SF BOOKSTORE AND WRITERS' WORKSHOP
Michael McCollum
FEBRUARY 2000
We offer this report as a public service for our regular visitors and for
everyone who is interested in science fiction and writing. You can now reach
us by typing http://scifi-az.com , or the usual http://www.scifi-az.com .
SEE OUR SISTER WEBSITE AT http://3mpub.com.
1) WRITER'S WORKSHOP http://www.scifi-az.com/sfaz-05.htm
The February 2000 articles are now in the Writer's Workshop.
a) The Art of Writing Series: Point of View (New)
Most books on writing treat point of view as a simple mechanical aspect of
writing. Decide whether you are going to call your characters "I", "You", or
"He" and you are done. As is the case for most aspects of writing, things are
not that simple. Choosing the wrong point of view can send you down a blind
alley from which you will never recover. This month we discuss this
surprisingly subtle subject. (7000 words.)
b) The Art of Science Fiction: This Month's Article: Astronomy for Science
Fiction Writers: Terminology
Do you know what a "galaxy" is? Apparently no one in Hollywood does. This
article lists the specialized terminology a science fiction writer needs when
writing about the stars. You may or may not find this sort of thing
interesting, but it could prevent you from becoming a laughing stock in the
editorial offices of your publisher.
c) THE ASTROGATOR'S HANDBOOK, EXPANDED EDITION
(http://www.scifi-az.com/astronomy/astrogators_handbook.htm)
The Astrogator's Handbook is one of our most popular downloads. We now have
the Astrogator's Handbook, Expanded Edition online. This new book maps the
3500 closest stars with 7 overview maps, 63 quadrant maps, and 120 pages of
supporting data. A must for any serious science fiction writer, reader, or
astronomy enthusiast. SEE WHAT THE STARS LOOK LIKE FROM OUTSIDE!
d) BONUS SECTION: The Writer's Guide to the Human Body
http://www.scifi-az.com/sfaz-05.htm
I find as I am writing that I have a tendency to make all of my heroines
beautiful, buxom, and blonde. I have always wanted a tool to help me combat
this tendency toward repetition in physical descriptions, but have never found
anything close to what I needed. So, if you can't find it, you can always
invent it. We have a 49-page specialized thesaurus dealing with the human
body. It's a compendium of descriptive and action terms that can be applied to
various appendages when you find yourself saying, "She smiled broadly." for
the tenth time in a single chapter.
2) ARCAN'S REVENGE by Nelani Nettrour (http://www.scifi-az.com/nettrour)
Nelani Nettrour continues the Soaring Free Trilogy with Arcan's Revenge. If
you enjoyed the original, the adventure is just beginning.
3) ROCKY POINT by Mark Siegel (http://www.scifi-az.com/siegel)
Although we specialize in science fiction, we aren't fanatics about it. We
are proud to announce our first non-fiction offering in the Sci Fi - Arizona
Authors' Showcase. In 1993, the Southwest was rocked by the sensational
Willoughby murder case in which Dan Willoughby's wife was murdered by his
transsexual lover in Rocky Point, Mexico. Willoughby is now sitting on death
row in the Arizona State Prison. Attorney Mark Siegel reviews the case and
presents the possibility that the wrong man was convicted of the crime.
4) ASTERISMS by Peter L. Manly (http://www.scifi-az.com/manly)
Nobody asked Patrick White's permission to sign him onto the crew of a
multi-generation ship to the stars. His parents were too busy with departure
preparations to even think about such legal niceties. His older sister just
didn't care about little brothers. By the time he came of legal age, Earth's
Sol appeared as a remote and dim speck among thousands of similar stars.
Patrick's whole world revolved, literally, within a slim cylinder populated by
the people he'd grown up with and that included everybody within light years.
The voyage would take 50 years as measured by the revolution of a distant
planet about a far star which few on board thought about any more.
With graying hair and a mature man's responsibility, he then left the
comfortable confines of his home aboard ship and faced a wild planet using
innate skills dimly remembered - like how to deal with mud. He also had a
family and a whole colony to care for. Other than that, he felt like any other
guy with a wife, kids and a job.
5) GIBRALTAR EARTH by Michael McCollum http://www.scifi-az.com/sfaz-04l.htm.
It is the 24th Century and humanity is just gaining a toehold out among the
stars. Stellar Survey Starship Magellan is exploring the New Eden system when
they encounter two alien spacecraft. When the encounter is over, the score is
one human scout ship and one alien aggressor destroyed. In exploring the wreck
of the second alien ship, spacers discover a survivor with a fantastic story.
The alien comes from a million-star Galactic Empire ruled over by a mysterious
race known as the Broa. These overlords are the masters of this region of the
galaxy and they allow no competitors. This news presents Earth's rulers with a
problem. As yet, the Broa are ignorant of humanity's existence. Does the human
race retreat to its one small world, quaking in fear that the Broa will
eventually discover Earth? Or do they take a more aggressive approach?
Whatever they do, they must do it quickly! Time is running out for the human
race...
6) AUTHORS' SHOWCASE
The Authors' Showcase is a service that provides new and well established
authors with the ability to sell their books directly to the public on the
Internet. If you are an author who has a book currently out of print, why not
put your intellectual property to work for you?
http://www.scifi-az.com/showcase.htm.
Our first three authors are now online in the Authors' Showcase, with more in
preparation. They are:
Peter L. Manly DRAGON 329er A hi-tech fantasy.
ASTERISMS A science fiction
adventure
Nelani A. Nettrour SOARING FREE A classic fantasy of love and
flying
ARCAN'S REVENGE The second book in the
Soaring Free Trilogy
Mark Siegel ROCKY POINT A true story of murder.
Stop by and check out the future of self-publishing
7) DON DIXON ART GALLERY http://www.scifi-az.com/gallery.htm
Don Dixon's paintings of other worlds, both real and imagined, have made it
possible for many people to experience the beauty of the universe. His
spacescapes have graced over 60 book covers, scores of magazines, and are in
the collections of Ray Bradbury and Larry Niven. His artwork now comes in
exquisite IRIS prints that have a rich, glossy finish, high color fidelity,
and are signed by the artist. Two different sizes are available.
One of Don's paintings appeared on the cover of the November, 1997 "Scientific
American," and two more graced the cover and frontispiece of a special Cosmos
issue of the magazine in February, 1998. Last week he uploaded new pictures
to "Scientific American," and passed the time reading GIBRALTAR EARTH, for
which he is doing the cover. Keep a watch out for his new work, both at
Scientific American and here at Sci Fi - Arizona.
8) ART OF WRITING BOOKS http://www.scifi-az.com/sfaz-05f.htm
We now have two volumes in the Art of Writing. Volume I is the first 16
articles in the series. Volume II is the second 12 articles. If you came in
late or otherwise missed some of the articles, here is your opportunity to get
them all in one handy package!
9) ART OF SCIENCE FICTION BOOKS http://www.scifi-az.com/sfaz-05g.htm
We now have two volumes in the Art of Writing. Volume I is the first 16
articles in the series. Volume II is the second 12 articles. If you came in
late or otherwise missed some of the articles, here is your opportunity to get
them all in one handy package!
9) ARTICLES ARCHIVE http://www.scifi-az.com/archiv1a.htm
We now have all our articles online in the archive page. If you are
interested in any past article, you can obtain it for the low cost of $1.00
through the I-Micros electronic payment system or by personal online check.
Please visit and observe what commerce is going to be like all over the
Internet in the future!