Thursday, February 28, 2008
Science and Morality in the ORU
 

Lynda Williams giving away books Feb 26, 2008
I had fun explaining the nature of reality skimming and the moral problem of social control it poses for societies dependent on it, at the math and physics symposium organized by Hal Friesen. I hope the audience of serious math and physics students enjoyed the fiction break and returned, refreshed, to the scientific presentation. I couldn't coax this audience to read, but I managed to give away books in exchange for questions. Lynda Williams describing how the origins of the Okal Rel Universe at science symposium at UNBC Feb 26, 2008 Unlike an SF crowd, this group had no trouble imagining there could be social control mechanisms for the safe use of a potentially destructive but essential technology. Much thanks to those who got in the spirit of it with me, including the two writers who attended. Special thanks to organizer Hal Friesen for agreeing to take pictures.

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Thursday, February 21, 2008
 
Detail from Duckon homepage 2008
Below is how Dave Anderson explained the Golden Duck nomination to EDGE publicist Justyn Perry. The award is given out at Duckon June 13-15, 2008.

"Righteous Anger is being considered for Hal Clement (Young Adult Award) This award is named after Hal Clement, the pen name of Harry Stubbs, who was a well known science fiction writer and science teacher. He helped children's science fiction programming wherever he went and was an all-round nice guy. The award is for science fiction books of grades 6-12 that have a young adult protagonist. The science should be as correct as possible, but still a good story. - DGA Feb 08"

The excitement in Horth's life spans his teenage years, starting at eleven years of age, although he is physically an eighteen-year-old at that age being as Vrellish as he is. The Vrellish grow up fast, physically. I guess a lot of kids these days feel they've grown up fast, too, where sex and violence are concerned.

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Delighted to tell the world ORU books and buttons were distributed by Charlie Harmon at the educators' conference Life, the Universe and Everything this month and David-Glenn Anderson distributed 25 copies of the Worlds of Lynda Williams CDs which contains classroom exercises featuring the ORU. I can't thank Charlie and DGA enough and hope classes and educators will continue to add material of their own to the CD to increase its utility to their peers.

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Sunday, February 17, 2008
 
Betterworld online book store benefits literacy

Sharing this from an RFF (Readers for the Future) posting by David Glen Anderson, repeated below. Sounds like a website worth supporting. I like the idea of books supporting good causes, and I like to see second hand books move on to new lives. (The book Dave talks about below isn't Righteous Anger - I'm pretty sure he's got a copy of it. He's into all kinds of good books and good ways to make them mean as much as they can in the world.)


Before I left to attend Life, the Universe and Everything, I ordered one of the Golden Duck candidates from BetterWorld.com (http://www.BetterWorld.com/) Fund literacy, care for the environment, and get a fair price on the books you want. 2 Million Used Books. Free shipping in the USA, $2.97 worldwide This book was not available new.


The book is in transit. I went to their website. For less than $30 I found about 8 books that I needed to fill in some holes. Some are exlibrary copies but when I cannot find certain books in my local bookstore exlibrary works. BetterWorld lists libraries et al that benefit by my purchase.


Dave Anderson

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Wednesday, February 13, 2008
 
Nina Munteanu Had to share these kind words from Nina Munteanus (author of Darwin's Paradox) on facebook. She was responding to a comment by myself. I said I was proud of the quality of readers the Okal Rel Universe appealed to. :-)


Saturday, February 09, 2008

Tuesday, February 05, 2008
Kudos from Rita McInnis

Monday, February 04, 2008
 
Lynda Williams with Steph St. Laurent and Michelle Cyr-Whiting at Prince George launch for Okal Rel Anthology 2

Last but not least, click the picture for a link to a page of picture taken by my husband David Lott at the Prince George launch for Okal Rel Universe Anthology 2, Jan 29 2008. He didn't put up all the shots he took! So I've added this one from the set, here, to feature Stephen St. Laurent and Michelle Cry-Whiting who spiced up the proceedings with their media presence. Big thank-you, as well, to Citizen reporter Paul Strickland for coming out. Betsy Trumpener put in an appearance with family as a member of the audience. I was also delighted to have fellow SF author Nathalie Mallet in the audience.


Big thank you, as well, to the readers: Krysia Anderson (who did a great job of reading from her story "Ladylike" in the 2nd Anthology), Paul Strickland (who read the Horth as a child at Amel's genotyping reception scene from Righteous Anger), Hal Friesen (who read from his forthcoming story for the 3rd anthology featuring a run in with Di Mon), and Gareth of the UNBC Fencing Club (who read the lead up to the fight in the arena on SanHome from Righteous Anger).


In costume for the event, we had Mel and Kailey as Di Mon and Ranar, and Tegan as a Golden Demish princess. I wore my red velvet cloak which I think of as Vretla Vrel's "dress up" attire for Demish receptions. On the table at the back of the roome, for show and tell, we had samples of braid worked in thread which a few members of the audience had fun playing with after the main event. I am in the debt of helpers Angela, Tegan, Mel and Kailey for helping with set up. And, of course, my husband David Lott too the pictures and helped with nearly everything from picking up treats to driving us to the event. Angela Lott made me the little sign behind the chocolates which read "Do not eat if you are Vrellish". Mel Farrow created the braid worn by herself (as Di Mon) and by Tegan (as a Demish princess). The chart explaining which colors went with which house was also created by Mel for the event. Art for the third anthology, by Richard Bartrop, was on display as a poster. I also gave away a commemorative postcard, to readers and others doing presentations, which featured the 3rd anthology artwork. Also on display was the ORU plaque given to me for Xmas by Lisa O. After the readings and costume presentations we had a fencing demonstration by the UNBC Freeblades Fencing Club, MC'd by their president Gareth Hopkins.

Much thanks to all participants and attendees! And if you weren't there this time, plan to do something for the next launch (Book #3: Pretenders in the fall) or to come out and see what other people come up with.

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Sunday, February 03, 2008
 
Michelle Cyr-Whiting article on launch for the 2nd anthology Jan 29 2008


Much thanks to Opinion 250 reporter Michelle Cyr-Whiting for her article, on Opinion 250, about the launch for Okal Rel Univese Anthology 2 at the PG Public Library Jan 29, 2008. I particular appreciate the chats she had with participants and the quotes from anthology contributors Krysia Anderson (anthology 2) and Hal Friesen (anthology 3).

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PG Citizen coverage of Okal Rel Universe Anthology 2 Jan 29 2008

The PG Citizen covered of the book launch of the Okal Rel Universe Anthology 2 at the PG Public Library on Jan 29, 2008. I suspect the author was Paul Strickland since he was the reporter who attended, and also read. Thank you Paul! An extract from the article is repeated below.




People read from their favourite passages in the new anthology and in Williams's associated novel, Righteous Anger. Then members of the UNBC Freeblades Fencing Club, led by president Gareth Hopkins, demonstrated various fencing techniques because these figure prominently in disputes between characters in key chapters of Righteous Anger. During a brief talk, Hopkins outlined the history of fencing as a sport.

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Saturday, February 02, 2008
Launch for Anthology 2 Jan - 29
 
Detail from notice of launch Jan 29 - Okal Rel
Belatedly (my excuse is I was working on Pretenders for editor Richard Jenzen) here's a detail from the four page invitation I whipped up for the launch of Okal Rel Universe Anthology 2 in Prince George, Jan 29.

Click for PDF of Invitation

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