John DeNardo over at SF Signal is running a Book Cover Smackdown–and the Stephan Martiniere cover for Terra Insegura is one of them. So which do you like best of these three? Terra Insegura by…me! (Cover Artist: Stephan Martiniere)Haze by L.E. Modesitt, Jr. (Cover Artist: Sparth)Boneshaker by Cherie Priest (Cover Artist: Jon Foster) Of course, …
Tag: science fiction
Programming matter
[podcast]http://edwardwillett.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/04/programmable-matter.mp3[/podcast] Remember the shape-changing T-1000 robot in the 1991 movie Terminator 2? It could disguise itself as anything—a policeman, the floor, whatever—and sprout tools and weapons as required. It turns out it may very well have given us a glimpse of a very real future (though hopefully without the whole Armageddon-like-conflict-between-robots-and-humans thing). Researchers right now …
Now I’m even writing in my sleep
Just before I woke this morning, I was dreaming in an unusual fashion: in my dream, I was disembodied and observing other people, writing a running commentary in my head, very much like the process of writing fiction when I’m awake. I can’t remember ever doing that in my sleep before, but of course we …
Hugo Awards final ballot released
The Hugo and John W. Campbell Best New Writer final ballot has been announced. Alas, Marseguro is not on it. (I and everyone else would have been shocked if it had been!) What I find most interesting about it is that three of the Best Novel nominees are young adult books: Cory Doctorow’s Little Brother, …
Marseguro is an Aurora Award finalist!
I’ve known for a while, so I’m thrilled to finally be able to formally announce that Marseguro is among the finalists for an Aurora Award in the category of Best Long-Form Work in English. The Auroras recognize Canadian science fiction and fantasy artwork, writing, and fan activities. Nominated for and voted on by fans, they’re …
Sample chapters for new YA SF novel off to agent
I just sent off sample chapters for my latest YA proposal, for a science fiction novel with a hint of steampunkishness to it, to my agent. The working title is The City Must Die!, and I’m quite excited about it. Now if only a publisher can be found who shares my excitement… Just for fun, …
The writer formerly known as Edward Willett
It’s a good news, bad news situation. (Well, baddish news.) First, the good news: my agent informs me that DAW wants to buy my proposed fantasy novel, currently titled Magebane. The bad news: I’ll have to write it under a pseudonym. As this is explained to me, my SF novels with DAW–Lost in Translation, Marseguro, …
What I’ve Just Read: The Moon is a Harsh Mistress
Yes, of course I’d already read The Moon is a Harsh Mistress, but not for many, many years–probably not since I was a teenager in fact. And you know what? It holds up. For a 40-year-old science fiction novel, it holds up very well indeed. My wife and I read this one together, and she …
WorldCon program participant list online
Anticipation, this year’s World Science Fiction convention in Montreal, has posted the current list of program (sorry, “programme”) participants, complete with photos and bios. I’m on there! Guess I did fill out the form saying I wanted to particpate after all. I’d been trying to remember… UPDATE: Apparently that form is premature; it lists program …
Five more sci-fi gadgets that may soon be real
This week, I pick up where I left off on the list of ten science-fictiony gadgets New Scientist magazine thinks may soon become real, with number six: “you power.” This is not, alas, a method of giving you yourself more energy, but rather of using your energy to power gadgets. Last year, a researcher in …
A tale with two openings
I’d like your opinion. Which of the following two opening sentences (for a somewhat steampunkish YA science fiction novel) intrigues you more, and why? Just after the the Amazing Belgrani made himself disappear in a puff of purple smoke, and while the stage was being set for the supposedly spectacular high-wire fire-eating act of the …
Galleys of Terra Insegura arrive
The galleys of Terra Insegura showed up today for proofing. That’s always exciting. It means I can now find all the mistakes I should have caught last time around, and worry about all the things I should have maybe changed but are too major to change now. Fun! It’s always interesting to see what text …
My latest live walk and vlog
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