Bart King's Blog, page 63
December 4, 2015
December 2, 2015
Childhood Dream: Fulfilled!
I’m sort of jacked right now, and explaining why is going to plumb the depths of geekery. As a kid, I loved reading science fiction because the genre explored things I was interested in— dreaming about the future and outer space, looking at the world through different eyes, and exploring kooky “what if” scenarios. (Plus? Monsters!)
So I plowed through piles of books, and also subscribed (at one time) to almost a half-dozen monthly science fiction magazines. One thing the writers for all of these publications (like Isaac Asimov, Ursula K. LeGuin, Ray Bradbury, Octavia Butler, etc.) seemed to have in common was membership in the Science Fiction & Fantasy Writers of America (SFWA).
I was just a reader, but I wanted IN. But to join, you had to sell a novel or story to a “reputable, paying market.” So in high school, I submitted a few science fiction stories for publication, and it turned out that even markets of low repute had their standards. Admittedly, my stories were pretty bad, so the rejections were totally justified. (In retrospect, I guess I shouldn’t have always named all of my heroes “Bart.”)
Years passed, life moved on, and I was able to pare down my expectations and realize different, more realistic dreams. For example, I now own more mock turtlenecks than anyone I know.
But since my funny science fiction novel, The Drake Equation, is coming out next year, I'm also a new member of the SFWA! I guess that shows that I’ve grown a lot as a writer since then. I mean, my book’s protagonist isn’t even named Bart!December 1, 2015
My Life as a Hero
Every time I'm on a plane, I wonder if there'll be an emergency where someone cries out: "HELP! Is there a children's writer on board?"
And then I'll leap to my feet, hit my head on the overhead bin, stagger into the aisle, and get run over by the beverage cart.
And then I'll leap to my feet, hit my head on the overhead bin, stagger into the aisle, and get run over by the beverage cart.
November 24, 2015
Ooh, I wrote a poem! It's called...
"Why I Look Scared Riding My Bike"
SUV?
Dangerous.
Speeder?
Worse.
Big truck?
Treacherous.
Driver texting?
Hearse!
So a rider like me, who's oh-so wary,
Pedals on bikes that are stationary.
A friend's daughter saw this picture of NBA commissioner Adam Silver...
She asked, "Is that Bart King?" (Little did she know that I am the commissioner of my family's fantasy basketball league!)
November 19, 2015
Hey, want to read something cool?
Check out this article about "EXTREME BAGPIPING SITUATIONS." It details bagpiping in war, Antarctica, and even outer space! (Photo via.)
November 16, 2015
Thing I Didn't Expect to See This Weekend:
A matinee showing of our dog chasing a coyote out of the backyard!
Augie chased it across the street, and then the coyote was like, "We good here?" and Augie was like, "Holla!" (And then he proudly trotted home.)
Augie chased it across the street, and then the coyote was like, "We good here?" and Augie was like, "Holla!" (And then he proudly trotted home.)
November 13, 2015
Scandal. Murder. Insanity. Suicide.
This is the worst slumber party ever!
