Translating famous books, watching TV, and ICON!

Sorry I haven't been posting. I've been knee deep in a translation, which I am about to finish. This is my first time working on a major work of fiction which is neither science fiction nor fantasy. It's terribly exciting and daunting all at the same time. This is a famous novel, and justly so. It's also my first book for a fine, major publisher which I won't name at this time. So if it's well received, it could be a major breakthrough for me in many ways.

This isn't a very happy novel. I'm actually very glad that it's fairly short. When I translate a novel, I become immersed in its world. It becomes my biggest point of reference. And I sometimes view the world through the lens the author and the lead characters use. So translating this dark novel has not been an easy time for me emotionally, and I was very glad I took a break during the stretch run to watch a bit of TV, and that I picked the show I did. I'm referring to the season premier of Extreme Makeover: Home Edition. I haven't gotten to see the previous season, and now I am a bit sad for it. This was an hour and a half of television that I can only describe as joyful. Seeing a community band togther to help build a house for an exceptional family was genuinely uplifting, and truly gave me the boost I needed to finish the work. This episode had a clear religious bent to it, as the community banded together at the local church, and there were many refrences to "a higher power" being involved. But as a secular man, I saw something very different. I saw the power of community, of friendship, and of family. These were good people helping other good people, and they didn't do it because god told them to. They did it because of friendship, community, and family. They did it because they are clearly good people, and because the family they helped were good people.

Finishing this book when I do is well timed - just in time for one of my favorite times of the year: Icon. I've been invloved in Icon for nearly every year since 1999, when I was one half of the programming committee (those were simpler times, when the committee could have only two members. we had nine or so in this year's committee). This year, I'm involved in programming, and I'm also coordinating events with our guest of honor, Guy Gavriel Kay. I'm also giving a lecture on Kay 101, and moderating a panel with Kay about his work. It's a very Kay-centric Icon for me. But if, for some bizzare reason, you don't like Kay, or haven't read his work, Icon isn't only about the guy (or, as the case may be, Guy) who wrote Tigana. We've got lectures, movies, TV episodes, gaming, a rock show and a planetarium. This Icon will be supercool, and may rival last year's amazing experience. If you're in Israel during Sunday-Tuesday next week, and you're even vaguely interested in SF, Fantasy, gaming, comics, anime or manga, you have to come. Be sure to say hello, too. I'll be around for most of the con, except the early morning thingies.

Shana tova

Well, a new Hebrew year begins, and as usual, one can only hope it will be better than the last one...

This last year was actually quite good for me on the personal and professional levels. I've never had this much work, and for so many different publishers, working on different genres and formats. And personal life has also been good, with friends and love being in abundance, and better overall health than in recent years (even though I recently burned three fingers in a manner that would probably make this site popular with gore fans if I posted images).

But when I've reached the point where I actively avoid the local news because they're just too damn depressing, and have directed all of my news junkie tendencies to American politics, things are not good. I am, however, an optimist, and I can't help but believe next year will be better.

So Shana tova. May the next year be full of regime changes.

When did Drew Barrymore become smart?

So I'm watching the Daily Show, and Drew Barrymore is on, talking about her new movie... a documentary about voting? What? How did this happen?

Drew Barrymore used to be this silly person who made every kind of mistake in the book. She married Tom Green for god's sake. And that was her SECOND marriage. When she was producing Charlie's Angels, every entertainment rag was screaming that it was a bloated, over budgeted, collosal failure. Than it came out, and made huge stacks of cash. She then produced Donnie Darko, one of the best and most original films of the last few years. Now she's doing documentaries and teaching young people about the importance of voting. Is this like a comicbook thing? Was she zapped by gamma rays?

I mean, I'm glad it happened. I certainly like the new Drew better than the old Drew. I guess I'm just puzzled.

NFL Fantasy - week one

Well, since I shared thoughts about the draft, and my expectations of having a great season, it's only fair to report how said expectations are currently blowing up in my face...

My first week ended with a crushing 96-55 defeat, in which only one of my players played up to expectations. This was bad, but not horrible, as I have a young team, which should improve over the course of the season.

But then, on Monday Night Football, my best receiver, rock-solid Steve Smith, broke his freaking leg. Is my season sunk? No. But things do not look good right now.

Geffen award nominations

Ok, this is a much belated report, as the nominees have been known for over a week. But it's still noteworthy.

This year's list of nominees was completely and utterly dominated by Opus SF&F Editor Assaf Asheri, who had four out of five books in each of the novel categories, and two stories in the original short fiction category. That's beyond impressive, imo. And the nominees are:

Best Translated Fantasy Book:
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix by JK Rowling (Yediot Achronot books)
The Sarantine Tapestry by Guy Gavriel Kay (Opus Press)
The Subtle Knife (His Dark Materials 2) By Philip Pullman (Opus Press)
The Monarchies of God 2-4: The Heretic Kings, The Iron Wars, The Second Empire By Paul Kearney (Opus Press)
Smoke and Mirrors by Neil Gaiman (Opus Press)

A terrific list, but I will play favorites. Much as I like Gaiman, his collection is woefully uneven, and the rest is clearly a rung beneath the Kay series, which I absolutely love. Still, a very nice list.

Best Translated SF Book
Dangerous Vision edited by Harlan Ellison (Opus Press)
Warchild by Karin Lowachee (Opus Press)
Stories of Your Life by Ted Chiang (Opus Press)
Book of the New Sun 1-2: The Shadow of the Torturer and The Claw of the Conciliator by Gene Wolfe (Opus Press)
The Eyre Affair by Jasper Fforde (Modan Publishing)

Assaf Asheri took three huge risks this year, with a massive anthology that's decades old, the first half of a massively difficult to translate epic series, and a collection of stories by a virtual unknown. The success of these three in amazingly pleasing, as the anthology is the super-classic Dangerous Visions, which may well be the single most significant original anthology in the history of SF; the collection is by the young genius Chiang, and the epic series is the absolutely awesome Book of the New Sun. These were ambitious choices, dangerous choices. Each presented its own difficulties. And all three gambles paid off. I love The Eyre Affair, and think it is one of the most enjoyable novels, well, ever. But the courage and brilliance embodied in these three choices NEED to be rewarded. I urge everyone attending Icon, in three short weeks, to get a hold of them and read them. After you read them, I won't HAVE to tell you to vote for them.

Best Original Short Story:
Fast Internet by Nir Yaniv and Yael Sivan
Dragon Review by Rami Shalhevet
The Soul of the Mountain by Assaf Asheri
Letitbe by Assaf Asheri
kanekshein astableished, please enteir nevowk passvord by Shachar Or

I haven't read all of the nominated stories, and several of the nominees are friends, so I won't play favorites and recommend anything here. I will note the fact that Assaf Asheri published two new stories this year, and both received nominations. This truly is Assaf's year, and for the talent and courage he displayed this year, I truly hope he comes to the podium twice, and get to watch con GoH Guy Gavriel Kay (who will be presenting the Best Original Short Story winner) step up to receive the third award.

Next year, I fully expect and hope to kick Assaf's ass in the Geffen, but this was his year, and he deserves recognition for it.

Hugo winners

Hugo winners were just announced at the Noreascon 4 live blog, and all you early birds (who care about the award) can benefit from the fact that I'm having trouble falling asleep...

The nominees were.

And the winners are:
Best Novel:
Paladin of Souls by Lois McMaster Bujold
Well, I haven't read Illium, but I can already predict protestations that Simmons was robbed. Personally, I loved Paladin of Souls. Plus, I'm publishing Bujold, so I'm happy.

Best Novella:
"The Cookie Monster" by Vernor Vinge
Of course, they voted fot the one I haven't read yet. Oh well. I really liked Baker's "The Empress of Mars" and Williams' "The Green Leopard Plague", but oh well.

Best Novelette:
"Legions in Time" by Michael Swanwick
Brilliant story, which beat out brilliant stories by James Patrick Kelly and Jeffry Ford. This was a tremendous category this year.

Best Short Story:
"A Study in Emerald" by Neil Gaiman
Yes, it probably won because it's The Neil. But I really liked it, and I wasn't in love with any of its competitors, so I have no complaints.

Best Professional Editor:
Gardner Dozois
Least surprising win EVER, as Dozois recently retired. Well, I hope he has room for one more Best Editor Hugo to go along with the 20 thousand he's already won. Had Dozois not retired, I think Gordon Van Gelder would have won.

Best Dramatic Presentation, Long Form:
The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
Ok, that was actually even less surprising than Dozois' win.

Best Dramatic Presentation, Short Form:
Gollum's Acceptance Speech at the 2003 MTV Movie Awards
WTF? The hell? Buffy's finale, Chosen, should have won this. Or one of the Firefly eps. This was a funny thing to nominate, but the joke isn't funny anymore.

Best Semi-Prozine:
Locus
Same as, well, every other year.

Best Fanzine:
Emerald City, Cheryl Morgan, ed.
Yay! I love Emerald City. Way to go, Cheryl!

Best Fan Writer:
David Langford
As usual...

You can see the rest of the winners here. And check out the live blog, as it will probably have pictures and a more detailed report. And I'll add more links when I wake up.

Super creepy Japanese alarm doll

Every gadget fan out there is deadly jealous of the Japanese. They have all the cool gadgets first, and there's stuff they have that no one else has. However, there are some Japanese gadgets one hopes will never leave Japan, such as this creepy/cute doll, that talks and nags until you wake up.

Link via Engadget.