theinferior4+1

I review Bruce McAllister's third novel:

http://www.locusmag.com/Reviews/2013/05/paul-di-filippo-reviews-bruce-mcallister/

A while back Sheila Williams, the editor of Asimov's, called to tell me she'd be in the Bay Area for the Nebulas, and that one of her authors, Gregory Bossert, worked at Industrial Light and Magic and wanted to give her a tour, and that she could bring a guest… And she'd barely gotten the sentence out before I was saying, "Me!  Pick me!!!"

The tour was terrific.  We went to the headquarters of Industrial Light and Magic in the Presidio, and from there Greg drove us to Skywalker Ranch in Marin.  Whatever else you can say about George Lucas, it's clear that he has absolutely perfect visual taste -- and, of course, you can see that in things like the backgrounds of his movies and the sets and costumes.  Both places were furnished in Arts and Crafts style, and Skywalker Ranch, especially, contained so many delightful cozy places to go and work that it looked like paradise.  Greg said that the library, in particular, was the best room in the world, and I'd have to agree.


Greg and Sheila






Library ceiling

But really there was a lot to look at.  The ranch has Charlie Chaplin's hat, for example, and a framed letter from Charles Darwin, and a conservatory, and what might be the only covered bridge in California, and an observatory (which we didn't get to), and a working farm.

Conservatory

The headquarters has more things associated with the movies -- the bicycle from E.T., and props and matte paintings and old equipment and movie posters from around the world.  Hanging between two bathrooms was some squashed guy from Who Framed Roger Rabbit, life-sized and perfectly made and about one inch thick.

Sheila and E.T.'s bicycle

They both looked like pretty great places to work (though now, of course, there's tension because they've been bought by Disney, and they don't know what's going to happen).  We were talking to the librarian at the ranch and a woman came in carrying a butterfly net.  Did she need to capture some butterflies for some reason?  Was she chasing after some worker who had run mad, surrounded by so many strange and beautiful things?  We never found out -- but the thing is, it didn't seem at all odd to see her there.

It was great to see Sheila again, and Greg was the perfect tour guide.  He knew an amazing amount about the place and could answer every question we asked -- but then if I worked there I think I'd learn as much as I could about it as well.

Greg and dining area

(I'm not going to the Nebulas themselves because, well, it's an hour drive both ways and I'm just not up for it.)

Just a few snapshots sketching the immense doings at the SWF:

http://steampunkworldsfair.com/


Registration


Midway performance tent, outside


Midway performance tent, inside


Atrium of one of the two hotels


One of the many, many vendor spaces


A musical performance


A burlesque performance


More music


The bar and "Hangout" area


A tiny instance of the vast elaborate cosplay. KW Jeter with book.


Jeter & DiFi, looking noirish

I review Milton Lesser:

http://www.locusmag.com/Reviews/2013/05/paul-di-filippo-reviews-milton-lesser/

I review the new John Scalzi book:

http://bnreview.barnesandnoble.com/t5/The-Speculator/The-Human-Division/ba-p/10527

Very pleased to be on the Locus Awards Ballot!

Some nice words about yours truly.

http://ereads.com/2013/05/paul-di-filippo-leaves-the-mundane-at-escape-velocity.html

I always thought a "uniform edition" of an author's books was classy. Now I've got one! New titles continue to go up at ereads.com, with more to come!