One Writer's Mind

NaNoWriMo 2011 Begins

2011-11-01T00:23:00.001-04:00

Image: NaNoWriMo 2011

Midnight, the start of November 1, 2011. Which of course means NaNoWriMo is underway. For the first time I have an outline worked out for the novel I intend to write (or start writing, anyway) for a NaNoWriMo. Fifty thousand words is short for a novel, especially one of mine, given how I like to crank out text. So NaNo is really an opportunity for me to get a story out and rolling.

It's also an opportunity to reach out to other writers, new and old, local and distant. It's a great place to look for blogs and tweeple to follow. (I can't even believe 'tweeple' is a 'word.') Hanging out on the Forums is also a great source of time-wasting amusement. Seeing as how the daily work of a writer can be so solitary, NaNoWriMo provides a way to include more interaction. As well as some fun. Good luck with the writing ...

Real Zombies, Immortality, Mad Science, and Overreacting - Part I: Exhibitionists

2011-10-20T13:40:00.001-04:00

I picked up the August 2011 edition of Rue Morgue magazine because it had "Fright Night - Revisited and Revamped" on the cover. Yes, I am a vampire fan, and that is one of my favorite vampire movies of all time. So I nabbed the magazine for later perusal. Took me a month and half to have the time to open it, and then when I did, it wasn't the Fright Night article that demanded my attention.

Instead, it was an interview with Gunther Von Hagens, the force behind the creepy, fascinating, and provocative "Body Worlds" exhibits. The article is subtitled, "On morbid art, controversial science and facing his own mortality." I am a scientist, a speculative fiction writer, and a patron of romantigoth. My mind is trying to reconcile the meanings and implications of Body Worlds, the process of "plastination," and the person of Gunther Von Hagens all at once, and the cognitive dissonance is going to make my head es-plode. (See photo, zombie person, mouth wide.)

I'll try to hit this one step at a time. Today, Part I - Exhibitionists ...

It's October; the month for us horror buffs to reach forth and express ourselves to our personal utmost. For me, that includes holding a haunted dinner party, checking out bizarre art on deviantArt, and allowing my interests to roam places that normally squick me. Like Body Worlds. My interest in horror tends to romantigoth, as I've mentioned. Goth is not about death, as much an outsider might think it is. Goth is an aesthetic. Romantigoth in particular is filled with shadows, mystery, longing, and a deeply emotional sensibility. The icons might be spiders, skulls, blood, fangs, and black lace, but the goal is the creation of an atmosphere that matches the emotion.

Body Worlds is anything but romantigoth. It is brightly lit, with the mystery of the inner workings of the human body laid bare. There are no secrets here, as there wouldn't be given that the stated purpose of Body Worlds is to "educate the public on anatomy, human physiology, health and wellness." And yet there is no escaping the comparison to horror - zombies at the least. In Body Worlds, the skinless dead are shown riding horses, having babies, ice skating, and having sex. Yes. (See photo, plastic person, mouth wide)

Anecdotes suggest that some people do leave the exhibits, after seeing diseased lungs and livers, and give up smoking and drinking for the rest of their lives. I also have no doubt people know a lot more anatomy after they leave, as well. But I cannot get over the fact that these are real dead people, not mock-ups or models. I can't even handle a visit to the mummy exhibit in the Louvre. I can't even look at the mummies of cats in the Louvre. First of all, it makes me sad. Dead is dead, after all. Second, it seems so 'not right' that we have taken bodies from burial sites without their permission and turned them into exhibits.

This exhibit, as well as the mummies in the Louvre, say, are hardly the first time human remains have been displayed (even used as art) and promoted for general viewing. For example there is the "Our Lady of the Conception of the Capuchins" cathedral in Rome. A few lines from Wikipedia - "The church is most famous as an ossuary, known as the Capuchin Crypt, in which is displayed the bones of over 4,000 Capuchin friars. The bones are fashioned into decorative displays in the Baroque and Rococo style. The popularity of the crypt as a tourist attraction once rivalled the Catacombs." I don't think education about skeletal structure was the point, here. We humans want to find a means to go on forever, and whether it is our agreeing to be mummified, or others using our remains to create art and educational exhibits, I think a large part of it stems from that desire for eternity.

Now, the people whose remains are exhibited in Body Worlds did indeed leave permission, so that part at least is fine with me. Strange, but as a scientist, I understand that people would want this; would want their remains to go on teaching after they have no more use for them. In the past, such bodies might have been used for dissection, or have individual organs removed for examination, etc. Until recently, the idea of leaving your entire body behind, infused with plastic forever, was not an option. According to the site, there are about 11,000 donors for "plastination" currently on record, about 1000 already dead and another 10,000 who are still living. I think it is unlikely that all of these people have education of future generations as their major goal. Instead, I think for many this is another attempt by the human mind to achieve a form of immortality.

After all, humans have been fascinated forever with the questions of what is death, what happens after death, what can we do to put death off as long as possible, and why is it zombies eat brains, anyway? Okay, so the plastic people on exhibit are not really zombies. But even the idea of zombies itself comes from our continued fascination with death and undeath. For some, I imagine zombivication is their ideal choice (as I said, I'm more the vampire type. Zombies are gross.) Being bitten by a zombie usually means you become one. It is immortality, after a fashion. Hopefully they really, really like brains. (See photo, man attacked by zombie cat, mouth wide.)

Image Credits: Zombie, on Flikr via Creative Commons, CC 2.0, Plastic Person, Available free download for students at the Body World site. Zombie kiteh by Icanhazcheezburger.com

Touching Science, and a bit of Sci-Fi, in the National Parks

2011-10-04T16:36:00.000-04:00

Image: Postcard in French of Sci-Fi Titan Trip

I'm spending the week in Nante, France attending an international planetary science conference. This year we are having a joint conference between the European Planetary Science Congress, and the Division of Planetary Sciences of the American Astronomical Society. I'm looking forward to getting updated on the latest mission results, but even more, I relish the chance to interact with people who over the years have become as close as family. It's always a great geek fest.

I am a strong advocate of the involvement of scientists in education and public outreach, and have long been a fan of natural settings to bring science and people together. Planetary science and public engagement has a perfect nexus point in the National Parks. Many of us have looked upon the geology of Earth in these places and seen there the landscapes of other planets, real and imagined.

I noted a poster presentation here at the conference by Tyler Nordgren that focuses directly on this subject. I had not realized, but Nordgren published a book on just this topic last May entitled Stars Above, Earth Below: A Guide to Astronomy in the National Parks. I haven't yet had a chance to peruse a copy, but I'm looking forward to checking it out.

The picture above is featured on Nordgren's poster presentation and conference abstract (1). It is quite eye catching, and one of a series that uses a mix of old travel posters and a bit of science fiction as a hook to engage the viewer. It also illustrates the ways in which science and science-fiction are merging in planetary sciences today. This trip hasn't happened yet, but it is easy to imagine it. Looking at the landscapes of Earth, it becomes that much more clear what visiting other worlds might be like. Comparative planetology has always been a strong tool, and Nordgren notes the example of "the relationship between geysers in Yellowstone National Park with recently discovered geysers on Saturn’s moon Enceladus" as a way to create a touchstone between here and there.

The sci-fi fan in me wants to go on that trip in the poster. Really really badly. That's part of why I became a scientist to begin with, so I could get that much closer to such a dream. In the National Parks we have another means to get "that much closer" - the dark skies and evocative landscapes of everyone's favorite planet, Earth.

Credit: (1) Image and abstract - T.E. Nordgren, EPSC Abstracts Vol. 6, EPSC-DPS2011-1175, 2011 EPSC-DPS Joint Meeting 2011

Memories After a Decade

2011-09-11T16:44:00.000-04:00

Photo: Tuning Fork

I don't usually post drafts of poems on my blog, since that makes them generally unpublishable in any other medium. But this one has been living in my files in one form or another for ten years, obviously, and I think today I'm going to put it right here.

Listen

Anywhere
on the skin of the planet
if you put your head down
and try to rest, you can hear it.
The prongs of a tuning fork
suddenly struck; a note rumbling
deep into the earth
rumbling into the core
of the earth, rumbling.
It’s the sound of millions
of hearts, pounding like
the feet of an army
going to off to war.

This was how I felt at the time. Restless and afraid. Unable to sleep, and hearing a rumble like war. It was actually war, of course. This kind of hatred made no sense to me. It still does not. When I write science fiction or fantasy, I wonder, is this condition a human one, or will my 'alien' people suffer from it, too? Often the answer is yes, since it is through them as a lens that I see and expound upon my own perception of humanity.

Although after ten years, my personal focus has changed. I'm glad to see it, too. To use this as a means of seeing what is positive in our species, and our planet. My facebook status said this:

My tribute today is to think of friends and family, concentrate on the present, and remember that even mountains eventually fall. Today, sitting on a lanai in view of the Pacific, I breathe. "You must not lose faith in humanity. Humanity is an ocean; if a few drops of the ocean are dirty, the ocean does not become dirty." - Gandhi

Nothing else to be said. Once you've played the Gandhi card, you better be done talking :)

Image Credit: stimmgabel on flikr via Creative Commons, CC 2.0

Trilogies - Why Do We Finish Reading, or Not?

2011-08-08T22:00:00.000-04:00

Image: Covers for The Coldfire Trilogy

As a fan, the answer to this question does not really matter to me. After all, my reading time is limited, and if I'm not feeling compelled to continue a trilogy I won't. I don't sit and analyze why I haven't gone out and picked up #2 or #3 yet, it simply does not happen. There is a host of great speculative fiction out there and I read what grabs me. I'm not the sort of person who feels compelled to read a third book because I've read the first two.

But as a writer, the answer to this question definitely matters to me. What is it that keeps a person reading through a trilogy? What is it that leads a person to stop, even after investing the time of reading the first one or two?

The trilogy that comes to mind as an example is one from a favorite author, C.S. Friedman. I thought In Conquest Born was a great novel, and I list The Madness Season on my list of top ten sci-fi books. I'll generally give anything she writes a try without looking at reviews, since I know that her style and content appeal to me.

Now, every trilogy needs a great first book. It won't go anywhere without a lead off that makes people want to come back for more. The formulaic story-in-itself seems to remain powerful. A book that can stand alone but that also leaves some curious loose ends usually makes for a solid first book. This naturally creates a challenge for the second book, and again, the formula of 'darker and deeper' usually works. This would be like The Empire Strikes Back, where the story has our heroes lose over and over yet it leaves the door wide open for a triumphant return.

I picked up Black Sun Rising without knowing it was to be the first part of The Coldfire Trilogy. I liked it, even though one of the protagonists isn't very likable, himself. It had an interesting premise, and a new twist on the intersection between fantasy and sci-fi, which is something the author does well. It followed the pattern of a great novel that could stand alone, but that had some very intriguing loose ends. I was motivated to get the second book.

There my interest waned. I was surprised, since again the book followed the pattern of 'darker and deeper' with a character getting killed off and some unhappy events that make a reader desire to see a little justice. But I never bought the third book.

Sitting back and looking at the reason why, after all this time, I realize that I was truly turned off by said bad-guy protagonist. There is also a good-guy protagonist, and that was adequate balance in the first book, but not the second. The bad-guy protagonist is the more interesting character of the two, which is not a surprise, but he is so loathesome in the second book that I could no longer relate to him nor care what happened to him. Hints are given as to what conflicts will arise in book three, and perhaps even to a change of perspective for bad-guy, but I wasn't sufficiently interested to read and discover how it all turns out.

Now, given the success of the series, I'm assuming my opinion is in the minority. This was years ago, of course. Had I started the series recently, perhaps I would have kept on with it. Still, it interests me as a writer that I chose to stop reading when I did. I thought the world and premise were interesting. The trilogy seems to follow established patterns. It was something about the characters. Perhaps I have a low tolerance for protagonists that are also antagonists. One can't write a trilogy that will appeal to each and every reader, after all.

I note that this did not dissuade me from picking up other books by the author. I will take a look at any new book she has - I recently bought the first of another series. I'll let you know how it works out for me, in a second post that is 'darker and deeper' than this one.

Image Credit - Covers for the Coldfire Trilogy by C.S. Friedman, open source promotional image.

Trying to Tweet, and How That Changes Everything

2011-07-31T23:02:00.000-04:00

Photo: Song Sparrow in Song

I've heard it so many places, now, that writers need to create a robust online platform. It took some time to really understand what was meant by "platform" in this context, and what would make it "robust." I was glad to see that a blog was included, since I enjoy reading and writing blogs. I was less than thrilled to see that both Facebook and Twitter were considered essential.

I am on Facebook, but my presence is spotty and sporadic. It is also purely social. At this time, I do not see my using that as a major tool to connect with other readers and writers. So I turned to the other medium to tackle it first. Twitter. Given my preference for writing longer, fewer blog posts instead of the sort of daily-two-paragraph approach, the idea of tweeting seems a bit non-intuitive.

After some thought, I decided to simply sign up and see what I needed to do to put myself out on Twitter as a means of making connections with other real fans of science and its fiction (and fantasy, the weird, etc.) I was surprised to find that the attempt to write a 160 character bio had me thinking about the entire basis for why I write in the first place. It shouldn't have been a surprise, since writing a good haiku makes you reassess your view of reality. And yet, well, I was surprised.

There are a plethora of "how to write a good twitter bio" articles out there, so I read many of them. That is my natural approach to a problem, being a scientist - do research. In this case the research tells you how to write the bio great detail, but you of course have to step away from that and into yourself to find out what you really want to write, and why. I wanted to create a pithy, good bio, that included the keywords that would allow me to connect with like-minded folk.

In order to do that I had to think about this blog, my stories, and why I write anything at all, either fact or fiction. I've written novels, textbooks, articles, papers, proposals, poems, and other words that start with "p." All of it is me, what drives me, and what makes me want to share with others. For some reason, taking a good, in-depth look at this is hard. After a few attempts to write it down in sentences, I started simply writing the keywords. What were the words that would match me to a potential reader of my tweets, my blog, my books, and what would match me to others, so I could read their stuff?

The first string was easy, since I have it in my title here - astronomy, science, science-fiction, horror, speculative, fantasy, writer, reader. Was that it? Hmmm. What was packed inside those words? What were the aspects that really appealed? So astronomy and science generated geology, biology, planets, universe, and cosmos. Then adding science-fiction generated space, space travel, space exploration, and technology. Horror interests me most when it is paranormal - about ghosts, vampires, and demons. Fantasy is something that I like in almost any flavor, but gravitates to the sort of high fantasy that seems medieval with monsters, swords, and dragons.

At this point I felt I was getting much too specific. After all, it isn't the swords that really matter, it is the story - story, myth, legend, tale. What drives it all, what makes it work, is how we bring our understanding of this world, the real world (as we see it) into the fabricated worlds - history, culture, psychology, philosophy. It is about character, life, humor and all other emotion. How do we think, laugh, know? What part does the writer play as an educator, a communicator, a translator, helping our readers jump the gap to a new way of thinking that entertains them, inspires them, but also helps them see the real world in a new way?

So as a list, it is merely a basic starting point, but it taught me something important about what I want to write, and why. It comes down to that last sentence - seeing myself as a communicator, an educator, a story teller, and that desire to share that spark, the smallest glimmer of a new way of thinking.

And now to condense this into 160 characters, including spaces ...

Image Credit: Alan Vernon, Song Sparrow in Song, on Flikr via Creative Commons, CC 2.0.

Bookish Inspiration

2011-06-10T11:58:00.000-04:00

The British Library in London has an amazing display of old, even ancient, classic books and texts. The exhibit takes up only one room, but it is impressive anyway given what is in there. I do not usually take notes when I am browsing a museum. I like to feel as though I can do whatever my muse dictates, and not feel self-conscious about my meanderings. But this time I felt compelled, since I knew I would not remember all the details of the fascinating works if I didn't record a few specifics.

One of the oldest items to catch my attention was a copy of the "Gem Hup Sutras" dated from the 3rd century AD. I was drawn off at that point by a special room dedicated to the Magna Carta. Four copies of the Magna Carta still survive; issued first in 1215 and revised a few times until 1297. This was the document that presented the idea that the law was a power in its own right, and even the King was subject to it. The library also exhibits an original copy of the 1410 Canterbury Tales, of which apparently 80 copies are in existence. The illuminated text is definitely more impressive in person, as always seems to be the case. (I remember seeing the Mona Lisa for the first time, wondering 'why is this so famous' and then getting up close. It is, in fact, rather spectacular.) One presentation case was dedicated to Leonardo di Vinci, and had a notebook and loose papers with dates from 1496 to 1508, including Notes on Arithmetic, Studies of Mechanics, and Notes on Architecture. The collection included music, like the earliest known draft of Handel's Messiah, dated 1741. It is fascinating to me to see such drafts, where notes are inked in, then crossed out and replaced with others. Unlike a single word in a novel, we know each and every note of the melody of these pieces today. And then there were some of Jane Austin's original notebooks and journals dating to around 1792, from when she was 12-17 years old. Looking at these works is so inspiring - books are powerful. As a group they represent so much human thought, history, and culture.

While I don't imagine to produce something as profound as these works, seeing them still motivates me to write, and to dream. I'd love to hold a hardback book in my hand, something I wrote, with intriguing space/fantasy art on the cover, great quality paper pages, and that distinct, exciting new-book smell. I want to sign them, give them to my friends and family, and say, "Meet these people I care about and go on this adventure with them. I hope you love it."

Image Credit: Canterbury Tales, Public Domain

Mr. Hyde Claims His Name

2011-05-06T08:00:00.004-04:00

Photo: Mary King's Close

My post is actually about reading Dr. Jekyl and Mr. Hyde, but I have to start with mentioning that I am in the process of phasing out my pen name, and using my birth name for my writing. I had chosen a nice comfortable pen name to simplify my life into categories, but it has actually made things much more complicated in the long run. So like Mr. Hyde, the time has come for me to let go of the created persona. Bryce Ellicott will always be part of my mind's internal writing committee, but for the time being anyway, I've chosen to post and publish my speculative fiction under J.A. Grier.

Speaking of speculative fiction - I'm somewhat embarrassed to say that my education is lacking in the area of speculative classics. I haven't read either Frankenstein or Dracula from cover to cover. But I can at least say I've finally read The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyl and Mr. Hyde (J&H, hereafter).

Edinburgh celebrates its most famous authors with a museum dedicated to writers. I was a little disappointed that it didn't highlight more of the writings themselves, but instead concentrated on biographical information. I was, however, able to purchase a copy of Stevenson's famous novel and read it while I was in the country. It felt like something of an obligation especially given that I've already admitted to reading very little Burns.

Stevenson is perhaps best known for Treasure Island but all of his books have some aspect of adventure or the unknown in them. I was expecting J&H to be more of a standard horror story, but instead it reminded me of other, more psychological works like the Metamorphosis or Crime and Punishment - books that examine good and evil in the human condition. It paints a detailed picture of the relationship between the main characters, and the shock they experience at finding out that (spoiler here, if you happen to be living in a speculative-fiction-free-cave) J&H are one in the same person.

I've posted a bit recently about how a location or experience might inspire a writer. Certainly a visit to this location inspired me as a reader. Let me explain a bit more. Earlier in the day, I had visited an Edinburgh attraction called "The Real Mary King's Close." This attraction is a relatively new, 2002-ish, tour under the city of Edinburgh where there are still buried streets and dwellings from centuries past. The researchers have done a good job of presenting both the factual and more sensational aspects of life in those times to maximize the entertainment value. Given my own occasionally squeamish nature, I found the whole thing horrific, alarming, creepy, and thus good fodder for stories.

There are rooms in the Close where they know the names of specific people, and how they died of the plague. There are other rooms where they point to the 17th century plaster and tell you it is made of horse hair and human ash (True or not, it's still creepy. Do not lean on walls.) How about the apartment they don't let visitors into anymore since they found the walls were treated with arsenic? Let's keep going. Apparently all human excrement, including the blood from animal slaughter, was tossed into the narrow streets to run down to the river. This was a popular shopping avenue, too, so patrons apparently would stand around inches deep in ... well ... nasty stuff ... whilst buying their daily provisions. OK, it is not as if I have not encountered descriptions of such life before. I am a reasonably educated historian. But it never had the same visceral impact until I toured the streets themselves - the narrow, dusty, dark, foreboding underground streets. Very effective.

Fast forward about six hours, to my reading J&H in my dimly lit accommodations. What might have been a mildly creepy story became a very alarming and horrific tale of science gone wrong. The environment in which the story took place would have been far more like the old streets of the Close than the open streets of the Royal Mile where one now finds stores named "Real Scotland."

It makes me wonder, how can I as a writer bring that "I am really there" sensation to my reader, especially when the setting is a fantastical one? An author might take the Tolkien approach and dedicate whole chapters to describing the setting. But that generally makes me want to keep skipping ahead until something actually happens. There are schools of thought that suggest saying as little about the setting as possible - just sliding in a word here or there to imply the nature of the atmosphere. But that also does not work for me, since I like to feel far more grounded when I read.

What is your approach? How do you try to get the reader to really feel like they are present in the setting? Well, aside from photos. I don't think I could stomach that with this particular subject matter, literally.

Image credit: Mary King's Close, public domain, wikipedia

A Muggle in King's Cross Station

2011-05-04T19:09:00.000-04:00

Image: Chapel of the Thistle

As I mentioned in my last post, my mind has been on the topic of how environment and location can serve as writing inspiration for speculative fiction. I thought I might have spotted a bit of J.K. Rowling's inspiration when I visited Saint Giles Cathedral in Edinburgh. Here one can find the Chapel of the Thistle, home to the Order of the Thistle. Faded light leaks through stained glass illuminating the intricate carved seats, each of which holds the coat of arms of its current owner. I can see how something like this might influence the overarching mood of the ruling structure of the magical world. It is easy to imagine the High Mugwump in the center seat, while grave conversations of magical import lie heavy in the air. There may also have been inspiration here for the Order of the Phoenix as an "heraldic order" of knights errant.

Our trip from Edinburgh to London ended at King's Cross Station. Pulling in on platform seven meant that looking for platform 9 3/4 was almost an obligation. We certainly love the idea of doors to another world. Walking through a wall, a mirror, or an old wooden wardrobe full of fur coats - it is basically all the same desire to be instantly transported someplace new, amazing, and full of adventures. We are captivated by the idea that it might happen so fast, that it might be just around the corner, if only we knew what to look for.

As it stands, the "entrance" to platform 9 3/4 is actually on platform 8, and is a mural painted on the wall with half a metal cart sticking out. This might be a result of all the construction going on, or the fact that platform 9 can't be reached without a valid ticket. But I was not disappointed - you and I as speculative writers are supposed to be of a strong imaginative bent, right? And it was great fun to stand in a short line of other fans waiting for their turn to get captured on film, pushing half of an immovable cart against solid cement.

I left thinking this - that speculative fiction is the muggle version of magic. Our imaginations create something that is real for us, alone, and then our pens (or computers) make it real for someone else. The magic is that starting place, where one person sees a wall, and another sees a door. Casting the spell is what comes after, when the second person writes a story that lets that first person see the door, too. Even more magical is that no two readers who choose to walk through that door will end up in the same universe. Our spell books have a power we don't quite understand, ourselves.

Definitely magic.

Image Credit: snigl3t on Flickr via Creative Commons, CC 2.0.

A Few Poetic Musings

2011-04-29T13:57:00.000-04:00

Image: Scott Monument, Edinburgh

National Poetry Month continues unabated, as months will do. My posts, on the other hand, have something of a more stochastic nature. I am late in thanking poet Laura Stophan, of Author Amok, She has been posting a poem a day from Maryland writers, including one of mine called Shower Sprite on April 16, that originally appeared in The Newsletter Inago years ago. Her blog is a great place to find poetry that is accessible to readers of all ages.

I've had the good fortune to have lately visited the land of poet Robert Burns. I'll admit that his poetry has always been difficult for me, since parsing the dialect takes a dedication I've never applied. Visiting the country, however, does provide plenty of motivation. It's amazing to see how the Scots love their writers, particularly Scott, Stephenson, and Burns. You are probably aware that he has his own night of happy reading and revelry on January 25th. And it turns out his poetry is a bit easier to parse after a "wee dram" of whiskey.

Or two.

There is a wonderful, mournful sensibility to be found in the damp castles and misty cliffsides of Scotland. I wasn't expecting to find inspiration for my own horrific and fantastical poems, which seems obviously misguided in hindsight. Certainly on the train ride in, with the green hillsides full of young lambs and searingly bright yellow flowers, I wasn't thinking fantasy. And then you get the chance to walk through the narrow stone streets of Edinburgh, thick with fog, and your imagination starts to roll. (Even though many of those walks were a search either for afternoon tea or Indian food.)

I'm curious to know what locations you have found the most inspiring for your speculative fiction writing. Any theme - horror, fantasy, sci-fi, the weird, whatever. A specific place? City? What venues do you find get your imagination flowing?

Pax,
Bryce

Image: My own picture of the Scott Monument in the heart of Edinburgh.

Some Science in the Writing: Elemental Poetry

2011-04-06T13:23:00.000-04:00

Image: Gold as an Element

You may recall I conducted an interview with scientist Andrew Rivkin a little while back. It turns out that this scientist, like many of us, has a not-so-secret artistic bent. Certainly part of what motivates me to write science fiction is my interest and enthusiasm for the underlying science itself. And at the same time, being a science fiction fan makes the science more interesting - it makes me wonder what really can or cannot be done, and in what time frame. Will I live to see humans on Mars? Workable fusion power? And where are those flying cars, anyway?

I've strayed a bit off topic, here. The topic is the intersection of science and art, and the specific example is Andrew Rivkin's music blog, Imperturbable Music. A place where he usually posts his own music creations, but for the month of April each year is the place where he posts his poem-a-day. This year he has chosen to write each poem about a chemical element. Part of the fun is that after the first two poems, he's decided not to put the name of the element in the title, so there is a bit of a guessing game involved.

The rest of the fun is in the poems themselves. Here is an excerpt from "Metal and Metaphor."

You may think it more metaphor than metal:
shades of blonde and best-sellers,
and high-limit credit cards,
but most of it ends up in junkyards
inside rusting-out beaters.

As I understand it, platinum is used in catalytic converters. There isn't much of it in one converter, and the energy to remove it from old cars isn't worth the amount of platinum you would get out. But over time, apparently quite a lot of the stuff is being reallocated from the Earth's crust in rocks to the surface of the Earth in junkyards. It's quite possible that if and when we get our limitless fusion energy, people will go back and mine the rusting cars for platinum, since it will be easier to find it there than to go mining for it anew. The idea of the future mining of ancient junkyards is certainly a great idea for a story.

The poet notes here how the word "platinum" is so overused that the first visions it brings up have nothing to do with the element itself. Platinum albums, platinum blonde, platinum Visa. Gold is apparently just so passe. And platinum is headed in that direction - I think titanium is going to be the new cool metal to reference. Perhaps this underscores part of the narrator's point, that eventually the once highly prized platinum is going to end up in tiny flakes, scattered through the trash of our society.

We are already drinking flakes of gold in our Goldschlager, and we know where that ends up.

Pax,
Bryce

Image Credit: gold7 by Mrs. Pugliano on flickr via Creative Commons, CC2.0

What Makes a Good Writing Prompt - Interview with Writer and Poet Amy Grier

2011-04-04T15:35:00.000-04:00

Image: Amy Grier and a wax Patrick Stuart at
Madame Tussaud's Wax Museum, Las Vegas, NV

Writing prompts have been on my mind. I find a good prompt to be a good tool, and that is part of the reason I am creating my own archive of general writing prompts on this blog. During April, many poets post lists of daily prompts to help keep writers on their "poem a day" schedule. I had a conversation with writer and poet Amy Grier on the subject, and gleaned some great ideas, and new insight, into what makes prompts effective for any kind of writing.

Amy possesses an eclectic background that informs her many styles and platforms of writing, from plays and memoirs to poems and textbooks. She has two MA's, one in Literature and Writing from Rivier College, and another in East Asian Studies from Washington University. Her BS is in Music Education from Clarion University. Her most recent publication was the poem "The Feeling of Autumn" in Poetry East, No. 60, 2010. She has also had a short story published in Dream International Quarterly, has produced content for a series of textbooks for teaching English to Chinese middle school students, and is a certified professional resume writer (among much else). She enjoys blogging, and is planning a revamp of her successful site "Living Poetry."

Bryce: "What do you think makes for a good writing prompt?"

Amy: "A good writing prompt must spark imagination, emotion, and intellect. The prompt should make you go “Oh!” and immediately deliver an imaginative focus. It needs to prod you to start thinking organically and naturally, not something that feels like homework. Not every prompt will do that for everybody, but a good prompt should attempt it."

Bryce: "What sorts of prompts can spark that kind of engagement? What needs to be present or be avoided?"

Amy: "Prompts must be specific, not vague. A prompt that is too vague won't help you go someplace that allows you to explore where you are psychologically in this moment. For example, the prompt "write a poem with a profession as the title" is not as helpful as the prompt "write a poem about your first experience with nursing." This immediately sparks ideas. Some people will think of breastfeeding, others about their own time as a nurse, while some people will think about their first surgery and a specific nurse that was there. This creates the opportunity to prod imagination, draw on emotion, and engage the intellect. The word "nursing" is both comfortable and threatening. The intellect might generate thoughts of caretaking, being elderly, parenthood, illness, medical procedures, and more. The word “Nursing” activates your brain in all these ways."

Bryce: "Tell me a little more about engaging the intellect."

Amy: "Always use a word or words in the prompt with power, a word that has many associations. The prompt "write a poem about an experience you have had with a needle" might seem to border on vague, but the word "needle" is very powerful. It generates thoughts of sewing, drug use, vaccinations, even needles of minerals in gemstones. The mind will consider the definition of "needle" as well as the historical and cultural implications. You can get an untold number of poems from that prompt, or short stories, material for a novel, or whatever."

Bryce: "Can you leave us with a few specific examples of poetry prompts that you like?"

Amy: "Write a poem with a line in a foreign language. Write a poem that starts and ends with a line of dialog. Write a poem about a nightmare you had as a child. Include a cartoon character’s catch phrase in your poem. A common prompt is to take your favorite poem and use its last line as your first line. This sounds lazy, but it can work, because it gives you a concrete place to start. It gives you something to build around. Ultimately, if that line is dropped when you edit the poem, that’s fine.

Bryce: "Thanks!"

Did you like this little interview? Useful? I would be happy to do an interview, guest writer, or other type of blog swap on a topic of mutual interest, just drop me a note in the comment line.

Pax, Bryce

Alive Like Grass That's On Fire, Even

2011-04-02T22:37:00.000-04:00

Image: Life In Me Book Cover

National Poetry Month is upon us, and I am once again hoping to join in the madness. I have a few different schemes in mind to get involved. The first actually started last year - I mentioned in earlier posts that I had a poem selected to be part of a poetry anthology. The book is now out and available as of the first day of April. I am so very pleased and honored to be included in this project.

The book is entitled Life in Me Like Grass On Fire: Love Poems. It was produced by the Maryland Writers Association (MWA), and edited by Laura Shovan. More than fifty poets are represented, with over 90 poems, so there is a wonderful range of style, subject, and voice. I have always enjoyed reading anthologies. I know (or imagine) a concerned editor has cherry-picked a diverse collection of powerful poems, and that the odds are good I will find one that will become enmeshed inside me forever. I had the great fortune to hear several of my fellow "Life in Me" authors give readings today, and it was the best poetry reading I have attended in some time. There is some great poetry coming out of the state of Maryland these days.

Love poetry (without some kind of strange speculative quirk) hasn't been the top of my list for projects. But just at the moment I was becoming aware of the MWA, they were looking for poems for this book. And I also happened to have several poems I wrote within the last few years that were right on topic and had yet to find homes. My poem "Officemate" has now found its permanent place of residence.

But I have no intention of straying far from my speculative genres of choice. Last year for National Poetry Writing Month (NaPoWriMo - A Poem A Day In April), I chose to write in the theme of "the horrors of childhood." I gleaned ten workable poems from that experience, and am two days into the same plan for this year. Poetry seems to be a very effective platform for the subject - direct and with a strong emotional punch.

What are your plans for writing in April? Any poetry reading or writing in the lineup? I'm planning to push through with my poem a day plan, but also keep working on my current fiction writing project. With that and the blogging, I'd say it was shaping up to be a very full month.

Bryce

Prompt the Muse #28 - Speculative Writing Prompt

2011-03-09T02:00:00.019-05:00

Image: Dense Object with Rays

A door has opened from here to there. It might be a wormhole in space, a magical wardrobe, or an actual door frame saying "abandon all hope ..." Consider the doors you have seen in speculative fiction, and try to think of something new, or an original twist on a gateway that people have already encountered in literature. Give yourself 150 words to describe your new portal to the unknown.

Image credit: NASA/Spitzer

Prompt the Muse #27 - Speculative Writing Prompt

2011-03-02T07:00:00.001-05:00

Art: Lake and Castle

Consider a scene that seems ominous and foreboding when experienced at night, but feels beautiful and serene during the day. Describe the elements of the environment that appear different depending on if they are viewed during the day or night. Now consider a scene that is the opposite, one that seems frightening during the day but feels safe and peaceful at night. Again, what are those elements that are perceived differently based on day or night? What is it about these elements that alters the viewer's perceptions? Take 250 words to answer the questions.

Image Credit: Lake with Castle on a Hill, Wikimedia Commons, Public Domain

Prompt the Muse #26 - Speculative Writing Prompt

2011-02-23T07:00:00.015-05:00

Image: Iapetus

There is something dark covering the land, and a character has stumbled across this phenomenon. How did he/she find it? Is it malevolent, beneficial, or neutral? What is it made of, and what does the character plan to do now that this discovery has been made? Answer in 250 words.

Image Credit: Saturn's moon Iapetus, NASA/Cassini

New Projects Amidst the Snows and Melts

2011-02-19T02:40:00.000-05:00

Photo: Crystal Grotto in Snow

While I wasn't surprised at the usual December rush and January catch-up, I was indeed surprised by the overall magnitude of catch-up. So while the snow variously piled up and melted away (iterate) outside, I was busy inside, trying to finish edits to my novel and keep up with paperwork for a poem to be published in an anthology.

Although I did not keep my blogging schedule, I can at least say I kept my overall writing schedule. But since this blog, and your blogs, remain very important to me, I have once again renewed my commitment to blogging, and have returned - hopefully refreshed and invigorated to tackle the challenges of 2011. Or to continue to tackle them, since the year certainly started off in the fast lane for writing projects.

My novel with the working title "A Warm Day in Hell" is now edited and ready to go for further critique, if necessary, and publishing, if I can hone in on the skill and luck necessary to make that happen. I'll be taking it to "The Muse in the Marketplace" conference in Boston later this spring. It should be a great meeting for networking, learning more about how to approach the issue of publishing, and hopefully a chance to get my novel one step closer to the printed page.

Late last year my poem "Officemate" was selected for publication in an anthology being produced by the Maryland Writer's Association. The book is close to rolling off the presses, so soon I should be able to tell you more about it. I can already say the Association has been quite proactive in setting up readings, events, panels and more to give area poets a chance to meet, mingle, and present their art. I am looking forward to participating in a reading or two in the spring and summer, and perhaps attending a writing conference if my schedule permits.

In addition, of course, is this blog. I have really enjoyed my association with other writers in the blogosphere, and want to expand that. I've forged a few good partnerships on deviantArt and I think the art helps keep my posts fresh, interesting, and useful (definitely for me, anyway, and hopefully for you, too.) I've wanted to make sure my own project updates were included on the blog, but were not the focus. The focus is on writing. Along with that I did want to continue my 'weekly' writing prompts. My goal is an archive of about 100, to use as an educational tool, a fun activity, and to keep my own creative wheels turning. I thought it would take two years to build, but given the pace it is looking like three or four. They call that the 'Planning Fallacy' :)

Those are my most concrete goals for the year, but other ideas continue to percolate. I am working sporadically on two other novels, one a stand alone book, and another a part of the sci-fi series I've been kicking around for so long. I've been trying to produce a body of short stories to publish, say 25 or so, as a means to hone the craft and get some name recognition, but that goes slowly. I have eight right now, and I have not worked very hard to get them out on the street. As always, I'd rather be writing than anything else, and that is not too practical if the goal is publication. Otherwise, I have my eye on producing a chapbook of poetry centered on my theme from last year, 'the horror of childhood.' I have about a dozen good drafts in the theme, and want to work through NaPoWriMo (A poem a day in April) to see if I can manage to get the number up to two dozen. And of course I'll rifle through my ideas and outlines for novels come November, and jump in once again on NaNoWriMo.

That is enough. It is certainly plenty. And yet I actually hope I can do more. I've been kicking around an idea for a workshop for other writers. This would be something I would offer to writers of science fiction, given my own background in planetary science and astronomy. One idea was a workshop about why water is considered necessary for life as we know it and the basics of astrobiology, so sci-fi writers can be more informed about the topic when they create their own life, alien or otherwise. It would be an enjoyable way to meet other writers, and to give something of value to the community. So the first question for you, is this ... if you as a speculative writer could attend at workshop given by a professional astronomer-type, what subject would most grab you? What do you hope you'd walk away with?

I'm interested to know how others have set up their goals for the year. Has 2011 started with a mountain of projects, or has it moved in nice and easily? What are your major milestones, and your 'if everything goes perfect' plans? Any meetings or conferences in the works? Plans for your blogs? I'd love to hear it ...

Pax
Bryce

Image Credit: Crystal Shrine Grotto, Wikimedia Commons, CC 3.0

Ending Another NaNoWriMo

2010-11-29T16:26:00.000-05:00

Image: Nano Bag o' Skulls

First things first, this image needs a good caption. Write what should be the title or caption to this picture and put it in the comments. I'm sure I'm not the only one coming to the end of NaNoWriMo with some mixed feelings.

The real story behind the bag starts with the fact that our Halloween decorations were put away rather haphazardly this year. When I went to find certain winter holiday decorations, I had to move a pile of skulls out of the way. The NaNo bag was convenient. Then I looked over and realized I had a NaNo bag full of skulls and had to take a picture.

Why mixed feelings about NaNo? It isn't NaNo in particular, but this month has made it clear just how much my writing routine has changed in the last year. This is a good thing, by the way, but still, it a dose of reality to be ingested and assimilated. Two years ago I was writing as I pleased (or not), and left bits and pieces of work in various stages all over various hard drives. Millions of words of writing, actually, and while I had the idea that 'I'll get some of it published someday' I didn't have a plan for that.

Now I do have something of a plan, and it includes 'administrative' work as well as the fun 'writing with abandon' work. I have to be more focused and efficient, planning out projects in advance, choosing what old writing needs edited and what new writing needs to be done before I can move forward. My time includes looking up markets for short stories, targeting them, submitting them, and then iterating the process as necessary. It includes taking bits and pieces of novels - all the outlines, sketched out scenes, character profiles - and crafting them into actual books. There is also staying informed with general goings on in the speculative genres, writing in my blogs ... you know it all, I'm sure.

This year's NaNoWriMo made the changes in my approach much more clear to me. Last year I wrote over 75K just on the one novel, and poked around with various other projects without too much direction. I updated my word count daily and spent a lot of time on the forums. This year I'll clear the post at just over 50K, and didn't spend as much time as I would have liked on the site. I had to split my time more efficiently. I wrote with 'some abandon' which was fun, but more controlled than last year.

Still, I met new people, finished one project and started another, and had the experience capped by being interviewed by writer and fellow blogger Maureen O'Donnell for the Columbia Patch. So my feelings are mixed, sad to see NaNo go before I could really lose myself in it, but also glad to see it go, since I do need to keep my writing schedule balanced to meet all of my goals. In any case, as of this moment, I'm planning to get involved again next year.

Image credit: Bag o' Skulls by me.

Intimate Vastness and the Paradox of Space

2010-11-25T22:32:00.000-05:00

Art: "Space" by Maliciaroseniore on deviantArt

When I write, I hope to portray two sides of a particular coin. This coin seems to be a paradox. On one side, I want my readers to find the environments in my stories to be awe-inspiring, almost untouchable in their perfection, and utterly fantastical (either in a good way or a horrific one). After all, one of the reasons we are no doubt attracted to speculative genres is that we enjoy the incredible settings. And yet, on the other side of this coin, I want my readers to really identify with that fantastical place. I want them to find emotional resonance and intimacy there. Otherwise, the reader is too distant from the story to care what happens. Creating both images for the reader seems paradoxical, and yet we know when we experience it done effectively.

I see the first ideal expressed in the art "Space" above. The viewing portal is massive, and shows an utterly stunning view of space, a vista of unknown worlds. The people in the picture are tiny, and the only expression visible is that one is pointing to the amazing spectacle before them. We do not know what they are feeling, but in us the image engenders a feeling of awe. Even the ethereal color palette makes one think more of spiritual worlds than real ones. Here, there is so much space in space. We are left appreciating how vast and unreachable it is - beyond mortal minds to understand. I get a bit of that old sci-fi feeling, and think 'wow'.

Photo: Astronaut on ISS Viewing Earth

I have recently spotted a photograph which expresses the second side of the coin. This photograph is making the rounds in geek internet circles, of which I am a member (proud or otherwise) and it depicts an astronaut on the International Space Station. She is contemplating the view of Earth from the ISS cupola. While this image has some similarity in elements to the art above, we feel different when we look at it. The emphasis has shifted from space as 'vast' to space as 'small'. Indeed, in many ways there isn't much space in space after all, since it will be a long time before we can create luxuriously open accommodations on an orbital station. This image feels close, intimate, and touchable.

So in these pieces of art I see two themes I want to accomplish in my writing, and in ways these themes seem antithetical to one another. Vastness versus intimacy. Real versus unreal. Known versus unknowable. And perhaps even clean perfection versus gritty every day life. At least as writers, we have the opportunity to present many chapters to a story, and in each we can offer a different perspective. Taken as a whole in a novel they can offer the reader the chance to eat their cake and have it, too.

Comparing these images underscores a few basic ideas of writing (as well as art). One way to emphasize the untouchable nature of an environment is to turn the focus away from the characters and towards the horizon. If you instead are interested in representing an aspect of your setting that is knowable, then include things that are already known to the reader. I note that the second image above has Earth in the view, while the first image has a foreign vista. We already know that providing information from our senses when we write is a good way to ground the reader, and make our setting more real to them. Art has the advantage of giving us instant information from vision. The color palette in "Space" reminds me of bright clouds and heaven, while the photograph's colors are more varied, if dim in places. Each serves the purpose of emphasizing a different side to this interesting coin.

I could go on, obviously, but I think you probably get my point. What are your thoughts? How do you approach the challenge of giving both perspectives to your reader?

Image Credits:

Image One: "Space" by Maliciaroseniore on deviantArt.

My comments: Well, you sort of know them because you read the post, but I find this to be a classic image of the 'wow' side of science fiction. The kind of art that makes you feel you've seen into hidden realms, visited unknown shores.

Image Two: Astronaut Tracy Caldwell Dyson reflects on the view from the ISS's Cupola. Credit: Doug Wheelock/NASA from Universe Today

Asteroids Up Close - Scientist Interview with Andrew Rivkin

2010-11-18T18:37:00.000-05:00

Images: Scientists with returned sample, and illustration of sample collection.

The Japanese space agency (JAXA) has had great success with the return of a probe that visited asteroid Itokawa. This is the first time humans have returned a sample from an asteroid directly to the Earth. We have plenty of pieces of asteroids down here, of course - most meteorites are from asteroids. But we don't know which asteroid each meteorite came from. With the success of the Hyabusa mission, Japanese scientists are now holding small bits of rock from an asteroid, and they know exactly which asteroid they came from.

The idea of returning samples to Earth is a classic one in science fiction, as well as horror. I wanted to get a little more acquainted with the subject, and this mission specifically. To that end, I thought I'd see if I could get an email interview from fellow planetary scientist, blogger, and asteroid expert Andrew Rivkin. Dr. Rivkin generously sent some well considered responses to my questions, and I'm happy to have the opportunity to present them here.

1. Please introduce yourself and tell us why one might consider you an asteroid expert.

I'm currently Senior Staff at the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory in Maryland working as a planetary astronomer. I've been interested in astronomy and the planets since I was a kid (I vividly remember Viking landing on Mars and the Voyager flybys) and interested in asteroids since I was an undergraduate at MIT. I did my dissertation work on infrared observations of asteroids and have been working in that field since, branching out to include concept studies of missions to asteroids and membership in a NASA committee to consider impact hazards.

2. What is your favorite Sci-Fi movie/book/event and why? Did popular science fiction have any influence on your choice of career?

Very difficult! I confess I never was much of a sci-fi reader growing up, mostly sticking to Jules Verne and the Hitchhiker's Trilogy. Star Wars was absolutely huge for me, though, and I enjoyed the TV shows in its wake (the original Battlestar Galactica, Buck Rogers). I think I was already hooked on science by then, though. What may have had a big role, though not technically science fiction, were the speculative parts of Cosmos where Carl Sagan took us in the "starship of the imagination".

3. Give us the lowdown on the recent Hayabusa mission by JAXA, and what they discovered.

Hayabusa was a Japanese technology demonstration mission, it spent time at the asteroid Itokawa taking images and other measurements before taking a sample of the surface and returning it to Earth for study--the first sample return for an object other than the Moon. The mission was exceedingly ambitious, particularly given its low price tag, and several times it looked like it would fail. However, some sample was successfully returned to Earth, and it was just announced that it's consistent with LL chondrite, a relatively common meteorite.

4. What makes this discovery particularly interesting or noteworthy?

There has been a longstanding issue in asteroid and meteorite science with respect to how well we can determine compositions remotely and how much our analysis can be fooled. Exposure to micrometeorites and the space environment alters the lunar surface in ways we're only now beginning to understand, so this was potentially a test of how well we can apply what we know to bodies other than the Moon. Ten years ago I was a member of a team that gathered telescopic data for Itokawa and interpreted it as likely similar to LL chondrites, so we're happy to see we got it right!

5. Does this new information make it more likely that people will have greater faith in remote sensing techniques?

I sure hope so! :)

This is a great step in that process and critical for the asteroid community. It's also interesting to note that there are other recent steps that emerged from the Mars program-- the Opportunity rover was targeted to land in an area based on orbital remote sensing, and Opportunity's measurements on the surface confirmed the remote sensing. Also, the identification of iron meteorite falls on Mars first came via the rover's remote sensing instruments, which were then confirmed by further analysis.

6. Thinking from a Sci-Fi perspective, what are the extremes to which this sort of mission or technique can be pushed. For example, can we become so certain of our remote sensing that we never have to visit anyplace anymore?

Interesting question. In some ways, this already has occurred. For instance, since we can't go everywhere with a rover due to constraints of time (among other things), the rover operators already pick and choose which specific rocks and soils they want to do detailed sampling of by remote sensing-- something that looks uninteresting to the spectrometers (or perhaps "like everything else") is less likely to be visited. This was even true for the Apollo astronauts-- they were much more likely to sample unusual-looking material, trying to avoid sampling the same stuff over and over again by making judgments using their own remote sensing instruments: their eyes!

For the asteroids, we're still making our first forays into spacecraft missions. But even here there are plenty of people who think we don't need to visit any more of one particular type of asteroid called the S class-- this is Itokawa's group as well as the group that a lot of other spacecraft targets belong to (Eros, Ida, Gaspra).

7. Is there any Sci-Fi that has an effect on your current thinking or attitudes as a scientist?

It is interesting to see the lines between science and science fiction in some of the proposals and studies we see for coming years. The increasing computing power and capabilities of robotic spacecraft makes it possible to imagine a space program very different from the one we grew up imagining-- one where astronauts sit thousands of miles (or more?) away from the place they're exploring, using virtual reality and telerobotics to take advantage of those things that humans are best at while still maintaining safety (and indeed enabling stunts that might be ill-advised or impossible with an actual on-site astronaut). Something like a cross between Avatar and the Matrix, but without a pretense of "inhabiting" the remote explorer of the former, and without the evil computer part of the latter. :)

8. Anything else you'd like to add?

Carl Sagan called the 70s and 80s the golden age of space exploration, where we encountered our solar system for the first time. With all due respect, I might suggest that that golden age continues today-- the discoveries made and data returned from Mars and the Saturn system every day are staggering but have become commonplace. We're finding other planetary systems and characterizing them. We've found worlds at the edge of our own solar system, and before too long we'll have our first look at Pluto. We're putting an orbiter around Mercury this coming year. As an asteroid scientist I must point out the great variety of missions we're enjoying, and I'm anticipating our first close look at Vesta next year and Ceres a few years following. And we're doing it as a species-- India, China, Japan, and Europe have all sent missions to the Moon or beyond (in some cases way beyond) in the past few years, and Russia is slated to send its first post-USSR mission within a few years. And this says nothing about human exploration, which is also an ongoing and international effort. It is a great time to be doing planetary science.

Many thanks to Dr. Rivkin for the interview!

Pax,
Bryce

Image Credit: JAXA, www.news.sciencemag.org

Prompt the Muse #25 - Speculative Writing Prompt

2010-11-17T02:00:00.018-05:00

Art: Cup Detail from Artemisia

Your characters need to transport a deadly poison. How do they protect themselves while they do this? Do they need to use a special technology? Hazmat suits? Spells? Or perhaps some of your characters are naturally impervious to the poison? Write your ideas for how to transport this dangerous concoction in 200 words.

Image credit: Wikimedia Commons, Detail of Artemisia, Public Domain

Blogging Awards and Many Thanks

2010-11-10T21:05:00.003-05:00

Image: Fantasy & Sci-Fi Award

It has been several months since two excellent bloggers were kind enough to recognize me with awards. These are the first awards I've been given, and I really do feel honored. Each comes with the stipulation that you pass them on to other bloggers. I wanted to take that aspect of the awards seriously, and examine many other writer's blogs before presenting the awards. And since I've been so busy this summer and fall, I didn't have the opportunity.

I have finally had the chance to peruse many fine writing blogs (and fine blogs of all kinds, actually) these past months, and feel prepared to accept these awards and to pass them on to others.

The first award is the "Fantasy and Sci-Fi Blogger Award" which was given to me by Ted Cross at Ted Cross Blog. Thanks, Ted, for the award, which is all the more special since it is given to me by such an interesting and talented blogger.

Here are the steps required to accept the Fantasy and Sci-Fi Blogger Award:

1. Thank the giver and link back to them. Done.

2. Pass on the award to some unspecified number of science fiction/fantasy bloggers. I've chosen five, although if I find a blog in the future that I just must honor, I reserve the right to award one or two late.

3. Inform them of their award. I'll be posting comments on their respective blogs.

A Mission Impossible for the Dark Fantasy Writer
Farsight Blogger
Lessons From My Reading
Rocket Girls
The Sharp Angle

The second award is "The Versatile Blogger Award" given to me by Kelly Dexter at the very well written Nerdville Rhapsody. Thank you very much, Kelly, for reading my blog and thinking it worthy.

Here are the steps required to accept the Versatile Blogger Award:

1. Thank the giver and link back to them. Done.

2. List seven things about myself. (1) My favorite place on earth is Zion National Park, Utah. (2) I've written and published a textbook about the inner planets. (3) The first science fiction book I remember reading was Asimov's I, Robot. (4) The solar system body I like the most is the Moon. (5) I practice zazen. (6) I am a Leo. (7) My current wine kick is anything red from the Central Coast, CA, or I'll go for a Spanish rioja.

3. Pass the award on to 15 other bloggers. This is the tough part, since I wanted to mention a variety of bloggers, both in writing and other areas. And I wanted to include newer as well as more established bloggers. There are so many good bloggers out there ... but these are the ones I'm highlighting with this award. As with the above, I'm putting ten down right now, and reserving the right to award another five bloggers as I discover new blogs.

Just Jen
Left and Write Brained
Musings of a Penniless Writer
Rigged
Swim-Write-Run
The Screaming Guppy
The Missing Word
Impudent Hachlings
Misa Buckley
Polenth's Quill

4. Let the bloggers know about their award. I'll be visiting their blogs and commenting to let them know.

Many thanks, everyone, for reading One Writer's Mind and leaving your comments here.

Pax,
Bryce

Prompt the Muse #24 - Speculative Writing Prompt

2010-11-10T02:00:00.024-05:00

Image: Interior of Fig

Your characters find a previously unknown fruit (or at least one unknown to them). One of your characters decides to give it a try, and finds out it has a very strange effect on those who eat it. What is this effect? Something energizing, sinister, empowering, or mystical? Write a description of this effect in 200 words. (I just had to use a picture of a fresh fig for this prompt. I've always thought they looked like monkey brains ... or something.)

Image Credit: Wikimedia Commons, Fig, Public Domain

Prompt the Muse #23 - Speculative Writing Prompt

2010-11-03T02:00:00.000-04:00

Image: Tyrannosaurus Rex Statue

The main characters of your story have encountered evidence suggesting that some kind of major life form existed right where they are in the past. This is going to cause a stir in their society. Why? Does it give your characters more options, solve a problem for them, or create more challenges and obstacles? Write your idea in 200 words.

Image: From Creative Commons on Flikr, InfoMofo, CC 2.0

NaNoWriMo - Hit the Ground Typing

2010-11-01T03:00:00.092-04:00

Image: NaNoWriMo Badge

Once again I've chosen to take part in National Novel Writing Month by joining the 'Office of Letters and Light' in their particular novel writing challenge. This challenge is so widely followed that it has become synonymous with the month, itself. Their NaNoWriMo challenge is to write a fifty thousand word draft of a fiction novel in thirty days. I participated last year and found the experience both enjoyable and focusing. You might wonder why a serious writer would get involved ... but I have a few reasons a writer might find this exercise worth the time.

1. Get It Down On Paper. For those who have internal editors that keep them from just getting the words out of their heads and down onto paper, NaNoWriMo can be a great exercise in turning off this editor and forcing yourself to "just write." A draft is a draft, after all, and you can't edit what you don't have on paper. (My problems are not with creation of text, so the word goal is not prohibitive for me. My issues are definitely in the editing stage.)

2. Reinforce the Writing Schedule. For some, the 1700 words a day or so that are necessary to reach 50K means a shift in routine. The goal helps some people to really carve out the time needed to write every day. This can lead to a better writing commitment throughout the year.

3. Support Literacy Education. The non-profit organization in question, 'The Office of Letters and Light' runs a Young Writers' Program for children 13 and under. They fund it through book drives and such, but they also rely on donations and product sales associated with NaNoWriMo.

4. Meet Your Community. The writing community on the Forums is reasonably lively. Although many of the writers are young, there are specific places for those of us with a few (or more) decades under our belts to congregate. In addition to the on-line community, there is your local community. Kick-off parties and write-ins attract people to meet in specified locations to socialize and get some writing finished. It gets a person out of the house, or your usual writing venue, and into someplace new. And I enjoy the opportunity to simply meet other people in my area, regardless of if they intend to continue in the future with writing or not.

5. Push Through The Problems. In a typical writing day, I'll work on several projects. If one is giving me trouble, I'll put my efforts into another that isn't so troublesome. But this has the drawback of never really forcing me to work through a problem. I tend to wait until it solves itself, and it usually does, but it can take a very long time. NaNoWriMo is a venue in which you must force yourself through the sticky spots. You must keep writing. I have found this to be a good exercise for forcing my brain to work on, through, or around plot issues, even when it does not want to. Again, this writing is to produce a draft. Plot holes are for December (theoretically).

6. Fun. This is the best reason of all. Participation in NaNoWriMo is exciting and fun. Writing, something I do every day, has become like breathing - I'm glad I do it, but I don't make a holiday of the fact that it is there. NaNoWriMo makes writing into a celebration. It helps me remember many of the reasons why I enjoy writing in the first place.

So good luck to the novelists, whether involved with NaNo or otherwise. Hopefully this November will see some prodigious, if not well edited, writing.

Image Credit: NaNoWriMo 2010

Ghoulish Inspiration for Halloween

2010-10-30T02:00:00.071-04:00

Art: Yorick's Date Tonight by GRB76

The damsel in this piece of art has clearly found her inspiration - old Yorick - still hanging about to witness the mischief the living can conceive. Apparently, after having been unearthed by a gravedigger in Hamlet, the skull has been passed around until the modern age. He's now found a lady whose "gorge" does not rise at the sight of him, unlike how he once disgusted Hamlet.

Nor is he "abhorred" in our imagination, obviously. It has always intrigued me how this symbol has endured through the ages. Of course, Shakespeare did not invent this concept - the idea of comparing life (the once jolly jester) to death (his skull). Yet it seems to me that it is Hamlet that is responsible for making the image so compelling.

By the time Hamlet was written, about 1600, skulls were already a common sight in portraits. In addition, there was a theme in art that persisted through the 17th century known as "memento mori" or "remember you will die." Not only did the text itself often appear, but symbols such as skulls were used to underscore the message. So there was (and is) no dearth of symbols suggesting we contemplate our fate. Yet now if we encounter a person with a skull in writing or art, we immediately think of Hamlet and Yorick. It seems to be the instance around which our imaginations have crystalized the idea of "memento mori."

However, when I climb into this particular piece of art, I am not overwhelmed by the macabre at all. There are too many elements here suggesting there is more going on than meets the eye. This is a world of two moons, and where the people have elf-pointed ears. The protagonist is lightly smiling. Perhaps a skull brings to mind more of a remembrance of those who have passed, like the Day of the Dead, rather than a solemn consideration of our own mortality. And we can take it as far as we like, being fiction writers. Perhaps that is a human skull, and she is something else entirely. Is she an immortal creature? Perhaps she is laughing at us. Or maybe she can hear Yorick's voice loud and clear.

Naturally, Yorick has inspired more than a pondering of our fates, he has also become an inspiration for dark comedy. Regardless of how grim the message might be, there is something farcical in a person who carries a skull around like a friend. As I contemplate another Halloween, and finish off a draft of a spooky short story, I look over at the plastic skull decorations on the side table ... and grin.

Image Credit:

Art: Yorick's Date Tonight by GRB76 on deviantArt.com

My Comments: I really enjoy gothic art with a twist of humor, especially when it is executed so flawlessly, and with this sense of dark playfulness. The detail in this piece is amazing - showing exactly how Yorick continues to inspire art into the modern era. Thematically, there is also the juxtaposition of youth and beauty against decay and death.

Artist's Comments "Or maybe, "Can I keep it? Because you no longer need it..."

Prompt the Muse #22 - Speculative Writing Prompt

2010-10-27T02:00:00.018-04:00

Image: Statue of Sphinx

Your main character has encountered a creature blocking the path forward. This might be literal, as in the mythical sphinx, or more figurative. Is this creature an alien? Animal? Monster? It asks your character a question that he or she must answer correctly to continue moving forward. What is the question? The answer? Write these out in 150 words.

Image Credit: Wikimedia Commons, Sfinx, Public Domain

Speculative Fiction's Fascination with Green Beings

2010-10-23T22:06:00.001-04:00

Art: Best 2 Out of 3 by rmj7

I have always found our collective fascination with "little green men" to be, well, fascinating. Not so much the "little" part, but the "green" part. The meme of green aliens permeates science fiction, but also appears in other forms in folk tales and ancient mythology. Why are we so enthralled with this idea?

For the purposes of this post, I define "alien" very broadly, because I believe the basis for this fixation goes deep into time and into the human psyche. Humans have always had a feeling of strange "aliens" in their midst. The idea of aliens being intelligent life forms from another planet is rather new. Humans have envisioned other sorts of aliens, like fairies, spirits, gods, and monsters. Sagan discussed this concept in his book The Demon Haunted World. I hardly have space here to consider the huge idea of why we invent strange aliens in the first place, but I do want to briefly ponder why they are so often so specifically green.

Most cultures throughout history have noted the obvious, common color of green in nature. So it is not surprising that many cultures have placed the same meaning and symbolism on green, including birth, growth, sustenance, the cycles of nature, and then rebirth in the afterlife. These processes were full of mystery to the ancients (and to us, still) and so green became not only the color of the natural, but also the supernatural. For example, worship of the Egyptian god Osiris is recorded as early as around 2400 BCE. Osiris, the god of nature, rebirth and the afterlife, was often depicted with green skin.

This is a particularly strong symbol in Anglo, Saxon, and Celtic cultures. The forest fairies were green, and certainly the Green Man mythology centers around this symbolism. Originally, this green color was considered good - wild - but good. The pagan religious that grew up around it believed the green forest denizens were protectors and guides of the natural world. There is a theory that suggests it was Christianity's arrival in the Celtic world that changed green from a more positive, natural symbol into one that was just as often malevolent and demon related. The early Church took a negative view of the color since honoring and worshiping the green folk and their ilk was decidedly against its ideology. So eventually in the Isles, green colored creatures also became something dangerous and evil, such as twisted wild fairies, pernicious monsters like goblins, and green-skinned witches. These ideas were in place by 1400 CE, as indicated by tales such as "Gawain and the Green Knight" where ancient tales and symbols meld with Christian ones.

As the known replaced the unknown, places like forests became less mysterious. But we humans simply moved our "aliens" to the next strange frontier such as distant islands, deep jungles, and the bottom of the ocean. The birth of modern science made it seem as if humans might eventually be able to replicate all the processes of nature - and one result was the quickening of the genre of science fiction with Shelly's Frankenstein in 1818. Frankenstein defies nature and creates life from death, piecing together his monster in a way that echoes how Isis pieced together the body of Osiris.

Into this new genre stepped authors like Verne and Wells, who had visions of travels to distant lands, and even distant planets. By 1880, Schaparelli had already named the major features he observed on Mars as "continents" and "seas". That same year Greg published Across the Zodiac, where a traveler finds small humanoids populating that planet. With the 1899 Green Boy of Hurrah, and Burroughs' 1906 A Princess of Mars, amongst other stories, the small alien humanoids in the public imagination were nearly universally green.

As science fiction continued to explore its love for green aliens, high fantasy was born with Tolkien between The Hobbit in the mid 1930's and The Lord of the Rings in the mid 1950's. It was out of the mix of the symbolism of the Isles that Tolkien drew the heart of his Middle Earth, especially his creatures, including goblins, orcs, elves, ents and entwives, and dwarves. The elves, associated with the green forests, were mystical, ethereal, powerful, immortal, and generally good. But the green skinned orcs (apparently once elves) were twisted, violent, malignant, and evil. This is a striking parallel to the clash between pagan and church ideas in the old Celtic lands.

From that point, it isn't so hard to see how the trope or meme continued to expand. Today our speculative genres are filled with green creatures. Whether science fiction, fantasy or horror, there are little green men from Mars, green orcs, and green creatures from the black lagoon. We remain fascinated with the greenies. I, personally, trace it all back to that first green connection with the mysterious. We paint green those creatures who we, as authors, want to have a mystical, supernatural, or hyper-scientific power over nature, over life, and over death.

This is hardly a scientific study, merely my own thoughts presenting one possible reason why we fixate so strongly, and even adore, our green aliens. I have a species of green aliens in my sci-fi universe, too. And overused meme or not, they are there to stay. What are your thoughts?

Bryce

Image Credit: Best 2 Out of 3 by rmj7 on deviantArt.com

My comments: This art depicts characters from the newly released book Prossia by Raphyel M. Jordan. I envy the ability to actually draw the characters in one's writing, let alone create visual art.

The artist says: "Aly and Catty come from a race of people that are very combat-oriented and like to spar in their spare time. Here we catch the two after Round #2...ya think Catty's probably up for a Round 3?"

Prompt the Muse #21 - Speculative Writing Prompt

2010-10-20T02:00:00.024-04:00

Image: Mask of Zhao Yun

Masks have appeared in all kinds of speculative literature with an array of functions. They have been used in celebrations, religious rituals, to hide identity, as a form of art and dance, in political circles, and to provide protection for the face. Your character has a sudden need to use a mask. Why? What problem does it solve? Write your idea in 200 words.

Image Credit: Wikimedia Commons, Mask of Zhao Yun , Public Domain

Finding Inspiration in Cards and Quizzes

2010-10-10T22:35:00.001-04:00

Art: Empress by Tsabo6

The internet is filled with a plethora of quizzes that ostensibly will tell you all about yourself. They can tell you what Star Wars character you are, what kind of moviegoer, and even your religious denomination. Or perhaps what kind of ice cream you are - not what you prefer - what you are. (I am chocolate chip. Boring.) Do a search on almost any topic ("What kind of ___ am I" quiz), and you will find several possible quizzes of varying quality. I don't want to link to any directly, since many of these sites have ads, and I don't want to appear to endorse them.

I really enjoy quizzes overall, not just because they help me procrastinate writing, but because they can give me some insight into my characters. After I take the quiz as myself, I channel my characters and take the same quiz as each of them in turn. It is actually an interesting way to see if I am taking the easy route of making all of my people into either me or the anti-me. And the canonical wisdom tells us that either of those extremes can lead to less interesting character development and more predictable character interaction. I am trying to create unique individuals who get into interesting situations.

One quiz subject I enjoy is the "What Tarot Card Are You" subject. I consistently test as "The High Priestess," the card of science, wisdom, knowledge, and education. Not a big shock for a scientist and writer, I suppose. My main character comes out as "The Sun," supposedly the card of happiness, contentment, and joy. Ironic considering how angsty he is, but perhaps this is the emphasis of what he wishes he had. His best friend is "The Heirophant" who brings "the divine to earth," a kind of "guardian angel." An excellent description, and an image that makes my mind wander to a few new ideas for him. The MC's lover tests out as, well "Love/The Lovers." Hmmm.

And if taking the quizzes isn't enough inspiration for new directions for your characters, then go ahead and actually get tarot readings for them. Again, a little playing around with your favorite search engine will lead to sites that have computers generate instant tarot card spreads. I certainly do not suggest calling "real" people or paying for anything like this, it is just for entertainment and ideas. But this was very enjoyable for me, as my main character had a computer reading done about his love life, and learned he needed to set it aside and concentrate on family celebrations and outings instead. An excellent idea.

For additional card fun, check out the "science tarot" on facebook. This link was sent to me by a friend and I had a good time browsing the art. I noted that the Queen of Wands card, the Storyteller, is Carl Sagan. Something of a paragon for those of us who long to tell the stories of science (real and otherwise) in a way that captivates, informs, and enlightens.

But approach these quizzes advisedly. One of my characters tested out as "Jar Jar Binks" in a Star Wars Character quiz. I haven't felt the same about him since.

Pax

Image Credit: Empress is used with the very generous permission of Tsabo6 on deviantArt.

My comments: Tsabo6 creates some incredible art filled with mystery, beauty, and darkness. Empress is one of several concept art tarot pieces in the theme of "high fantasy with a hint of oriental mood." I was enthralled immediately by this piece, which has such balance and beauty. Certainly if this were a real tarot deck, I'd be in line to get one. Art like this is so inspiring, and keeps the mind open to new possibilities and options.

The Rosetta Spacecraft Visit of Asteroid Lutetia

2010-10-07T14:48:00.000-04:00

Image: Asteroid Lutetia

From a science fiction perspective, asteroids have always been a source of great inspiration. They are the places where strange artifacts are found, the locations of wayward space outposts, and are the villains in big-rock-collides-with-Earth scenarios. From a planetary science perspective, we've learned a great deal about asteroids in the last 15 years, but as is often the case, the research has generated even more new questions to investigate than we had before.

This summer the Rosetta spacecraft had its close flyby of the asteroid Lutetia. Scientists have now had a chance to review the data from that flyby in some detail, and the first reports are being given at the conference I am attending.

More than anything else, the talks are pointing out how very different asteroids are, both from what we were expecting 15 years ago, and from one another. Lutetia is the biggest asteroid humans have gotten close to (so far) and it shows evidence for a very complex history. The surface features include: folds, fractures, troughs, peaks, craters, pit chains, young and old regions, grooves, deep regolith, boulders, landslides, steep slopes, and much more. It might seem like just another potato-shaped asteroid to some, but I continue to find the variations in asteroids to be really intriguing. And given the President's interest in sending humans to an asteroid sometime soon, these variations pose any number of challenges for mission planning.

For example, Lutetia has slopes of loose material steeper than 50 degrees. This is odd, since loose material on any world generally will not form a slope greater than about 30 degrees (called the angle of repose). This very steep slope might be a result of a strangely shaped gravity profile for the asteroid. Or perhaps the material is being weakly held together by electrostatic forces. In this arena, science and science fiction are in the same position, asking how can we get people there safely, and wondering what they will find when they get there.

I am particularly interested in imagining the differences in trying to 'walk' on such a body, where the gravity is pulling strangely, where the slopes might be either rock or dust, and massive boulders are perched on peaks all around. On smaller asteroids, this effect would be even more pronounced. It might be more like 'floating' around, or as one colleague said, visiting something more akin to a dangerous underwater coral reef while wearing complex scuba gear.

Pax

Image Credit: Rosetta image of asteroid Lutetia, European Space Agency

Science Conferences: Ideas from the Cutting Edge

2010-10-06T00:25:00.000-04:00

Art: Conception of Future Lunar Visitors

Hopefully this will be a post-heavy couple of weeks. For one thing, I'd like to do a bit of catch up on topics I started examining here the blog, but did not fully explore (like writing retreats.) But more importantly I'd like to blog about the planetary science conference I am currently attending. I'm a day behind already, given travel schedules and whatnot, so it is time to get my fingers moving on the keyboard.

This meeting is one of the most important yearly conferences for the subject of planetary science and is attended by over a thousand people, including scientists, press, educators, writers, students, exhibitors, and much more. Since I fall into a number of these categories, such as scientist, educator, and writer, this conference is a great place to be. My main goal (after actually showing up for the science talk that has my name on it) is to plumb the meeting for ideas for science fiction writing. I've never approached this conference quite this way before, and I'm looking forward to the inevitable challenges. Particularly the challenge of thinking both as a scientist and as a fiction writer at the same time - which will hopefully make for an interesting post or two.

By the way, if you follow Twitter, you can check out Emily Lakdawalla's (Planetary Society) tweets of the conference here.

Pax

Image Credit: NASA
http://ipy.nasa.gov/multimedia/m000000/m000000/m000024/index.html

Prompt the Muse #20 - Wednesday Speculative Writing Prompt

2010-08-25T01:00:00.001-04:00

Image: NASA - Galaxy collision

Two species in separate galaxies learn that their galaxies are colliding and combining. One sees this as an opportunity - new star birth will take place, revitalizing the galaxies. The other sees this as a tragedy - the event will release a great deal of harmful radiation, and destroy many existing systems. Take the point of view of an ambassador of one of these civilizations, and in 200 words try to explain to the other civilization why yours feels the way it does about this cosmic event.

Image Credit: NASA Hubble Space Telescope

SFPA Poetry Contest - Winners Posted and Lessons Learned

2010-08-18T02:30:00.001-04:00

Art: Vermeer - The Astronomer

As I noted in a previous post, I have been involved with a poetry contest with the Science Fiction Poetry Association. The winners of that contest (SFPA New Poets Contest - The Art of Poetry) were posted tonight over on their forum. (You have to be logged into the forum there to see the contest topic.) And I am happy both with the outcome and with the process in general.

This was the first time I helped to run a contest of this nature, and I learned a great deal. My 'lessons learned' included a few ideas for how I might run similar contests in the future, and how to improve my own submissions to contests.

As for submitting to contests, I am surprised that there are people who still do not read the submission guidelines and follow the directions. Contests get too many entries for the coordinators to try track down author information, or to decide how to deal with submissions that are over word/line count, etc., without seeming draconian. No one wants to eliminate a submission because the author did not follow a simple guideline, but why should authors who did follow the rules not be given higher consideration? There are no easy answers, and so basically, just follow the rules, no matter how strange they may seem. I have always paid a lot of attention to the guidelines when I have submitted my writing for consideration, but this is still a lesson I'm going to take to heart with my own work.

Running the contest on a forum was a great way to make submitting easier on everyone. Authors did not have to worry if their email was received, since they could see their submission on the site exactly as the judges did. Judges did not have to have their email boxes inundated with mail, and have the associated worry about something getting missed. It also meant there was a central location to ask and answer questions, and to post the winners. My only regret is that we did not get more submissions - we had just over fifty. I'll admit I was hoping for about a hundred. So I need to learn how to do a better job of getting the word out, keeping interest up, and otherwise making the contest look like it is worth an author's time to submit.

And at the last, I was surprised to be surprised at how much time it took out of my life to do this relatively simple thing. It isn't exactly hard to run a contest, there are simply a lot of steps. I came up with the idea, proposed it to the society, helped come up with a theme and strategy, then read all the submissions, and handed my list of finalists to the officers for their final choices. I also notified the winners and am collecting the information to get awards sent on to them. I knew it would be time consuming, and yet was still surprised, especially with how long it took to read and rank fifty poems. It was a very good thing we had a theme - five specific pieces of art - to center the writing. This made the reading much easier, since everything was relatively focused. Still, it was both fun and frustrating to try to judge such diverse works of writing.

And I've said this before, but perhaps I can get back to concentrating on some writing of my own, now. Although this contest was a very fun way to procrastinate, and I imagine if given the opportunity, I'd volunteer as a judge for the very next writing contest that comes around.

Pax,
Bryce

Image Credit: http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Jan_Vermeer_-_The_Astronomer.JPG

Prompt the Muse #19 - Speculative Writing Prompt

2010-08-18T01:00:00.001-04:00

Image: NASA - Oil Slick

We imagine that most sentient life will have an impact, large or small, on the planets upon which they reside. Imagine a species has caused an ecological disaster. Take 200 words and outline the situation. What is the nature of the disaster? Does the species care or even notice? Why? What solution or remedy do they use to correct the damage, if any?

Image Credit: NASA Aqua Satellite Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) image of Gulf Coast oil slick.

Create Your Own Writing Retreat - Finding a First Priority

2010-07-26T14:09:00.000-04:00

Image: 'Man Writing' by Photos8.com

After two months of dealing with distractions, I am trying to get myself back into my writing routine. Perhaps you've had this problem, too, where other issues seem much more pressing than your allotted writing time, and you allow yourself to be drawn off to deal with them. I've gotten out of my writing habit the last few weeks, distracted by stuff that looks like writing, but really isn't: dealing with the SFPA poetry contest, going through old files of ancient stories, keeping my weekly prompts here on my blog, and other 'administrative' tasks. It is all important to me, and related to writing, but actual writing time has fallen way, way down.

To recharge myself, I decided to 'send' myself on a writing retreat. (And no, I'm not in some amazing natural setting, putting pen to paper during a sunset, gazing out at the water ... but you work with what you have.) My spouse had to attend a conference, and I chose to go along and use the time out of my usual environment to concentrate on getting back into more of a writing habit. (And hopefully finally finish that novel that has been crying for attention since April.)

Part of my agenda is to write at least a short post every day this week here on One Writer's Mind. As you know, my usual strategy is to post one or two long posts, and then a writing prompt. (Or post nothing but writing prompts for weeks, apparently ...)

Going about planning a writing retreat turned out to be an interesting process. My first issue, and the one I chose to blog about today, was that of choosing my main goal. What did I hope to accomplish by the end of the week? I have five days where I can devote several hours to writing, editing, re-reading, crafting, background research, or anything I need to do. An amazing luxury. So how do I get the most out of it?

I decided I should define a first priority, the way to say "if you accomplish this you can claim 100% mission success." My need to reestablish more of a routine was pretty clear. So while I figured that I needed to set several specific writing goals, the first and foremost was simply to say I would write for two solid hours each day. No editing in that time, no re-reading, no research. Two hours of writing. I often end up getting diverted with all those other important tasks, and simply do not get the words down on the 'page' each day that I need to get down.

Have you sent yourself on a retreat? Did you make a primary goal? How did you decide what you wanted to accomplish more than anything else?

Thanks for reading - now back to making the day's writing goal.

Pax

Image Credit: 'Man Writing' by Photos8.com via Creative Commons and Flikr

Prompt the Muse #18 - Wednesday Speculative Writing Prompt

2010-07-14T01:00:00.004-04:00

Image: Textile Art

Symbols are very important to all aspects of human society. Your characters live on another planet, or deep in the past, or in an alternate universe. Their existence is different from ours. They must choose five symbols from their everyday lives to use in an important work of art. What symbols do they choose, and why? Write your ideas in 150 words.

Image Credit: Bright textile from Wikimedia Commons

Prompt the Muse #17 - Wednesday Speculative Writing Prompt

2010-07-07T01:00:00.002-04:00

Art: Planet collision

You need to write a paragraph where two characters have a great impact on one another. They have never met, and do not meet in the paragraph, either. What happens that allows these two characters to have such an effect on one another? Write the paragraph in 150 words, either as an outline of your ideas, or as you would put it in a story.

Image Credit: Impact from NASA JPL - Caltech on Wikimedia Commons

Prompt the Muse #16 - Wednesday Speculative Writing Prompt

2010-06-30T01:00:00.002-04:00

Art: Mirror with Candle

Consider the means whereby writers create a mood in a scene. For this prompt you need to create a sinister mood in 200 words. Steer clear of any obvious words such as: evil, malicious, horrifying, dangerous, dark, scary, etc. Try to create the mood by describing the setting as creatively as possible.

Image Credit: Skull Mirror from Wikimedia Commons

Prompt the Muse #15 - Wednesday Speculative Writing Prompt

2010-06-23T01:00:00.022-04:00

Image: Blue Fractal

Humans use many different tools to determine their position and direction, such as a compass and satellite systems. Your characters have been stranded on a planet where there is no advanced technology, and no metal. What means do they use to determine their position and direction? Feel free to consider what early humans might have done, or call on magic or supernatural means. Write your ideas in 200 words.

Image Credit: Kompas from Wikimedia Commons

Prompt the Muse #14 - Wednesday Speculative Writing Prompt

2010-06-16T01:00:00.004-04:00

Image: Many Galaxies Colliding

Your characters take a journey from one galaxy to another. They do not use a mechanical or technological means (i.e. no star ships, warp gates, etc.) They do not use magic. How do they travel? What is the journey like? Write your idea in 200 words.

Image Credit: NASA

Giant Jupiter Provides a Constant Spectacle

2010-06-13T20:36:00.008-04:00

Art: Gas Giant Mining Drone by Betelgeuze01

I see I have managed nothing but writing prompts for the past few weeks. Haven't been producing the word counts I like to see, and I have several short stories languishing here on my computer that should be out on the street. I've been concentrating on other issues, like the poetry contest at the SFPA I posted about. So I imagine this somewhat sorry state of writing affairs will continue until mid July, when that wraps up. But that's one of the reasons I started this blog, as a fun way to keep myself motivated to write. And the heavens have cooperated with a little planetary display that has gotten me off of my duff for a real post.

I am generally partial to planets with solid surfaces, and then am biased to rocky planets as opposed to icy ones. Still, Jupiter has diverted my attention, as well as the attention of many others. Recent events have underlined just how cool a gas giant planet can be. Atmospheres always emphasize the human fascination with things that constantly change, and yet stay the same. Seasons, for example. We love to watch the seasons change, but mostly because we know that winter will always give way to spring. Constant change, but within a known pattern.

Jupiter has a number of cyclical patterns that change its atmosphere - some of which are pretty dramatic, (as noted on Emily Lakdawala's great blog over at the Planetary Society, AstroBob, Bad Astronomy, and others) About a month ago, amateurs noted that the wide, nearly ever-present dark band around the southern equatorial region of the planet was ... gone. Yep, just gone. (Note pix - also note that the Great Red Spot is still there, just on the other side of the planet.) For those unfamiliar with the cyclical changes on Jupiter, this was a pretty big shock, and a striking change to the look of the planet. But such a dramatic change isn't unexpected; the southern equatorial band disappears every three to fifteen years, and then comes back again. The return is actually a pretty dramatic event, too, so it is worth keeping your eyes and ears open for Jupiter news.

Of course, when I see things like this, I imagine what the good, solid, scientific reasons might be, and then what the fun, bizarre, speculative reasons might be. For example, maybe the atmosphere of a gas giant could be altered by a planet-wide gas mining operation (as seen in the art, above). A gas giant like Jupiter might give the impression of possessing an infinite quantity of resources, but like the Earth, any planetary resource will eventually run out. Or be handled in such a way as to eventually destroy the environment that supported the resource. An interesting idea - contemplating how such mining might be approached. In Star Wars, Lando Calrissian was the administrator of the Cloud City Tibanna Gas Mines. We weren't given all the details about exactly how or why that operation was carried out, but it definitely sounded cool. (Although apparently "tibanna" is some kind of "rare form of matter naturally found in the state of a gas." Definitely not enough detail ...)

I was planning to end my post there, but then Jupiter experienced another interesting event. The image shows a bright flash in the southern hemisphere (image is south to the top). This was probably caused by an impact event, smaller but basically the same as the Shoemaker-Levy 9 impact events of about fifteen years ago. Jupiter possesses the high gravity demanded by its high mass. Such a gravitational well and big target means impacts into Jupiter's atmosphere are constant. They are into the Earth's atmosphere as well, but bigger stuff hits Jupiter more often than Earth (fortunately for us). This same astronomer found the impact scar of another event in 2009. That scar was different from the cometary impacts of SL9, indicating an asteroid impact. We are not yet sure what impacted Jupiter this time.

Amateur scopes and image processing equipment have now reached near-professional levels. Because of this, even smaller events that happen on the planets are rarely missed. This gives us a new appreciation for how dynamic and changing our solar system really can be. And, of course, it gives us plenty of new ideas for speculative writing about the topic.

Pax

First Image Credit - Gas Giant Mining Drone by Betelgeuze01

My comment - This naturally caught my eye as I was thinking about the atmospheres of giant planets. I am rather irritated by the non-explanation of "Tibanna" in Star Wars, since I always prefer more detail. But what gas would a civilization really mine? We have plenty of hydrogen, already. However, if I do think of a good reason to mine the atmosphere of a gas giant, it will certainly appear to my eye as something like this great piece of art. The blimp-like mining robots seem both unique as well as functional for their appointed task.

Second and Third Image Credits - Anthony Wesley, Australia. Known 'amateur' astronomer. Making observations that once upon a time even the professionals could not make.

Prompt the Muse #13 - Wednesday Speculative Writing Prompt

2010-06-09T01:00:00.011-04:00

Image: Watery Planetscape

A group of characters must swim from one island to another, avoiding a dangerous hazard in the water. What is this hazard, and how do they try to avoid it? Do they succeed? Write your idea in 150 words.

Image Credit: EonWorks

Prompt the Muse #12 - Wednesday Speculative Writing Prompt

2010-06-02T01:00:00.002-04:00

Art: Eos with Wings

We have named many astronomical bodies in our system after the characters of different mythologies. Develop a naming scheme for planets in another star system, based on the culture of the sentient beings who live there. Perhaps they use the names of artists, colors, or elements. What are the names of three planets in their system?

Image Credit: Eos from Wikimedia Commons

Prompt the Muse #11 - Wednesday Speculative Writing Prompt

2010-05-26T01:00:00.003-04:00

Art: Cemetery Arch

Your main character has stumbled into a haunted graveyard. To escape, this person must perform a ritual under a great stone arch, using five items found in the graveyard. What are the items, and what does your character do with them? Describe the ritual in 200 words, including what happens to those who haunt the graveyard, if you like.

Image Credit: Cemetery Arch from Wikimedia Commons

Prompt the Muse #10 - Wednesday Speculative Writing Prompt

2010-05-19T01:00:00.007-04:00

Art: Exploding Planet

Something has gone terribly wrong inside the core of a planet, causing it to explode. Imagine the reason for this explosion. Perhaps it was caused by the action of sentient beings, a natural process in the core, the birth of a powerful life form, or a malicious curse. Write your idea in 150 words.

Image Credit: Exploding Planet from Wikimedia Commons

SFPA New Poets Contest: The Art of Poetry

2010-05-17T18:42:00.000-04:00

Art: Medea

I am excited to announce that our poetry contest for new poets has gone live. I've been working with the Science Fiction Poetry Association, as a member, to create an art-inspired poetry contest. We are hoping to raise awareness about the society among new poets, as well as continue to see new people invest themselves in this genre. I've put the entirety of the guidelines below in this post, for completeness, but here is the short version.

The contest is offering small cash prizes (10$ or less) as well as SFPA membership or books of speculative poetry to the three top poems submitted. Poets who have three or fewer paid poetry publications are eligible. The contest is being run on the SFPA Forum, and you must register to even SEE the contest topic which is SPFA New Poets Contest: The Art of Poetry. It is also password protected. This is to protect the poets and their poems, and to keep down any possible spam.

As I said, the poetry must be related to art. The SFPA has chosen five works of art, and linked to them under the topic on the forum. (I've also posted them below, and show one of them Medea, here.) The poem(s) submitted must be inspired, however loosely, by one of these five works of art. Some are classics, like Vermeer's The Astronomer, and The Hunt of the Unicorn tapestry. But there is also modern space art from Don Davis. The SFPA is a speculative poetry society, so poetry themes must follow science-fiction, horror, fantasy, straight science, or have some speculative aspect.

I would greatly appreciate it if you would spread the word. Our deadline is June 30, 2010, so there is plenty of time to view the art, write a poem or two, and get them in!

Pax

Image Credit: De Morgan Medea, Public Domain Image from Wikimedia Commons

Forum rules
Contest Guidelines – SFPA New Poets Contest: The Art of Poetry

The Science Fiction Poetry Association (SFPA) is holding a poetry contest with art as its inspiration! The contest is offering cash prizes and there are no fees to enter. New poets are invited to contribute. Non-members as well as members are eligible. Please read the complete rules below for theme, submission specifics, etc. Then write 'em up and send 'em in!

PRIZES:
First prize: $10, a one year SFPA membership, and publication on SFPA's web site
Second prize: $8, a copy of Cinema Spec: Tales of Hollywood and Fantasy, and publication on SFPA's web site
Third prize: $7, a copy of Dwarf Stars 2009, and publication on SFPA's web site

We plan to archive the winning poems indefinitely, but authors may request removal from the web site after six months. SFPA reserves the right to grant all, some, or none of the prizes, at its discretion.

WHO MAY ENTER:
The contest is open to new poets, SFPA members and nonmembers alike, with the following exclusions. Poets must have three or fewer paid poetry publication credits. No members of the contest committee, no current SFPA officers or web site staff, and no family members of the judges may enter the contest.

CONTEST THEME:
Write a speculative poem of 20 lines or less inspired by one of these works of art:
http://www.donaldedavis.com/BIGPUB/STANTRUS.jpg
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File: ... onomer.JPG
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File: ... _Medea.jpg
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:The_H ... stry_7.jpg
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File: ... nset_2.jpg

All forms welcome--haiku, cinquains, tanka, sonnets, free verse, etc., but poems must contain one or more of the following elements: science fiction, fantasy, horror, surrealism or straight science. Post previously unpublished poems only. No reprints. Poems should be appropriate for a general audience. We reserve the right to remove from contest consideration and from the forums any poems that might be considered above a "PG" rating.

SUBMISSION SPECIFICS:
Submissions must be made at the SFPA Forum (index.php). Registration at the forum will be required to post poems. Poets shall submit poems as posts under the heading SFPA New Poets Contest: The Art of Poetry. This topic will be password-protected. The password will be listed on the forum, right under the contest topic heading. One must register to even SEE the contest topic. One poem per post, with a maximum of three poems per person. Include your name, title of poem, and then text of poem. Winners will be contacted for their addresses via email after the contest closes.

DEADLINE:
The deadline for submissions is 11:59 EDT on June 30, 2010. SFPA reserves the right to extend the contest deadline, if necessary. Winners will be announced on the SFPA Forum. Questions? The first topic under the contest heading is the place to post questions. If you cannot access this topic after registering, post your question in the “Website and Forum” area. The SFPA shall not be held liable if submissions cannot be made due to website problems or connection difficulties, etc.

Prompt the Muse #9 - Wednesday Speculative Writing Prompt

2010-05-12T01:30:00.004-04:00

Art: Horned Skull

"In the deepest part of the castle, past the prison, the dungeon, even lower than the tombs, we found an odd circular chamber. On the wall of the chamber was a horned skull, with fresh blood dripping from its mouth. As we drew closer, the mouth opened, and words formed ..." What did the skull say? Write this in 150 words. Feel free to include the reactions of the characters.

Image Credit: EonWorks

The Perils of Telling a Story Out of Chronological Order

2010-05-08T16:06:00.001-04:00

Art: My Secret Garden by janenorman

A am both a reader and a writer of my chosen genres. It was first reading these types of stories that made me begin to imagine and then write my own. I do think being an avid fan is important, especially in speculative areas of writing. It is easy enough for me, since I really enjoy the subject matter, and have my own favorite authors and book series that I follow enthusiastically.

Recently, this brought me face-to-face with the idea of time lines, or chronologies, in stories and storytelling. This is a very important topic to me, since the main character about whom I have written the most is a time traveller. There is always the question of "what's the best order to tell this?" I want to maximize the impact of the story without confusing the reader.

Or perhaps alienating the reader.

One of the series of books I have been reading for many years is Stephen Brust's Jhereg (also called the Vlad Series.) (Warning, possible spoilers in this post about that series.) It appears that Brust is 12 books into what I think will be a 19 book series (one book for each "house" in the empire, with Taltos and a final wrap up book.) If 19 books sounds like a lot, I'll point out that these are not long books at all; they are only about 180 to 280 pages of mass market paperback. Taltos at 180 pages almost feels like a novella. But I'm used to carrying around the bricks written by C.S. Friedman, for example, which are in the 580 page range.

A six hundred page book stands some chance of keeping my attention for a while, because I do not merely read books, I eat them whole. I horde my favorite series books for trips and vacations, and then devour them in a single sitting. So I actually had three books from the Jhereg series on my shelf, unread, at the same time, just waiting for a good long plane flight on which to eat them. But I broke down the other day, and figured it was time to crack open the next in the series, Jhegaala, and get back into the story.

And now we come to the actual point of the post.

Jhegaala takes us back in time, into the main character's - Vlad's, past. This is not the first time this has happened, it is the fourth. So I should have been mentally prepared. I wasn't. Instead I was actually disappointed and peeved. I put the book down in disgust the moment I realized what was going on. I said to myself, "I don't care about this. I want to know what is going on NOW."

Reading through the books has become a bit of a roller coaster, and in my view, not in a good way. Here's my diagram of said roller coaster.

We start at Jhereg, which the stars denote as "begin here." Next is Yendi, which instead of going forward, as one might expect after the first book in the series, it goes back. This wasn't too irritating since it went back immediately to the time before the first book, and answered some important questions. Then we got back to the "real" story with Teckla. But then Taltos came out, and I had my first "what the heck" feeling. It is a good book on its own, but by now we are invested in the growing rebellion in the main city, as well as the situation between Vlad and his wife. This step back didn't work for me. It answered questions I wasn't thinking about. But fine, back story is good, on general principles.

Fortunately, three books in a row came in chronological order. And one of them, Aythra, is a particularly good book, perhaps the best in the series so far. So I calmed down, my faith restored, even when Orca wasn't quite as good. And then Brust gives us Dragon. Take a look at how far back this one goes. Serious, serious bummer. It had me thinking "when can I get back to the story I actually care about?" I read some of the beginning, trying hard to focus, but the story couldn't hold me. I skimmed it, just to make sure I wouldn't miss key plot or character elements, and then dropped it.

Brust then supplied two books in a row in chronological order. Issola does not deal with the story I had become invested in, but it does bring up some excellent issues with the origins of the species on the planet, and a nice battle with big bad guys. Dzur does in fact, finally, finally, deal with some of the story I wanted to learn more about, which got me back into the series, and happy once again.

Yet somehow I was not expecting Jhegaala. Which takes us four books back in the timeline. Again. I'm tempted to skip the book entirely, but don't want to miss a piece of back story the author is going to assume the reader knows. I have to say I feel tweaked by the whole process.

My point about all of this comes down to this question - Why don't I care about the stories Brust is telling me, when he is telling me? Where is the breakdown between writer and reader? I like the character of Vlad, and Brust does a good job of leaving hooks at the end of his books so you want more. But then the bait and switch ... you get more, but not of what came at the end of the last book.

BUT many authors have a publication order, a storytelling order, that is not chronological for the main character. And it works fine. I'm having trouble thinking of one at the moment ... but I know it works. So my questions to you: When should the story be told in an order other than chronological? How does the author make it work, keeping the reader interested and the tension up? How does the writer avoid giving a reader that 'bait and switch' feeling? Your thoughts?

Pax

Image Credit - Art: My Secret Garden by janenorman on deviantArt.com

My comments: I went looking for art that would express some of that sensation of being lost in a book. This piece does exactly that through a wonderful fantasy composition and amazing color. It also asks its own questions - is the person reading a journal, a spell book, fairy tales, or an ancient text of some kind? What books would exist in this culture, and what would be so compelling?

Mixing Genres in Spec Fiction - Some Pros and Cons

2010-05-06T01:55:00.002-04:00

Art: Not an Atmospheric Phenomena by julian399

The topic of mixing genres has been on my mind lately. As I consider the issues surrounding the publication of my work, the subject of genre mixing keeps coming up. So I thought I would first post about the pros and cons of blending genres within a piece of writing. And then I'll follow up on a post with some tips for doing it in ways that enhance your efforts.

I think that absolutely the first thing to do is to understand, concretely, what your eventual goals are for being a published writer. Some people want fame and fortune, and nothing less will do. Still others want to find a tiny niche audience and become a cult legend for those two thousand people. Some people write because they want to push the envelope of technology, of what writing means, and how it is accomplished. And others, like myself, write the stories they do because they feel compelled, and just hope they can create something in the process that people want to read.

With that in mind, it is easy to see that what might be a pro about mixing genres for one person will be a con for the next. So I can't just make a 'pro' and 'con' column for this post. Instead, I'll call out a few key points.

One point is that mixing genres can confuse the publisher. They don't know how to clearly pitch the book, how to create obvious cover art, which audience to target it to, etc. In a post called "For the Love of Pete, Don't Mix Your Genres" the author, Justin Allen, gives humorous advice to writers about how to make publishing the most straightforward. "So do yourself a favor and stay right in the middle of the publishing industry’s wheel-house. Give them a book with an obvious cover and a story that is immediately recognizable; one that won’t offend liberal New England schoolmarms with its depictions of guns or violence, or conservative Southern aristocrats and Western individualists with any themes suggesting ecological conservation or multicultural understanding. If at all possible, make your book ‘literary.’ That will ensure you the chance of at least one big payday."

This is clearly tongue-in-cheek, but yet accurate. This advice is useful if you want to be rich and famous and don't care what you write. For someone like me, this advice isn't useful. I am thinking about the places where my stories mix genres on the sci-fi/romance line. I do not intend to change my writing because someone finds the gender balance in the relationships offensive. One of my species has seven genders. One of my species does not have any genders. Our own ideas from Earth do not hold in such an environment. I'm not making my sentient species suddenly all dual-gendered and giving them equivalent moral standards on relationships. It makes no sense in the context of the stories.

This probably means that Walmart, one of the biggest sellers of mass market paperbacks in the country, will not sell some of my books. Very well. If I get published to the point where that is even an issue I'll consider myself outrageously blessed.

Another point goes back to the idea of categorizing and marketing your book. It will appear on only one shelf in the bookstore, and you have to pick a category. A mixed genre book will be hard to place, and may miss some people who might like it very much because it simply won't be in "their" section. This does seem like a con for everyone who mixes genres, but again, it might be less of a problem if you only intend electronic publishing, say.

Mixed genre writing also needs the writer to understand the basic formulae and structure of all the included genres. This could be a con in that it makes the writing more difficult, and it can be a pro because the book might end up being quite a bit more interesting.

At the moment, certain mixed genres are very trendy, say like urban fantasy/horror. So one pro of mixing genres is that you might find your writing is hitting a sweet spot of popularity. Yet, just as certain mixed genres become trendy, they also fall out of popularity, so you can't count on a trend lasting long enough for you to ride the wave. Still, mixing genres can give you an opening where "popularity" has closed a door. I enjoy writing and reading space opera; with governments vying for galactic power, fleets of warships doing battle, and threats of planetary destruction. Yet at the moment, the wisdom is that space opera is out, too overdone. As it is, some of my work retains additional marketability because it is not straight sci-fi. I've mixed in strong fantasy, as well as romantic elements, which make the story more quirky and less predictable than your standard space opera.

Back to the post above. The author also says, "As a writer between genres you can be your own boss, ignoring and embracing the usual tropes and traditions of the movements in whose shadows you walk. You can work toward a uniquely American vision of fantasy, horror, or romance – casting off the shackles of the old world with a shout of “Live Free or Die!”" Again, this is intended as humor, but remains true. A pro of genre mixing is this flexibility, and sense of uncharted territory ahead. Of course if you get lost, you are on your own.

What are your thoughts? Other pros and cons of mixing genres in speculative writing?

Pax

Image Credit: Not an Atmospheric Phenomena posted with generous permission by the artist, julian399 on deviantArt.com

My Comments: This piece could include elements from a range of speculative genres like urban fantasy, science fiction, straight fantasy, psychological thriller, mystery, or even horror. What is the story of this strange castle or structure? Why is it in the desert? What is the meaning of those machines flying above it that look so much like helicopters? Is it a threat, or the appearance of a once-in-a-hundred-years sort of Brigadoon? Or perhaps the title is ironic, and it is, in fact, only an illusion. (Again, I suggest taking a look at the high resolution image on the deviantArt site to see the piece in detail.)

Artist's Comments: "What we saw in the deepest part of the Sahara Desert was definitely not a military installation like everyone says... but rather a giant crystal citadel towering and glimmering brightly in the heat of mid-noon... are they lying to us about an installation? Or is that it!?"

Prompt the Muse #8 - Wednesday Speculative Writing Prompt

2010-05-05T01:00:00.003-04:00

Image: Hurricane

The universe appears to love the shape of a spiral. It can been seen in sea shells, galaxies, hurricanes and in many more objects or events. Think of ten things in nature that form the shape of a coil or spiral. Choose the most original one from your list and now imagine it was made by 'people' for a purpose. Write down the purpose for this structure or item in 100 words.

Image Credit: NASA

Writing A Big Stack of Horror Poetry

2010-04-30T13:51:00.002-04:00

Art: I Did Not Do It by red-riding

Today is the last day of NaPoWriMo, A Poem A Day in April. I have succeeded in producing thirty poems this month, although the quality varies dramatically from "this is a solid poem" to "this has no redeeming features." Not a surprise, naturally.

My overall focus was horror, with an attempt to hone in on the more gruesome moments of childhood. I wasn't able to produce only horror, since sometimes the muse just does its own thing. Still, of thirty poems, twenty had a horror, weird, or speculative theme. Ten of those were specific to childhood horror. I am pretty pleased, since that ten produced about eight that have a solid core and related emotional context. With a few additions and some aggressive editing, I might actually produce that chapbook I was aiming for when I started a month ago.

Art like "I Did Not Do It" was perfect inspiration for this project. As I go forward, I'm going to continue to use the same general procedure to allow the art to move me to write. Here's my process. I specifically look for art and images that raise questions in my mind. In this case, what is really happening in this picture? It appears that the not-so-innocent looking child his hiding a knife. Is that her hand print or that of a victim? And who is she trying to hide all this from, anyway?

After asking these questions of a piece of art, I take a step back and see if I can put my finger on what it is that makes the particular work quite so horrific. Where is the emotion centered, the discomfort, the nasty surprise? What is she feeling? What is the possible victim feeling (assuming he or she can still feel)? How about the person standing out of our view, possibly scolding the child?

And then I take another step back, and try to forget about the specific art itself. My goal isn't to try to duplicate the art in words. My goal is to use the emotional power and the situation as inspiration. So I call up other places, other settings, in which the emotions might be similar. I imagine twists or variations within childhood that hold the same charge. Sometimes this leads me right out of the genre entirely, and I end up writing a poem that has little to do with the art in question. That's fine. The same piece of art might generate inspiration for a dozen poems that to a reader appear completely unrelated either to each other, or the art.

But because I continue to focus on similar feelings, there are some poems coming out with related emotional turns. So I am going to continue to follow this line, adding to my child-horror poetry until I get a set that seems to play out a coherent emotional arc.

Well, it all sounds good on paper. Now I have to see if I can really do it. Then comes the fun part of researching how one might publish a chapbook of horror poetry, which I have never done. Comments and advice are always welcome ...

Pax

Credit Line: I Did Not Do It by red-riding on deviantArt.

My Comments: This is the sort of horror art that really holds my attention. Gore and shock factor are low, and the creepy factor is high. The piece asks more questions than it answers. The art is disturbingly clean and clear, with judicious use of color. There is the barest hint of humor in the context. And most importantly, the emotions expressed on the face of the child are really strange - she appears to be a bit insane, but not so crazy that she does not have some appreciation for the horror of her own situation. The piece is dense with ideas.

Prompt the Muse #7 - Wednesday Speculative Writing Prompt

2010-04-28T01:00:00.004-04:00

Image: Stained Glass

A great deal of our culture, science, and overall mode of living is driven by the cycle of day and night. Imagine a planet with a much longer, or shorter, diurnal cycle. How does the length of this cycle manifest in the sentient beings that call the planet home? Put some of your musings into 200 words.

Image Credit: Stained Glass from Wikimedia Commons

Completing the Circle - Finishing That Novel

2010-04-26T14:25:00.002-04:00

Art: Ringed Blue Planet And Moon by CommanderEVE

Humans have a fascination with rings and circles. I think part of that fascination stems from our enjoyment of things being finished, connected, and complete. A circle often symbolizes completion, or a 'whole' rather than a 'part' of something.

I'm thinking of the idea of 'completion' as I push through the ending of my current novel. I've written books before, but this one is being stubborn. It does not want to finish itself. Now, sometimes that is because the writing is telling you it isn't done yet. When you get that feeling, the only cure is to keep on writing until it is really done. That may be part of what is happening here, a need to fill in the gaps. But I think the other part is a subconscious desire not to finish.

At least for me, writing the first draft is always my favorite part of the whole process. That's when the ideas are flowing, the fingers are flying, and the world disappears. When I'm done writing, I get to do the hard parts of editing and then querying. That all happens in the real world, which as a fiction writer is not where I like to spend most of my time.

So to motivate myself to push through this thing, I thought I'd post some tips on what has worked for me occasionally in the past. Both to share with you, and to remind myself that I have to pick one or more of these, do them, and get that book finished. (I re-read and see all my tips start with an "R." I didn't mean to do that. Weird.)

Reassess the Outline. When I'm having trouble finishing, this is my first approach. Sometimes my outline for the rest of the novel is simply too vague. I have a tendency to keep my outlines as bare as possible, because my characters write better stories (and endings) than I do. I hate to box them in. But sometimes you have to be firm, "Okay guys, let's wrap it up. If you want to keep running around we can write another book, but this one has to end." So I map out the ending in more detail, and that will often be all I need to get the job done.
Reconsider the Goals. We all know the standard idea of setting large goals, and then breaking those goals into small, manageable pieces. Those small pieces are the weekly or daily goals that make the big goal attainable. There are times I have trouble finishing a large project because I haven't broken the goals down quite enough. I don't usually spot this in the beginning, since things do change over time. What worked when I started the book might not work at the end. So I take another look at the small goals, and break them into even smaller pieces, so that it all seems much less overwhelming.
Recruit a Friend. And there are times when what I need is either support or accountability. I find a friend to read a chapter or two, tell me how great the book is and how much they want to read the rest of it. Very motivating. Other times I find a friend, tell them my goals, and have them check up with me to see if I'm meeting them. I prefer the first approach, but sometimes you need the sound of a whip to get off of your duff. Or, in our case, the sound will get us onto our respective duffs and keep us writing.
Revisit the Beginning. By this I mean going back to the reasons I wanted to write the book in the first place. Sometimes I need to take a mental trip back to when the book was still an idea that I was dying to write about. I do this and try to conjure up the excitement and sense of purpose that I felt at that time. This can help me put some of the fun back into the work of writing that last bit.
Reset Priorities. This means that I might need to put aside all other writing projects. Normally, I have several projects going on at once (like this blog, say). Going from one to another keeps things fresh. But it also provides places to hide. I may have to drop all other projects until I get the novel finished. If I'm within ten thousand words, it would probably be a good thing to do. If I am en fuego (on fire) I can write ten thousand words of draft in a day. The thought of finishing this draft in one day is tantalizing, indeed.

I think I'll write another post or two in the future about writing motivations, in general. So I'm doing this kind of backwards, by starting at the end. But this what I needed right now to keep myself moving towards my goal.

Additional suggestions for how to push through to the ending of that novel?

Pax

Image Credit: Art: Ringed Blue Planet And Moon by CommanderEVE on deviantArt

My Comments: I was at first attracted to the luminous color of this piece. And then I kept looking at the rings and circles: the halo around the planet, the rings of the planet, the bright ring of the moon, and the stars in the background. It all seems very orderly, gem-like, and perfect. Sure would be nice to get that feeling at the finish of my novel.

Hubble Space Telescope - Science Feeds Fiction

2010-04-24T18:02:00.004-04:00

Image: Crab Nebula at HubbleSite

Today is the 20th Anniversary of the Hubble Space Telescope. The impact that this instrument has had on the field of astronomy can't be overstated. Hubble, which images in visible light and the near IR, has taken data that has truly revolutionized our view of the universe. And for those of us who write science fiction, Hubble has provided an infinite well of inspiration.

With a zillion fantastic images to choose from, I chose the Crab Nebula. I did so because this image is tied to an actual observation of an event. The Crab Nebula is a supernova remnant, a swirling collection of gas and dust thrown off of an exploding star. This explosion was witnessed and recorded by Japanese and Chinese astronomers in the year 1054 CE. There are not very many astronomical events of this magnitude that have been seen and then recorded by humans.

This brings home some appreciation for the vast scales and distances in the universe, as well as the mechanics for how things work out there. The Crab Nebula is about 10 light years across. Gas and dust can't move at the speed of light, but still, they were thrown outwards at an incredible velocity. If the nebula is 10 light years across (5 light years in radius, from the center to the edge), then a little math tells us it is expanding outwards at 0.005 or 1/2% the speed of light. One half a percent of the speed of light is 149,900,000 cm/sec for you astronomers or 3,355,000 mph for you English-unit types. Check that again; the nebula is expanding at 3.3 million miles an hour. And that is 200 times slower than the light itself.

The Crab Nebula is about 6,000 light years from Earth. So the light from the explosion took 6,000 years to get from the star to our location. In that time, we looked up and saw nothing amiss, and then one day in 1054 the light washed past us, and we saw the explosion. It's been about another thousand years since then, so anything within about 7,000 light years of the original star now knows that it blew up.

But our galaxy is about 100,000 light years across (or a bit bigger, people are still arguing about that.) Here's a little mock up I did, i.e. the image of the galaxy at right. Let's assume this galaxy is the Milky Way, at 100,000 light years in diameter (This isn't the Milky Way, of course, it is NGC 4622, a nice face-on spiral that I thought would do the job. Our galaxy has more arms, and the central section is more oval-shaped). The circle is drawn to scale at 14,000 light years or so (light expanded from the explosion outwards in both directions, so twice 7,000 years.) The positions of the Sun (lower, yellow diamond) and the crab nebula (upper, pink diamond) are about right. The symbols that represent them are not to scale, as they would be too small to see. But since the positions are correct, you can get an idea of how much of the galaxy you can cover moving at light speed for 14,000 years.

So the only people (assuming there are people other than us in the galaxy, for the sake of fiction) who know that this star has exploded are those inside the circle. Anyone else in the galaxy that happens to be watching has no idea. They see the star as it appeared in the past - the universe is its own kind of time machine.

I think about these scales a great deal when I write science fiction. The bulk of my writing does take place with civilizations on a galactic scale. It is important to remember that a major event in one part of the galaxy won't even be seen in another area for tens of thousands of years. If you have faster-than-light travel in your story (mine usually do), this can cause some interesting phenomena. Someone can look into the night sky, see a perfectly 'safe' place, and choose to travel there. And when they get there they find out the hard way that it exploded a few thousand years ago. I enjoy the way this time and space bending can influence a story.

Anyway, Happy Birthday, HST. Send more pictures.

Pax

Image Credits:

Crab Nebula - NASA, ESA, J. Hester and A. Loll (Arizona State University)

NGC 4622 - NASA and the Hubble Heritage Team (STScI and AURA)

The Good and Bad of Writing in the Ivory Tower

2010-04-22T15:00:00.010-04:00

Art: "Monoptropolis" by BlueRogueVyse

I haven't posted an update on my writing projects in a while, so I am taking some space at the beginning of this post to do just that.

April is still chugging along with my writing a poem a day for NaPoWriMo. The poems need editing, of course, but I'm surprised to see that most of them have a solid emotional turn that I can develop into something more substantial. I'm also pleased to see that my "theme" seems to be working, more or less, which was to write poems inspired by horror art. A nice set of the poems are coming out with a strong emotional connection to one another, and I think a chapbook of a dozen or so pieces may be the result. That would be a great outcome - I have not tried to produce a chapbook before. All the poetry I've published so far, about two dozen or so pieces, has appeared individually or as features in small press markets.

Still, publishing poetry wasn't actually what I was trying to accomplish since I set my mind to publishing my fiction late last year. But poetry gets in your blood ... you can't stop it. I'm beginning to realize that I can't put that kind of a constraint on the muse, "Okay, you there, only short stories for now. And all fantasy. Got that?" Har har.

But I shouldn't be too upset with all the poetry, it has inspired me to do some work with the SFPA on a possible poetry contest. I'll have to see where that leads, but for the moment, it looks like it is going someplace interesting. When/if it becomes more concrete, I'll post about it.

And the story writing and publishing is still going along. Poetry seems to get me to sit down at the computer, but it is the fiction writing that keeps me there. Especially when the internet connection goes down. I put in 10K words yesterday, in spite of the withdrawal symptoms from no intarwebs.

Anyway, about the ivory tower. What I mean to discuss are a couple of the pros and cons of writing in isolation. I spent several years very deep into my "day job," and did not do much reading or even movie watching. So anything I wrote in that time was written in isolation of whatever was going on with other writers in the genre. In fact, it was written in isolation of anything in the popular culture, as well, since even now I do not watch TV, read the newspaper, or look for headlines on the internet. Before that time, I was very involved with the genre, and now am in the process of reading much more, and keeping an eye on what is getting published and what isn't. So that in comparison with the in between time has given me a look at the pros and cons of writing in one's own ivory tower.

The major 'pro' of this, from my perspective, is that my ideas were not largely influenced by what others were writing. Most of my ideas came from inside, not outside, so I could generate some unique concepts. Another 'pro' is being able to avoid the pressure of writing what is popular or trendy. I still write only what really interests me, and that's it. And another 'pro' - keeping myself somewhat secluded helps me concentrate on what I am doing, not someone else.

Each of these has an associated 'con' and then some. There are ideas which are so pervasive, and so obvious, that many people think of them with no cross-talk necessary. There were times I imagined I had a neat angle on an old theme, and then found out I'd accidentally joined a bandwagon. And while I like ignoring the trends and writing whatever I want, that is not necessarily a good approach to getting published. I like to write Space Opera, for example. Some people are kind of sick of it. So I don't know yet what success I might have in publishing those pieces.

And the last major con, as I see it, is that isolation is lonely. I enjoy working with people and I like to be a member of a community. That was part of the reason why I started this blog, and started looking for like-minded writers. Of course, every minute we are not writing is ... well ... is a minute we are not writing. But I'm no longer at the point where I begrudge that. I simply want to make sure my non-writing time is as fruitful and enjoyable as possible.

How about you? What is your philosophy on isolation versus immersion? Do you try to keep your pulse on the genre at all times? Do you go on writing retreats? How do you keep up to date? How to you separate yourself when you need to?

Pax

Image Credit: The work "Monoptropolis" is used with generous permission from the artist BlueRogueVyse on deviantArt

My comments: Looking at the scale of the buildings on the hill, it seems that these towers are actually cities unto themselves. In spite of a manufactured origin, they seem to remain so organic, growing up from the rock and having abundant vegetation. Are these reserved as cities of the gods, or are they the common cities of normal mortals? What in their culture inspired this kind of architecture? And what is it that is lurking, almost out of view, in the skies above?

Prompt the Muse #6 - Wednesday Speculative Writing Prompt

2010-04-21T13:51:00.011-04:00

Art: Alien Statue

Looks like I'll be moving the writing prompts to Wednesday; it just seems to work out better with my posting schedule. I don't like to 'spam' followers with multiple posts in one day. I've always had a posting philosophy of longer but fewer. I had originally intended to post twice a week on Fri/Sat and then another around Mon/Tue, so a Thursday prompt made sense. And yet, it seems when Thursday rolls around I have a post just itching to go. So prompts will come out on Wednesdays for the time being. Unless that really cramps your style - let me know.

Anyway, the prompt ...

"There were many very strange and ancient artifacts there. One was a copper statue. When we looked at the statue closer, we were amazed to see ..." Finish the sentence and write another 100 words.

Image Credit: EonWorks

Wherein Dragons First Appear

2010-04-19T13:00:00.002-04:00

"Solace" by dragonicwolf

It has been brought to my attention that I have been remiss in posting fantasy art. A friend indicated that I had posted plenty of science, horror, and science fiction, but not not enough fantasy. Being a scientist, I immediately trotted off to collect the data, choosing appropriate bins. Here it is, by number of works of art/photos, and subject:

14 Science (NASA, night sky, and such)
13 Common (pens, cups, etc.)
11 Science Fiction
03 Abstract/Fractal
02 Speculative/Psychological
02 Horror
01 Fantasy

Well, indeed, we see a bias. Or several, actually. The preponderance of "common" themed art is a result of my not yet having hit upon the idea of looking for more original and thematic pieces to go with my posts. So that's fine. I'm also not surprised about the number of science photos, since it has been my intention to have a nice selection of real science/astronomy on the blog as a source of writing inspiration. Also, NASA photos are open for non-profit use, since we as U.S. taxpayers have already payed for them.

But my goal is to have at least moderately equal representation of science, sci-fi, horror, and fantasy genres, with the abstract/fractal and speculative/psychological pieces likely to overlap with all of them. I'll note that the person who inspired me to do this analysis was incorrect in the implication that horror was well represented. It appears to be suffering in similar ignominy to fantasy. That would be yet another bias discovered by my research :)

The cure for not enough fantasy is of course to post a dragon. I needed a good one, so I offer "Solace" by dragonicwolf. This fantastic dragon can only be appreciated properly by going to the source site and seeing it at full resolution. I quite like dragons; they are one of my vices along with vampires. By the way, the only other cure for "not enough fantasy" is to post a unicorn. :) So next time I get a comment about the art I post, I'll find the fluffiest, sparkliest, most rainbowy unicorn and share it here. It will hurt me more than it will hurt you ...

There is simply no amount of "overuse" of dragons that will make them stale, at least not for me. Human civilization at large apparently feels the same, since dragons of one type or another have appeared in stories and myths around the world. Some of these stories are thousands of years old. This fascination has continued into modern times with the birth of the current standard view of the "European" dragon (as opposed to "Asian" Dragon) - brought to us as Smaug by Tolkien. This is the giant, evil, winged, red lizard, sitting on top of a horde of treasure, and waiting to roast and devour adventurers.

Since then, dragons in literature have diversified. The dragons of Heinlein's 1955 Between Planets were intelligent and friendly scientist-types. They lived on Venus. McCaffrey's series The Dragon Riders of Pern, which started in 1966, has dragons portrayed as an integral part of fighting off a planet-wide threat. There is the luckdragon Falkor in Ende's Neverending Story, 1979, who is both a friend and a mode of transportation for the main character. There was apparently a Marxist dragon in Foster's Spellsinger series, 1983.

After that I stopped keeping track. The 1990s had so many dragon books and kinds of dragons that the idea of a "typical" dragon stopped being of much use. They can be tiny, huge, powerful, weak, intelligent, dumber than a sack of hammers, covered with feathers, covered with scales, have wings or not, and on and on. Yet still, somehow, a dragon is a dragon. They still intrigue readers, and inspire writers. They retain a mythical sensibility regardless of the indignities we put them through. I'll admit another bias, dragons appear in one of the books I'm working on. So I'm not likely to completely pan them, am I?

How about you? Tired of dragonkind yet? Or do you think there is still something worth exploring, there? If yes, why do you think they remain so compelling?

Pax

Image Credit: "Solace" is used with generous permission from the artist dragonicwolf on deviantArt.

My comments: Art like this makes me sit up and take notice. I want to be there - what is that dragon thinking, anyway? Is it good or evil, or something more complex? What is the nature of the world it lives in? Is it solitary? Social? Will it give me a ride and eat my enemies?

Another New NASA Space Plan - Fantasy or Reality?

2010-04-17T00:31:00.004-04:00

"Distant Shores" by Pat Rawlings NASA/JSC

The President has come forth with his plan for NASA. This is not a surprise, since presidents are always coming forward with a plan for NASA. Every administration finds a need to do this; to put forth their personal vision for American space exploration. NASA is a high visibility agency, with a reasonably good reputation. It has lost some face with the general public in the last fifteen years or so, but it is still one of the more favorably viewed of the agencies that come under ".gov" on the internet. A president who can create a workable, exciting plan for NASA creates a vast deal of good sentiment for his/her administration.

I will admit my biases up front: that I very much want NASA to succeed in its endeavors, that I very much want this particular President to succeed, and that I want NASA to support basic research, not just human space flight. And so my little review of his plan, here, is going to be influenced by that. I'll also point out that this, as with most of my other posts, is an opinion piece - I am not a specialist in federal budgets and the like. Nor do I specialize in technology. But as with many in my field, I've worked with NASA for years doing research and education, and so I can't resist the temptation to post about this new plan.

Summarized, in a nutshell, from a news release on the Planetary Society page:

In his speech at Kennedy Space Center, President Obama clearly laid out his goals and a timetable for NASA:

By 2015 – Finalize a heavy-lift launcher design and begin to build it. This would give us a deep-space rocket years earlier than estimated under Constellation. The President has allocated $3 billion to do the work.
By 2025 – Begin the first crewed missions beyond the Moon and into deep space. The final choice of destination is not immediately made, but will depend on technology advances. A near-Earth asteroid is a possible choice, with increasingly demanding targets to follow.
By mid-2030s – Send humans to orbit Mars and return them safely to Earth.
During the President's lifetime, people will land on Mars.

Ambitious, very ambitious. I have to say I am skeptical, but still optimistic. One of the reasons for that is because even if this plan does not reach full fruition, it has appropriate intermediate steps that will produce some good technology and some good science.

We do indeed need to develop the technology for a heavy rocket. The U.S. does not have a heavy rocket - at all. In fact, rocket technology has fallen a bit by the wayside. (A fine allegory for which was an old Saturn V rocket laying by NASA Road 1 in Clearlake, Texas, rusting away.) But can we build a new rocket for $3 billion? I don't think so. My prediction is that this will cost more, and run out at least another five years.

Choosing asteroids as intermediate landing targets seems wise for a number of reasons. We'd like to know more about asteroids anyway from an impact hazard point of view. Low gravity means easier landings and liftoffs. But they will not make perfect analogs to a planetary surface landing, nor for "living" on the surface. We really need the Moon for that.

As far as crewed missions beyond the Moon, that is tricky. The Moon is only three days away, Mars is months away. I believe the major hurdle is keeping the crew protected from radiation all that time. Right now, we don't have a good shield. Well, lead is a good shield, but a bit heavy to launch into space. There is no predicting if this will happen on schedule or not, since you can't predict technology advances that require ideas people haven't come up with yet.

In the mean time, with all of this happening, will NASA be able to keep its commitment to research science? Without basic research, the rest of NASA's program falls apart. We can't afford to become myopic, and focus so tightly on Mars that we let the scaffolding for exploration collapse. That scaffolding is built by the individual research projects that use spacecraft data to figure out what is actually out there. We can't send people anywhere if we don't know the characteristics of the target. And we can't create a new dream for exploration if we are not always pushing the boundaries with new robotic missions, new telescopes, and by continuing to fund the research using those data.

Will we see people on Mars in the lifetime of the current President? I think the answer is yes, IF the plan actually gets funded, and stays funded. The frustration of NASA is that it is in the executive branch of the government, so directly under the finger of the president. When a new one comes in, the old plan goes out. Progress made towards that plan is not necessarily lost, but might become irrelevant. Bush's plan is out, which is fine by me, but the emphasis on lunar work has already been partially funded. It will be a shame to see the plug pulled on any of that.

Still, I'd get behind almost any realistic plan at this point, if I thought Congress would stay behind it, too. I'm afraid I've become a bit jaded, with plans for people on Mars coming and going since long before I was born. In fact, I was so certain as a kid that I was the perfect age to be in the crew to go to Mars. And now, like so many others, I'm just hoping to live to see someone else do it.

And they wonder why we write fiction ...

Pax

Image Credit: "Distant Shores" by Pat Rawlings via NASA/JSC Program Art

World Building: Blog Posts of Note

2010-04-15T15:16:00.001-04:00

Art: "Tripartite" by guitfiddle

Every SF blog out there has a post (or ten) about "world building". It seems like a good way to start my own exploration of world building is to point out a few of the more interesting posts I've encountered while researching the topic.

To start, let's define world building - my working definition is that world building is the process of creating the full setting for the story. In the case of speculative fiction, we have the benefit (and burden) of being able to create an entire universe from whole cloth. So building our worlds can include a huge host of topics that must be investigated; religion, climate, technology, language, biology, ecology, social values, genders (multiple or lack there of ...), social structures, and much more. World building is working your way through all of these areas, to some extent, and ensuring your characters have a self-consistent world in which to operate.

A good post which introduces world building is "About the Details" by David Weber. One great point made in this post is: "I think it’s wrong to tell someone that he or she should only “write what you know,” because too often that’s taken to mean that you should write only about something you have personally experienced." "... very few of us have ever been starship captains, amnesiac government assassins, elven warrior-mages, or artificial intelligences. In the sense of telling a prospective writer that he should write about subjects upon which he is informed, on the other hand, writing “what you know” makes wonderful sense." When writing speculative fiction, research is key. As noted, we really can't get "personal experience" with most aspects of our universes, but excellent research and good world building will still result in intriguing and consistent settings for our characters.

Being trained as a planetary research scientist, I fall naturally into that aspect of world building. I enjoy delving into the topics of geology, technology, climates, biology and lots of other 'ologies.' But as much as I enjoy developing the cultural aspects of my worlds, I have less training for that. Jo Walton provides an interesting means of investigating the day to day lives lived in our worlds-to-be in a post titled "Real world building for fantasy writers." She advocates the reading of history, our history, as the basic starting point. "History is real and solid, and if you know it you can make changes from a point of knowledge, not ignorance." She isn't talking about getting a specific idea from these books, but instead understanding the big picture view of what it means to really delve into and be able to describe the daily lives of people, no matter their world, time, or culture. "Read widely. Compare things across cultures where possible. Think about why things are the way they are, think about the way things fit together, think about economics and geography." "So the questions I ask are “OK, how did it get like that?” and “OK, what are the implications of that?”

If you are a perfectionist like I am, there is always the question of "how good is good enough?" There is no world, even our own, that is free of inconsistencies. How perfect, how consistent, does your world building really have to be? John Scalzi gives his own answer to that question on his blog in a post called "Worldbuilding, Briefly." He believes he satisfies about 90% of readers by being two questions deep. That is, "you make your creations robust enough to stand up to a general question and then a more specific followup question." I'm not certain that is enough for me, being a rabid world builder, but it is nice to see any kind of metric. Otherwise, it's hard to know when to stop and actually get to the business of writing the story ...

Pax

Image credit: "Tripartite" by guitfiddle on deviantArt.

My comments: This is one of those nicely detailed pieces I could stare at for a long time, and let my imagination go. I see a world with three specific types of terrain/climate something like desert, temperate, and polar. Their juxtaposition already seems artificial, then we note the sides of the cliffs show some kind of mechanical constructs. Perhaps there are people living inside, or the 'continents' are themselves constructs. Perhaps the entire world is a construct. Puts a spin on the idea of 'world building' more like Douglas Adams.

Prompt the Muse #5 - Thursday Speculative Writing Prompt

2010-04-15T01:00:00.009-04:00

Image: Meteorite under Microscope

The picture at the right is a microscopic image of a meteorite under polarized light. Take a look at this image and then write down ten things it just might be picturing. Let your mind wander; be imaginative, and don't worry about being literal or concrete. I've put my list below, for fun, but make sure you have yours written out before you read mine.

Image Credit: Tim McCoy, USAP, ANSMET, Smithsonian

Stained glass window
Magic
Alien virus
Scales of a dragon
Chunks of glass at a recycling plant
Fish in an aquarium
Gems in a treasure chest
Plan of attack
Nebula dust
Reflections off of iridescent fabric

Art Imitates Life - Ideas for Speculative Fiction

2010-04-12T04:00:00.004-04:00

Art: "Trip to Mars" by Fiery-Fire

As I was looking for additional inspiration for writing, I came across the artwork featured at right, "Trip to Mars." It caught my attention for a number of reasons, one being pretty obvious - it has an uncanny resemblance to what one might see on an actual trip to Mars, as long as one is willing to look very close up.

Just in case you are not familiar with the images from the NASA (MER) Martian Exploration Rovers (still) operating on Mars, I provide here a close up of the "Martian blueberries" imaged by a rover. These are small spherules of hematite formed by hydrothermal processes. They therefore indicate the presence of both heat and water sometime in the past geologic history of Mars. How far back is not certain, and in this case "far back" might also include "more recently than we expected." Even though hematite spherules exist on Earth, finding them on Mars was quite the eye-opener.

Before these minerals were imaged by NASA, I would never have looked at the above piece of art and thought of something so very concrete. I would not have thought of actual minerals. I might have considered it only in the context of providing a general feeling or mood of space travel or planetary exploration. Instead, the real universe has once again provided something stranger than fiction, and art imitates life in a whole new way.

This has me looking at art and thinking, what if this were a close up, or an extreme zoom out? What if this were a different color, or upside down? Then I re-evaluate what the image means to me, or could possibly represent. And conversely, I'm looking at the real images and doing the same. What if that image of the blueberries, above, were really intended as an allegory for space travel? What if it were a shot from above of the domes of a space colony? Perhaps we are seeing are turtle-like creatures carrying shells on their backs?

Thinking in new directions is not only a great exercise for the brain, it provides a chance to put something really different or original in a story. We all know the standard tropes in our genres. These are not bad plots or poor devices for storytelling, they are simply plots that have often been seen before. If you can put a new spin on them, they can carry great power as they call to mind compelling stories of the past. But if you can't make them original, then they very quickly become boring to the reader. I strive to find ways to twist the old tropes, or find untrodden territory when I am writing. It isn't always possible, partly because I love some of those old tropes, especially space opera, ray guns, dragons, vampires, and other oft encountered phenomena in speculative fiction. Still, bending my mind around is a good way to help make it less likely I will present those tropes in old, stale ways.

Do you have a favorite means to keep ideas fresh? To generate new ways of looking at favorite themes?

Pax

Martian Blueberries: NASA/JPL/Cornell via Science reported by MSNBC
"Trip to Mars" used with generous permission by the artist Fiery-Fire on deviantArt

My comments: "Trip to Mars" is an evocative piece of fractal art with embedded 'marbles.' I enjoy this kind of art for its insistent symmetry, and when that symmetry is broken it makes such a strong statement. One idea that came to me when looking at this art was another trope, but still, an elegant one - that all the spheres, big to tiny, are universes embedded in a never-ending repetition. Note that the artist had not seen the images from NASA before creating this piece.

The End of the World in Fiction - Ideas from Past and Present

2010-04-10T00:06:00.004-04:00

Art: "Ensanguined Verdict" by julian399

With this post I will have somehow written my third installment in an 'end of the world in fiction' series. I think, however, that this post will get the apocalypse out of my system ... at least for now.

In my first post I talked about the aspects of an 'end of the world' scenario that inspire fear and obsession. (I also mentioned why in reality, worrying about these scenarios was probably not as productive as worrying over more likely forms of our demise.) Yet, people still enjoy contemplating the end of the planet when reading and viewing fiction. For example - this piece of art named "Ensanguined Verdict." The artist provides enough of the back story that motivated the piece that we know this is no natural disaster. This is one alien civilization attacking another. (And we might be either one, I suppose.)

My second post in this 'series' discussed the elements a writer might use in a story about the end of the world. These elements are based on the topics from the first post that seem to most enthrall readers: risk of large scale disaster, sense of the unknown, lack of control, religious or spiritual overtones, and of course a good dose of excitement.

With all of these together, it looks like the 'perfect' plot is one where our Main Character does not know what is about to happen, but it is going to be nasty. Something big. It threatens things the character cares about, and he/she cannot control important aspects of the event. There are hints of omens, foreshadowing, and portents. Something that makes the character think they might be the one; the person who can control one or two elements, and make a difference before or after the disaster.

Hmmm ... sounds like it's been done. Several times. Yet inside every overdone story is an untold tale waiting to be sculpted by a master. Right?

One of the oldest works of apocalyptic literature that comes to mind is found in the Bible. I'm not going to discuss the Bible as 'real' or 'fiction.' Some people regard the Bible as literal truth, while others see it as allegory, and others an expression of common myth. I'm not going break open that can of worms. I'm simply going to look at the parts of the story, and show how they include all the elements I mention above - in this case, the story is that of Noah and the Ark. This is certainly a world-shattering disaster, with the threat of the entire planet flooded and almost every creature wiped out. The spiritual element is obvious, with God telling Noah what he needs to do to save his family, his species, and all the species of Earth. Noah has no way to stop the flood, only the means to save a select group. For days, the Ark floats, with Noah hanging on to faith through the unknown.

This is of course the archetypal "saving some select part of the world from disaster" story. We've seen the ark redone as ships, domes, special habitats, rockets, underground fortresses, or what have you. This theme has really been explored, and explored again. But people keep using it, including '2012.' It can still work, as long as the story has some unique aspects, and is moving, exciting, and powerful.

Another story that comes to mind is H.G. Wells, "The War of the Worlds." This time an invasion by Martians threatens humanity. Again, it contains the large scale threat, religious portents (most concretely through the character of the curate who believes the Martians are here as the vanguard of Armageddon), a menace out of the main character's control, a constant sense of fear of the unknown, and plenty of suspense as we follow the narrator on his journey around the country.

A more modern story would be "Lucifer's Hammer" by Larry Niven and Jerry Pournelle. In this novel a comet smashes into the Earth and results in the now-standard devastation and de-evolution of society back to feudal times. The religious element is provided by the evangelist Henry Armitage. The calamity is unexpected, and beyond anyone's control. In the aftermath, several characters attempt to reform civilization to follow their vision, either light or dark, with tension peaking in the final, decisive battles.

All three of these stories have the same elements, but each uses them in a unique way, and gives the reader something unexpected and compelling. My analysis of what makes us obsessed with these disaster stories is, I think, pretty consistent with the body of literature already present. So I certainly won't dismiss the topic out of hand as not worth revisiting. But before I write my apocalypse novel (if I ever do) I'll be sure to know the themes that worked before, why they worked, and consider how I can give readers something really original as part of the package.

Pax

Image Credit: "Ensanguined Verdict" used with generous permission from the artist julian399 on deviantArt.

My comments: Another great piece. As with most of Juilan's art, you have to go to the site and look at the higher-res image to appreciate the amazing detail. In this case, there are tiny ships swarming near the surface of the doomed planet.

Artist comments: A bit of back story, "a new dawn has come before us... let their world burn into cinders; do not cease til every single grain of sand is but glass!"

Prompt the Muse #4 - Thursday Speculative Writing Prompt

2010-04-08T16:26:00.009-04:00

Image: Weary Knight

A knight has found himself at the end of an epic battle. Who or what was he fighting? Did he win or lose? What is the next issue he must deal with? Write your response in 200 words or less.

Image Credit: EonWorks

The End of the World In Fiction - Writing What Will Entertain

2010-04-06T01:34:00.013-04:00

Art: "Apocalypse" by Chris Martin/Velvet--Glove

If you haven't already, please take a look at my first post on this topic, "The End of the World in Fiction - Obsessions and Responsibilities." It provides a little background for what I am going to write here. And that post makes it clear that I don't have any desire to hype works of fiction at the expense of the public's true perception of risk in their lives.

People want quality entertainment that appeals to their interests and tastes. When it comes to science fiction, fantasy, and horror, there are a lot of options for very entertaining 'End of the World' scenarios. How can a writer provide the best reading experience for people who enjoy this kind of subject?

Looking at the post from last week, it is clear that we need our main character to lead the reader through some of their own fears and misconceptions. Consider the idea that perception of control reduces sense of risk. If that is true, then our character or characters cannot be in complete control of the situation, or there is no tension, no sense of risk.

The second factor I mentioned was scale. A larger scale event is going to be considered more horrifying. Does that mean the galaxy being threatened is worse than the world? Or the entire universe being threatened is worse than just the galaxy? I am not certain about that. There still needs to be some innate understanding of what is in jeopardy. For most people, the world is everything. What happens around other stars does not feel real enough to inspire fear. So if a writer intends to use the 'End of the World' scenario at truly huge scales, the reader must buy into the concerns of the characters, and must understand what is at stake.

Religious overtones will work well for some readers, and not others. While it seems that the inclusion of some kind of spiritual element, such as a prophesy, will generally increase the tension, the writer can't count on it working for all readers. Still, if your main character believes it, and within the context of the story prophesies can come true, then the reader may suspend their own disbelief and come along for that ride.

Naturally, the fear of the unknown is a huge driver in all of horror, mystery, thriller, and perhaps everything within the speculative genres at large. There has to be some element of the unknown, or readers will quickly become bored. In my experience, it isn't enough for the character to not know things, the reader must also not know things. Yet, if there is no structure at all, or no information given, the reader will become ungrounded, lost, and frustrated with the story. The writer must strike a balance.

And as a commenter noted on my last post, there are many other items to consider, such as the excitement/thrill factor, and the idea that one is living in a unique time or place. The former will come from a story that handles issues of control, the unknown, etc., with validity and good pacing. The latter is an interesting twist that can be included in any story, but has to be used with great care. It can feel much too contrived if our heroine has been destined from birth to Do Something Great. Writers must be more careful about how they bring the reader along, and make the reader feel special just for reading the book.

Next post I'll take a look at a few classic stories that do or do not follow these issues. Therein may (or may not) lie some insight into how to put together a story like this, and not just write the same old thing.

Pax

Image Credit: "Apocalypse" used with generous permission from Chris Martin, Velvet--Glove on deviantART.

My comments: This work of art is dynamic, full of energy. The tones are of stone and earth, with lightning and a sense of lava. The movement feels like grinding, mixing, breaking, and the results are cracking and fire. The repetitive swirling elements impart a sensation that this continues on and on, or is part of a cycle of destruction. A great conceptual piece that leads to the idea of the 'End of the World' without literally portraying it. That gives us, the writers, lots of leeway in how we let it inspire us.

Artist comments: " ... as I explored the possibilities of merged trap shapes and textures further it morphed into something resembling an end-of-the-world scenario. Not my usual thing at all but I actually quite enjoyed developing the atmosphere and drama of this image."

The End of the World in Fiction - Obsessions and Responsibilities

2010-04-04T17:33:00.001-04:00

The popularity of the movie '2012' is just one more indication of our collective obsession with the end of the world. As a SF/F/H writer, I believe this is all well and good. But as a scientist, I have some concerns about how people view global disaster scenarios, and what that means for their overall perception of risk. After all, if people think the most likely cause of their personal demise will be an asteroid impact, they will think about it, vote around it, and change their lives because of it. Since I know it is far more likely that any individual human will die of cancer than an asteroid impact, I'd suggest they spend more time thinking about how much fiber is in their diet. But popular culture often wins out against common sense.

There are a vast host of scenarios for the end of the world, such as a solar flare, pandemic disease, climate change, and the old standby, massive impact. The art offered here is Solar Wrath illustrating the fate of two planets being cooked by an active star. The point isn't to try to say these events are impossible; of course they are possible, they are simply very, very unlikely. I love to read and write stories about various speculative ideas, disasters included, but I know where the fiction ends and science begins. You might want to take a look at a previous post (The Norway Spiral and the Difference Between Fiction, Lies, and Truth) for more of my ideas on that topic.

So what are the factors that cause us to be obsessed with global disaster scenarios? What inspires our sense of fear? I'd like to highlight four issues I think are important: perception of control, scale of event, religious overtones, and confronting the unknown.

Perception of Control. The Fear - Some people have become almost hysterical when thinking about the plots of movies like '2012' and 'Deep Impact.' Yet the concept of a house fire, for example, does not generally cause this kind of reaction. People believe they have a measure of control over their fire risk. They can buy irons with an automatic shut off, they can stop smoking in the house, they can ensure matches are safely stored away from small hands.

The Reality - Yes of course, these actions will lower the risk of fire. But you can't control how your neighbors act, you can't see through your walls to the state of the wiring, and you can't keep people from pitching lit cigarettes out their car windows into your yard. In the end, it is still more likely you will have your house burn down than be killed by an asteroid, no matter what you do. Lifetime odds of dying by fire or smoke - 1 in 1,116; and for asteroid impact - 1 in 200,000. (source for data)

Scale of Event. The Fear - Asteroid impacts are seen as more horrific than car accidents - one accident can only kill so many people. A big asteroid can take out the entire planet. So even though people are afraid of car accidents, they hold a more deep seating, horrified sort of fear for global disasters. Large scale disasters could destroy whole cultures, populations, and ways of life. These are the things people look to in the hopes of having a legacy beyond their own demise. If these can be lost, then there is truly no hope for any kind of legacy, progeny included.

The Reality - Again, this has nothing to do with the real risk. We are more proportionately concerned with the bigger event, but it is that much less likely to happen. Odds of being killed in a car accident - 1 in 100. Now that's scary.

Spiritual Overtones. The Fear - Many people had their first exposure to the idea of the end of the world in a religious or spiritual context. Several religions have writings describing the end of the world, and some have tried to predict it. There is a part of our psyche looking for a 'deeper meaning' to all events, and religion is how many of us express, investigate, and fulfill that need. On top of this is a current cultural idea that 'Mother Earth' is not pleased with how we have been taking care of the planet. There is an article in USA today which talks about people who are likely (and literally) to "buy" the plot of '2012'; those who believe "humanity is creating its own ecological disasters and desperately needs ancient indigenous wisdom." Of course this may be true. But we need to be careful about where we look for that wisdom.

The Reality - The issue with '2012' is that the plot is built from a misunderstanding of the ancient wisdom of the Maya, whose long count calendar comes full circle in 2012. It is a misunderstanding because the end of the world was not what the Maya predicted. They planned a big celebration to mark the end of one long cycle and the beginning of another. It is "a complete fabrication" that 2012 would be a "doomsday or moment of cosmic shifting." (from the USA today article). Apparently, the Maya would be rather surprised at our interpretation of their calendar.

Confronting the Unknown: The Fear - As scary as a house fire might be, it is a much more known quantity than a solar flare. The unknown is a basic source of worry for all people, with a strong evolutionary driver. You can't predict or prepare for the unknown, by definition; you simply have to trust in your own resources and resilience. In a society as risk-avoidant as ours, where anything you own can be insured, unknown and unpredicted events and risks are abhorrent. Is your home insured against a solar flare? Most of us can't even get good flood insurance.

The Reality - We imagine something familiar or known as predictable, and therefore less scary. Let's consider cancer, something some of us know about all too well. Odds of dying from cancer - 1 in 7. This is far more worthy of getting hysterical over, in my opinion, than that 1 in 200,000 risk of asteroid impact death. Like I said, eat more fiber.

So what to do with this information? I do not believe the answer is to stop writing stories or stop producing movies. There is certainly a function served by letting people consider their fears and issues in the context of entertainment. But I do think we need to keep an eye on our responsibility to impart correct information when the situation calls for it. Our fiction may take us anywhere, including doomsday type events of disaster and destruction. But that is the fiction. When dealing with people in public, in workshops, press events, book signings, and such, we should be up front about the truth. "So glad you liked my book. No it isn't reality, it is a science fiction story for entertainment. Here is the real deal (blah). Are you getting enough fiber?" (that last bit is a joke, in case you are a literalist) In the end, good education is what we need to rely on to be certain the general public knows the facts. And we have some responsibility to provide that education by representing our ideas in the correct context when the situation calls for it. I'm sure you'd agree that if we have to do actual fear mongering to sell our books, then our books just aren't very good.

Pax

Image Credit: The above art "Solar Wrath" is used with generous permission from the artist, cilios, on deviantART.

My comments: This work is simple and effective. While the scale is not true to life (for our solar system, say) the ejection of material from the star seems very realistic. The color of the primary grades from yellow to a searing, white hot. I like the way it imparts a sensation of movement and activity, and yes, the sense of doom. I do write horror, after all.

Horror + Humor = Disturbing Dissonance (In A Good Way)

2010-04-01T00:15:00.003-04:00

"TheSadDemiseOfLucyAndTeddy" by zilla774

Today, April 1, I start my month of writing a poem-a-day as a part of National Poetry Writing Month, or NaPoWriMo. (And no that's not an April Fool's joke, although it sounds like it should be.) I considered several themes around which to base my poems, but could not shake the very first one that came into my head - to use horror art for inspiration. And not just any horror art, but that genre of horror art that has embedded within it a humorous twist. The kind of art where the humor and the horror rely on one another to achieve the full effect of the piece. Given that this is the 'humorous' day of April Fool's, and that I am going to be steeping myself in horror art for the next month, I thought it would be appropriate to lead it off with a horror-humor post.

To be more specific, the kind of horror-humor I am talking about is not the overt kind. It isn't the kind of horror that is so bad it becomes funny. It isn't the kind of horror used only as a backdrop for a comic story.

The kind of art I am talking about is the sort that makes you feel creeped out when you look at it, and then feel creeped out about yourself for enjoying looking at it. For example I offer TheSadDemiseOfLucyAndTeddy. I am looking at it right now ... and I am smiling. I am also horrified. Creeped out. And I am feeling bad that I think the impending doom of the clearly unsuspecting girl and her stuffed friend is at all amusing. And yet the art carries the unmistakable imprint of humor. The end result is that I am disturbed. Disturbed with myself and with the art. I find that very strangeness to be compelling.

Another example is much of Tim Burton's work, as I posted about here earlier this month. We are alternately repulsed and attracted to his sympathetic and disgusting characters - like the Corpse Bride, whose head is full of maggots, and whose eye keeps falling out. And yet, having seen the Bride "in person" at Burton's art exhibit, I was taken aback by her beauty. The figure is really stunning in form and detail. Looking at her in her entirety, we are forced to reassess our idea of beauty, or at least expand our definition of it.

There is one other artist who comes to mind immediately when I think of this kind of art, and that is Edward Gorey. I was introduced to Gorey's art by a friend who adored his book The Gashlycrumb Tinies first published in 1962. This is a truly macabre little book of rhyming couplets describing the demise of twenty six children in alphabetical order. Gorey is also known for his animated work appearing before the series Mystery! I was always amused by the heroine in that animation who finds herself upon a stone platform with only her feet tied together. Instead of using her hands to free herself, she nearly faints, and then waits for some dubious rescue. The point, of course, is that the humorous element is obvious, and yet so is the dangerous setting.

There is something in this kind of work that asks one to go a little deeper into themselves. To go inside to the place where we grapple with dissonant emotions (perhaps the same place where 'bitter-sweet' dwells.) The horror element has a bite we simply can't ignore, but the comic element allows us to linger there, soothed by our amusement long enough to abide. And then we can once again step back, away, and go look at something else not quite so demanding.

How this might translate into poetry for me, I am not certain. My first few outlines and concepts seem to be leaning heavily on the side of twisted, strange, and macabre, with very little humor at all. It may be that my writing will not reflect the humor of these pieces, but instead the darkness that dwells beneath. I'll have to wait for the end of April to see what the muse insists on producing. I imagine it will be a very entertaining, and disturbing, ride.

Pax

Image Credits: "TheSadDemiseOfLucyAndTeddy" is used with gracious permission by the artist, zilla774 of deviantART.

My Comments: I find the piece riveting. Lucy is small, unsuspecting. The monster is outrageously huge and slavering. Although, if not for the title, I might have read any number of possibilities into this piece. Perhaps Lucy is a bit twisted herself, and this is her demonic friend. Or her slave? A beast summoned by her mighty power? Lucy might be a nasty sorceress in training, you know. Wonderful ideas for poems and stories abound ...

Artist Comments: Of this piece the artist says amusingly, "Also known as 'lucy and teddy get pwned. srs bsns.' Every now and again I seem to get the urge to do this style of art. Isn't it odd how i can swing from one style of horror, to this. Is this my softer side coming out? Go figure." (Even the artist thinks of this as the softer side of horror :)

Prompt the Muse #3 - Thursday Speculative Writing Prompt

2010-04-01T00:01:00.007-04:00

Image: Saturn's rings

Finish this sentence, and add another 200 words, "The April Fool's Day joke was on us when our first probe arrived at the planet's ring system and we found that, instead of rock and ice, the rings were amazingly made of ..."

Image credit: NASA - Saturn's Rings, enhanced color

Considering Duality in Science, Myth, and Speculative Fiction

2010-03-28T03:00:00.011-04:00

The idea of 'duality' in its many forms has been on my mind lately, and I wanted to share a few thoughts about that here on One Writer's Mind.

But first I'd like to follow up on an idea from my last post. I've been having a little success arranging partnerships with up-and-coming speculative artists (although some might consider that pejorative, since a few of these artists have clearly arrived.) Because of this, I will be able to feature much more art on the blog, and it will be a win-win situation for everyone involved. We, the writers, will now get to see some work that has thus far not gotten the exposure (I think) it deserves. And the artists get a little more 'air' time. I hope you find the art posted on One Writer's Mind to be as inspiring for your imagination and writing as I find it to be for mine.

Back to considering duality - humans are obsessed with it, obviously. Black and white. Yin and Yang. Up and Down. Pro and Con. There are many creation stories that involve the separation of light and dark, order and chaos, or heaven and earth. We seem to have a deep desire to grapple with this concept; the two sides that never meet. And if they do meet, we imagine the result to be catastrophic.

An obvious example from science fiction is 'The Force' with its light and dark sides. And yet much of what Lucas envisioned was built on ancient ideas of an epic hero, an epic struggle. The ultimate expression of duality through the triumph of good over evil. It is one of the oldest stories in The Book. So how is it that this theme can still compel us? How is it that writers can revisit this theme over and over, and readers do not grow tired of it? How does that relate to the fact that we have built it into our myths from the beginning, and where did it all start?

As a scientist, I can't help but think about matter and antimatter when considering 'duality'. Matter is what we are familiar with in our daily lives. Our protons have a positive charge and our electrons a negative charge. Our universe is composed almost entirely of matter, with only a very little antimatter. There are electrons out there with a positive charge, but they are impossibly rare, and exist for only a sliver of a second. And yet there is no particular reason why our universe had to be made of matter. Antimatter is expected to physically behave exactly like matter. But when our universe formed, there was just a tiny bit more matter than antimatter, and that small asymmetry (the baryon asymmetry) was all it took. Eventually matter 'won out' and our galaxies and such formed from it entirely.

But that does not mean that there is no antimatter in our observable universe. Antimatter is created naturally in high energy events, such as inside a particle accelerator, or around an energetic source like the center of the galaxy. Not much of it is created, and as soon as it is, it runs into nearby regular matter and they both vanish. When matter and antimatter meet, they annihilate one another leaving a flash of gamma ray energy behind. This to me seems like the quintessential meeting of light and dark, with a catastrophic ending. And it is a natural phenomenon occurring throughout the universe, all the time.

And yet, the very existence of two sides can sometimes imply an in between place. A coin has two sides, but without either of them you do not have a coin. I am reminded of what I consider to be one of the first modern science-fiction/fantasy explorations of the duality of human nature - The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. The end is indeed a catastrophic disruption, but along the way, the reader must abide with the tension of good and evil existing simultaneously.

I'll venture to say we all know in our hearts that the world is not black and white. We might desire an obvious hero and an obvious villain. Knowing who the bad guys are always makes the path we must take much more clear. But more often then not, the path is grey. Black and white end up being the ends of a continuum, and life is lived in the spaces in between. Most of fiction (and perhaps non-fiction) is really the struggle to find the proper course when the path is not so clear after all.

I'm curious about your thoughts, especially about how writers can and do approach the subject of duality with new perspectives that continue to engage readers.

Pax

Image Credit and Information: "Convergence" used with permission from the artist julian399 via Deviant Art.

My comments: The detail in this work, as with all of Julian's work, is awesome. You have to go to the site and see it in the full resolution version to appreciate it fully. I don't provide that resolution here, and won't for most art I post, to avoid the possibility that someone will take it without permission.

Artist comments: "two artificial entities of pure machinery, Order and Chaos at a death lock trying to converge into one entity... at the distance, celestial inhabitants of the universe watch in awe as they both try to annihilate each other; while other sentient beings racing into the heart of the storm attempt to prevent their gods from obliterating themselves and the very fabric of space and time..."

Art Feature - Ring Colonies Envisioned by Artist Don Davis

2010-03-26T03:40:00.004-04:00

I am hoping to do more art features, and to include more art here on the site. To that end I went looking for art and artists I could display here. But of course, there are copyrights to abide by, and given that my blog is only just starting out, I didn't want to start knocking on the doors of big name, well-established artists just yet.

Still, I wanted to do a post on art as inspiration, and so dug around until I did indeed find some space art with open permissions ... thus this post.

I have always adored space art; from my first introduction to that work in old science fiction stories and books, through the era of Cosmos and 'serious' space art, and now to the computer generated spacescapes of perfection. I love it all.

But I do have something of a soft spot for the art that kindled my imagination, and thereby contributed to my choosing to become a planetary scientist (and eventually getting my PhD in that field). This same art continues to inspire me to create works of fiction today. That art, as I called it above, was the 'serious' space art characterized by the Cosmos book and series. Art of that era and in that sub-genre attempted to create accurate visualizations of astronomical phenomena using the best data and observations available. Without computers, space art was oil, canvas, and airbrush. Artist Don Davis was a major contributor to that effort.

Don Davis is one of the most influential space artists of the age. You can visit his webpage for a look at his bio, projects, and some of his work. There is no point in trying to list it all here, he has worked on everything; maps, books, cover art, television, missions, and more. And interestingly, while doing this, the US government paid for Don to do some of that art. Again, when computers were not an option, the best way to get an idea of what a space station might look like was to give the details to a talented artist and let him or her paint it. Because of that, some of Don's art actually belongs to the general public, and he has posted the best resolution photos he has of that art. Some of which now appears right here in this blog post! Our tax dollars at work ...

Here I am going to focus on the art he created to depict a range of 'ringworlds'. These were ideas for possible human colonies. In these pieces, Don hoped to emphasize the difficulties with creating and maintaining a closed ecosystem.

The first, the beautiful orange and red piece above is listed on Don's site as one of his first colony pieces. What is depicted is not so much a ring world, but cylindrical habitats orbiting at the L5 Lagrange point. Don has envisioned that clouds would form over the terrain. The orange color is due to the 'setting' of the sun, as the habitats fall into the Earth's shadow.

The second image is the inside of what became known as the 'Stanford Torus', filled with plenty of planned green space, as well as housing and commercial space. Looking at this, I can't help wondering how people will get around. I hope there is a monorail built all the way around the structure. Hopefully one on both sides, actually. The third image is an external view of the Stanford Torus in the assembly phase. There is incredible detail both in the inner contents of the torus, as well as hints to how it would be constructed.

All these images raise practical questions about colony feasibility, and about the philosophy of having humans move into space in general. But I'm looking at these works of art as a fiction writer, and so I don't have to figure out how to justify the budget in real life. Instead, I can enjoy the voyage of the mind, imagining how it would feel to be there, to see it built, and then to live there. I wonder what aspects of our culture would change the most dramatically, and which would become entrenched even further.

There is so much to be gained from bringing art and writing together. Since I write poetry, I perhaps feel this more intimately than some. In any case, I have invested time searching out new artists on the internet who publish their work on art sites, hoping to get some feedback and recognition. Perhaps I will be able to showcase some of the work of these artists of tomorrow in a whole host of genres: science, science fiction, fantasy, horror, and the just plain weird. This should give all of us plenty of new ideas to write about!

Pax

Image Credit: Artist Don Davis public domain works

Prompt The Muse #2 - Thursday Speculative Writing Prompt

2010-03-25T02:52:00.006-04:00

Image: Strange Surface

What do you see when you look at this image? A sample of a strange new mineral? A snowy planetary landscape pictured from above? A close up of an alien skin disease? Imagine what it might be, and what this image was used for after it was taken. Write your ideas in 150 words.

Image Credit: Eonworks

Prompt The Muse #1 - Thursday Speculative Writing Prompt

2010-03-25T02:00:00.025-04:00

In spite of saying I didn't intend to put up writing prompts as individual posts, I've now seen plenty of sites that indicate that prompts are more useful if they show up as posts than if they only appear on one's blog front page. My intention is therefore to put out one prompt a week in its own post. So there will be two today, this one (last week's prompt) and a new prompt. I chose Thursday because it seemed to be a more neglected day for writing prompts. There are lots of Friday, Saturday and Sunday prompts, as well as the middle of the week Wednesday prompts. Let me know what you think of the prompts and the schedule.

Pax

Prompt the Muse #1

During a solar eclipse, we humans imagined the sun was being eaten by a dragon, amongst other things. Imagine a world that experiences similar 'solar' eclipses. What do the inhabitants think is responsible?

Image Credit: NASA

Phobos from Mars Express - Visiting a Science Fiction Favorite

2010-03-24T21:39:00.004-04:00

Phobos, the innermost of Mars' small, rocky satellites, has long been a source of inspiration for science fiction writers. Given that the last two weeks have seen amazing new images from this rocky satellite, I thought I'd write a post highlighting some of this moon's past history in literature, as well as current speculation on its origin.

The European Space Agency's Mars Express mission was launched in June of 2003. It entered Martian orbit in December of 2003, and since has been chugging away sending back data. Mars Express has recently entered a new observing campaign, and for the last few weeks has concentrated on acquiring high resolution photos, radar, gravity, and other data of Phobos (also see the Planetary Society's blog posts about Phobos, and the official Mars Express blog now posting about Phobos Flyby 2010).

I have an interest in rocky surfaces, and have been fascinated by the overlapping features revealed in the new images. Phobos' surface is characterized by a variety of features including: craters, rays, regolith, grooves, boulders, crater chains, albedo differences, and much more. For those who find Moon-like surfaces boring, I suggest they take a look at these images and try to put together the puzzle of history they represent.

Phobos and Mars share something of a similarity in how they grabbed the attention of the public. In each case, there was a suggestion by early observers that these bodies showed evidence of the work of another intelligent civilization. For Mars, it was the suggestion by Percival Lowell that Mars' surface was crossed with 'person'-made canals (confused from Giovanni Schiaparelli's channels, and subsequently shown to be an optical illusion). The follow up was a furor of Mars stories with aliens in residence. In the case of Phobos, it was Russian astronomer Samuilovich Shklovsky in 1958 who concluded the body was a hollow alien construct. A little more than ten years later, his interpretation collapsed when accurate measurements of the satellite's orbit were made.

As with Mars, the subsequent discounting of the need for Martians to explain the observations of Phobos did nothing to change the mindset that made its way into the popular literature. This is something that can be seen readily by looking at the science fiction stories about Phobos. Lists abound on the internet, so I won't reprint a list here, but there are some strong themes present. I find it striking that Phobos is often portrayed as entirely alien made, or the hiding place of an alien artifact as in the stories Phobos the Robot Planet and Century Rain.

But those energetic Earthlings are quite likely to be the first civilization to make use of Phobos. The satellite features in NASA's new "Flexible Path" strategy for human space flight.

The truth of Phobos' origins and fate are by no means uninteresting, even without the need for Martians. Its fate is probably going to include being torn apart by Mars' gravity before it falls into the planet. Phobos' orbit is slowly evolving. It is growing closer and closer to Mars, and one way or another will eventually crash into the planet's surface. The other moon of Mars, Deimos, is doing quite the opposite. Its orbit is slowly evolving so that Deimos is receding from Mars (like our own Moon is receding from Earth).

Reflectance spectra obtained by Viking in the 1980's suggested that Phobos had a composition similar to asteroids in the middle region of the asteroid belt. Given this and their asteroid-like shapes, it has long been speculated that these moons are captured asteroids. But new data about their possible compositions, as well as a new understanding of planetary dynamics, makes this theory more problematic. Dynamicists say it is highly unlikely that two asteroids could be captured and then end up in these orbits. Recent reflectance spectra of both Phobos and Deimos look more like comet nuclei or the Trojan asteroids of Jupiter.

So new theories for the origin of Phobos continue to be generated. Perhaps it is not captured at all, but is instead the ejecta from a massive impact on Mars. Are Phobos and Deimos old remnants of ancient Martian crust that have been subjected to 'space weathering'? If so, why would they look like comet nuclei? Or perhaps there were once many satellites of Mars, and these are the only two left. At this point, there is no definitive answer.

Which once again means that science fiction authors can step in and generate their own possible origin stories. One of which may turn out to have been right on, some day.

Pax

Image Credit: ESA/Mars Express

The Pros and Cons of Multitasking Writing Projects

2010-03-22T22:54:00.005-04:00

I always work on more than one writing project at a time. I may spend months working on one novel, then turn to another novel and work on that for a month, then turn to a short story for a week, and then head back to the first novel. Some days I'll work on three different projects before lunch, although that's rare. This multitasking approach has some pros and cons, as you imagine. But after doing some looking around on the web in various forums and such, I see that most people do have multiple projects going at once.

Some of the Cons of Multitasking are ...

You can lose track of where you are in a story. This means having to take very good notes, reference those notes, and do a lot of re-reading of your material to get back into the groove of where you are. I naturally do a lot of re-reading of my work, so this approach works. However, I do lose time reading my writing when I probably should be making more writing, instead.
You have another way to ignore or procrastinate a nagging writing issue. After all, if you have a new and exciting short story humming away, you don't have to force yourself to work through the ending of that complex novel. Well, not right now, anyway. Having another project to go to makes that kind of procrastination more likely.
Making multiple, specific project deadlines can be trickier. If you have one project going, then that is what you work on, and the deadlines surrounding it are what you work towards. With multiple projects, you have to track multiple deadlines, and can find yourself against the wall finishing a piece that you put on the back burner for too long.

Some of the Pros of Multitasking are ...

When you get stuck, there is always something else to work on. Sometimes it isn't a matter of procrastination, it really is more like being stuck or blocked completely. Instead of getting frustrated, you can move to another project and keep the words flowing. That kind of break might be all that is necessary to get the first project unstuck and flowing again.
You can write when motivation and mood are high, so writing is more fun. For me, anyway, I always move to the project that is calling my name at that moment. If a great scene or passage of dialogue comes to me, I don't fight the urge to write it, even if it is in a project I know is not a high priority. Some people feel they do their best work when they are the most excited about it. (Note that others feel they do their best work when they are low, struggling with each word, and therefore being very thorough.)
You can get more work into circulation at one time. If you can handle several projects at once, you can be working towards multiple contests, special issues, and general submissions simultaneously. In today's publishing world, this is almost a necessity, since the time between when you start to write a book and when you see it in print is often years.

My inspiration for this post came from the fact that I've started a new novel. I noted a call for a specific kind of submission, and realized I had an idea percolating that would be a good match. And I was probably looking for a reason to continue to put off writing the ending to my speculative fantasy novel (note procrastination problem, above). Taking on another project right now is probably not wise for another reason - that I intend to try writing a poem a day in April. Poetry uses a different part of my brain than story writing, and so I experience a sort of jarring effect when I move from one to the other. This can either be a source of inspiration, or of frustration, and I can't predict which one it will be ahead of time. These projects are on top of two short stories in the editing phase, and my mental backlog of science fiction novels, only one of which is completely written.

And of course there is the blog ...

Pax

Image Credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/13519089@N03/ / CC BY 2.0

Original Writing and Our Copyright Issues

2010-03-21T18:33:00.005-04:00

My last post, as you can see, was a rather in-your-face copyright regulations page. I now have someplace to refer individuals who are interested in my copyright, and a place to make it clear to potential content thieves what will happen to them if they ignore it. I wish, so very much, that this sort of thing were not necessary. Copyright issues were something I never wanted to think about. When I was younger, I had the naive idea that people generally wanted to do the right thing, and wouldn't take my work without proper credit. Of course, when I was in college there was no internet, either, so theft was neither so easy as cut-and-paste, nor quite so easy to catch.

When I became a scientist, I realized that my ideas and my written word in papers were my deliverable products to the world. I had to protect both my intellectual property and my written property. I became intimately aware that my career was bound up in how people related me to interesting ideas, and to my previous publishing record. If I did come up with an idea or write a paper, I had to make certain I was given proper credit as the source. The scientific community is of course aware that this is true for all of us, and so there are a number of formal and informal ways we try to protect ourselves and our colleagues from theft of their ideas, written or otherwise. In astronomy, the system works pretty well. We are a relatively small community, and so it is hard to get away with any kind of substantial theft or plagerism without someone finding out. One major theft or a few small ones will ruin a scientist's reputation in our field for good.

Now that I am contemplating fiction writing, and more to the point, fiction publishing, I am seeing this from a new angle. In spite of my lack of desire to delve into the nitty-gritty of legal matters, I knew I had to educate myself. And so I did. Thus a few changes here at One Writer's Mind. I thought I'd post about those changes, and where I got the ideas to make them. Giving all credit where credit is due, of course, in the links.

There are a million sites talking about copyright, and blogging, and such, but here are the ones that I ended up finding the most useful. The one that is the most comprehensive and easy to understand I found at The Lost Art of Blogging. This LAOB post details some ideas about what you can do to make sure readers know your work is copyrighted, how to search for infringement, and then what to do when (not if) you eventually find a thief. One of their suggestions was the creation of the copyright regulations page/post that I just put up. They lead me over to Dosh Dosh, and I modeled my own copyright page after theirs.

LAOB also suggested protecting the RSS feed for posts with a copyright line at the bottom. It took me a little while to figure out where this capability can be found on Blogger (there are lots of posts about a Wordpress downloadable tool) but I finally spotted what I needed on Plagiarism Today. In the end it was simple, in the settings area for RSS feeds, there is a box to put content to appear at the end of each post. I placed my copyright and a link to Copyscape, to show I had at least a minimal amount of savvy about tracking down infringers.

I also placed a Copyscape button and a copyright notice at the top of my main blog page. I hate the way it looks, but it has two important functions. First of all, there are those who don't realize you don't need a formal copyright to claim copyright on your work. We own the copyright from the moment we write an original work. It belongs to us. Some people might ignorantly lift work they think is open simply because they do not see the symbol. The other reason is that there are people who know they are stealing, but will look for easier targets than someone who is doing regular checks for theft, and who knows their rights.

So the subject of copyright is mostly covered, for now. Of course, as soon as I have something stolen I'll be sure to share the 'joy' of legal action with you all ...

Pax

Image Credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/liako/ / CC BY-SA 2.0

One Writer's Mind (OWM) Copyright Regulations

2010-03-21T18:13:00.005-04:00

Using other people's articles, blog posts, photos, and artwork without following copyright regulations is STEALING.

Just because it is out on the internet does not mean it is 'up for grabs.' Your reputation as a respectable member of the internet community hinges on your being proactive about fair use of materials. (For example, all images on 'One Writer's Mind' are: my own photography or artwork, publicly available images from sites like NASA, or work distributed under a creative commons license. If it is not my own image I have posted a credit link as dictated by the fair use license in question.) You must follow proper procedure for any content you put on your own blog or website. If it isn't your original work, you MUST follow copyright regulations or face legal action.

All content appearing on "One Writer's Mind" (referred to here also as "OWM") including main page, all posts, and special features such as 'Prompt the Muse' is copyrighted per the Copyright Act. All rights are reserved by the author. Material and content on OWM is NOT released under a Creative Commons license at this time. You must observe all copyright regulations and terms of fair use if you intend to distribute or use any material from OWM. Infringement of copyright will incur appropriate legal action.

Copyright Regulations for Material on OWM

The following regulations and restrictions apply to the sharing, distribution, or transmission of any material or content from OWM:

Content Limit - You cannot, under any circumstances, reprint or republish an entire blog post, review or article from OWM. This is true even if attribution to OWM is made. The content limit for usage in quotes or excerpts is 150 words or less. Ensure when using excerpts that proper attribution is made with a link to the specific article or post from OWM, not just to the OWM main page.
Proper Attribution -When using quotes or excerpts, proper attribution must be made by including an obvious, prominently displayed link to the specific post or article from OWM. Do not point to the OWM main page unless that is the specific source of the content (such as in posted features.)
No Commercial Usage - You cannot use material or content from OWM for any commercial purposes. You cannot make money from use of any quotes or excerpts from OWM. You cannot repackage material from OWM to be sold, given away, distributed free, offered as prizes or used as a promotion for any kind of commercial offering or product.
Special Exceptions - Special exceptions or exemptions from these regulations may be granted by the author. (In fact, the author is likely to grant any reasonable request, and will likely link to your site in a blog post or such) . To obtain a special exception, you must contact the author of OWM directly by posting a query comment on the most recent blog post in which you leave an appropriate email address. See comments on this post for examples of query letters. If the author does not contact you, or if your comment query is deleted, you are not granted an exception from these regulations. Unless you hear from the author directly, all regulations remain in force, and will be legally enforced.

Results of Copyright Infringement or What Happens When You Steal

With the growing number of internet copyright infringements, providers have responded by creating a large number of useful tools and processes for bloggers to defend their original content. Do not assume a blogger will not find your illegally posted work, it is actually quite easy to do, and many bloggers including myself access specific services to do exactly this. If you steal, you will be caught. This is what happens to people who infringe copyright, and is the process that will be followed if copyright regulations for OWM are not observed:

Your website will be reported as spam to all major search engines. Search engine providers are very wary of having their usability compromised by spam, so they are aggressive in removing spammers. You will be blacklisted from those engines, which will result in the destruction of your search ranking.
All major social network sites will be contacted to report your copyright infringement. Social network providers must maintain a high standing in order to attract new users, so they are very proactive in assisting with blacklisting infringers. This will result in irreparable damage to your social network reputation.
Your advertising networks will be contacted to inform them of your copyright infringement. Advertisers are not interesting in working with thieves, and they will ban you. You will lose all income from those advertisers.
Your website hosting provider will be contacted and your theft will be reported. As with search engines, web hosts cannot risk having known content thieves as customers, and they will suspend all of your website accounts.
The Domain Name Registrar for your domain will be contacted to report your copyright violation. Your registrar will suspend your domain name, possibly permanently.

Do not approach web content with the idea that you can copy it now and if found out, you can just remove it from your site. Once you have stolen content, you are liable for the infringement even after the content has been removed! The internet keeps cashed records of time, date, and content of posted material well into the past, so evidence of the infringement is easy to generate even after the content has been taken off of your site.

Image Credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/liako/ / CC BY-SA 2.0

Writing Prompts - When the Muse Needs Help

2010-03-21T07:25:00.000-04:00

"P" is for "prompt" ...

Sometimes you need a prompt because you feel stuck in a writing rut. At other times, you might use a prompt to see a situation from a new angle. And then there are the times when you are looking for a cure for a totally blank mind (with me this state is usually the result of a complete lack of sleep). A good prompt can help give you new ideas and a new perspective. It cannot, unfortunately, give you a good night's sleep. But that does seem to be asking a lot.

I always enjoy playing with a good writing prompt, even if I am not feeling particularly blank or stuck. I simply find prompts to be entertaining, and occasionally a solid idea for a story or poem will result from playing around with one. In light of this, I decided I would add a writing prompt feature to my blog page that I am going to call "Prompt the Muse". At this point, I'm not planning to put each prompt in its own blog post, but instead I'll be putting the prompts on the home page of the blog itself. I've started one blog post, my last one, to use as a prompt archive. I will update that post with each new prompt. My reason for not blogging each prompt separately is that for the time being I'd rather blog less frequently and make the posts more substantial, rather than have a lot of very short posts.

The internet is gorged with pages offering writing prompts of one form or another. Sadly, a large number of these pages are themselves gorged with ads. I find ads very distracting, and will avoid pages that have too many ads, or have them placed obtrusively. However, there are a few places I've checked out for prompts and found something inspiring. I thought I'd share one or two of those here.

Having just said I don't like ads, I'm still going to mention HubPages: 101 Writing Prompts. Yes, too many ads for my taste, but I liked the list. The only issue with a long list of prompts is that it can be overwhelming, rather than liberating. A list like this is nice to have for reference, but usually when I look for prompts I'd rather encounter them one at a time. I find I am more likely to think harder and move out of my comfort zone if I 'must' work to a given prompt, rather than have the complete freedom to pick one that I find appealing. So I generally gravitate to places I can find daily or weekly prompts such as Sunday Scribblings and What's Your Story.

Better yet are daily/weekly prompts that suggest a time or word limit. Not that you can't simply choose to limit any prompt you encounter with time or length, but again, I like the structure of having the task defined for me. I enjoy the challenge of working up against a limit; again, it inspires me to move out of my comfort zone and the limit on the task makes it feel more manageable. A couple of prompt providers of this nature include The One-Minute Writer (pretty obvious what the limit is there) and the Writer's Digest Writer's Prompts which are nominally 750 words or less.

Do you have a source for writing prompts? I'd be very interested to hear your favorites and see if they become mine, too. I'm particularly interested in prompts that cater to fiction writers, especially in my chosen genres of SF/F/H/Spec. Happy writing.

Pax

Image Credit:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/thevintagecollective/ / CC BY 2.0

Prompt the Muse - Archive of Writing Prompts

2010-03-21T05:13:00.003-04:00

This post contains an archive of the writing prompts that have appeared on One Writer's Mind (OWM). Prompts appear on the main page of OWM on an episodic basis - changing every day, week, or month as my muse directs. I hope these ideas help you keep your own personal muse busy working. Pax.

Prompt the Muse #1 - March 20, 2010

During a solar eclipse, we humans imagined the sun was being eaten by a dragon, amongst other things. Imagine a world that experiences similar 'solar' eclipses. What do the inhabitants think is responsible?

NaPoWriMo: A Poem a Day in April

2010-03-18T21:59:00.004-04:00

After much internal back and forth, I decided to join in on this year's NaPoWriMo, or National Poetry Writing Month in April. My poetry writing goes in wild ebbs and flows anyway, so if I'm in the groove, a poem a day will work out just fine. If I'm not in the groove, well, I'll end up with two or three rather mangled pieces of work that resemble confused shopping lists for the hardware store.

There's a poem idea in there somewhere ...

Anyway, NaPoWriMo seems to be rather less structured than the kindred NaNoWriMo, or National Novel Writing Month which happens in November. During NaNoWriMo, there is a nice, neat, online portal to join and track one's novel writing. For NaPoWriMo, there seem to be many different outlets and places for daily inspiration, so a writer needs to choose which they will follow for the month. Or not, since nothing says you have to follow anyone's prompts to be involved.

After even more internal back and forth, I chose to go with Poetic Asides over at Writer's Digest. This is a site/blog I follow on a semi-regular basis, anyway, and I like the idea of writing towards the goal of possible publication on the site (the format for this year can be found under the 2010 April Poem a Day Challenge).

I believe my own personal challenge is how (or if) I will be able to stay within my genre and still follow the prompts. I'm willing to call all of science fiction, fantasy, and horror as in bounds for this exercise, but I'd much rather find a strong theme for all the poems, and try to stick with that. This is probably because I've been educated to think of collections of poems as possible chapbooks. Having a chapbook to point to (after editing, of course) would be a wonderful outcome for all the work of pushing through the month. But in reality, I'll be very happy if the month produces one really good, solid poem.

So why write poetry? That is probably the fodder for another post entirely, but the short version for me is that I wrote poetry before I wrote fiction. Poetry has always intrigued me, and the power of a single word in the hands of a skilled poet is an amazing thing to behold. It uses a different part of the brain than my fiction writing, but hones the kind of attention to detail and appreciation for words as art that makes text interesting for anyone. I am a member of the Science Fiction Poetry Association, and have had a poem or two published there in the past. But I've let the form languish recently as I've been concentrating on writing my novels. I think some poem writing could blow some much needed fresh air into my current fiction projects.

And who knows, maybe a great poem will demand to be written in the process.

Pax

Image Credit:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/mousyboywithglasses/ / CC BY-SA 2.0