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...
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I've mentioned previously the new Young Adult space series that Rebecca and I are writing to support the Challenger Learning Centers, Star Challengers.  The first book is about to be released, and the first press release just went out at GenCon last weekend, to be followed up by an official launch at the national Challenger Center conference in St Louis next week. 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...
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At San Diego Comic Con, my Batman/Superman novel Enemies & Allies won the Scribe Award, presented by the International Association of Media Tie-In Writers, in the speculative fiction category (tied with Greg Cox and his Terminator: Salvation: Cold War novel).  The ceremonies were held on Saturday, and Max Allan Collins accepted the award for me. 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...
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