Walter Jon Williams's Blog, page 66
April 2, 2019
Toolbox Nominees!
Once again Hugo voters have inexplicably failed to recognize my greatness, but I’m very pleased to note that they have recognized the greatness of a number of veterans of Taos Toolbox, the master class for writers of science fiction and fantasy. Kelly Robson got a novella nomination for “God, Monsters, and the Lucky Peach.” Simone Heller received a nomination for the novelette “When We Were Starless.” Saladin Ahmed authored the graphic novel nominee Abbott. Best of luck to these, and congra...
March 29, 2019
Microsoft Hurts Kitten!
Microsoft continues their slide down the slippery slope into security work by going after the Iranian hacking group Charming Kitten, also known as Ajax, Phosphorous, and APT35. They’ve successfully petitioned a court to take over the group’s 99 domains, which were used in spear-phishing attacks on journalists and dissidents. Last summer, they also took down a network run by the Russian group Fancy Bear. Is Microsoft doing this out of the goodness of their silicon heart, or as a proxy for a g...
March 26, 2019
“Black as the Pit From Pole to Pole!”
I have lately been enjoying some examples of black humor, which may confirm my moral depravity the eyes of some of you, but if so I think you’re wrong. According to Wylie Sypher, black comedy strengthens the oppressed and damages the morale of the oppressors. “To be able to laugh at evil and error means we have surmounted them.” So I’ve been surmounting evil as I clutch at my sides and howl at the degrading spectacle of human misery. Good for me! I am your moral superior!
Death at a Funer...
March 20, 2019
Souvenir
Apparently I brought a souvenir home from ICFA, to-wit: the common cold. It’s mild as colds go. I function normally for a while, and then I have to cough and sneeze for five minutes, and then I’m okay again. Hope I don’t run out of Sudafed.
March 17, 2019
Sunder Yourself!
I’ve spent most of the last week with colleagues at the International Conference for the Fantastic in the Arts, which involved basking by the pool in the balmy Florida weather, enjoying the hospitality of the hotel bar, and a number of excursions to local restaurants. I believe some mention was now and again made of science fiction, but my memory on that point is hazy. I have returned with no less than thirteen mosquito bites on the triceps area of my left arm. I don’t know if it was a swarm...
March 11, 2019
Every Story is a War
So I did some writing on the new novel the other night, and I thought it was okay, but when I went back the next night I realized I’d written crap. Not uninspired, not unfocused, just plain bad writing. It sucked. I found this so demoralizing that I didn’t write much the second night, but I did fix up the bad writing and made it less bad. I won’t say it was great or anything. (I should point out, for the purposes of this anecdote, that I write late at night.) The next night I hammered away...
March 8, 2019
Collected Again!
My story “Foreign Devils” may be found in the new collection Making History, edited by Rick Wilber. This is a collection of classic alternate history stories, by Karen Joy Fowler, Gregory Benford, Sheila Finch, Rich Larson, Lisa Goldstein, Kathleen Goonan, Harry Turtledove, Eileen Gunn and Michael Swanwick, Maureen McHugh, Nisi Shawl, Alan Smale, Michaela Roessner, Louise Marley, Ben Loory, Nicholas DiChario, and Michael Bishop. And more! Apparently. I don’t actually know what stories are...
March 6, 2019
‘Tis the Season
It’s award season, so it’s become customary for authors to announce which of their works are eligible for Hugos and whatever. (When I started, anyone who tried this would have been ridiculed until they’d be embarrassed to show themselves sober at the Hugo Loser’s Party, but now it’s just a part of business.) Be that as it may, I have but a short announcement, since the only new piece from me in 2018 was The Accidental War. Which is eligible for the novel Hugo, though it won’t win, because I...
March 5, 2019
All Beaded Up and No Place to Go
Happy Mardi Gras,Y’all! I put on my beads and went to town today, but I couldn’t find a second line anywhere, so I had a cup of mediocre gumbo at a supposed Louisiana restaurant and went home. At least this video has over two and a half hours of music appropriate to the season. Enjoy!
March 3, 2019
Fruit and Veg
It’s a busy weekend, so please enjoy this video of people brightening up their local supermarket. This will also demonstrate that it is possible to sing Italian with an Australian accent, which is cool in its own strange way.
