This is our second interview with Gene Wolfe and I think the best interview we’ve ever published. This is due in large part to Jim Van Verth.
When we published our first interview with Gene we received the normal amount of downloads in the first few weeks that I was used to. Then something amazing happened. Our download count kicked up from the low hundreds to the mid thousands. I did some checking and discovered that Jim Van Verth mentioned our interview on a Gene Wolfe fan site. Of course I wrote Jim an email to thank him, but when I saw that Gene was returning to Balticon, I went out on a limb and asked him to help me with an interview.
I knew that with a newborn baby in the house there was little chance that I would be able to really dig into Gene’s incredible body of work in order to give his amazing career as an author the credit it was due. But Jim was already a huge fan of Gene’s and well versed in his works. I’m not sure how we’ll top this one, but it really raises the bar for me. I want to thank Jim again for the work he put into writing all the questions for this interview.
I also want to thank John Taylor Williams again for guest hosting and mastering this audio. I’ve just entered a new position with a new company and there’s lots to do. We’ve also been dealing with a string of illnesses with our child. Nothing serious, just the normal stuff that kids get when they start socializing. However normal it might be, sleepless nights and crying babies make little time for editing audio.
Finally, I would like to thank Gene for taking the time to talk openly and honestly about his career as a writer.
A day in the life of a sought-after commercial artist. It’s almost impossible to walk through a book store, game store, or computer game store without seeing cover art from Kurt Miller. Join us as we discuss how computers have effected the life of this amazingly prolific artist.
Guest hosted and mastered by John Taylor Williams of Wyrneck Studios
Guest of Honor Charles Stross talks about writing and his books. This is one of the more out there interviews as Charlie outpaces this poor interviewer mentally and verbally. The man has a keen whit. The good news for you, is you can sample this Brit’s work in audio form through the first and only live Escape Pod (See Episode 206 or the Special Episode in the Balticon Podcast feed).
J.C. Hutchins has released a newly rerecorded version of what was originally a podcast only novel. The novel is now in print and available from St. Martin’s Press. Buy the book now from Amazon and help an author who has given so much to the podcasting community.
Matthew contacted me via Twitter to see if he could play his original music at Balticon 44. While I took a crash course in listening to his music, he reviewed his schedule for 2010. I liked what I heard, and given his dedication to New Media it seemed like a great fit. Unfortunately, he had a conflict, so he’s penciled us in for 2011. In the mean time, dig the music, and check out the artist if it sounds as good to you as it does to me.
Audio posted by Chooch Schubert for his Random Acts of Chooch Podcast.
Quoting the original show notes:
This is the audio from a panel I spoke on at Balticon 43 over Memorial Day weekend. A special thanks to my fellow panelists: PG Holyfield, Scott Sigler, and MAinPA.
I believe that this was the first panel I was on during the weekend, and was chosen as “moderator” on the spot without having any notes or talking points to go from. Luckily, we all talk a lot, so there wasn’t a lack of content
From the Balticon program:
Upgrading your gear is a serious temptation. In these trying economic times, bargains abound and the desire for some new shiny device in your studio sometimes outweighs the other factors in your life. Our panel of technophiles talk about what’s out there, where to buy it cheap, and when you should buy it. We all love our gear, but we shouldn’t deprive our families of food and shelter for the next new gadget.
Audio posted by Chooch Schubert for his Random Acts of Chooch Podcast.
Quoting the original show notes:
This is the audio from a panel I spoke on at Balticon 43 over Memorial Day weekend. A special thanks to my fellow panelists: Thomas ‘Cmdln’ Gideon, Dan the Fan.
The version I am posting is not edited for content, but has been processed to remove noise and (hopefully) make it more listenable.
Cmdln has posted his own recording from this panel at Archive.org in uncompressed FLAC, MP3, and Ogg Vorbis formats.
From the Balticon program:
This session will go beyond the basics of recording a voice with your built in audio program. We will give an overview of the various types of audio recording equipment and techniques of non-linear audio editing. This should help you in creating advanced productions such as multi-voice dramatizations, music recording and mixing, as well as carry over into video production.
This session will cover: mixing board types and interfaces; microphone types; non-linear audio editing and effects (cut, shift, cross fade, noise reduction, compression, noise gating); multi-track mixing and recording different audio resources.
Products we discussed during the recording:
The book that Dan mentions during the discussion is Modern Recording Techniques, Sixth Edition.
The midi controller I mention is the Korg nanoKontrol. Apparently they changed pricing, or I just got a great deal because they are $60 which is almost twice what I had thought. Still, I think it’s well worth it
There is some discussion on the Zoom H2 and Zoom H4
Thomas mentions his use of a M-Audio MicroTrack II
We start off with a quick interview with author and project manager for Bookview Cafe, Sarah Zettel. Sarah talks about what readers and authors get from Bookview Cafe. Readers get DRM free eBooks from a growing collection of authors. Authors get the full amount of the sale and get access to the collective brain power of their peers at Bookview.
Next is a promo from first time novelist, PC Haring. He is launching his first novel, Cybrosis, in podcast form on 1/1/10. It promises to be a thrilling time.
Finally, we have the reading recorded at Balticon 43. Sarah Zettel, Sue Lange, and Laura Anne Gilman read selections from works available at Bookview Cafe.
Bookview offers eBooks in multiple formats for your electronic reading experience. And there is no DRM, so you won’t have to deal with the hassle of moving your books from the eReader you have today to the eReader you’re going to have tomorrow.
They also have a collection of free sample works available, so check out Bookview Cafe today.
Audio posted by Chooch Schubert for his Random Acts of Chooch Podcast.
Quoting the original show notes:
This is the audio from a panel I spoke on at Balticon 43 over Memorial Day weekend. A special thanks to my fellow panelists: Noblis Reed, Tyler Waldman, and Thomas ‘Cmdln’ Gideon.
The version I am posting is not edited for content, but has been processed to remove noise and (hopefully) make it more listenable.
Cmdln has posted his own recording from this panel at Archive.org in uncompressed FLAC, MP3, and Ogg Vorbis formats.
From the Balticon program:
There are a lot of tutorials, presentations, and classes on how to record a podcast but when it gets to posting and sharing your cast, things seem to get glossed over. There are many components working in concert to make a podcast feed. This session aims to explain what each of those components are and how they function together. Further, we hope to show you how you can save money by picking and choosing what services provide each piece.
This session will cover: choosing a hosting provider, choosing blog/podcast software; tagging mp3s; writing show notes; uploading files to a host; posting an episode; feed creation; and finally statistics/tracking.
Audio posted by Michele White for her Galactica Quorum Podcast.
Quoting the original show notes:
This is our live panel discussion at Balticon 2009. We’re joined by best-selling horror/scifi author Scott Sigler to discuss the BSG finale and gauge people’s reactions to the show’s ending.
We had several participants from the audience give their opinions, and we also polled them about whether they had interest in “Caprica” or “The Plan.” The results were surprising!
Thanks for all who came out and attended! It was great meeting you.
Audio posted by George Hrab for his Geologic Podcast.
Quoting the original show notes:
The Show itself:
L.Ron is in my sack
Intro
Dr. Manhattan’s Dick
Mortimer calls in again once more again and also once more
This Week’s Horror Scopes
Geo’s Mom reads Jay-Z Lyrics
- I Did it My Way from The Blueprint 2
The Misinformed Science Podcast (featuring Alex Press)
- What Is Sleep? from Brent W.
- What if a person goes through a black hole? from Morse Code
- How do plants grow? from Mistress Jett
- How do erectile dysfunction drugs work? from Scott Hurst
- What is the evolutionary origin of the female orgasm?
from the Noisy Astronomer
CAR by Paul Fisher, Dave Cantor, performed by Geordie Kitt
Ask George
Michael Bay Smurfs, Why?, Ray Kurzweil, H.L. Mencken, Bullshit, Lex Luthor, Le Sackbut, Strangest thing that ever happened, Joke, Will You Go Out With Me, Scott Sigler, Geo Logic?, Desert Isle, Hairdo, Science Zealotry, Cool Drum, Jill Sobule
Show Close
Ms. Information sez: Awesome job, Geordie! And huge thanks as always to the Dad of Balticon, Paul Fischer. Love you, dude! [Also, Fans of the cast—please do check back at this site to see links to images from the live show.]
“Buggerit, I don’t have time for this,” Joe muttered. The stable waiting for the small herd of cloned spidercows cluttering up the north paddock was still knee-deep in manure, and the tractor seat wasn’t getting any warmer while he shivered out here waiting for Maddie to come and sort this thing out. It wasn’t a big herd, but it was as big as his land and his labour could manage – the big biofabricator in the shed could assemble mammalian livestock faster than he could feed them up and sell them with an honest HAND-RAISED NOT VAT-GROWN label.
“What do you want with us?” he yelled up at the gently buzzing farm.
“Brains, fresh brains for baby Jesus,” crooned the farm in a warm contralto, startling Joe half out of his skin. “Buy my brains!” Half a dozen disturbing cauliflower shapes poked suggestively out of the farms’ back then retracted again, coyly.
“Don’t want no brains around here,” Joe said stubbornly, his fingers whitening on the stock of the shotgun. “Don’t want your kind round here, neither. Go away.”
Rated PG for strong language, chemical violence, and drug-abusing dogs.
That's RE Piland Goldsmith's for those who don't know. http://is.gd/anQJc The best Celtic jewelry ever (IMnsHO) 4 days ago
Awesome #Balticon news. I just found out that our friend Rob & Liz Piland will be in the dealer's room at #Balticon 44. They made our rings. 4 days ago
Too tired to code Amazon book links into the Gene Wolfe post. I am so tired. @WryneckStudio and @cthulhim kick ass. 5 days ago
Writing the blog entry for the best interview I've ever posted. It goes live 11:09am eastern tomorrow. #Balticon Podcast 5 days ago
