Q: Will you ever write an extended version of "Silent Her" or a sequel to it? I enjoyed the story tremendously but wanted to learn more about the future of Lilith and her planet. --Deb Nelson
A: I have at least two novels outlined covering the revolution and beyond. The trouble is trying to get a publisher to go for them. The original story, "Silent Her," was finished shortly before that unpleasant fellow in Iran took out a contract on author Salman Rushdie's life for writing The Satanic Verses. Ever since then anything having any kind of Middle East flavor, connection, or (as in the case of my story) antecedent is virtually tabu. I just looked it up and that was in 1988. It took from then until 2000 even to get scifi.com to buy the story. Since then it and the series outline have been shipped around looking for an editor who isn't covered in chicken feathers or who believes that women's rights in religious and Middle Eastern contexts are still important even if his record in this regard makes a certain unpopular politician and the wars he conducted look good.
Golly. I must've been wanting to vent that little bit of spleen for quite awhile.
"Silent Her" is one of my favorite stories, important to me and the things I believe, which is why I fought for it for so long. My wife, Regina, is still carrying a banner for "Silent Her." Who knows? Some editor might grow some guts or a producer out there somewhere might take an interest. Scifi.com is now defunct so "Silent Her" is no longer available there. We now have the novella available as an eBook on Amazon's Kindle (although the reader downloads for just about any device are available at no charge). Silent Her is in the Book Store under eBooks. Look for the different reader downloads (for PC, iPhone, Blackberry, etc.) on the same page.
Q: What did you think of the movie Enemy Mine?
A: Someone took this picture of me not long after I saw Enemy Mine in the theater.
I've covered a lot of this in my book, The Enemy Papers, but it was a case of great expectations meets a bunch of well-meaning boobs who either didn't read the original story, or if they did read it, hadn't a clue regarding what the story was about, nor about science fiction. I don't think the production company meant to do a crappy job, but as we are now learning with Wall Street, Washington, and oil-soaked waters, it's tough to do a good job when you're phoning it in.
In fairness, I have to take a measure of the blame. After receiving a letter from the fellow who was about to commit first-degree screenplay murder, I failed to call 911. In fact I cut off all communication with him. Thus we see the folly of not negotiating with terrorists.
Q: I have been trying for years to get published and have gotten nowhere, except for a pity scribble on a rejection slip now and then. What am I doing wrong?
A: One thing you're doing wrong is trying to get published. Most important is the story. Publication, sales, fame, etc. are neat things when and if they come, but you need to focus on the story, not publication. Before that, you need to find out if what you want is to write or be a writer. There is a big difference.
Beneath the picture is my writing mind-fix. Every rejection I get tells me I need to improve in one or more of those areas. To the best of your abilities write stories you like and that you think are important. Then send them to an editor and see what happens, always remembering that editors don't buy "good stories." Editors buy what they like.
By the way, those "pity-scribbles" on rejection slips only get there if you are getting close (unless they say something like "You ought to be driving a truck." That was a comment I once got. That's where the Endurance aspect of my mind-fix comes in. Dig in and keep at it.)
Click on the picture for a few more insights.
Q: When is "Alten Kameraden" going to appear?
A: April in Asimov's.
Q: What's with the Snodad thing?
A: My niece and her two children built a snowman when they visited over the holidays. They wanted to know how Snodad was doing, so we put it up on the site. Meanwhile, Snodad has taken on a life of his own. We plan to record his progress (and opinions) until he is literally all wet come spring.
Q: I'm new and I hope It won't be asking too much, but I'd love to know which publishers you like. If you can tell me that, it would be wonderfull. Again thank you very much.
A: I like any publisher who buys my stuff. SF is a shrinking market so few of us can be picky. But we are different persons, write different stuff, and will appeal to different publishers. Go to a large paperback bookstore, look through the fantasy and SF sections, peek through the books, and find out the publishers YOU like. Also, check them out in the current Writer's Market (to get any of the WD directories through this site, click on the link below and go to "Writing & Marketing"). If an editor puts in his listing, "Hate military SF," sending that editor OctoBob, the Eight-legged Space Marine might be a waste of time.
PS. Thanks for not asking which publishers I really hate.
Q: Where do you get your ideas?
A:
Q: About ten years after publication of your story "Enemy Mine," author Kay Hooper published a book with the same title and theme. Is this plagiarism on her part?
A: You can't copyright a title and I couldn't say how much or what Hooper might have or might have not borrowed. I don't think you can copyright a theme. All you can copyright is the story (word choice and order plus structure & characters).
In any event, it seems a small thing next to a stupid mistake I made today. Many revisions and two new chapters on my current work, good stuff too, and when I closed out the document and it asked me if I wanted to save it, I wanted to return to the document to make a change. So-I-hit-No-instead-of-Cancel-and-lost all of the day's work.
Writer tip of the day: Pay attention to the details---All the flippin' *@#&<>!! details.
Q: Can't get my Paypal order through for "The Write Stuff: Online Writing Seminar." What gives?
A: Corrupted code, we think. Refresh the page and try ordering again. The payment buttons have been replaced and are in good working order. Try ordering several times just to make sure (hee, hee).
The Factory
Q: Before I can start writing I need everything just so: Clean, neat, and in its place. What is your writing space like?
A: See the picture. This is between stories. In the midst of a piece it's much worse.
Q: How does one write a customer review? Just Email it to you?
A: No. Send me no reviews. Understand that the innards of the Movie & Book Emporium are direct links to Amazon.com, even though the frame is a page in the Webmansion. In deciding what to put in their "aStore," Amazon didn't include the spot for adding customer reviews. However, to access that function from the Webmansion, on the Book & Movie Emporium page, in the Amazon product search tool in the upper right-hand corner, go to "Books" and enter "Barry B. Longyear," hit the "Go" button, find the book you want to review, and have at it. Once your review is entered, I assume it will eventually appear in the Emporium reviews.
Q: When I go to Amazon and put in a sort for Barry B. Longyear books, the in-print editions are harder to find than the right change at a toll booth. What gives?
A: Beats the hell out of me. My best guess is that the sort is based on the most popular editions, but that really doesn't agree with our sales figures. No matter. Now that we have Barry's Book & Movie Emporium the sort of in-print editions has already been made for you. Hit the icon to be brought to the Emporium then pick "All Books" to see all of my in-print books gathered in one spot. You can still access the other selections (used out-of-print editions) as well as all of Amazon's other products using the search tool on the Emporium page.
Grant
Q: I love your science fiction. Why on earth are you going to write a Civil War novel?
A: That's the story that's knocking at my door.
Q: Okay, you've got me hooked on the Jaggers & Shad mysteries appearing in Analog. So, when is the next? Once a year is not enough! Linda
A: My very words. There are two more tales that are finished, "The Colleton Ghost," and "The Sheriff's Tale." They will not be appearing in the magazine, though. Editor Stanley Schmidt at Analog is having a tough time fitting big pieces into his periodic jigsaw puzzle, and "Colleton Ghost" is a novella. "The Sheriff's Tale" is shorter, but there are problems with filling in readers who are approaching the characters for the first time on what has gone on before. Stan did suggest to me that I put the stories together in an episodic novel, and I have done so. It is titled ABC is for Artificial Beings Crimes and the manuscript is at my agent's. Patience, Linda. Patience.
Meanwhile . . .
The award winning J&S stories, "The Good Kill," "The Hangingstone Rat," "The Purloined Labradoodle," and "Murder in Parliament Street" are available. Email me for prices/shipping on autographed back issues of Analog.
