William Ledbetter

I just sent off another story to Writers of the Future, barely under the wire this time. I think this one is a little better than my story that scored a "semi-finalist" in the last quarter. Of course that is MY opinion and I'm not always the best judge of my own writing. Only three stories out right now. Evidence of the time spent working on the novel this year. I'm waiting to see K.D.'s crit on my "semi-finalist" story before sending that one out again and I have one more that needs some major rework before being sent out. And of course my muse is teasing me with two new stories that are clamoring to be written. I think I'll hold off on those until one of them goes "critical" and forces me to write it. Until then...novel editing!

As mentioned above, most of my writing time this year has been spent working on the novel. I think it is coming along well. I'm slogging through the second draft and as I finish revising chapters, I send them through my writer's group where it has been getting good reviews. Just submitted chapters 11-13 for the next meeting.

The folks who run FenCon here in Dallas will be at Hypericon (June 5-7) and are bidding to host the 2011 DeepSouthCon. Texas has never hosted a DeepSouthCon, but anyone who has ever attended a FenCon knows these fans can do it right. And if you haven't been lucky enough to attend before, stop by their room party on Saturday night and hear all about FenCon and their 2011 bid.  I will no be attending, but will be a guest at SoonerCon if your are going in that direction instead.

Friday –

 No panels on Friday.

Saturday –

10 am – Mars or Bust: Spaceflight in 2009 (Warwick)
Hosted by William Ledbetter (M), Paul Abell, Scott Padget, Linda Donahue
With the change in politics and the decline in the economy, the space program looks like an orphan child. Will we ever get to Mars? What happened to space colonies? Our experts kibitz on what to expect in the coming years.

1 pm – Danger! Danger!: Trends in Science Fiction (Canterbury)
Hosted by William Ledbetter (M), David Weber, Thomas W. Knowles, Kerry Tolan
From protective robots to starships plying trade routes through warped space, science fiction has always been the world of tomorrow. Our experts debate where science fiction is now, and where it will be in the future…

2 pm – Creating Believable Intelligent Creatures (Canterbury)
Hosted by Dusty Rainbolt (M), William Ledbetter, C. Dean Anderson, Adrian Simmons
Tired of that humanoid creature that reminds you of Uncle Wally? Exasperated by the mindless drone that wants to suck your brains out? Our experts talk about aliens of all types – and why the Grey that just emerged from the flying saucer probably WON’T think in English.

3 pm    Reading (Winston)

Sunday –

11 am – Sustainable Ionic Emitters of Death: Creating Weapons in Sci-fi/Fantasy (Warwick)
Hosted by William Ledbetter (M), Linda Donahue, Kerry Tolan, Mary Gearhart-Gray
While the idea of phasers™ and lightsabers™ are now accepted as commonplace because of movies, some of the weapon “technology” is a bit farfetched. Our experts examine unbelievable weapons that make people’s eyes glaze…and how to avoid this.        

My story, "Over the Moon and Running" which is now out in issue #8 of Something Wicked received an excellent review in this issue of The Fix:

"To finish on a positive note, perhaps the best story in the issue is by William Ledbetter, who crafts an unusual and emotionally charged tale around elements borrowed from American Indian shapeshifter folklore. (GO HERE and scroll down to the bottom TO READ THE REST)

Believable in historical detail and internally consistent, “Thief of Hearts” is intriguing and mysterious, and stands out as one of the stronger stories in this anthology. (GO HERE and scroll down about midway TO READ THE REST)

WRITING UPDATE:
Sent my story "Square One" off to Asimov's a couple of weeks ago, so it is still much too early to hear anything on that one.  I just about have my new story "Brave Like Magicians" ready to send in to the Jay Lake/Eric T. Reynolds Footprints antho.  The deadline is Friday...nothing like waiting until the last minute.  My story "Lake Effect" is still in the maybe pile at Abyss and Apex.  I've finally started working "Moonlet Serenade" again.  This is a rare instance of knowing the entire story before I start writing and I can't wait to write the ending.  I have high hopes for this one..if I can manage to get the story in my head into words without mangling it too much.

I also received a contributor copy of Something Wicked with my story "Over the Moon and Running" all the way from Cape Town, South Africa.  A semi-pro sale, but a very slick and professional looking magazine.  All glossy pages, professional artwork and some excellent stories.  And the whole process, submission through cash-in-the-pocket,  was very smooth.  I highly recommend them. 

MY FENCON V

SCHEDULE Oct. 3-5

We interrupt our regularly scheduled programming to announce that Bubbas have inherited the Earth...and are having their way with it.
 

This is no doubt the best of the best where it comes to apocalyptic redneck zombie stories.  This is the slack jawed goober's "On the Beach," the butt scratchin, Bud belching version of "Earth Abides."  Let's face it, can you think of a more terrifying future than one owned by cousin Ned and his trailer park posse?  

 This anthology is edited by Selina Rosen and published by Ben Bella Books and can also be purchased at Amazon. 
 

"Believable in historical detail and internally consistent, “Thief of Hearts” is intriguing and mysterious, and stands out as one of the stronger stories in this anthology."

WRITING UPDATE:
My muse gave me a birthday present last night.  The idea for a very cool short story.  Of course the transfer from brain to written word is a brutal and traumatic process, akin to passing walnut-sized kidney stones and the coolness factor seldom survives the transfer fully intact.  Still, I haven't been this excited about a story in a long time.  I still have two other stories to finish before I start on this new one, but both of them are almost done.  "Square One" will be mailed out next week to Analog (hey why not shoot for the top) and I intend to have "Magician's Assistant" finished in time to submit to my writing group for our October 6th meeting.  At this point, the new "cool" story is titled "Moonlet Serenade."  No...that is not a misspelling of the word "moonlit" or "moonlight."  Nothing in the mail.

Yeah...I was surprised too.  The rabbits in my yard are afraid of everything...but lasers...and caged dogs.  A few days ago, in a fit of scientific curiosity...I fetched my laser pointer and started screwing with the rabbits that park their furry little cotton tails right outside my kitchen window...a good place considering that its OUTSIDE the fence.  The dogs can see them and raise a hell of a ruckus, but can't get to them.  I think these evil rabbits enjoy that.  Anyway...it was dusk and the rabbits were nibbling away on the neighbor's shrubberies when I attacked. At first I thought that they just couldn't even see the red dot that I moved around in front of them, but after a minute, one of them started following the dot with his head, obviously watching it. Then as I neared the second rabbit, he did the same.  So I made sure they were watching and then moved the dot right at them. At different speeds.  They just watched it, but didn't run.  

I thought this was interesting.  I am going capture these rabbits and graft their DNA into the cyborg storm troopers I'm building in my garage.  Then they will not fear the new laser weapons the military is building.  Bwahaha!  I will have  built the perfect anti-laser infantry!  As long as the enemy doesn't make loud noises or have uncaged dogs, my troops will be invincible!  If...I can find a way to overcome that powerful breeding imperative long enough to get them in the field. *smirk*

WRITING UPDATE:
I just finished the second draft of Square One, a first contact type science fiction story.  Fast paced and kinda creepy, but I'm having fun with it.  Suggestions from my writer's group and my beta readers have really helped hone this story and I have high hopes for it. And then I was watching a rabbit out the window while doing dishes ealrier this week and I got the idea for another first contact story. I've already started writing.  It's called Deadfall.  I suppose in a hundred years when old stuffy science fiction scholars look back on this phase of my spectacular writing career, they will call this my "First Contact Phase."  Still waiting on word from Abyss and Apex on my story Lake Effect. (not a first contact story) Haven't worked on the novel in over a month. The muse keeps dumping short stories in my lap. *shrug*

ARMADILLOCON REPORT:
Yes...I suppose this is a bit late, but I had a great time at my first ArmadilloCon.  My panels were well attended.  I was asked about an hour ahead of time to moderate the "Blogging and Social Networking" and that worked out fine.  Luckily I knew something about the subject. I even had a few people at my reading!  Hung out some with old friends Lou Antonelli, Melanie Fletcher and Tim Morgan.  Got to meet a bunch of new people, which I love.  Lou and I had a nice conversation, mostly about Turkey City, with Steven Utley. Very interesting fellow.  Saturday night I had dinner at a wonderful Korean restaurant called Shilla's with Nancy Jane Moore and my friend Adrian (can't find your website Adrian!)  Saw John Scalzi and Sheila Williams live and in captivity for the first time, but didn't get to really meet either of them.  (Did talk to Scalzi at one of the parties, but I don't think that really counts) But I must say I was impressed.  John is quite personable and seems like a genuinely nice guy.  Even after winning a Hugo just the previous weekend. T'was a very enjoyable weekend and I hope they invite me back again