There is no theme, only Zuul interesting stuff that’s come in after I got back from Worldcon.
Library Additions: Several Random Interesting Books
September 17th, 2014Shoegazer Sunday: Black Hearted Brother’s “(I Don’t Mean to) Wonder”
September 14th, 2014Black Hearted Brother is a project featuring Slowdive’s Neal Halstead. Here they are with “(I Don’t Mean to) Wonder”.
Also, evidently the Judge Dredd remake has some impressive slow-motion set-pieces…
Web Pages That Suck: The Afterlife
September 12th, 2014So Dwight sent me an ultra-crappy webpage (warning: auto-sound), wondering if it was worse than Bella De Soto’s page. It wasn’t. But it did make me wonder what bold new frontiers in bad web design had been unearth. It’s not as horrible as Bella De Soto’s page either, but it really tries…
Behold The Afterlife! (Allow it to run the Quicktime once for the full effect.)
Well, that is to say what the afterlife would look like if designed by a dozen Geocities webdesigners after a marathon session of huffing paint fumes in a church basement, followed by an explosion at the local animated .gif factory…
Library Additions: Three Interesting Chapbooks
September 11th, 2014I recently got in three interesting trim-sized chapbooks, two hardback and two signed:
One other thing these have in common: I’ll have copies for all three available through Lame Excuse Books (inquire if you want one).
Library Additions: Screenplays for Manos: The Hands of Fate, Plan 9 From Outer Space, and Santa Claus Conquers the Martians
September 9th, 2014I mentioned the Kickstarter previously, and my package of “Alternate Classics of Filmdom” was waiting for me when I got back from London.
All bought for $20 from the Kickstarter. My only complaint is that the font size is ridiculously small…
Photo Gallery: Writers at the 2014 London Worldcon Part 1
September 8th, 2014
Leigh Kennedy, who I had lunch and dinner with the Monday before the con. We have loads of common friends, but knew them at different times, so there was a lot of trading stories…
In profile.
Cory Doctorow, exhibiting his unique sense of style…
…and with an actual top to his head.
John J. Miller of Wild Cards fame, with Gail Gerstner-Miller.
Kim Newman, in his usual natty, multilayered attire.
Jonathan Strahan and David Hartwell.
Pat Murphy, all scarfed-up.
With scarf and shoes.
Lavie Tidhar, who used to do reviews for me back in the Nova Express days.
Ian Watson and Lavie Tidhar, signing books at the PS Publishing table in the dealer’s room. I asked Watson what the genesis of the Watson-Aldiss feud was. “I’ve gotten to the age when I’m not sure I remember it properly anymore…”
Connie Willis.
Liz Hand.
And looking slightly less crazed.
Ellen Datlow and Liz Hand fan themselves and look down upon the peasantry.
Elle Datlow solo.
Guest of honor John Clute.
Adam Roberts.
Geoff Ryman peers at me suspiciously.
Gary K. Wolfe.
Andy Duncan.
Didn’t get all the names, but this is something like 75% of the Israeli SF publishing industry.
Kim Stanley Robinson.
John Gibbons.
Michael Swanwick, Geoff Ryman, and Ellen Datlow.
Michael Swanwick and Gordon Van Gelder, looking way too befuddled for the first day of the con.
Lisa Tuttle, who I had lunch with, joined by…
…George R. R. Martin.
George R. R. Martin and the Spanish George R. R. Martin.
Michael Swanwick and George R. R. Martin, enjoying fine dining in an atmosphere of unpretentious ambiance.
Parris McBride Martin.
Alastair Reynolds.
Pat Cadigan.
Pat Cadigan in green.
Pat Cadigan with fan-drawn cyberpunk.
Finally, Pat Cadigan with her spiffy Doc Martin boots.
The elusive Richard Calder.
Michael Swanwick showing off his outfit. “This shirt is bespoke! Bespoke, I tell you!”
Finally, Michael Swanwick showing off the t-shirt for MidAmericon II, the 2016 Kansas City Worldcon he’s Guest of Honor at. (Pat Cadigan is Toastmistress.)
Shoegazer Sunday: Skip Skip Ben Ben’s “Last Light”
September 7th, 2014Here’s “Last Light,” a pleasant little ditty from Taiwan’s Skip Skip Ben Ben:
Bold New Frontiers in Cattle Rustling
September 5th, 2014I think these guys could be in a Joe R. Lansdale story…
Library Additions: Two Reference Works by George Locke
September 5th, 2014I saw grand old British bookseller/publisher/bibliographer George Locke at the London Worldcon. George has been book hunting and dealing in the field longer than I’ve been collecting, and has written a number of important bibliographies in the field, of which the three volume Spectrum of Fantasy set and Voyages in Space: a Bibliography of Interplanetary Fiction, 1801-1914 are perhaps the best known.
George has just published two books of genre bibliographic material, in editions of a mere 50 (!) copies each which, with a little prodding and discounting, he convinced me to pick up.
(Shadow effect is a scanner artifact.)
I paid £100 for the pair (a show special, since I believe George is selling them at £65 each).
If you’re looking to pick one or both of these up, you’ll probably have to contact George directly:
George Locke
Ferret Fantasy
27 Beechcroft Road
Upper Tooting
London, SW27 7BX
020 8767 0029
george_locke at hotmail.com
How A Professional Media Outlet Does Things
September 3rd, 2014So Sports Illustrated, the website that a few months ago decided “Hey, let’s make our site look like ass!” has released it’s Superbowl and MVP picks. Let’s take a look at these two screen shots I grabbed today so you can see how a real professional website works:
Evidently Tom Brady is going to be Defensive Rookie of the Year, as well as Coach of the Year, thanks to his awesome Lorem ipsum skills. At least so say the numerous clones SI hires as sportswriters…
Remember: Sports Illustrated is run by professionals. Do not attempt this at home…