For the latest episode of Eating the Fantastic, I broke away from Balticon for lunch with Fran Wilde at a restaurant extremely close by, and in doing so ended up replicating for you an aspect of con-going I’d yet to bring to you before—the fact we sometimes get so busy at these events that it’s impossible to squeeze in a leisurely meal.

And so this is an Eating the Fantastic first—an episode recorded not just during lunch at Family Meal, but also later, back at the con over cookies from Vacarro’s (because there had to be food involved, of course), in a room set aside for kaffeklatches.

Fran is the Nebula Award-winning and Compton Crook Award-winning author of Updraft, plus the host of the Cooking the Books podcast, which has a writers + food focus just like mine.

We talked about what she lost the night she won her Nebula Award, her love for Anne McCaffrey’s The Ship Who Sang, the power of poetry, why she tries to do one thing a month that scares her, her Cooking the Books podcast, and much more.

Here’s how you can join us at the tables— (more…)

Last month, I revealed the title of my story which would be appearing in the upcoming science fiction anthology You, Human—

“101 Things to Do Before You’re Downloaded”

—which is a title I love so much it’ll probably end up also being the title of my next science fiction collection, whenever that comes together.

Now I can reveal the art which has been commissioned to accompany my story, drawn by L.A. Spooner.

To learn who that is—and what’s in the hand of the small figure on the left—you’re going to have to pick up a copy of You, Human, which should go on sale no later than the early Fall.

To make sure you learn when the book is available, keep checking back here, or over at the Written Backwards blog. I feel inordinately proud of this piece, so I look forward to learning how you feel about it.

Have you ever wanted to own a page—or perhaps two—of rare original DC Comics art from the ’60s? Now’s your chance!

My wife has decided to part with the following pages which have been in her collection for more than 50 years.

First up—this beautiful Joe Kubert art from the Hawkman and Hawkgirl story “The Men Who Moved the World,” which appeared in Brave and Bold #44 (October-November 1962).

Place your bids here. (more…)

I’ve been sitting on this sale for quite some time because I didn’t want to start spreading the news until all details were worked out, but now it can be told—two zombie novelettes of mine are about to be issued as a standalone volume by Written Backwards—perhaps as soon as the end of August.

Bram Stoker Award-winning editor Michael Bailey—who earlier this year published a story of mine in his anthology Chiral Mad 3—will be putting out Liars, Fakers, and the Dead Who Eat Them, made up of “Only Humans Can Lie” and “Faking It Until Forever Comes” (hence the liars and fakers of the umbrella title).

The cover and interior illustrations are by British Fantasy Award winning artist Daniele Serra. You can take a look at his cover art below. (Note that the type treatment may change between now and the pub date.)

For further info on the project, read Michael’s post. And to find out how to order a copy once it’s available, keep checking the Written Backwards blog. Or return here, of course. Because you know I won’t be able to shut up about it.

This looks to be a good year for fans of my writing—eight new stories should (fingers crossed) see print in 2017. Hope you like them!

I’m barely recovered from Readercon, but it’s time to start thinking about MidAmericon II, because I head off to the 74th World Science Fiction Convention a mere five weeks from today.

Here’s what the programming committee has planned for me. (And you!) The dates, times, and identities of my co-conspirators are subject to change, so check back for an update as we get closer to kickoff.

Movies and Monsters
Thursday 10:00 a.m.
Let’s talk monsters! Taking a somewhat scholarly look at the great monster movies of the past. Which monsters still resonate with today’s society? Panellists dissect what it means to be a monster then dig into the great monsters of the past and their modern day descendants.
with Pete Balestrieri, Ellen Datlow, Kendall R. Hart, David Boop

Remembering the Futurians
Thursday 1:00 p.m.
Jack Robins, who died last year, was a founding member of the Futurians. The Futurians were instrumental in not only laying the groundwork for many fannish traditions, but also included the authors of many of the seminal works in the field from Asimov to Pohl, Kidd, and others. Let’s take a look back at their influence during a magical era with the future of science fiction and fandom was taking off.
with Mr. Alec Nevala-Lee, Pete Balestrieri, Mark L. Olson

Fast then Slow! Pacing in Comics and Graphic Novels
Friday 4:00 p.m.
Panelists discuss what it takes to create atmosphere, drama and tension in comics, and then how to take it down a notch. What are some of the most exciting ways to create dynamic stories that fly off the page, and how do you evoke stilness when it’s needed? Our panelists weave their way through some key ideas and experiments.
with Alison Wilgus, Kurt Busiek, Tamara Jones, Tui Sutherland

Magazine Group Reading: Escape Artists, Inc.
Saturday 2:00 p.m.
Our Magazine Group Reading Series continues with a special group reading that features authors from the family of Escape Artists magazines.
with Alasdair Stuart, Marguerite Kenner, Dr. Amy H. Sturgis, Andrea Phillips, Bud Sparhawk, Greg van Eekhout

Writers Workshop
Sunday 10:00 a.m.
(Note that this session is a closed preassigned workshop.)
with Jim Doty

Horror Comics, Old and New
Sunday 2:00 p.m.
The pulps were full of horrible tales and weird happenings, but horror is a persistent topic in comics, from Locke and Key to Black Hole, and spanning diverse comics from the Horror Manga genre to our persistent love of zombies. Our panelists discuss some of the changes that this genre has seen, as well as stories and tropes that keep on returning to shock us.
with Paul Dale Anderson, Mr. Robin Wayne Bailey, Erin Wilcox, Tamara Jones

I hope to see you at MidAmericon II, if not in one of these panels, then while wandering the dealers room or in the bar. Don’t be shy!

Readercon, which concluded its 27th incarnation yesterday in Quincy, Massachusetts, is consistently my favorite convention of the year. Since it’s always been special to me, I thought I’d do something special in return. And once I learned that back in 1950, Dunkin’ Donuts was born just a few miles from our hotel, and the first restaurant still stood, I knew exactly what that something would be.

I paid a visit to that original location—which is decorated with a retro flair—

—and returned to the con with a fresh dozen.

I planted myself in the lobby (as captured in the photo below by Ellen Kushner), where I offered free donuts to the first 12 random passersby willing to give brief interviews about their favorite Readercon memories.

I had no idea who might wander over, but knew that something entertaining would surely come out of this sugary experiment. And it did! I ended up with 15 guests digging into those 12 donuts—the differential being because there were three who eschewed—in a “lightning round” 13th episode I’ve decided to call the Readercon Donut Spectacular. Surprise visitors included Greer Gilman, Maria Dahvana Headley, Rajan Khanna, plus a dozen more.

Guests—some of whom had attended nearly every Readercon, and some for whom this was their first—shared their peak Readercon moments, many of which revolved around Samuel R. Delany.

Here’s how you can join us for a sugar rush— (more…)

If you plan on being at Readercon 27 this weekend and hope to bump into me, there’s one more thing you need to know beyond what I’ve already told you—an item has been added to my schedule.

So if you’d like to get up close and personal, check out my Kaffeeklatsch timing below.

Thursday, July 7, 8:30 PM
Reading
I will read “The Man Without the Blue Balloon and the Woman Who Had Smiles Only for Him” … unless I see the audience filled with people who already heard me read an excerpt during Balticon.

Friday, July 8, 2:00 p.m.
Challenging the Coercive Muse
All writers have seen, and many have said, variations on the theme of “I write because I can’t not write.” Something mercilessly drives us to put words on the page even when we find the act of writing difficult, unpleasant, or onerous. If the muse were a real person who existed outside of the writer’s mind, we would call this behavior coercion and find it deeply troubling (as Stephen King so aptly depicted in Misery). In this open discussion, we will challenge the idea that our muses must necessarily be bullies, and explore other ways of experiencing and responding to creative urges and getting through the hardest parts of writing while valuing and prioritizing our own consent and happiness.
with Maria Dahvana Headley (leader), Marissa Lingen, Kate Maruyama, Gregory Wilson

Friday, July 8, 5:00 p.m.
Non-Explanation in Fiction
“Never complain, never explain,” said the Lady Mendl, and “Fuck the exposition,” said David Simon, “just be,” but as Junot Díaz said, “Motherfuckers will read a book that’s one third Elvish, but put two sentences in Spanish and they think we’re taking over.” What are the pleasures of writing for an audience that already gets it—and the dangers of assuming they’ll understand? What can you get from reading works that don’t cater specifically to you? And how can refusing to spell it out bring depth to the fantastic?
with John Chu, Kameron Hurley, Kenneth Schneyer (leader), Ann Tonsor Zeddies

Saturday, July 9, 12:00 p.m.
Kaffeeklatsch
with Keffy Kehrli

I hope to see you there!

For the fifth and final episode of Eating the Fantastic recorded in Las Vegas during StokerCon, I headed out to Hash House A Go Go, one of my favorite restaurants—at least in its San Diego incarnation. My breakfast there is always one of my favorite Comic-Con meals. But alas, there turned out to be more than a 90-minute wait that Sunday morning in Vegas, so I moved on to Yard House at the recommendation of my guest, Gene O’Neill, who’d eaten there earlier that weekend.

Gene, with whom I attended the Clarion Science Fiction & Fantasy Writers’ Workshop when dinosaurs still roamed the Earth, has been nominated 11 times for the Bram Stoker Award, and has won twice, in the categories of Long Fiction and Fiction Collection.

We reminisced about our shared Clarion experience way back in 1979, our reaction upon seeing a stack of Jack London’s rejection slips, the personality trait he shares with Harlan Ellison, what he learned from Carol Emshwiller, what he and Kim Stanley Robinson taught each other during their eight-hour drives to Eugene, Oregon for workshops with Damon Knight and Kate Wilhelm, and much more.

Here’s how you can get a seat at the table— (more…)

My dreams have been diminishing lately—I’m still trying to figure out why—but that’s not going to stop me from collecting the tweets I’ve been sharing about them. Whenever I don’t, I get asked about it, which means some of you care, so … here you go!

Last month, I dreamt about Stan Lee, Don Draper, Frank Sinatra, Marie Severin, President Obama, and more.

June 2016


I dreamt I came upon one stuffed animal giving CPR to another, but it didn’t weird me out — because CANDY popped out with each compression! Jun 30


I dreamt I tried to phone people to let them know my father had died, but because tech never works for me in dreams, no calls got through. Jun 29

I dreamt I was setting up a new office with Don Draper, who was growing frustrated because I couldn’t decide where the furniture should go. Jun 29

I dreamt @IreneVartanoff and I managed to escape a cult compound, but when we returned and tried to steal back our possessions, were caught. Jun 28


I dreamt I took part in @LeVirtuPhila‘s La Panarda, and became so stuffed I dozed off, and so slept through the desert courses. Noooooo! Jun 26


I dreamt Stan Lee visited, and as we headed up to record a video, I thought, wow, he sure can take those stairs quick for a 93-year-old guy! Jun 25


I dreamt a snake racing away from me transformed into a large alligator and then a HUGE dragon, like something animated by Ray Harryhausen. Jun 24


I dreamt I was bitten by a zombie and begging my friends to take me out with a knife to the head before I turned. “Do it. Do it! DO IT!” Jun 21


I dreamt @BrianKeene showed up at a con with a long list of writers he demanded stop writing horror because they weren’t horrifying enough. Jun 21


I dreamt I was on a panel at a con, and at the far end of the table sat — Frank Sinatra. He was argumentative, contradicting EVERYTHING. Jun 16 (more…)

Readercon 27, which will run from July 7-10 at the Quincy Marriott in Quincy, Massachusetts, has just sent around a tentative program to the participants. While the dates and times of the following items in which I’ll participate might shift, with the con kicking off in only nine days, I thought it best to share the info now.

If anything changes, you can be sure I’ll let you know!

Thursday, July 7, 8:30 PM
Reading
I will read “The Man Without the Blue Balloon and the Woman Who Had Smiles Only for Him” … unless I see the audience filled with people who already heard me read an excerpt during Balticon.

Friday, July 8, 2:00 p.m.
Challenging the Coercive Muse
All writers have seen, and many have said, variations on the theme of “I write because I can’t not write.” Something mercilessly drives us to put words on the page even when we find the act of writing difficult, unpleasant, or onerous. If the muse were a real person who existed outside of the writer’s mind, we would call this behavior coercion and find it deeply troubling (as Stephen King so aptly depicted in Misery). In this open discussion, we will challenge the idea that our muses must necessarily be bullies, and explore other ways of experiencing and responding to creative urges and getting through the hardest parts of writing while valuing and prioritizing our own consent and happiness.
with Maria Dahvana Headley (leader), Marissa Lingen, Kate Maruyama, Gregory Wilson

Friday, July 8, 5:00 p.m.
Non-Explanation in Fiction
“Never complain, never explain,” said the Lady Mendl, and “Fuck the exposition,” said David Simon, “just be,” but as Junot Díaz said, “Motherfuckers will read a book that’s one third Elvish, but put two sentences in Spanish and they think we’re taking over.” What are the pleasures of writing for an audience that already gets it—and the dangers of assuming they’ll understand? What can you get from reading works that don’t cater specifically to you? And how can refusing to spell it out bring depth to the fantastic?
with John Chu, Kameron Hurley, Kenneth Schneyer (leader), Ann Tonsor Zeddies

I hope to see you there—after I survive Escape Velocity, of course!