I recently received an email from an old friend from high school who saw this blog, and it brought back memories. (She shall remain anonymous, since I do not have permission to reveal her identity.)
I remember being incredibly angry with my mother for shoving me into a school for gifted children. I suspected then, and am certain now, that this was not for my good, but for her to show off. At age 15, I had gone to public schools for most of my education, and here I had to take an IQ test just to get admitted to this exclusive private school. Then I had to try to keep up with a whole class full of geniuses. The stress caused my health to crash, I suffered a bout of shingles and I ended up on tranquilizers to two years.
At one point, I nearly committed suicide. Instead I left home. At age 17, I walked out the door at ten o'clock at night, a week before Christmas, with ten dollars in my pocket. With no destination in mind, and no resources to support me, I took my chances on the random events of that night.
That was a long time ago, but I still see it clearly. That is how I write my stories. I walk out the door and take my chances.
I am so glad that my old friend contacted me. I've been wondering about her for all these years. It's always good to hear from an old friend. And I'm so glad that both of us have survived and possibly thrived.
~~~
It's a Philip K. Dick World! “Reality is that which, when you stop believing in it, doesn’t go away.” —Philip K. Dick Government intrusion into our personal lives is increasing, the economy is shot and the media focus on hate and violence. Philip K. Dick's fifth and last wife, Tessa Dick, talks about her husband. I have my own books and stories, as well.
Thursday, July 16, 2009
Saturday, June 13, 2009
Fantasy & Science Fiction, Still Classy After All These Years
The two somewhat related genres of fantasy and science fiction sometimes hold hands and often clash. Fantasy evokes the dream world of anything that you might dream or imagine, while science fiction attempts to stay within the bounds of, well, science. In the Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction, they have found a happy and lasting marriage. This publication has been around since before I was born, and that longevity says something about quality. I am not talking about the ivory-tower academic definition of quality, but rather the editorial savvy that manages to select stories that keep readers reading and coming back for more.
Established and emerging writers often find themselves sharing these pages, and they often read this magazine to keep up with trends in the field. I read it for pleasure, as well.
The first thing that I noticed about the August/September 2009 issue of Fantasy & Science Fiction (affectionately known as F&SF) was that it is very thick. In fact, it is as thick as some paperback books – maybe thicker. They have gone from monthly to bimonthly and expanded their content to fit two months of material into a single issue.
This is still the familiar newsprint magazine with a glossy cover, and it still features established and emerging writers of stories that ask us to suspend disbelief for the few minutes or hours that it takes to read a short story or novella.
Inside I found the customary editorial by Gordon Van Gelder – the editor and publisher of F&SF – seven novellas and three short stories, plus the departments – Books to Look For, Books, Films, Coming Attractions, and Curiosities. Here and there I see an ad, a cartoon or a poem. Yes, this is the same familiar magazine, but thicker and heavier.
Rather than attempting to read and review every story and novella in the magazine, I have selected two of each that stand out in my mind.
Novellas
“The Art of the Dragon”, by Sean McMullen
I have always loved dragons, especially the one in that movie with Sean Connery as the dragon’s voice. That having been said, I opened this story with high expectations. I found a story about art that happened to have a dragon in it, but I was not disappointed. This fast-paced tale has plenty of action and plenty of ideas to digest. It kept me thinking long after the last word reached through my eyes and into my brain.
“A Token of a Better Age”, by Melinda M. Snodgrass
This jewel of a story really sparked my interest. The title alone drew me in, and soon I found myself immersed in a magical world where my favorite mythical creature – the dragon, of course – ravages the countryside. In a dungeon in ancient Rome, two condemned men share the stories of their lives. The Centurion and the Patrician both hope to survive the arena and walk out free men, but both know that their hope is as thin as a veil of gossamer.
Short Stories
“You Are Such a One”, by Nancy Springer
I’ve already read and heard enough stories about middle-aged, menopausal women, and yet this story does have something to offer. I just can’t get past the cliché opening.
“Hunchster”, by Matthew Hughes
This little gem of a story revolves around a poker game and a kid with Asperger’s syndrome (a fancy term for something like the middle ground between autism and hyperactivity ). The moral of the story is that crime doesn’t pay, but it is presented in a fresh and interesting way.
~~~
Overall, F&SF stands out for its high quality of writing and editing. It is well worth the price of a subscription.
~~~
Established and emerging writers often find themselves sharing these pages, and they often read this magazine to keep up with trends in the field. I read it for pleasure, as well.
The first thing that I noticed about the August/September 2009 issue of Fantasy & Science Fiction (affectionately known as F&SF) was that it is very thick. In fact, it is as thick as some paperback books – maybe thicker. They have gone from monthly to bimonthly and expanded their content to fit two months of material into a single issue.
This is still the familiar newsprint magazine with a glossy cover, and it still features established and emerging writers of stories that ask us to suspend disbelief for the few minutes or hours that it takes to read a short story or novella.
Inside I found the customary editorial by Gordon Van Gelder – the editor and publisher of F&SF – seven novellas and three short stories, plus the departments – Books to Look For, Books, Films, Coming Attractions, and Curiosities. Here and there I see an ad, a cartoon or a poem. Yes, this is the same familiar magazine, but thicker and heavier.
Rather than attempting to read and review every story and novella in the magazine, I have selected two of each that stand out in my mind.
Novellas
“The Art of the Dragon”, by Sean McMullen
I have always loved dragons, especially the one in that movie with Sean Connery as the dragon’s voice. That having been said, I opened this story with high expectations. I found a story about art that happened to have a dragon in it, but I was not disappointed. This fast-paced tale has plenty of action and plenty of ideas to digest. It kept me thinking long after the last word reached through my eyes and into my brain.
“A Token of a Better Age”, by Melinda M. Snodgrass
This jewel of a story really sparked my interest. The title alone drew me in, and soon I found myself immersed in a magical world where my favorite mythical creature – the dragon, of course – ravages the countryside. In a dungeon in ancient Rome, two condemned men share the stories of their lives. The Centurion and the Patrician both hope to survive the arena and walk out free men, but both know that their hope is as thin as a veil of gossamer.
Short Stories
“You Are Such a One”, by Nancy Springer
I’ve already read and heard enough stories about middle-aged, menopausal women, and yet this story does have something to offer. I just can’t get past the cliché opening.
“Hunchster”, by Matthew Hughes
This little gem of a story revolves around a poker game and a kid with Asperger’s syndrome (a fancy term for something like the middle ground between autism and hyperactivity ). The moral of the story is that crime doesn’t pay, but it is presented in a fresh and interesting way.
~~~
Overall, F&SF stands out for its high quality of writing and editing. It is well worth the price of a subscription.
~~~
Sunday, May 3, 2009
Fans of Sue Grafton Will Love The Man Without a Past!
Most of my readers, as is to be expected, want to see more science fiction from me. That having been said, I do write other genres, including horror, humor, poetry and nonfiction. My most recent effort is a murder mystery in the tradition of (and inspired by) Sue Grafton.
Let me tell you, a murder mystery is difficult to write. Readers demand a coherent plot with enough clues to figure it out, but not such obvious clues that they figure it out too soon. And even if they don't figure it out, when they get to the end they should say, "Of course he or she did it! It all makes sense now."
Well, when I came to the end of writing The Man Without a Past, several of the characters stood up and shouted at me that I had pinned the murder on the wrong suspect. I had to start all over, from the beginning, and pin it on the right suspect. I wrote this novel forward, inside out and backward. It was a labor of love, but a Herculean labor, nonetheless.
Set partly in southern California and partly in Colorado, this murder mystery sends Lavinia "Livvy" Stout on a nightmarish quest for the solution to a puzzle. First, who was murdered? Second, who did it and why?
Please click on the link to my Amazon store in the right-hand column of this page and check out The Man Without a Past.
Thank you so much!
~~ Tessa Dick
~~~
Let me tell you, a murder mystery is difficult to write. Readers demand a coherent plot with enough clues to figure it out, but not such obvious clues that they figure it out too soon. And even if they don't figure it out, when they get to the end they should say, "Of course he or she did it! It all makes sense now."
Well, when I came to the end of writing The Man Without a Past, several of the characters stood up and shouted at me that I had pinned the murder on the wrong suspect. I had to start all over, from the beginning, and pin it on the right suspect. I wrote this novel forward, inside out and backward. It was a labor of love, but a Herculean labor, nonetheless.
Set partly in southern California and partly in Colorado, this murder mystery sends Lavinia "Livvy" Stout on a nightmarish quest for the solution to a puzzle. First, who was murdered? Second, who did it and why?
Please click on the link to my Amazon store in the right-hand column of this page and check out The Man Without a Past.
Thank you so much!
~~ Tessa Dick
~~~
Wednesday, April 8, 2009
On Writing a Murder Mystery
Writing a mystery is difficult. Writing a murder mystery is doubly difficult.
A mystery must contain clues that logically lead to the ending, but that do not give it away too quickly. I had to go over my novel, The Man Without a Past, at least a dozen times, forward and backward, again and again. And when I had finished, the characters started yelling at me that I had pinned the murder on the wrong suspect, so I had to start all over and pin it on the right suspect.
Since it's a murder mystery, I had to kill off one of the characters. That, for me, is even more difficult than salting the tale with clues. I love all of my characters, even the bad guys. But somebody had to die, and then I had to identify the murderer.
The result is a tale of intrigue with twists and turns leading to a surprise ending.
Lavinia Stout never would have taken the job, if she had known that it involved murder. Even worse, it involved travel, so she had to board her beloved cat Tuffy at the veterinarian's office while she went to Denver, Colorado, to investigate. She hated leaving her mountain home, even for her daily commute to work.
She had a little storefront in San Bernardino, California, where she gave phony psychic readings. Lavinia kept her private investigator's license current so she could help clients who suspected their spouses of cheating on them, and so she could do just enough research on her clients to make her psychic readings seem genuine.
When an old flame visited her one October morning, her first instinct was to turn down the job. But since it was merely a background check on some of his employees, she thought that it would be easy. She could hand it off to her partner and bring in a little cash. She should have turned him down flat.
Just click on the banner in the right-hand column to visit my Amazon store, where you can buy The Man Without a Past and some other great books!
~~ Tessa B. Dick
~~~
A mystery must contain clues that logically lead to the ending, but that do not give it away too quickly. I had to go over my novel, The Man Without a Past, at least a dozen times, forward and backward, again and again. And when I had finished, the characters started yelling at me that I had pinned the murder on the wrong suspect, so I had to start all over and pin it on the right suspect.
Since it's a murder mystery, I had to kill off one of the characters. That, for me, is even more difficult than salting the tale with clues. I love all of my characters, even the bad guys. But somebody had to die, and then I had to identify the murderer.
The result is a tale of intrigue with twists and turns leading to a surprise ending.
Lavinia Stout never would have taken the job, if she had known that it involved murder. Even worse, it involved travel, so she had to board her beloved cat Tuffy at the veterinarian's office while she went to Denver, Colorado, to investigate. She hated leaving her mountain home, even for her daily commute to work.
She had a little storefront in San Bernardino, California, where she gave phony psychic readings. Lavinia kept her private investigator's license current so she could help clients who suspected their spouses of cheating on them, and so she could do just enough research on her clients to make her psychic readings seem genuine.
When an old flame visited her one October morning, her first instinct was to turn down the job. But since it was merely a background check on some of his employees, she thought that it would be easy. She could hand it off to her partner and bring in a little cash. She should have turned him down flat.
Just click on the banner in the right-hand column to visit my Amazon store, where you can buy The Man Without a Past and some other great books!
~~ Tessa B. Dick
~~~
Wednesday, April 1, 2009
Read the Novel that Lost the Contest
My murder mystery, The Man Without a Past, didn't even get past the first round of the Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award contest. In that round, all they read was the pitch. I guess that I'm not very good at writing a pitch. In round two, they would have read the first chapter, and then my novel might have had a good chance of getting to round three. Oh, well, it's over and done with.
If Lavinia Stout had known that a simple background check on some employees of a mining company would lead to murder, she would have turned the job down flat. Her former flame, Mark Bell, had a lot of nerve asking her for any favors, but she thought that she could hand off the task to her assistant and make a few bucks. She couldn't have been more wrong.
I can't enter it for the Philip K. Dick Award because it isn't science fiction.
So now you can buy this novel at Amazon. Everybody loves a mystery, right?
If you search Amazon for "tessa dick", this novel will probably be at the top of page two of the search results, but it might be at the bottom of page one. For some reason, Amazon keeps listing some of Phil's books on the first page of search results for my name. Go figure.
It's a good book, as good as any that I ever have written.
~~~
If Lavinia Stout had known that a simple background check on some employees of a mining company would lead to murder, she would have turned the job down flat. Her former flame, Mark Bell, had a lot of nerve asking her for any favors, but she thought that she could hand off the task to her assistant and make a few bucks. She couldn't have been more wrong.
I can't enter it for the Philip K. Dick Award because it isn't science fiction.
So now you can buy this novel at Amazon. Everybody loves a mystery, right?
If you search Amazon for "tessa dick", this novel will probably be at the top of page two of the search results, but it might be at the bottom of page one. For some reason, Amazon keeps listing some of Phil's books on the first page of search results for my name. Go figure.
It's a good book, as good as any that I ever have written.
~~~
Wednesday, February 4, 2009
Readers are everything
Writing is a solitary task, but not the way you think. We need quiet and solitude, but we are never lonely. Millions of people from all over the world sit in the room with us and look over our shoulders.
When writers put pen to paper, or set fingers down on the keyboard, we are communicating with our readers. The disconnect in terms of time and distance becomes meaningless as we reach out to what we hope will be millions of readers. We might imagine a single reader -- a favorite teacher, a relative or a fellow writer -- but we are speaking to every person in the scramble suit that Bob Arctor puts on when he becomes Fred in A Scanner Darkly. We are speaking to the young, the old and the yet to be born.
In a sense we are speaking to the dead, as Glen Runciter speaks to his deceased wife Ella in UBIK, putting on the headphones connected to the glass box where she is kept in cryogenic storage.
Most of us never achieve fame or fortune, but we write because we have readers. Otherwise, the words would simply be waste of ink and paper. Or bandwidth, in the case of this blog.
So please keep reading, so we can keep writing.
~~~
When writers put pen to paper, or set fingers down on the keyboard, we are communicating with our readers. The disconnect in terms of time and distance becomes meaningless as we reach out to what we hope will be millions of readers. We might imagine a single reader -- a favorite teacher, a relative or a fellow writer -- but we are speaking to every person in the scramble suit that Bob Arctor puts on when he becomes Fred in A Scanner Darkly. We are speaking to the young, the old and the yet to be born.
In a sense we are speaking to the dead, as Glen Runciter speaks to his deceased wife Ella in UBIK, putting on the headphones connected to the glass box where she is kept in cryogenic storage.
Most of us never achieve fame or fortune, but we write because we have readers. Otherwise, the words would simply be waste of ink and paper. Or bandwidth, in the case of this blog.
So please keep reading, so we can keep writing.
~~~
Monday, November 17, 2008
Save our wild horses!
Sorry to go off topic on this post, but this issue is very near and dear to my heart. The info below is from The American Wild Horse Preservation Campaign :
In 1971, an unprecedented public outcry moved Congress to unanimously pass the Wild Free-Roaming Horse and Burro Act, granting federal protection to America's wild horses and burros as “living symbols of the historic and pioneer spirit of the West […] that […] contribute to the diversity of life forms within the Nation and enrich the lives of the American people.”
An aggressive wild horse removal campaign is currently under way by the U.S. government, at the cost of millions of tax-dollars. The Bureau of Land Management’s (BLM) removal policy is contrary to the spirit of the 1971 Wild Free-Roaming Horse and Burro Act. The Act was the result of an unprecedented public outcry and effected the will of the American people; its intent was to preserve wild horses and burros as part of our national heritage.
~~~
My thoughts:
The Bureau of Land management has rounded up thousands of OUR wild horses and burros to make room for cattle and sheep to graze on OUR public land, and now they have scheduled the execution, the "euthanasia", the SLAUGHTER of thousands of these animals for the benefit of a few ranchers who pay the government for the privilege of turning their sheep and cattle loose on public land, at a much lower cost than maintaining their own private pastures.
The ranchers get cheap grazing, and the government gets some money, but what do we get? OUR public lands get destroyed by sheep and cattle, and our wild horses and burros die for the almighty dollar!
Please write to your politicians (President, President elect, Senate and Congress) and demand that the Bureau of Land Management stop murdering our wild animals and raping our public lands!
~~ Tessa B. Dick
~~~
In 1971, an unprecedented public outcry moved Congress to unanimously pass the Wild Free-Roaming Horse and Burro Act, granting federal protection to America's wild horses and burros as “living symbols of the historic and pioneer spirit of the West […] that […] contribute to the diversity of life forms within the Nation and enrich the lives of the American people.”
An aggressive wild horse removal campaign is currently under way by the U.S. government, at the cost of millions of tax-dollars. The Bureau of Land Management’s (BLM) removal policy is contrary to the spirit of the 1971 Wild Free-Roaming Horse and Burro Act. The Act was the result of an unprecedented public outcry and effected the will of the American people; its intent was to preserve wild horses and burros as part of our national heritage.
~~~
My thoughts:
The Bureau of Land management has rounded up thousands of OUR wild horses and burros to make room for cattle and sheep to graze on OUR public land, and now they have scheduled the execution, the "euthanasia", the SLAUGHTER of thousands of these animals for the benefit of a few ranchers who pay the government for the privilege of turning their sheep and cattle loose on public land, at a much lower cost than maintaining their own private pastures.
The ranchers get cheap grazing, and the government gets some money, but what do we get? OUR public lands get destroyed by sheep and cattle, and our wild horses and burros die for the almighty dollar!
Please write to your politicians (President, President elect, Senate and Congress) and demand that the Bureau of Land Management stop murdering our wild animals and raping our public lands!
~~ Tessa B. Dick
~~~
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