Dispatches since 2005
The journal
Announcements, new editions, travel, diving, cooking and the working life of a novelist — 3,179 entries, all of them here in full.
March 3, 2021 · 171 words
Generous Review
Paul Di Filippo reviews The Best of Walter Jon Williams. Your takeaway: Emerging from a deep dive into this truly entertaining treasure chest of riches, the reader immediately has several reactions. First, although Williams’s range of topics is immense, every story emerges from that core template of speculative fiction
Read entry →March 1, 2021 · 248 words
Not A Leg
I asked the market to give me a leg of lamb, but they gave me a pork roast instead. So when life gives you a pork roast . . . I’m sure you can finish this sentence on your own. I decided to cook it sous vide, because sous vide cooks the food exactly the […]
Read entry →February 28, 2021 · 94 words
It’s Here! (Apparently)
I’m told that The Best of Walter Jon Williams has started shipping after being delayed a few months by problems at the printer. It was originally supposed to be out in time for the holidays, and when it was delayed to February I thought it might do very well for a Valentine’s present, but Valentine’s has […]
Read entry →February 27, 2021 · 175 words
Statuette Time
Hey, wanna give me an award? Nominations for the Hugo are open, though you have to be a member of either this year’s Worldcon or last year’s New Zealand world con in order to vote. Nominations for the Nebula are also open, though only for the next 24 hours or so, and you can nominate […]
Read entry →February 26, 2021 · 274 words
Another Shot
We are now a mixed family. I have the Pfizer shot, and Kathy’s got the Moderna. This morning I was involved in a lengthy series of texts with a friend, and the home phone rang, with SOCORRO MEDICAL very large in the Caller ID slot, so I answered. Was I Kathleen Hedges? they wanted to […]
Read entry →February 25, 2021 · 92 words
I Am Shot
Got my first COVID shot today. It was a drive-through, all I had to do was hang my shoulder out the car window to get my jab. Then I was obliged to wait 15 minutes in the parking lot to see whether or not I passed out. I didn’t, and so got on the road […]
Read entry →February 25, 2021 · 523 words
My Mask Policy
We had no sooner crossed the New Mexico border than a text appeared on my phone telling me that my COVID vaccine awaited me. So tomorrow I get Jab #1, which I expect will reduce my sense of anxiety. Since returning home I’ve mainly been trying to get my head into the right time zone. […]
Read entry →February 22, 2021 · 391 words
Peace and Pest
A photo taken from the front porch of our AirBnB near Lonoke (rhymes with Polk), AK. It was a two-bedroom farmhouse with a generously-sized living room, a working kitchen, and a round King Arthur-sized dining table. And we had it all to ourselves! And there was Internet. There is nothing better than a farmhouse with [&
Read entry →February 21, 2021 · 646 words
Desperate Journey
Here you see the Parthenon in snow. If you’ve been paying attention to the international news, you’ll know that Greece and many parts of the Mediterranean have been hit with arctic cold this season about the same time that Texas was, and you may have seen pictures of the Parthenon standing there in a snowfield. [&helli
Read entry →February 15, 2021 · 342 words
Parading
Hey, it’s Mardi Gras time, and there’s no better way to lighten your lockdown spirits than to get down with some fine New Orleans music! First up, get your buzz on with “If You’re a Viper” by Kermit Ruffins and the BBQ Swingers, part of the Jam in the Van series. Next up, it’s Trombone Shorty […]
Read entry →February 10, 2021 · 614 words
To Be Seen
It’s a busy weekend hereabouts. First up on Thursday night, 8:30 Eastern Standard Time, I’ll be interviewed live on Youtube by Matthew Yancik, where I’ll tell stories about RPGs and the creative process. Here’s your link. The rest of the weekend will be spent at (virtual) Boskone, where I will appear on quite a lot [&h
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