Science Fiction & Fantasy

I'll soon be poised to start what I hope will be a writing routine for the rest of my life. Designating at minimum 1 hour of each night to writing. Perhaps 2 in time. Life is busy but it's something I must do, something I want to do.

I'm reading again Orson Scott Card's How To Write Science Fiction & Fantasy. A good book, by the way, and I recommend it to anyone who wishes to do just that. It defines very well the differences between science fiction and fantasy, the reasons for establishing them, why you can still afford to discard them at a certain point, and why the two categories are always [rightfully] lumped together in bookstores.

But this, chiefly, is his rule of thumb: "If the story is set in a universe that follows the same rules as ours, it's science fiction. If it's set in a universe that doesn't follow our rules, it's fantasy. Or in other words, science fiction is about what could be but isn't; fantasy is about what couldn't be."

Pretty easy, huh? It also reminds me why I so enjoy fantasy and prefer it over science fiction. But I love that they can mix sometimes. The best example I have ever seen of a story that straddles the line between the two is the Coldfire Trilogy by C.S. Friedman. Consider that another recommendation. Even my magic-scorning father enjoyed that one, and there's plenty of supernatural elements to that story.

Anyway, it's time to get down to business with speculative fiction!

Giving, of the ‘Thanks’ Variety

Come now, we all know that Thanksgiving is really about the colors orange and brown, eating turkey and lots of corn and stuffing and good food. And that yummy cranberry "sauce" that comes out in the shape of the can.

The excuse is that it’s about some historical feast that vaguely connects to our identity as Americans or some such thing, but that’s because people feel they need a reason to get together with family. I’m never really an apologist for traditional, obligatory get-togethers. But when I think about never having any such events, I realize that I’m more for them than against them.

This Thanksgiving for me consists of Marisa, her parents and a few scattered family and friends. Nothing grand. Just a cozy little get-together. And I like that.

I’m finally back into the writing groove, if with a slow start.

And I’ve rediscovered Hordes of the Underdark while unpacking. Darn it.

16 Days Later

And I'm still wildly giddy about my life right now. Sure, there's some things that could be better about certain life circumstances. But I love having this little home now, together with mi esposa. Until my work shift changes—something that's been pushed off again and again—I won't see much of Marisa now except on weekends. When I come home, she's sleeping. When she wakes up, I'm sleeping, with only those all too brief passing moments.

But I'm happy. There's so much work ahead for me and I'll only do what I can handle. Just having something to do is thrilling, though.

And I've got many great friends, near and far. I owe all these things to God. I will try my best not to make anyone who might read this weblog uncomfortable with preachy-seeming words, but I'll not deny for a second that I believe this life and all that comes with it is no simple roll of the bones. Sorry, Neil. I don't really buy it.

Word of the Day

My brother, in his own small way, is an insuppressible gadabout. See?

Building Bridges on the Ocean Floor

So much to say, so little time to do it.

My wedding came and went. It went better than I’d dared to hope. The Tiny flaws were overrun, grappled, and severely bullrushed by the Colossal positives of the day. I want to thank the many people who helped us make the day what it was: a celebratory soup of colliding worlds, old and new faces clasped with silly masks and big grins. Let me start a little list, which is off the record since I know more formal thank-yous will eventually find their way through various electronic and hand-delivered pathways.

Thank you to...

John, my brother, the Man in the Copper Mask, for being one of my Best Men and for just generally lending a hand or eight whenever we needed it, and for the music you composed. Plus things wouldn’t have been as fun without you. So did you make up The Trout or what? That was insane. As was that crazy mask. Aquatic witch doctor from outer space—that's my description and I'm sticking to it.

Kate Baldwin, for pretty much the same reason…and for helping us create the invitations…and for giving Marisa and I a kick-ass scrapbook that commemorates the whole thing (and to show off to people at work!). This would all have been a lot more difficult without your organizational skills.

Josh, for being one of my Best Men and for bringing great fun to the whole experience. Wouldn’t have been the same without you. And I sincerely thank you for the “nervewracking, off the cuff” toast you made (which, though impromptu, was quite appropriate), even after I told you beforehand that no such thing was expected of you or anyone. I didn’t expect my father to pull a fast one on you like that! (Sneaky traditionalist family members.)

Harley, Ed, and Lara, for coming the great distance that you did. It was truly an honor to have you guys there with me. I loved meeting you each and I lament that we had so few hours to hang out. I really, really do. Harley, everyone who you spoke with remembers you—even my parents. You really are a great guy, and amiable beyond all modern-day rationale! And as everyone has observed, your dancing was well-noted and memorable! Ed and Lara, I wish I’d been available enough during the reception to pull you two up on the dance floor, but I thank you for just plain being there. I hope you had fun. It is fitting, Ed, that you recognized the Rush lyric, since that is how we met.

My oldest friends, Steve, Dan, and Bonnie, who came from California, Indiana, and Rhode Island respectively who, along with Josh, are some of the only people familiar with West Point before this day. Meant a lot to me that you were there, too. A hell of a lot.

Darren, Richie, Devon, friends from near and far—it was important to me to have you guys there with me. Thank you. You guys are also on my list of People It’s a Damned Shame I Can’t Hang Out With Every Weekend.

Jess and Ruth, for helping set things up at Herbert Hall and making the reception itself a more sprightly event all around! Dancers were needed, and you delivered!

Jen, we weren’t terribly successful in getting you up on the dance floor, but I hope that you had fun anyway. You looked great. Marisa adored your attire. Hell, everyone looked great! Those of you who came in costume overdid yourselves! I was happy to have another West Pointer there, and what fun would it have been without our local half-gypsy?

There’s tons of people to thank, in the end, and here I’m only mentioning those I think might actually read this! I owe a lot to Marisa's friends and her whole side of the family. The decorations were all her brother Eddie, too. The list goes on.

I’ll talk about our honeymoon…er…jellymeteor soon (and I have pictures, too), but for now I still have much to do. Marisa and I still have to get settled in our apartment, and I’ve got tons of writing ahead of me to get started on. I have my website to reinstate (it expired in my absence!), and I have to re-adjust for work, too. In many ways, I feel like I’m plugging back into the Matrix after a wonderful week and a half of exploring an adventurous program designed specifically with Marisa and I—all of which started last Saturday.