I'm Kernos aka Bill

[Bill]

HI all. I am delighted this forum is taking off. Kudos to the admin and mods!

The 1st SF I read in book form were my selections I got for 1¢ to join the SFBC back in the mid 50's. They were Slan, Voyage of the Space Beagle and The World of Null-A or Ā, all by AE van Vogt. I was instantly hooked. Before that it was comics and some pulps my Dad had. I've been a continuous member of the SFBC since and though I read across genres and also lit-fic, SF is my favorite genre.

My 1st Gay SF was Chrome by George Nader 1st published in 1978. It was supposed to be a trilogy, but no further books were published. From then on it was a sparse field. Fantasy at the time, provided more Gay protags (like The Last Herald Mage trilogy.

I am absolutely a proud Geek! I have every Star Wars and Star Trek book ever published, have 70 or so models of star ships, super-heroes, a comic collection, loads of figures and a collection of old computers (all Apple). I started on IBM mainframes in the mid 70's. Played an asteroid-like game on a PDP-11 and still have a working Nintendo and Genesis. I'm a science Geek (or is it nerd) and read Sci-Am, Science, Wired... religiously. I have and wear ballcaps with the Batman, Spiderman and Superman logos. I even have Klingon and The Federation symbol stud earrings (right ear, of course). I even know how to use a slide rule ;-). Have I mentioned my SF heroes autograph collection? The showpiece is all 5 Star Trek captains in 1 picture, all signed and authenticated or the entire case of Lost in Space. I even have a T-shirt worn by Ryan Phillippe in Antitrust (a computer movie). I searched it for hair follicles so I could attempt cloning him... Am I a Geek and a Nerd?

For Gay SF, I like best books that are primarily SF, but have Gay characters. I do read some m/m romance, but like porno, they all start seeming the same. In any book I have to identify with a character and become him.

Oh and Chris and I will have our 33rd anniversary in May.

[Charming, Order theorist]

Kernos wrote: "HI all. I am delighted this forum is taking off. Kudos to the admin and mods!

The 1st SF I read in book form were my selections I got for 1¢ to join the SFBC back in the mid 50's. They were [book:..."

Dude, you are awesome. I kind of want to sit at your feet and listen to war stories.

[Casey]

Well, I'm loving this group so far. Have lots of great reads added to my TBR. Am still trying to think of something clever about FTL travel but I'll get there in the end.

So thanks, Bill, and congrats to you and Chris on your upcoming anniversary :D

[Oco]

OMG! Slan!! That was one of my first SF books, back in elementary school. :D

Never met anyone else who read it. :) I reread it recently on a whim, and it isn't nearly as good as I remembered, but hey, times were different then. So was I.

Congrats. Thirty three. Bloody hell. I can't even imagine. :D

I'm not much into 'pop' SF, honestly. I think that's because I can't sit in front of a TV or cinema screen without beginning to itch with impatience. I will read fantasy, but it has to be sort of... 'hard' I guess. Not much into unicorns and elves.

I have an autographed F451 from when he came to give a talk once at Los Alamos NL. Treasure...!

[Bill]

Oco wrote: "OMG! Slan!! That was one of my first SF books, back in elementary school. :D

Never met anyone else who read it. :) I reread it recently on a whim, and it isn't nearly as good as I remembered, but ..."

There is a sequel to Slan: Slan Hunter also available as an omnibus, written by Kevin J. Anderson based on an outline or draft by van Vogt.

[Jerry]

Hi Kernos,
Congratulations on your upcoming 33rd anniversary with Chris. My husband and I will celebrate 33 in September.
I need to look up your books, I think you started before me.
I am not a real nerd, but my husband is and he can program computers. Until we got German ones he could even fix our cars. But I do know how to use a slide rule.
Tim has watched every Star Treck show made. His favorite series is TNG while mine is Voyager--but we do love the original.
I was at the first screening of Star Wars at Graumans Chinese in Hollywood. The billboard campaign started with just black, then they added stars, then the logo, then finally a date. Not much hype until it was shown to the public, then it was the only topic of conversation.
Cheers!

[Meghan]

Wow, Kernos, congratulations on your 33-year anniversary! That's a big number! :)

My dad is close to your age & he's a nerd. He forced us to watch 2001: Space Odyssey & Silent Running at the university theaters. Who does that to their 4 yr-old?! His father was also a nerd. :) LOL

[Bill]

Jerry wrote: "Hi Kernos,
Congratulations on your upcoming 33rd anniversary with Chris. My husband and I will celebrate 33 in September.
I need to look up your books, I think you started before me.
I am not a rea..."

And, congratulations on your 33rd! We should discuss the joys and the slings and arrows of long term relationships. Have you found any fiction that explore LTR between (or among) men?

You have done a lot of traveling. If you decided to migrate from the US, what country would you choose?

[Jerry]

Italy, somewhere in Tuscany for the food and pace of life. However with their financial issues.....
The longest relationship that comes to mind is Dan and Vadim in Special Forces. Not everyone's cup of tea, but these guys are now part of my DNA. I think it takes them thru 25 years. It ends in their 50's.
I would love to read more gay LTR.
Slings and arrows--that's a topic in it's self.