http://brendamundaygifford.com/blog/ en Copyright 2008 Mon, 26 May 2008 19:44:32 -0500 http://www.sixapart.com/movabletype/ http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss Where to start and what to say. Once again man has reached out and landed on Mars. I can’t come close to finding the words to express the amazement I have for those at NASA and the Phoenix project in my home state of Arizona. I held my breath and crossed my fingers right along with the Phoenix team as it made it’s final descent. You can’t beat that drama on any reality show! If you haven’t seen the photo of the Phoenix coming in for a landing, here is the link. http://www.space.com/missionlaunches/080526-phoenix-mission-update.html It’s not just the millions of miles the Phoenix traveled. It’s partly the fact that it traveled that far and nothing collided with it, no micro-meteors, nor solar storms, pretty smooth sailing. Multiply that by the fact that all that metal and circuitry built by man, made it all those miles with no failures. Again amazing! Now we see first images of Mars’ “earth” that has the initial look of the earth at our polar ice caps. We have pondered, manipulated and created so many Martian worlds and scenarios in science fiction and now real data of this alien world are before us. I often say that movies like Star Wars got me hooked on science fiction, but in reading the hundreds of blogs and articles posted in the last few days it struck me that it has been a fascination with space travel that hooked me at a very young age. My fondest memories are those from my youth with my family sitting at our wooden picnic table in the back yard. We’d cook up some burgers and carry the television on to the porch to watch and listen to NASA’s every word. I remember staring at the moon the moment the first astronaut sat foot on the moon. Will I get to sit in my back yard with my family again, only this time to look at Mars through the telescope as astronauts set foot on the red soil of Mars. I certainly hope so. It’s great fun creating worlds such as I did in my book The Charon Covenant and strange and unusual beings that have traveled from out of this universe and sometimes from Mars itself. I hope we run in to some evidence that life has been there and perhaps still there in some form. The next few months will prove to be exciting beyond our dreams. I certainly never thought we’d see Mars up close, let alone now for another successful landing on its surface and look forward to every picture and discovery. Way to go Phoenix! http://brendamundaygifford.com/blog/2008/05/mars_is_magnificent.html http://brendamundaygifford.com/blog/2008/05/mars_is_magnificent.html Mon, 26 May 2008 19:44:32 -0500 This may fall into venting more than blogging and I'm sure there are no new revelations herein, however, suffice it to say, I am overwhelmed and not sure how to make it all fit. First there is the feeling of needing to keep up with all the other books coming out. I always knew there was a constant stream of new books emerging week after week, but it became so much more clear when my book The Charon Covenant was published. Now just the science fiction genre is an overwhelming amount of not only competition but choices to read--staggering. Secondly, I own four small independent bookstores and believe it or not, they keep me beyond busy. You see I thought if we put all our books in the computer it would help us provide more variety to our customers. I had no idea that the amount of time involved in entering the books would be so overwhelming. Although everyone helps, I too spend as much time as I can doing inventory. Third there is this writing thing. I need to finish the series for The Charon Covenant, along with the new book I've almost finished editing and am very excited about, that is, if my editor will cease with the suggestions. The thought of fitting this in to my schedule everyday is also overwhelming. We won't even mention that somewhere in there I have a husband and son (who work with me) and ailing parents who want my time. Last but never least are my two girls, my two Yorkies that are at my feet and constantly begging for time. Overwhelmed is definitely my word of the month! If only self-cloning were real. :) http://brendamundaygifford.com/blog/2008/04/life_writing_and_being_overwhe.html http://brendamundaygifford.com/blog/2008/04/life_writing_and_being_overwhe.html Tue, 15 Apr 2008 19:18:45 -0500 I can spend an entire day reading at www.space.com, frankly I could spend everyday reading there. A recent article was on sending a small orbiter piggy backed to another rocket to study the moon dust. As most people know the regolith, or moon dust, is like tiny glass particles. These particles can be dangerous to human skin and lungs and the moon dust tends to cling to everything. Astronauts have to spend a fair amount of their time managing it. The first thought that comes to mind is how much we are still in the baby steps of space travel. When we are just now struggling with the concept of handling moon dust problems and have to spend an approximate $80 million dollars for just the orbiter to study it. This doesn't include the man hours on Earth needed to extrapolate those results. http://brendamundaygifford.com/blog/2008/04/baby_steps_to_the_moon_1.html http://brendamundaygifford.com/blog/2008/04/baby_steps_to_the_moon_1.html moon base colony sci fi book sci-fi book science fiction book space travel Sat, 12 Apr 2008 19:18:52 -0500 As many science fiction authors I take a look at our planet and what’s going on around us. Every day I hear of another resource gone or nearly depleted. The stories of pollution of all kinds abound to the point of nearly overwhelming me at times. http://brendamundaygifford.com/blog/2008/03/space_exploration_may_be_over.html http://brendamundaygifford.com/blog/2008/03/space_exploration_may_be_over.html sci fi author sci fi book sci-fi author sci-fi book science fiction science fiction author science fiction book space exploration Sun, 09 Mar 2008 15:44:07 -0500 I was reading the latest tidbit on AOL news about the new cloud formations on Venus. That article was not that interesting except to say it’s always amazing how much we are learning about the planets in our solar system and beyond. But as I finished it another article caught my eye about the private race to the MOON. See the entire article at: http://www.space.com/aol/080221-lunar-xprize-florida.html http://brendamundaygifford.com/blog/2008/02/race_for_the_moon.html http://brendamundaygifford.com/blog/2008/02/race_for_the_moon.html moon moon base sci fi author sci fi book sci-fi author sci-fi book science fiction science fiction author science fiction book space travel Sat, 23 Feb 2008 10:57:43 -0500 It has finally dawned on me after all these years of writing that I am haunted. No matter the fact that I’ve moved every few years (I like change) I am haunted by the same beings. Yes, that’s right, haunted. The various strong characters I’ve written in stories past and present, never go away. They are always with me, asking me to either reincarnate them in some way or continue whatever adventure we enjoyed together. It’s obvious that writers as a whole have overactive imaginations and are mostly sleep deprived creatures; as our minds won’t always shut off when we tell them to. Lately it’s two of the characters in my recently published book, The Charon Covenant that have taken to haunting me. Dara Drew the female heroin and the female alien that Dara hasn’t met yet except through telepathy. I had put them away for a bit to do all the hard work of marketing. The radio shows and various interviews and some book signings here and there. I’ve also had to learn this new world of blogging and newsletters. The blogging is enjoyable as it feels as if I’m writing to some long lost friends. I have also been working on a new book which is finished and off to the professional editors before making its rounds to agents, publishers and such. It’s a complete departure from The Charon Covenant, which has aroused some jealousy among its characters for their turn in the forefront. So, although I was working on a few short story ideas, I see it’s time to begin new adventures with my old friends from The Charon Covenant so they at least will stop haunting me. http://brendamundaygifford.com/blog/2008/02/being_haunted.html http://brendamundaygifford.com/blog/2008/02/being_haunted.html sci fi sci fi author sci fi book sci-fi sci-fi book science fiction science fiction author science fiction book Mon, 18 Feb 2008 09:55:33 -0500 I’ve just finished reading Ben Bova’s The Precipice, Book One of the Asteroid Wars. Although I must confess I didn’t actually read it but had it read to me. I can’t seem to fit in the actual reading of a book with working at my 4 small bookstores full time and writing full time. However, I do have a lot of driving time on my hands going from store to store across the very large Phoenix area. http://brendamundaygifford.com/blog/2008/02/ben_bova_book_review_of_the_pr.html http://brendamundaygifford.com/blog/2008/02/ben_bova_book_review_of_the_pr.html fantasy sci fi sci-fi science fiction science fiction author science fiction book Mon, 11 Feb 2008 18:37:15 -0500 I know that most writers spend the majority of their time in front of their computers or some dictate to an assistant. I personally can't dictate my work out loud, it seems my own voice interrupts my train of thought. I've even tried buying and installing one of those Talk It Type It programs so I could try talking to my computer. How Star Trek of me. But not only are they time consuming to get to understand you good enough but even then they make alot of mistakes and don't do the punctuation. So I have to rely on old fashioned type it myself for the moment. Once I have settled on the method of delivering words to paper out of the way, then where do the ideas come from? http://brendamundaygifford.com/blog/2008/01/where_ideas_come_from.html http://brendamundaygifford.com/blog/2008/01/where_ideas_come_from.html fantasy book sci fi author sci fi book sci-fi author sci-fi book science fiction author science fiction book Wed, 23 Jan 2008 11:29:51 -0500 This book was a bit of a departure from some of his previous books that I have read. It starts out as a story of a man struggling with his every day demons and an unhappy family life. It quickly turns into a mystery as late night phone calls from a young man begin. They are very ominous calls that start with just a word or two. “Cold, So Cold, Naked”. http://brendamundaygifford.com/blog/2008/01/review_of_walter_moselys_the_w.html http://brendamundaygifford.com/blog/2008/01/review_of_walter_moselys_the_w.html mystery sci fi author sci-fi author science fiction author science fiction book walter mosley Sun, 20 Jan 2008 11:26:54 -0500 I was looking through my VCR movie tapes making a list of the ones I need to purchase into DVD's, as we all know the VCR is going the way of the beta, and there are favorites I don't want to lose out on for the future. I came across one that sent me into full flashback mode. There was a TV series many many years ago that my parents believed I was too young to watch when it first came to television. This, of course, made it even more mysterious and exciting. I had to have it! Read on to know what show wasthe great temptation. http://brendamundaygifford.com/blog/2008/01/favorite_old_sci_fi_series.html http://brendamundaygifford.com/blog/2008/01/favorite_old_sci_fi_series.html sci fi book sci-fi book science fiction author science fiction blog science fiction book Sat, 12 Jan 2008 19:15:10 -0500 I have been a member of AZ Authors for only a few months and although I don't attend very many of the events, I get a great deal of information and often rejuvenation from reading various tips and articles from their website. I have to laugh at your comments about waiting daily for the mail to come. We're all in that boat at various points at one time or another. http://brendamundaygifford.com/blog/2008/01/patience_wanted.html http://brendamundaygifford.com/blog/2008/01/patience_wanted.html sci fi author sci fi book sci-fi author sci-fi book science fiction author science fiction book Fri, 04 Jan 2008 17:40:19 -0500 Many authors discuss the subject of how lonely a profession writing can be. I find I enjoy the solace of writing, not so much the struggle of sitting hour after hour in front of a keyboard, but I like my share of alone time. Writing at home with a semi-retired husband and my two girls (my two 6 lb. Yorkies that is) provides a twist to the challenge. http://brendamundaygifford.com/blog/2007/12/distractions_of_writing_at_hom.html http://brendamundaygifford.com/blog/2007/12/distractions_of_writing_at_hom.html sci fi author sci fi book science fiction author science fiction book Mon, 31 Dec 2007 11:08:00 -0500 http://mumpsimus.blogspot.com/ I was lucky to have a son who likes to read. I do give credit to the fact that I read to him from an early age. Reading early and fun books, taking on the characters or making up voices as you read is a great night time activity and helps spur them on to read on their own later.]]> http://brendamundaygifford.com/blog/2007/12/getting_children_reading.html http://brendamundaygifford.com/blog/2007/12/getting_children_reading.html reading books sci fi sci-fi science fiction book Wed, 19 Dec 2007 16:13:54 -0500 An Excepted Short Story Based On The Novel The Charon Covenant “My darling Dara, Don’t show this letter to anyone. I want you to know the true history of what happened and how we all became so mindless, so docile that we lost our ability to defend ourselves because the time is coming that you will need to. The Earth, as we knew it, had been nearly unlivable for over two decades. The world where trees, wildlife and flowers once blossomed under the warm sunshine had withered, veiled in a dark gaseous cloud. Even as the end neared, people buried their heads in the sand, always expecting someone else to solve the problem. As food supplies waned, tensions between countries grew while hundreds of thousands of people starved in every country across the globe. Even neighbors began to distrust neighbors; people were hording food in an attempt to ward off the inevitable. Without warning, came the Great War of Nations. Then, without warning, came the Great War of Nations. The war ended abruptly two years later, not because some peaceful means of resolution had been established, but for lack of resources. http://brendamundaygifford.com/blog/2007/11/before_the_charon_covenant.html http://brendamundaygifford.com/blog/2007/11/before_the_charon_covenant.html FEMALE PROTAGONIST MOON BASE STORY NEW SCIENCE FICTION SHORT STORY Fri, 30 Nov 2007 10:23:49 -0500 I remember the first time I knew I was hooked on the drama of space travel. I was sitting at a wood picnic table on the bench seat with my father, mother, brother and assorted pets in the backyard of our home in Cave Creek, Arizona waiting for the televised first steps of man on the surface of the moon.. http://brendamundaygifford.com/blog/2007/11/is_space_science_a_waste_of_ou.html http://brendamundaygifford.com/blog/2007/11/is_space_science_a_waste_of_ou.html sci fi sci fi books science fiction science fiction books space exploration space travel Sun, 18 Nov 2007 12:22:35 -0500