Sense of Adventure

Saturday was the famed Sci-Fi [sic] Night at the NM Scorpions hockey game. It was a lovely late afternoon for a drive - welcome to the actual beginning of New Mexico spring.

I’d downloaded directions to the Santa Ana Star Center and they seemed clear enough. I got a bit of a shock, however, when I came upon the Santa Ana Star Casino far short of where the map told me I was going. In my simple naïvete, here I thought the Center would be attached to the Casino. Nope.

At least the map was clear enough to give me confidence. On I drove. And on.

Later fellow attendee Jane Lindskold told me she’d called to ask for directions. She asked specifically what the Center was near. There came a pause, and then the reply, “It’s not really near anything.”

No, it’s not. It is, in fact, way out in the weeds.

Still it was hard to miss, rising out of the desert pretty much by itself. I got there with my box of books right before the doors were to open and joined my fellow writers at our table on the concourse. Two tables, actually, as well as another table for Bubonicon staffed by con chair Kristen Dorland and her sister-in-law (whose name I never manage to get; sorry.) I got slotted in between Walter Jon Williams and Gerald Weinberg. Out on the ends were Jane and Robert E. Vardeman.

The Center is relatively new, and a very nice, clean facility. Things started out fairly slow. Over the course of the evening, though, we got a fair amount of interest. A lot of kids came by to check us out, always a good thing - we need that rising generation of readers to keep us from having to get actual jobs.

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Thanks to everybody who turned out for the signing. I told you a good time would be had by all. And what do you know …?

I just had a big old boatload of fun Saturday at Page One. And as I said, I’m not even in the book. Although as it turned out I was called on to sign copies of various earlier Wild Cards books. And even one or two copies of Inside Straight, for people who apparently wanted to get as many WC authors’ autographs as possible.

We had a good turnout. I’d have to say at least a hundred people and probably more. We got a number of folks from ASFS, including the lovely and irrepressible Pat Rogers, Kevin Hewett, Craig Chrissinger, and Dawn Barela. Various WC authors not in the book appeared as well (so those who wanted as many signatures as possible kinda hit the jackpot), including Laura Mixon, Sage Walker, Gail Gerstner-Miller, Walter Jon Williams, and of course me, as well as Royce (Chip) Wideman and Parris, non-writers who contributed characters to the pantheon. To my pleased surprised a goodly contingent of non-Wild Cards NM authors also came out and supported us, including Pati Nagle and her husband Chris Crohn, Laura’s husband Steve Gould (whose movie Jumper comes out next week!), Robert Vardeman, Steve and Jan Stirling, and Jane Lindskold and her husband Jim Moore, Joan Spicci, and Ty and Jayné Franck. (Anyone I overlooked, please forgive me.)

What was coolest, though, as others in the group also noted, was how many faces we didn’t know. This wasn’t all just the Usual Suspects turning out, grateful as we all are to them for doing so. We got a lot of new people not just to attend, but to buy books. And that’s no bad thing.

The audience seemed to enjoy the presentation in advance of the signing proper. I did. When it was over a lengthy line formed for autographs. I had intended to come and listen to the opening show, then maybe take off. Instead I had such a great time hanging out and talking with people I never could tear myself away.

I also noticed that after the signing finally ended, and most of the regular public drifted away, the area Page One had set up in front of the signing tables with twenty or twenty-five chairs was mostly occupied by various NM SF writers talking to each other, reminding me once again what an incestuous community we are. Not that there’s anything wrong with that.

As we packed up Caroline Spector asked the gentleman from Page One who’d run things - profuse apologies; I’ve spaced on his name - how many books sold. He said about seventy-five, plus some put on hold by people who weren’t able to make the signing. While that left a lot of copies out of the 200 they had on hand, he seemed thrilled. That’s pretty good sales for New Mexico. And it’s not as if those’re the only copies that’re going to get sold.

The Wild (Cards) Bunch and select others adjourned to a nearby Garduño’s Restaurant, where super-agent Kay McCauley threw us a swell reception. There, thanks to the kind offices of Melinda, I actually got to meet our editor from Tor, Patrick Nielsen Hayden. I also met a couple of Parris’ very nice friends from Ireland, Paul and Sally. Paul, as he puts it, swordfights for a living - being a notable re-enactor and movie stunt guy.

Laura got concerned because one of her adolescent daughters wasn’t answering her cell phone. Eventually the strayed lamb was heard from. I told Steve I didn’t reckon they’d have much trouble from young men wanting to date their daughters. All they need do, I said, was point to Steve and say: yes, Dad wrote a novel that got turned into a movie starring Samuel L. Jackson. I mean, Samuel L. Jackson. That ought to cut down on the nonsense.

Of course, it also means the daughters will never actually have a date until they move to a different continent and change their names. But what’s that to parental peace of mind?

Many thanks are due to Page One, PNH, and Kay, all of whom did wonderfully well by us. Also Craig, who gave us a nice review in the previous Sunday’s Albuquerque Journal.

Parris said the whole get-together was “a lot like having the band back together.” John Miller said it was the best signing he’s ever participated in.

I tend to agree with both sentiments.

I can’t tell … and if you want some clues, go here.

Click there now and check it out. Seriously. I’ll still be here when you get back.

Y’all know, probably (and if you don’t, hang around a spell and it’ll all become abundantly clear) that I’m more than somewhat slightly skeptical and cynical about conventional Big House publishing and publishers.

That said, Tor Books so far are doing a bang-up job promoting our spanky-brand-new Wild Cards offering, Inside Straight. They’re actually putting some effort into it. And the just-launched American Hero site is a wonderful step.

I’m basically in love with the site. Along with a very fine-looking logo we have brilliant headshots of all the contestant aces (I love Toadie’s big ol’ eye just staring at you) taken from the big group pictures done by artist Mike S. Miller. Farther down, past the first of what will be a continuing series of “confessionals” by the contestants, and a description of the reality-television series which drives the plot for much of the book, we see the group portraits themselves, along with rosters. Fortunately you can click on the group shots for larger versions, which is a good thing, because they’re freakin’ gorgeous.

They’re also, according to the characters’ creators - I’m not one, incidentally - pretty accurate, allowing for a wisp of artistic license. Frankly, from what I’ve read, they’re far, far closer to the characters as described than most illustrations I’ve seen. Indeed, I wish I’d had these pix to refer to when I was writing my sequences for the (ahem!) next volume, Busted Flush. Since some of the characters pictured play prominent roles in my contributions.

Ah, well. I’ll have ‘em for Book Three. Provided I’m in the volume … which, I have to say at the risk of tempting Fate, is fairly likely … they’ll be great to draw upon.

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This hit me literally out of nowhere: the other day a message appeared in my e-box headed, “SCI FI NIGHT AT NM SCORPIONS HOCKEY,” from one Melissa Gomez, who proved to be the Director of Special Events for the New Mexico Scorpions hockey team (I’m presuming I’m not violating any confidence by posting this, since it concerns a public event, indeed a promotion.) At first I took it to be an invite for me to attend; on reading it, it turned out to be asking if I cared to participate.

Indeed do many things come to pass.

So what’s going on is, at 7:15 PM on Saturday, March 1^st 2008, the Scorpions will host a Sci-Fi Night at their game against the Colorado Eagles at the Santa Ana Star Center. For details I’ll just go ahead and quote the post verbatim:

“Mr. George Noory of Coast to Coast AM will be our guest that evening. Fans will have an opportunity to meet and ask questions. We would love to have local authors available to meet our fans and would like to extend an invitation to you to be our guest that evening. You will be able to display your books or upcoming events on the concourse and mingle with fans as they enter the arena at 6:00 pm. Currently local authors Walter Jon Williams, Jerry Weinberg and Jane Lindskold will also be joining us that evening.”

There you have it.

I wrote back to Ms. Gomez and said, basically, “Sure.” It sounds fun. And of course getting a chance to promote NM authors - myself notably included, o’ course - appeals to me. I don’t know exactly how big a draw a passel of SF authors will be at a hockey game, although if a lot of people turn out to see George Noory (Art Bell’s successor as host of the Coast to Coast overnight radio show, which deals with all sorts of weirdness) (as if you didn’t know) who knows? They might just find our high-quality local science fiction and fantasy entertainment product appealing too.

If nothing else, I’ll get to pass a pleasant evening with friends. I’ll go way out on a limb and predict there’ll be more of us there than Walter John, Jerry, Jane, and Your Humble and Disobedient. Not that anything sucks about that lineup…

And it should be a hoot to meet George Noory. Maybe he’ll decide to have some NM SF authors on his show some evening? We’re a fairly entertaining bunch, if I do say so myself as oughtn’t.

So if you’re in the area that night and find yourself at loose ends, fall by. You don’t know less about hockey than I do. It isn’t possible. We might even become fans. Stranger things happen. I’m just sure.

Since I was rendered mentally fuzzy (okay, more so than usual) by the cruds the last couple weeks, I plumb neglected to announce this: Tor Books is launching the all-new Wild Cards volume Inside Straight with a gala mega-signing Saturday, February 2, 2008 at Page One Bookstore, Montgomery and Juan Tabo NE in Albuquerque, at 2:00 PM MST.

Featured will be George R.R. Martin, Melinda M. Snodgrass, Daniel Abraham, Michael Cassutt, John Jos. Miller, Ian Tregillis, Carrie Vaughn, and Tor Books editor Patrick Nielsen Hayden. That’s, if I reckon right, seven of eight authors and the editor. They’ll be discussing the new mosaic novel as well, of course, as signing it.

Play your cards right and you might live to talk about it even get to see some other Wild Cards authors. Such as, um, me. I don’t have a story in this volume, but I do in the next. I’ve offered to come and heckle.

But wait - there’s more. Since two out of three authors will be there, you can also get your copy of the new SF novel Hunter’s Run by George R.R. Martin. Gardner Dozois, and Daniel Abraham signed.

That should fill anybody’s recommended daily allowance of awesome.

Mark it down on your calendars. A good time should be had by all.

Scott Phillips has decided to release his most recent film, Gimme Skelter, on DVD through Kurly Tlapoyawa’s Burning Paradise Entertainment label.

Check it out. It’s a good movie - I reviewed it here myself. As I mentioned, it’s not to everybody’s taste. But if you like indie horror - it transcends the genre.

Mainly, bravo to Scott and Kurly. It’s a courageous step. It’s also a necessary one, but for Scott as a creator and for the entertainment field in general. Including, need I add, prose fiction?

Centralized distribution of entertainment is broken. It no longer serves either creators or their audiences. It will not be fixed.

This applies to all major media.

Authors, artists, musicians, filmmakers, whatever - we’re going to have to take charge of distributing and marketing our own works to a greater and greater degree. This can and will happen individually as well as cooperatively. There’s no one model; one size does not fit all.

This change will also require our readers, listeners, viewers, what have you, to embrace - by which I mean, buy - independently offered works.

So please - if you’re interested in cleverly written and splendidly produced horror films, give this one a look.

Hey! It’s got nekkidness in it. What more do you need?

… And it’s all good.

First, we got a review of the new Wild Cards book, Inside Straight, and it’s glowing. Thanks, FantasyBookSpot!

In other news, my pal Melinda has jpegs of her new cover for The Edge of Reason up at her blog. Complete with a nifty blurb from that dang American Tolkien dude. He’s everywhere these days!

Check it out. It does have a rather … best-sellerish … look to it, methinks.

Fingers crossed.

Also Steve (S.M.) Stirling’s got two books in the top five sellers for both Borders/Walden and Barnes & Noble/Dalton, one in hardcover, one soft.

And Los Alamos Boy Scientist Ian Tregillis (who looks like a very young Errol Flynn) (Okay, 14. But, I mean, Errol Flynn!) just sold the splendidly-named Milkweed Triptych to Tor. As the name indicates it’s a trilogy.

So things continue to shake, rattle, and roll here in the Science Fiction Capital of the Known Universe. Woo-hoo!

Happy Dia de los Muertos, everybody! Hope you enjoyed Halloween. I did. Went and watched movies with friends.

I’m sitting here wasting time online to start the day - need to cut back on that - and have the German Bomber Channel, in this case The History Channel, on as sort of electronic wallpaper. And on comes a commercial for “the new novel by George RR Martin - the American Tolkien - A Feast for Crows, now in paperback!”

How cool is that?

Of course it also speaks to the malaise afflicting Big House publishing: that authors whom everybody knows and whose books are most eagerly awaited get massive promotion spending, whereas unknowns get … dregs. Meaning these expert marketing departments are really good (actually, their track record calls even this into question) in selling something everybody already wants. As to developing new properties - new producers - well …

But that’s a rant for another time. It’s more fun right now to look at all the cool things going on for science fiction writers in New Mexico - SF Capital of the Known Universe! We got Steve Gould’s Jumper coming out in February, starring Samuel by God Jackson (and Hayden Christensen, so this could be a wash, granted.) At Pat Rogers’s and Scott Denning’s Halloween party Saturday night - the social event of the Millennium to date! - Steve “S. M.” Stirling told me he’d just got a big advance for his new Dies the Fire book.

Closer to home the new Wild Cards volume, Inside Straight appears January 22, 2008. I’m not in this one but I am in the next. And my longtime pal Melinda Snodgrass’s (overly) long-delayed The Edge of Reason should arrive May 13, 2008.

And the above are just things from my friends. Apologies to the NM SF authors I may have slighted through ignorance.

So some big things are moving out here in the high desert. Given all that and Scott Phillips’s recent triumph - alluded to in the previous post - I need to get whippin’ to do my part to add to the tectonics here quite soon …

Important Safety Tip: as has become customary here on Sense of Adventure, if you hover over(most) of the above links you should see a product mini-description from Amazon. If you feel moved to buy any of the books or movies so listed, and do so clicking through these links, you’ll be supporting me, this site, and of course, Emma Dog. (Had to get her in here somehow.)

According to his blog, my pal Scott Phillips’ latest indie classic Gimme Skelter just won Best of the Fest Feature Film at the Halloween Horror Picture Show Film Fest in Tampa, Florida.

It’s high time his uniquely twisted genius started to gain widespread recognition. Financial success in his case is inevitable. It should happen sooner rather than later. He’s put in his time.