Monday, December 05, 2005

The Authorized Biography

Neil McAleer was given the blessing to write Arthur C. Clarke: The Authorized Biography. This biography really didn't tell me anything that I did not know about Clarke from reading his many non-fiction pieces. I get the impression that McAleer used the same sources, plus some interviews with associates and family members. You really don't get much of the "inner Clarke" here.

Thursday, December 01, 2005

Space Is A Place

One potential setting is either the asteroid belt or an asteroid in general. Looking at this site, there seems to be no lack of material for resources!
L5 News

One good source of scenarios are the back issues of the newsletter for the L5 Society. They can be found online here. NASA's space settlement studies can be found here and can be found here. A special issue of CoEvolution Quarterly is also online.
Geologic History of the Moon

One setting for a story is on the Moon, around the time that it starts to get explored again. This work is considered one of the seminal papers on the structure of the Moon.
Borderlands of Science

Another good non-fiction reference is Borderlands of Science by the late Charles Sheffield. As with the previous book mentioned, Baen Books has an electronic version available. If I could get anywhere near the level of these stories, I'd be a very happy camper.
Indistinguishable from Magic

Indistinguishable from Magic is a non-fiction book by the late Dr. Robert L. Forward. He takes a look at (what was at the time of the writing) some bleeding-edge science. A good book for reference if you're writing science fiction. And, even better, Baen Books has an electronic version available!
Project Rho

One of the most invaluable sites on the web. By the time you work through the Atomic Rockets section, you'll be ready to fly your own spaceship!
Beginnings Are Delicate Things

So I've been kicking around a couple of story ideas and a framework to hang them on. This blog will show some of the framework and perhaps (if I feel brave enough) drafts of the stories.