Tad Williams's Blog, page 29
August 21, 2012
The Dirty Streets of Heaven: “One of the next really cool things”
Trailer: Tad Williams on Launching the OTHERLAND Game
August 20, 2012
‘The Dirty Streets of Heaven’ – New Reviews
August 18, 2012
Fun Monkey Friend
17 August 2012
Tad’s Mood Today
“I’m the high-voltage Messiah, the electric Christ, the AC/DC god.”
What movie? No googling, or we’ll have to call you Googly McCheaterson.
Oh, yeah. Everybody needs to practice this life skill. And remember — no silver pacifiers!
(Come on, like you guys never wanted to shave a baby.)
16 August 2012
Tad’s Mood Today
For those interested, B&N has some early release autographed hardcovers.
The Dirty Streets of Heaven: Volume One of Bobby Dollar
www.barnesandnoble.com
It sure looks like her, or at least like the other picture. Exciting for fanboys (like me) and fangirls.
“It will change our idea of her”: Is this the grown-up Emily Dickinson? | The Book Haven
bookhaven.stanford.edu
Watch and learn.
“Every other untestable, supernatural system of belief that ever existed, thousands and thousands of them in total, is wrong. Except mine, which is The Absolute Truth. Thus, I wish to make everyone else live by my own untestable, supernatural system.”
Jeez, do you people even know what you sound like?
So it is just having a black president elected that drove Dave Mustaine, Victoria Jackson, and Janine Turner over the top, or would they have been riding the fastest chute to bat$H!% crazy anyway?
Tad Williams: How many writers does it take to screw in a light bulb?
Jason: Two, if they’re very, very small.
Catriona: the more writers you got, the more screwed its gonna get
Alyssa: First, let’s establish in which universe the lightbulb exists.
Jimmy: 2: One to screw in the lightbulb and the other to write him a testimonial about his lightbulb-screwing genius.
Ian: Wait, writers change lightbulbs??? ;-p
Taylia: 2, one to say how badly they want to screw the lightbulb in, and the other to continue reminding the first that he’s the one who said he wanted to screw in a lightbulb when he’s doubting his efforts halfway through.
Ward: 10. One to screw it in and 9 to say they could’ve done it better.
Holger: Keinen. Lass es lieber Deine Frau machen. Das ist sicherer. (No one. Let your wife do it. It is safer.)
Roz: One, but first they have to answer all their e-mails, look something up on TV tropes and play Freecell for an hour. And then it will be dark so they’ll go to a bar.
Timothy: YES! Roz nailed it!!
Zafrir: Four. One to lay in the foundations, the second one to describe the background, one to write the action part, and the fourth to put the final twist in the end.
John: @ Zafrir: No, that’s screenwriters. And of course, there’ll be one more, well-paid but uncredited, “script-doctor” — that’s the only one who actually sheds some light on the subject!
John: The count is endless because every other writer you read influences you subtly in all kinds of ways …
Becky: Do we need light as long as the computer screen glows?
Josh: How may times does a writer screw in a lightbulb until the editor is happy?
Violette: Josh has it. It’s only one writer, but it has to be done over and over until it’s right.
Andy: I’ll come round and screw the lightbulb in myself if it gets the books published quicker ;D
Delilah: None. As Neil Gaiman says, we’re solitary creatures of the dark.
Jody: Zero. They’re lucky to have family and friends and fans who think they are contributing to the masterpieces.
Charlie: One, but it takes a while. First they have to write a proposal then an outline, then find an editor to approve and accept it before they actually start to change the bulb … Two, if they collaborate …
Roy: 1. Providing they have emotional support afterwards that they really did a good job.
James: Depends on the writer(s), the majority that I know will sit in the dark and tell you about the awesome lightbulb they’re going to screw in one day; a few (like me) will screw it in, not be too happy with the light, unscrew it, try again, unscrew it, try again, until the light and shadows in the room are just right; and many others will screw in every light in the damn house, leave them burning 24/7 and run around telling everyone how awesomely lit their house is and that everyone should experience the angelic warm glow that their lightbulbs have produced.
Marrita: I can’t compete with the other solutions, but somehow I see these explanations as a metaphor for something far more sinister that happens often to poor writers.
Chris: Occasionally a writer will eschew the light bulb and attempt to screw in a far more serious, considerably weightier bulb, in the vain hope of achieving some degree of critical acclaim.
Allan: None, because when a lightbulb goes in this household there are never any spares.
Petra: Nobody knows. It has never happened before.
Tad Williams: I thought y’all would have fun with that. My own personal answer was: “Uh-huh. Uh-huh. Absolutely.”
15 August 2012
Tad’s Mood Today
Throwing away large chunks of Hell in today’s editing. Because I already put my readers through enough of that.
14 August 2012
Tad’s Mood Today
13 August 2012
Tad’s Mood Today
Okay, here is for certain emergency fun, all must have! Night and sleeping goodness now. Remember fun monkey friend!
12 August 2012
Tad’s Mood Today
We have an extremely nice young woman from Oaxaca visiting us and I’m trying to figure out which of my kids I’m going to try to pass off as her for the handover, so we get to keep the real one.
Fringehead Fight! It’s about 2:20 in and it’s glorious, but you should really watch the whole thing, because who can ever get enough Sarcastic Fringehead action?
Amazing animals – Sarcastic fringehead
Can’t see the video in your RSS reader or email? Click here.
What’s on my mind? How the hell should I know?
A Fab Shindig
11 August 2012
Tad’s Mood Today
Daughter and I were talking today, and decided on some names you should never give girl-children:
Mary-Catheter
Bivalva
Scrofulette
Gorgonzola
Flatuleen
Scabby-Anne
Buttafuoca
and
“Whiskers”
Separating myself from the politics of the thing for a moment, the Ryan choice makes the Republican party seem, at a symbolic level, to be choosing to appear as white, male, and don’t-tax-the-wealthy as they could possibly be. That seems to be banking a lot on the pro-rich, anti-black-president vote.
From Rick Cuevas: “video (thanks to Mark Bracewell) from 4 august backyard Tiki Party…. featuring Tad Williams et al. Psycho Killer, cover by SAVAGE ROGER 4 Aug.2012 at the Tiki Party… filmed by Mark Bracewell…”
10 August 2012
Tad’s Mood Today
Just in case you were thinking about sleeping tonight.
Can’t see the video in your RSS reader or email? Click here.
Idiot chihuahuas, at least those who live at my house, bark so hard at strangers sometimes that the effort makes them bounce backward on four stiff legs, like a wind-up toy.
9 April 2012
Tad’s Mood Today
And I for one am darn grateful.
Photos from the Tiki Party – Palo Alto Aug. 4, 2012 by various photographers as posted to Tad’s FB Wall.
From Teresa Marovich: “It was all work during band set up until Hey Ya by Outkast came on. Tad danced while Andy picked up his guitar. — with Tad Williams and Andrew Lawrence Jackson.”
From Rick Cuevas: “Savage Roger band playing the Tiki Party…. August 4, 2012, at the home of Teresa Marovich . photos by Mark Bracewell — with Tad Williams and Patrick Coyne.”
From Rick Cuevas: “Savage Roger band playing the Tiki Party…. August 4, 2012, at the home of Teresa Marovich . photos by Mark Bracewell — with Tad Williams.”
From Rick Cuevas: “Savage Roger band playing the Tiki Party…. August 4, 2012, at the home of Teresa Marovich . photos by Mark Bracewell — with Tad Williams.”
From Rick Cuevas: “Savage Roger band playing the Tiki Party…. August 4, 2012, at the home of Teresa Marovich . photos by Mark Bracewell — with Tad Williams, Patrick Coyne and Andrew Lawrence Jackson.”
I have returned. Had a lovely few days in New York doing lots of useful work and hanging out with dear people, sandwiched by the dreadful Wonder Bread of a couple of tough travel days. And my luggage is still not with me. But it’s only dirty clothes and they’ll deliver it, so I’m not exactly dwelling morbidly on the situation. Anyway, thanks and love to my New York darlings, human and otherwise, and hello, Facebook friends. You’ll believe a man can fly!
5 August 2012
Tad’s Mood Today
Off to the airport. I may not get a chance to post for a few days — very busy trip. If not, remember me as I was, huge, tanned, heroic, and extremely sensible. Remember?
Had a lovely night at a lovely party with lovely friends. Only complaint: my friends and I were playing music so I hardly got any chance to catch up with folks. Still, great time. Thanks, Teresa! A fab shindig. You are the Tiki Queen.
Again, as I’m getting ready to go on a trip, and doing a zillion other things, and getting ready to go to a party tomorrow and see a bunch of people I like and love (but only briefly, because it’ll be a big, busy party) I feel that my major failing in life is scheduling.
Okay, that was a terrible sentence, but — and this is is no joke — I remember feeling that I was really desperately far behind on everything one day back in 1993, a sort of crisis of the soul, and I’ve certainly never caught up since.
I do not foresee a good ending to this situation. I will have to forego sleep for the next twenty-five years of my life just to break even.
Buttermilk the dwarf Nigerian goat may be kind of a nightmare to hang around with if you’re another goat, but you have to admire her skillz.
Buttermilk “plays” with her “friends”
Can’t see the video in your RSS reader or email? Click here.
‘The Dirty Streets of Heaven’ — Limited Autographed First Editions
Barnes & Noble have a limited number of autographed first edition hardcovers of The Dirty Streets of Heaven available for preorder now.
The Dirty Streets of Heaven: Volume One of Bobby Dollar
www.barnesandnoble.com
You can also preorder personalized, autographed copies from The Signed Page. Tad will be signing first editions for The Signed Page on September 21st.
Order your autographed first edition of The Dirty Streets of Heaven before they’re all sold out!
August 17, 2012
Tailchaser’s Song: Trailer
Tad Williams on the Tailchaser’s Song animated film coming from Animetropolis.
YouTube: Tailchaser’s Song, Tad Williams
Fifteen years ago, a young author surprised and enchanted readers with his first novel—the story of Fritti Tailchaser, a courageous tom cat in a world of whiskery heroes and villains, of feline gods and strange, furless creatures called M’an.
The book was Tailchaser’s Song, the author was Tad Williams. The legend was born.
Follow @tailchaserfilm on Twitter for the latest news about the Tailchaser’s Song animated film.
Read more about the animated film here.
Otherland MMO Trailer: Five Isle
gamigo and developer RealU have released a new ‘Making Of’ video: Otherland Making-of Part 4 – Best-selling author Tad Williams explains the new world of Five Isle
From gamigo:
Tad Williams and developer RealU are using the latest installment of their Otherland Making-of clips to present a new world simulation: Five Isle is a world comprised of five floating islands, each of which represents one of the five Chinese elements.
Source: gamigo press release
August 4, 2012
Fly Little Gimcracks
3 August 2012
Tad’s Mood Today
“And remember, Muffin, you pee in my ditty bag again and you’ll get what Foxy got.”
Cool and clever (and a ton of hard work.)
Robot Enthusiast Spends Two Years Bringing Pixar’s WALL-E to Life
gawker.com
2 August 2012
Tad’s Mood Today
“You wouldn’t like me when I’m cheerful.”
I’m going out to play some music soon. That’s because I’m just cool that way. (This is joke, people — I’m not cool ANY way. Except that I do my best to be kind.)
Here’s a more nuanced thought than some I’ve had a chance to share. Stuff like the Chik-fil-A issue has resonance on both sides far beyond the issue itself. For people who call themselves “social conservatives”, they seem to feel they are being railroaded into a social vision they don’t agree with, and will fight it however they can.
People like me, on the other hand, feel this is a historical issue that can and will only go one way, that science and world society are on the side of equality, and it’s time to stop shilly-shallying. As with so many other things, most other modern democracies have already dealt with this. It’s ridiculous (to us) that we’re still arguing about whether some human beings get the same rights as others do in the same country.
I myself firmly believe in everyone’s rights to believe whatever the heck they want to. However, when you’re denying rights to a part of the population based on old religious prohibitions and people’s personal discomfort, those who continue to oppose that denial, however genuinely they may believe it’s a freedom of speech issue, they’d better understand that just as you can’t go up to an interracial couple any more and say “People like you shouldn’t be able to get married,” without disgusting everyone around, the same is coming for those who feel the same way about gay couples. Sorry, but you’re on the wrong end of history with the racists and other bigots.
(And just to make my own feelings clear, you’re also a bigot if you automatically equate “Christian” with anything ugly, either. And bigotry sucks.)
Chik-fil-A supporting friends and acquaintances, please understand that for the rest of us, THIS is part of the context of your “defending people’s right to their religious beliefs” — ie, supporting and encouraging discrimination.
Interracial Marriage Laws
civilliberty.about.com
Alive in 1880. And some may live to be two hundred.
Whale survives harpoon attack 130 years ago to become ‘world’s oldest mammal’
www.dailymail.co.uk
After King Zor, this was the coolest Christmas present I ever got. The briefcase itself shot little plastic bullets, and it had all kinds of fly little gimcracks in it. Do you measure how good a present is by how much total fun you have with it, or how high the fun meter goes during the new toy honeymoon? This one spiked the needles pretty good no matter which way — I was espionaging the hell out of that neighborhood for months and months.
Let me tell you, in my day when you were cruising the local scene with this bad boy dangling from your fist, you were straight pimpin’.
1 August 2012
Tad’s Mood Today
Just saw that Gore Vidal died. I’m a big fan of his historical fiction, and also of his general cussedness. Ave atque vale.
31 July 2012
Tad’s Mood Today
“But first you must learn to smile as you kill.”
Working Class Hero – John Lennon
Can’t see the video in your RSS reader or email? Click here.
Don’t forget to visit our Mt. Doom Souvenir Stand on your way back down!
APOD: 2012 July 30 – Ash and Lightning Above an Icelandic Volcano
apod.nasa.gov
Weird cheesecake of the day: Ginger from Gilligan’s Isle smooching up a pig.
Mary and Bill. So much like all of us.
30 July 2012
Tad’s Mood Today
I have a quota of at least one stupid pet picture per week. Sorry. The government insists. I blame Obamacare!
They [tiny dog shoes] appear to have sizes. Which suggests tiny little Brannock scales for dogs. Is it any wonder that intelligent life from other planets doesn’t bother to contact us?
Like King Zor (below) this is an example of what we did for fun when I was a kid. If you were a pale Caucasian, that is, because they only made Band-Aid-pink fake fingers.
As I recall, it was part of the spy-era craze in the wake of James Bond and Man from U.N.C.L.E. and such. Many a little brother got shot in the eye. Well, not at MY house, of course…
Can’t see the video in your RSS reader or email? Click here.
Misread on a Forbes Magazine web page:
“Welcome, O life! I go to encounter for the millionth time the reality of experience and to forge in the smithy of my soul the uncreated conscience of my race.”
— Mitt Romney
I’m having a private little blues fest. Been listening to Blind Lemon and Charlie Patton and a bunch of other cool stuff like that the last couple of days. Unfortunately, now my woman done left me and the hellhounds are on my trail.
You can tell I’m in the fiction-factory groove, because I only sent off the first draft of HAPPY HOUR yesterday and already I’m trying to figure out what’s going to happen in the next one. Once I get working it’s hard to gear down.
Love this.
29 July 2012
Tad’s Mood Today
“Be ready for King Zor! He’s ready for YOU!”
He was the best toy I ever had. You can see from the commercial how cool he was.
King Zor commercial ( Ideal 1962)
Can’t see the video in your RSS reader or email? Click here.
28 July 2012
Tad’s Mood Today
Darn kids today, don’t even have to synch up their own records and films. Frickety-frackin’ internet…!
IHC After Dark: ‘Dark Side of the Rainbow’ No…
www.iheartchaos.com
Yes, I do believe this is happening. All over. Some of our right wing have decided they don’t want to leave things to chance. Or democracy.
Fla. Republican: We wanted to suppress black votes
www.salon.com
Now I can die happy.
WATCH: 12-Second Cat Video Absolutely Worth Your Time
Can’t see the video in your RSS reader or email? Click here.
Let us not then speak ill of our generation, it is not any unhappier than its predecessors. (Pause.) Let us not speak well of it either. (Pause.) Let us not speak of it at all.
—Beckett, WAITING FOR GODOT
27 July 2012
Tad’s Mood Today
I always had a deep fondness for Cher. Unlike some men, that never made me want to dress like her (and even if I wasn’t straight, the idea of sleeping with Sonny Bono is pretty disturbing) but I do like her. But the picture is mostly because I thought it was a good continuity from yesterday’s owl. Everything makes sense, you see, in the Tad Plan.
I’m going through old videos and DVDs, including footage my friend Andy Harris and I shot for a television sitcom we wanted to make in 1988. Includes folks like Greg Proops, Michael McShane, Joan Mankin, Marga Gomez, and many other San Francisco comedy notables. Wow. Long time ago.
26 July 2012
Tad’s Mood Today
Pamela: So Tad, thinking you might find a use for this picture some day ;-)
Tad: This is more than a profile picture, Pamela, this is the horrifying truth of my home life. They keep me drugged so I can’t tell anyone, but really my dogs are…what, Frankie? No, I was just telling my friend how good you are to me. And how you never do anything mean or make me cry. Really!
The charms of making fun of animals never stale.
You’ll know my kids if you bump into them. They’ll be wearing these from now on.
Eye chart for the post-verbal.
25 July 2012
Tad’s Mood Today
Just wait until “she” gets flooded with messages from middle-age perverts pretending to be other teenagers. Welcome to the internet, Chik-fil-A! You’re out of your depth.
Chick-fil-A Got Caught Pretending to Be a Teenage Girl on Facebook
gizmodo.com
Had to share this, poached from James Dodd. Lois and Perry and the rest of the folks in Silver Age Superman’s life must have felt like they were on a permanent acid trip.
Someday people will collect all the things I write on Facebook into one grand edifice of pithiness. Some will read it and say, “It was a cry for help.” Many more will say, “He sure was weird about his turtle.” Others will only shake their heads sadly, make the sign of the cross, and walk away. And all of them will be at least partly right.
I have made a vow to write at least one thing every day that has no commercial value, not even as self-advertisement.
Okay, that’s the first one done.
24 July 2012
Tad’s Mood Today
Today’s profile picture, by the way, is in honor of my fish Clark’s new fishbowl. That’s not Clark in the pic, that’s some guy I don’t know. I’m sure he’s very nice, and he may even be named Clark and have a new fishbowl, but he’s not MY Clark.
July 24, 2012
Publishers Weekly Starred Review for ‘The Dirty Streets of Heaven’
Epic fantasist Williams (A Stark and Wormy Knight) launches a noir fantasy series with a dark and thrilling story of Heaven and Hell battling for human souls. Bad-ass smart-mouth Bobby Dollar, an Earth-bound angel advocate for newly departed souls caught between Heaven and Hell, is appalled when a soul goes missing on his watch. Bobby quickly realizes this is “an actual, honest-to-front-office crisis,” and he sets out to fix it, sparking a chain of hellish events. A gruesome murder, cryptic messages from Heaven, a stolen object, a villainous grand duke of Hell, an elusive secret society, an irresistible succubus, and a dreadful primordial spirit provide the ingredients for a tightly woven, action-packed adventure. Bobby is a scene-stealer from the first page; his gutsiness, determination, and offbeat sense of humor add zest to the pandemonium that erupts around him. Exhilarating action, fascinating characters, and high stakes will leave the reader both satisfied and eager for the next installment. Agent: Matt Bialer, Sanford J. Greenburger Associates. (Sept.)
Tad Williams. DAW, $26.95 (416p) ISBN 978-0-7564-0768-1
