Links to Stave Off….

It’s been a mix of a ‘blah’ kind of week and extremely hectic with lots of work to do. And I’m not finding near enough time to watch curling. Anyway, here are a few links.

As the picture shows, I got mail from Patrick Rothfuss – how cool is that? I won prize in for donating to his Heifer International Worldbuilder’s charity fundraiser, which raised nearly $200,000. I got a signed copy of The Way of Shadows by Brent Weeks (Book Depository, Powell’s Books, Indiebound, my review) – free signed books are always cool, but I wish it were a book I didn’t already have. Not that I’m complaining.

SyFy is Time Magazine’s third worst corporate name change.

The Republic of Thieves by Scott Lynch (Book Depository, Powell’s Books, Indiebound) won’t be published in the US until Spring 2011 at the earliest – hopefully there’s still a chance of 2010 release for the UK.

A snarky interview with authors Blake Charlton and Gail Carriger.

I was mind-melded again at SFF Signal – this time about SFF TV shows that should be remade. I have no qualification for this at all, so I attempt humor.

Mark Charan Newton has an idea, a crazy idea. It’s an opportunity for writers to plagiarize remix his fiction. Personally, I’m holding out for Pride of Newton and Zombies – clearly a best-seller.

Author Sam Sykes interviews some bloggers (supposedly I’m in line – last I believe). An aside – what would you do if you found out that this guy lives in the same area as you?

And last, since I am a geologist and landslides are cool…

A Few More Links

I’ve been pretty well slammed in terms of being busy, but I still have a few interesting links to share (mostly because a couple deal with me directly).

• SF has a new mind meld, and I was asked to share. This one is about the influence of an author’s personal views and if it has any impact on the enjoyment of reading and such. It’s a subject I’ve blogged about before, so I suppose I was an obvious choice. Of course, I’m up with some big names with a number of authors, editors, TV executives, and other bloggers.

• A new ask the bloggers is up over at Grasping for the Wind – this one about maps in books. I hope I can find time for the next question dealing with cover art.

• A video about mutant butterflies with glow in the dark eyes – for real.

• FantasyBookSpot has re-launched in a new and improved format, and now is known as BookSpot Central – though the old name and links will get you there too.

Is Science Fiction Antithetical to Religion?

SF Signal's Mind Meld tackles a fairly weighty question this time around with some rather interesting answers from some of the biggest names in science fiction right now. I enjoyed reading this - I enjoyed agreeing with and disagreeing with the various respondents and it was fun to puzzle out just who knew what they were talking about (all had interesting things to say, but some of these people have clearly thought about this in great detail). I sure would have liked to see a feminine perspective though.

Anyway, go read.

Mind Melded

The folks over at SF Signal have a long-running feature – The Mind Meld – where they pose a single question to a group of invited participants in the SFF world. Somehow I was chosen as one of the bloggers in a group including editors and authors. It was a lot of fun and I encourage you all to go read – some of the answers might just surprise you. Participants include David G. Hartwell, James Patrick Kelly, John Joseph Adams, Paul Raven, Alan Beatts, Niall Harrison, and Larry of the OF Blog of the Fallen.

The question posed was

From your point of view, how has the proliferation of online book reviews affected the publishing world?

Some of excerpts include

Online reviewing at this point is a hopeful mess…
-David Hartwell

Everyone wants something different from a book …and the anarchic economics of internet publishing mean that all those needs can be supplied in proportion to demand.
-Paul Raven

At the end of the day, it doesn't really matter what publishers, booksellers, authors or reviewers think of a book.
-Alan Beatts

…when was the last time you saw Gary Wolfe reviewing Steven Erikson or Kate Elliott?
-Niall Harrison

…it may mean a sort of Darwinian fight in the near future to see which blogs are best qualified…
-Larry of OF Blog of the Fallen

How about that for a self-serving, pretentious answer?
-Ken of Neth Space

Isn’t it great to see quotes taken out of context?