More from LeGuin

There were some attention-grabbing quotes from Ursula LeGuin that were highlighted here in my last post. Our friends at i09.com provided these comments.

There is more commentary from LeGuin featured in today's i09 Books section as well. This time George R.R. Martin is also featured -- the comments are quotations taken from an NPR discussion.

The focal point of this article is tearing down the divide between genres. Both LeGuin and Martin make some insightful points. It's a worthy read for any speculative fiction enthusiast.

Rustycon 26 -- save the date

Whether you're in or near Seattle or looking for a winter getaway after the holidays, consider going to Rustycon at the Seattle Airport Marriott. It takes place January 9-11 and I'm personally looking forward to it.

Featured author this year is Jay Lake. For easy access to his body of work here's his link. He's warming up his speaking skills next at Orycon, then after Rustycon he's the toastmaster at Radcon in February. With such a roster of conventions lined up, we should all be in for a rousing time hearing Chef Lake cook up the tales.

Round up a group to go...the tickets drop 10 bucks each if you round up a gang of 10. What a clever mathematical mnemonic device, eh?

Serious Wall-E

Ever think about Pixar features as much more than family films imbued with morals? Although I've been impressed by most of the movies, I've never rolled them onto my "greatest films ever" roster. They've always just been the very best cartoons you could find in long form to me.

Now, bring on Wall-E. According to this article, you can now tack Wall-E onto your list of the most meaningful films ever.

Admittedly, I haven't seen the flick yet. Once I do, I'll weigh back in on this opinion. However, it seems like comparing the movie to Blade Runner and 2001: A Space Odyssey might be a push. If you've seen the film and been blown away (or not) like Reed Johnson -- the article's author -- has been, post a comment here.

It's a very curious commentary. I'm trying to figure out if it was just one big gag or if I'm truly missing a heavy cinematic experience. More to come on this...check back soon.

More on literary fiction

This post from mediabistro just went online and it ties nicely into a recent blog entry of mine:
An essay on speculative fiction

My post reflects on Jason Sanford's article where he looks to literary fiction writers to lift up speculative fiction via forays into the genre with great works. Cormac McCarthy is cited. Ron Hogan, in the mediabistro post, also refers to McCarthy via his reference to a recent Wired magazine article.

The Wired piece talks about science fiction whereas Sanford focuses on speculative fiction. However, the sentiment is the same...mincing of genres aside. There are many camps in fiction. You could call me "in the speculative fiction camp" and it would be true. However, I don't get lost in semantics. We're talking about fiction set in a different space and time. It may not be that scientific but it's not your everyday fiction either.

Whatever you call it, one thing is certain: great writers are broadening context to comment on society through fiction. In the process, they're writing great stories. Regardless of genre trends or literary acceptance, great books are the result. I'm sure we'd all agree that's what we're after.

20 Things from Discover

There is a sweet section in Discover magazine on the last page called "20 Things You Didn't Know About..." You can check out a bunch of them here. They may not pertain much to speculative fiction but check out next month's edition. In hardcopy, the February edition is already out to subscribers.

The theme in this edition is "20 Things You Didn't Know About Science Fiction" and it's got some entertaining nuggets:

• Arthur C. Clarke's 2001 features Pan Am shuttles to the moon
  
• In real life, Pan Am wrote up their waiting list following the book's release which included Ronald Reagan and Walter Cronkite
  
• Isaac Asimov wrote about interstellar flight but refused to board an airplane
  
• Ray Bradbury, one of SF's greatest living legends, avoids computers, ATM's and has never driven a car.
  

Thanks Discover for these fascinating factoids. Hopefully, for the non-subscribers, this 20 Things list will be posted soon on the Web.

Futuristic musings in Real Time

Jason Fry in his Wall Street Journal article Meet George Jetson reflects on our expectations and how some of them actually come to pass...only we don't really notice. At least, most of us don't seem to anyway.

The article doesn't focus heavily on speculative fiction classics. Mr. Fry uses pop references we can all relate to such as the Jetsons (hence the article's title). However, he does a nice job in condensing down many standard sci-fi story points where off-earth settlements are concerned.

I agree with Mr. Fry on his primary point: if you reflect back to the 70's, our current technology is very advanced. It's just rolled out so slowly that you didn't feel an almost shocking change in your life. But if you think about it like he does, didn't you actually?

Like Mr. Fry, when I loaded up my first iPod I was blown away when I walked off to the gym with that many songs at my disposal. It was the klunky MP3 player that prepped me for this invention, however. I had already loaded up songs onto a gadget only there weren't so many, the controls sucked and it just wasn't cool.

Other aspects Mr. Fry points out like cell phone usage are also very true. Again, the migration was very gradual. It started out with the huge shoe phone sized unit like Michael Douglas sports in Wall Street back in the 80's. We all knew such phones existed and only salesmen and construction workers lugged around the next generation Motorolas that were still quite large and heavy. Finally, the price came down and the phones got small and cute. So, adoption happened rapidly from that point on...but by then it was no big deal. We had seen them around for years...no shock factor was built into them.

I guess that's the thing to do...take Mr. Fry's exercise: think back to 30 years ago if you've got that many years under your belt. Heck, if you're 23, think back to when you were 8 -- lots of things have changed since you were a kid too. There was no TiVo 15 years ago, you couldn't shop online and your mom didn't likely have a cell phone you could call. Mr. Fry is correct in these points.

We are living in the age of the Jetsons in many ways. There just aren't any treadmills outside our apartments in the sky to exercise our dogs.

Fiction viewpoint from up north

Living in Seattle, we get Vancouver, Canada, news here and there. Typically, it's about a ship than ran aground or word of local orca pods moving into treacherous circumstances. However, this news is more along my line -- fictional viewpoints.

The impetus for the post is the Sputnik anniversary. Google has a little Sputnik drawing embedded into its logo today to celebrate. It was, indeed, a momentous occasion that spoke volumes on human progress.

As you read the article, you may not be able to viscerally relate. If you were merely a glimmer in your parents' eyes at that point in time -- as I was -- the sentiments may escape you. However, if you give it a little thought and mull over your years of stomping on the terra (to quote Lord Buckley), you may still come away with similar amazement.

I like to think about computers and phones in particular...

On computing, my first college course was FORTRAN WAT-5S and I used punch cards to compile my first program. We learned the basic things back then like algorithms and pseudo-code. Considering that I'm typing this entry on a light laptop that's receiving a wireless Internet signal, things have gotten much more user friendly.

With regards to telephones, a similar sense of technological accomplishment hits me when I think back to that trendy candlestick phone we used to have. It was a retro style thing at the time but all phones then were still dialed and connected through a wire. Now I've got this tiny gadget that can call wherever a signal is available (which is virtually everywhere I go) and I can capture and send photos with it. I'm still waiting for Jetsons-style video phones to get smoothly operating. I guess we need to go back to basics on that one...we need a new algorithm for video compression so it's easy to send through phones bilaterally.

It all still amazes me when I reflect on how far we've come even over the last twenty years. I think that Vancouver Sun writer has it right to a degree...but I think we're still seeing science fiction come true. There are actually lots more developments for us to see come to life. We're probably just getting so used to change now that we don't notice it as much.

Arthur C. Clarke's sat-com future realized

In this post yesterday, Earth Times assesses future plans for satellite communications. Mirroring Arhtur C. Clarke's vision of 1945, a new European Commission is mapping out plans for MSS (Mobile Satellite Services) to expand them into a much broader usage.

The problem today impeding expansion is licensing. This EU commission is taking on this challenge in hopes of expanding the service range of satellites. You can read the article to get further details but what might this mean to you?

Imagine a world where you don't have to check that cell tower map when you travel to the hinterlands. With satellite phone communications, you wouldn't have to worry about such matters...a line of sight to the proper spot in the sky and you'd be all set...wherever you are. It would be life-enriching to be sure but it sounds like an economic conundrum for the time being.

Hopefully, we'll see a broad realization of Clarke's satellite communications vision. It's going to take some deft problem solvers to get us there.

Making the dark matter

So, you need a storyline for a space cadet piece of fiction? Well, here's your latest science-based factoid to latch onto: dark matter. Yes, we've now got new exciting evidence that it does indeed exist.

So, why does this matter, oh writer? Well, let's first recap what it's supposed to mean in our cosmos: "Astronomers believe dark matter - as opposed to ordinary matter making up the stars, planets and the like - comprises about 85 per cent of the universe's material, but evidence of it has been difficult to come by." -- thanks to our friends at Reuters. Hmm, this still might not motivate you to care, eh? What does it matter? (No pun intended.)

Thanks to fellow blogger Larry Sessions, we have a bit more insight into this subject: For some time, dark matter has been considered a key ingredient in determining the fate of the Universe. Basically, if there is enough mass in the universe, then you can say...that it is heavy, and can fall down as an apple can fall from tree. Except in this case the Universe would collapse down on itself."

So, back to the writing task at hand. You now have the quantity of known dark matter changing as your critical fact. Like the proverbial comet smashing into earth, dark matter is mysteriously decreasing. How are we going to equalize its level again? Decrease the light matter? Oh boy! There's your premise...now go write it up.

What's in a name?: science fiction

After reading this blogcritics post, I pondered yet again the ongoing developments of my personal writing genre -- speculative fiction -- and how it relates to science fiction. This subject has been covered a number of times before in my blog:

In December the subject centered around Director Cuaron's avoidance of labeling his film science fiction.

Earlier in December, I explored the subject a bit more in this post.

There has also been the attempt at levity on the subject.

However, just days ago in my post on Wizards of the Coast there is newfound support for speculative fiction. Although their published focus is more along the fantasy line, speculative fiction is sweeping in scope. So, it lends itself nicely to writers wanting to avoid the science fiction moniker as Cuaron has. Some turn to labeling their work as speculative fiction in order to avoid one genre identification by selecting another.

Perhaps there has been too much homogenization of science fiction. There are certainly deeply entrenched subject, character and plot points that permeate the mainstream of it. This is not by accident. I feel for the person who must market these books: their livelihood is on the line, they must make their product consistently or risk losing their audience, so they cling to their standards...even to the chagrin of creative storywriters cleverly breaking the mold.

We all need to make a living. I understand what the template-driven science fiction editor needs to accomplish. If I was in his/her shoes, I'd likely do the same thing.

However, I'm the writer and it frustrates me to see the universe created by Williamson, Vonnegut, Heinlein, Ellison and so many others get watered down. And the stereotype attached to its readership is a limited niche...a readership that would likely be far broader if a few risks were taken.

Cormac McCarthy's publishers took that risk -- and it paid off. However, as Blogcritics points out, no one's rushing to call it science fiction. Can we somehow turn the tide? Or will we continue to bolster new genres and create more niches? You will make the call in the end, oh book reader.

A valuable fiction experience in Seattle

I don't typically help push tickets to venues, but... this one's in my home town of Seattle and it's worth mentioning. One of our local attractions has lowered its prices...and I think it's a smart move. The entry fee to the Science Fiction Museum has been reduced.

Most people think ticket prices to tourist attractions seem a bit inflated but we accept it. "Perhaps," we think, "people only visit these attractions seasonally (summer in Seattle) and they need to make up for the rest of the year." It is good to give these venues the benefit of the doubt. I'm sure there are many weeks when employees are virtually asleep wishing visitors would appear.

On this note, an enticing price tag is a good thing. Get more people into the museum and spread the word. Science Fiction and less recognized genres like Speculative Fiction deserve the attention. These books break new ground in imagination and implication. No wonder attendance has been increasing.

In light of this increasing attendance, it's even cooler that they are cutting prices. A solid move. Kudos. To people that aren't residents: come to Seattle if you're considering a vacation (especially if you're coming to the U.S. from abroad). Not only do we spotlight great fiction, we show visitors a great time in this city.

Slick take: making speculative fiction count

In this recent syndicated article, columnist Joe Neumaier has some very insightful comments regarding what really clicks with readers...

A couple of direct quotes from Neumaier:
"For a classic pop-culture form often associated with futurethink, smart science fiction has lately felt like an extinct species, as cheesy action stories...But a change is afoot. As evidenced by the critical reaction to the current "Children of Men," serious, intelligent speculative fiction can still pack a wallop (and sometimes attract audiences). Witness last fall's Denzel Washington flick "Deja Vu" and the animated "A Scanner Darkly," TV's political "Battlestar: Galactica" and, in bookstores, Cormac McCarthy's end-of-the-world novel "The Road.""

I can't tell you how many great reviews I've read about McCarthy's book. Speculative fiction works along the lines of the greats like Brave New World, Childhood's End and 1984 are still being written...motivating me and many others to keep striving for our greatest opus.

As Neumaier continues: "For writers, the genre lets you deliberately not quite hit the nail on the head. You can create a whole scenario that has resonance -- and then you watch as it takes on a life of its own." He then takes this thought further to the impact I'm personally targeting when I write: "It's the kind of 'now is then' moral warning that writers from Rod Serling to Philip K. Dick issued regularly with subtle expertise."

Personally, this is my own modus operandi: look at what's going on now and comment on it imagining the future outcome. The trick to this approach is to introduce someone more clever than the operators you see in the public forum today. Imagine if another Benjamin Franklin, Confucius, Leonardo DaVinci or Gandhi type of person appeared in our future world. We could use a good inventor, philosopher or gifted social operator right now. We've got great technologies being shelved, social progress being stymied and a muddled global mindset.

Only speculative fiction lets a person put themselves into today's shoes and wear them in the future. By writing in this vein, we can imagine solutions to today's current world problems by drawing a roadmap to overcome them. Or, in the case many great works of speculative fiction, warn about the pitfalls of inactivity -- making sure people think through the consequences of their current actions and desire to make a change.

Saying goodbye to Jack Williamson

2006 is now in the past and so is Jack Williamson. He passed away last year at 98 years of age. This article is a great reflection on his legacy.

Personally, I must thank him for creating the term "terraforming" which I used as the title of my first screenplay: Terraform. Williamson had a great imagination and was an astounding futurist. Most impressive to me were his fictional descriptions of anti-matter power. Like Stephen Hawking who, as referenced in this recent article, believed that matter/antimatter annihilation would be our most likely way of getting near the speed of light in space travel, Williamson wrote earlier in support of this same hopeful power source. We have yet to harness the power of these annihilations but our forays into supercolliders could certainly yield insights over the upcoming decades.

Thank you Mr. Williamson for your insightful speculative fiction. You'll be sorely missed.