By one of those cosmic coincidences, my entire family is going to be in Toronto this week when I go to the Tesseracts launch at Bakka-Phoenix Books (3 PM on Saturday November 25, for those who haven't already penciled it in). When you add in visiting friends who live there it's going to be a busy weekend -- we're already booked for two suppers on Saturday night. I'm also hoping to see some of the other participants from Rob Sawyer's 2005 SF/F writing workshop and catching up a bit -- and also to picking up a copy of Fantasy Magazine at Bakka, since mine still hasn't come in the mail!
Matthew
Friday, November 24, 2006
Wednesday, November 22, 2006
Good week for the ego
This is turning out to be a week with an unusual amount of positive feedback. The poem in the Globe and Mail resulted in a bunch (well, two) emails from people who spotted my name and wanted to know if it was by me. Now I understand a bit better the people who haunt the local literary scene, publish stapled books of poetry and so on -- praise from someone you know is different from an acceptance letter or even a good review.
But wait, there's more!
I just got sent the official Edge SF and Fantasy press release about the launch of Tesseracts Ten this weekend, which I'm reproducing below.
"Tesseracts Ten" - Now Available Across Canada!(Calgary)
EDGE Science Fiction and Fantasy Publishing proudly announces the release of Tesseracts Ten, edited by award winning authors Robert Charles Wilson and Edo van Belkom. Tesseracts Ten is our ten year anniversary celebration issue and the latest anthology of Canadian Science Fiction, Fantasy and Speculative Literature. It's now available at major bookstores* and local independent resellers of SF&F across Canada (* by special order if it's not on the shelf).
Here's what we've said on the back cover (not a spoiler)..."Tesseracts Ten features the latest in innovative and futuristic fiction andpoetry and contains works from both leaders and exciting new emerging voices in Canadian speculative fiction - including Sheryl Curtis' English language translations of works by French-Canadian authors."The editors for Tesseracts Ten are Robert Charles Wilson and Edo van Belkom.Robert Charles Wilson is the author of many short stories and twelve novels. His work has appeared in such publications as Realms of Fantasy, F & SF, andTesseracts 3, 4 & 6, and his short story "The Inner, Inner City" was a World Fantasy Award finalist. His latest novel, "Spin", now in paperback, won the 2006Hugo Award. He has also received the John W. Campbell Award, three AuroraAwards, and the Philip K. Dick Award.Edo van Belkom has won both the Bram Stoker and Silver Birch Awards and is a three-time winner of the Aurora Award, Canada's top prize for speculative writing. Among his novels are "Scream Queen", "Blood Road", "Martyrs" and"Teeth". In addition to Tesseracts 10, Edo is the editor of four other anthologies including "Be Afraid!" and "Be Very Afraid!" His most recent work is a series of novels for young readers, "Wolf Pack", "Lone Wolf", and "Cry Wolf"."We are delighted with the quality and great diversity of Canadian writing shown in the stories selected by our editors!" says Brian Hades, publisher of EDGE Science Fiction and Fantasy Publishing." There are a wide range of writing styles, and some definite surprises!"Tesseracts Ten contains works by:Sandra Kasturi, Stephanie Bedwell-Grime, Wendy Waring, Allen Moore, SarahTotton, Greg Bechtel, Jason Christie, Michèle Laframbois, Matthew Johnson,Matthew Hughes, Victoria Fisher, Nancy Bennett, Scott Mackay, Lisa Smedman,Susan Forest, Yvonne Pronovost, René Beaulieu, Mark Dachuk, and Rhea Rose.
About the Tesseracts Series:Tesseracts Ten is the ELEVENTH book of the Tesseracts series. The entire collection includes Tesseracts, Tesseracts Two through Ten, andTesseracts Q -- which features English translations of works by Quebec's finest French speculative fiction writers. Many of Canada's best known writers and editors have contributed to one or moreTesseracts volumes. A few names that you might recognize are Robert J. Sawyer, Margaret Atwood, Élisabeth Vonarburg, Spider Robinson and William Gibson - just to name a few. All in all, 191 Canadian authors, editors and translators, and 322 short storiesand poems have been published between the covers of the Tesseracts Series.
Awards:The Tesseracts Series has often been recognized with awards. The previous volume, Tesseracts Nine - edited by Nalo Hopkinson and Geoff Ryman, won the Canadian Aurora award for Best Work (other) in English. Canada Celebrates!To celebrate the release of Tesseracts Ten, Bakka-Phoenix Science FictionBookstore (697 Queen Street West, Toronto, Ontario) will host a book launch thiscoming Saturday, November 25th at 3:00pm. If you are in Toronto, stop into thestore. The following authors will be in attendance:
Robert Charles Wilson
Edo van Belkom
Michèle Laframboise
Mark Dachuk
Scott Mackay
Sandra Kasturi
Stephanie Bedwell-Grime
Matthew Johnson
(that's me!)
But wait, there's more!
I just got sent the official Edge SF and Fantasy press release about the launch of Tesseracts Ten this weekend, which I'm reproducing below.
"Tesseracts Ten" - Now Available Across Canada!(Calgary)
EDGE Science Fiction and Fantasy Publishing proudly announces the release of Tesseracts Ten, edited by award winning authors Robert Charles Wilson and Edo van Belkom. Tesseracts Ten is our ten year anniversary celebration issue and the latest anthology of Canadian Science Fiction, Fantasy and Speculative Literature. It's now available at major bookstores* and local independent resellers of SF&F across Canada (* by special order if it's not on the shelf).
Here's what we've said on the back cover (not a spoiler)..."Tesseracts Ten features the latest in innovative and futuristic fiction andpoetry and contains works from both leaders and exciting new emerging voices in Canadian speculative fiction - including Sheryl Curtis' English language translations of works by French-Canadian authors."The editors for Tesseracts Ten are Robert Charles Wilson and Edo van Belkom.Robert Charles Wilson is the author of many short stories and twelve novels. His work has appeared in such publications as Realms of Fantasy, F & SF, andTesseracts 3, 4 & 6, and his short story "The Inner, Inner City" was a World Fantasy Award finalist. His latest novel, "Spin", now in paperback, won the 2006Hugo Award. He has also received the John W. Campbell Award, three AuroraAwards, and the Philip K. Dick Award.Edo van Belkom has won both the Bram Stoker and Silver Birch Awards and is a three-time winner of the Aurora Award, Canada's top prize for speculative writing. Among his novels are "Scream Queen", "Blood Road", "Martyrs" and"Teeth". In addition to Tesseracts 10, Edo is the editor of four other anthologies including "Be Afraid!" and "Be Very Afraid!" His most recent work is a series of novels for young readers, "Wolf Pack", "Lone Wolf", and "Cry Wolf"."We are delighted with the quality and great diversity of Canadian writing shown in the stories selected by our editors!" says Brian Hades, publisher of EDGE Science Fiction and Fantasy Publishing." There are a wide range of writing styles, and some definite surprises!"Tesseracts Ten contains works by:Sandra Kasturi, Stephanie Bedwell-Grime, Wendy Waring, Allen Moore, SarahTotton, Greg Bechtel, Jason Christie, Michèle Laframbois, Matthew Johnson,Matthew Hughes, Victoria Fisher, Nancy Bennett, Scott Mackay, Lisa Smedman,Susan Forest, Yvonne Pronovost, René Beaulieu, Mark Dachuk, and Rhea Rose.
About the Tesseracts Series:Tesseracts Ten is the ELEVENTH book of the Tesseracts series. The entire collection includes Tesseracts, Tesseracts Two through Ten, andTesseracts Q -- which features English translations of works by Quebec's finest French speculative fiction writers. Many of Canada's best known writers and editors have contributed to one or moreTesseracts volumes. A few names that you might recognize are Robert J. Sawyer, Margaret Atwood, Élisabeth Vonarburg, Spider Robinson and William Gibson - just to name a few. All in all, 191 Canadian authors, editors and translators, and 322 short storiesand poems have been published between the covers of the Tesseracts Series.
Awards:The Tesseracts Series has often been recognized with awards. The previous volume, Tesseracts Nine - edited by Nalo Hopkinson and Geoff Ryman, won the Canadian Aurora award for Best Work (other) in English. Canada Celebrates!To celebrate the release of Tesseracts Ten, Bakka-Phoenix Science FictionBookstore (697 Queen Street West, Toronto, Ontario) will host a book launch thiscoming Saturday, November 25th at 3:00pm. If you are in Toronto, stop into thestore. The following authors will be in attendance:
Robert Charles Wilson
Edo van Belkom
Michèle Laframboise
Mark Dachuk
Scott Mackay
Sandra Kasturi
Stephanie Bedwell-Grime
Matthew Johnson
(that's me!)
Tuesday, November 14, 2006
Tesseracts Ten launch
I wanted to report that I will be at the launch party for Tesseracts Ten at Bakka-Phoenix Books in Toronto on Saturday, November 25th at 3 PM, along with a number of other contributors to the anthology. Anyone who'd like to come is welcome.
Sunday, November 12, 2006
Deadline poet
I got some good news in an unusual area yesterday: I'm one of ten winners of a contest to submit topical poetry to the Globe and Mail. (I'm not sure how many people actually submitted poems, but let's assume it was more than ten.) I'm reprinting my poem below, for posterity; you can see the others here.
A note to non-Canadian readers: Michael Ignatieff is a candidate for the leadership of the Liberal Party whose name, if he wins the contest, will present a unique challenge for topical versifiers such as the Globe's John Allemang.
Words must be woven, warp and weft,
To hope to rhyme Ignatieff.
You'd sooner unite right and left
Than try to rhyme Ignatieff.
Columnists are moved to glee
By things he says while on TV
And in the many books he wrote
Before he knew he'd want your vote.
Newshounds, too, all salivate,
Anticipating more debates
When he whose "we" spans North and South
Might catch a case of foot-in-mouth.
Yes, they'll all have a merry time
Except for those whose words must rhyme.
Perhaps they'll call him Ig, full stop.
Or maybe Iggy -- Mike or Pop?
(The probability then rises
Of winning some Ig-Nobel prizes -
Or if he is too cool for them,
A Grammy for Best Punk PM.)
A college nickname, G-Bush style,
Lurking in his FaceBook profile?
Oh, why can't his name be as jolly
As Boutros Boutros-Ghali?
Trip gently off the tongue
Like "Dear Leader" Kim-il Sung?
A name that doesn't taunt,
Like U Thant or Immanuel Kant?
One that's easy to scan
Like Recep Tayyip Erdogan?
A laureate will feel bereft
Whan asked to rhyme Ignatieff.
Yes, poets fear the man yclept
I mean, ycleff
Michael 'The Count' Ignatieff.
A note to non-Canadian readers: Michael Ignatieff is a candidate for the leadership of the Liberal Party whose name, if he wins the contest, will present a unique challenge for topical versifiers such as the Globe's John Allemang.
Words must be woven, warp and weft,
To hope to rhyme Ignatieff.
You'd sooner unite right and left
Than try to rhyme Ignatieff.
Columnists are moved to glee
By things he says while on TV
And in the many books he wrote
Before he knew he'd want your vote.
Newshounds, too, all salivate,
Anticipating more debates
When he whose "we" spans North and South
Might catch a case of foot-in-mouth.
Yes, they'll all have a merry time
Except for those whose words must rhyme.
Perhaps they'll call him Ig, full stop.
Or maybe Iggy -- Mike or Pop?
(The probability then rises
Of winning some Ig-Nobel prizes -
Or if he is too cool for them,
A Grammy for Best Punk PM.)
A college nickname, G-Bush style,
Lurking in his FaceBook profile?
Oh, why can't his name be as jolly
As Boutros Boutros-Ghali?
Trip gently off the tongue
Like "Dear Leader" Kim-il Sung?
A name that doesn't taunt,
Like U Thant or Immanuel Kant?
One that's easy to scan
Like Recep Tayyip Erdogan?
A laureate will feel bereft
Whan asked to rhyme Ignatieff.
Yes, poets fear the man yclept
I mean, ycleff
Michael 'The Count' Ignatieff.
Wednesday, November 01, 2006
Another new story on the (virtual) shelves: "Jump, Frog!" in Ten Plagues
Just got word that the POD anthology Ten Plagues, which contains my story "Jump, Frog!", is available here. It was kind of a tough story to market, but I'm proud of it.
JUMP, FROG!
To an unnamed correspondent; found in the effects of Samuel Clemens ("Mark Twain") after his death, apparently unsent. Dated December 20, 1881.
You will recall, I think, a story I wrote some years back, about Smiley's jumping frog, how it was the subject of a peculiar bet, and how a fellow took an underhanded way to win it. It has done pretty well for itself, having had the good fortune to be translated into French and the better to be translated out of it. I put forth that it was a true story, and so it was, though many doubted it. Since then I have gained reason to believe, though, that I never did know the whole truth of it -- until now; that I shall ever be able to tell anyone that truth, however, I much doubt.
I have, as you may know, recently returned from a short stay in Canada; having to reside there for a certain time in order to claim ownership of my own work, I chose to visit Montreal and Quebec, on the grounds that a place that makes claims to being a separate nation ought to at least have a different language. I gave a speech there that was pretty well received, most likely due to it having as its main competition the weather. It was after the speech that I was approached by an odd little fellow, an old gentleman with a thick black moustache and a fringe of hair circling his bald skull. Standing very near, and mumbling into his chest, he said, "Meester Clemens" -- but I will cease there with reporting his words as he spoke them; recent experience with French has shown me how easily a man can be made to look a fool in a language not his own, and this was a man of great intelligence and education, as you will see.
His tale, then, began like this: "Mister Clemens, I have long wanted to meet you. My name is Luigi" -- but there, with his last name, we get into the unbelievable part of the tale; and so I will pass over it -- "and I believe I may cast some light on a story of yours."
My interest piqued, I nodded for him to continue. "I should like to hear about it," I said.
"You are an educated man, so I am sure you recognize my name; you are a rational man, so I feel certain you know something of my work. But you should know that it was not always as a scientist that I imagined myself: instead, as a young man, I imagined I would study theology, and join one of the monastic orders. For I had a hunger, you see, to study those questions which, at that time, the natural sciences did not even hope to answer. Above all, I wished to answer the question of life!"
JUMP, FROG!
To an unnamed correspondent; found in the effects of Samuel Clemens ("Mark Twain") after his death, apparently unsent. Dated December 20, 1881.
You will recall, I think, a story I wrote some years back, about Smiley's jumping frog, how it was the subject of a peculiar bet, and how a fellow took an underhanded way to win it. It has done pretty well for itself, having had the good fortune to be translated into French and the better to be translated out of it. I put forth that it was a true story, and so it was, though many doubted it. Since then I have gained reason to believe, though, that I never did know the whole truth of it -- until now; that I shall ever be able to tell anyone that truth, however, I much doubt.
I have, as you may know, recently returned from a short stay in Canada; having to reside there for a certain time in order to claim ownership of my own work, I chose to visit Montreal and Quebec, on the grounds that a place that makes claims to being a separate nation ought to at least have a different language. I gave a speech there that was pretty well received, most likely due to it having as its main competition the weather. It was after the speech that I was approached by an odd little fellow, an old gentleman with a thick black moustache and a fringe of hair circling his bald skull. Standing very near, and mumbling into his chest, he said, "Meester Clemens" -- but I will cease there with reporting his words as he spoke them; recent experience with French has shown me how easily a man can be made to look a fool in a language not his own, and this was a man of great intelligence and education, as you will see.
His tale, then, began like this: "Mister Clemens, I have long wanted to meet you. My name is Luigi" -- but there, with his last name, we get into the unbelievable part of the tale; and so I will pass over it -- "and I believe I may cast some light on a story of yours."
My interest piqued, I nodded for him to continue. "I should like to hear about it," I said.
"You are an educated man, so I am sure you recognize my name; you are a rational man, so I feel certain you know something of my work. But you should know that it was not always as a scientist that I imagined myself: instead, as a young man, I imagined I would study theology, and join one of the monastic orders. For I had a hunger, you see, to study those questions which, at that time, the natural sciences did not even hope to answer. Above all, I wished to answer the question of life!"
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