UnCommonwealth

Catchy tune

Singularicat!

In the five thousand years of recorded human history, and indeed, in all of anthropologically and archeologically knowable human history, it is inarguably true that every single significant technological advance has been rapidly propagated across all cultures and societies, and that every individual human (for it is the individual who holds primacy of place in all human philosophies) quickly experienced profound and positive changes to their lives, physiologies, and psyches because of that advance. 

What makes these days--these final days, friends--so exciting is that this time, the change will be in the mighty works of our heirs in invention, systems and networks.

How lucky to live in a time when plentiful economic and energy surpluses are devoted to this ultimate project! How wonderful to be among the billions who will realize the benefits! How blessed to be one of the Western futurists who can confidently forecast the hour and the day!

One Day In April

I had originally planned to express my support for the "Blog Every Day in April" effort by not providing any distractions. I launched a parallel "Blog No Days in April" effort, but then realized that if I took a whole month off, then it would look... a lot like all the other months around here.

Not much new in the Christopher department. A writer-cam would tell you that I'm sometimes still in my pajamas at 9:30 am, and that for most of the day I'm sitting with my iBook on my lap and feet propped up on my desk. "Look, he typed something! Well, maybe--that could have just been him command-tabbing back and forth between Scrivener and his dictionary utility. No, now he's typing, definitely--and now he's deleted it. Tea! He just took a sip of tea! What's he staring at on the ceiling I wonder?"

The things I'm slooowly typing are my novel draft for Wizards of the Coast, more new words on my other novel, Sarah Across America (I'm taking the first four or five chapters to Rio Hondo, a workshop in Taos, at the end of next month--the e-mail said maximum 17K words, but I don't know if I'll drop that big a brick on my colleagues or not), and a novella or novellini or something called "The Tangled Girl" that's sort of tangentially related to Sarah (or will be), except instead 1930s Brit-Empire-Never-Ended America with megafauna and weird magic it's sort of timeless southeastern America as secondary fantasy world with folklore cryptids as the monsters and half-baked pre-industrial socialism instead of half-baked pre-industrial feudalism for the politics. That's for Sycamore Hill, a workshop in North Carolina in June.

Just turned in a short story to Wizards for an upcoming Forgotten Realms anthology. And I suppose I'm technically "writing" our new D&D campaign, in which Gwenda plays a purple quasi-immortal shaman who is quite literally a deva. That's called "The Sixth Company."

And we have a faboo new dog trainer lady. It took her ten minutes to calm Puck's fears with good sense and a good heart--now we try to imitate her efforts. Which I should go do right now, actually. It's sunny, and the dogs know it.

Bonus links:

• Via LCRW, a haunting Antonia Byatt poem at the New Yorker, Trench Names
• Interesting discussion about food in science fiction at Gwenda's blog
• I like quotations! Toby Buckell provides some, and other folks provide more in the comments
• And some sad news, following on the passing of Gary Gygax last year, Dave Arneson, the co-inventor of Dungeons & Dragons, has passed away

Super busy, but real quick

Look out! Deadlines are flying all over the place around here!

But here are a few things that are contributing to my good mood today.

• Go Cards! Beat LSU!
• Got word that my story "Men of Renown," originally published in Bittersweet Creek and Other Stories, will appear in translation in the June issue of Hayakawa's SF Magazine in Japan, marking my second appearance in that fantastic publication and this particular piece's first reprint in any language (that I know of, anyway). This story garnered one of my favorite lines in a review: "'Men of Renown' is a herald of what Rowe can do best: deal with time and place without limits." (Tangent Online)
• Cassie Clare's City of Glass is out today! Yay! (I honestly don't know how I'm supposed to link books anymore.)
• I'm thrilled to announce that I'll be reading with my friend Andy Duncan on December 16th at Manhattan's legendary KGB Bar in a special "all drawl" edition of the monthly Fantastic Fiction series hosted by Ellen Datlow and Matthew Kressel.
• Go Cards! Beat Arizona!

Something really old, something really new

Two things that came my way yesterday.

First, I got my very first piece of fan art! One Edward Cook, a very careful reader indeed, sent me this montage of images from my best-known story, "The Voluntary State" (with the bonus inclusion of a bicycle from the proposed related novel, The Border State). Thanks, Edward!

And thanks also to Eric J. Schlarb, staff archeologist with the Kentucky Archeological Survey, for identifying the artifact I uncovered while I was taking out a fence in out back yard. This point, he says, "probably functioned as an atlatl dart point or knife," and "probably dates to the Late Archaic subperiod (6,000-3,000 years ago)."

Ken Starr and the Code of Holiness

Dear People,

If you don't think Leviticus 11:8 required the Steelers offensive unit to undergo ritual cleansing after the big game Sunday...

And you don't think Leviticus 19:19 means that wearing a Fruit-of-the-Loom t-shirt is the moral equivalent of raping a slave girl...

Then maybe what Jesus said in John 13:34 trumps whatever other much-translated, culturally- and historically-mysterious verses some folks use to gift wrap their hate with, eh?

A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one to another.

"Fidelity": Don't Divorce... from Courage Campaign on Vimeo.

Inkheart

Wow, what a surprise that movie was. Best fantasy film I've seen in ages--in its way, it equals or even exceeds Pan's Labyrinth.

The story itself is as old as stories, like many of the best ones, but the way the characters are staged is fascinating and not at all traditionally cinematic. There are three major protagonists (played by Brendan Fraser, Paul Bettany, and, a revelation, Eliza Bennett), two minor (another promising youngster, Rafi Gavron, and the incomparable Helen Mirren clearly having the time of her life), and two tertiary (Jim Broadbent in crazed crotchety mode and Sienna Guillory doing fantastic physically expressive work). All of them have their own arcs, and all of them approach the same set of problems in different ways that grow out of their personalities, backgrounds, and skill sets. The complex, but never confusing, plot is well served by a beautiful setting (the Alps around Lake Geneva and points north, looked like), a judicious use of special effects, and a deft directorial hand.

Of course, a movie that loves books is easy for me to love. Also, there's an awesome minotaur. Parents will be interested to know that we were in a theater full of kids, and it was a quiet theater, because from toddler to tween, they were all leaning forward in their seats, rapt.

Now, an aside to Brendan Fraser haters, a club the existence of which baffles me. Yes, this is the guy who made Encino Man and George of the Jungle. But he's also the guy who made Traffic and Gods & Monsters. Y'all ever heard of Peter O'Toole or Michael Caine? He's a working actor, and even when the material ain't that great, he still works it, because that's his craft and his calling. As it happens, the material of Inkheart is great.

But I never do links posts!

Here's some stuff that has interested and amused me this week. Maybe some of it'll interest or amuse you.

The Mountain that Eats Men: A lengthy article at Walrus Magazine about living and dying in Potosí, Bolivia's infamous La Negra mine.

Flooding a McDonald's as Video Art: The UK based Architect's Journal previews a fascinating short film.

Gold: "The Web Series That Deals Double Damage" is a professionally produced, written, directed and (for the most part) acted series that should appeal to fans of The Guild and Kings of Kong. Sharp-eyed Colbert fans should notice a shout-out.

The Climbs of California: Specifically the cycling climbs on tap for the upcoming Tour of California, one of the finest spectacles in American sport. Some local elite riders put together this fascinating series of videos, graphs, and maps that hits at least three of my geek sweet spots.

And finally, a quote from someone whom I hope finds the peace in death he never found in letters.

"Most of American life consists of driving somewhere and then returning home, wondering why the hell you went."

—John Updike (1932-2009)

Nifty

I got my first ever novel advance check in the mail just now (the portion due "on signing," which doesn't exactly mean "on signing"). And some earlier-than-expected short story money as well. I remember, wow, over ten years ago now, getting my first ever writing check in the mail from Sovereign Media for my debut story in Realms of Fantasy. I used it to pay rent. I shall use this to make a mortgage payment and buy a bunch of groceries. And maybe a few books. And also possibly a bottle of champagne, since we're apparently gonna be snowed in tomorrow anyway. And maybe we'll go see some movies.

But now, since neither of the pieces these checks partly pay for are actually, y'know, done, I guess I'll get back at it.

Le Joie de Vivre

Back in the Bluegrass, where the temperature is a humane fifty Fahrenheit and rising.

In celebration, I offer you, from the Europa Film Treasures online archiving project, this nine minute 1934 animated short from France, directed by Anthony Gross and Hector Hopin, with music by Tibor Harsanyi. Art deco! Ballet! Trains! Bicycles!

Le Joie De Vivre.

(Via Flavorpill's Daily Dose newsletter.)