Lancer Kind

This year’s World Science Fiction World Convention was in Denver, only 1 timezone away from Seattle.  So why would I try to stay away?  What could be more fun to a science fictionist than hanging out with a group of other science fictionists?  Well it costs money for one thing.  So I did the responsible thing and emailed someone who was going so they could talk me into going: Eric T. Reynolds.  He’s the editor of the “Ruins Terra” anthology which had published a story by me (which makes him pretty damn cool in my book) and he said he had put together a panel for all the great writers that contributed to the anthology.

As if that wasn’t enough, I consulted with a fellow fictionist, Larry Hodges, and he suggested that not only could we room together, we could be Rising Stars together.

My resistance evaporated.

Mr. Hodges with his impressive array of magazine publications

Lancer scolding Mr. Hodges

The convention was great!  I used to live north of Denver and in the nine years that I’ve been away, things have gotten weird over there.  As you leave the airport, you see a giant statue of a white horse rearing up, its eyes glowing red.  And I mean really red! Apparently, not only have the Denver Broncos got new uniforms, they’ve have gone goth!

Then there is the mystery of the giant blue bear outside of the Colorado Convention Center.  Most bears (like the Coca-Cola bears, or even the Chicago ones) are nice and lovable icons rather than the communist meat eaters as they are portrayed on the Colbert Report.  But look at this thing!  For what other reason would a four story giant blue bear be reared up on its hind legs and peering into the convention center, other than its going to bust in and eat science fiction fans like they were yummy snasages?

I’m excited.  Virtually excited and excited for real.  Published in Speculative Realms, Where There’s A Will, There’s A Way is “KanjiKiss,” a story I wrote about a country boy who moves to futuristic Seattle and gives up his flesh life to live with a woman in virtual space.  I wonder if he’ll have to mow the lawn or take out the garbage during his virtual life?  I don’t know.  That’s another story.  

It’s fitting that this is a virtual book party.  You get to try and trap me online and ask the tough questions like, why I wrote the story, or what was I smoking.  And maybe you’ll decide I’m cool enough to have written a story you’ll want to read and you’ll buy the book.  (See it over there on the right-hand side of the webpage?  Hint!  Hint!)  

Even if you don’t buy the book, maybe you’ll have fun socializing with the other authors, and maybe you’ll find them cool enough to read a story by them (they are pretty cool, BTW) and decide to by the book.  (It’s the one with the purple cover, still over on the right-hand side of the wedpage.)  

Oh, and even if you don’t have enough scratch to buy a book, by showing up, you are automatically in a drawing to win a free one!

Now back to that guy in KanjiKiss who fell in love with a Japanese woman whose Dad drug her to Korea (she doesn’t like it there much, that’s why she’s meeting men on the Internet).  Do you think he’ll have to take out the garbage?  I mean he gave up everything he had to be with her.  What more does a guy have to do to prove his love?  Comment ladies?

Details on the party:

Date:                            1 September 2008

Time:                            For as long as it’s 1 September 2008 somewhere in the world

Place:                           http://www.runboard.com/bspeculativerealm – people who wish to participate will have to become a member of the forum, however, this shouldn’t be a problem as membership is required in order for me to contact the winners (see next point)

Prizes:                          3 copies of the book will be given away on the day (authors and staff will be excluded from the draw)

Check out the postings and the chat room and see who you run into.

==>Lancer—