Real News of Fictional Worlds, September 2018
Earth Present
So many things happened recently. I’ll be savoring them and writing about them for many days.
The beloved and amazing hacker space Noisebridge held an event that wasn’t only great – it might be the most honestly titled event I’ve seen in a while. The Stupid Shit No One Needs and Terrible Ideas Hackathon.
The standout for me, pictured below, was a device to count home many times you chew.
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In the very next week I was able to attend an evening with George R. R. Martin of “Game of Thrones” fame. This was a benefit event for the great magazine Locus, and an appetizer for the upcoming original and still most prestigious science fiction conventions Worldcon 76. He discussed many and sundry things, including the most asked question: when in Westeros’ name he’s going to finish Book 6 of Game of Thrones.
Enough notes were taken for me to turn that into an entire separate blog post.
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And then Worldcon76! The oldest, first and from what I’ve seen the best science fiction and fantasy conference.
I’ve never been to a Worldcon before. I’m now a believer. Besides the many expert and informative panels, including a superb workshop on worldbuilding by the multiple Hugo winning N. K. Jemisin, there were great random moments like a conversation over a coffee with new grimdark fantasy author Anna Spark Smith. Her Tower of Living and Dying comes quite well reviewed. It was a fun enough chat for me to write up as well, so if I check in with her and she’s fine with it that might be another fun blog post too.
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More posts to come, in here and on the blog. My biggest takeaways:
- So many people really care about science fiction and fantasy. They not only celebrate it, they love it and want it to be the best it can be.
- When people who care deeply about the same thing, and are in the same place, it can create a real and rare feeling of loving community.
- I need to write more books.
Latest to the Launchpad
With all of that going on, I was very happy to complete a new novella and the third in my series Crime and Magic in the New Russia. It shows our heroes Aurelian and Lyita involved in a whole new level of dangerous magic, and all the trouble that can bring.
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It took a while to write, and it was fun the whole time. Now on sale at Amazon, and wherever a kindly book store will order it for you. And if you check below, for a while it will be free.
Strange worlds for sale
I’m happy to have some other works also promoted this month. They all offer the chance to explore the works of many authors, at the same low price of free freeness covered in free sauce.
| My novella “Ghost Magnet“, which kicked off my urban fantasy series “Crime and Magic in the New Russia”, will be available from Sept 1 through Sept 30th in the Discover Your New Favorite Series giveaway.
The third novella in this series is “Blood and Hope”, also available at the “Science Fiction and Fantasy Bonanza” promotion above. |
In just a few days, my short story collection “Hyperspace Radio” will be available through the Limitless Sci-Fi and Fantasy giveaway. It runs from September 10th through October 13th. |
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If you enjoy one of my tales from the above offerings, please do leave a review on Amazon via the handy linked book titles.
Whew
That was a fair amount, and there’s more to tell. I haven’t even gotten into the many great panels at Worldcon, and pictures, and plans.
But that can be for another time. I return you to your other regularly scheduled trans-etheric communications.
And wherever you are, keep on imagining,
~ j : )