PhilCon 2009

If you were to ask me to pick one thing that I didn’t like about last weekends PhilCon the only complaint that I could come up with is that I wish that it had been longer. From the first hour I spent at the con it was clear to me that the seventy plus years of experience that they have gained in planning events like this had paid off. Checking in was a breeze and there were plenty of program books and signs that made it easy for me to make my way from one panel to another.

Everyone was warm, friendly, and helpful but there were two fellow authors that made this event even more enjoyable for me. On Friday evening I had the pleasure of sitting on the Buck Rogers panel with four other men including author C.J. Henderson. C.J. is the kind of guy that would liven up any party. His contributions on the topic of Buck Rogers were not just informative they were down right funny. My family and I are huge Dr. Who fans. During the Dr. Who panel the question was asked, who was the best doctor? Well even though the panel could not come to a consensus two things were very clear to everyone in the room. 1. The panel’s knowledge on the top was very impressive. 2. This panel well worth attending. From the Dr. Who panel on Friday evening to the last panel on Sunday afternoon I always felt connected in some way to the people around me.

Grouch Free Zone
For me Philcon was not just about participating or attending the panels it was about relaxing and having a weekend of fun. I must admit that my fun mode was put on hold when a seven foot grim reaper totting a rather large scythe crossed my path but all was forgotten minutes later when I found myself sharing an elevator with the New Jersey Ghost Busters in full uniform complete with proton packs. Talk about Déjà Vu. From Storm Troopers to Jedi’s and gypsy’s there seamed to be something for everyone including a mechanical parrot perched on the shoulder its captain.

Earlier I said that there were two fellow authors that made the trip more enjoyable, well the second is the well know Vampire Huntress series author L. A. Banks. My family and I attended two of her panels. Ms. Banks was very warm and friendly. While many authors are guarded when it comes to sharing their keys to success Ms. Banks is willing to share her knowledge and seems happy to encourage new writers to come along for the ride. Her honesty and unvarnished stories of rejection and the obstacles that she had to overcome to become the successful writer that she is today are motivating and inspiring. PhilCon could not have chosen a better special guest.

To the President and committees of Philcon thank you for inviting me, I had a great time. See you next year.

Larry

It's Free!

Hello All,

By now I hope you know about the event I'll be attending this weekend called PhilCon one of the oldest conventions around. I'll be on two panels this weekend. L.A Banks and Cory Doctorow will also be there so I'm in good company. Here's my schedule.

I will be attending PhilCon 2009, during November 20th-22nd.

* Fri 10:00 PM in Plaza VI (Six)—Buck Rogers Rides Again (13)

There is a new web series, there is a new comic book series. Why the resurgence?

* Sun 3:00 PM in Plaza II (Two)—Book Discussion Ideas (68)

Readers tell us their notions of what would make for a good book discussion.




I wrote a short story for all of you, well, because you deserve it. It's free of charge and for your reading pleasure. It's a flash fiction, it's a few words over a thousand and it's a quick read. I have more coming up in the future to keep a look out for more.

This one is called Lost in Translation

Lost In Translation

2012: The Movie

2012 Movie

Who will be left behind? That will sound familar to Escape 2 Earth fans.
December 2012 is just a few years away so it is no surprise that the number of books and motion pictures on the subject are growing at a steady pace. With a seemly infinite number of story lines and predictions on the topic the next couple of years should provide a wealth of entertainment and knowledge for 2012 watchers worldwide. Of the half dozen or so 2012 movies currently in production the obvious front runners in this field are author Whitley Strieber’s 2012 War For The Souls due out sometime in 2010, and 2012 the Movie conceived and directed by Roland Emmerich. With a reported projected budget of $200million dollars 2012 The Movie will be by far the most expensive movie made in this category. The release date for 2012 was pushed back from this summer to November 13th.

War for the Souls is being directed by Michael Bay, his film takes a totally different approach than 2012 The movie. The story is based on a book by Whitley Strieber and follows an academic researcher who opens a portal into a parallel universe and makes contact with his double in order to stop an apocalypse foreseen by the ancient Mayans. 2012 The Movie deals with the Mayan calendar ending in 2012, but according to the 2012 website a large group of people must deal with natural disasters such as volcanic eruptions, typhoons and glaciers. In short it’s mostly about finding new ways to destroy things. What baffles me is the fact that the promoters of the film pretty much give the story away. This is from the first trailer. “How Would the Governments of Our Planet Prepare Six Billion People for the End of the World? THEY WOULDN'T”. Well that just about sums up what will happen. If the governments of the world are not going to help and there’s no where to go it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out how this thing is going to end.

It would be wonderful to be able to pick up the phone and summon the motion picture execs to announce that I have a great 2012 story that I would like it to have made into a major motion picture but since my name is not Michael Bay, or Roland Emmerich I have to do it the hard way. I am drawn to 2012 The Movie because it is the total opposite of my story Escape 2 Earth. How Would the Governments of Our Planet Prepare Six Billion People for the End of the World? In Escape 2 Earth they will, the governments of the world will attempt to save the people. Will they succeed? Well that’s the point of reading a book or watching a movie isn’t it ?

What happens when a secret alien origination offers you the technology to flee a doomed planet Earth but you only have 8 years to evacuate? What happens to those who don’t want to leave Earth? How do the world governments handle an alien race determined to stop you from leaving the planet?

Without the clout of the heavy hitters mentioned above I must relay on my one woman army who is my daughter a Communications and Technology major (with a minor in English). Together we have created an internet presence that I hope will attract more readers and maybe a few studio execs. In addition to the 5 book trailers with a half a million combined hits.

I also have a website and I am on Facebook, Twitter, Myspace, etc. Last year I was contacted by 2012 Supplies.com and asked if I would provide them with a signed copy of Escape 2 Earth for their contest this lead to a mention on the daily videoblog Rocket Boom hosted by Joanne Colan.



This fall I will be traveling to book fairs in New York, Maryland, New Jersey, and West Virginia to discuss Escape 2 Earth and the 2012 mania that is soon to come. As for Mr. Emmerich, I would like to think that given a choice he would have had more fun directing a movie with aliens, space ships, and planets in a far off galaxy. The bottom line is that there will be something for everyone in these upcoming films hopefully someone will take an interest in my 2012 story.

2009 West Virginia Book Festival in Charleston

This year's trek from Philadelphia down to the 2009 West Virginia Book Festival in Charleston was the last of three book fairs that my family and I have attended over the past three weeks. The indoor event held at the Charleston Civic Center was a welcome change from having to deal with the temper tantrums that Mother Nature threw during the fairs in Maryland and New Jersey. During the two day event I had the pleasure of meeting many fans of sci fi and fellow authors. Sales of my 2012 science fiction novel Escape 2 Earth exceeded my expectations. I want to thank each and every one of you who purchased my book. The authors and speakers in the Market Place area were especially helpful and made us feel welcomed - thank you.



Until I am able to create a clone of myself I will continue to rely on my family to assist me in promoting Escape 2 Earth, Dimensions In Time, Observations From The Center of Society and the upcoming Return 2 Earth. Speaking of family on Saturday I had the good fortune to meet Winter Donaldson and her daughter Summer. Winter is the author of The Missing Crest. If you are a bird lover I suggest that you check out this heartwarming story. In addition to meeting the Donaldson’s I had a chance to chat with author/artist Gary Bowen, and several other talented attendees like author/poet Frank X Walker.



Super Salesman

There are so many people who have helped me in so many ways during this book festival that I can’t name them all so I will just mention a few. To Rob and Miranda Phillips Walker, thank you for taking the time to give my daughter Lauren the scoop on the ins and outs of small press publishers and more. And thank you to my Grandson Kyle (the super salesman) and my daughter Alicia who drove up from North Carolina to help out. I am looking forward to returning next year. I have only one request, could you guys turn the heat up a little next year?

Mayan Connection - Crop Circles 2012 Novel

Mayan Connection - Crop Circles 2012 Novel

Several years ago my wife and I took a trip to see the pyramid El Castillo in Chichen Itza Mexico. Dozens of tourist braved the searing heat to snap photos as they chatted about the pyramid that the ancient Maya used as a temple to worship their God Kukulcan.

As my wife and I walked through the Great Ball Court where kukulcan once stood our thoughts were not of how the pyramid was used as a giant calendar to predict the spring and autumn equinoxes or of the games once played on the Great Ball Court, we just wanted to get out of the 100 plus degrees of dry, stifling heat.

Back then I had no way of knowing that I would write a novel that would connect me to those who once dwelled in this desolate place. The Mayan calendar which is the centerpiece of Escape 2 Earth was created by the very people whose land I visited years before I even came up with the idea for writing a story about 2012.


That was just the first of many coincidences that I have discovered. Chapter 17 of Escape 2 Earth is called Neptune’s Eye Redux. In this chapter Will, Matt, and Art are aboard the space ship called The Silver Unicorn. The pilot of the ship must avoid being seen by a patrol ship that has just been dispatched from an underwater alien sea base called Neptune’s Eye.

Youtube USO video


Escape 2 Earth is the story of three men (Matt, Will, and Art) who discover ominous hidden coded messages inside crop circles made by a secret society of aliens called Earth’s Guardians.
Here is the link to a video where crop circles include DNA, molecules, the Mayan Calendar, and more are shown at a UFO conference a few years ago. The crop circle of the Mayan calendar in this video was discovered in August 2004, five months after Escape 2 Earth was copyrighted.

Note: Jaime Maussan is Mexico’s leading ufologist.

Chapter #4 of Escape 2 Earth the three main charters in the story have an unusual encounter at Avebury Henge. In reality it is the same area where Nibiru (or planet X) crop circles were discovered on July 15 2008 four years after Escape 2 Earth was copyrighted.

Avebury Manor Crop Circle- 2012 and Nibiru Part #1 (July 15, 2008)

Avebury Manor Crop Circle- 2012 and Nibiru: Part #2 (July 22, 2008)

Jaime Maussan is a Mexican journalist and Mexico’s leading ufologist. Listen to what he has to say about the Mayan Connection to 2012 Crop Circles that were discovered in 2005; one year after Escape 2 Earth was written.
Mayan Connection to 2012 Crop Circles


Chapter #3 of Escape 2 Earth
It is revealed that here is a hidden chamber under the Sphinx where secret alien documents that are crucial to mans survival are stored.

According to Edgar Cayce the Sphinx was constructed thousands of years before the Egyptians ever set foot in that area. In the early 90’s years after his death a chamber was discovered, however it has still not been opened.

Edgar Cayce and the Sphinx

Chapter #15 is titled Reality Check. In that chapter Art tells the House of Commons in England that the planet Telderan is headed towards earth.

Here is a short clip that explains that planet Nibiru is headed towards earth.


As always, I am not making any predictions but I do think that the number of similarities is starting to add up. What will happen on December 21st 2012? We will have to wait and see.

For those who believe that crop circles are man made, take a look at this video.

Star Trek: The New Generation

I haven't been posting as regularly as I used to. This is mostly because I'm embarking on a three week book tour. Every Saturday for the next three weeks I'll be in another city. The third week I'll be at the West Virginia Book Fair.

Saturday September 26 - Baltimore Book Festival Saturday October 3 - Collingswood, NJ Book Festival Sat/Sun October 10-11 - Charleston, WV Book Festival

I hope to see you there, Larry - for more information visit Escape 2 Earth.com


Star Trek – The Next Series
Part #2

Star Fleet Outpost
In past Star Trek series, Admirals, Generals, Ambassadors, and the like had to travel great distances to reach the Enterprise or some distant planet, and the same applied to crew members when they were ordered to report back to Star fleet headquarters. Damaged Star Ships in need of repair also had to travel great distances. It would be more practical to build a state of the art Star Fleet outpost or to convert Deep Space Nine into one.

Really Cool Warship
Since the days of the Romulans the enemies of Star Trek have grown to include The Borg, The Xindi, and at least a dozen others. The new Defiant warship would serve a dual purpose, not only would it be faster, larger, and more deadly, under certain circumstances it could be used for time travel.

Time Travel
Practically every incarnation of Star Trek had some type of time travel. It played a major part in Star Trek IV The Voyage Home, the episode Shockwave from Star Trek Enterprise was another example of how time travel was a major part of the story. The method of time travel could be a machine or the ship itself. Only a small number of specially selected officers would be aware of this machine and would only be able to use it during dire emergencies.

Setting
The new setting would have to be even further into the future than any of the previous series. The ships would be sleeker, faster and the enemies even more deadly then the Borg. The new and improved Hollodeck would be larger and have at least two floors. Not only used for recreation on the Star Fleet space station it would also allow members to consult with important people from the past like Dr.

Zefram Cochrane.

By cherry picking the best elements, gadgets, and themes from the previous versions of this popular sci fi series the new Star Trek could actually surpass the earlier versions if done correctly. There is no point in trying to reinvent the wheel when you don’t have too.
Feel free to repost.

The Evolution of Torchwood

I liked Torchwood, it was edgy, original, well written, and funny. What more could you ask for in a sci fi T.V. show? You may have noticed my use of the word liked (as in past tense) it wasn’t a typo.



To answer my own question of what more could you ask, my answer is FIX IT. Put it back the way it was back in season one, before Captain Jack went into heat and saving the planet from the extraterrestrial du jour became the secondary story. Good grief even Captain James T. Kirk had more self control than Captain Hardness, I mean Captain Harkness. In it’s first season Torchwood was BBC America’s highest rated series EVER, but last year BBC America announced that only a single-five episode story arc will be presented instead of the usual 13.

Why, maybe because parents were freaking out when they discovered that their kids were not watching a G rated sci fi show. When Mom tuned in to see Captain Jack getting it on with Captain John Hart (aka Spike) the secret was out, Torchwood was no Doctor Who, in fact even the Doctor seems to keep old Jack at arms length. Have you seen the way he looks at Jack sometimes?




I like Jack, the old Jack and I still like Torchwood, the old Torchwood, but who’s idea was it to start killing off the main characters? You know the ones that we spent two seasons getting to know then wham. From my vantage point this is an easy fix. Go back to the basics from season one also bring back Martha for a few more episodes.





I feel like this was the old bait and switch, first give us the show that everyone wants then give us the show that you the writers and producers want. Well the fans aren’t buying it so it seems to me that if the producers want the show to stay on the air they will have no choice but to hide Captain Jacks Viagra and keep him focused on saving the planet…. again.

(written pre-Children of Earth special but after season 2)