The blog pages for ‘About‘ and ‘The Best of All Possible Worlds‘ have been updated. There is an interview (more on that soon), three new reviews from the Wall Street Journal, the Telegraph and the Seattle Times respectively, and an extra in the form of a Spanish translation of the previously-linked short story ‘Astronomy Lesson’.
SF Crossing the Gulf, Episode 11: Star Maker
Very belatedly, I give you a link to episode 11 of SF Crossing the Gulf in which we discuss some classic sci-fi: Star Maker, by Olaf Stapledon. This proved to be a rich and profound work, and it felt as if we had barely skimmed the surface after more than an hour. However, if we can inspire you to pick it up and read it for yourself, our job is done!
Day Zero: Destination Adelaide
About planes, the Tiptree, the Kitschies, music, movies, and a nightclub.
On Tuesday 26 February, I departed for Adelaide. I was travelling light, cabin baggage only. Access to free wifi varied quite a bit, and I spent most of the first two legs of the journey sleeping and reading. When I did have wifi, I was most often in email-discussion with my colleagues on the Tiptree jury as we reached the final phase of selection. Congratulations to Caitlin R. Kiernan (The Drowning Girl) and Kiini Ibura Salaam (Ancient Ancient) for their well-deserved win! Congrats also to the authors who made the honour list: Elizabeth Bear, Roz Kaveney, M.J. Locke, Kim Stanley Robinson, Karin Tidbeck, Ankaret Wells, and Lesley Wheeler. You can check out all the works at http://tiptree.org.
When I landed in Dubai, I checked my twitter and discovered a surge in mentions. Redemption in Indigo had won The Golden Tentacle (Best Debut) at the Kitschies. Thank you so much to the Kitschies judges! May I take this opportunity to draw to your attention the Kitschies playlist. This was my contribution:
Between Dubai and Adelaide I was mostly awake, so I caught up on some movies. Beasts of the Southern Wild was the first I saw. I loved it as a filmwatcher and a storyteller, and I did cry even though I’d been warned about ‘the scene that will make you cry’. I also watched two tai chi movies, a bit silly in plot but great in fight choreography.
On arrival in Adelaide late on Thursday 28 February, I smugly sauntered past baggage claim with my carry-on and handbag and was greeted by Adelaide Writers’ Week volunteer Sophie Byrne. I expected to come across as a shambling, incoherent, jetlagged wreck, but she was kind, reassuring and restful. She took me to my hotel and gently suggested that I do a quick unpack, enjoy a shower and change, and then think about heading back out with her to the Barrio. Which I did!
The Barrio was delightfully surreal. I never managed to see it in the daytime, but to my blurred and bleary vision it was an accretion of found objects, an assemblage of post-apocalyptic salvage. There I found Sean Williams, the delightful human being who got me hooked on Tim Tams in San Diego, increased the dosage to a full box in Toronto, and thus gradually lured me to Australia. After all too brief a time, the jetlag, as expected, came down upon me like a mighty hammer, so off I went for my first proper sleep since Monday night.
Next, Day One of the Writers’ Week!
Back home!
After an intense and enjoyable and all too brief time in Adelaide for the Writers’ Week, after lengthy travel and further delays when my final flight was cancelled due to bad weather, I have returned!
I have lots to blog about, but I won’t do it while jetlagged because that would be no fun for me or you. Fortunately there’s twitter and tumblr, where brevity and easy linkage have made it easier for me to share things. I invite you to go there while I take a short break to recover.
Australia and the Adelaide Writers’ Week
Tomorrow I start my journey eastward to Australia where I will be participating in the 2013 Adelaide Writers’ Week. These are my two panels:
REDEMPTION IN INDIGO: KAREN LORD
Sunday, March 3
3:45pm – 4:45pmALL STORIES ARE LOVE STORIES: KAREN LORD, EMILY ST JOHN MANDEL, CHARLOTTE WOOD
Monday, March 4
10:45am – 11:45am
[Source]
I’ll tweet whenever I can find wifi, but don’t expect too much, especially during travel (I leave on the 26th but I arrive on the 28th!). Actual blogging may have to wait until I come back home on 7 March.
And that’s it. No more books.
Congratulations to Sarah, the winner of the final book giveaway which ended yesterday! Other book giveaways by Jo Fletcher Books are still ongoing. Check their twitter @JoFletcherBooks to stay up to date on their competitions.
I still haven’t heard from Adam B Shaeffer, who was one of my two winners for a double feature of Redemption in Indigo and The Best of All Possible Worlds. Come on, Adam. Tweet me, or Jo Fletcher Books, or someone. Let us send you free books.
SF Crossing the Gulf, Episode 10: Jagannath
A new episode of SF Crossing the Gulf is up! We talked about Jagannath by Karin Tidbeck and thoroughly enjoyed ourselves.
