Another Recommendation: Unnatural Disaster

Oct 18, 2011 Other Writers

Kris Rusch’s Unnatual Disaster is another solid story. But then, it’s Kris Rusch, so you know it’s going to be interesting and fun to read.

Fiction at Subterranean

Jun 20, 2011 Other Writers, Science Fiction

I’ve just ready two really interesting pieces of fiction that say a lot about relationships, in very different ways:

Younger Women by Karen Joy Fowler.

Mirror, Mirror by Tobias S. Buckell.

Speculative fiction–gotta love it.

Escape Pod Recommendations

Mar 8, 2011 Other Writers, Science Fiction

So I’ve been on an Escape Pod jag while doing my health-club time lately. Two stories I can recommend: You’re Almost Here by Melinda Thielbar (originally published in Bull Spec), and Written on the Wind by David D.Levine. You can either download the podcast on those links or read the story in written form. Very nice.

I liked “You’re Almost There” for it’s basic aura and it’s statement on the world of today. I liked “Written on the Wind” because it’s a kind of interesting tale, but I have to admit I liked it just as much for the fact that it’s founded in linguistics. This appeals for two reasons. First, it’s hard to find intereting stories built around linguistics. But the bigger reason is that it made me think of Brigid, who is majoring in (among other things) Linguistics at Purdue.

Ask a Writer

Feb 26, 2011 Other Writers

Tobias Buckell does an outstanding job answering a question on the Adventures of Sci-fi Publishing podcast. This is noteworthy for me because it made me remember how dangerous it is to jump to conclusions or go with your gut instinct. Beyond that, it helped make me think about the fun part of reading, and how authors can help this along.

In this case, the question is about how one goes about making reasonable equations or relationships between things when writing from an alien point of view. In other words, if you say “the boulder was the size of a truck” we all understand that. But an alien being may well not know what a truck is, so the alien rally can’t say that. So what’s a writer to do?

My gut instinct as I heard the question (while treading along on my treadmill) was to dismiss it out of hand. I mean, you just feel things out, you know? You put yourself in the point of view of the alien and you do your best, right? It’s a feel thing. An experience thing. In other words … what a damned silly question.

But it’s not a silly question at all. It’s a great question, and Toby gave an outstanding response that made me think both about my personal writing and about what it means about me that I jumped to such an unhealthy first response.

Hopefully it was just that I was getting tired. [grin].

It’s pretty deep in the podcast, and I don’t have a minute-point to note. But the whole thing is worth listening to.

Recommendation: Ken Liu’s “Simulacrum”

Feb 15, 2011 Other Writers

I just finished reading Ken Liu’s Simulacrum at Lightspeed. Definitely an interesting piece of work. I really enjoyed the exploration of technology in it, and it’s ramifications. But I admit I also was struck by the father/daughter thing, despite the … uh … problem … the father has.

Definitely worth a read.