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I've made my first novel, Ventus, available as a free download, as well as excerpts from two of the Virga books. I am looking forward to putting up a number of short stories in the near future.
To celebrate the August, 2007 publication of Queen of Candesce, I decided to re-release my first novel as an eBook. You can download it from this page. Ventus was first published by Tor Books in 2000, and and you can still buy it; to everyone who would just like to sample my work, I hope you enjoy this version.
I've released this book under a Creative Commons license, which means you can read it and distribute it freely, but not make derivative works or sell it.
I've made large tracts of these two Virga books available. If you want to find out what the Virga universe is all about, you can check it out here:
In spring 2005, the Directorate of Land Strategic Concepts of National Defense Canada (that is to say, the army) hired me to write a dramatized future military scenario. The book-length work, Crisis in Zefra, was set in a mythical African city-state, about 20 years in the future, and concerned a group of Canadian peacekeepers who are trying to ready the city for its first democratic vote while fighting an insurgency. The project ran to 27,000 words and was published by the army as a bound paperback book.
If you'd like to read Crisis in Zefra, you can download it in PDF form.
...And I answer
During the interview he did with me at SFCOntario last fall, Lawrence Schoen asked me what my favourite food was. My answer, and the quirky little conversation around it, can now be found on Lawrence's site here.
Short answer: anything Indian.
I'll be Canvention Guest of Honour this year. Here's what's up
Opening Ceremonies – Fri. 7 PM, Ballroom BC
Canvention Guest of Honour interview – Sat. 11 AM, Ballroom BC (Laurence Schoen as interviewer.)
Linguistics for Fiction
– Sat. 3 PM, Solarium
From Tolkien to Game of Thrones writers and
moviemakers have paid attention to the development of created languages. What goes into creating an authentic
language? How do biology and psychology help determine language? This panel
will introduce you to the study of languages on Earth and to what may determine
the development of language on an alien world. (Matthew Johnson(M), Alex
Pantaleev, Lawrence Schoen, Karl Schroeder)
Kaffeeklatsch – Sat. 4:00 PM, Room 207
Sun of Suns Graphic Novel Sneak Peek – Sat. 6 PM, Parkview
Aurora Award Banquet – Sun. 11 PM Shade Restaurant
Aurora Award Ceremony – Sun. 12 PM. I'll be MC'ing.
Cyberpunk: Is It Dead? Did It Ever Really Exist?- Sun. 2
PM Ballroom
A
Bruce Sterling once said that if you claim to be writing
cyberpunk, you aren’t. Others who have been linked to the cyberpunk movement
have disavowed any knowledge of its actions. What is this literary movement in
science fiction, and why do writers seem to either run towards or away from the
label? (Kathryn Allan, Simon McNeil, Ira Nayman(M), Karl Schroeder, Allan
Weiss)
Closing Ceremonies – Sun. 3 PM, Ballroom BC
A different perspective on storytelling from the gaming crowd
I've got a new interview up at Grinding to Valhalla. This is a gaming site, and as such they asked a couple of perceptive questions that I'd never be asked by literary interviewer.
Thanks, Randolph!
...And here's my schedule
We'll be at Minicon April 10-12, and I hope you can join us! Here's what I'll be up to--although, as always, feel free to approach me in the halls, dealer's room, or where-ever if you want to chat or want me to sign something. We're really looking forward to the weekend, and your participation will make it that much better!
Note: it's a light schedule, since I'm still recovering from my surgery--but I'm doing pretty well these days, and hope to be around and available most of the time.
Steampunk: the Romance of Science
Saturday 2:30
Krushenko’s
Sharon Kahn(m), Karl Schroeder, Richard Mueller, Dorf, Ceridwen Christensen
What is Steampunk: a literary movement, an attitude, or merely fashion statement? Perhaps there is something about the buoyant spirit of the late 19th century that speaks to our feelings about technology today.
Interview and Signing: Author GoH
Saturday 7:00
Veranda 5/6
Rick Brignall(interviewer), Karl Schroeder
Our author Guest of Honor talks about his life and his work. After the interview there will be a book signing in the same space and a chance to chat with Karl one on one.
Breaking into publishing in the 21st Century
Sunday 10:00
Veranda 3/4
Michael Merriam(m), Karl Schroeder, Scott McCoy, Rob Callahan, Rick Brignall
An update of the perennially popular "Publishing 101" topic. What do you as a new writer need to know to get your big break? How is the process changing with the advent of printing on demand, audio books, and the paperback publishing industry in a state of freefall? Last year's advice on how to break into the business may already be obsolete
Second Foundation Discussion: The Works of Karl Schroeder
Sunday 11:30
Krushenko’s
Eric M. Heideman(m), Karl Schroeder, John Till, Greg L. Johnson
Come and talk with the Author GOH about his work! Sponsored by Second Foundation, a speculative and science fiction-book discussion group that has met regularly since 1983 (see also Sunday evening, Krushenko's Annex)
Hope to see you there!
The interview's in English
The excellent French online magazine ActuSF has published an interview with me. They wanted to know about Ventus and Permanence and some of the ideas I explored in them. It was refreshing for me to talk about those books, because as the current Virga quartet winds to its conclusion (not that there won't be further books set there, by the way!) I find my interests and attention wandering back to the issues I explored in my first three novels. I'm hugely interested in present developments in cognitive science, and am now thinking about how the vast array of settings and tech I developed for Ventus and Lady of Mazes might be used to support a novel about cogsci. --Relax, I'm just daydreaming, for now.
Everything happened at once, but I managed to get through it
Yesterday I was interviewed by Grant Stone, who does a nationally-syndicated radio show called Faster Than Light here in Australia. We talked about my work, what it's like for an SF writer having a Mennonite background, and my connection to Australia (we got married there). The interview was done over the phone, even as a local couple we hadn't seen for seven years was coming in the front door. Embarrassingly, I had to hide in the bedroom to do the interview while Janice and her mother and aunt took care of the social essentials.
It all worked out, and yesterday Janice and Paige went to meet seals and penguins while I stayed at the hotel to catch up on my writing. Today, we're in Geraldton and on our way to Kalbarri for a week. Yay! I'm really looking forward to that; Kalbarri is where we tied the knot, and it'll be great showing Paige all the places around there that we discovered together the first time.
I'm a member of the Association of Professional Futurists with my own consultancy, and am also currently Chair of the Canadian node of the Millennium Project, a private/public foresight consultancy active in 50 nations. As well, I am an award-winning author with ten published novels translated into as many languages. I write, give talks, and conduct workshops on numerous topics related to the future, including:
For a complete bio, go here. To contact me, email karl at kschroeder dot com
I use Science Fiction to communicate the results of actual futures studies. Some of my recent research relates to how we'll govern ourselves in the future. I've worked with a few clients on this and published some results.
Here are two examples--and you can read the first for free:
The Canadian army commissioned me to write Crisis in Urlia, a fictionalized study of the future of military command-and-control. You can download a PDF of the book here:
For the "optimistic Science Fiction" anthology Hieroglyph, I wrote "Degrees of Freedom," set in Haida Gwaii. "Degrees of Freedom" is about an attempt to develop new governing systems by Canadian First Nations people.
I'm continuing to research this exciting area and would be happy to share my findings.
"Science fiction at its best."
--Kim Stanley Robinson
"Lean and hugely engaging ... and highly recommended."
--Open Letters Monthly, an Arts and Literature Review
(Sun of Suns and Queen of Candesce are combined in Cities of the Air)
“An adventure-filled tale of sword
fights and naval battles... the real fun of this coming-of-age tale includes a
pirate treasure hunt and grand scale naval invasions set in the cold, far
reaches of space. ”
—Kirkus Reviews (listed in top 10 SF novels for 2006)
"With Queen of Candesce, [Schroeder] has achieved a clockwork balance of deftly paced adventure and humour, set against an intriguing and unique vision of humanity's far future.
--The Globe and Mail
"[Pirate Sun] is fun in the same league as the best SF ever has had to offer, fully as exciting and full of cool science as work from the golden age of SF, but with characterization and plot layering equal to the scrutiny of critical appraisers."
--SFRevu.com
"...A rollicking good read... fun, bookish, and full of insane air battles"
--io9.com
"A grand flying-pirate-ship-chases-and-escapes-and-meetings-with-monsters adventure, and it ends not with a debate or a seminar but with a gigantic zero-gee battle around Candesce, a climactic unmasking and showdown, just desserts, and other satisfying stuff."
--Locus