FRIDAY

1 PM—reading (Hellhole and Blood Lite 2)

2:30 PM—autograph session (with Rebecca)

4 PM—How to Increase Your Writing Productivity (lecture)

SATURDAY

1 PM—Challenger Center panel

2:30—Oil Spill Disasters

4 PM—autographing (w/June Scobee Rodgers & Rebecca at Catalyst Game Labs booth, upper dealers’ room)

SUNDAY

10AM—Things I Wish Some Pro Had Told Me When I Was Starting Out (writers workshop/lecture with Rebecca)

1 PM—New York Times Bestsellers Tell All

2:30 PM—Star Wars: Ask the Authors

MONDAY

10:30 AM—signing at Missing Volume Booth (upper dealers’ room)

1 PM—Race in Star Wars

June Scobee Rodgers, Rebecca Moesta, and Kevin J. Anderson
with first copies of Star Challengers: Moonbase Crisis

If you’re attending DragonCon, we hope to see you at the panel or the signing.

It’ll go very nicely on my awards shelf.  Thanks to the jury members of IAMTW for selecting my novel.

The first finished copies of Star Challengers #1: Moonbase Crisis, hot from the printer and bindery, were rushed to the conference and distributed to all the members and attendees.  The photo below shows June Scobee Rodgers taking the very first copy out of the box.

This photo was taken by astronaut Scott Parazynski (well-known for his space walk on the ISS where he repaired one of the solar power arrays).  Scott has been a technical adviser on the books.  To read more about the series and a sample chapter, go to www.starchallengers.com.

We have received a great deal of support for Star Challengers from an impressive array of people; their testimonials are listed below:

“The Star Challengers series takes young readers up into space, onto the moon, and to the boundaries of their imaginations.  It’s the next best thing to being there.”—Neil Armstrong

“Space exploration is a great adventure that benefits all mankind.  The Star Challengers books inspire young readers with that sense of adventure, introducing them to a new universe of exciting possibilities.”— Buzz Aldrin

“The Star Challengers with their Commander Zota ‘boldly go into the future’ to bring great science fiction adventures to their readers . . . what a wonderful way to expand young imaginations.”—Leonard Nimoy

“The Star Challengers adventure stories could help to inspire a whole new generation of young women to value science and seek careers in high-tech, engineering and space exploration. These teenage Star Challengers team up in their quest to find innovative solutions to help them solve problems using real out-of-this-world science.”—Dr. Sally Ride, Astronaut

“In no other regime do reality and fiction seem to meet as commonly as in space.  No wonder young (and old) people are inspired and excited when reading the Star Challenger series.  It would be a great item to take along on one’s next interplanetary voyage.”—Norm Augustine, Retired Chairman and CEO, Lockheed Martin Corporation

“There’s a reason why the best science fiction takes place in space. It’s the only true frontier left. Kids know this. So too does the Star Challengers Series.  Therein is the magical recipe to ensure a future in space for the rest of us.”—Neil deGrasse Tyson, Astrophysicist, American Museum of Natural History

“Challenger Center continues to be a champion for the future.  Young readers will readily identify with the Star Challengers characters.  The future needs them, and they will respond — in wonderful ways.”—Barbara Morgan, NASA’s First Educator Astronaut

“June Scobee Rodgers is a woman on a mission and that mission continues to expand.  By nature June is an encourager and an inspiration.  She has worked to bring renewed interest in science education and space travel through the Star Challenger series which will help feed young, curious minds with the possibilities that await them in the future.  I can’t recommend these books more.  Move over Avatar . . . here comes Commander Zota.”—Debbie Macomber, #1 New York Times best-selling author

“Space may be the final frontier according to Star Trek, but if our message to the next generation is to reach for the stars, then the Star Challengers series is a great place to start.  Our future survival will depend upon how our young students meet the challenge of combining science, engineering, mathematics & imagination.”—Lee Greenwood, entertainer, writer, musician, singer & council member for the National Endowment for the Arts

“What if Earth’s future rested on the shoulders of five ordinary teens living in present times?  And what if a visitor from the future accompanies them through time and space for the adventure of their lives?  I was charmed by the premise of Star Challengers, a new and innovative series geared to teen readers especially drawn to science and space technology.  Never a dull moment in these fast paced books with a winsome cast of inventive kids whose ideas and solutions help make a difference for our planet.  Every reader can relate to their cause and challenges. All readers will be caught up in their all too human relationships with one another and humankind from tomorrow.  I found the stories infused with nail biting adventure, romance and plausible science.  Skip the vampires!  Don’t miss this thought-provoking series presented by June Scobee Rodgers and the Challenger Center for Space Science Education and written by award-winning, international bestselling authors Rebecca Moesta & Kevin J. Anderson.”—Lurlene McDaniel, bestselling young-adult author

“Ad astra!  To the stars!  By the way of good stories!  Thank you for Star Challengers, Rebecca Moesta and Kevin J. Anderson.”—Clay Morgan, author of The Boy Who Spoke Dog

cover text:

Only the most desperate would ever dare to make a home on Hellhole.

Ravaged by volcanic eruptions, destructive storms and asteroid impact, Hellhole is a dumping ground for undesirables, misfits and charlatans.  But its location out on the wild frontiers of the Constellation, among the Deep Zone worlds, makes it the final refuge for those fleeing from the rule of Diadem Michella Duchenet—a tyrant with a sweet face, but a dark heart.

General Adolphus, the military leader exiled to the planet when he was defeated in the first revolution against the Diadem, is determined to transform Hellhole into a place of opportunity.  While the colonists work to develop the planet, the General is forging secret alliances with the leaders of the other Deep Zone worlds.  He dreams of turning his prison into the centre of a new coalition of planets free from the Diadem’s iron grip.

Back on the decadent capital planet of Sonjeera, surrounded by corruption and feuding old-guard nobles, Diadem Michella is confident that the General has been neutralized.  She has no idea of the revolt growing in the Deep Zone … or does she?

But what no one knows is this: planet Hellhole hides secrets of historic magnitude.  Lurking beneath the surface are the remnants of an obliterated alien civilization, detailing an unrecorded past, which, if unearthed, could tear the fragile human civilization apart.

=================

Cover art by Stephen Youll.   The book will be released in Jan/Feb, 2011.

Last weekend I went with Tim, Joe, and my god-daughter Maren (12) to spectacular Aspen, Colorado, to climb Castle Peak (14,265 ft).  The Elk Range near Aspen is best known for the picturesque Maroon Bells…beautiful but dangerous peaks composed of loose, crumbling rock.  Maroon Peak and North Maroon Peak are often called “the deadly Bells” because of how many climbers have died ascending them.  I have climbed all the Fourteeners in the Elks—both Maroon peaks, Pyramid Peak, Capitol Peak, Snowmass, and Castle—but they are beautiful enough to go back.  Castle is by far the easiest of the peaks…and since 12-year-old Maren wanted to climb her first Fourteener, this was the one we chose.

We had a nice 4-hour drive from home, through the quaint old town of Twin Lakes (Colorado’s version of a Swiss Alpen village), over winding Independence Pass, to Aspen, where we had dinner; while the others wandered through the shops, I went to the Aspen Brewery to have a microbrew and jot down some notes for the KEY TO CREATION scenes I planned to dictate on the climb the next day.  As I walked to the brewery, a local cop saw my Paul of Dune t-shirt and gave a thumbs up.  “I love those books!  By Brian Herbert and … that other guy.”  (No, I didn’t tell him who I was; I was on vacation.)

We spent the night in a ski condo in Snowmass and got up at 5:30 AM to head out early for the trailhead.  Not up for the climb, Diane and Sarah stayed behind to enjoy the town of Snowmass, while we drove out into the mountains, then headed up a gruelling 4WD road for four miles—basically a storage area for sharp boulders.  Even the high wheelbase Expedition had trouble crawling over the rocks and fording a rushing creek, but eventually (an hour for four miles) we ground our way up to a rocky parking area at 12,500’ and decided to walk from there.

The skies were clear and pristine, and the stark terrain had a rugged beauty.  We headed off with packs, waterbottles, and hiking sticks, then made our way over rock glaciers, snowfields, ascending from one high basin to the next, past frozen lakes, scrambling up rocks, until we finally reached the summit after about four hours.  Maren made it like a champ, without any difficulties at all.

As always seems to happen, there was very little time to celebrate and relax; clouds gathered quickly.  We had hoped to cross a saddle and also summit adjoining Conundrum Peak (14,065’), but a brutal snowfield—and the impending rain—made that inadviseable.

We descended through the toughest rock scrambling and reached more stable ground just as the hail hit, which quickly turned to rain…making the boulders even more slick.  For a (cold and painful) shortcut, Joe and I glissaded down one of the big snowfields … very bumpy, and it froze the seat of our pants.

Even after we got back to the car, it was still another hour down four miles of the murderous road to get to the paved road, then to the Snowmass condo, where we showered and changed into clean, dry clothes.  We stopped at a microbrewery restaurant in Glenwood Springs for dinner (a green chile cheeseburger) and a brew.  All in all, a great Colorado weekend.

Here’s the text of the press release:

Challenger Learning Center Announces STAR CHALLENGERS: A Partnership with Catalyst Game Labs and Bestselling Authors to Promote Space Education

The Challenger Center for Space Science Education announces an innovative partnership with Catalyst Game Labs and international bestselling authors Rebecca Moesta and Kevin J. Anderson. The result of this partnership is “Star Challengers,” a new series of science fiction adventures for young readers, with the goal of sparking interest in the space program and careers in science and technology.

Star Challengers was developed by Challenger Center founder June Scobee Rodgers, whose husband Dick Scobee commanded the last mission of Space Shuttle Challenger, and bestselling authors Moesta and Anderson. The Star Challengers novels feature the Challenger Learning Centers, taking readers to a future moon base, a space station, and an asteroid probe–all simulations offered by the actual  Challenger Learning Centers.

“These novels not only give us the chance to show entertaining science  fiction adventures, they also promote something close to my own  heart–the space program and an interest in our future,” says coauthor Anderson.

The first novel in the trilogy, Moonbase Crisis, was previewed August 6-8 in Indianapolis at Gen Con, the world’s largest gaming  convention. Loren Coleman, publisher of Catalyst Game Labs, added,  ”Star Challengers is one of the best fiction projects I’ve been  involved with in my fifteen years in the industry. It’s great fiction, and is accomplishing something important.” Catalyst is also developing a related card game featuring the Star Challengers.

The project has been more than ten years in development and has received enthusiastic endorsements from Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin, Sally Ride, Leonard Nimoy, Neil deGrasse Tyson, and others.

June Scobee Rodgers stated, “I am happy to present the Star Challengers. Once you meet them and witness their courage and joy of discovery, you’ll want to join them on all their adventures.”  The  first copies of the new book will be given to attendees as a highlight  of the national Challenger Center conference in St. Louis, August  17.  The next two novels in the series will be released in 2011.

To read the first sample chapter and to learn more about the series, see www.starchallengers.com.

“Challenger Learning Centers reach 400,000 kids every year. Let’s hope they all grow up with the same “can do” spirit as the heroes in this wonderful book!” said Dan Barstow, Executive Director of the  Challenger Center.

The Challenger Learning Centers use space exploration as a theme and realistic simulations as a vehicle to inspire students with the exciting possibilities for the future while also teaching them how to work as a team and how to expect success. The Challenger Center  experience fosters in young people a long-term interest in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics, encouraging them to pursue  studies and careers in these areas. The network of 48 Challenger  Learning Centers across the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom,  and South Korea reaches more than 400,000 students and 40,000 educators each year through simulated space missions, educational  programs, and teacher workshops. For further information, please visit http://www.challenger.org.

Catalyst Game Labs specializes in the production of high quality  products, from professional media tie-in fiction to roleplaying and  board games. They have been highly successful with their BattleTech and Shadowrun game tie-ins. Catalyst Game Labs is forming the Catalyst Press imprint to publish Star Challengers, as well as other print fiction. For further information, please visit http://catalystgamelabs.com

Anderson and Moesta co-wrote the bestselling, award-winning series of  Young Jedi Knights novels as well as their own Crystal Doors trilogy; Anderson is also well known for his work in the Dune and Star Wars universes.

I also finished writing my chapters in the second Star Challengers book, while Rebecca, June Scobee Rodgers, and our proofer did a final check on the typesetting for the first Star Challengers novel, which debuted at GenCon this past weekend.  In the middle of this, the package of Hellhole galleys arrived from the UK publisher (with a 1-week turnaround), so I had to drop everything to read those.  And I needed to finish all of my revisions to the third and final Terra Incognita novel, The Key to Creation, for delivery to the publisher.

After all that, I needed a break—time to hike another section of the Colorado Trail.

I’ve been doing this legendary trail, piece by piece, with my brother- and sister-in-law, Tim and Diane.  Our next section was a four-hour drive away, near the city of Salida; I checked into a motel room near Amicas, my favorite pizza parlor and brewery restaurant in Salida, drove down after lunch, and checked in so I could do a little editing before dinner, then reading chapters in The Battle of Corrin, before an early night for an early start on the trail.

Tim and Diane got up at 4 AM and drove one of the cars down to the eastern end of the trail section, while I left Salida and drove to the western trailhead; we hiked in opposite directions.  This is one of the more isolated parts of the Colorado Trail, rolling through the Cochetopa Hills, tree-lined valleys and ridges.  When I parked my car at the remote trailhead, I was surprised to see a volunteer from the Colorado Trail Foundation, a “trail angel” who provides food, drinks, and supplies to through-hikers on the way down the trail.  He had been camped at the trailhead for 22 days already and had counted several hundred hikers.  (On the trail that day I encountered five backpackers who were very pleased to hear about the treat waiting for them at the trailhead.)

This segment is 18 miles, a long day, and I set out, glad to have time to relax, drink in the scenery, and mull over the new Dune book I was about to start writing.  The Sisterhood of Dune is set in a different time period from our other books, 80 years after the end of the Butlerian Jihad, so I still had some development to work out.  When I was ready, I dictated my first chapter in the book.  Four miles down the trail and on top of a ridge, about as far from civilization as I could get, my cell phone rang, and it was Brian Herbert, wanting to brainstorm details in the book.  Good timing, and we were able to work out several key details before I lost the signal.

I met up with Tim and Diane at about the halfway point.  We were all exhausted by then, and I had already applied three blister bandages, but we still had nine miles to go.  We paused, ate a quick lunch (mine was a by-now-smashed peanut butter & jelly); I grimaced my way through a warm Red Bull, and we set off again in opposite directions.

The clouds gathered and thunder rumbled, but the sky only threatened rain; the downpour held off for the remainder of the afternoon while I trudged the rest of the way down the endless trail.  At 5:30 PM I finally broke out of the trees and saw the beautiful sight of our SUV parked in the meadow at the end of the four-wheel-drive road.  I had stashed a change of shirt, socks, and shoes in the back, so I was able to freshen up before setting out for the four-hour drive home (starting with 15 miles down a 4WD road).  A long, exhausting, refreshing, and satisfying hike—and I did dictate five chapters in The Sisterhood of Dune.

Tim and Diane reached their end of the trail about an hour later and headed home.  We have now completed 351 miles (of 482) on the Colorado Trail.  I hope to hike another section or two before the end of the season.

Previously, I had received a Scribe nomination for The Last Days of Krypton, my other novel set in the DC Comics Universe.  Earlier this year, Enemies & Allies also won the Project Fanboy Award.

So, with Terra Incognita: The Edge of the World being nominated for the Colorado Book Award, and the first Roswell Six CD named best progressive rock album, this has definitely been a good year.  Enemies & Allies comes out in paperback next month.

David Farland

Dave is one of the instructors we worked with for the first Superstars Writing Seminar last spring in Pasadena.  I have attended several of his lectures, and he always packs them with excellent information.  I’ve known him for over twenty years and I think he’s one of the best, most practical writing instructors out there.  Many of his students have gone on to become successful authors, including several major bestsellers.

This seminar would definitely be worth your while.  For details, see Write That Novel.