Tim Weed's Blog, page 3

Television Interview: “Here We Are” with Wendy O’Connell on BCTV

Such a fun conversation! We talked about my early life, travel, writing, teaching, The Afterlife Project, and much more. Wendy is an excellent, relaxed interviewer, skilled at putting her interlocutor at ease. The words and laughter flowed, and the thirty-odd minutes went by so fast. This will be up on YouTube indefinitely, so if you’re interested bookmark it, and if you’ve got half an hour some time, give it a watch!

Why The Old Man and the Sea is a Great Environmental Novel: new Hemingway essay at Vol. 1 Brooklyn

Pleased to note that my new literary essay, “And Afterwards it Belongs to You: Why “The Old Man and the Sea” is a Great Environmental Novel” is now up at Vol. 1 Brooklyn. I hope you enjoy it!

Below is a photo of one of our Cuba writing groups discussing The Old Man and the Sea at the Finca Vigía, outside Havana, followed by some photos of the Terraza de Cojímar, the real-life setting for the book, which is unchanged from the 1950s when Hemingway was a regular here and truly stands as one of the great physical landmarks of world literature.

If you haven’t re-read The Old Man and the Sea recently, I highly recommend it. It’s a towering work of literature certainly, but also just a highly enjoyable read page to page and an incredibly life-affirming one too in these days of global environmental crisis. Read it again and I think you’ll see what I mean. Especially if you’re planning a trip to Cuba!

Jessica Horowitz photo A very famous literary view

New Hemingway essay at Vol. 1 Brooklyn

Pleased to note that my new literary essay, “And Afterwards it Belongs to You: Why “The Old Man and the Sea” is a Great Environmental Novel” is now up at Vol. 1 Brooklyn. I hope you enjoy it!

Below is a photo of one of our Cuba writing groups discussing The Old Man and the Sea at the Finca Vigía, outside Havana, followed by some photos of the Terraza de Cojímar, the real-life setting for the book, which is unchanged from the 1950s when Hemingway was a regular here and truly stands as one of the great physical landmarks of world literature.

If you haven’t re-read The Old Man and the Sea recently, I highly recommend it. It’s a towering work of literature certainly, but also just a highly enjoyable read page to page and an incredibly life-affirming one too in these days of global environmental crisis. Read it again and I think you’ll see what I mean. Especially if you’re planning a trip to Cuba!

Jessica Horowitz photo A very famous literary view

THE AFTERLIFE PROJECT excerpt up at Amazing Stories

It’s such an honor to be excerpted in the pages of this venerable old science fiction magazine – where such luminaries as Isaac Asimov, Howard Fast, and Ursula K LeGuin published some of their early stories.

In case you want a little amuse-bouche before you order a copy of The Afterlife Project. Enjoy!

Illustrated Cuba talk now televised & available for free viewing

My thanks to Mount Mansfield Community Television and The Community Senior Center of Richmond, Huntington, and Bolton for hosting and televising my recent illustrated Vermont Humanities Council Speakers Bureau talk at the Richmond Free Library, “A Playground for Empire: Historical Perspectives on Cuba and the USA.”

The talk, about 90 minutes including Q & A, will be available indefinitely for free viewing on YouTube. Enjoy!

THE AFTERLIFE PROJECT receives a starred review from Library Journal

“Rousing seafaring adventure, combined with contemplative musings on life wrapped around a compelling romance make this a fascinating tale that is difficult to put down; the combination of dire ecological challenges and imaginative future discovery combine in this very engrossing read from Weed.” — Library Journal

This is a big deal, and should really help get the word out about this book. My humble and profound gratitude to all the great folks at Podium Entertainment, Page One Media, Gelfman Schneider Literary Agents, and to the many of you who have already preordered or posted early reviews. The Afterlife Project comes out June 3, 2025; the paperback original, audiobook, and ebook are available for preorder now.

THE AFTERLIFE PROJECT has received a starred review from Library Journal

“Rousing seafaring adventure, combined with contemplative musings on life wrapped around a compelling romance make this a fascinating tale that is difficult to put down; the combination of dire ecological challenges and imaginative future discovery combine in this very engrossing read from Weed.” — Library Journal

This is a big deal, and should really help get the word out about this book. My humble and profound gratitude to all the great folks at Podium Entertainment, Page One Media, Gelfman Schneider Literary Agents, and to the many of you who have already preordered or posted early reviews. The Afterlife Project comes out June 3, 2025; the paperback original, audiobook, and ebook are available for preorder now.

THE AFTERLIFE PROJECT is a Middlebury Magazine Editors’ Pick

It’s an honor to receive this notice from my alma mater, with a nice little book review as well. Here’s a pull quote:

“The dangers [the characters] endure along the way are set against an unfolding and impossible love story across the vastness of geological time, as the scientists work to keep humans in existence. It may sound like an end-of-the-world tale, but it defines the strength and bravery of human beings and what they will do to preserve this precious thing we call life in the face of overwhelming odds.” — Middlebury Magazine

New fiction craft essay at Writer’s Digest

Link below to this short piece featured by Writer’s Digest. If you’ve taken a fiction class with me you’ll likely be familiar with this line of thinking, though perhaps you haven’t seen it put exactly this way before. In any case I think it’s an essential thing to keep in mind if you want to create original work in this spoiler-obsessed story culture. There’s also a link in the bio you can use to preorder the new novel, which I strongly encourage!

“What is Dramatic Irony: And How to Use it to Create Page-Turning Fiction”

Kirkus Reviews’ verdict on THE AFTERLIFE PROJECT

A real shot in the arm in the form of this highly favorable review by Kirkus!

This is something every novelist hopes for (you really never know with Kirkus) and to have it happen this early in the process feels like a good omen.

The novel comes out on June 3, 2025, but allow me to suggest (for various reasons, most having to do with the vicissitudes of publishing algorithms) that you preorder it NOW at your local independent bookstore or via Bookshop.org, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, or (for audiobook) Audible