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Category Archives: All Posts
2023 Quarry Farm Symposium: Twain and Sci-Fi Theme
I’m chairing the annual Quarry Farm Symposium at Elmira College, October 6-8, 2023, and we’re looking for folks to come talk about early science fiction, steampunk, basically any science/literature overlaps during Mark Twain’s lifetime (1835-1910). If you’re reading this and … Continue reading
Proposing Stuff: An Essential Part of the Process
In the past three months, I have written one non-fiction book proposal, proposed two papers at conferences, and written a Call for Papers for a soon-to-be-announced conference that I’m running next fall. This is, of course, one of the toughest … Continue reading
August 2022 Updates
I had a great time at the Ninth International Conference on the State of Mark Twain Studies (aka the Elmira Quadrennial) earlier this month. Smoked a cigar on the hilltop where Twain wrote most of his major works while a … Continue reading
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Talking Twain at Truman (Virtually)
At the end of this month, I’ll be giving a Zoom lecture called “Mark Twain and American Science Fiction’s Legacy” at part of Truman State University’s Folklore Minor Colloquium Series. This is a version of the talk I gave last … Continue reading
Conference Acceptances
Quick update: I’ll be presenting at the SFRA online conference and the State of Mark Twain Studies conference later this year. The SFRA paper will be based on work I did during my first-year seminar class on crime and prisons … Continue reading
Crime and Prisons in Science Fiction: First-Year Seminar
This winter, I’m teaching a new seminar for first-year students at UC Davis. It’s called “Crime and Prisons in Science Fiction.” (I couldn’t fit the word “Rehabilitation” into the course title without the online display cutting it off, and “Rehab” … Continue reading
What I Read & Stuff I’ve Enjoyed: 2021
I’m posting what I read last year along with a short list of a few things I enjoyed. General Stuff I Enjoyed in 2021 The single “Let’s Do It Again” by the Reigning Sound, which is really this year’s theme … Continue reading
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Tagged Fiction, namelessnumberheadman, passerine dream, reading list, swan song, swann's way
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New Mark Twain Article
Before putting 2021 behind me, I want to be sure to mention my article that came out in the Mark Twain Annual at the end of the year. It might interest anyone who wants to know more about Twain and … Continue reading
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Tagged A Marriage, A Murder, A Mystery, Jules Verne, Mark Twain, science fiction
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Call for Papers: Long Shadows of Pulp Modernism
This may be of interest to SF, SF-adjacent , and fan theory folks. I’m seeking 20-minute papers with innovative approaches to pulp fiction for a prospective panel at the American Literature Association conference in Chicago, May 26-29, 2022. See below: Long Shadows: Pulp Heroes … Continue reading
Fact Check: Did Dylan Quote Star Trek?
A few years ago, I wrote a post about Bob Dylan’s 1985 single “Tight Connection to My Heart” and the origins of two lines that appeared to come from the Star Trek episode “The Squire of Gothos.” At that time, … Continue reading
The Best of The Destroyer (Author’s Choice): Revisiting Remo and Chuin
I’ve been working on a project that plays with 80s action-adventure tropes. To refresh my memories, I thought I’d re-read a series that I’d enjoyed in middle school: The Destroyer by Warren Murphy and Richard Sapir. Reading all 100+ novels … Continue reading
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Tagged Author's Choice, Best of, Chiun, ethnic humor, Remo Williams, Richard Sapir, The Destroyer, Where to Start, William Murphy, yellowface
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At Twain Museum for Big River Steampunk Fest
As I’ve noted before, Hannibal, Missouri hosts one of the biggest outdoor steampunk festivals in the Midwest. This year, I am coincidentally driving cross-country and will be in Hannibal for the event. So, on Sunday, Sept. 5 at 1pm, I’ll … Continue reading
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Tagged Big River Steampunk Festival, Hannibal, hollow earth, Jules Verne, Mark Twain, science fiction, steampunk
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Gears and God Reviewed in American Literature 93.2
I learned from University of Alabama Press that Gears and God: Technocratic Fiction, Faith, and Empire in Mark Twain’s America will be reviewed in the September 2021 issue of American Literature. It is part of Carol Colatrella’s group review on … Continue reading
Last Half of May Updates
Two short stories sent out. Three short book reviews for The Mark Twain Annual written. Forty-eight tech writing student proposals graded.
Science Fiction Studies New Issue: Nostalgia & Reviews
The new issue of Science Fiction Studies came out this month. I’m calling attention to it for two reasons: First, it’s a special issue focused on nostalgia in SF, a topic near to my heart and mind. Guest editors Aris … Continue reading
Discussing The Mandalorian and Mark Twain on American Vandal Podcast
I’m part of this week’s edition of The American Vandal podcast from Elmira College’s Center for Mark Twain Studies. I discuss connections between Twain and The Mandalorian TV series (and Star Wars in general) with host Dr. Matt Seybold and … Continue reading
Updates for Early 2021
I haven’t posted for a few months for fairly simple reasons.* Yes, teaching 3 college classes remotely while overseeing two elementary schoolers’ online education is hard. Props to all the others out there doing something similar. I haven’t sold any … Continue reading
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Gears and God Discount
University of Alabama Press has given me permission to share the 30% off price reduction code we set up for the C19 conference with the public. That means anyone can buy Gears and God: Technocratic Fiction, Faith and Empire in … Continue reading
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Tagged C19, dime novels, Gears and God, Mark Twain, Promotion, science vs. religion
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C19: Teaching the Weird Nineteenth Century
I’ll be on the “Teaching the Weird Nineteenth Century” panel, organized by Erin Pearson and hosted by Duncan Faherty, at #virtualC19 this week. The panel is at 10:30 a.m. PST. I’m linking to where you can see the program. Presenters … Continue reading
Essay from Worlds of Steampunk Exhibition
NOTE: UC Davis Librarian Roberto Delgadillo asked me to write this essay for Shields Library’s exhibition Worlds of Steampunk: Fiction, Art, Fashion and Culture in 2012. The online display has been taken down, so I’m reprinting it here before the … Continue reading
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Tagged Ann VanderMeer, boneshaker, Bruce Sterling, cherie priest, Custer's Last Jump, Future Perfect, H. Bruce Franklin, Howard Waldrop, Jeff VanderMeer, Jess Nevins, John Prine, Reflected Light, steampunk, Steven Utley, The Anubis Gates, The Difference Engine, tim powers, UC Davis, Walt and Emily, William Gibson
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Strange Stars Book Review in SFRA Review
My review of Jason Heller’s exceptionally great book, Strange Stars: David Bowie, Pop Music, and the Decade Sci-Fi Exploded, is finally available online in the new issue of SFRA Review. If you haven’t seen the new layout for the Science … Continue reading
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Tagged Butcher Billy, David Bowie, Jason Heller, Marina Drukman, SFRA Review, Strange Stars, worldcon 2018
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Celebration of Authors at C19 Conference
I’ll be participating at the “Celebration of Authors” event for the all-online C19: Society of Nineteenth-Century Americanists conference this October. My book came out over a year ago, but it’s a biennial conference and the book wasn’t available last time … Continue reading
Americana Music in Sci-Fi Games
There’s a fascinating video on Polygon from last week that begins by asking “Why is there so much banjo music in science fiction video games today?” (I’m not a gamer, so I wasn’t up on this trend–but I’m obsessed with … Continue reading
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Tagged americana, banjos, Douglas Adams, gaming, lisa yaszek, Mark Twain, Science Fiction Music, steampunk
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Nathaniel Williams 