Christopher McKitterick's Blog, page 24
May 29, 2012
Back from ConQuest - whatta weekend!
Hope you had a good weekend. Mine was wonderful! Always great to see old friends and new acquaintances at ConQuest, the KC SF convention. I only wish I had more time during the days not serving on panels to hang out with people. The nights are full of great parties (especially RoomCon - thanks, Jimmy!), but not everyone attends, and it's not always easy to talk there. Oh, and I remembered to bring swim-trunks this year, so I finally got to swim in the rooftop, salt-water pool.
Last week, I wrote Jack and Stella into deep trouble, and finished the first few chapters just in time to read at the convention. I mean literally just in time: I finished the chapters just as Opening Ceremonies began. Whee!
Adventures of Jack and Stella progress:
Here's from the Saturday reading; what I'm holding up are the hand-scribbled original pages from 1983 or something when I first started working on what would later become the idea for this book:
Oh, and I should point out that I donated to the charity auction (which benefits AboutSF) a "Tuckerization" in the book. It saw some hot bidding and ended up raising a nice sum. The winner didn't just want her name but as much about her as a character as I would like to use. Bwahahahaha! This'll be fun.
On the Thursday evening before the con, a bunch of Hadley Rille authors got together at Prospero's Books in KC. I read a couple pages of my story, "The Empty Utopia," from the wonderful anthology, Ruins Extraterrestrial. It's a pretty cool place:
We also held a big chat at the con. Nice to meet so many interesting brothers-and-sisters-in-Hadley-Rille! Another large-group panel highlight for me was the "Taste of the Campbell Conference" with 8 authors onstage. We could have talked for hours about the publishing industry, ebooks, and so on.
While at the con, I also decided it's time to upgrade my portable communicator. That's right: I didn't say I'm replacing my beloved and long-abused Sanyo Katana, did I? I'm going to buy a 7" Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 tablet. All I really need a smart-phone for, a tablet can do better, right? Texting, email, GPS, video-calls, getting onto the internets while out and about, and so on. I can even save all my writing onto it, and work on stuff using apps or even MS Word - handy for cons. And as opposed to smart-phones, tablets don't come with $100/month fees unless you really want that. Viola! Plus, how geeky is it to walk around downtown, holding a 7" tablet up to one's ear, in a VOIP call? Aw, yeah. Puts a whole new spin on drunk-dialing.
Okay, I should get back to work. Just wanted to let y'all know I'm still alive and that the weekend was a BLAST.
Chris
Last week, I wrote Jack and Stella into deep trouble, and finished the first few chapters just in time to read at the convention. I mean literally just in time: I finished the chapters just as Opening Ceremonies began. Whee!
Adventures of Jack and Stella progress:
Here's from the Saturday reading; what I'm holding up are the hand-scribbled original pages from 1983 or something when I first started working on what would later become the idea for this book:
Oh, and I should point out that I donated to the charity auction (which benefits AboutSF) a "Tuckerization" in the book. It saw some hot bidding and ended up raising a nice sum. The winner didn't just want her name but as much about her as a character as I would like to use. Bwahahahaha! This'll be fun.
On the Thursday evening before the con, a bunch of Hadley Rille authors got together at Prospero's Books in KC. I read a couple pages of my story, "The Empty Utopia," from the wonderful anthology, Ruins Extraterrestrial. It's a pretty cool place:
We also held a big chat at the con. Nice to meet so many interesting brothers-and-sisters-in-Hadley-Rille! Another large-group panel highlight for me was the "Taste of the Campbell Conference" with 8 authors onstage. We could have talked for hours about the publishing industry, ebooks, and so on.
While at the con, I also decided it's time to upgrade my portable communicator. That's right: I didn't say I'm replacing my beloved and long-abused Sanyo Katana, did I? I'm going to buy a 7" Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 tablet. All I really need a smart-phone for, a tablet can do better, right? Texting, email, GPS, video-calls, getting onto the internets while out and about, and so on. I can even save all my writing onto it, and work on stuff using apps or even MS Word - handy for cons. And as opposed to smart-phones, tablets don't come with $100/month fees unless you really want that. Viola! Plus, how geeky is it to walk around downtown, holding a 7" tablet up to one's ear, in a VOIP call? Aw, yeah. Puts a whole new spin on drunk-dialing.
Okay, I should get back to work. Just wanted to let y'all know I'm still alive and that the weekend was a BLAST.
Chris
May 24, 2012
Writing progress, and a chance to be Tuckerized.
Getting ready to head to Prospero's for the book-signing event with a bunch of Hadley Rille folks. Yes, I'm leaving early to avoid traffic in downtown KC. Bringing the laptop so I can (try to) work there in some quiet corner.
Adventures of Jack and Stella progress:
(If you saw my post late last night, you'll notice that the target word-count has jumped up a bit since then. This is because I added the Appendixes to the novel word-count, and they'll end up at around 5000 words when complete.)
Oh! And I've decided to donate to the ConQuest Charity Auction a "Tuckerization" in the novel! Wanna see your name in print? Drop by the Charity Auction table.
Best,
Chris
Adventures of Jack and Stella progress:
(If you saw my post late last night, you'll notice that the target word-count has jumped up a bit since then. This is because I added the Appendixes to the novel word-count, and they'll end up at around 5000 words when complete.)
Oh! And I've decided to donate to the ConQuest Charity Auction a "Tuckerization" in the novel! Wanna see your name in print? Drop by the Charity Auction table.
Best,
Chris
May 23, 2012
"Jack and Stella" progress
Calling it quits for the day. Making good progress - I like these kids! It's fun tagging along as they begin to discover their hidden abilities and have to hit the road before they're captured. Word count:
Tomorrow I finish the big scene where Mom drives them out of the house and tells them they need to run as far and as fast as they can, trust no one!
Chris
Tomorrow I finish the big scene where Mom drives them out of the house and tells them they need to run as far and as fast as they can, trust no one!
Chris
Updates: Campbell Conference, Award Finalists, "Jack and Stella"
Check out the wonderful new poster that Marie DeMars made for this year's Campbell Conference (click the pic to see it bigger on the Conference page). Thanks, M! It looks FANTASTIC! Also check out the growing guest list and new programming information. Hope to see you there!
In case you missed the news this week and last, the finalists for both the John W. Campbell Memorial Award for best SF novel of the year and Theodore Sturgeon Memorial Award for best short-SF are now posted. Check out the great reading!
Finally, word-count tracking for The Adventures of Jack and Stella:
3200 in the manuscript (about 30,000 in notes, scene snippets, and so forth). Loving it so far!
Speaking of which, my day-job day is now officially over, and back I go to plunge Jack and Stella into ever-greater peril.
Chris
Cool science fiction events in the area this week
"High Adventure with Hadley Rille Books" event at Prospero's Books. Several area authors will read from and sign books, including Z.S. Adani, Sue Blalock, M.C. Chambers, Terri-Lynne DeFino, Karin Rita Gastreich, Chris Gerrib, yours truly, Melissa Mickelsen, Mark Nelson, Shauna Roberts, and Hadley Rille Books editor Eric T. Reynolds.
When:
6:00pm Thursday, May 24 (tomorrow!)
Where:
Prospero's Books, 1800 W. 39th Street, Kansas City, MO
The Kansas City ConQuest SF Convention takes place on Memorial Day Weekend. This year's guests of honor include Gardner Dozois, Sharon Lee & Steve Miller, Ursula Vernon, and many more. As has been the case for several years now, AboutSF is again the recipient for Sunday's Charity Auction. Thank you, KaCSFFS! I'll be reading brand-spanking-new material from my in-progress novel, The Adventures of Jack and Stella.
When:
May 25-27 (this weekend)
Where:
Sheraton Kansas City Hotel at Crown Center, Kansas City, MO
Hope to see you at one of 'em!
Chris
When:
6:00pm Thursday, May 24 (tomorrow!)
Where:
Prospero's Books, 1800 W. 39th Street, Kansas City, MO
The Kansas City ConQuest SF Convention takes place on Memorial Day Weekend. This year's guests of honor include Gardner Dozois, Sharon Lee & Steve Miller, Ursula Vernon, and many more. As has been the case for several years now, AboutSF is again the recipient for Sunday's Charity Auction. Thank you, KaCSFFS! I'll be reading brand-spanking-new material from my in-progress novel, The Adventures of Jack and Stella.
When:
May 25-27 (this weekend)
Where:
Sheraton Kansas City Hotel at Crown Center, Kansas City, MO
Hope to see you at one of 'em!
Chris
May 22, 2012
Theodore Sturgeon Memorial Award finalists announced!
The Sturgeon Award honors the best short science fiction of the year. Congrats to all those on the short-list!
(The finalists for the John W. Campbell Memorial Award for best SF novel of the year were announced last week.)
Looking for some good stuff to read? These lists are a great place to start!
Best,
Chris
(The finalists for the John W. Campbell Memorial Award for best SF novel of the year were announced last week.)
Looking for some good stuff to read? These lists are a great place to start!
Best,
Chris
May 17, 2012
Grades COMPLETE! Writing-time begins.
Guess who just turned in final grades for Spring 2012? THAT'S RIGHT, A DAY AND A HALF EARLY! Praise be the benefits of modern medicine.
After tomorrow, when grades are official, I go offline for a week, during which time I write the first chapter or three of my next novel - that'd be Jack and Stella's True-Life Space Adventures - so I can read from it at the upcoming ConQuesT SF convention in Kansas City.
Speaking of SFnal stuff in Kansas City, this weekend is the Spectrum Fantastic Art Live! show at Bartle Hall. If the writing is well underway and I feel I can afford to get away for a day, I shall be there on Saturday.
(Now begins the countdown for the lamentations of those who are shocked, SHOCKED, that they didn't get an A. And those who feel that completing missing projects on the last day will result in a positive outcome.)
Chris
Makin' some noise! Chevelle and Newport videos.
Okay, people have wanted to hear the mechanical music of the two hot-rods dwelling in my garage, so here they are! I apologize for the non-scripted narrations and noise-protection sticking out from my ears; I make no claim to being a pro film-maker. You can hear 'em start up at the end of each vid.
First up, the 1968 Chevelle SS396 drag-racin', corner-carvin' machine of doom <-- click that link if the video below doesn't load - it's not playing nice with my IE9:
Forgot to mention a few other mods: Also has ported heads and will soon be getting a 6-speed transplant plus A/C.
And the 1966 Chrysler Newport hot-rod Town Sedan:
Note that the sound volume drops precipitously after I fire it up; it is DEAFENING in the garage when that thing runs, popping at idle like a funny-car through those straight pipes, so the camera must have curled up in a fetal ball and assumed I didn't really want to record it at full volume. Eventually it'll also get the full exhaust treatment, but for now it's too fun as-is.
Chris
First up, the 1968 Chevelle SS396 drag-racin', corner-carvin' machine of doom <-- click that link if the video below doesn't load - it's not playing nice with my IE9:
Forgot to mention a few other mods: Also has ported heads and will soon be getting a 6-speed transplant plus A/C.
And the 1966 Chrysler Newport hot-rod Town Sedan:
Note that the sound volume drops precipitously after I fire it up; it is DEAFENING in the garage when that thing runs, popping at idle like a funny-car through those straight pipes, so the camera must have curled up in a fetal ball and assumed I didn't really want to record it at full volume. Eventually it'll also get the full exhaust treatment, but for now it's too fun as-is.
Chris
May 15, 2012
Lawrence good stuff: Super Nerd Night, Live Author Chat, Spectrum Art Convention
Oh, and THREE local SFnal activities coming up this week!
First up, on Wednesday, we have Super Nerd Night: Steampunk Hillbilly Edition . The major event starts at 9:00pm, but there's a Magic: The Gathering tourney that begins at 7:00pm. Tons of great stuff after that, including costuming, gaming, live music, and much more, plus it takes place in a bar, so you can get your boozin' on. Best of all, proceeds benefit AboutSF, the Center's educational-outreach program.
On Thursday, the Lawrence Public Library is hosting a live video chat with the authors of The Mongoliad; Neal Stephenson, Greg Bear, E.D. deBirmingham, Mark Teppo, Joseph Brassey, Erik Bear, and Cooper Moo! The event starts at 6:00pm, but of course you can just watch it from home on Ars Technica.
And then there's the big Spectrum Fantastic Art Live! convention at Bartle Hall this weekend.
Chris
First up, on Wednesday, we have Super Nerd Night: Steampunk Hillbilly Edition . The major event starts at 9:00pm, but there's a Magic: The Gathering tourney that begins at 7:00pm. Tons of great stuff after that, including costuming, gaming, live music, and much more, plus it takes place in a bar, so you can get your boozin' on. Best of all, proceeds benefit AboutSF, the Center's educational-outreach program.
On Thursday, the Lawrence Public Library is hosting a live video chat with the authors of The Mongoliad; Neal Stephenson, Greg Bear, E.D. deBirmingham, Mark Teppo, Joseph Brassey, Erik Bear, and Cooper Moo! The event starts at 6:00pm, but of course you can just watch it from home on Ars Technica.
And then there's the big Spectrum Fantastic Art Live! convention at Bartle Hall this weekend.
Chris
SF Workshop, Writing, Finals, Health.
Just dipping out of grading finals for a few updates:
First up, interested in being part of this year's Science Fiction Writing Workshop with special guest author Andy Duncan? Well, we still have a few slots left, so apply ASAP to ensure consideration!
Last weekend, Hastings Bookstore in Lawrence held a big event for local SFnal types. Here we are:
Here's the whole gang (left to right): Lane Robins, James Gunn, Bryan Thomas Schmidt, K.d. McEntire, Mary Chambers, Robin Wayne Bailey, Chris McKitterick, and Kij Johnson who dropped in on her way out of town. Check out the photos on The Gathering Facebook photo page.
Speaking of finals, grades are complete for my "Science, Technology, and Society: Examining the Future Through a Science-Fiction Lens" course (ENGL507). As usual, those who participated most in class, turned in all the projects, and did extra-credit got the best grades on their finals, as well. Surprise! Hoping to wrap up my vast assortment of technical-writing courses tomorrow. Yes, early. Because:
I'm going to be mostly offline starting later this week, WRITING MY OWN STUFF. You heard that right: I'm going to be selfish with my time and try to get down the first three chapters of my next novel ( The True-Life Space Adventures of Jack and Stella ) in time to read from it at the upcoming ConQuest SF convention in Kansas City over Memorial Day weekend.
The Sinus Infection of Enduring Suffering has sidelined my CrossFit shenanigans, but I've kept up the movements at home, anyway, getting up from my desk every hour or two to do push-ups, pull-ups, squats, and so forth. Helps not only keep me from feeling like I'm losing ground but also helps keep up the energy.
Speaking of which, I'm back to it!
Best,
Chrs
First up, interested in being part of this year's Science Fiction Writing Workshop with special guest author Andy Duncan? Well, we still have a few slots left, so apply ASAP to ensure consideration!
Last weekend, Hastings Bookstore in Lawrence held a big event for local SFnal types. Here we are:
Here's the whole gang (left to right): Lane Robins, James Gunn, Bryan Thomas Schmidt, K.d. McEntire, Mary Chambers, Robin Wayne Bailey, Chris McKitterick, and Kij Johnson who dropped in on her way out of town. Check out the photos on The Gathering Facebook photo page.
Speaking of finals, grades are complete for my "Science, Technology, and Society: Examining the Future Through a Science-Fiction Lens" course (ENGL507). As usual, those who participated most in class, turned in all the projects, and did extra-credit got the best grades on their finals, as well. Surprise! Hoping to wrap up my vast assortment of technical-writing courses tomorrow. Yes, early. Because:
I'm going to be mostly offline starting later this week, WRITING MY OWN STUFF. You heard that right: I'm going to be selfish with my time and try to get down the first three chapters of my next novel ( The True-Life Space Adventures of Jack and Stella ) in time to read from it at the upcoming ConQuest SF convention in Kansas City over Memorial Day weekend.
The Sinus Infection of Enduring Suffering has sidelined my CrossFit shenanigans, but I've kept up the movements at home, anyway, getting up from my desk every hour or two to do push-ups, pull-ups, squats, and so forth. Helps not only keep me from feeling like I'm losing ground but also helps keep up the energy.
Speaking of which, I'm back to it!
Best,
Chrs
Christopher McKitterick's Blog
This is my long-lived LiveJournal blog (http://mckitterick.livejournal.com), but if you really want to stay in touch, check out my Tumblr and Facebook pages.
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