Walter Jon Williams's Blog, page 210

In Stores Now!

My new novel Deep State is now available in stores!  (Or at least Amazon.)
It'll never be more timely!  Go forth and purchase!

State of Denial

I've been watching the Egyptian revolution with more than the usual amount of attention, in part because it's an absolutely riveting drama, in part to find out whether it's following the script for Internet-fueled people-power revolutions provided by my forthcoming novel Deep State.The drama remains absorbing, and the novel is pretty much spot-on.The original Egyptian protests were inspired by the recent successful Tunisian revolution, and began with a call for action on Facebook, presumably ...

Diversions

The work is stacking up here at Wordy World, so I've decided to entertain you simply by linking to cool stuff.  (This classic web log approach seems to work well for Cory Doctorow and his friends.)Item #1 features the belated release of NASA's (and the world's) first ultra-thin solar sail.Item #2 tells you why you shouldn't play "Wolf Pack" with a bunch of six-year-olds.Item #3 tells you why life is sweet right now for Mark Twain impersonators.And here's Item #4, the brilliant video prank...

Suiting

The NY Times has created a slide show of famous American space suits, featuring those worn by John Glenn, Buzz Aldrin, and Gus Grissom.  Check out the very suit that Alan Shepherd pissed in!  (No visible effects.)
The Smithsonian will send the suits on a traveling expedition this year, as detailed in this related article.

Tweeple Power

It's hard to find out what's happening in Tunisia.   I mean, some kinda revolution, okay.   But for a revolution that's supposed to be supported, maybe even created, by social media, it's actually rather difficult to find online.What's clear is that, whatever's happening, Western media missed yet another crucial story.   The first Arab autocrat to be overthrown by a people power revolt in, well . . . ever, probably, and all American media could find to interest them was Oprah's  cable...

Official Report: Duct Tape Now Less Awesome

More news from the World o' Science.NASA has announced that observations from the Fermi Gamma-Ray Space Telescope show that  thunderstorms generate antimatter. Scientists long have suspected TGFs [Terrestrial Gamma-ray Flash] arise from the strong electric fields near the tops of thunderstorms. Under the right conditions, they say, the field becomes strong enough that it drives an upward avalanche of electrons. Reaching speeds nearly as fast as light, the high-energy electrons give off...

Half-Price Me

For those of you who haven't yet purchased my new collection, The Green Leopard Plague, I'm pleased to announce that y0u can now purchase the hardback for half price.
Plus, Night Shade has a lot of other books on sale.

Taos Toolbox

It occurs to me that in the last year, three of my former Taos Toolbox students sold novels.  (In fact, one sale wasn't just a novel, it was a whole trilogy.)
While I can't guarantee that every Toolbox graduate will sell a novel, I think the data support the notion that it will increase your chance.
So if you're thinking of getting into this game, Toolbox can be a part of your strategy.
And there's still a financial incentive to apply by the end of the month!

Modest Little Stir-Fry

Tonight I made bami goreng— pork,  chicken, and prawns cooked with bok choy, scallions, celery, and garlic.  Served on noodles, with a cheerful little fried egg on top.
It's been decades (at least) since this district had an Indonesian restaurant— time for someone to open one!

Satan's Screen Time

We went to see The King's Speech, which was quite good even though there were no surprises, because I'd seem the same story dramatized in a television movie a couple years ago.  The story was the same, but the climactic scene was different: in the TV movie, the big scene was George VI's first speech as king; but in the screen version, the big speech was given on the first day of the Second World War.  I guess they decided that a speech amounting to "PS: I'm the new King-Emperor" was...