Palmer on Shakespeare in the Age of Netflix, with emphasis on BBC’s recent Hollow Crown series, which I recommend as an excellent analysis of the problems of staging (or filming) the plays
Read entry →November 21, 2014 · 131 words
Indoor Entertainment
If you live anywhere in North America, the overwhelming likelihood is that your weekend weather forecast is going to completely suck, and you’ll probably be spending most if not all of the weekend indoors, where it’s warm. Lucky you! That means you can brighten your weekend with a brand-new story from me, and it’s free
Read entry →November 21, 2014 · 44 words
Let Toolbox be Toolbox
Time for a reminder/brief rant reminding you that Taos Toolbox, the master class for SF & Fantasy, will be accepting applications starting December 1. If you’re serious about building your career as a writer, you might want to start putting your application together.
Read entry →November 18, 2014 · 952 words
Reviews Too Late: Solemnity
While I was traveling, I caught up with some recent pop-culture blockbusters (by watching them on airplanes), and now I have a question: Where did all the damn solemnity come from? When you watch a genre film, there are certain things you have a right to expect from that genre. And when you find that these […]
Read entry →November 15, 2014 · 395 words
Meanwhile, in an Alternate Present
While I was abroad I had a story published and didn’t know it. My story “Road Kill” is now available in the the latest Wild Cards collection, Lowball, edited by George RR Martin and Melinda Snodgrass. Pretty nifty cover, ne? If you’re unfamiliar with the Wild Cards universe, I’d suggest that you not start with this one
Read entry →November 14, 2014 · 54 words
Listen to Me Talk For A Whole Hour, Nearly
This week I was on the John Mac Radio Show, and I talked for nearly an hour. If this is of interest, I urge you to check it out. I was late in turning up for my own interview, so there’s a certain amount of vamping at the start, for which I apologize.
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