Jim C. Hines

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IOTD

Jim C. Hines posted this a few minutes ago and I’m tripping over my keyboard with jealousy, why didn’t I think of this?

I’m thinking about trying to do a weekly blog post highlighting some of the positive and amazing things being done by various folks in the SF/F community. Sometimes it’s easy to forget how many wonderful, kind-hearted, generous people there are in our geeked-out slice of the world.

Take Pat Rothfuss’ Worldbuilders fundraiser. Pat has poured so much time and energy into Worldbuilders. (Yes, I know some of you would rather he poured all of that time into writing, but none of us can write all the time.) In the past seven years, Worldbuilders has raised more than $3.5 millionfor Heifer International, helping to reduce hunger and poverty in the world.

Or look at conventions like Windycon, where fans worked to raise $753 for the Alzheimer’s Association, Greater Illinois Chapter.

So I need your help. Email me at jchines -at- sff.net (or use the Contact Form) and tell me about people or groups in fandom doing good stuff. I’ll do my best to research and write them up, with links and pics and maybe even a quick interview or quote or something. And we can try at least once a week to recognize that yeah, at its worst, SF/F fandom can be a hot, flaming mess … but at our best, we are Frakking Awesome.

Yeah, the Hugos have once again been sabotaged by poo-gobbling attention trolls. Yes, gigantic media mechanisms are once again shining light on the unwashed underbelly of the SFF community giving the broader world the impression that we’re all bigots or morons or both.

We are better than this. Let’s draw attention to the good that we do. Well played Mr. Hines.

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IOTD

“daily sketch 4240” by nosoart

My friend Jim Hines is at it again. Operation Cover Pose, in which Jim poses uncomfortably like women featured on the covers of science fiction books, intends to raise $10,000 to help end violence against women. The Pixel Project‘s Indigogo page has already met it’s opening goal so now we’re just adding cream.

Now there’s an idea! Jim in whipped cream.

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Hugo Voting

“Insect Rider” – Rogier van der Beek (from DivArt cause I’m a junky)

Just in case you weren’t aware and haven’t already played your cards, this Friday is the last day to vote for this year’s Hugo. Add to this that it’s also Wes Chu‘s last chance to win a Campbell (which is NOT a Hugo) and the flames of motivation should be turned up to high under your collective bums. Time to get ‘er done.

If you’re like me and couldn’t make it through the entire reading list before the deadline there are plenty of good reviews online. Don’t feel too bad. With work stacking up on my desk, I had to choose to shelve a number of the contributions. It helped that I am adamantly opposed to slate voting of any kind. Maybe that’s not fair of me — that’s a matter of opinion I’m certain — but it’s equally “not fair” that quite a few of these works made it on the ballot in the first place. Needless to say, I feel little remorse having skipped over a few. If that makes you mad you’re welcome to call me a “bad sci-fi fan” or your choice of fun yet derogatory names. I have rhinoceros thick skin.

Thanks to Jim C. Hines for posting this excellent collection of links. Some very powerful tools available to the new and uninitiated Hugo voter.

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Invisible 2 Hits the Shelves

That’s a lot of empathy

Nineteen prescient and personal essays, an introduction by award-winning author Aliette de Bodard, cover art by the amazing Mark Ferrari; these are some of the amazing things you’ll find in the release of this anthology of powerful essays about representation in science fiction and fantasy. Added to all this, like a cherry atop the very finest six dollar root beer float, one of those essays is mine. 

That’s right, if you squint you can make out my name amongst the list of super folks included in this excellent work. A huge thanks goes out to Jim C. Hines for including me, and for pushing me as an editor.

Just like last year, Invisible 2 is available as an e-book for $2.99, and all proceeds will go to Con or Bust. Anticipate the printed version some time soon I’m told. You can pick up your copy at any of these fine outlets.

If you’re an Apple person stay tuned, it takes a little while to get it into iTunes/iBooks via Smashwords.

Reviewers? You should contact Jim with your intent to read and drop kind words.

I really enjoyed working on this project and reading what other people had to say about their part in this community made me pause and think plenty. Considering all the hullabaloo happening around this year’s Hugo it is conceivable that we need a tad more self reflection and comet sized bundle empathy shared amongst us all.

 

 

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After Action Geek Fan Expo

It’s over, but wow what can I say? I got to spend some extra special time with Jim C. Hines, Rob Paulsen and Timothy Zahn. In addition to all the panel time and and three readings there was Guests Against Humanity, a dirty little game of epic proportions. I laughed myself silly along with the rest of you. Add to that the VIP dinner and martini and you may see why I had such a great time. Finally, I got an opportunity to participate in what I think will turn out to be a really fine podcast interview with all the folks over at The Rack.

I’ll end this with a quick thank you to all the guests that showed up. You guys made this event and my visit to Detroit super awesome. Your love of all things fiction was palpable and it felt wonderful to be embedded within your loving ranks. Thanks, from me, for showing up and tuning in. I am pleased and blessed to have met you all. Next year bring a friend.

I will write a more detailed account of my time at GFX, but I wanted to say thank you before I jump on the plan and make bee-line back home. You guys rock!

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Tomorrow GFX, and Other Things

I’m sorting my bag, getting ready to leave, and I thought it might be a good idea to remind you all that I’ll be leaving tomorrow for GeekFanExpo near Detroit, MI. Jim C. Hines and Timothy Zahn are joining me there and we’ve got some excellent things planned. Come join us!

In other news John Scalzi will be visiting here in the Pacific North West this evening. I’m planning on going to the reading. His latest LOCK IN is really excellent; and does not include any semicolons. I finished reading the Will Wheaton narrated version with my ears this weekend and it was mucho entertaining. Sort of a crime thriller with C3P0’s running around everywhere. Oh, and Diné. You may dig this book too, but I’m not going to tell you anything else about it because … spoilers.

Finally, yes that was me that you saw ripping off the front end of his brand new Prius V in the parking lot of Issaquah Coffee Company yesterday. And yes, I have been beating myself up for this mistake since then. It has made writing a bit of an effort, which is why I’ve been focused on cleaning and playing with Aral more than collecting words or running. And I agree with you, whole heartedly, it could have been much, much worse; a tiny fender bender in a parking lot with a parked truck is, relative to a catastrophic collision with a moving train, easily categorized as minor. Still I feel bummed out about the whole incident; justifiably at least for the moment. Fortunately, I can spare you the incident report and remind you to drive with care.