I count myself one of the original fans of Star Trek; I fell in love with Trek the instant I saw TV Guide's Fall Preview issue and couldn't wait to see the first episode. Not only did I watch the first, but every episode thereafter of TOS!
Happily-hooked on Star Trek, I attended the first Star Trek convention in New York City. I had the pleasure of meeting Gene Roddenberry and Majel Barrett. They were dumbfounded at the number of fans who showed up.
Later, my friends and I got involved in "Deluge Monday", a nefarious plan to inundate CBS with mail protesting Trek's cancellation. I don't know whether DM worked or not, but Star Trek stayed on the air for two more years. And because of my involvement with fandom, I made the acquaintance of fellow fans all over the country. I attended SF conventions in Toronto, New York, San Francisco, Santa Barbara and Los Angeles. I had the great privilege of meeting famous science fiction authors such as Isaac Asimov, Hal Clement, and Ben Bova, among others.
I had always loved science fiction; now, I became addicted to it. I read widely and eventually got up the nerve to start writing my own stuff. I'd been writing for many years, but my first attempt at an SF novel eventually morphed into Judgment on Tartarus, my first published book, and the first of a trilogy.
Fifty years later, I'm still an avid Star Trek fan ( I prefer the term Trekker to Trekkie, but we won't get into that here! ) I owe that TV show so much; it literally changed my life!
So let's celebrate Star Trek's 50th anniversary. May it go on forever! And please feel free to let me know how Trek influenced your life.
MRTighe
Tuesday, September 6, 2016
Tuesday, June 21, 2016
Another Great Comic Con!
Once again hubby and I manned a booth at Northeast Comic Con, Summer Edition ( June 18&19 ), held as usual at Shriners Auditorium in Wilmington MA ( right off Rt. 93 ) We aren't professional collectors; collecting is strictly a hobby with us. And as the author of four published science fiction/ space adventure novels, I also sell my books. This gives me a great opportunity to discuss my work with readers and scifi fans.
Across the aisle from us was a booth dedicated to Doctor Who, complete with a life-sized "Ood" ( If you aren't a fan, look that up.) Everyone who came by had to have their picture taken with the Ood! Then "Who" should roll by but a realistic, talking Dalek. Quite a surprise!
This year's celebrity guests included Mickey Dolenz of Monkees fame and Barry Bostwick ( Rocky Horror Picture Show, etc. ) We're usually too busy for celebrity-spotting, but we did manage to get a glimpse of Reb Brown, the original Captain America, in full costume.
There were costumes galore: lots of Doctor Whos, a Batman or two, a Superman, Darth Vader, Ghostbusters, Ghostrider, Deadpool, The Joker, Indiana Jones, Aladdin, Ariel, etc., etc. It's a lot of fun to see how much effort goes into making these costumes so realistic. But for me the highlight was meeting a dead-ringer for Chris Hemsworth; I admired his beautiful Thor costume, and we chatted for some time. When he left, he shook my hand--almost as good as shaking hands with the real Thor! I loved it!
We also met a couple guys from the Star Trek Association of the Northeast who are planning a Trek convention in NY. Of course, we were excited to hear that. It's been a long time since we were able to attend a Star Trek con!
As usual, we partook of Wild Bill's Soda Stand--always excellent. We got into a discussion with a fellow Babylon 5 fan. If you've never seen this TV show, you need to check it out. Excellent scifi with a superb cast. It seems to be undergoing a resurgence of popularity.
We made many people very happy with their purchases from our booth; one young lady in particular was ecstatic to get her hands on a Katniss doll ( Hunger Games.) A gentleman was eager to purchase a book on John Wayne; he and my hubby are both huge fans of the Duke! And kids are always happy to get a new toy.
We're already committed to Northeast Comic Con's Winter Edition ( Dec. 3&4 ) and this time we're planning a big celebration of Star Trek's 50th Anniversary. We have collectibles of all kinds, from jewelry to scripts, records to costumes. As a huge Trek fan, I can't wait. Also, Dean Cain ( Superman in Lois and Clark ) will be appearing!
Maybe we'll see some of you there. Keep on reading and keep on writing!
MRTighe
Across the aisle from us was a booth dedicated to Doctor Who, complete with a life-sized "Ood" ( If you aren't a fan, look that up.) Everyone who came by had to have their picture taken with the Ood! Then "Who" should roll by but a realistic, talking Dalek. Quite a surprise!
This year's celebrity guests included Mickey Dolenz of Monkees fame and Barry Bostwick ( Rocky Horror Picture Show, etc. ) We're usually too busy for celebrity-spotting, but we did manage to get a glimpse of Reb Brown, the original Captain America, in full costume.
There were costumes galore: lots of Doctor Whos, a Batman or two, a Superman, Darth Vader, Ghostbusters, Ghostrider, Deadpool, The Joker, Indiana Jones, Aladdin, Ariel, etc., etc. It's a lot of fun to see how much effort goes into making these costumes so realistic. But for me the highlight was meeting a dead-ringer for Chris Hemsworth; I admired his beautiful Thor costume, and we chatted for some time. When he left, he shook my hand--almost as good as shaking hands with the real Thor! I loved it!
We also met a couple guys from the Star Trek Association of the Northeast who are planning a Trek convention in NY. Of course, we were excited to hear that. It's been a long time since we were able to attend a Star Trek con!
As usual, we partook of Wild Bill's Soda Stand--always excellent. We got into a discussion with a fellow Babylon 5 fan. If you've never seen this TV show, you need to check it out. Excellent scifi with a superb cast. It seems to be undergoing a resurgence of popularity.
We made many people very happy with their purchases from our booth; one young lady in particular was ecstatic to get her hands on a Katniss doll ( Hunger Games.) A gentleman was eager to purchase a book on John Wayne; he and my hubby are both huge fans of the Duke! And kids are always happy to get a new toy.
We're already committed to Northeast Comic Con's Winter Edition ( Dec. 3&4 ) and this time we're planning a big celebration of Star Trek's 50th Anniversary. We have collectibles of all kinds, from jewelry to scripts, records to costumes. As a huge Trek fan, I can't wait. Also, Dean Cain ( Superman in Lois and Clark ) will be appearing!
Maybe we'll see some of you there. Keep on reading and keep on writing!
MRTighe
Wednesday, March 23, 2016
What's In A Name?
A major challenge all fiction writers encounter is that of naming our characters. Choosing the right name for each individual is important, even vital. A name is the first indication of who your character is. A name gives hints to his/her personality, background, attitudes, etc. For instance, readers would expect a character named Tootsie to be far different from one named Carstairs.
One baby-naming book famously advised that if you want your son or daughter to go into law enforcement, for heaven's sake don't name him or her Rob or Robyn Banks! I realize that I may be a bit more aware of the impact of a name. When I was a kid, some of my classmates were saddled with unfortunate names. There was a girl named Jessie James and boys who were named Peter Abbot and Paul Lockwood. ( If you don't get it, say those last two aloud, fast! )
So where do I look for appropriate names for my characters? Sometimes a suitable name just pops into my head; at other times I search through one of the above-mentioned baby name books. Believe it or not, I've also searched old cemeteries looking for unique or outdated names. I once came across a man named Dearbun Blackwell who died in the 1700s, and a woman named Sadilla. ( No, I haven't used either of those names, so feel free! )
Other common resources are phone books, TV and movie credits, history books, and magazines such as The National Geographic. I would suggest Googling a name before using it to make sure you don't inadvertently use the name of a living individual who might object to the hijacking of his/her name!
To give you a concrete example of how I name my characters, in my current WIP I have a boy named Hiro Orion Watenabe. Yikes, that's a mouthful! It gives the impression of a rather dull, stodgy character. But I quickly bestow the nickname "Howie" upon him, which is more in line with his true personality: an informal, light-hearted goofball!
So don't be afraid to have fun naming your characters. Be thoughtful; be playful. After all, they are your "babies!"
Keep reading and keep on writing!
MRTighe
One baby-naming book famously advised that if you want your son or daughter to go into law enforcement, for heaven's sake don't name him or her Rob or Robyn Banks! I realize that I may be a bit more aware of the impact of a name. When I was a kid, some of my classmates were saddled with unfortunate names. There was a girl named Jessie James and boys who were named Peter Abbot and Paul Lockwood. ( If you don't get it, say those last two aloud, fast! )
So where do I look for appropriate names for my characters? Sometimes a suitable name just pops into my head; at other times I search through one of the above-mentioned baby name books. Believe it or not, I've also searched old cemeteries looking for unique or outdated names. I once came across a man named Dearbun Blackwell who died in the 1700s, and a woman named Sadilla. ( No, I haven't used either of those names, so feel free! )
Other common resources are phone books, TV and movie credits, history books, and magazines such as The National Geographic. I would suggest Googling a name before using it to make sure you don't inadvertently use the name of a living individual who might object to the hijacking of his/her name!
To give you a concrete example of how I name my characters, in my current WIP I have a boy named Hiro Orion Watenabe. Yikes, that's a mouthful! It gives the impression of a rather dull, stodgy character. But I quickly bestow the nickname "Howie" upon him, which is more in line with his true personality: an informal, light-hearted goofball!
So don't be afraid to have fun naming your characters. Be thoughtful; be playful. After all, they are your "babies!"
Keep reading and keep on writing!
MRTighe
Tuesday, February 23, 2016
The Case of the Disappearing Cons
This year the after-holidays blahs set in with a vengeance. This was due to several factors. At this time of year hubby and I start looking forward to attending our favorite conventions, usually scifi or other related genres.
First, we learned that Pi-con ( Enfield CT ) would not continue. It was a small con we greatly enjoyed attending. Our fond memories of Pi-con include the extra night we spent after the con due to Hurricane Irene. We had fun at the impromptu panels held for those who stayed over.
Then, due to circumstances beyond our control related to hubby's job, we discovered that we'd be unable to attend Readercon for the forseeable future. Bummer! We've gone to Readercon ( Burlington MA ) faithfully for many years now. We enjoyed the venue, the people, the panels and other activities. We were especially fond of the notorious "Bad Prose" contest. It was hilarious!
Next, we found out that AnthoCon 5 ( Portsmouth NH ) had been canceled; we were devastated! We went to every AnthoCon since it began. The con was very good to us, and we met some of the nicest human beings on the face of the planet.
In spite of our terrible disappointment, we look for bright spots in the year ahead. Of course, there will be both the Spring and Winter editions of Northeast Comic Con, ( Wilmington MA ) and we are interested in Megafest ( Framingham MA )--another, larger Comic Con. Then, this week, I discovered online that a Harry Potter convention will be held in May of 2017 ( Laconia NH ) It's to be called MistiCon.
Now, I am a huge fan of Harry Potter, both the book series and the movies. I love JK Rowling. So I have something to look forward to next year. Hubby is not a fan, but since he's long-suffering, I'm sure he'll go with me. In the meantime, we're keeping our eyes open for other local cons and our fingers crossed.
Keep on reading and keep on writing!
MRTighe
First, we learned that Pi-con ( Enfield CT ) would not continue. It was a small con we greatly enjoyed attending. Our fond memories of Pi-con include the extra night we spent after the con due to Hurricane Irene. We had fun at the impromptu panels held for those who stayed over.
Then, due to circumstances beyond our control related to hubby's job, we discovered that we'd be unable to attend Readercon for the forseeable future. Bummer! We've gone to Readercon ( Burlington MA ) faithfully for many years now. We enjoyed the venue, the people, the panels and other activities. We were especially fond of the notorious "Bad Prose" contest. It was hilarious!
Next, we found out that AnthoCon 5 ( Portsmouth NH ) had been canceled; we were devastated! We went to every AnthoCon since it began. The con was very good to us, and we met some of the nicest human beings on the face of the planet.
In spite of our terrible disappointment, we look for bright spots in the year ahead. Of course, there will be both the Spring and Winter editions of Northeast Comic Con, ( Wilmington MA ) and we are interested in Megafest ( Framingham MA )--another, larger Comic Con. Then, this week, I discovered online that a Harry Potter convention will be held in May of 2017 ( Laconia NH ) It's to be called MistiCon.
Now, I am a huge fan of Harry Potter, both the book series and the movies. I love JK Rowling. So I have something to look forward to next year. Hubby is not a fan, but since he's long-suffering, I'm sure he'll go with me. In the meantime, we're keeping our eyes open for other local cons and our fingers crossed.
Keep on reading and keep on writing!
MRTighe
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)