Walter Jon Williams's Blog, page 156
August 23, 2013
On To Helsinki!
So there are three cities bidding to host the 2015 Worldcon, and one of them is Helsinki. And I totally want the Worldcon to go there.Because why? Because Helsinki is cool. (In this case, sort of literally.)
Helsinki is a beautiful modern city, it’s in a gorgeous setting in the Baltic, it’s within easy reach of other cool places (Turku, St. Petersburg, Stockholm, Copenhagen), and it’s in Finland, the home of my ancestors, which you utterly want to visit.
But, I hear you splutter, Helsinki is ou...
August 22, 2013
Bubonicon, Worldcon Schedule
This coming weekend is Bubonicon, the yearly science fiction convention in Albuquerque. The following weekend is LoneStarCon in San Antonio, the annual Worldcon. I will be attending both, doing readings, signings, panels, and other appearances.
Here’s my schedule, so if you happen to be attending either convention, you’ll be able to find me.
Friday, August 23
5pm, panel onMUTANT MADNESS: EXTRAORDINARY GENES RUNWILD
8:30PM, panel:THERE IS SUPERSTITION:CREATING BELIEFS
9:30pm, panel:MECHANICS OF TIM...
Here’s my schedule, so if you happen to be attending either convention, you’ll be able to find me.
Friday, August 23
5pm, panel onMUTANT MADNESS: EXTRAORDINARY GENES RUNWILD
8:30PM, panel:THERE IS SUPERSTITION:CREATING BELIEFS
9:30pm, panel:MECHANICS OF TIM...
August 20, 2013
What happens when a 3D print job goes wrong? Sometimes it...
What happens when a 3D print job goes wrong? Sometimes it’s fractal art.
Check it out.
Check it out.
Photo credit: JBFromOz
August 19, 2013
Droughtland
The ecosystem I’m living in is slowly dying. Climate change is just killing it.
We’re in a drought that’s lasted since the early 1990s, with the respite of a few wet years around the turn of the millennium. (While I’m aware that every dryer-than-normal year isn’t necessarily, officially a “drought,” the cumulative impacts of many dryer-than-normal years can be very discouraging, not to mention devastating.)
This year there was a diminished snowpack in the mountains, and my own area had maybe a...
We’re in a drought that’s lasted since the early 1990s, with the respite of a few wet years around the turn of the millennium. (While I’m aware that every dryer-than-normal year isn’t necessarily, officially a “drought,” the cumulative impacts of many dryer-than-normal years can be very discouraging, not to mention devastating.)
This year there was a diminished snowpack in the mountains, and my own area had maybe a...
August 18, 2013
Last Century’s Millennium
Here we find an amusing video from the 1930s predicting fashions for the Year 2000.
You might find it pretty silly, but these predictions were a lot more on the money than the ones that said we’d get flying cars.
(And love those cantilever heels!)
You might find it pretty silly, but these predictions were a lot more on the money than the ones that said we’d get flying cars.
(And love those cantilever heels!)
August 14, 2013
Year Two
It’s been a little over two years since I started publishing my backlist in ebook format, so I thought I’d update you all on how the indie-pub revolution has been going from my perspective. (For the first year of this experiment, see this article which I wrote about it.)
Firstly, almost all the novels are now available, the one exception being The Rift,which I’m hoping will be up some time in September. (There’s something about a 280,000-word novel that requires a lotof attention.)
Ebook sales...
Firstly, almost all the novels are now available, the one exception being The Rift,which I’m hoping will be up some time in September. (There’s something about a 280,000-word novel that requires a lotof attention.)
Ebook sales...
August 12, 2013
Spin Tricks
Taos Toolboxended over the weekend, and in the days since I’ve mostly been staring at the walls, and murmuring to myself, “Guess it’s time to do the critiques.”
On the last day Nancy and I taught a special class inspinning people through the air with the power of our minds, as illustrated by the photograph.
Tumbling through the sky is participant Kenneth Kao, who is not only a talented new writer but does parkour, pole dancing, chiropracty, and is a sometime contestant on American Ninja Warrior...
On the last day Nancy and I taught a special class inspinning people through the air with the power of our minds, as illustrated by the photograph.
Tumbling through the sky is participant Kenneth Kao, who is not only a talented new writer but does parkour, pole dancing, chiropracty, and is a sometime contestant on American Ninja Warrior...
August 9, 2013
The Final 48 Hours . . .
The electronic version of my novel Angel Stationwill continue to be available for $0.99 through the weekend, so by all means race off to purchase it now viaAmazon,Barnes & Noble,Kobo,andSmashwords, because shortly thereafter it will cost you more money.
It’s not available at iBooks because, well, They Are Dicks. Sorry about that.
It’s not available at iBooks because, well, They Are Dicks. Sorry about that.
August 5, 2013
Muscaria
I’m sure all you Sixties refugees recognize thesepretty red babies! I found quite a few of them scattered around during my trail hike.I’m surprised all the old Taos hippies haven’t scoffed them up by now.
August 4, 2013
The Ursoid Cometh
I’m pleased to report a visit from the mascot of Taos Toolbox, who appeared on the cliff above the lodge and gave us the once-over.I’m pleased because every year we’ve had an ursoid visitor, the classes have been harmonious and were followed by an unusual number of sales.
One of which happened just yesterday. Lawrence Schoen (Toolbox ’11) just sold a novel to Tor. Could it be entirely a coincidence that in 2011 an ursoid loper happened by and gave the workshop its blessing?
[photo by Sonia Cook...
