I will be attending MileHiCon down in Denver this weekend. I'll be doing a reading, a solo presentation on "Space-Based Astronomy", and a signing. All the details are in the extended entry below, which is taken from the University of Wyoming press releases from Oct. 20 (thanks Stephanie!). I'll do something like chocolate at the reading, and/or giving away a free hardback copy of Star Dragon to someone at random.
I've also got some new news about Star Dragon in the press release. The mass market paperback will be released Jan. 10, 2005 (and this will actually be my first Campbell Award qualifying publication, for many reasons too obscure to go into now). Also, I'm working with my super capable Web support guy, Jeremy Tolbert, and we're going to be offering Star Dragon for free, in its entirety, as an e-book at the end of the year. It's an experiment, but I'm optimistic it will pay off for my career in the long run.
UW ASTRONOMER AND SCI-FI WRITER TO PARTICIPATE IN DENVER'S MILEHICON
Oct. 20, 2004 -- University of Wyoming astronomer and science-fiction writer Michael Brotherton will participate in MileHiCon 36, the largest science-fiction convention in the Rocky Mountain region, Friday-Sunday, Oct. 22-24.
Brotherton will be at the Four Points Sheraton Hotel (formerly the Marriott Southeast), 6363 East Hampden Ave. There is a fee to enter the convention. His schedule:
Friday, Oct. 22, 7:30 p.m. and Saturday, Oct. 23, 1 p.m. -- Brotherton will sign copies of his book "Star Dragon" in the Dealers' room. The book can be purchased at the UW Bookstore or at the convention.
Saturday, Oct. 23, noon -- Popular science talk on "Space Based Astronomy," including discussion on NASA's Hubble and Spitzer space telescopes, in the Salon Four room.
Saturday, Oct. 23, 4 p.m. -- Book reading from "Star Dragon" in the Colorado room.
Since he was a child, Brotherton says he wanted to be an astronomer and science fiction writer. "They are synergistic activities in the sense that what excites me about science fiction are the same things that excite me about science and vice versa," he says. "As an assistant professor of physics and astronomy, I make sure my books have accurate science and think of them as public outreach. It's a way to excite people about science in general. Being a part of UW, I hope it can help us attract students into the major."
His book "Star Dragon," published by Tor Books, will be released in paperback on Jan. 10, along with being posted, in its entirety, on his Web site, www.mikebrotherton.com.
The story is about an exotic star system in which a disk of fire surrounds a white dwarf star, Brotherton explains. He notes it has different features that are all based on real physics. Brotherton raises the issue of genetically engineered animals and people by coupling this environment with an alien life form, the star dragon.
"I incorporate biotechnology issues in the book to explore how, in the future, that line between man, machine, and living or non-living is going to get a lot blurrier," he says.
The book was a finalist for the 2004 John W. Campbell Award, which recognizes the best new science fiction novel. "Star Dragon" also was nominated for the Alex Award by the American Library Association. Brotherton's works were named on the Locus Recommended Reading List and the New York Public Library Recommended Reading List for teenagers.
"There is a lot of action and adventure in this book, but it has concepts and ideas that are not simple," says Brotherton.
Brotherton joined the UW faculty in 2002. "Spider Star," his next book to be published, will be released in spring 2006.
For more information, visit the MileHiCon Web page at www.milehicon.org.
Posted by Mike at October 21, 2004 10:25 PM