Walter Jon Williams's Blog, page 57

Gifts for Readers #3: Causality Bomb

This is the third of a series of posts highlighting this year’s achievements of Taos Toolbox veterans. Today’s subject is Terry Gene’sCausality Bomb,which comes complete with its own sequel,Causality Rebound. A MIND-BENDING AND SUSPENSEFUL JOURNEY INTO EXISTENTIALISM AND THE INTER- CONNECTEDNESS OF THE HUMAN RACE. THE INDEPENDENT KIRKUS REVIEW … THIS SCI-FI TALE REMAINS THOUGHTFUL AND EMOTIONAL When a quantum energy experiment goes horribly wrong, it accidentally shatters the future allowing...

Gifts for Readers #2: Riverland

This is the second item in this year’s roundup of 2019 books by veterans of Taos Toolbox, the master class for writers of science fiction and fantasy. Today’s item is from Fran Wilde, who won the Andre Norton and Compton Crook Awards for her novel Updraft. She’s also receivedmultiple nominations for the Hugo, Locus, and Nebula Awards. Riverland is Fran’s first middle-grade book. Find it in all the usual places, and at your local bookstore. When things go bad at home, sisters Eleanor and Mike...

Gifts For Readers #1: Enemy Immortal

Time again to do my year-end roundup of books published by veterans of Taos Toolbox, the master class for writers of science fiction and fantasy. Tim Meeks-Johnson’sEnemy Immortal is a fast-moving, action-oriented space opera that starts at a full sprint and then speeds up from there. Here’s the blurbage: An alien colony vanishes without a trace. Lt. Jade Mahelona is the human redshirt on a team of aliens sent to investigate. The only other human within light-years is a celebrated professor...

Volodya Again Raises His Balding Head

It’s nearly New Year, and once again I’m in competition with Vladimir Putin for the world’s most admired wall calendar. Putin’s calendar features photos of the President of the Russian Federation meeting with statesmen and world leaders. There’s not a single photo of him with his shirt off! It’s like he’s not even trying any more! Whereas our new 2020 calendar includes gorgeous photographs of our adventures in Iceland and Ireland, plus bonus photos of our lunar explorations! IfI were given...

Ready Those Manuscripts!

December 1 was the first day for submitting applications for Taos Toolbox, the master class for writers of science fiction and fantasy, which will run June 7-20, 2020. Nancy Kress and I will be teaching, assisted by George R.R. Martin and indiepub guru E.M. Tippetts. Every year we have a record number of submissions, so start getting yours ready. More information can be found at the Taos Toolbox website.

Snow Day

We awoke this morning to a beautiful carpet of snow covering everything in sight. Unfortunately this meant that our Thanksgiving guests were snowed in, and couldn’t come, and so we’re faced with the prospect of dealing with a 22-pound turkey, bacon and sausage stuffing, and other trimmings all on our own. We did, however, enjoy this lovely visitor, which perched on our fence for a while, perhaps looking for mice or other mammals beneath the snow. All of our bird identification books seem to...

Thanksgiving Reading

Just a reminder that this is the last week for the $1.99 sale of theAccidental War ebook. Just when you’re looking to curl up with some reading in front of a nice winter’s fire. Find it at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Apple, Kobo, and Google.

Day 76

It’s 76 days since my hip replacement surgery, and my recovery continues at its usual slow pace. I wake up to pain in the mornings, because lying down causes my legs to stiffen, and then I hobble around, take some ibuprofen along with coffee and a piece of fruit, and wait till I feel better. Oddly enough it isn’t my hip that usually hurts. Mostly it’s my quads and the muscles on the outside of the shin. I’m getting more and more active, and I’ve returned to my karate class, where I mostly do...

Interview’d

I will be interviewed at the Jean Cocteau Cinema in Santa Fe on November 24, at 4pm.  This will be followed by a signing at the brand-new Beastly Books, right next door, which specializes in the works of anyone interviewed at the Jean Cocteau. There will be food available, and alcohol, and probably a special cocktail named after Quillifer the Knight. Come to listen, buy a book, or make a toast!  Fun shall be had!

Lo! I am to be seen!

I will be signing Quillifer the Knight, and any other of my books you bring or buy, this Saturday at 4pm, at Page One Books in Albuquerque. I will take questions, do a brief reading, and maybe there will be food.  There often is. Attend!  It should be fun.