It seems everywhere I go, I’m plagued with AI. Cribbing term papers is not a new invention; since the first teacher scratched out the first assignment on a stone tablet, Krog and Ug were sneaking peeks at each other’s slate. But AI has taken avoiding the work of writing to a new, shiny level, and…
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Archon ahoy! and all the others!
This year I was faced with a terrible conundrum. The Edwardsville Book Festival, AuthorCon, and Archon are all this weekend. Why, why God? AuthorCon is a terrific creation of Scares That Care horrormeister Brian Keene. I’ve been hearing tales of what a wonderful convention it is, with networking and workshops and other delightful writer-nerdery. But…
September Linkspam: It’s in the syllabus
Holy late newsletters, Batman! Remember when I told you folks that I was a tad overcommitted for the fall? I wasn’t kidding. I ended up with nine classes at three universities for the fall, and that’s at least three to four more classes than any sane person should try to teach and four to five…
Dragoncon schedule announced
Below is the schedule set for me at Dragoncon this year. I am deep in the creepy-crawlies this time, with lots of fun among the horror writers. Friday is my busiest day, spending most of the day at the Westin hotel, then the author Gather that evening. Meetups will probably be on Saturday, as I…
August linkspam: Back to school even though it’s summer
When I was a kid in Massachusetts, school started after Labor Day. I was floored when my family moved to Baltimore, where classes began at the end of August, and then to Tennessee, where school inexplicably opened by the middle of August and where did my summer go? I have friends whose kids are now…
BookNotes: Adults only, and only what we say
Guess what, kids? Don’t bother reading! Ever! That’s the message in Idaho, as new laws requiring a certain amount of insulation between the children’s section and adult books cannot be achieved in the Donnelly Public Library because the building is literally too small. So now the library will be adults-only. Children not allowed. Oh,…
BookNotes: It’s a hell of a week in Book Land
South Carolina and Arkansas have eliminated AP African American history classes, in case you were thinking the ongoing tide of book banning was solely about getting naughty books away from minors. The governors of Florida and Illinois are loudly arguing about Florida’s “revisions” to history. Pritzker is fighting DeSantis before the College Board, advocating for…
Imaginarium ahoy!
This weekend, Jim and I will be heading to Louisville, Ky. for Imaginarium. We are looking forward to seeing old friends and meeting new folks, talking up the craft and hopefully selling some books. Jim is booth babe this time around, plus or minus a crop top. I, however, have a solid schedule, listed below:…
Dreadmire rises from the dead!
It’s aliiiiiive! The anniversary re-release of Dreadmire is now available online and wherever fine books are sold. Excerpt: None of them were really muka anymore. Once Alesia had thought only the craziest of hermits would voluntarily remain in Dreadmire. Why would anyone choose such a filthy, wild, barbaric place inhabited by such strange and dangerous creatures? Why…
Schedule for Imaginarium announced
I’m delighted to return to Imaginarium again, and I’m doing a bunch of workshops this year! At noon Friday, I’m teaching “The Art of Legal Prostitution: Selling Your Books at Cons and Signings” (RM Calumet). At 8 p.m., I’ll be on a panel discussing the ethics of AI across all media. I’m quite sure they’ll…