SFFE, The Future and You

Today marks the launch of a new site called Science Fiction and Fantasy Ethics. I'm a member of its editorial board, though what that entails, exactly, is still a bit vague to me. I think at some point I might be supposed to contribute an article or something. Anyway, the site has been established to celebrate the positive in Science Fiction, Fantasy, and Horror. By celebrate the positive, I don't mean that it will only talk about happy, upbeat fiction and films. Instead, the site is intended to be a place where people talk about what they love in the genres instead of what they hate. We aren't going to waste energy convincing people that the latest Hollywood movie is awful SF, or the latest best-selling teen-oriented fantasy is literary drivel. Instead, we'll turn our energies to talking about what a terrific film "Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind" was, or the thrill we felt when we first read "Snow Crash." I'm looking forward to seeing how the site moves forward with its mission. I'm reminded a bit of my attitude when I started my small press zine "Pursuit" back in the 90s. Then, I was bugged by all the dystopian futures I saw, and wanted instead to publish stories that imagined worlds where libertarian ideas had finally triumphed. The motto for the zine was "Imagine freedom." It's very easy to attack the things you don't like in this world. It sometimes requires a little energy and thought to instead promote the stuff you love.

And, speaking of things I love, I love science, and I love hearing myself talk. Fortunately for me, Stephen Euin Cobb runs a podcast hosted at Baen's Universe called "The Future and You" where he invites science fiction writers (and actual scientists) to discuss trends they anticipate in the future. My interview was supposed to last a little under an hour. Instead, I .... well, lets just say I ran over my time a bit. Or a lot. And instead of filling up one episode of the podcast, I'm going to be featured in three episodes. I do talk a lot about the future, but I also talk about circus freaks and angels. It's tough for me to stay on topic. Anyway, I think the episodes may be of interest to folks who enjoy my writing, either in my books or my blogs. You can find my episodes under the master list of episodes of "The Future and You." After you listen to my episodes, be sure to check out others. Cobb is a terrific interviewer, and, I can now attest that he has excellent taste in guests....