Dispatches since 2005
The journal
Announcements, new editions, travel, diving, cooking and the working life of a novelist — 163 entries, all of them here in full.
December 9, 2015 · 351 words
Muppets Go Boom
After my initial analysis of The Muppets, I’ve continued watching, and come to the conclusion that one thing missing from the new show is incredible levels of violence. The reality in which the Classic Muppets lived was both plastic and volatile. Muppets were always being eaten, blown up, transformed, annihilated, stre
Read entry →December 6, 2015 · 184 words
Independence Day
It’s Finland’s Independence Day! And what better way to celebrate than to convene a singing flashmob at Helsinki’s central station? Forwarded by friend of the blog Marcus Prest, this video was made to support presidential candidate Pekka Haavisto, who made it to the final round a few years ago but lost. The song is “Fi
Read entry →December 2, 2015 · 84 words
Make 2016 Your Year!
Today, December 1, is the first day of the application period for Taos Toolbox, the master class for writers of science fiction and fantasy. This year’s instructors will be Nancy Kress and Walter Jon Williams, ably assisted by special lecturers E.M. Tippetts and James S.A. Corey. The workshop will take place July 10-23
Read entry →November 30, 2015 · 681 words
Through the Publishing Wormhole, to You!
One of the great injustices in the world is that my Praxis books have not been available as ebooks outside of North America. As a crusader for justice, I have set out to right this wrong! Not that it was easy. I had first to retrieve the rights from my U.K. publisher, which never exercised […]
Read entry →November 27, 2015 · 102 words
Subterranean Rogues from Tequila
Today I received my own personal copy of the illustrated, slipcased Rogues collection, edited by George RR Martin and Gardner Dozois, and published in a limited, signed edition of 500 by Subterranean Press. The volume has my story “Diamonds from Tequila,” as well as stories by Joe Abercrombie, Neil Gaiman, Gillian Flyn
Read entry →November 25, 2015 · 50 words
Through the Holiday
Just to let you all know, I’m continuing the 99-cent sale on Days of Atonement through the Thanksgiving holiday. Just ’cause I’m a nice guy. You may find it via Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Smashwords, Kobo, Google, and iBooks. Have a great harvest festival!
Read entry →November 24, 2015 · 119 words
Water View
Once again, we have created a calendar, this one for 2016. It features views of some lovely places one or another of us has been in the last year, including Hawaii, Lake Superior, and the Black Hills. I do this to share my life with my friends, so I don’t make any money on […]
Read entry →November 23, 2015 · 393 words
That Darn Postillion
Years ago, I heard of a phrase book used by travelers to the Russian Empire which included the useful phrase, “Alas! Our postillion has been struck by lightning!” What I didn’t realize until today was that the unfortunate lightning-struck postillion had become a kind of folk meme transmitted down nearly a century, and
Read entry →November 17, 2015 · 94 words
Taos Toolbox, Rousing from its Hibernation
Yes, there will be a Taos Toolbox next year! I’ve had to delay the announcement due to our losing our lodging, and to the fact that there will be massive construction in the Ski Valley next year. The master class for writers of science fiction and fantasy will be held July 10-23, 2016, at Angel […]
Read entry →November 14, 2015 · 466 words
Holm/Rousey
I’m just back from seeing Penn and Teller at the Route 66 Casino, west of Albuquerque and owned, I believe, by the Laguna tribe. (Indian casinos seem to own most of the new concert venues.) The concert was great fun, though I was a bit disappointed that I’d recently seen almost all the tricks on […]
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