Yep! I got accepted to attend the 2015 class of the Launchpad Astronomy Workshop this year – and on a scholarship to boot.
Why so lucky? I’m not sure. Right place at the right time? One of the founders and instructors likes me? I have a decent platform for bringing good use of science to science fiction?
Here’s where I double down on the lucky part. Getting to attend isn’t the best part.
The people who will be there with me is.
I was very flattered when Michael Brotherton – professor of Astronomy, science fiction author, blogger and Amazing Stories contributor suggested I re-submit my application for this year’s class. I guess they found some additional partners and had a bit more budget to play around with.
I was stunned (so was the wife!) when I was informed that I’d been accepted and scholarships had been obtained to cover my expenses.
I fell on the floor in a heap, strongly tempted to whimper “I’m not worthy, I’m not worthy” when I saw the final class list. (Truly, I am not worthy). Check this out:
Kameron freakin Hurley! Kameron – why we fight – freakin Hurley!
C.C. Finlay – the newest editor of Fantasy and Science Fiction!
Amy John W. Campbell Award Winning Thomson
Edd – comic publisher – Vick (and Amy’s husband!)
Adrienne Celt, an internationally domiciled author
Michael Swanwick – a trifecta (Hugo, Nebula, World Fantasy and more) award winning short story writer who graciously suffered my misspelling of his last name
Rosemary Smith, hard SF author
Doug Farren – a nuclear SF author (we won’t need night lights)
Rajan Khanna an author and narrator
Martin Shoemaker a software genius and author
John Gilbey – he’s from Wales. No one cares what he does once they hear the accent!
Jason Hough a best selling author
Alan Gratz who apparently builds catapults
Lou Berger who seems to like hats
Erin Cashier who is, among many other things, an alchemist
Rahul Kanakia a YA and short story author
Ed Masessa about whom little is known
and Matt Forbeck a NYT best seller and also a game designer
I’ve got so much to talk about with these individuals besides astronomy (which is the focus of the workshop – giving authors and other creative types a solid foundation in the science of astronomy (and I presume related fields) so that we all in turn can bring truth, justice and the astronomy way to the masses); authors, comics publishers and game designers.
I’ve done them all and of course am interested in the all. I’d like to try my hand at narrating books, some say I have a good voice for that kind of thing – and I’d like to run my theory about mysterious rains of frogs and fish past the catapult guy…
How the hell are we going to: learn astronomy, talk about all this other stuff AND sleep? And why didn’t they include money for an assistant armed with video recording equipment in the scholarship? I’ll never remember everything that goes on!
This year’s workshop is being headed up by Mike Brotherton and Jim Verley, supported by Christian Ready and Andria Schwortz, assisted by NIcole Wade.
Can’t wait to go. Can’t wait to meet everyone. Can’t wait to write it all up
