Author Archives: Eric

Balticon Follow Up

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The title here is a bit of a tease honestly. I don’t have enough of my thoughts pulled together to write anything even remotely coherent about the convention just now. I want to do the review justice. It was a short week back at work, but I suspect they crammed more into the schedule just to be certain they made up for Monday’s lost time. This has put the squeeze on my writing time.

Short version – it was a really good convention that once again flew past far more quickly than it should have. IF you’ve not been out to a local convention and you’re a fan, you’re missing out.

I normally hold off until the next WTS fanzine, but I think the number of weeks beyond the convention we’ll be at that point would lose some of the impact.

So – more to follow – starting with my first panel this year… the one where I was sitting next to Brandon Sanderson. Yes, that Brandon Sanderson.

Wil’s new show

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I’ll start with the blasphemy just to get it out of the way – I don’t like Star Trek that much. I enjoy it, but I’m not a fanatic. For a long time I’ve said, “That’s not MY science fiction”. It was a part of a certain ensign’s career that landed him in fandom’s collective memory however, so I do understand the need for credit where it is due. In the past couple of years I’ve come to enjoy reading Wil Wheaton’s blog. I admire a lot of things about the way he approaches life in general. I love the fact that he’s so into games and gaming. I watch Table Top as soon as it comes out whenever I can (and when I can’t… it’s the internet, I can go back for it).

In case you missed it, Wil has a new show on cable. I won’t lie, I have a naked hatred for the channel he’s on. I don’t want to advertise for them. I couldn’t just ignore the new show though, so I went and watched the first episode. If you’re interested, go and check it out here.

I have decided it must be me. I’m old or something. The show was OK, but it didn’t wow me. I was hoping for at least a little insight or a segment that really worked for me. What I got was essentially talk soup for stuff I don’t watch. I wanted to like this show so much and I’m totally indifferent to seeing it again. There were some bits that made me chuckle (the dragon was very funny, but it was like 3 seconds and a totally juvenile joke) and some bits that made me wonder (signing Hugh was too long) and some stuff that was just lost on me (haven’t had cable for a long time now).

I won’t give up on the show, but I don’t know how many episodes I’ll last. I suppose all I really have to do is last a handful of episodes – if the show becomes popular I suspect it will be cancelled right away (or maybe I’m projecting toward this channel I don’t like).

Balticon 48!

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I am very excited to be heading to Hunt Valley today for Balticon. For anyone that missed my original post on Facebrick – here’s where I’ll be:

Writing the Economics of Magic (Panel) (Participant), Fri 18:00 – 18:50, Salon C (Hunt Valley Inn)
Fortress Press Book Launch (Other) (Participant), Sat 18:00 – 20:00, Con Suite (Hunt Valley Inn)
Film the Raven Evermore: Films Based on the Tales of Poe (Panel) (Participant), Sun 22:00 – 22:50, Belmont (Hunt Valley Inn)
Long-term Career Planning for Creatives: Surviving the Next 10 Revolutions (Panel) (Participant), Mon 08:00 – 08:50, Chase (Hunt Valley Inn)

I am also looking forward to seeing the liar’s panel and Mark Van Name’s new spoken word show. IF you’re headed to the convention I highly suggest both of these panels!

Looking forward to seeing everyone there!

Shifting Sand

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I find it a bit stunning that it’s been 2 weeks since I’ve posted here. The whirlwind that is my schedule has made time blur and shift like sand. At times I feel about as stable as sand, but I wouldn’t trade the things I do.
One of the things I do is go to conventions – and Balticon is almost here! I am really looking forward to going this weekend and getting to reconnect with folks I don’t get to spend enough time with. It looks to be an amazing weekend. IF you get the chance, get to the convention. You can find out about it here: http://www.balticon.org/ . The daily rates are posted for anyone that can’t stay the entire weekend along with a preliminary convention schedule.
I have my first panel Friday at 6 pm… and the guest of honor will be there too. I suddenly feel the need to go study economics.
Hope to see you there!

Behind The Curtain

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I’ve posted a couple of times lately about the new story I’ve got coming out in TV Gods, but I don’t want this to be the “promote my work” channel.

I like the idea of getting a peek behind the curtain from time to time and thought I’d offer one of my own.

Both of my stories that have been published in the Defending The Future series feature military members that are part of “Resource Command”. I suspect there are a lot of non-genre folks that would see this as a kind of prediction that science fiction is commonly known for. I don’t believe for a moment that fans will be shocked to hear that real science in combination with other news sources were part of the inspiration behind a military command group based around fighting for resources.

There has been news in many forms about climate change and associated dangers. There have even been official reports and news about those reports. It’s a simple extrapolation really. Take an idea from that – there will be riots in the future because people can’t get enough clean water – then ask – how to many places respond to riots? With force. Suddenly there’s a police or military need to respond to what people are doing about getting water. Voila – military science fiction story idea.

I genuinely hope we don’t ever need a military command to oversee who gets water and who does not. I don’t believe that will end well for anyone – except perhaps the already super wealthy that think like this too.

I do also love to hear about technology that works toward energy and preservation of resources, so don’t be shocked if a solar chimney appears in an upcoming story…

Good Reading

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On Goodreads of course!

I know there are other internet sites for doing this sort of thing, but Goodreads is the one I got hooked up on and the one I think I’m going to stick with (at least for the foreseeable future).
I like this as a way to share the books I’ve read and the books that have really changed things for me. Those are the 5 star books – the ones that really change things for me. It’s tough to get 5 stars from me. I don’t like the fact that I can’t give half stars in their rating system, but I tend to put that in the review portion for each book I add. If I give 4 or 4 and a half stars that’s probably as high a rating as I go without something truly special.
Changing things for me includes books that have a story by me in them! Head on over to Goodreads and check out TV Gods from Fortress Publishing. My story “Leave It To Buddha” is in there! I’m looking forward to reading all the other offerings in the book and I hope you’ll be excited about it too.

Still Working

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So, I’ve been working when I can to get my writing out there. I have a flash fiction piece I really like. I submitted it to a contest and I really thought I had a shot.

As it turns out there were only 750 entrants to the contest – odds were better than I thought.

Didn’t even crack the top 10.

So, I’ll tweak it and send it to somebody else.

In the mean time, if you’d like to be disturbed listen to the second place story here: http://www.ttbook.org/book/3-minute-futures-our-favorites

Lurking and looking bad

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This past weekend Central PA Comicon was happening. I’ve written up a review for Watch The Skies that will be published on the 16th of this month (check it out at the new web site: http://www.watchtheskies.org/ ). I didn’t include a particular issue in that review that I still feel the need to comment on. It’s probably just me, but as this is my web site I guess my opinion is really what counts here.
I saw coverage of the convention in the local news media. One of the articles was here: http://www.pennlive.com/entertainment/index.ssf/2014/04/central_pa_comic_con_1.html#incart_m-rpt-1
The coverage seemed, middle of the road. I feel like what they wanted was something more salacious than what they found. I could be wrong, but it’s the feeling I get. Despite the fact this was a “comicon” the headline includes Star Trek and a particular section about the guy that dresses up as a Klingon. I suppose based on the guests of the convention this was a point of interest, but it really rubs me the wrong way that this is the lingering impression people have of conventions. I’ve written about this before from the book angle – or the “I don’t read that stuff” effect.
Speaking of lingering impressions – there are 2 photos that I’m not particularly fond of. The photographer (Paul Chaplin) did a fine job, it’s the juxtaposition that bugs me. One is Bonjo the scary clown sitting and people watching (first image in the gallery). The other is me, sitting and people watching – but the costume aspect is opposite (last image in the gallery). I was in street clothes and the cosplayers were Joker and Harley. Like I said before, it’s probably just me but I hate looking like that guy lurking around the con and staring at female cosplayers and making them uncomfortable. I don’t ever want to be that guy, or make any cosplayer feel uncomfortable about what they’re clearly passionate about. I love what it takes to be willing to cosplay – even if I can’t pull it off and the image bugs me.
Like I said – it’s probably just me. It’s likely nobody will notice or care… but I noticed. What does anyone think, am I just over sensitive about this?

Red pill or blue pill

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I don’t remember what pill made things back the way they were – clearly I need to go back and watch the Matrix again.

As is often the case, the real world has crashed into fantasy land and things here at the Pretend Blog got tossed by an airbag or something.

For those that are with me here, but not with me on other social media allow me to draw back the veil… my wife has landed herself in the hospital. So far it’s been 5 days – and doesn’t look like she’ll be home before next weekend at the earliest.

I’m hoping that will get her all healed up and back to a place where she can start to get healthy again. Until then, things here may be more sporadic than usual.