In the “What is Hard Science Fiction” panel I got scolded by Jerry Pournelle when I admitted that I don’t always do my own math. (Hi, Ryan!) I’m leading with that bit, because it was the first session of the day, and that really was the only thing I could consider a “blemish” my Friday. And it’s not even really a “blemish.” It’s just accurate criticism that I can think about the next time I don’t have time to do my own math.
Those of you who think that Schlock Mercenary is “hard science fiction” have probably watched too much Star Trek. 🙂
Following the session with Jerry, I sat down and did a little concept work for a commercial project. Hey, I’m ALWAYS on the clock, these days. I also took a half-nap in a comfy chair with my iPod and Vangelis Oceanic.
After lunch I had a session with Jake Black (Smallville writer and researcher), Lee Allred, and Jeanette Atwood about “writing for comics and graphic novels.” It was fun. Mostly, my contribution was “I’ve got it easy. The artist and the writer are the same person, so I don’t have to write what I’m thinking the action will look like.” Hardly helpful for aspiring writers, but hey, it’s the truth.
I spent a little time between sessions preparing for the Schlock Mercenary session (which I’ve discussed in the previous LJ entry). Afterwards I sat down with some folks and started drawing.
I was pretty jazzed, pretty pumped, and just a little full of myself. Then Sandra came in (she missed the session, but she got to come for the rest of the evening) and I inadvertently introduced her to “my wife Bob Defendi.”
Yeah, I’ll never hear the end of THAT. Bob, you know I can only have one wife, and besides, you and I only just met.
I whipped out caricatures and character sketches (with marker colors, for FREE, no less) and then I did the “Webcomics” panel.
There were a dozen webcartoonists on the panel. I did my best to talk LESS than half the time, but MORE than 1/12th of the time. This crowd was almost entirely Provo-local webcartoonists, and I’d seen exactly NONE of their work before. And you know what? The panel was GREAT. The discussion was solid, the questions were to-the-point, and nobody was pimping their own work (at least not once we’d finished the obligatory introductions.) We had a wonderful discussion of the medium, the community, promotion, crossover, etc.
After the panel, Sandra, Dan, Bob-is-not-my-wife, and I went to Denny’s and shot bull. I drew a Bob caricature (I’d already done one of Dan, and Bob had been watching me crank them out for fangirls earlier that evening, wondering covetously whether he could get one), we talked about LARPing, and basically wound down.
Speaking of winding down, now that I’ve WRITTEN about all of it, I need to get to bed. My first session tomorrow is at 9am.
–Howard
I think Schlock Mercenary is Hard SF under the David Hartwell model — a rigorous development of the terms your world works under, a careful adherance to the laws of nature save when you specificially change those laws of nature, followed by carefully adhering to those changes just as rigorously.
If we’re going to take “Hard Science Fiction” as the point somewhere between a Ben “I don’t see how you can write about FTL and call yourself hard SF” Bova and a “Babylon 5 is so hard SF — look at the Starfuries rotating in three dimensions! And the PPGs! Those all make sense!”, you fall solidly in there, somewhere. In my opinion, anyway.
That’s an interesting definition, though, because it also includes a fair bit of magic-based fantasy along with the things we tend to think of as Hard SF.
Hartwell wouldn’t disagree. When I got his Ascent of Wonder: the Evolution of Hard SF I was stunned to find it included things like the original Dragon novella by Anne McCaffery. Hartwell included it as an example of methodology of writing, instead of rigorous scientific realism.
Which, admittedly, has been somewhat controversial for him. 😉
Any chance you’ll be able to attend the Mephit Fur Meet, Sept 2-4 down in Memphis? Would be interesting to sit in on a comics pannel with you in it.
Cheers
Not at all likely unless someone there wants to pay for airfare and hotel.
Y’all could start a “Get me to MFM” fund. Not like you’d be the first to do so.
Cheers
PS: I don’t do my own math either
In the “What is Hard Science Fiction” panel I got scolded by Jerry Pournelle when I admitted that I don’t always do my own math.
Wow, that’s quite the perfectionist. We can’t all be outstanding authors, irresistable to women, and mathematical geniuses at the same time. I, myself, am only two out of three.
On what grounds the “scolding”, Howard? Should hard sci-fi authors be disallowed from collaborating?
Re: PS: I don’t do my own math either
Roomie, I’m just sitting here wondering which one *might* apply to you.
I think I can definitely rule out outstanding author, for obvious reasons. Mathematical genius as well, since you did make everything plural, and if there are two of you then the other one better be coughing up some rent.
I know you are irresistable to *one* woman, though… and there exists the possibility that another may exist, so that one ends up being a push. Oh, right, just remembered. Her sister thought you were cute. So, assuming Amy counts, you can have that one.
Take care! And Roomie, lemme loan you The Mote In God’s Eye, so you can see just what Dr. Pournelle thinks on the subject.
Heh, I just feel the need to say that on the writing for comics and graphic novels panel, my from the audience comment about you not being popular in high school was meant as both jest and compliment. ^_^ THe popular kids were usually unimaginative pricks, anyway.