Howard Hughes and π
May. 20th, 2009 12:35 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
greygirlbeastYesterday, I managed only 721 words on "Galápagos." After getting the thoughts of those I'd sent the story off to, there were things I needed to talk through. The sorts of things I generally let work themselves out with no particular forethought. And afterwards, I wrote. It's starting to look as if this will be a longer story than I'd first expected, not 6,500 words, but nearer 10,000. Fortunately, I have until May 31st to finish it. Of course, during that time, I also have to get Sirenia Digest #42 out to subscribers, and I have to get some things done for my publicist at Penguin, regarding The Red Tree.
Ironically —— or so it seems to me —— one of the aspects of my sf that I'm most insecure about, and "Galápagos" is no exception, is the actual science. When writing sf, I spend at least half the time fact checking and rechecking and re-rechecking. Though, I should think, if I may be so bold, that if you put any random 100 authors of sf into a room together, and I were one of the bunch, and then evaluate our knowledge of the scientific enterprise, and our general scientific literacy, I'd surely fall into the top tenth percentile. Maybe that's why I'm so insecure about it. Fuck if I know.
Anyway, I'm going to step away from "Galápagos" for a couple of days. I have an interview to do this afternoon, and a number of other things I've been putting off. This evening, Spooky and I will be going to visiting a local writer acquaintance on the East Side for a communal signature-sheet signing gathering sort of thing (the pages are for Joshi's forthcoming Black Wings: New Tales of Lovecraftian Horror, which includes my story, "Pickman's Other Model"). And tomorrow's going to be a day off, because I've not had one since May 8th.
My comp copies of the new Alabaster trade paperback arrived yesterday. I think the book looks great. And you can score a copy for a mere $14.95 (plus s&h).
Last night, I was too tired for much of anything, so after BBQ from United BBQ, we watched the first seven episodes of The X-Files (eps six and seven, "Shadow" and "Ghost in the Machine," are dull as hell, by the way). I didn't get to sleep until a little after three, but then —— fuck you, Monsieur Insomnia —— I slept a full eight hours. Booya! Thank you, Mulder and Scully.
Gods, a mere six days remaining until birthday -5. How bloody weird is that?
Postscript (3:06 p.m.): I only just the minute learned that Stephenie Meyer is a Mormon. Suddenly, it all makes so much more sense.
Ironically —— or so it seems to me —— one of the aspects of my sf that I'm most insecure about, and "Galápagos" is no exception, is the actual science. When writing sf, I spend at least half the time fact checking and rechecking and re-rechecking. Though, I should think, if I may be so bold, that if you put any random 100 authors of sf into a room together, and I were one of the bunch, and then evaluate our knowledge of the scientific enterprise, and our general scientific literacy, I'd surely fall into the top tenth percentile. Maybe that's why I'm so insecure about it. Fuck if I know.
Anyway, I'm going to step away from "Galápagos" for a couple of days. I have an interview to do this afternoon, and a number of other things I've been putting off. This evening, Spooky and I will be going to visiting a local writer acquaintance on the East Side for a communal signature-sheet signing gathering sort of thing (the pages are for Joshi's forthcoming Black Wings: New Tales of Lovecraftian Horror, which includes my story, "Pickman's Other Model"). And tomorrow's going to be a day off, because I've not had one since May 8th.
My comp copies of the new Alabaster trade paperback arrived yesterday. I think the book looks great. And you can score a copy for a mere $14.95 (plus s&h).
Last night, I was too tired for much of anything, so after BBQ from United BBQ, we watched the first seven episodes of The X-Files (eps six and seven, "Shadow" and "Ghost in the Machine," are dull as hell, by the way). I didn't get to sleep until a little after three, but then —— fuck you, Monsieur Insomnia —— I slept a full eight hours. Booya! Thank you, Mulder and Scully.
Gods, a mere six days remaining until birthday -5. How bloody weird is that?
Postscript (3:06 p.m.): I only just the minute learned that Stephenie Meyer is a Mormon. Suddenly, it all makes so much more sense.
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no subject
Date: 2009-05-20 05:28 pm (UTC)I guess the science is important, but I like to think it falls by the wayside if the plot demands it. I'm sure there's something to be said for staying within the realms of physics, but sometimes I wonder, where's the fun in that? :)
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Date: 2009-05-20 05:35 pm (UTC)Oh, I very much agree (and have said so repeatedly). Too many readers and writers of sf miss the point that it's science fiction. And given the nature of science, what is "true" today will likely not be "true" only a few years down the road. What seems feasible today, may be provisionally proven absurd next week. And vice versa. Story and characters always come first, and it ridiculous to think sf can actually provide any sort of predictive tool (or that it should try). All that said, I still fret over the science.
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Date: 2009-05-20 05:41 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-05-20 05:43 pm (UTC)I'm reading A is for Alien right now. Is the science sound? Couldn't tell you, but I'm enjoying it immensely.
I think it's mostly sound. I had to fudge it here and there for aesthetics. For example, it would be almost impossible to devise practical zeppelin travel on Mars (aeorodynamics, atmospheric issues, etc.). But, damn, it's a cool idea.
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Date: 2009-05-20 05:48 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-05-20 06:02 pm (UTC)Too little and the story isn't believable enough, too much and the story starts to read like a text book.
Well said.
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Date: 2009-05-20 05:54 pm (UTC)It's been my experience, anyway.
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Date: 2009-05-20 05:56 pm (UTC)Indeed, it is a hallmark of science. Very few scientists do not understand that the more we learn, the more we see we have to learn.
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Date: 2009-05-20 05:54 pm (UTC)No, I think that's par for the course. You have to be intelligent to realize the vast array of all the things you don't know. Hey, irony! How're the wife and kids?
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Date: 2009-05-20 05:58 pm (UTC)You have to be intelligent to realize the vast array of all the things you don't know.
See my comment above.
I think what really wears on me are the sf readers who expect a) some degree of predictive value (which is hopeless to even attempt) and b) uptopian futures (which seem increasingly unlikely).
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Date: 2009-05-20 06:23 pm (UTC)Yeah. It used to be that it took thirty years to find out our fictional forecasts of the future were wrong. The pace of development and discovery (never mind communications) has only sped up since then. You would think that by now people would have noticed we can't even accurately construe yesterday. If science fiction were strictly bound by the constraints of contemporary knowledge, there wouldn't be much of a field to begin with.
and b) uptopian futures (which seem increasingly unlikely).
If they ever were . . .
The goods news is that not all science fiction readership expects either—or some unholy fusion—of these things.
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Date: 2009-05-20 06:27 pm (UTC)The goods news is that not all science fiction readership expects either—or some unholy fusion—of these things.
The bad news, the ones who do talk an awful lot.
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Date: 2009-05-20 06:57 pm (UTC)It's always the ones who don't know how much they don't know who talk endlessly about how clever they are.
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Date: 2009-05-20 07:02 pm (UTC)It's always the ones who don't know how much they don't know who talk endlessly about how clever they are.
That ought to be a needlepoint sampler thingy. I'd hang it on my wall.
no subject
Date: 2009-05-20 09:00 pm (UTC)I wish I could sew. I could have made it for your birthday.
I only just the minute learned that Stephenie Meyer is a Mormon. Suddenly, it all makes so much more sense.
It really shouldn't, but it does.
no subject
Date: 2009-05-20 05:56 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-05-20 06:01 pm (UTC)You've already outdone yourself with the NASA goodies. And, in fact, I was reworking some of my ideas for The Dinosaurs of Mars last night, and I'm hoping I can have time to get back to it in the summer of 2010. In fact, hopefully, it's all I will do that summer (except the digest).
Oh...but I would mind one of those TTR stickers.
no subject
Date: 2009-05-20 09:09 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-05-20 09:20 pm (UTC)I didn't send you one of those already? Well, that will need to be rectified. Stickers and buttons for you and Spooky are on the way.
Thank you!
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Date: 2009-05-20 06:19 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-05-20 06:24 pm (UTC)"The Field Where I Died," and yep, that's a very good one. But it's not until Season Four, and we're only on One.
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Date: 2009-05-20 06:29 pm (UTC)Alabaster
Date: 2009-05-20 06:27 pm (UTC)Re: Alabaster
Date: 2009-05-20 06:39 pm (UTC)And I'm about to score my copy of Alabaster.
Thank you. I thought I'd sent you the hardback.
Re: Alabaster
Date: 2009-05-20 07:48 pm (UTC)Re: Alabaster
Date: 2009-05-20 08:21 pm (UTC)Maybe, but I don't think. I'm going to check and see. I know I haven't read it. Well, I don't know I haven't but I don't think I have.
Mom, you sound like me. Or...I'm starting to sound like you.
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Date: 2009-05-20 06:36 pm (UTC)http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2009/may/19/ida-fossil-evolution
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Date: 2009-05-20 06:40 pm (UTC)Yep, and I meant to post on it, and forgot. Thanks for reminding me!
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Date: 2009-05-20 07:06 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-05-20 07:47 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-05-20 08:22 pm (UTC)Indeed he do.
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Date: 2009-05-20 08:24 pm (UTC)That's beautiful.
Ted's cover? Yes, I remain extremely pleased with it. He nailed the book, spot on.
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Date: 2009-05-20 08:11 pm (UTC)Growl.
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Date: 2009-05-20 08:22 pm (UTC)Yep, And Meyers tithes a portion of her profits from the series to the church. A large sum of which was used to advertise against gay marriage in the whole prop8 debacle in California.
*groan*
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Date: 2009-05-20 09:22 pm (UTC)Oh, ugh.
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Date: 2009-05-20 11:08 pm (UTC)Why, yes, I am shallow and vindictive...and I do apologize to the bookstore staff, but, ya know, shallow and vindictive...
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Date: 2009-05-21 04:04 am (UTC)Me, I'm only shallow and vindictive.
Oh...wait.
Rest Assured...
Date: 2009-05-20 08:20 pm (UTC)My colleagues are already tired of me showing them the awesome wrap-around cover art.
Re: Rest Assured...
Date: 2009-05-20 08:23 pm (UTC)...there's at least one branch of the soulless Waterstone's chain stocking Alabaster
That's good to know. Thank you.
no subject
Date: 2009-05-21 12:38 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-05-21 04:03 am (UTC)I'm just relieved to have such a valid reason to hate her. I always felt bad, hating her just because she was such a lousy writer. This is much better.
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Date: 2009-05-21 04:18 am (UTC)That is NOT COOL.
Wonder what her gay fanbase thinks of her now.
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Date: 2009-05-21 03:44 pm (UTC)Caitlin, I apologize for being so obsessed with this junk. How can I be when YOU are one of my favorite authors? I have no idea - it feels like it was beyond my control...
Can you forgive me? Please?
I also didn't know the part about the tithing, although I did know she was Mormon. THAT pisses me off.
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Date: 2009-05-22 04:31 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-05-21 02:45 am (UTC)But hey, even if you only wrote a little, that's more than you WERE writing, right? :D
Oh, and the X-Files... ugh, Shadow... can't even remember that episode. Ghost in the Machine, I think, is about the supercomputer with artificial intelligence, right? If so, that episode bored me too, lol.
And lol on the Stephanie Meyer comment. Yeah--I live around Mormons, and all their repressed desires for caffeine makes them write about (technically) pedophillic vampires who stalk teenage girls. :D
no subject
Date: 2009-05-21 04:00 am (UTC)Heh, and add the whole necrophilia angle.
Also, see above comment.