The Science Fiction Oral History Association

Adapting a Novel to a Podcast - Daniel J. Hogan & Mary Robinette Kowal

cchilders — Tue, 11 May 2010 18:26:37 +0000

Recorded recently at the Science Fiction and Open Source convention, Penguicon, here is a panel about adapting a novel for podcast.

[via: Daniel J. Hogan's Magic of Eyri site]

[MP3]

Daniel says:

This is audio from a panel discussion at Penguicon 2010 … I really enjoyed this panel and Mary is just awesome. We approach podcasting from two different angles, with her being on the very professional end of things, and me coming from the low-tech, amateur end, but I think that made the talk way more fun.

Phil Glass (William Tenn) 1920-2010

Rick Jackson — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 16:50:02 +0000

One of Science Fiction’s master short story writers, Phil Klass, passed away Sunday, February 7, 2010 at age 89. Phil Klass, who may be better known by the pseudonym William Tenn, wrote more than 60 SF stories. Connie Willis in her introduction to the book Immodest Proposals: The Complete Science Fiction of William Tenn, Volume 1
wrote:

Tenn’s stories are witty, clever, thought-provoking, ironic, intensely intelligent, touching, and hilarious. And too few and far between. Most of the stories in this collection were written in the fifties and sixties, and, until now, have been hard to find. I’m overjoyed that they will all be in print again and all in one place (though it’s also delightful to come across one in an anthology when you least expect it, and have him seduce or surprise or swindle you all over again), But I wish there were more of them.

He was named Author Emeritus by SFWA in 1999. Some of his more famous short stories (and this list is by no means complete) are:

Brooklyn Project (1948)
Venus and the Seven Sexes (1949)
Down Among the Dead Men (1954)
The Liberation of Earth (1953)
Time in Advance (1956)

There is an excellent interview (well really it’s a monologue) with Phil Glass AKA William Tenn at Pulpnet.com. It was recorded at PulpCon 35 in 2006. Phil talks about working with John W. Campbell, Horace Gold and Fred Pohl among many others. He certainly had the gift of gab. If you feel saddened at his passing as I do, this recording will bring smile to your face.

Also there’s an another excellent interview from 2004 when he was on WNYC’s Spinning On Air. Which also has him reading his short story On Venus, Have We Got A Rabbi! [via: SFFaudio]

If you have any recordings of William Tenn, we’d love to post them here. Please contact us.

Isaac Asimov interviewed by Bruce Coville in 1983

Rick Jackson — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 21:12:15 +0000

This was an interview for a magazine that was conducted in Isaac Asimov’s New York apartment. Interestingly it was conducted by popular YA author, Bruce Coville in 1983 when he was … well, not as well known. Also taking part in the interview is photographer Bettina Cirone.

[MP3]

1977 - Frederik Pohl and Jack Williamson - On Collaboration

Rick Jackson — Sun, 29 Nov 2009 14:28:18 +0000

Here’s an interesting panel discussion with two Science Fiction Grand Masters, Frederik Pohl and Jack Williamson. They wrote some great books in collaboration with each other including the Starchild Trilogy and the under appreciated Saga of Cuckoo series. Fred Pohl collaborated with C.M. Kornbluth on the classic novel The Space Merchants as well as other novels and short stories. His most recent novel is a collaboration with the late Arthur C. Clarke called The Last Theorem. Jack Williamson passed away in 2006.

MP3

“The Art, Science, and Combat of Collaboration.” ConFusion 14, Ann Arbor Inn, Ann Arbor, MI,
January, 1977.
Introduction by Jim Martin. Q&A.
Pohl and Williamson are veterans of collaboration with other authors–including a series of novels done with each other. They offer rare insights into an activity that seems more common in Science Fiction than with other types of literature. They also discuss problems in writing and in getting published.
51:00

Arthur C. Clarke, Alvin Toffler, and Margaret Mead on Man’s Future

Rick Jackson — Sun, 22 Nov 2009 18:54:15 +0000

What does the future look like from the past? This exciting program with three people that could not better represent the intelligentsia of futurism circa 1970. This recording is from a radio program called “Sound on Film”, a series on films and the people who make them. This episode is entitled “2001–Science Fiction or Man’s Future?” Recorded May 7th, 1970. Joseph Gelman is the moderator.

At the time of this recording Arthur C. Clarke had recently collaborated on the movie 2001: A Space Odyssey with Stanley Kubrick. Alvin Toffler’s mega-influential book, Future Shock, is about to be published. And Margaret Mead is the world’s foremost cultural anthropologist.

An intriguing conversation that still has relevance today.

2001–Science Fiction or Man’s Future?
Length–54:18

MP3

Fred Pohl and SFOHA

cchilders — Mon, 31 Aug 2009 02:43:39 +0000

While doing this year’s corporate update, I ran across an interesting bit of history: Most of us already knew that Lloyd Biggle was the first president of SFOHA, but did you know Frederik Pohl, Howard DeVore, and Thomas D Clareson were also on our first board of directors? Other incorporators were Marshall Tymn, Nolan Shaw, and Alex Berman.

It is interesting to find this tidbit, because we were just discussing how many Pohl recordings we have in the archives at the last meeting… should we do something special for him, while he’s still around?

Cryptic ConFusion 2009 - Six new recordings!

Rick Jackson — Thu, 27 Aug 2009 19:15:27 +0000

Recorded early this year, we’ve got six vibrant panel discussions from ConFusion.

Cryptic ConFusion 2009 Jan. 23 - 25

[M] designates moderator

Sat Jan 24 10am
Plot: What turns great ideas into short stories or novels?
Description: We all know where ideas come from, don’t we? But what are we supposed to do with them after that? How do we translate those ideas into successful stories and novels? Come and find out!
(Kelley Armstrong, Violette Malan [M], Paul Melko, Catherine Shaffer and Sandee Rodriguez)

Or download the MP3.

* * * *

Sat Jan 24 11am
Did Captain Kirk own a wallet?
Economics and SF how has science fiction has portrayed economics of the future over the years how have things changed, what are some of the enduring themes?
(Cory Doctorow, Tobias Buckell [M], Philip Edward Kaldon, Paul Melko and Matthew Stewart-Fulton)

MP3.

* * * *

Sat Jan 24 12pm
Setting: Haven’t I been here before?
How important is setting to a reader’s understanding and enjoyment of the story? Is setting the real difference between S and SF? Are we overusing the settings we have, and are there any new ones?
(Violette Malan [M], Karl Schroeder, Catherine Shaffer, Doselle Young and Jim Frenkel)

MP3

* * * *

Sat Jan 24 1PM
Meet the New Boss: Young adult SF
How it is the same and different from adult SF and how it has evolved over the years and where it is going. Will it overtake Paranormal Romance and become the next big thing?
(Cory Doctorow, Kelley Armstrong, Anne Harris [M], Jim Frenkel, Doselle Young, Steven Harper Piziks)

MP3

* * * *

Sat Jan 24 3pm
Big Brother is Watching You!
Personal privacy in the electronic age we now have or will have chips on everything we own including pets, where is this all going? Is it a good thing or a bad thing?
(Cory Doctorow, David Rozian, Steve Buchheit, Karl Schroeder [M], Catherine Shaffer)

MP3

* * * *

Sun Jan 25 12pm
Podcasting — the future of it
(Cat Rambo, Matthew Stewart-Fulton, Alexander Bouchard, and Rick Jackson)

MP3

* * * *

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