SF Timeline, Endhiran, Year’s Best Horror, and Memes…

Whoa! Lots of stuff to mention today. I’ll hurry because it’s late and I’m grumpy that I have to go to work tomorrow.

First off, I was really struck by this beauty, a graphical representation of the History of Science Fiction. It reminded me a lot of the exhibit we went to go see at the Cushing Library. A beautiful work of art, and informative too. I will no longer question why I write science fiction. This is the stuff I love, and this graphic sums it up nicely. (You’ll have to zoom in to get the full effect.)

Second, my writer friends Patrice Sarath and David Chang and I went to go see Endhiran last week at the Alamo Drafthouse, which was a major deal because they didn’t have any old people show times so we stayed out past 1am on a school night for the first time in ages. This Bollywood Sci-Fi movie was hilarious in all the right ways and involved a giant man-robot-snake, which made this a must-see for me. There were some sappy parts and one too many dance numbers, but overall it was quite enjoyable, and I’d definitely recommend it if you’ve got 3 hours on your hands and don’t mind subtitles. The 10-minute trailer itself is a must see, practically a movie in its own right.

Next, while Google Stalking myself, I learned that my story You Had Me at Rarrrgg made the Honorable Mention long list for Best Horror of the Year. This is good news for the under-represented horror-romance genre, and only proves that zombie love deserves to be recognized, too.

And lastly, I’ve enjoyed this meme so far, so I’ll play along:

2011 – Writing has consumed my life, and I wouldn’t have it any other way. Occasionally I make room for other things like family, friends, and random hobbies like tennis, walking my 11-year-old dog Dana, and riding my bike. Sometimes I go to work, too, because eating and having a roof over my head are sort of important.

2001 – I’m unemployed after a short stint as a programmer at Garden.com. The dotcom bust hits right after I graduate college, but Austin is too cool of a place to leave. Don’t feel sorry for me. I really enjoyed those six months of unemployment before I landed my current job. I adopt a dog, Dana, from Mixed Breed Rescue. Some kind of a sheltie/golden retriever mix.

1991 – I’m in middle school, and my Future Problem Solvers team does well enough to go to the State level competition. The topic is Environmental Protection (which for some reason I equate with the CFCs in Aquanet. Yes, I have poofy bangs.) It’s the first time I’ve been to Austin, and immediately realize how nice the people are here…they look at you and say “hi” and everything. I can’t get Amy Grant’s song Baby, Baby out of my head. Back at home in Houston, I’ve got two dogs, Sandy (AKC name Empress Frisky Sandy — hey, I was a kid when I named her) and Murphy, both Cocker Spaniels. I am a vegetarian. The previous summer, I took a creative writing class, showed some talent, but then promptly discovered boys and the telephone.

1981 – I’m living in Ohio, about to make the big move to Houston. My best friend is Brandon who lives at the end of the street. I carry a stuffed animal orangutan named Freddy everywhere I go. (Still have him, though he doesn’t tag along like he used to.) I love making snow angles, and am convinced I’ll have cactus growing in my new yard in Houston.