What is the Best Star Trek film?

I happened upon the link (just click the title of this post) to a photo gallery which answers that question, in pretty much the same order that I would have put the films in the Star Trek series.

However, perhaps the best Star Trek film is not a Star Trek film at all. The first time I saw Galaxy Quest, I was amazed and laughed so hard that I could not believe anyone could pack that many gags into a script. Having been a guest and a paying customer at science fiction cons, I embraced the whole concept behind Galaxy Quest.

My family is taking me to see the new Trek film for Mother's Day, but if you can't get to the theatre and still want to remember the good ole days of television science fiction, watch Galaxy Quest. Such fun, and it has stood the test of time quite well.

Visiting at SFSC

Last week I visited SFSC on Sunday afternoon, which was a shorter visit than I would normally make, but I had some other things going on which caused me to only show up for my slot in the dealer room and for the one panel for which I had volunteered. Of course, Sunday afternoon is the time the fewest people are in attendance, since folks from out of town have usually checked out of the hotel by then. However, I had a chance to visit with a few people, rather than merely speak with a lot of them.

Fellow speculative fiction author Christina Barber joined me for my “How to Torment Your Characters” panel. Visiting with Christina is a genuine pleasure, and I hope con goers in our area get a chance to sit in on some of her other events. Despite the late time slot, we had an audience, and I enjoyed the discussion. As we wiled away a couple of hours in the dealer room, we also chatted a bit about our favorite and least favorite con experiences. I won’t do a "tell all" post online, but from a guest’s point of view, sometimes these are rewarding events and sometimes the other con guests are a bit arrogant, especially those with bad reviews.

Hubby participated in the Atlanta Science Fiction Society’s SciFi Jeopardy contest, watched an oldie in the video room, as well as playing a few games in the video game room. He laughingly compared Frogger to trying to get a across the “Damon Gause Bypass” where it intersects with Old Pendergrass Road in Jefferson, which is the biggest traffic challenge in our hometown. We both think the frog has a better chance.

There are some other cons in this area, including the big one in ATL, DragonCon, and the showcase for Baen Books, LibertyCon in Chattanooga. Christina also told me that there is a new one starting up, Conooga, which will be in February of 2008. If you like genre related films, games, or fiction, a con can be a really fun getaway.

Things I've Learned (in my first fifty-one years)

• You never really know a person until you deal with his (or her) pocketbook.
• “Judge not” is absent from the creed of some so-called Christians. In fact, some seem to view judging others as recreation.
• There is no point in paying the locker rental at Jefferson High School. The other children will call your kid a female canine if she approaches the door, and if she actually tries to use it, physical assault can result. Buy extra book bags instead.
• Fast food will make you fat and diabetes could result as well. (I don’t have it yet, but the genetic seeds are there!)
• Women are meaner than men. Lord Byron said it long ago, but he was right.
• The best place to buy Christmas cards or a plastic sword is Party City.
• Paying bills online saves money on stamps and keeps your checks out of the hands of criminals.
• eBooks cost less than print books, and you don’t have to dispose of them after you’ve read them.
• Change your oil every 5,000 miles, and always buy a full set of good tires.
• Never trust the government to take care of your needs. Here are some examples to consider:
school bus vs. private car
veterans hospital vs. private physician
Georgia’s hope scholarship vs. your 529 plan
• Prune your crepe myrtles in February for better shape and more blooms during the summer.
• As people age, they tend to either “blow up” or “dry up.”
• Thieves can steal almost anything, but not your education, so get the best one you can afford and your brain will tolerate.
• Civic groups never invite a speaker twice, but science fiction cons goers seem to like seeing familiar faces.
• Don’t call Rite Aid in Jefferson for a prescription refill within three days of the first day of the month. If you forget to order ahead, just do without.
• Don’t use the intersection of Old Pendergrass Road and the Jefferson Bypass, because it is poorly designed and too heavily traveled. Using the intersection could result in property damage, bodily injury, and/or fatality. Find another way, and try to remember that the five minutes you lose is a lot less than a fews days in the hospital (or worse!)
• Family Dollar sells 2 liter Cokes for a dollar and a dime. Everyday.
• Don't plant anything when the wind comes from the east. This makes for damp and cold conditions, which isn't conducive to germination. (Nanny Dodd always said this!)
• American Eagle clothing is available online, so buy there and you don’t have to deal with loud, obnoxious “music” in the store or rude salespeople.
• All human behavior is driven by pleasure or pain. The need to derive pleasure and avoid pain are instinctive. This is part of our make up as human beings. Avoid people who derive pleasure from inflicting pain on others.
• Choose your friends wisely, because you don’t have any choice about your relatives.

The Best Audience is...

I’m learning that the best folks to talk with about science fiction are the fans of the genre. Okay, that sounds like a “duh,” but my first book didn’t seem to require targeting an audience. At least not in the same way. Every time a local civic club called, I just went in with my speech and a box of books, talked for fifteen minutes and sold them.

Alas, no civic groups are calling this time, but I had a really great visit with the folks at the Atlanta Science Fiction Society when I was their guest speaker last weekend. Their questions were really interesting, and they were one of the best audiences I’ve ever had. While I was visiting and signing, they gave me quite a lot of good advice for new groups to visit, so I’ll no doubt have some new events to attend as time goes on.

After SFSC

This is an update to let interested readers hear about my visit to Sci Fi Summer Con in Atlanta, my first experience as a “celebrity guest” and my first con with my kids in tow. Son liked it; daughter sat with her iPod and a book and was no trouble. Chris Jones, the con director, was everywhere, wearing a lot of hats, and leading the “Trek at 40” panel, which was a good one.

First, I really did enjoy meeting a few members of the Atlanta Science Fiction Society. They held an event called SF Jeopardy, and that was fun. Okay, I came in last place, partially due to a complete lack of knowledge of comic book anything, but it was still fun, and I did get a consolation prize.

Second, having met authors in various other genres at the writers’ conference in Athens, I was pleasantly surprised at how friendly the other authors at the con were. I spent some time last evening looking at websites belonging to those authors and in some cases, their blogs. Jana Oliver, Christina Barber, Chesya Burke, and Julie Cochrane are all fellow novelists who write speculative fiction, and although our sub genres differ a bit, I found chatting with them to be particularly helpful.

Third, I liked the free stuff, as did hubby. Flyers, brochures, and bookmarks are expected, of course, but we also got some movie posters and other memorabilia. My son really enjoyed the arcade room, with vintage video games set on “free play” for the entire weekend, and he proved that “a fool and his money are soon parted” in the dealer room on the very first day.

Finally, as a longtime Star Trek fan, I enjoyed Michael DeMerritt most of all. He was personable, knowledgeable, and really entertaining. As an assistant director on Star Trek Voyager and Enterprise, he knew lots of inside information, which he shared with the attendees, along with many photos made during production. I just wish I’d managed to attend every panel he did, but I was unable to do so.

I did not dress up in any costume, because I don’t own one, and if I did it would probably have been too hot. I did see some interesting costumes, however. I genuinely enjoyed being across from the Klingons during my time at the autograph table. They offered me dried veggies and were great folks, for Klingons....

Why would any one be interested in ebooks?

I’ve already written about eBooks, but I’m hosting a panel on the subject for SciFi Summer in Atlanta in a couple of weeks, so I’ve been brushing up a few remarks regarding this new form of publishing. While both of my books have both eBook and trade paperback editions, I have sold far more print copies. Yet, as a book buying customer, I have gradually increased the number of eBooks I am buying. For me, three things matter most: a title I would want to read (regardless of format), a good price, and, a format that works on my Palm Tungsten E. Until I got that handy little device, I only read a few eBooks, b/c toting a laptop is worse than toting a book. However, the last time I counted, I had about 50 titles on my Palm, with room for a few more, and it takes up less space in my purse than my wallet.

As I’ve cruised around the net, I have found several articles touting ePublishing. Based on that research, here are some reasons to consider eBook purchases or having your book ePublished:

•eBooks don’t require paper or ink, so they are less costly to produce
•due to this cost-effectiveness, eBooks can be cost-effective for niche books that wouldn’t interest traditional publishing
•eBooks are more compact (hundreds can be held in a single PDA, dedicated eBook reader, or laptop)
•eBooks are more environmentally sound, with no physical product to throw away
•eBooks do provide accessibility via flexible font size
•eBooks can be updated and/or corrected more easily
•eBooks can be electronically searched
•eBooks provide instant gratification, which is just a download away. The next book in a series can be purchased instantly without the need for a trip to the bookstore or a wait for physical delivery of a paper product.

My website’s “links” page includes a link to the bestselling eBooks from 2005, and you’re going to find some familiar titles there. I’ve heard a few nay-sayers who proclaim that no one is reading, buying, or selling eBooks. Nope, these books, authors, and publishers are the only segment of the publishing industry growing in double digits, and while print books certainly still sell better, this technology will eventually change publishing.

Author blogs

I began Pam’s Pages last May, in part as an experiment in marketing. Having up to date web content is a bit challenging, but the great blogging sites available make updating web content about as simple as writing a diary entry was in my youth. Of course, we couldn’t upload pictures, and we were rather selective about who saw the contents of our diaries. The public aspect of blogging is still ackward for me, because I tend to be the same online as I am in person— straightforward and sometimes brutally honest. However, I hope that readers who have discovered Pam’s Pages have found it both entertaining and informative.

During April, my goal was promote my website and my writing, including online publicity efforts. I’ve submitted my web addy to several more directories and sites; I’ve offered review copies of Trinity to some additional review sites; and I have approached the event directors of a couple of science fiction conventions, seeking guest status. I’m still working on those, so I’ll wait to write a post about that. Hopefully some of these activities will help garner some sales and build interest in my writing, but I’ve already discovered an unexpected benefit: new writers’ sites and their blogs.

After signing on as a book reviewer for Round Table Reviews— a site I discovered while looking for promotional opportunities— I got my first assignment: Rhiana by Michele Hauf. Her web addy is michelehauf.com, and her work is quite interesting. Fans of fantasy or paranormal romance should check out her Changling series. I’d read a couple of books by John Ringo, a prolific Baen books science fiction writer, for a few years, but now I’ve seen his website, featuring some unpublished essays and many links. BTW, Ringo is a fellow resident of Jackson County, GA.(Okay, he was before his divorce. That happens, I guess.)

Susan Grant is another author with a great web presence. I’ve been reading her work since her debut novel, Once a Pirate, a time-travel romance, was published by Love Spell. Grant writes stories which are more romance than science fiction, but often her characters have something to do with aviation, because Grant’s day job is being an airline pilot. My personal favorite of her work is another stand alone, Contact, and she has written a couple of series along with a few short stories. See her webpage at susangrant.com. One of her blogs, Come Fly With Me, is highly entertaining, and you don’t have to be a fan of sci-fi or romance to enjoy it.

As I work on other projects, I may not meet my once a week goal for posting entries on Pam’s Pages, but I’m sure to share a bit of what’s on my mind from time to time. This is my Anniversary Post, and I hope you enjoy visiting enough to return to see what happens with me and my writing for another year.

Con- ventions

When I rode motorcycles, which I did from roughly age ten when I got a used minibike, until age thirty-three, when I parked my Honda 650, many people got the wrong idea about my personality. I never owned a leather jacket, have no tattoos, and never smoked anything. I don’t even curse often. However, the bias against my favorite mode of transportation followed me despite a total lack of interest in Hell’s Angels, Harleys and especially choppers. I preferred bikes with more zip, actually.

Hopefully, reading and watching science fiction are not always associated with being terminally weird, either. Oh, some people will always associate sci-fi with nerds. My interest in science fiction began in childhood, as I watched Star Trek along side the early efforts of NASA, but I’m not obsessed with the genre nor as weird as the stereotypical sci-fi fan.

I attended a science-fiction convention once, some years ago, because one in Atlanta was hosting James Doohan and Michael Dorn, and my long term love of Star Trek won out over any concerns I had about Alanta traffic or the attendees. Both of these gentlemen made excellent speeches, and I loved getting their autographs. The con, as these are now called, was quite an experience. The dealer’s room— a huge place filled with vendors hawking overpriced pins, comics, magazines, and 8x10 glossy pics of TV and film stars— was amazing. Even more amazing were the costumes, both in number and variety. As I stood in line behind a woman who was trying to look like Uhura, the communications officer on the original Star Trek, she informed me that her young son had made her costume. I had no trouble believing that. Many of the other costumes were quite professional, however. Being dressed in business casual, which I always deemed appropriate for a weekend trip to Atlanta, somehow felt downright odd.

One of my very best friends has a son who publishes sequential art— that’s comic books in layman’s terms— who says I should try hawking Trinity on Tylos at science fiction conventions. A really up and coming science fiction writer from this area, a guy who has published fourteen books, is speaking at Liberty.con in Chattanooga and at Dragon.con in Atlanta later this year. So, perhaps that is good advice. Maybe I should dress up, too. Not as a Trek character, of course, but I could dress up as a biker, since I never did that when I rode the various motorcycles that I owned during my youth.

BTW, I still have my motorcyclist’s license, but I haven’t ridden anything on the street larger than my daughter’s scooter for a number of years. Motherhood is a great responsibility, not to be taken lightly. But I could get a black tee shirt and a leather jacket with star shaped studs, I suppose, and try the con-vention. What do you think?