October 27, 2014 by J.R. Johnson
via io9, a call for creative new ways to get the heck off this rock:
The White House Office of Science and Technology Policy is planning ahead — way ahead. The agency wants you to email ideas for how “the Administration, the private sector, philanthropists, the research community and storytellers” can develop “massless” space exploration and a robust civilization beyond Earth.
Tell me that this challenge isn’t exactly in our wheelhouse, people. Hard sci-fi writers, mechanical and other engineers, and practical dreamers of all stripes, your skills are needed!
Posted in Science! | Tagged creativity, future of civilization, inspiration, io9, Office of Science and Technology Policy, rocket science, science, science fiction, space, space exploration, Writers | Leave a Comment »
October 24, 2014 by J.R. Johnson
When I meet someone new, especially if they are from another culture or country, I like to ask what they eat at home. It’s a simple yet often intriguing question, with the potential to upend basic assumptions while also opening a door onto the experience of another life.
In that spirit, I was fascinated to come across this New York Times Magazine article on what kids eat for breakfast. Sounds dull? Nay, say I. The article and accompanying photos provide an engaging glimpse into one of the most basic facets of our lives: breakfast.
Children begin to acquire a taste for pickled egg or fermented lentils early — in the womb, even.
How do we start the day? What do parents consider appropriate fuel for their children? How do those choices reflect their economic realities, historical trends, and geographic locations? Their societies?
The child in Japan eats much different food than the child in Holland or Turkey. Which looks best to you, and why? There is such variety in the food described, and of course this only scratches the surface. It’s the sort of thing I try to keep in mind when I’m writing. My breakfast is not necessarily your breakfast, especially if “you” grew up on Mars.
Posted in Food and..., Writing | Tagged food, genre fiction, inspiration, Thoughts, writing | 1 Comment »
October 21, 2014 by J.R. Johnson
via Slate.com:
Using Science Fiction to Create a Better Tomorrow: A Future Tense Event Recap
Oh, this looks fun. A recent event hosted by Slate’s Future Tense and Issues in Science and Technology in D.C. focused on ways that imagination in general, and science fiction in particular, can help inspire a better future. Sure, dystopias are all the rage and who doesn’t love a good apocalypse, but people have always enjoyed teasing themselves with frightening things. The key word is “teasing”… that doesn’t mean we actually want to live there.
(Srsly, do you really want a horde of raving zombies standing between you and your pumpkin spice latte every morning? Neither do I. I want to live in a future where disease is manageable, hunger is obsolete, and creativity and innovation rule the day in the best ways. I also want a flying car. Because where are all the flying cars?!)
Check out the October 2nd event, complete with video of speakers like Neal Stephenson, Ted Chiang, Elizabeth Bear, representatives from NASA, DARPA, SyFy and many others, here: Can We Imagine Our Way to a Better Future?
From the tales we tell about robots and drones, to the narratives on the cutting edge of neuroscience, to society’s view of its most intractable problems, we need to begin telling a new set of stories about ourselves and the future.
Related links:
— Neal Stephenson’s article at the World Policy Institute, on the importance of renewing our society’s ability to “get big things done”: Innovation Starvation.
— The anthology Hieroglyph: Stories and Visions for a Better Future.
— For more links to short stories (including pieces from Hieroglyph) and related discussions on this topic, see the final section of the Slate article.
Posted in Likes, Science!, Writing | Tagged DARPA, dystopias, Elizabeth Bear, Fiction, Future Tense, genre fiction, inspiration, NASA, Neal Stephenson, optimism, science, Science and Technology, science fiction, sff, short stories, speculative fiction, Ted Chiang, Writers | Leave a Comment »
October 17, 2014 by J.R. Johnson
A Wonder Woman movie is finally really actually happening. This article at Tor.com lays out what we know (not much) and how this movie fits with the WB film slate.
Few details are available other than a 2017 release date, so let me leave you with Jill Lepore’s New Yorker piece on everyone’s favorite lasso-toting amazon and this fascinating Smithsonian article on The Surprising Origins of Wonder Woman.
Posted in Entertainment, Likes | Tagged awesome, entertainment, heroines, history, Jill Lepore, movies, New Yorker, superheroes, Tor.com, William Moulton Marston, Wonder Woman, yay | Leave a Comment »
October 16, 2014 by J.R. Johnson
If you’ve ever wondered how master writer James Ellroy puts together a dark, twisting crime novel, or plots stories as deliciously complex as L.A. Confidential, wonder no more.
“I’m a romantic, I love the big challenge and I’m gonna give it to you.”
This Fast Company article by Joe Berkowitz discusses Ellroy’s style (right now), his process (research, let it simmer, then go big, really big), and finally, bring it all together in a tight-packed ending. Enjoy!
Posted in Writing | Tagged artists, books, creativity, Fiction, genre fiction, inspiration, James Ellroy, Writers, writing | Leave a Comment »
October 3, 2014 by J.R. Johnson
This!
The Gender Politics of Pockets by Tanya Basu.
Conditions are ripe for a revolution in pockets for women…
Go ahead and laugh if you like, but if you do I will argue that (imho) you are probably male. In my experience men often don’t realize that women’s pockets can be a total sham. This is why I liberated my father’s 1960s suit from the back of his closet in my teenage years (well, that and my flings with Vespas and British ska). This is why I adore the idea of Saint Harridan‘s suits for women (inside pockets ftw, people!). This is why I spent a not-insignificant amount at my local tailor to have the front pockets in my new jeans boosted to adult size. Yes, I do want to carry more than a tube of lip gloss in there. Crazy talk, I know!
I don’t use a purse.* You wouldn’t either if you spent as much time as I do thinking about disasters and alien invasions and the zombie apocalypse. When that sort of thing happens you just have to run, you know? Can’t be stopping to find your designer bag. And then what? You’re out in the forest with no phone or money or credit cards or keys or hair band (don’t even get me started on women and hair in action movies**). If I must carry larger items I go for the backpack. (And yes, I two-strap it:)
Addendum: For those of you who want more on the long history (and sad demise) of women’s pockets, check out this useful Marketplace article on the subject: Why women’s pockets are useless: A history. Thanks to my mother, who remembers having similar thoughts 40 years ago, for the link.
* I find them a hassle, easy to forget in inconvenient places, tough on the shoulders, and prone to removal by passing ne’er-do-wells. Although I do like saying “ne’er-do-wells.”
** I’ll just mention that when Sarah Connor tied back her hair in Terminator 2, I cheered. Honestly, have these people never tried to fire a rifle on a windy day with long hair? Not recommended.
Posted in Food and..., Other | Tagged be prepared, fashion, gender, Saint Harridans, Tanya Basu, Terminator 2, The Atlantic, Thoughts, women | 3 Comments »
October 2, 2014 by J.R. Johnson
Here’s another great piece of writing advice, this time from prolific and award-winning author Seanan McGuire. She gives us 50, yes, fifty thoughts on writing, some on the act of writing and some on being a writer. It’s a useful list. Let’s just say she had me at “You’re going to suck when you start.”
🙂
Posted in Writing | Tagged advice, Fiction, genre fiction, persistence, Seanan McGuire, sff, short stories, speculative fiction, Thoughts, Writers, writing | Leave a Comment »
October 1, 2014 by J.R. Johnson
If you have ever had questions about how to introduce your submission, I recommend The Occult Wisdom of Cover Letters by Helena Bell. It’s extensive, covers a great many details that only come up when you are ready to submit at 4:13 a.m. and have no one to ask, and is funny besides.
Essentially, her advice boils down to “the story stands or falls on its own” so keep it short and simple. Also, I recommend paying special attention to the appendix of “terrible things.” Avoid!
Posted in Writing | Tagged Cover Letters, Fiction, Helena Bell, sff, short stories, speculative fiction, submissions, Thoughts, to do and not to do, Writers, writing | Leave a Comment »
September 26, 2014 by J.R. Johnson
What’s this, what’s this? The New York Times has put their entire recipe archive online for free. That’s 16,000 recipes available to anyone with a net connection and a penchant for deliciousness.
Here’s a sample recipe sure to delight all Canadians (ketchup lovers, the lot of them;): Stir-Fried Chicken With Ketchup. Sounds potentially suspect to me but wait, it’s from Mark Bittman, whose recipes for butterscotch and lamb and brownies are now household staples. The man can cook. Also? Fifteen thousand nine hundred and ninety-nine other recipes waiting to be explored. Like the fabulously named They Didn’t Burn Rome in a Day.
Enjoy!
Posted in Food and... | Tagged cooking, food, free, inspiration, Mark Bittman, NYT, recipes | Leave a Comment »
September 25, 2014 by J.R. Johnson
Today we have helpful hints on reading aloud (and presentation in general) from Mary Robinette Kowal.
As an accomplished narrator, podcaster, puppeteer and author with lots of touring experience, she should know. And she does!
Check out her 17-part series for a plethora of detailed and useful suggestions for handling stage fright, phrasing, breathing, recording, what can go wrong (and how to cope with grace), and so much more. If you have a tour in the offing or, you know, you just want to be prepared for your future as a literary genius, this series is for you.
Posted in Writing | Tagged artists, Fiction, genre fiction, Mary Robinette Kowal, narration, reading aloud, speculative fiction, tips, work, Writers, writing | Leave a Comment »
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