Author Archives: nathanielwms

James Gunn’s Transcendental – New Novel, Old Sketches

Posted on September 30, 2013 by nathanielwms

James Gunn’s new novel Transcendental came out from Tor Books a few weeks ago. If you haven’t read it, go get it. It’s a page-turner, full of SF goodness–particularly when it comes to cool alien species. I first heard Jim … Continue reading →

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I Blame Star Wars and Bruce Springsteen

Posted on September 23, 2013 by nathanielwms

I found this chart (see below) in an old notebook.  It’s my first attempt to graphically explain how science fiction and rock music are connected in my nostalgia. I’ve said that I blame pretty much every cool thing that happened … Continue reading →

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Generation Y, Sci-Fi, Genres, and Nostalgia

Posted on September 19, 2013 by nathanielwms

Two articles were all over Facebook yesterday and they seem really connected to me. One is Junot Díaz’s Salon interview that (despite a sensationalized title) has some excellent things to say about literary genre. The other is a clever essay … Continue reading →

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Hugos Online and Worldcon On My Mind

Posted on September 17, 2013 by nathanielwms

The Hugo Awards are online and I re-watched a bit. A few favorite parts (with time for easy location): SF Squeecast wins for Best Fancast at 1:04:01 George R.R. Martin accepts for “Blackwater” HBO episode at 1:44:40 Pat Cadigan wins … Continue reading →

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Worldcon Update – San Antonio Appearances

Posted on August 28, 2013 by nathanielwms

I’ve updated my schedule under Appearances for Worldcon.  I have two confirmed appearances, but may have more “fill-in” gigs at the last minute. I’m particularly looking forward to attending panels on rock journalism and science fiction, Doc Savage, Mark Twain, … Continue reading →

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Johnny Cash: Science Fiction Author

Posted on August 16, 2013 by nathanielwms

As I’ve said here before, the connections between science fiction and 20th-century popular music run very deep. If you’re a fan of both, you find yourself becoming the jelly in a giant nostalgia sandwich.  Want an example? This week, Cracked.com … Continue reading →

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Socially Progressive Werewolves and Brown’s Gothic Fantasy

Posted on August 9, 2013 by nathanielwms

OK, early American SF/fantasy fans: I’m teaching Charles Brockden Brown’s Edgar Huntly (1799) for the first time next Monday.  I am very curious how students will react to all the lycanthropic imagery in it. The character Clithero goes into a … Continue reading →

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Going to Worldcon in San Antonio (+Retrofuturist Listmania)

Posted on August 1, 2013 by nathanielwms

Big announcement: I’m going to be able to attend the World SF in San Antonio.  I’ll be helping the current AboutSF coordinators, Meagan Kane and Mackenzie VanBeest, put on the AboutSF Teaching Workshop on Labor Day (Monday, last day of … Continue reading →

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Secret Origins: Mark Twain, Profanity, and Science Fiction

Posted on July 25, 2013 by nathanielwms

Yesterday, I posted the following Mark Twain quote on Facebook: “Profanity is more necessary to me than is immunity from colds.” I came across the actual letter where Twain scribbled this comment earlier this week using the awesome online archive … Continue reading →

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More Changes Coming

Posted on July 22, 2013 by nathanielwms

If all goes as planned, I’ll have something to add under “appearances” (Hint: it’s something happening in Texas). Also, I’m trying out a new, even-more-traditional-looking theme.  Would love to know people’s thoughts on it.  Wish I could make font smaller, … Continue reading →

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UC Davis Steampunk Seminar–Full Steam Ahead!

Posted on July 18, 2013 by nathanielwms

Quick note: my First-Year Seminar on Steampunk was approved by University of California, Davis.  I’m looking forward to it.  I tried to pick texts/media that are appropriate for a 2 hr, once-a-week class designed for small-group, interpersonal work and creative … Continue reading →

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Not Pictured: My Nostalgic Favorite SF/Fantasy Books

Posted on July 15, 2013 by nathanielwms

Last post, I showed a picture of some books from my early reading days that I found in my parents’ basement.  They’re only a smattering–the ones that never were lost/loaned/stolen like many others.  They represent the tip of my sci-fi/fantasy … Continue reading →

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Portrait of the “Artist” as a Young Fan

Posted on July 12, 2013 by nathanielwms

Here’s a foray into personal sci-fi nostalgia.  The books in the fuzzy picture below were boxed in my parents’ basement.  Some of them even have tags from a garage sale that never happened while I was away at college. Collectively, … Continue reading →

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Articles Initiate Site Changes

Posted on July 8, 2013 by nathanielwms

I’ve changed a few items on this site.  Most significantly, I’ve added a “Teaching” page and copied that portion of my CV there.  This was done to make the CV shorter and more manageable. As I’ve said before, this site … Continue reading →

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What is That Junk??

Posted on July 2, 2013 by nathanielwms

There’s a lot of junk in the photo at the top of the page.  It could be my own personal voodoo shrine.  Nope.  It’s a collection of pop culture items that I’ve accumulated over the years.  Tchotcskies.  Lagniappes.  Whate’er you … Continue reading →

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A Steampunk Class at UC Davis?

Posted on June 26, 2013 by nathanielwms

This week, I’m proposing a section of UC Davis’s First-Year Seminar program focused on steampunk.  I’ve really wanted to teach it from a perspective that goes beyond just the literature, so this course will incorporate design, costuming, retro-fitting, and gaming … Continue reading →

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What Will We Be Nostalgic for in the Future?

Posted on June 19, 2013 by nathanielwms

The last writing assignment from my Topics in the Novel class asked a simple question that applied our discussion of books like Ragtime, …Kavalier and Clay, and Boneshaker: What part of our current culture will illicit nostalgia in the future? … Continue reading →

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Rock Music Nostalgia and the Replacements’ Reunion

Posted on June 14, 2013 by nathanielwms

The reformation of the Replacements for three just-announced shows at the Riot Fest this summer is a conundrum.  Where’s this leave a ‘Mats fan who devotes time to studying music nostalgia? The reunion is a big deal.  A big, imperfect … Continue reading →

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Final Exam Questions: Steampunk, Nostalgia, SF Novels

Posted on June 12, 2013 by nathanielwms

Because it’s finals week at UC Davis, I thought I’d go ahead and publicly post the final exam questions from last quarter’s novels class on nostalgia and desiderium.  Here’s a taste of the questions I asked.  Students could write about … Continue reading →

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Goonan’s In War Times: SF Nostalgia and Lost Jazz Giants

Posted on June 6, 2013 by nathanielwms

Kathleen Ann Goonan’s In War Times (2007)  is a splendid book, and in many ways it represented the culmination of all the threads my Topics in the Novel class considered: nostalgia, science fiction, jazz, comic books, history-as-pastiche, youth rebellion, time … Continue reading →

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ConQuesT Aftermath: My Notes from Kansas City’s Science Fiction Convention

Posted on May 27, 2013 by nathanielwms

High points: The Charity Auction had the coolest thing I’ve seen in a while: a fanzine/comic book made by Buddy Saunders featuring the second story George R.R. Martin ever published!  I couldn’t swing the  $200+ price, but it’s nice to … Continue reading →

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Steampunk Dogs – ConQuesT and ASLE

Posted on May 24, 2013 by nathanielwms

Dogs in Old-Time Science Fiction.  That’s what my next two weeks will be about. On Sunday the 26th, I’m giving a fiction reading at ConQuesT (the Kansas City Science Fiction Convention) that will include my “steampunk dog” tale.  It’s a … Continue reading →

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Major Tom in Space and Science-Fiction Music in General

Posted on May 14, 2013 by nathanielwms

This week, we all got a treat when Astronaut Chris Hadfield’s version of David Bowie’s “Space Oddity (from the International Space Station) went viral. “Space Oddity” is indeed a classic.  When Paste Magazine posted a list of the “Top 23 … Continue reading →

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Appearances at ConQuesT

Posted on May 11, 2013 by nathanielwms

I have some final scheduling for ConQuest, the Kansas City Science Fiction Convention.  I’ll be on panels for Hadley Rille Books and AboutSF.  My fiction reading is at 4:00-4:30 p.m. EST on Sunday the 26th.  (That’s right after the Charity … Continue reading →

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Buddy Holly, Woody Guthrie, and Alternate History SF

Posted on May 7, 2013 by nathanielwms

Quite possibly the best record review I ever read was an alternate history tale in disguise. I’ve spent a decent chunk of free time scouring the online archives of the great Americana magazine No Depression trying to find a reprint … Continue reading →

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