Updated on February 8, 2021 to show current book cover

I think of my novel, Limit of Vision, originally published in 2001, as the book-no-one-has-heard-of. Certainly, it occupies a weird place in my mental landscape, in large part because it was written in the great, oxygen-deprived emotional void that followed the publication of Vast.

I can’t talk about Limit of Vision without talking about Vast. Vast was a special book to me. It took everything I had to give as a writer. It was edgy, nontraditional science fiction, something I knew at the time would appeal mostly to the hard core of the genre. It was the book I was born to write — that’s how I felt, and I’m not going to argue the point now. But Vast, of course, was a market failure and very quickly out of print.

The experience left me with a sense of futility, but I forged on anyway and wrote Limit of Vision, a near-future biotech thriller that takes place primarily in the Mekong Delta. The novel sold to Tor for a much larger advance than I’d ever had before. Even so, in the wake of the failure of Vast to find a larger audience, I was not brimming with confidence.
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If you’ve got fifteen minutes, do go watch the short film “All Her Children Fought,” now available on YouTube. It’s based on a story by Tobias Buckell, and it’s a really excellent example of what can be done on a small scale by dedicated film makers.

Toby talks about the story behind the film in this blog post: “Sometimes it pays to take a chance.”

David Afsharirad is the editor of The Year’s Best Military SF & Space Opera, published by Baen Books. This is the first of an annual edition, and I’m very pleased and proud to report that two of my 2014 stories will be included:

* “Codename: Delphi” originally published at Lightspeed Magazine

and

* “Light and Shadow” originally published in the War Stories anthology.

Both stories are set in the story world of The Red, and “Codename: Delphi” features some of the same characters.

Publication date for the ebook is May 16, 2015, with the print book following on June 2, 2015.

We are capable of far more than we imagine.

Yesterday, for the first time, I ran six miles on the treadmill and I did it in 55:28, which works out to an average pace of 9:15/mile — not a big deal, but still, not bad for a fifty-four year old woman of no great height or running ability.

I’m not much of a motivational speaker, but I do want to say that if you’re interested in fitness, in getting in shape, in getting stronger, go for it! (Usual caveats — check with a doctor, etc. — you know yourself better than I do.) But it’s very likely that you are capable of far more than you imagine. That’s been the case for me. I was well into my forties before I started running somewhat regularly. I remember being astonished when I was able to sustain a good pace for thirty minutes. Now I’ve almost doubled that.

I think the key is to start slowly but keep it up. I started by running on the road. It’s a country road, so there are reflectors along the side. I’d run for the distance of four or five reflectors, then walk for two or three. As the days passed I’d extend the running segments and reduce the walking segments, until eventually I was running the whole thing.

My muscles were very sore when I first started. I don’t work out when I’m really sore. I let my body rest and heal. But I do workout when I’m a little sore — and usually I feel a lot better the next day. I tend to push myself pretty hard. But I also have a history of not exercising for stretches of time, sometimes because I’m traveling, or I’m sick, or I’m just so busy…but I always get back to it.
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My ebooks have been available through multiple vendors including Amazon, Kobo, Book View Cafe, Barnes & Noble, and my own publisher website Mythic Island Press.

But for those who prefer iBooks, I’m now offering some of my books there, and will likely be adding all of them before long.

So far, I’ve uploaded Memory and three of the nanotech books. Take a look at them here.

I’d also be interested to learn where you buy your ebooks, and why. I know a lot of people don’t like to buy from Amazon, but because of inertia, habit, and convenience, that’s where I get most of mine. How about you?

In the summer of 2012 I was lucky enough to attend Launch Pad, a week-long, wide-ranging crash course on current astronomy put on by Mike Brotherton, Professor of Astronomy at the University of Wyoming. Launch Pad was created for writers, editors, and people in film and other media, with the goal of improving the scientific accuracy of our stories and promoting a culture of science.

The sessions are a lot of fun! And this year, with some funding from the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America, travel stipends have returned. The other bit of good news: Mike tells us that this year they “managed to secure the ‘Honors House’ on campus, which should be a major step up from the dorms.” The dorms where I stayed during my visit we’re pretty rugged, but mostly they were hot.

Click this link for more information about Launch Pad, along with the application form.

In one of those strange confluences, today I find myself with three contracts to read and a short interview to answer. Not a bad situation to be in!

And a couple of days ago I stumbled across the seeds of what might be my next novel. It’s much too early to know, but I am very intrigued.

Also, I have a short story coming out in March, so if you haven’t already signed up for my newsletter, please do so. It’s the best way to keep in touch. The next issue I have planned will go out to announce the release of the story, titled “The Way Home.” Find the sign up form over there –> in the right sidebar.

More soon…

This post is for the few gym rats who might be out there — my thoughts on weight machines by Hoist.

Around Thanksgiving our local 24-Hour Fitness gym closed for a few days, and when it re-opened most of the old weight machines were gone, replaced with a new line of equipment by a company called Hoist.

My evaluation so far: I don’t like Hoist all that much — not so far anyway — although I can appreciate aspects of their equipment, and I presume as time goes by I will adapt.

The main factor that makes Hoist different is that the seat moves on most of the machines. I presume this is to get more benefit from the exercise through every angle of the lift, and this aspect is fine with me. I don’t have any objection to it.

Another positive aspect is that the hand grips on most of their machines are a material somewhat like hard-rubber, so it’s more comfortable to lift with bare hands than with gloves.

There are three factors that I don’t like:

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After several weeks of intense revision, Book 3 of The Red Trilogy has gone off to Joe Monti, my editor at Saga Press. I am eagerly awaiting his opinion.

This was a difficult book to write, but I like the way it’s come together, and look forward to the improvements that will happen as I get more editorial feedback.

How long did it take to write? This question might be of interest only to other writers, but for me, when I’m in the midst of a first draft it can feel like the draft is taking forever, with very little progress. Then again, for me, progress is usually made in fits and starts, with seemingly useless days of incredible effort, followed by a day of fantastic word flow.

At any rate, looking back at my notes, I did some initial brainstorming on this story in early April, and then again in May. I tried writing the opening a couple of times, discarded most of this effort, and began again on May 12. That day I managed 1300 words. Then I didn’t write anything else until after I returned from the Nebula Awards. So let’s say around eight months to a really solid draft. For comparison, The Red took around five months, and The Trials took seven. You’d think these books would get easier to write, not harder…but at least it’s “done”–for the moment anyway!

And another amazing Larry Rostant cover, this one for The Trials, book 2 of The Red Trilogy, to be published by Saga Press in August.