Dispatches since 2005
The journal
Announcements, new editions, travel, diving, cooking and the working life of a novelist — 162 entries, all of them here in full.
December 2, 2017 · 117 words
Adventure Log
As we have so many times in the past, we’re making a calendar available for our friends and readers. It features photos from our Baltic journey of the summer, along with views of the Grand Tetons, Yellowstone, and the eclipse of August 2017. It also features holidays and other important dates for the US, Canada, [&hell
Read entry →December 1, 2017 · 365 words
Palace of Mystery and Message
Eltham Palace, near Greenwich, was given to Edward II in 1305, and was used as a royal residence for over three centuries. Henry VIII and his sisters were raised there. But the palace was wrecked during the English Civil War, and after the rebuilding of Greenwich Palace under Charles II, Eltham was used less and [&hell
Read entry →November 27, 2017 · 60 words
I Speak to Hobbitses
This Wednesday, November 29, at 6:30 pm, I will be addressing the Hobbit Society at the University of New Mexico. The event will be held at the Honors College, on the lower plaza or ground level of the Student Health Center building. I’ll be talking about Quillifer and other subjects of relevance. It’s open to the publ
Read entry →November 27, 2017 · 67 words
Coming December 1
Just a reminder that December 1 is the first day for submissions to Taos Toolbox, the master class for writers of science fiction and fantasy. The workshop will run June 17-30, 2018, and will be taught by Nancy Kress, Walter Jon Williams, George RR Martin, Carrie Vaughn, and EM Tippetts. Assuming that you want to [&hel
Read entry →November 23, 2017 · 494 words
Cover Art
John Scalzi sent me the cover of the Italian edition of his novel The Collapsing Empire, which may look just a little bit familiar to you. It uses the same piece of stock art (by Innovari) that I used for my own editions, ebook and paperback, of Angel Station. Furthermore, I know of at least one […]
Read entry →November 19, 2017 · 50 words
La Zona Tropical
Possibly because the weekend made it clear that winter is here, I’ve decided to create and live in my own tropical zone. Let’s start with some music! Here’s the Oceanic band Te Vaka singing “Papa E.” Which should not be confused with another song called “E Papa,” by Carlos Santana.
Read entry →November 17, 2017 · 150 words
Don’t Blame the King
Here we have the famous Vasa, a 64-gun ship of the line commissioned (and largely designed) by Gustavus Adolphus, which capsized and sunk after sailing something less than a mile on its maiden voyage. It was salvaged intact in 1961, and now is permanently moored in a house built for the purpose. You have to say [&helli
Read entry →November 15, 2017 · 237 words
Yes This Is A Game
So the Kremlin released “irrefutable proof” that the US is aiding the Islamic State in Syria, by using AC-130 gunships to cover fleeing IS troops in order to use the survivors to further dastardly American objectives in the region. (Even given the confusion and bizarre policy shifts of the US in the area, I find [&hell
Read entry →November 14, 2017 · 107 words
Skyscape
I’ve come down with the same upper-respiratory infection that I’ve had on five previous occasions over the last year. I’m pretty well disgusted with it by now— though I know it’ll be over within a week, I can also look forward to getting it again inside the next two months. Yes, I have an […]
Read entry →November 10, 2017 · 268 words
My Favorite Season
It’s my favorite time of year. Summer in New Mexico is too hot and I spend my days hiding under the air conditioner. During spring a ferocious dry wind can blow for weeks, even months, sucking the moisture out of everything living. Winter is mild, as winters go, but it’s still winter, and I’m allergic. That […]
Read entry →November 9, 2017 · 575 words
Memoirs
I’ve spent six of the last seven days either traveling to the World Fantasy Convention in San Antonio, or attending, or traveling home. I’m very tired now, and in retrospect I probably shouldn’t have tried quite so hard to have a good time. My reading on the trip out was Just Kids, Patti Smith’s memoir of […]
Read entry →November 4, 2017 · 105 words
The Next Quillifer Contest
So . . . where am I now? Identify this location, and win a free audio book of Quillifer. I’m calling off the previous contest before we go through all 700 of the world’s stratovolcanoes. The picture was of Mt Ngaurohoe in New Zealand, which stood in for Mt. Doom in the Lord of the Rings […]
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