Monthly Archives: April 2023

Great Time at PenguiCon 2023

Attendees at the science fiction convention PenguiCon enjoyed a great treat yesterday. They got to go to an informative and fun panel about Jules Verne.

Scifi fan and bookseller Jeff Beeler led the discussion and asked questions designed to give the audience a good feel for the famous French author. Unlike most readers, the first Verne novel Jeff read was the obscure 1888 novel Two Years’ Vacation.

The con’s Guest of Honor, Eric Choi (pictured with me) explained how he came to write his story “Raise the Nautilus,” which appears in Extraordinary Visions: Stories Inspired by Jules Verne, 20,000 Leagues Remembered, and Eric’s short story collection, Just Like Being There.

JD DeLuzio added his own perspective on Verne. He’d read the author’s major works and commented on the societal and cultural change Verne wrought.

The president of the North American Jules Verne Society, Dennis Kytasaari, knew more about Verne than the rest of us combined, and discussed not only the history of the society, but also mentioned that the publisher BearManor Media is offering 25% off on its Verne titles (including Extraordinary Visions) through the end of this month. Use the code ‘Verne25’ at checkout.

Even if you missed that panel at PenguiCon, you can still get that 25%-off deal. These are modern translations, not like the poor early English translations of Verne’s major works. Go snap up those books at this website now. You can always come back later to read posts by—

Poseidon’s Scribe

April 23, 2023Permalink

Upcoming Events for Poseidon’s Scribe

Hectic times for Poseidon’s Scribe. Last week I mentioned I’ll be speaking at PenguiCon. Today I’ve got two more events to tell you about.

First, here’s an update on PenguiCon, the scifi convention at the Westin Hotel in Southfield, Michigan. For the panel “Extraordinary Visions: the enduring legacy of Jules Verne” (11:00 am on Saturday, April 22), there’s been a person added to the panel. In addition to Eric Choi (the con’s Guest of Honor), Jeff Beeler, JD DeLuzio, and me, the panel will also include Dennis Kytasaari, president of the North American Jules Verne Society.

Also, for the next panel after that, Eric Choi graciously invited me to read some of my fiction as well.

Two weeks later, I’ll be speaking at DemiCon, the scifi convention in Des Moines, Iowa, running from 5-7 May at the Holiday Inn & Suites Des Moines-Northwest.

I’m scheduled for the following events:

  • AI Meets SF, Friday 6-7PM
  • Iowa in SF, Saturday 10-11AM
  • Can Writers Benefit from Being Editors? Saturday noon-1PM
  • Steven Southard Reading, Saturday 2-3PM
  • Pandemics Through History, Their Effects on Literature, Saturday 3-4PM
  • Character Changes from Unlikable to Likable, Saturday 9-10PM
  • Gadgets in SF, Sunday noon-1PM

I’ll give you more updated information on that as the dates approach.

Then, on April 30, a new anthology launches and it will include one of my stories. You might not associate tarot cards with scifi, but both have something to do with predicting the future, so it works. TDotSpec is publishing The Science Fiction Tarot, edited by Brandon Butler.

The book contains my story, “Turned Off,” a tale of two movie prop robots whose circuits activate during an electrical storm. They each recall being turned off after being replaced in their movies by costumed human actors. Now they consider what to do about the humans who created them but can turn them on or off at will.

You can pre-order The Science Fiction Tarot here.

You just can’t miss a week of this blog. For some reason, all of a sudden, there’s a lot happening in the world of—

Poseidon’s Scribe

April 16, 2023Permalink

Waddling to Penguicon ‘23

If you find yourself in the Detroit area later this month, consider going to Penguicon. I’ll be there.

A science fiction convention, Penguicon takes place in Southfield, Michigan at the Westin hotel. This year, they’ve chosen author Eric Choi as their Guest of Honor. His short story “Raise the Nautilus” appears in two recent anthologies—Extraordinary Visions: Stories Inspired by Jules Verne and 20,000 Leagues Remembered.

Penguicon features a panel called “Extraordinary Visions: the enduring legacy of Jules Verne” at 11:00 am on Saturday, April 22. Bookseller and scifi fan Jeff Beeler will moderate the panel, and panelists include Eric Choi, author JD DeLuzio, and me.

Following that panel, at 12:00, Eric Choi will launch his new book, Just Like Being There, and I plan on, well, being there, for that.

Face it—when it comes to pure enjoyment, nothing else you had planned for that day even comes close to attending Penguicon.

Two weeks after that, I’ll be speaking at another convention. Plus, another one of my stories will appear in an upcoming anthology. Stay tuned for news about both of these exciting events. You don’t want to miss a single post by—

Poseidon’s Scribe

April 9, 2023Permalink

My Newest Book — Rebel Spirit

Ever heard of CSS Hunley? A hand-cranked submarine from the U.S. Civil War, it accomplished the first successful submarine attack in history.

I’ve written a fictional story set aboard that sub. One of my few ghost stories, Rebel Spirit follows the experiences of a man nicknamed Scowler, a member of the sub’s first crew.

In 1864, Northern warships blockaded Charleston harbor, permitting no waterborne trade. In desperation, the South tried an unprecedented attack from underwater, by submarine. Earlier inventors had attempted submarine warfare without success. Many in Charleston hoped the Hunley, named for its inventor, Horace Lawson Hunley, would prevail. 

Think of Rebel Spirit as historical horror. Well, mild horror. For the most part, I’ve adhered to historical accounts while telling Scowler’s story. My tale makes no reference to the politics of the war and does not glorify the South’s cause. As a former submariner with an interest in history, I’m awed by the bravery of the men who served aboard such a dangerous, cramped, man-powered craft.

In real life, researchers have salvaged the Hunley and it resides in a museum in Charleston. I hope to visit that museum one day.

I invite you to read Rebel Spirit. For $3.99, you can buy it at Amazon. It’s a ghostly story of the sea brought to you by—

Poseidon’s Scribe

P.S. I’m planning to speak at Penguicon, a scifi conference in Southfield, Michigan, on Saturday, April 22. I’ll provide more details in the next blogpost by—

Poseidon’s Scribe

April 2, 2023Permalink