T.C. Weber's Blog

What Makes a Hero?

Stories are about people. Or possibly anthropomorphic animals or aliens, but the key is, they should be relatable. It’s especially important for the reader to care about the story’s protagonist(s)–it’s through them that the reader connects to the story. Characters should seem real, especially the main characters, like someone you might know intimately. And the characters should be memorable. A memorable character could be unpredictable, be passionate about something, carry a “ghost” or “wound” from their past that affects them in the present, have inner conflict, be resourceful, courageous, or fighting for a just cause. The more of these, the better.

In a good story, the protagonist’s inner and outer journey are intertwined with the plot; each affects the other. Most important, a protagonist (and other major characters) should care about something. They should have a vision for the future and a high-stakes goal (in the mind of the character) within the story. Outside forces and internal flaws and conflict present obstacles to achieving this goal, which the character must overcome (unless it’s a tragedy and they fail).

As the story progresses, the protagonist can change for the better, the worse, or not at all. Positive change arcs are the most common in literature, and often the most resonant. In the beginning, the protagonist has both strengths and flaws, but is handicapped by deep-held erroneous assumptions. For example, in The Others, Will thinks the world sucks and there’s nothing you can do about it. It is not until he meets Andreia that he begins questioning this.

Positive-change characters are forced to challenge their dysfunctional beliefs until finally they conquer their inner demons and are able to overcome the internal and external barriers preventing success.

In a negative change arc, often found in tragedies or horror stories, the protagonist succumbs to their flaws or external pressures, and ends up in a worse place than they started. In my horror novella The Survivors, Lucy has morals that her clan leader lacks, but is too afraid to act on them, to everyone’s ultimate detriment. In a flat arc, the character doesn’t appreciably change, but may change the world around them. In literature, this is more common among mentor characters like Yoda than for protagonists.

Not all protagonists are heroes. What is a hero? They act to make the world a better place and thereby inspire others to do the same. Their concern could be local, like protecting a patch of woods (The Council), or all the way up to global (The War for Reality).

What makes an ordinary person become a hero? While superheroes and elite soldiers are fun to read about, I think it’s much more interesting to read about average people thrust into a situation way above their head, and seeing how they cope. In most of my books, the main characters are typically ordinary people, or even from the underclass (The War for Reality: Books 1-3 of the BetterWorld Trilogy; Born in Salt). The characters change as the story progresses, and must overcome their flaws and increase their skills in order to defeat their enemies. If not, they may break (as in The Survivors).

In the real world, most people are too afraid, self-absorbed, apathetic, or detached to step up and put their lives on the line, whether literally or figuratively, for a greater cause. Only a small fraction of people become activists or heroes. Heroes generally have a strong moral code, a feeling of obligation to something bigger than themselves, have passion and commitment, are willing to sacrifice, have knowledge of the issues they care about, and may feel anger, hope, or desperation. And they may not start out that way, and have to change internally to overcome the obstacles before them.

Hopepunk pioneer Alexandra Rowland wrote,
How do you do it? How do you manage when the task before you is enormous and impossible?
Sheer, simple, bloody-minded obstinacy.
What’s the point?
The answer is, of course, that the fight itself is the point.

This is very existential; exactly the sort of thing that Jean-Paul Sartre or Albert Camus might have said. Sartre wrote that humans are “condemned to be free.” They are constrained by their birth circumstances, but are responsible for their actions and should recognize this. So, if you know something is wrong, and you take no action, that’s entirely on you. The characters in Camus’ novel The Plague are powerless to affect their destinies, but the more heroic figures in the book (Dr. Rieux, Jean Tarrou, and Rambert) fight the plague and help the sick with everything they have. The plague might be seen as a metaphor for death, which is inevitable. But hopepunk heroes do the right thing regardless of whether they succeed in the end or are rewarded. It’s a code of conduct–an active choice, knowing that things might be bleak or even hopeless, but you’ll keep hoping, being kind, and do the right thing anyway.

New novel out!

My new novel, The Others, was just released!

The Others is a science fiction (seapunk) thriller set mostly underwater off the Florida Keys. When a corpse with webbed feet and other aquatic adaptations washes ashore during a hurricane, the county medical examiner calls in marine biologist Will Myers for assistance. The deceased’s mysterious sister, Andreia, claims the body and asks Will to help figure out how her brother died. Will and Andreia bond over shared tragedies and a yearning to heal a dying ocean as they seek to learn how her brother spent his final days.

Andreia brings Will to her undersea home, part of a hidden civilization inhabited by smugglers, hackers, treasure hunters, and traders—all members of a different species, driven to the edge of extinction by human diseases and climate change. As feelings between the two grow, the investigation into her brother’s death leads to a sinister plot by a fanatical cabal. Together, Will and Andreia must find a way to save both humanity and the ocean without imperiling the existence of her species.

The Others is available at most online outlets.

Sneak preview of my upcoming sci-fi novel!

You can read Chapter 1 of my upcoming sci-fi action-adventure novel, The Others, on my web site (Scroll down to the READ CHAPTER 1 button).

When a corpse with webbed feet and other aquatic adaptations washes ashore during a hurricane, the county medical examiner calls in marine biologist Will Myers for assistance. The deceased’s mysterious sister, Andreia, claims the body and asks Will to help figure out how her brother died.

Andreia brings Will to her undersea habitat and he discovers she belongs to a different species, driven to the edge of extinction by human diseases and climate change. The investigation into her brother’s death leads to a plot by a fanatical cabal to destroy humanity. Meanwhile, the leaders of Andreia’s clan debate whether Will should be terminated to safeguard their secrecy.

When Will and Andreia fall in love, she must choose between loyalty to her clan and the life of her beloved. And together, they must find a way to save both humanity and the ocean without threatening the existence of her species.

https://www.tcweber.com/

Hi everyone!

I haven't been on Goodreads for at least half a year. Hope everyone is doing well!

New book: The Council

My latest book, The Council, was just released by Solstice Publishing! A political satire, The Council pits an idealistic county councilman and a local environmentalist against greedy developers and a dysfunctional government.

The protagonist, Luther Smith, a high school science teacher, is newly elected to the Sylvan County Council. Idealistic, inexperienced, and eager to make a difference for his students and constituents, Luther is confronted with corruption, incompetence, and lunacy from his fellow councilmembers. At meetings, his colleagues brush aside public comments, doze, drink, and discuss what makes the ideal cheeseburger.

Lisa Hogan, a down-on-her-luck single mom and avid naturalist, discovers that developers plan to raze the last tract of forest in the county to build a massive housing and shopping project. Angry about the developers’ sway over the county government, Luther joins Lisa’s battle against the project. Facing a dysfunctional bureaucracy, corrupt politicians, and lazy journalists, Luther and Lisa form a growing bond as they attempt to navigate the legislative labyrinth, mobilize the community, and try to save the forest.

Some praise:
“The Council paints an all-too accurate picture of local government. Elected officials would do well to follow the footsteps (while avoiding the stumbling) of the main character, Luther.”
- Justin Zimmer, Mayor of Emporium, PA

“You may think this story is full of absurdity and exaggeration, but I assure you, it is frighteningly close to reality. And that's precisely what makes this book so hilarious.”
- Local Councilman who was told to remain anonymous by the Ethics Commission

“To the casual reader, The Council may seem an over-the-top satire of local politics. But as someone who has run for local office, Weber hits a little too close to home with his portrayal of local politicians and how the "sausage" is made. Anyone involved in local politics will recognize some, if not all, the players, and maybe even recognize themselves in this story.”
- Robb Tufts, 2006 candidate for Anne Arundel County Council

“The Council is an enjoyable read with laugh out loud moments, complete with farcical scenes that at times ring uncomfortably true. The story captures how it feels to be an optimist working for change in local government and brings a healthy dose of skepticism to both the dedicated activists that literally can’t see the forest through the trees as well as to the convoluted machinations of career politicians.”
- K. K. Mullin, environmental instructor and coordinator

New release: The Survivors

My latest book, The Survivors, was just released by Solstice Publishing.

The Survivors, a post-apocalyptic horror novella written for adult readers, describes a calamitous future in which runaway climate change has made the planet nearly uninhabitable. Civilization has collapsed, and every day is a struggle for the remaining few.

Lucy, a young mother of two, dreams of a better life by bringing back forgotten knowledge. But the rest of her group, led by her brutal aunt, is focused solely on day-to-day survival—at any price. When a deadly hurricane destroys their home, Lucy’s group is forced on the road, where they must cope with hunger, searing temperatures, and vicious rivals. And their nightmare is just beginning. “Lucy’s determination and sanity are sorely tested,” says Weber. British author John Moralee called it “a disturbing and memorable story.”

The Survivors explores the consequences of runaway climate change, the tensions between short-term survival and long-term thinking, and the fragility of civilization and the human psyche. The book contains scenes with explicit violence and gore, and may not be suitable for all readers.

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New book coming out!

My new book, The Survivors, is coming out this May!

The Survivors (Solstice Publishing) is a post-apocalyptic horror novella of 32,000 words. Written for an adult audience with strong stomachs, it bears some similarities to “Bullet Point” by Elizabeth Bear, Horror in the Woods by Lee Mountford, The Road by Cormac McCarthy, and Parable of the Sower by Octavia Butler.

In a calamitous future, runaway climate change has made the planet nearly uninhabitable. Civilization has collapsed, and every day is a struggle. Lucy, a young mother of two, dreams of a better life by bringing back vanished knowledge. But the rest of her group, headed by her brutal aunt Irma, is focused only on day-to-day survival—at any price. When a deadly hurricane destroys their home, Lucy’s group is forced on the road, where they must cope with hunger, searing temperatures, and vicious rivals. And their nightmare is just beginning...

COP26 Achieves Progress, But Falls Short of What’s Needed

With the effects of climate change becoming more pronounced each year, it was imperative that climate negotiators make substantial progress at the COP26 global climate summit, held in Glasgow from Nov. 1-13. The results were mixed, containing a lot of positive language, but less in terms of specific commitments and actions. And alas, representatives of the fossil fuel industry outnumbered the delegations of any single country.

The Progress

In the final agreement, known as the Glasgow Climate Pact, countries stressed “the urgency of enhancing ambition and action” and resolved “to pursue efforts to limit the temperature increase to 1.5 °C,” recognizing that this would significantly reduce climate change risks and impacts. Importantly, the commitments that countries set forth would, for the first time, likely hold total warming to about 1.8°C, a more ambitious target than the 2.7°C of warming estimated under the Paris agreement pledges. This of course assumes that countries will hold themselves to these commitments.

Another area of progress was that during the summit, 110 countries pledged to cut emissions of methane 30% by 2030. Since methane is a very potent but short-lived greenhouse gas, curbing its emissions is an effective measure to reduce near-term global warming. 150 national governments, cities, states, automotive manufacturers, and other institutions also committed to accelerating the transition to zero-emission vehicles.

Several of the world’s largest emitters of greenhouse gases made notable commitments. The U.S. and China announced a joint agreement to do more to cut emissions this decade, and China committed for the first time to develop a plan to reduce methane. Nonetheless, the agreement was short on specifics. India’s Prime Minister announced that India intends to generate half its electricity from renewables by 2030 and achieve net zero emission status by 2070. This is well short of the target date of 2050, but nonetheless was a stronger pledge than has been made to date by Saudi Arabia, the planet’s second-biggest oil producer, and by Russia, the second-biggest gas provider.

One of the most significant deals at COP26 involved the private sector. Nearly 500 global financial services, holding 40% of the world’s financial assets—a total of $130 trillion—agreed to meet the goals of the Paris Agreement, including limiting global warming to 1.5 ⁰C. The commitment “comes with a pathway by which the companies involved must use science-based guidelines to reach net-zero emissions by 2050, and commit to interim goals towards a 50 percent reduction by 2030.” This means adjusting their business models, developing credible decarbonization plans, implementing them and providing annual reports.

The Shortcomings

COP26 came tantalizingly close to calling for an end to coal, the most polluting of the fossil fuels, but late in the negotiations, the Pact language was weakened from “phase out” to “phasedown.” In the final language which reads, “accelerating efforts towards the phasedown of unabated coal power and phase-out of inefficient fossil fuel subsidies,” the adjectives “unabated” and “inefficient” also allow room for continued coal use, such as with carbon capture. Forty-six countries, five subnational territories, and a range of electricity providers, pension funds, and other organizations pledged to phase out existing coal-fueled power plants and stop building new ones. However, the biggest coal producers and users like Australia, India, the U.S. and China did not join the pledge.

Although the Pact “emphasizes the importance of protecting, conserving and restoring nature and ecosystems, including forests and other terrestrial and marine ecosystems,” progress here was hampered by lack of enforcement mechanisms. 141 countries representing over 90% of the world’s forests, including Brazil, China, Russia, and the United States, pledged to strengthen shared efforts to halt and reverse deforestation by 2030. Forests are crucial to absorbing carbon dioxide and slowing the pace of global warming, as well as supporting biodiversity. The pledge includes $19 billion of public and private funds, which is better than nothing, but far short of the amount needed. Perhaps more important, there are no consequences for not following through, and a similar deal in 2014 failed to slow deforestation in any way.

What Needs to Come Next

Fighting climate change requires much more than a two-week annual summit. It must be a continual, year-round commitment. Follow-up is needed to ensure that signatories meet and exceed their Glasgow pledges.

In a statement released at the end of the meeting, U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres said COP26 was an important but insufficient step. “It is time to go into emergency mode,” he said, “[and] accelerate action to keep the 1.5 degree goal alive.” The U.N. chief called for ending fossil fuel subsidies, phasing out coal, putting a price on carbon, protecting vulnerable communities, and delivering the $100 billion climate finance commitment.

Guterres also had a message for climate activists: “I know many of you are disappointed. The path of progress is not always a straight line. But I know we can get there. We are in the fight of our lives.”

The Glasgow Climate Pact calls on countries to come to next year’s COP, set to take place in Egypt, with stronger and more detailed plans for cutting their emissions. In addition, wealthy countries were urged to increase adaptation funding to protect the most vulnerable nations from the hazards of a hotter planet.

What Can You Do?

Congress and the White House are currently negotiating the Build Back Better Act, a fiscal package that could help the U.S. meet its climate goals and advance nature-based solutions. Contact your Senators and Representative and let them know strong climate action and nature protection and restoration must be included as Congress considers the Build Back Better Act and other climate legislation.

Will the World Rise to the Climate Challenge at COP26?

As world leaders gather in Glasgow, Scotland for the COP26 climate negotiations, the stakes have never been higher. At least 85% of people in the world have already experienced a drought, flood or crop failure made worse by the effects of climate change, according to one recent report.¹ And from the Arctic to Africa, wildlife is being hit hard by the effects of a rapidly warming planet.

Climate change is profoundly impacting wildlife and ecosystems—from higher temperatures, increasing droughts and fire, and more intense storms and floods, to more favorable conditions for diseases and pests. Species with low or declining populations—like those on the endangered species list—or adapted to cold temperatures—like polar bears and salmon—are especially vulnerable. Climate change worsens the effects of habitat loss, overexploitation, pollution and invasive species. Some ecosystems, like coral reefs, could disappear entirely.

We Must Reduce Greenhouse Gases

At the annual climate summit organized by the United Nations (Oct. 31 to Nov. 12), countries will update their plans for reducing emissions. In 2015, every country agreed to work together to limit global warming to well below 2°C, aiming for 1.5°C, the threshold that scientists agree would limit the likelihood of the worst climate change impacts. To do this, countries committed to developing national plans to reduce their emissions (Nationally Determined Contributions, or ‘NDCs’), and update these plans every five years.

The commitments laid out in 2015 at COP21 in Paris fall far short of what’s needed to limit global warming to 1.5°C. And given that the world has already warmed by about 1°C, the challenge we face is urgent. The biggest emitters must also help the most vulnerable countries cope with devastating climate impacts. To avoid changes too catastrophic to cope with, the world must cut emissions by at least 45% by 2030 to reach net zero by 2050.

We already have the ability to reduce climate change. All we need is the will. Solar panels, wind turbines and storage batteries are becoming exponentially cheaper and more efficient. There are plenty of places to site new wind and solar farms without harming wildlife, habitat, or human communities.

To reach the 1.5°C goal, we must also pull carbon dioxide from the air. Plants do this naturally via photosynthesis, storing some of the carbon in biomass and soils. Yet we continue to raze our forests for agriculture and development. Deforestation accounts for 10% to 15% of global greenhouse gas emissions. Forests, wetlands and other carbon-storing ecosystems need protection. Healthy forests not only sequester carbon dioxide, they provide wildlife habitat, aquifer recharge, flood and erosion control, cleaner air and water, recreational opportunities and cultural and spiritual connections.

We Must Adapt to Change

COP26 will also focus on climate adaptation, which is the adjustment of natural or human systems to reduce negative impacts. By addressing ongoing climate impacts to species, ecosystems and human communities, we can increase the resilience to such impacts and lessen their effects. For example, inland flooding can be reduced by restoring forests and wetlands, capturing stormwater runoff before it reaches streams and rivers. Similarly, mangrove forests, tidal marshes and reefs can protect coastal communities from destructive storm waves.

To help species and ecosystems survive the changing climate, we can protect current and future habitat from development, overharvesting and stressors like fire, disease and invasive species. We can also protect climate refugia, which are areas likely to remain cooler or wetter than the surrounding landscape. And we can protect and restore corridors to help species respond by shifting their ranges.

Biodiversity and Climate Inextricably Linked

In a recent peer-reviewed report, the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES) and Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) found that the biodiversity and climate crises are closely intertwined, and addressing them together offers numerous synergies and benefits to society.² The adaptive capacity of most ecosystems will be exceeded if climate warming is not kept well below 2°C. Other pressures such as land conversion, overexploitation and pollution must also be kept in check.

Conversely, healthy ecosystems can play an important role in climate mitigation by sequestering carbon. Biodiversity plays an essential role, in that each species contains unique adaptations yet interacts with other species in a web of dependencies.

When species disappear from an ecosystem, those that depend on them for food, pollination or other needs also begin to disappear. This can decrease overall productivity and resilience. At a certain point, it becomes a “Jenga effect”– pull out too many pieces, and eventually the structure collapses. Examples include forest turning to grassland and coral reefs becoming expanses of sand. Such ecosystem collapses accelerate climate change and worsen its effects.

What Can You Do?

COP26 could set the course of history. We can rise to overcome climate and biodiversity challenges, providing a stable, prosperous world for future generations, or we can sit back and destroy ourselves. You can watch many of the conference proceedings online. Visit the official website (https://unfccc.int/conference/glasgow...) for the latest information. In addition, you can get updates via social media (hashtag #COP26).

Congress and the White House are currently negotiating a historic spending package to invest in America’s future and infrastructure, and as with the COP26 negotiations, the stakes have never been higher. The Build Back Better Act is our best chance to set the nation on a course for real reductions in greenhouse gas emissions and to advance nature-based solutions. In order to solve the joint climate and biodiversity crises, decision-makers must benefit both wildlife and people by protecting old carbon-rich forests, restoring degraded habitat, investing in climate adaptation, and increasing the resilience of public and private lands.

Contact your Senators and Representative and let them know strong climate action and nature protection and restoration must be included as Congress considers the Build Back Better Act and other climate legislation.

¹ Callaghan, M. et al. 2021. Machine-learning-based evidence and attribution mapping of 100,000 climate impact studies. Nature Climate Change doi:10.1038/s41558-021-01168-6.

² Pörtner, H.O., et al. 2021. IPBES-IPCC co-sponsored workshop report on biodiversity and climate change. IPBES and IPCC. doi:10.5281/zenodo.4782538.

Balticon 55

In case you're interested, my Balticon 55 presentation schedule:

Panel: Hard Science Fiction Beyond Physics
(Fri., May 28, 5:30 pm, Pride of Baltimore II)

All Things Cyberpunk
(Fri., May 28, 7 pm, ConSuite)

Presentation: Climate Change Science, Mitigation, and Adaptation
(Sat., May 29, 1 pm, Homeland)

BSFS Writing Circle Social Hour
(Sat., May 29, 4 pm, Socials breakout room)

Born in Salt Book Launch
(Sat., May 29, 7 pm, ConSuite)

Panel: Navigating the Alternate Future
(Sun., May 30, 10 am, Mount Washington)

Readings from Born in Salt
(Sun., May 30, 1:30 pm, Readings breakout room)

Invasive species panel ("Nuke the Site from Orbit")
(Sun., May 30, 4 pm, Homeland)

Character development workshop
(Sun., May 30, 1:30 pm, ConSuite)

Coffee Kvetch (Come complain about things that irritate you)
(Sun., May 30, 7 pm, ConSuite)

Registration for Balticon 55 is FREE!
All events will be held in cyberspace.
https://www.balticon.org/wp55/