The Human Division Read-Along Begins!

I’ve known John Scalzi since the days when we were both kicking around USENET back in the 1990s, and it’s been really cool to see his career as a science fiction writer blossom over the last decade. He recently launched a new serial novel, The Human Division, which is being published by Tor Books in weekly digital “episodes,” and when the folks at Tor.com asked if I’d be interested in leading a read-along discussion, I jumped at the opportunity.

Well, the first installment just went online, to mark the early release of “The B-Team” to members of the Human Division mailing list. Here’s what I can tell you upfront: The story is set in the universe of Scalzi’s Old Man’s War and its sequels, with a storyline that builds off the implications of the ending to The Last Colony—but the way Scalzi’s framed this “pilot episode,” newcomers can pick up the relevant information as they go along. If you click through, you’ll see how Scalzi answered my own questions about how this serial brings back Harry Wilson, who first appeared in a short story at Tor.com back in 2008, and how Harry exemplifies a certain type of Golden Age science fiction hero…brought up to speed for contemporary audiences.

I’m looking forward to talking with Scalzi and his editor, Patrick Nielsen Hayden, about The Human Division in the weeks ahead, and I hope you’ll join us.

8 January 2013 | read this |

Life Stories #18: Sonia Taitz

photo: H&H Photographers

In this episode of Life Stories, the podcast where I interview memoir writers about their lives and the art of writing memoir, I chat with Sonia Taitz about The Watchmaker’s Daughter, in which she begins by talking about growing up in New York City as the daughter of two Holocaust survivors. Her relationship with her parents takes up most of the conversation, as you might expect, but we also get into how she was diverted from her literary ambitions into law school—and how she found her way back. I also found out about the novel she’s just finished writing, based on the public downward spiral of one of Hollywood’s biggest stars.

Listen to Life Stories #18: Sonia Taitz (MP3 file); or download the file by right-clicking (Mac users, option-click).

As we near the end of 2012, I just wanted to take a moment to say that I’m really delighted by how Life Stories has turned out so far, and I’m looking forward to improving my game and producing even more episodes next year. If you’re new to the podcast, I encourage you to explore the earlier interviews: Tim Anderson, Cris Beam, Sandra Beasley, Susannah Cahalan, Kambri Crews, Heather Donahue, Alyssa Harad, Storm Large, Jenny Lawson, Gideon Lewis-Kraus, Gary Marcus, Steven Rinella, Rachel Shukert & Rev Jen, Daniel Smith, Cheryl Strayed, Anthony Swofford, and Alex Witchel & Will Schwalbe.

Thanks to everyone who’s been a guest so far, and the publicists who’ve helped make these interviews possible—and to you for listening to (and, I hope, enjoying) them!

28 December 2012 | life stories |