In the Ether: Being Writer, Part 1

Like the eternal question, 'what does it mean to be human?' today's blog is about a less eternal but no less fascinating, at least for me, question, what does it mean to be an author at a time when the industry is undergoing such upheaval?

There is no publishing industry crystal ball we can look into to tell us how it will take shape. One thing is for sure, there will be winners and losers. That's the nature of the game. Adapt or sink into the oblivion of a footnote in history.

Pottermore

I was going to do another Science:  Fact or Fiction feature, but something else caught my attention, and in a way, it could be a portent for things to come.

It's been on the wind for months. Rumors here. Whispers there. A conspiracy-theorists wet dream.

Another political assassination? No. It's….

Pottermore!

Where Were You When the Internet Took Over the World...

Where were you when the internet took over the world? A exaggeration perhaps. It’s no judgement day a la Terminator, but the world has suddenly gotten a whole lot smaller, as close as our iPhone screens.

It's been interesting watching the evolution of social media the last couple of months. From the voices of the common people crying out for freedom, to the attention-seeker fuelled riots of Vancouver, each has been a wakeup call to the power of this form of expression.

The signs were there…

Science Fact or Fiction: Liquid Armour

 Clark Kent steps into a phone booth (though he might find it a challenge to find one these days) shedding his mundane business suit and reemerges as our skin-tight costumed superhero. He streaks off into the clear blue skies, breaking all known laws of physics, to do battle with the super villain of the day. Bullets bounce off him like matchsticks...wait a minute...

It might be fun to be a superhero who can bend bars with your toenails, but what I want to know is...what the hell is his skintight costume made of?

Those bullets aren't just bouncing off his rock hard chest, they also seem to have no effect on his costume. Have you seen Superman finishing off the villain and afterwards look like he's been set upon by a group of crazed Glee fans?

From the Editor: Social Media Redux

It's ironic that I was blogging about the influence of social media on Monday. Little did I guess what would happen last night.

So what role did social media play in the events in Vancouver?