Just The Caffeine Talking

Arisia 2015, Featuring MEE!

The venerable Arisia convention gets underway at the Westin on Boston's waterfront tomorrow, and once again I will be a program participant. If you want to see me perform for your entertainment, here's where and when the monkey will dance:

Friday (January 16) at 5:30 p.m.: Do We Need Science Fiction? Panel discussion on whether SF really plays a role in the development of new technologies. James L. Cambias (moderator), Stephen Wilk, B. Diane Martin, Jeff Warner, and Suzanne Reynolds-Alpert.

Saturday (January 17) at 1:00 p.m.: Game Design From First Principles Panel on game design theory and methods, open to audience members with games they'd like help in developing. Joshua Newman (moderator), James L. Cambias, David Olsen, Jaime Garmendia, and Carolyn VanEseltine

Sunday (January 18) at 10:00 a.m.: Reading Don Sakers, James L. Cambias, and Suzanne Palmer. I'll be reading from my short story "Contractual Obligation" in the War Stories anthology.

Sunday at 2:30 p.m.: Story Autopsy Panel discussion in which we analyze what works and what doesn't in well-known published works. This time we're doing two recent award-winners — "The Lady Astronaut of Mars" by Mary Robinette Kowal, and "The Water That Falls On You From Nowhere" by John Chu. 

 

Looking Forward

"And remember my friend, future events such as these will affect you in the future."

It's traditional to make predictions for the New Year, and I'm a man who respects tradition. So, here are my predictions for 2015.

I PREDICT that on or around February 3 of this coming year, you will be able to purchase A Darkling Sea in trade paperback and audiobook formats. Don't ask me how I know, it's just a feeling.

I PREDICT that on March 20 people in Africa and the Middle East will be able to see an eclipse of the Sun. Also on April 4 and September 28, there will be eclipses of the Moon. I figured these out using Tarot cards.

I PREDICT that on May 5, readers can purchase Corsair in hardcover and e-book formats. This is written in the stars.

I PREDICT (after reading the entrails of pigeons) that on Bastille Day the New Horizons space probe will whip past the dwarf planet Pluto.

I PREDICT that a celebrity will do or say something controversial in 2015. I know it's a risky proposition, but I'm willing to go out on a limb.

Happy New Year to all.