SFWA

Yesterday I was admitted as a full member of the SFWA, an organization for writers and artists related to the science fiction and fantasy genre.

There is a lot to be said for the impact of sci-fi/fantasy on the modern world, from way back when I was a kid:

1954: “We live in a science-fiction age. Yesterday’s fantasy is already today’s fact.” Chester Whitehorn, Editor of Science Fiction Digest

1969: “There’s nothing to be learned from history any more. We’re in science fiction now.” Allen Ginsberg, Beat Poet

1971: “I have had the disturbing conviction that we are all living in a science-fiction story.” Donald A. Wollheim, a science fiction editor who published an unauthorized paperback edition of JRRT’s The Lord of the Rings in three volumes. 

So sci-fi and fantasy genres always had an impact on reality. Sci-fi/Fantasy writers are prophets in their own way.

It could have started with the influence of the sci-fi/fantasy writers of my childhood – Asimov, Vonnegut, Clarke and Heinlein – and when I came across Anne McCaffrey, I was hugely impressed to see the last name on a book binding. In my late teens I devoured everything JRRT wrote. In my thirties, Anne Rice was my favorite author.

But, when I set out to write in my sixties, I never considered myself a Sci-Fi & Fantasy writer. Honestly, I didn’t consider myself a writer of any genre, or a writer at all. I just sat down and took my shot.

TWA morphed from a mobster-lawyer story into something completely different. And each new book has taken The Claire Saga story to newer heights on the sci-fi/fantasy spectrem.

I’m not sure if it was a result of the natural mysticism of my Celtic family background, or my growing up when Moore’s Law has allowed for technological change during my lifetime at an exponential rate.

I have always been jealous of people who fully understand physics, either classical or quantum, or both. Although quantum seems to delve closer into the magical realm, where I feel more comfortable, so that tickles my fancy just a little more.

I’m a big fan of Michio Kaku – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michio_Kaku.

I pay attention to science the way someone studies the slight of hand of a master street magician. I watch it carefully, follow as much as my mind will absorb and then sit back and allow myself to be amazed.

And that is where the magic is found.

As I mentioned in an earlier blog, I am also a big fan of Dr. Steven Greer, and his work has greatly influenced my view of the galaxy for most of this Century.

We are not alone. I know this to be true.

Or it could all just be the influence on my imagination of my magical mule Claire. She led me into writing the story in the first place. There she is this morning resting with Honey – ass to ass – out where the ley lines meet.

And yes, Casa Claire is a magical place that has greatly influenced my imagination.

So, The Claire Saga has continuously evolved in each book to a deeper and broader engagement and merger of science fiction and fantasy, told in a way where the lawyer in me uses the narrative skills I have developed over four decades to convince you that Claire’s story is plausible, and leave you, the reader, to decide how much truth was woven into it. That’s the fun part.

You’d be surprised.

Where The Ley Lines Meet is the culmination of this merger of characters, genres, facts and narrative talent. It’s the end(?) of The Claire Saga.

But over these past few weeks as I awaited the publication of WTLLM (Tuesday April 16th), I learned from other serious authors of this respected organization of sci-fi/fantasy writers that has been around since the mid-sixties, and the competitor in me (go figure, I’m a lawyer) wondered if I finally had the credentials for entry. So I applied. It is a detailed application and they make you present your bona fides, including literary sci-fi/fantasy income.

I figured if they rejected me, if anyone gave a shit, only a posthumous biographer would ever find out.

But my luck held and yesterday this wonderful group of writers allowed me to join their organization. I couldn’t be more thrilled to be one of their card-carrying members.

Thank you SFWA. And thank you readers for giving me the credentials.

Well, it’s magical Friday, I’ve already cuddled the kitties and made my rounds. An unexpected journey kept me away from my computer during the early morning hours. But I didn’t want to leave any of the fine, five readers – especially those that may be into sci-fi/fantasy – hanging if they happened to come check on my blog. So here we are.

Now I have other things to do, and I hope you fine, five readers have already figured out your exit from the weekday salt-mines.

This weekend could be well spent finishing the first four books of The Claire Saga between weekend errands and family functions. Then read WTLLM and decide for yourselves if I deserve the entry into SFWA.

But no matter what we all get up to this weekend, let us start by making today a great one.