Arthur C. Clarke Dies at 90

Author and geosynchronous satellite thinker-upper, Arthur C. Clarke died in Sri Lanka at the age of 90 on Wednesday. I had, of course, read several of his books. But my first contact with him came through the movie 2001: A Space Odyssey (he wrote the original novel, though he collaborated with Kubrick on the story, and co-wrote the script with Kubrick). I had been pretty young when my mom took me to the movie at the Continental (once upon a time our grand movie theatre here in Denver ... and still kinda is). The movie came out in 1968, which would have made me five years old. I don't think I was that young, so perhaps we saw it on a re-release tour in the early '70s. However, I remember enjoying the movie up until the end when the ginormous space baby shows up and then wondering what the hell?! My mom tells me the most memorable part of the film was when she bought popcorn and brought it back to our seats and spilled it everywhere (or maybe I spilled it everywhere?) - however, I don't remember the popcorn incident, so maybe I was only five. As an afterword, it wasn't until years later as a teenager when I read the novel that I finally understood the whole ginormous space baby thing. And did you know that the word 'ginormous' is in the dictionary (along with humongous)? I didn't.

Click here to see a write-up on Mr. Clarke in the L.A. Times.

Some favorite quotes from Mr. Clarke:

Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic.

I don't believe in astrology; I'm a Sagittarius and we're skeptical.

The greatest tragedy in mankind's entire history may be the hijacking of morality by religion.

It may be that our role on this planet is not to worship God but to create him.

Ian Brazee-Cannon Comes Full Circle

Ian Brazee-Cannon's story "Full Circle" is up in the March 2008 issue of The Fifth Di...

Click here to read it.

The Tems' Launch Party - March 4, Tattered Cover LoDo

Here's some cool news from the Tems:

Local award-winning authors Melanie & Steve Tem will read from and sign copies of their new novel, The Man on the Ceiling, on Tuesday, March 4, from 7:30 to 9:00 p.m. (note time change from 9:30) at the Tattered Cover LoDo, 1628 16th Street, Denver. This novel is an expansion and re-imagining of their novella of the same name, winner of the Bram Stoker, IHG, and World Fantasy Awards (the only work ever to win all three). Please join them for reading, discussion, and refreshment, in celebration of the official launch of a work PUBLISHER'S WEEKLY praised for its "delicate, exquisitely detailed and almost hypnotic language."

Denver Book Mall - March 2, 2008

Two events on Sunday March 2, 2008 at the Denver Book Mall, 32 Broadway (between 1st Avenue and Ellsworth), Denver, 303-733-3808:

• 3:00 PM – talk & signing from Gaddy Bergmann, Trials of the Warmland (10% discount)
  



• 6:00 PM - Colorado Homegrown Tales presents “A Singular Perspective”
  
  Actors Emily Paton Davies, Debbie Knapp, Martha Harmon Pardee, and Guy Williams will read stories by Colorado authors Lynn Hamilton, Kent Nelson, and Carrie Vaughn.
  
  $10 admission; reservations not required but recommended due to limited seating capacity. Authors’ books will be available for sale.
  
  Please call Debbie Knapp at 720-233-0811 for reservations or more information.
  

Stories for All Seasons - March 8, 2008

Second Saturday of Every Month at 7:00 PM. Stories for All Seasons at West Side Books, 3434 W. 32nd Ave., Denver (between Federal and Lowell, the purple building with the red pole). Admission is free. Refreshments as always. Call 303.480.0220 or e-mail westsidebooks@qwest.net. Ed Bryant usually hosts and you'll almost always find other local writers in attendance as well.

March 8, 2008:

Carleen Brice - reading from and signing her first novel Orange Mint and Honey

Mario Acevedo's The Undead Kama Sutra

Mario Acevedo's third book in the Felix Gomez adventures The Undead Kama Sutra is out soon from EOS. As Mario's website says: The aliens are back and Felix the vampire must save the Earth women.