I am...a mushroom On whom the dew of heaven drops now and then.
We're not lost. We're locationally challenged.
I long for the simplicity of theatre. I want lessons learned, comeuppances delivered, people sorted out, all before your bladder gets distractingly full. That's what I want. What I is what we all know, whether we'll admit it or not: every attempt to impose the roundness of a well-made play on reality produces a disaster. Life just isn't so, nor will it be made so.
realitysimplicitytheatre
People tell me they laughed hard enough to wake their spouses, that they've given away numerous copies to friends, and that it's the one Trek book they'll give to people they wouldn't expect to like others.
people
The people who don't like it tend to dislike it intensely. That's unfortunate, but not surprising when one deliberately goes against audience expectations.
There are people who believe in an absolutely transparent prose; with every respect for clarity of expression, I don't.
I'm very happy that the New York Times has spoken well of my stuff; who wouldn't be? But it's not a choice I made.
choicethetimestime
The language fictional characters use is chosen for effect, at least if the author is concentrating.
characterlanguage
Creating the fictional background for a game world isn't significantly different from creating a background for fiction.
gamegames
I don't think anyone wants a reader to be completely lost - certainly not to the point of giving up - but there's something to be said for a book that isn't instantly disposable, that rewards a second reading.
reading
At one point I intended to write precursor and sequel novels, about the establishment of the Web and its next evolution, but I am very unlikely to now; they would take place in a different universe.
evolutionplaces
Well, it's an adventure story, and a Bildungsroman, of course, but there was also the intention to describe a culture that had been seen in rather narrow terms.
adventureculture