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 22, 2020 · 57 words
Ten Days to Shake the World
You’ve got ten days left to apply for Taos Toolbox, the master class for writers of science fiction and fantasy, this year with Nancy Kress, George RR Martin, EM Tippetts, and myself. There’s a hard deadline of April 1. Not to be pushy or anything, but you should probably get that manuscript in the mail.
Read entry →March 21, 2020 · 236 words
In Place
I’m rusticating in place these days. Not because I’m showing symptoms of COVID 19, but because our governor has closed all theaters, gyms, bars, and restaurants (other than take-out). My karate school has closed, and so has my masseuse. I should be in Orlando right now for the International Conference on the Fantastic
Read entry →March 17, 2020 · 85 words
The Green and Purple
Had a very enjoyable St. Urho’s Day, topped off with a supper of Finnish pancakes. The only thing that would have improved the day would have been Finnish gin, but I can’t get Napue in the States. I notice that St. Urho’s Wikipedia page links to a list of “fictional saints.” And the other […]
Read entry →March 8, 2020 · 103 words
Free Audio
Normally I’d have a contest or something for this, but I’m up to my elbows in tax forms right now and don’t have the mental leisure. I happen to have here some codes for the audiobook of Quillifer the Knight, read by the wonderful Ralph Lister. So the first three people to reply to this post […]
Read entry →March 5, 2020 · 201 words
Alternate Reality Show
So when the Wild Cards series was relaunched in the early 21st, one of the plot elements involved a reality show called American Hero, in which 28 super-powered individuals competed for a million-dollar prize. The program followed the conventions of the form, with plenty of soap opera and conflict between the participa
Read entry →February 29, 2020 · 482 words
Is Music Math?
Lately there’s been a blizzard of litigation about violations of song copyright, all based on the melody of pop tunes. I thought the Chiffons had a point when they claimed “My Sweet Lord” infringed “He’s So Fine”— listen to them back to back and I bet you’ll agree— but now there are so many online […
Read entry →February 24, 2020 · 77 words
Groove Me
Getting a jump on Mardi Gras, it’s Etta James, Dr. John, and the ever-dapper Allen Toussaint on “Groove Me.” All passed now, alas. I was surprised to see Dr. John on guitar. The legend has it that he started as a guitar player, but had to switch to piano after some of his fingers were […]
Read entry →February 22, 2020 · 575 words
Scottish Cyrano
Last night I thought I’d see what’s up with Britain’s National Theater, so I nipped up to Albuquerque to see James McAvoy in a new adaptation of Cyrano de Bergerac. This was a performance of the play, allegedly live, broadcast to select theaters in North America. I’m not sure about the live part, because that would [&h
Read entry →February 18, 2020 · 124 words
I Am Invaded
I’m in a general state of non-compliance with the universe right now, a result of a full schedule of panels, meals, malt beverages, and fun at Boskone, plus jet lag following yesterday’s ten hours in a steel tube crossing the country while battling a 120-knot headwind, which turned the aircraft into a kind of hard-side
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