I don’t remember when I first saw the words “Nebula Award Winner” emblazoned on a science fiction paperback. It might well have been alongside “Hugo Award Winner” on the cover of The Fountains of Paradise by Arthur C Clarke, which won both of speculative fiction’s premier awards in 1979 and 1980. I can’t have knownContinue reading “The Politics of SF”
Author Archives: Damien Walter
Bullet Proof Soul
Mur Lafferty made some perceptive statements about the twin terrors of Humbleness and Hubris on the latest episode of I Should Be Writing. You can listen there to Mur’s take on why you need to keep those two demons in balance. I was really taken by her passing reference to the bullet proof soul and I’ve beenContinue reading “Bullet Proof Soul”
Invitation to Clarion
Earlier this week I received an invitation to attend the Clarion writers workshop in San Diego this summer. I haven’t been able to post until now because they were still informing people about places, but I’m seeing rejections posted up on the blogosphere so guess I can go public. I’m yet to see any acceptancesContinue reading “Invitation to Clarion”
The Longest Wait
A number of writers have declared places won on the Clarion West workshop, here, here and here. I still have seen nothing either way on Clarion East / San Diego which is where I have applied. There is still hope, but it is growing dimmer.
Arthur C Clarke, 1917 – 2008
One of Britain’s greatest writers and thinkers, his influence will live far into the future he predicted. As a writer, Arthur C Clarke stood alongside Robert A Heinlein and Issac Asimov as one of the fathers of the science fiction genre. Although best known for 2001: A Space Odyssey, famously adpated for film by StanleyContinue reading “Arthur C Clarke, 1917 – 2008”
Arthur C Clarke Passes Away
I’ve just seen on Charlie Stross’ blog that Arthur C Clarke has passed away, age 90 at his home in Sri Lanka. He was the first science fiction writer I ever read. The Fountains of Paradise and Rendezvous with Rama still rate as among the best novels ever written. Very sad news. “The only wayContinue reading “Arthur C Clarke Passes Away”
Circe’s on The Drabblecast
Episode 55 of The Drabblecast just came out, featuring my short story Circe’s. Norm Sherman does a really, really, really, really good job reading it (the guy is one of the best narrators I’ve heard) and I’m very, very, very, very, very pleased with the whole thing. Have a listen then stop by the DrabblecastContinue reading “Circe’s on The Drabblecast”
Support the Pod
Regular readers will now I’m a big fan of Escape Pod, the weekly Science Fiction podcast edited by Steve Eley. I’ve linke dto many of their stories but now I’m just going to link to them in general. Steve just revealed a few big things in his ‘State of the Podcast’ m,etacast about Escape Pod.Continue reading “Support the Pod”
Drabblecast 55
Just found out that my story Circe’s will be appearing on Drabblecast this week, episode 55. I’ll put a link up here when it is out.
One in Ten…
…is the approximate chance of getting a place at Clarion. I found out yesterday that the Top Gun of science fiction and fantasy writing workshops received about 200 applications this year. They take 18 students, so working out the math…(scratches head and sticks tongue out corner of mouth)…it comes to about 1/10. On the positiveContinue reading “One in Ten…”
F&SF Review
My review of the April issue of The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction just went up over at The Fix. This was one of the most difficult review I’ve written so far, some of the stories were excellent but very complex and took a few readings to really get a handle on. I wasContinue reading “F&SF Review”
Why can’t the BBC grow up about fantasy?
Grit your teeth. Now pull your lips back into the widest grin you can manage, tense your entire body and, starting in your chest and moving through your throat up into your nasal cavity, generate a high-pitched “squeeeeeeeeeee” while waving you hands frantically on either side of your face, Broadway-style. There, you’ve just had aContinue reading “Why can’t the BBC grow up about fantasy?”
Damien Walter 