Walter Jon Williams's Blog, page 51
June 25, 2020
Taos Toolbox 2021
I’m very sad to announce that Taos Toolbox 2020, which had moved from June to September due to the dangers of Covid 19, has now been moved to summer of 2021.Those accepted for this year have the option of coming next year instead, or getting a tuition refund.
The coronavirus doesn’t look as if it’s going to go away anytime soon. Neighboring states are spiking, and even with a partial reopen cases are rising in New Mexico, too. It would have been irresponsible to hold the workshop. And also ve...
June 18, 2020
Terran Prize Awarded
The Terran Prize for 2020, consisting of a scholarship provided by George R.R. Martin for the Taos Toolbox writing workshop, has been won by Maurice Haeems of Mumbai, India.Taos Toolbox was forced by the Covid pandemic to move from its original June dates to September 6-19, in Angel Fire, New Mexico. The workshop will be taught by Nancy Kress and Walter Jon Williams, along with special lecturers George R.R. Martin and E.M. Tippetts.
Maurice was born in Mumbai and has a bachelor’s degree in Eng...
June 15, 2020
From Our Beleaguered Agents . . .
A group of literary agents have released a plea to the public to “stop sending us your Covid novels!”
Turns out that there’s not a lot of drama inherent in a story where people stay at home, watch a lot of TV, and never meet anyone else.
Turns out that there’s not a lot of drama inherent in a story where people stay at home, watch a lot of TV, and never meet anyone else.
June 10, 2020
Month Nine
It’s been nine months since my hip replacement surgery, and I haven’t done an update since November 25. (Here’s the last one.)I haven’t done an update because (1) it’s a depressing topic, and (2) nothing much has changed. But it may serve as an illustration of medical services in the age of Covid, so here’s the latest.
(And to sum up ahead of time: I’m really thankful I don’t have any serious, life-threatening medical problems. Because a lot of medical services haven’t been available these l...
June 4, 2020
First Things First
I’m isolated in my rural paradise, but it’s not like I don’t read the news. Ten days of protest in major cities, property destruction (a certain percentage at the hands of police provocateurs), police in one place sitting down with protestors for a productive dialogue, police in another charging peaceful protestors for no conceivable reason. Foreign countries issuing statements of support for the protestors. The infant in the White House being denounced by his own ex-Secretary of Defense, thr...
May 25, 2020
Stimulus
Our stimulus check arrived— or rather not a check, but a debit card on the U.S. Treasury. Apparently it’s legit.
I’m still working and my business hasn’t shut down, and Kathy is comfortably retired. We’re not rich, but we’re doing well enough. We don’t need the money and didn’t ask for it, and we’re self-isolating and lack for nothing but good company, and we’d rather the money went to someone to whom it would make a difference.
So we’ve decided to give the money away.
Most of the money will ...
I’m still working and my business hasn’t shut down, and Kathy is comfortably retired. We’re not rich, but we’re doing well enough. We don’t need the money and didn’t ask for it, and we’re self-isolating and lack for nothing but good company, and we’d rather the money went to someone to whom it would make a difference.
So we’ve decided to give the money away.
Most of the money will ...
May 15, 2020
Idiot Box for the Isolated
Here in my isolated rural paradise Ive been watching a lot more video than I usually do, and for some damn reason doing a lot less reading. The least I can do is share my online encounters.
Safe
and
The Stranger,
both on Netflix. Two of Harlan Cobens thrillers (which I havent read) have been shifted from America to Britain, apparently without harm. Safes plot revolves around the death of one teenager and the disappearance of another, taking place in a gated community which is supposed to...
May 9, 2020
Mom’s Day
A hundred years ago there used to be a musical genre about how much people loved their mothers, M.O.T.H.E.R. being one of the big hits. There are still songs about moms, but theyre not regulars on the Hit Parade the way they used to be. Heres a song thats only tangentially about mothers, but I couldnt quite resist it. Have a happy Day to all you mothers out there.
May 8, 2020
Lockdown Spirits
Apparently the spirits are as tired of the lockdown as everyone else, because theyve been getting restless. Weve been having an outbreak of strange spectral noises. For the last few weeks, Ive heard mysterious knocking noises at night, between 11pm and midnight. It doesnt happen every night, but it happens enough to become a fairly regular occurrence. At that hour Im usually sitting in my easy chair working on my laptop, with my ear buds in as I listen to music, and then BANG BANG BANG BANG...
May 5, 2020
Cinco
