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Some Odds, Some Ends

Had a great visit with Walter Jon Williams and his Toolbox students up in Angel Fire. It's a lovely drive from Santa Fe, and it was nice to meet (however briefly) the fledgling writers. How many of them will actually go on to make it, well, one can never be sure of that, but I shared what wisdom I could from my years in the field, and showed them a few of my scars as well. They have some good teachers in Nancy Kress and Walter Jon. As I mentioned to the class, I workshopped with WJW for years, and he was right almost 75% of the time. :)

Back at the homestead, we're facing a certain amount of disruption. Santa Fe is a lovely town and one of its charms is its pueblo style architecture... but be warned, those damned flat roofs will LEAK, don't let anyone tell you any different. My office roof has been leaking off and on for years, and has been patched and repaired at least a dozen times since I've been here... to the point that my contractor finally threw up his hands and said he couldn't keep putting patches on the patches on the patches. I need a whole new roof. And since that process requires me to vacate the premises, I figured this is the perfect opportunity to do some of the renovations I've been planning (and putting off) for the better part of the decade. So, bottom line, I'm moving to new workspace, while the old workspace gets a new roof and some cool additions. But I should be settled in at the new place within a week or so.

Also have the big trip coming up. I cut way way way back to my travel this year, to give myself more time to work. Back in April/May I did Stokercon on the Queen Mary and the benefit for Clarion, but come August I'll be off again, first to NYC for a wedding and the usual round of publisher and agent meetings, then off to Finland for worldcon, then on to Russia for a con in St. Petersberg. I have been to Finland twice before, but this will be my first time in Russia... though I know I have a lot of Russian fans from the emails I receive. It will be nice to meet them. Two trips for all of 2017 is the least amount of travel I've done in twenty years.

LOTS of things going on with television and film. Season 7 of GAME OF THRONES will be here on July 16 (and we're doing a season 6 marathon at the JCC), the five successor shows are moving forward at various rates of speed, and we're talking with UCP about not one, not two, but three possible Wild Cards series. And there are a couple other TV projects that I can't tell you about... how much of this will come to pass, nobody knows. Ah, the joys of development...

Oh, and football will be starting soon. Don't ask me to explain what the Jets are doing. I don't understand it either. I foresee a very painful season for fans of Gang Green. But hey, what's different about that?

Comments

( 55 comments )
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judibatt
Jun. 23rd, 2017 08:27 pm (UTC)
Passing time question...
First, I hope the repairs to your home work out well in the end. We had an earthquake put a 95' tree on our home a few years back and that was three days before a hurricane came sweeping through. Yeah, I must'av pissed off a leprechaun somewhere in life.

And my actual question is about the author Thomas Burnett Swann. He was recommended to me because of the genre I like to read in, but seeing as how I am a fan of your style of work as well, do you think Swann makes a good companion to your work?
grrm
Jun. 23rd, 2017 09:09 pm (UTC)
Re: Passing time question...
Hmmmm. Swann? No, not really. Very different.
Dan Koifman
Jun. 23rd, 2017 08:28 pm (UTC)
One man: two bestselling book series, nine (and counting) TV shows and now... three roofs.
Palamar Bogdan Alexandru
Jun. 23rd, 2017 08:39 pm (UTC)
I hope one day you will come to Eastern Europe (I`m from Romania), you have lots of fans here too!
grrm
Jun. 23rd, 2017 09:09 pm (UTC)
I have visited Poland, Estonia, Slovenia, the Czech Republic, and Croatia in the past, but not Romania, alas. The future? Who can tell?
cashcraig
Jun. 23rd, 2017 08:43 pm (UTC)
THREE possible Wild Cards series? That's pretty intense. I assume you can't say much about them, but I'm wondering how these series are differentiated - Would they be based on different characters, or settings, or time periods? Characters like Tachyon and the Sleeper could easily carry their own shows.

Do you still have an exclusivity contract with HBO that prevents you from working on these series with Universal?
Rich Lehmkuhl
Jun. 23rd, 2017 08:45 pm (UTC)
Re, The Jets
I am sick over the Jets. I can deal with them losing but not making in the season. I don't understand either.
josiegel
Jun. 23rd, 2017 08:46 pm (UTC)
NYC Beer
Should you find yourself in Brooklyn in August, my wife and I would love to buy you a beer or three-but I warn you, we're Eagles fans.
hippoiathanatoi
Jun. 23rd, 2017 09:05 pm (UTC)
Speaking of Gang Green, Woody Johnson's going to become the next Ambassador to the United Kingdoms. Good or bad for the Jets if he's spending most of his time across the pond, do you think?
grrm
Jun. 23rd, 2017 09:07 pm (UTC)
Can't hurt.
Jake Troshynski
Jun. 23rd, 2017 09:08 pm (UTC)
New workspace
How long do they estimate the additions to take and will your new workspace be pretty bare?
gonzo21
Jun. 23rd, 2017 09:19 pm (UTC)
Flat roofs are the bane of house existence. I don't know which idiot architects ever thought flat roofs were a good idea. As you say, they all leak, every single one of them. Usually about 3 weeks after you've repaired one leak, is when the next leak will start.
NourAzhari
Jun. 23rd, 2017 10:05 pm (UTC)
Pls come to NL
I am moving from The Sudan to the Netherlands next week, please come there, I will be glad to host you and the Dutch are fine ppl.
danihinze
Jun. 23rd, 2017 11:28 pm (UTC)
How many of them will actually go on to make it
If you could describe what it takes to be a successful author in one word, what would it be :)
grrm
Jun. 24th, 2017 12:21 am (UTC)
Re: How many of them will actually go on to make it
Persistance.
msconduct
Jun. 23rd, 2017 11:48 pm (UTC)
My sympathies on development hell! Going through that for so many potential series at once must be so much fun.
Roger Christie
Jun. 24th, 2017 01:08 am (UTC)
At least David Harris has a shot at a ring now. :) Sorry, couldn't help it.
Reddit CleganeBowl
Jun. 24th, 2017 05:00 am (UTC)
Successor Shows
It is like 2007 again, and you seem energised by the buzz which is great. Folks love it when good news is 100% confirmed.

What are the best/realistic/worst case estimates for the first pilots starting production? When might we the public learn the premise(s) of the successor show to be chosen?

We understand one or zero shows may see the light of day, but HBO seem determined to make a new ASOIAF show. When Star Trek The Next Generation got a spinoff (Deep Space 9), that spinoff was near the end and then it gained a spinoff etc. So there were two shows on the air. Could history repeat itself?
Peter Davies
Jun. 24th, 2017 09:15 am (UTC)
Personally, I think the Jets will be one of the most interesting teams to watch this year, and I am genuinely looking forward to seeing how their rebuild takes shape! I doubt if they'll win a lot of matches - but you are probably resigned to that already. :) What they DO have going for them is a really exciting battle going on for the quarterback slot, and a lot of young, untested players, some of whom will disappear without trace, while some go on to become high scorers and the key elements around which the team will be built in years to come. I like some of your signings on defense too. :)

Don't worry too much about wins and losses this year, just enjoy seeing how the future team develops. :)
Anthony Gonzalez
Jun. 24th, 2017 09:44 am (UTC)
St. Petersberg
St. Petersberg is really beautiful. I spent almost 3 weeks there, The City Of Museums. You'll love it.
Have you seen any new movies that you've enjoyed? I'm looking forward to Spider-Man Homecoming And Dunkirk.
aulus_poliutos
Jun. 24th, 2017 12:54 pm (UTC)
St.Petersburg is splendid. Try to sneak an evening canal cruise into your schedule, visit one of those gorgeous cathedrals (St. Isaac, for example) and the Peter and Paul Fortress. I would also suggest the Eremitage - of course, lol - but that place will require a few hours minimum.

Those are the shorts stay tourist tips. I'm sure some readers from the area will chime in with insider tips.
Alex McDonough
Jun. 24th, 2017 01:00 pm (UTC)
Better Call Chuck
Around this time last year you made a comment about the season 2 of Better Call Saul. Have you watched the new season? Each episode is a masterpiece of extraordinary production value. Michael McKean (Chuck) will certainly compete with a few Thrones actors at this year's Emmys.
grrm
Jun. 24th, 2017 07:39 pm (UTC)
Re: Better Call Chuck
GOT is not eligible for this year's Emmys, because of the shift in schedule, so the other shows have a clear shot.

BETTER CALL SAUL is extraordinary, but there's a lot of great competition. WESTWORLD, for one.
livejournal
Jun. 24th, 2017 01:31 pm (UTC)
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gemsofstarlight
Jun. 24th, 2017 02:20 pm (UTC)
Honestly, Enjoy your time! You deserve every hour of it!

A new roof is exciting! And a trip while you don't need to fret about it being done is also nice... Because I know if I was anywhere near it, were it mine... I'd be needing to watch and make sure. No! Better to be away from it!

My Fiancé used to live in a house with a butterfly roof here in New England, it needed regular shoveling in the winter. I'm not sure where these carpenters get their ideas from, truthfully.

Im really looking forward to the new TV season soon. I listened to all the books again ( They're even better the second time around) and re-watched the television series, so I'm READY!





pknsko0l
Jun. 24th, 2017 02:56 pm (UTC)
Do you mean to tell me that you haven't bought a castle yet like JK Rowling!? :-P
Sean Hall
Jun. 24th, 2017 03:39 pm (UTC)
Any chance you guys will premiere the first episode of season 7 at the Jean Cocteau like you did in the past for seasons 4 and 5? I know it's probably complicated to get the permissions from HBO but it was amazing when it did work out in the past to watch the premiere on your medium-sized screen.

Edited at 2017-06-24 03:39 pm (UTC)
Dan Koifman
Jun. 24th, 2017 03:52 pm (UTC)
Will there be any opportunities for fans to meet you when you are in NYC?
dashboarddrift
Jun. 24th, 2017 04:14 pm (UTC)
ASOIAF planet a Takisian colony?
Is there any chance the world of ASOIAF takes place in the same universe as wild cards? I've just been seeing some interesting parallels having started the wild cards series recently.

It's mentioned that Tachyon thinks earth might be some long lost colony, and Takisians themselves have traveled amongst the stars for thousands of years, so seems to imply there might be other planets out there with genetically similar people.

The takisians are noted for there striking beauty, odd coloured hair and eyes, magic-like mental abilities, prophecies in dreams, and aristocratic social structure. Sounds similar to Valaryians. The Valarians were also suspected of researching breeding/genetic manipulation (aka the Tackis national pass time).

Also both promote keeping marriages in the family.

The magic (spells, warging, telepathy/mind control of beasts) could all be explained through Takisian mentatics. 'Jumping' being a perfect parallel for warging. Magical systems being paralleled through telekinesis filtered by psychological blocks.

The deformed people of Mantarys sound an awful lot like jokers. The stranger descriptions of odd looking people (green skin with fangs, or the shambling Ibbenese) might be explained by jokers breeding some stable form of the virus. Cyclone did have a kid with the same abilities.

The crafting of magical items (Valarian Steel, magic horns) sounds similar to the tinkering abilities that gave us Modular Man and Detroit Steel.

Also, could that pretty red comet be a Takisian payload of Xenovirus Takis-A? If the virus was fine tuned, or just a different version for testing, it might explain the awakening of abilities minus deformities.

Also Bloat seems like a long lost cousin of Bran.

Tinfoil hat material, or is there any connection between the two series? If so would the new tv deal keep any of this coming to light?



Edited at 2017-06-24 05:05 pm (UTC)
grrm
Jun. 24th, 2017 07:41 pm (UTC)
Re: ASOIAF planet a Takisian colony?
No, Wild Cards and Westeros are different universes, never the twain shall meet.
Re: ASOIAF planet a Takisian colony? - ADragonDemands - Jun. 25th, 2017 10:13 pm (UTC) - Expand
Stringer Bill
Jun. 24th, 2017 04:21 pm (UTC)
Russian sour cream is the best in the world
Since you brought up Russia I feel justified asking this off topic question. What was your opening repertoire? I take you for Ruy Lopez exchange, French defense, and Semi Slav.
grrm
Jun. 24th, 2017 07:42 pm (UTC)
Re: Russian sour cream is the best in the world
I always preferred king's pawn openings as white.

As black, the Dutch Stonewall was a favorite.
Re: Russian sour cream is the best in the world - grrm - Jun. 24th, 2017 09:43 pm (UTC) - Expand
Re: Russian sour cream is the best in the world - grrm - Jun. 28th, 2017 07:45 pm (UTC) - Expand
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