Slashdot Mirror
Clarion Sci-Fi Auction
trickofperspective writes "To defray the cost of this year's session, following budget cuts at host school Michigan State University, the famed Clarion Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers' Workshop is holding an online auction of items donated by past alums. Bidding opens January 28th on items such as a signed limited edition of Neil Gaiman's American Gods, a signed, homeade galley of Cory Doctorow's upcoming Someone Comes to Town, Someone Leaves Town, and more."
Or, perhaps I'm just being too optimistic, and people bid because they go insane at auctions.
This flies in the face of science.
I've got a Cory promotional flipbook, do you think it would get much on ebay? .. Oh.
One line blog. I hear that they're called Twitters now.
Clarion funding has always been tight. This is a program for students in a specific genre of writing that is not generally taught/funded in most writing programs.
Writers never make a ton of money, with some notable exceptions. And most of those make thier "real money" off of other properties (film, etc). The same for being an instructor of writers, or a student in writing program. They don't have the same types of alumni that can leave an huge financial endowment, unlike the tech sector.
So they're trying to fund things the way they can, without gouging the students for the six weeks of instruction. Most of the authors have pointers to the auction on their respective sites, so I'm fairly sure most of the approve of the use of their donations.
Of course, Steve Stirling wrote in members of his writers group in early books, and then killed most of them--and all for free! :)
One line blog. I hear that they're called Twitters now.
Its been out a while now, since April of last year. Hill House Publishers have an arrangement with Neil (and other authors like Stephenson) to release limited edition "collector" versions of their works. These are the "books as heirloom" type printings, very high quality, archival grade, hand sewn bindings, you name it, deal. The version of American Gods they have sells for $200 and comes with the reader for free (if you request it). I've thought about doing this, as I love his work. Apparently, they'll eventually reprint most or all of his stories in heirloom editions (restoring text that the was cut by Neil or the editors for space reason) and you can get the same numbered one for the entire set. Would be cool, however I'm still stuck on the paying an order of magnitude more for a book than when I originally bought it...
This is really old news. Michigan State pulled funding in 2003. So obviously this "news" item is really a "timely" plug to help fundingraising.
We have recently been informed that Clarion's funding from Michigan State University has been discontinued after the current 2003 workshop.
Read about their funding woes here It may be worth supporting Clarion, but don't pass this off as breaking news.
"You'll get nothing, and you'll like it!"
Saw the same sort of thing once. Tom Dietz was working on his third or fourth book, The Gryphon King, and made the same kind of offer that Kurtz did. Hardly anyone at the auction had much in the way of funds, so when one fellow whipped out the crisp new $100 bill he'd gotten out of his paycheck the day before, everyone else quit. If you happen to have access to the book, look for the leader of the band Just Thrid - that's him. Oh, Tom was my neighbor at the time. My two roommates and I have cameo appearances as Large, Medium, and Small.
I think it's because the science in our culture is no longer fiction, all the choices have been made, and the scope of possible futures is narrowing rapidly as we zero-in on our final destination.
Sci-Fi did a great job when it really mattered, and to be fair, it still does in the areas which count. --Look at the subjects which have been holding recent fascination in such titles like The Matrix, Firefly, Stargate, Enterprise, Star Wars. There are some very current and interrelated themes running through each of these titles which indicate what the global consciousness is focused on at the moment.
An X-Files sequel? Gee, no shit.
-FL
> The Matrix, Firefly, Stargate, Enterprise, Star Wars.
Pop Sci-Fi with hardly any revealing insights. Mostly, that is why it they are selling it, its not challenging, no one will be offended, no risk.
> I think it's because the science in our culture is no longer fiction, all the choices have been made, and the scope of possible futures is narrowing rapidly as we zero-in on our final destination.
Okay, then please tell me.
How will genetic engineering affect our lives, or nanotechnology? How will the Global Climate Change affect us and our societies? Will China become the next superpower, or will shee break due to socioeconomical difference between the country and the cities? What will happen to the aging industrial societies? Will the globalism destroy cultural indiviuality or will it create transnational subcultures?
And more importantly, which questions did fail I to ask?
"Between strong and weak, between rich and poor [...], it is freedom which oppresses and the law which sets free"
You labour under a misapprehension. Clarion solicited goods for the auction. I, and all the other donors, made their donations in that spirit.