Swords Against Boredom

This one just in from the political front:

WASHINGTON (AP) — A bill to outlaw taking minors over state lines for secret abortions failed late Friday.

But passage wasn’t the point.

The vote alone gave Republicans a shot at political redemption during a legislative year that began and ended without passage of major items on the agendas of social conservatives.

Like the party’s failed efforts to ban gay marriage and flag desecration, the vote on the interstate abortion ban was an effort to energize social conservatives — the GOP base — as Republicans struggled to defend their congressional majority before the Nov. 7 election.

On the abortion bill, there was no debate Friday, just a roll call. Republicans failed to get the 60 votes required to advance the bill to a final vote. Read more »

I couldn’t let the American Library Association’s Banned Books Week (Sept. 23-30) pass without urging you all to enjoy your freedom to read whatever the hell you want.

So, go read something subversive!

As for me, if anyone ever wants to ban my novel (assuming it gets published) or any of my short stories please do. Few things encourage sales like a bunch of people screaming about how naughty a story is.

– Steve

I’ve been keeping an eye out during my library visits for “God’s Universe,” a new book by Harvard University’s Owen Gingerich. He’s a scientist who rejects “intelligent design” theory for explaining the universe, but nonetheless finds reason in science to bolster his belief in God.

It’s an interesting subject, written by a well-respected scientist and — reviews so far indicate, at least — not written by someone with an axe to grind in the so-called debate between evolution and intelligent design. I’m quite eager to read it. But it hasn’t shown up on my local library shelf yet.

Today, I thought I’d try the interlibrary loan thing. I stopped at the reference desk at my local library and the nice guy there looked up the book for me. Turns out it hasn’t been released yet (Sept. 30 is the date), so no wonder I was having trouble finding it. None of the Ohio libraries have it yet. But in the course of our brief discussion, the other reference librarian chimed in. “Sounds interesting,” she said. “Why don’t we go ahead and order it?”

How cool is that? The book is on its way to my local library, and I’ll get a phone call as soon as it works its way through the processing room.

So here’s what I need ya’ll to do: If my novel ever gets published, go to the library in every city you visit and ask the nice people at the reference desk about it …

– Steve

This weekend saw one rejection, two stories going out, a contact from a fellow writer wondering about pay for a project we both worked on, a chance to do some Web work for a really cool magazine (more on that at the proper time) and I still intend to work on my “Fang” novel before going to bed …

So there will be no lengthy musings on science, metaphysics or Godzilla from me tonight …

– Steve

In keeping with my tendency to write very brief reviews of movies everyone else saw months ago … “V For Vendetta” really grabbed me. I had never read the comic, so I had only the vaguest notion of what to expect and no “why did they change that?” moments.

I liked the way the movie seemed focused on story and character as opposed to great big effects. When it needed effects, it delivered, but for the most part it stuck to telling a frightening story about people in a totalitarian world. It’s not the balls-to-the-wall action flick some previews may have led you to expect, either. It tugs you along with little mysteries. It succeeds in making you think.

If you haven’t seen it, I’d recommend it.

– Steve

Obviously, the birth of a new print fantasy magazine is a thing to celebrate. Editor Paul Jessup is passing out virtual cigars over on his blog as the first issue of GrendelSong has finally arrived!

It’s a virtual release party. I, of course, am celebrating with a couple of big virtual bottles of Three Philosophers and another of Rare Vos. Everybody’s patting Paul and his wife Rachel on the back. The music’s loud, but Eugie Foster and Jay Lake seem to be engaged in some sort of intense literary discussion. And, of course, everyone is flipping through the magazine with lots of “oooohs” and “aaaaaahs.”

Now and then, someone punches my shoulder and says “Good job!” I politely say thanks and remind them my GrendelSong debut will be in the next issue. That spurs a brief look of pity and a hurried, “Oh, sorry.” Then I smile and say, “I’m in the issue after that, too.”

I take another deep swig of Belgian bliss. Life is good.

Congrats, Paul and Rachel.

You can read more about the new magazine at the editor’s blog: The Worlds of Paul Jessup.

Tom Williams has a story called “The One-Legged Assassin” coming soon in Electric Spec. Look for it on Sept. 30.

But wait, there’s more!

Tom’s “Cold Dragons” should be showing up any day now in
Dragons, Knights & Angels.

What’s the matter, Tom, couldn’t you manage a hat trick?

– Steve