JanCyberC Bob, I'd like to start things rolling with a question of my own... RW sure Jan JanCyberC Bob...what drew you into a collaboration with Lois to do a technothriller? RW I knew Lois' work from buying stories from her for anthologies. When I learned of her work in computers, it was a natural to ask her if she wanted to collaborate on a technothriller. Of course, Lois has a different view of everything JanCyberC So, Bob, you had the idea originally and went looking for a collaborator? LOL...Lois? RW Hi Barry. Thanks for the good review! Lois Bob wanted to write thrillers. I wanted to write science fiction. He convinced me to do it his way. RW that was because Lois also knew how to handle automatic weapons JanCyberC Takeoff want's to know... Do either of our guests think that the internet has actually increased opportunities for writers? Lois The net has expedited research time. RW it allows a lot more interaction between writers and fans which is a good thing JanCyberC But you don't think it's opened opportunities for writers to publish? GA RW not yet Lois For the most part, editors remain paper oriented JanCyberC I have a question here for you both from Doranna....For them both--What strengths do you think you brought to the collaboration? JanCyberC GA RW I write good violence Lois ...it's all based on personal experience, eh, Bob..? Lois --kidding!-- JanCyberC LOL Lois Yes, Bob writes good violence. It's true. Lois He does action scenes and cliffhangers. RW Lois writes deep characters. I write the nasty, mean ones. Lois Very well! Lois I do the science and technology, the characters. JanCyberC So your forte is characterization, Lois? I would think your computer expertise was the main ingredient? ga RW I also write the melodramatic lines that sound like they come from the movies Lois I write a lot of the first draft. I don't think one area is a particular forte. We collaborate extensively on the plot and detailed chapter-by-chapter outlines. Lois Bob writes all the sex scenes. GA JanCyberC LOL...we have a question here from baryon...How have the other reviews been so far? RW We got very good reviews in Publishers Weekly, Kirkus, and the New York Times GA JanCyberC Thanks Bob...AWDorn wants to follow up on a comment you made earlier...'meladratic lines that sound like they come from the movies', do you write, specifically, with the intention of having the story someday become a film? ga RW I see everything in terms of movies. I am very film oriented. Of course, both Lois and I think Termination Node would make a great movie. Much better than THE NET GA Lois We like to keep the action moving. So readers (hopefully) remain engaged by the story. JanCyberCDi has a question here for you ... Do you consider that the book is a thriller, or is it SF? And I'd like to add...is there a difference when you're 5 years in the future? Lois The Termination Node is a computer technothriller about the internet theft of many billions of dollars. GA RW I think of it as a computer thriller with some minor science fiction elements GA Lois It's science fiction only because the explicit computer technology is about 5 years from becoming reality. GA JanCyberC Okay...so it does extrapolate computer technology. Lois Yes. Absolutely. JanCyberC But you both seem reticent to call it SF? RW most thrillers these days are SF. But being labelled SF puts you in the back of the store. Tom Clancy kills off the President and Congress but that's not SF GA Lois Medical thrillers concoct new diseases and have incubation chambers for babies...not SF! GA JanCyberC Oh I see...so it would fit our SF tastes...but marketing says it's Technothriller...thanks. JanCyberC We have a couple of questions here... that dovetail nicely...Takeoff asks: Do the collaborators live in the same city, ot was this done electronically? and Doranna asks: My one attempt at collaboration wasn't terribly successful--I'm a perfectionist, the other writer wasn't. Did you run into trouble with differences of style, or was it pretty smooth going? Lois Bob lives in Chicago. I live with cows a thousand miles away. GA RW I live in Chicago. Lois lives in upper New York state. About 99% of the book was done electronically Lois Doranna, we seem to complement one another's styles. What I lack, Bob does very well--guns, bad guys, tough talk! And vice versa. RW collaborating always means that each of you does 75% of the work GA JanCyberC And is there any secret to establishing a smooth collaboration relationship? GA RW live a thousand miles away and share the same opinion of your editor! GA JanCyberC LOLOL. Okay...a question that relates back to the "movie" question before... WarpCT asks: Have you approached anyone to make Termination Node into a movie? RW our agent handles that stuff. The book has been sent to several studios GA JanCyberC Cool...any bites yet? RW too early to tell GA JanCyberC Okay...a question relating to the SF vs Technothriller label... Grape wants to know...Kurt Vonnegutt said something to the effect that if you were labled an SF writer, you may as well put your work in a drawer marked "urninal"..Is that how you both feel? Lois I've been told to answer the question first. Okay. JanCyberC I'm sorry...I know that's a "do you beat your wife" type of question. Lois If that's the case, then the world has bad taste, that's all I can say. RW well, being labelled SF isn't exactly the path to fame and fortune GA Lois SF is the only type of fiction that matters. SO THERE. JanCyberC Thank you Bob and Lois. We love it but we *do* understand the pressures of the market. Lois There's no fame and fortune involved, as Bob says, but it's speculative, fascinating, & fun. JanCyberCTechyo says... I have some good and bad news. The good news is the book sold out at my bookstore I shop at. The bad news is I couldn't get the book as it was sold out. Lois Techyo--DEMAND the book!!!! Lois (g) RW tell them to order LOTS more!!!! RW tell all your friends and relatives to buy it. Lois Wear sandwich signs on your bodies. Lois Tattoo your forehead with the name of this book. RW stop people on the street and tell them it explains the Y2K problem and solves it Lois or that one touch of the book cover and poof--love, happiness, and riches can all be yours! RW do early Xmas shopping! Lois ha JanCyberC And you can also go to Amazon.com and get their book tonight if you want, via their CYBLING link page... JanCyberC at http://www.cybling.com/artists/bob_lois.html Lois get it for Snowman's Day Lois for Valentine's RW and it will help you become rich by revealing the secrets of the universe JanCyberC Thanks! LOL...Takeoff asks: Did the authors have any input into the marketing, distribution, and/or promotion of the novel? Lois Bob, you may have the pleasure of answering first this time... RW the authors have lots of input into the marketing, distribution and promotion. Unfortunately, the publisher ignores everything you tell them GA Lois We expressly requested that they print 500,000 copies of this book in hardcover. They ignored us! JanCyberC LOL! Lois We wanted to be on Oprah. They didn't make it happen! JanCyberC BTW, Techyo mentioned: They said another shipment should be in soon. Lois We may be forced to promote the book on Jerry Springer. RW we asked them to send copies to everyone in Congress. Instead we got the impeachment hearings JanCyberC We have some questions here about the sequel.... Baryon asks: Any chance for a sequel or atleast another book with Judy Carmody? RW of course. It's going to be a trilogy. Isn't everything in SF a trilogy? GA JanCyberC LOLOL! Lois, are you up for a trilogy? Grape adds: A trilogy. So that means there will be at least 5 books? GA Lois JudyQuest I, JudyQuest II, JudyQuest III. Sure, it works for me. JanCyberC You just delighted a lot of Series Junkees who are sitting here and shall remain anonymous. RW We've already outlined several more Judy novels our editor loves them all GA Lois Yes, Judy comes back for sure in our second novel, TERRORISM.NET. Order it today. (We haven't written it yet, but...) JanCyberC LOLOL! AWDorn would like to know: As 'Terminaitno Node' is a Thriller with a techno edge, will your next collaboration be SF with an Action Edge? :) Lois TERRORISM.NET is already outlined in great detail. It's a technothriller. Realistic computer hijinks. Judy in a love triangle. RW And lots of terrible danger. And suspense. And movie deals! JanCyberC Back to the nuts and bolts of writing with a couple of questions. First, di asks: Have you run into any sales problems with the big chains. We are hearing a lot about how they are limiting sales. RW Actually, we have little knowledge about such stuff. Publishers don't really inform authors about who buys what GA JanCyberC Thanks Bob...Doranna asks: Care to share any of the process this book went through? Without the sordid details, just general...it's a good illustration of what it can be like to be on the writing end of things... RW We submitted a proposal, three chapters and an outline. The publisher liked it and bought it... then Lois wrote the first draft and I did revisions. Then the editor asked for more revisions and we both worked on revisions. And so on. Lois They asked if we could like to sign for multiple books. We supplied a few more novel ideas. JanCyberC Sounds painful to me. Revise, revise, revise. GA Lois Bob Weinberg meet Bob Campbell, one of our early reviewers of The Termination Node. RW Hi Bob. Thanks for the great quote! JanCyberCDoranna follows up with: I was thinking along the lines of editorial tug-o-war... RW every book is a war between writers and editors GA JanCyberC Do you concur Lois? Lois I don't if "war" is accurate. But there's a lot of "tugging," yes JanCyberC Folks, we're going to go to open chat now...but please...the internet seems to be a little slow tonight so please be patient... Let Bob and/or Lois answer a question before you ask another. Let's give Bob and Lois a hand for joining us tonight! JanCyberC Thanks Bob! Thanks Lois! Techyo Yea! Yea! Yea! Yea! Yea! Yea! Yea! Yea! Yea! Yea! Yea! Yea! Yea! Yea! Yea! Yea! Yea! Yea! Yea! Yea! Yea! Yea! Yea! Yea! Yea! Yea! Yea! Yea! Yea! Yea! Yea! Yea! Lois Where will I put extra hands? OH here....a slot in my side...another in my foot... Lois Oh that feels good JanCyberC BTW, Baryon said, just before departing: Give them my best, later on, got to run, good chat JanCyberC Lois, from reading THE TERMINATION NODE site (there's a link on Bob & Lois's Cybling Page) you come off as a bit of a hacker...would you call yourself that? GA Lois Every programmer is a bit of a hacker, Jan. Lois It's how we learn new technologies and methods. Doranna I love the part where you link us to our own hard drives! Techyo Do programers define hacker differently than the press and average people maybe? JanCyberC Do you consider there's a difference between a "hacker" and some of the destructive types that are on the nets today ... as some hackers insist? Lois Yes, Techyo, I believe so. RW that's one of the main points of our book, Jan GA JanCyberC Thanks...the first how many...three chapters are up for reading online? Grape Why do some hackers call other hackers "crackers? Grape sorry Techyo The bad hackers got all the press. di It has been wonderful, but I must leave. Thanks for sharing! See all of y'all later. AWDorn Some of the rest of us were too busy fixing people's computers! :) RW the first three chapters of the book are online for reading GA HauntedPen Seems that's the way of the press sometimes, Tech. The bad "outsell" the good Techyo LOL I resemble that, AW. Lois Also, the press often applies labels that aren't in use within an industry. takeoff do either authors find it difficult juggling their writting lives with a family life? RW people not committing crimes is not NEWS GA Lois My son is a cracker, so it's not a problem here. Controller Grape, a cracker is someone who writes code to "crack" programs, i.e. shareware timeouts, and registration AWDorn That's not fair, RW, having part of it on-line! Probably going to cause me to break my book budget this month! :) Lois What Controller said, yes, a "cracker" has nefarious motives, while a hacker likes to play and learn, not necessarily for evil reasons. JanCyberC Okay, here's something that's been bugging me for a while. Often I hear folks mention a java-script or java-applet out there that can grab your email address if you visit a website. Lois...is this a myth or a reality? warpCT Who do you like to read, Lois and RW? Lois You don't need java to do that. Doranna oh, joy JanCyberC There's an environmental variable? RW I like Heinlein, Asimov, a lot of old SF. Also I read a lot of historical mysteries, warp Grape <----------lots of people in the south are called crackers. They never saw a computer though. AWDorn ACTION Groans at Grapes humor! :) warpCT No new SF authors on your reading list, RW? rcamnyc Is the new Intel chip with security on board an early Clipper Chip? Lois Jan, environment variables can pick up your host computer name and address, where you've been before hitting the site. Sites can track how often you've been to their pages, what you did there. RW I like Dan Simmons, Peter Hamilton, Tom Holt. I keep up with most stuff, warp. Have really liked Hamilton's Night's Dawn books HauntedPen ARe there any authors either of you would consider to have been particularly influential or inspirational to you? (I too am a Lovecraft nut, Lois) Doranna ACTION is sneaking off to get back to work. Bye, all! Nice chat, Lois & Bob! AWDorn Work! Say it 'aint so! Grape How about Varley, RW? Some of his early writing was tech stuff. "Press Enter" was really scary. Lois I don't think that the intel chip will require that the federal government hold the key to unlock our privately encrypted messages. AWDorn As long as it is running Windows, with ActiveX? :) Lois That was the point of the clipper chip, to allow the govt access to everything we do online RW Robert E. Howard and A.E. van Vogt influenced my writing the most. And HPL. Controller does that imply that the intel chip uses less that 64 bit encription? Controller encryption :) HauntedPen Howard is another favorite RW I like Varley, and thought Press Enter okay. But I am not a big fan of his novels. Techyo ROFL key coding. Lois it seems that intel is concerned about exports due to the encryption feature Techyo Ever try to get hardwear through customs? Lois Bob, have you read about any huge cyberheists lately? (Bob reads 12 newspapers a day.) Lois Are any of the readers here worried about the government collecting facts about you when you go govt websites? RW Lo, the Clinton trial has squeezed just about all other news out of the papers GA Controller Nope...figure the gov't has what they want about me anyway Lois Or is anyone worried about personal or medical or financial records being tampered with or deleted? rcamnyc Bedtime...great book, very interesting and a fast read. Good luck with it!!!!!! Good night. Lois Controller, why do you think the govt BOTHERS to collect data about the people who hit their sites? RW there has been some stuff written about the Chinese hackers flooding government sites Controller Same reason any webmaster would...demographic information HauntedPen Government (or corporations, for that matter) wouldn't surprise me a bit if they collected information about anyone these days by any means. AWDorn I used to worry about those things. Then I realized, if they really wanted to know, they could just ask me, most likely. RW and of course there were the Sri Lanka rebels who bombarded officials with email AWDorn Anything that I consider secret, well, I do not do on-line. Lois So the govt pulls your income tax records, military (if pertinent) records, and whatever else they have about you stored in a computer somewhere...and use it..for what purpose? AWDorn I figure that, if I can afford to shout something out in a crouded place, then that something is worth doing on-line. :) Lois Doesn't that worry you, Pen? HauntedPen Espinage via computers is considered to be a popular topic within government and military circles from what I hear Controller People in the dark spewing knowledge they read from the wall street journal takeoff there are no secrets, face it, accept it, and carry on!lol HauntedPen Yes, Lois. It does worry me a bit. But it doesn't surprise me. I can';t live my life looking over my shoulder. HauntedPen If they want the info, they'll get it whether I want them to or not. Techyo Well it more worries me that companies would say not hire someone who has had a case of cancer in the family more than the fact someone might find this data. AWDorn Of course, it's easy to feed them mis-information, as well! JanCyberC Frankly...I'm more concerned about someone coming onto *my* site and messing things up so I have a lot of work to redo...lol. HauntedPen Likewise, Tech Lois Has that happened to you, Jan? Techyo This bottom line mentality is getting to be a bit much. JanCyberC No. JanCyberC ACTION knocks furiously on wood HauntedPen LOL, I hear that, Jan AWDorn I used to donate money to 'Safe the Forest' foundations. I got a lot -- A LOT -- of junk mail from other similar organizations. Grape My son keeps telling me he doesn't know why he gets all that porn mail.....I KNOW he has to go to the sites. And they KNOW. Controller just keep a mirror on your harddrive Controller :) takeoff if anyone really wanted to hack into my site, I'm sure they could, and ...well, tough!lol Lois I agree, Tech. Suppose someone alters a file to indicate that you were a drug addict or a lousy worker. Or they find out that, yes, there was a family history of cancer and thus they don't hire you. AWDorn I got rid of it -- I spent $25 and joined the NRA for a year. No more Junk mail from those people. Of course, the new Junk Mail was, well . . . warpCT oops :o) HauntedPen It's like the film The Net, almost Grape Hi warp RW The Net was the silly, easy stuff. Not really believable. HauntedPen Hey warp JanCyberC I found a lot of it, THE NET, a little far fetched. RW no one knew who she really was? No one she could call? AWDorn Hacker movies are laughable, for the most part. JanCyberC As if anyone would destroy one diskette and actually believe that would be the end of it. HauntedPen No, but the concept, I mean. That if those with the means & motive to frame someone could. AWDorn The Net, or (holding back laughter) Hackers! RW most people have identities that are a LITTLE harder to wipe out than that HauntedPen <----Conspiracy nut JanCyberC Anyone who's ever been in a flame-war on a newsgroup knows better. AWDorn "I'm in the Butter Zone, Baby" -- I know a few who use that phrase jokingly, from the movie Hackers. Lois Yeah, Hackers, the film...gak. I got a real laugh out of the girl with the garters. Like, get real! RW read our book, Pen. Then you will know ... terror warpCT you must really like the X-Files then, Pen :) Techyo I thought that was a porno term, AW. JanCyberC Way too well dressed in Hackers, imho. Controller yeah...the fact that they matched :) Grape <-------conspirer. RW the best hacker film is Sneakers. Not believable but lots of fun characters. JanCyberC So...today...if we discover that our "official" information has been tampered with, do we have any recourse? HauntedPen I do enjoy X-Files, but think they've gone to pop culture with the stories the last few seasons Lois You're called into work for 48 hours straight. Naturally, you were a pushup bra, a fluffy black minidress, and garters. Yes. Of course. warpCT Sneakers was just on tv last night :) HauntedPen The first trick is to find out, Jan JanCyberC LOL, Lois. Techyo That guy the gov't banned for life from the net just looks like someone down the street, Jan. Controller yes, there's always recourse...find a lawyer :) RW Dan Ackroyd in Sneakers is a scream Lois I don't think so, Jan. Do you? You could write and write to the govt, but...who would take the responsibility to look into the misinformation about you and fix it? Nobody. RW just leave the country and move to Costa Rica, Jan AWDorn -- The CIA conspiring with Aliens to sell cow lips!? :) Grape I liked the X-Files that William Gibson wrote. Techyo Is this latest tax the net letter a real thing or just spam? Grape I like all of them, actually. warpCT lol Dorn :) takeoff cow lips???How much? AWDorn That Dan Ackroid character was hilairious! Lois Bob, what would you say is the main defining feature of The TErmination NOde? warpCT which one was that, Grape? Grape Killswitch JanCyberC Yeah, I'm curious about that too...Are the Phone companies trying to push through a rate hike on the virtual citizens? Techyo Again? RW the main point of The Termination Node is that as we enter the 21st century, the entire world is about to become the Wild West... RW ... and that like it or not, we're all townsfolk or gunfighters or cattle ranchers. AWDorn Damn, there goes the Reading Budget! Techyo Folks I gots to unplug see ya. And thanks to the authors I'll be looking forward to reading the book! RW And hackers and crackers are Wyatt Earp and the James boys. Lois Thanks, Techyo, it's been nice having you JanCyberC So the common virtual citizen should arm themselves. Besides checking out THE TERMINAL NODE's website and the various links there... Lois Bob, what scares you the most about the future of the internet, its technology? takeoff Living in an extremely small town, I find it hard to but much new in reading material. Did someone say the book could be ordered from Amazon? JanCyberC Yes takeoff...it can.. RW What's most frightening is that even the best intentions can have disasterous consequences, Lo Solstice62 That statement could also cover the recent talk about regulation of the net, RW RW and it's happened already (and of course is one of the themes of our book) Controller like a program designed to count internet users? AWDorn Good Evening, AnotheRealm! Anotherealm Hi everyone! JanCyberC Takeoff...go to http://www.cybling.com/artists/bob_lois.html at the end of the chat, and you'll find a link to Amazon.com takeoff it's too late to order tonight. Sounds like something I should do from work tomorrow!!lol AWDorn All right, conspiracy ideas aside, is there any idea of how one can stop this from happening, or is it too late for that? RW the more people and companies hook up to the internet, the more dangerous it becomes. Lois I think we need freedom on the internet, Jan, and private (not clipper-govt) encryption. RW It's way too late, AW Lois OH sorry, that was for AW- HauntedPen It makes you wonder sometimes if the price attached to technology is worth the risks, but then would we want to live without it? Solstice62 True, Lois. I find the idea of government regulation more frightening than some of the weird stuff already out there. HauntedPen Likewise RW that's a question been asked for the past 1,000 years, HP Lois Pen, I think technology booms and like any scientific paradigm shift/revolution, bad things come with the good. HauntedPen I hear ya Lois We move to a better plateau, but we have earlier risks and problems to overcome RW after I collaborated with Lois, I put all my savings into gold coins Lois I don't have enough savings for gold coins-g JanCyberC With new freedom comes new responsibility. So it's our responsibility to ensure our own safety on the net and keep the government out of it as much as possible? Controller what worries me is the attitude that the US gov't thinks it owns the internet...and doesn't treat it as an international community AWDorn All right -- Conspiracy Thinking. I hate to do it, but, does anyone else find it odd that, at the same time we are being told how horrible the Internet is, they are wiring our schools to give it to our children? takeoff well, bedtime for Bonzo! Thanks everyone, mainly the authors!!! See ya later! RW nite, takeoff! AWDorn And, of course, they may need to add regulations, to protect our children? Lois nite bonzo- HauntedPen But US gov.'s had that attitude for the last two centuries Controller unfortunately Anotherealm I have to point out that "network solutions" can turn the net off, anytime they wish to. RW the Internet is a Pandora's Box. And its open. Much too late to close it. Solstice62 The funny thing is, Haunted, that the internet is truly international Grape I fell outside checking the phone wires. HauntedPen But then so has nearly ever gov. in power anywhere Grape ooops! Controller "network solutions"? Internic? Solstice62 and the US seems to be the only government trying to regulate it. Lois What are you DOING, grape??-g Anotherealm same Grape private messaging. Grape Not so private RW actually, Sweden regulates the net very tightly! Controller actually, it probably can't...because DNS servers are replicating databases RW you are not allowed to quote anyone without getting their permission and submitting that permission to the government. warpCT you should see some of the pm's i've dropped, Grape ;o) HauntedPen I think the Far East is doing its fair share of regulation as well Solstice62 Really? Hadn't heard about them. How do they manage it? Lois True, Bob. Some countries put people in jail for naughty websites or emails. We aren't that bad yet. RW I know because a fan wanted to write a book report on my vampire novels and had to get my permission to do that AWDorn Didn't Germany knock AOL out of their country for a while, a few years ago? JanCyberC That's what I heard AWD. Controller I thot it was compuserve? AWDorn AOL, Compuserve, whatever. :) Grape :) Solstice62 Got to go, folks. Talk to you later... nice to meet you, Lois & RW RW nite, Solstice! Lois Bye, sol. warpCT My time is up too...thanks for the chat Lois, RW and Jan...night all :o) JanCyberC Warp, thanks for coming out tonight. See you soon. Lois thanks for coming, antho, warp. RW nite, Warp JanCyberC RW, Lois, how do you feel about the first 3 chapters of your novel being online.... do you think it's a good marketing ploy or does it make you a bit nervous? Anotherealm I read some of the book at the DelRay site. Liked it. Controller -wave- Controller gotta run JanCyberC Later! Lois It doesn't make me nervous at all, Jan. I haven't even gone there to look at them, actually. I think it's a nice way to advertise the book. RW good marketing, Jan. RW nite, Controller Lois bye, controller- JanCyberC So you think this may be a way the internet is actually helping authors? RW I think the internet offers good advertising potential. And Amazon.com sure sells a lot of books Lois IN the long run, the written "word" will be online for the most part. Fused with images and multimedia. RW and Barnes and Noble is moving up pretty quick. Lois Paper books won't last the century, imo, probably much sooner Lois It's a shame, but then, the new media may be quite remarkable, as well, for different reasons HauntedPen I've always heard the rule is PROMOTE, PROMOTE, PROMOTE! The publishers will only do so much on their part. The rest is up to the authors Grape It's been fun, gang. Sorry for the rude question, Lois and RW. And sorry for my unprivate messaging, everyone else. :) Lois The net is exposing a lot of writers who can't publish in paper form. JanCyberC Grape...thanks for the questions...and thanks for coming out. RW also, the internet offers the incredible chance to have authors interact with fans. I wish it had been around 30 years ago RW Nite Grape JanCyberC A lot more convenient than trying to hit all the conventions, Bob? RW would have loved to have participated with Heinlein in a chat room HauntedPen A lot less expensive, too AWDorn Or Aismov! Anotherealm Wouldn't that have been something.. Lois Are any of the people in here writers? RW when I was a kid, a pretty long time back, I wrote some fan letters to my favorite authors. But rarely did they answer. HauntedPen But then we wouldn't have the letters from the Lovecraft Circle RW too much trouble if they got a lot of letters. JanCyberC Hello, Gizmo, welcome to Cybling. Lois Gizmo. That's a nice handle. JanCyberC We're just wrapping up our chat with Bob Weinberg and Lois Gresh about their new novel... RW but with the internet, I answer every fan letter I get (unfortunately, not enough ) JanCyberC THE TERMINATION NODE. Anotherealm I liked what I read about your book on-line. I think it made a positive impression at least with me. It sure doesn't read like some of the lame internet stoies out there RW did you read the three chapters online, Realm? Lois We tried to be very realistic, Another. With the programmers and their world, the way they think, and certainly, with the technology. Anotherealm Yes! HauntedPen How do you keep up?! I can't even keep up with little e-mail I get now JanCyberC Another...it often seems that the folks who are writing about the internet have never been here. JanCyberC Glad to see there's finally one by a couple of folks who know their way around the nets. Anotherealm I think you did well in getting the "feel of it" down on paper Lois That's sweet, Jan. Thanks. RW that was one reason I suggested to Lois she should write a thriller. HauntedPen I've found a lot of writers don't take the time o do the necessary research. But the fans can tell Anotherealm Yes they can AWDorn Typing without ever hitting the space bar? :) JanCyberC Lois, as to the question about writers ... most of our chatters are writers or online editors...I first came online... RW because most internet thrillers are written by writers who ask hackers for info JanCyberC to find out what SF readers were looking for in order to start writing it...and then...well... JanCyberC LOL...kinda got caught in this tarbaby. HauntedPen LOL Gizmo LOL Jan! Anotherealm :) JanCyberC In the process of trying to teach myself Java now. Ah, what a tangled world this is. HauntedPen It make take some work, but the extra effort pays off. It makes the story far more real, far more terrifying Gizmo I might be able to help you with that, Jan. :) Anotherealm hackers are presumable hacking instead of writing. Security people are to busy to write, so ... JanCyberC Thanks Gizmo...I may call on you shortly. No matter how hard I try, I just can't seem to fit that Java for Dummies book inside my brain. Gizmo LOL! Lois Perhaps your brain is correctly rejecting the Dummies version. Anotherealm We get lame attempts like "the Net". Good to see something more in touch with what is really going on. RW Lois and I laughed reading out loud sections of a cyberthriller called Backslash Lois Ie, you may be well beyond the Dummies stuff. Lois Oh yes, I remember that, Bob. By William Lovejoy. JanCyberC Oh...it's just getting my brain around objects vs. linear. I'm planning on thumping myself over the head soundly with the book, soon, and hopefully shake something loose. JanCyberC Folks...before we ask more questions, let's take a second and thank Bob and Lois for joining us tonight. Lois Think of objects as little packages that you can use over and over in different ways. HauntedPen Sounds almost like 3D graphics! Anotherealm Thank You!! Gizmo Thanks!!! :) AWDorn Yes. Thanks for coming! Lois 3d graphics, pen, are indeed objects HauntedPen Yes, definately "Thanks!" to both of you. and good luck with the book! Lois a table object, eg, is created from leg objects and tabletop objects. RW it's been lots of fun AWDorn I used to argue that point with someone, about 3D graphics. He insisted, they are not objects, but only data! :) Lois yes, thank you very much. Lois they are mathematical constructins, aw, arranged in parent-children hierarchies HauntedPen Right Lois. SLOWLY learning several 3D programs now. AWDorn Yes, I know. He knew, too, but he just liked to argue! Lois which ones, pen? Lois i think they're all pretty hard to learn, actually. HauntedPen Ray Dream Studio 5, Poser 3, Bryce 3D. Only ones I can afford right now. HauntedPen Want to try Lightwave sometime Lois are you an artist? oh , lightwave (drool) AWDorn ACTION Bragging because I have Lightwave with my Video Toaster! :) HauntedPen Was in the art field for awhile but got out. PC graphics are more a hobby for me. At least for now : ) Lois it can really suck you in, pen, for sure. HauntedPen I know. I burnt out. No desire at present to go back. Gizmo 3D -- graphics -- objects??? Lois gizmo? Gizmo Sounds like they're only data to me. :) HauntedPen Made the mistake of getting into the ad art field JanCyberC Ah. HauntedPen They are, technically, Giz. But they look so real when made! RW speaking of Data, Lois and I are also writing a non-fiction book about Star Trek. THE COMPUTERS OF STAR TREK Gizmo Of course I use "object" in the most technical sense. HauntedPen Almost want to rech and pull them out to "play with" JanCyberC Right...that's due out in May? March? Anotherealm What would that be about RW? Gizmo Cool, RW! AWDorn Non-fiction? RW Early summer, Jan Lois May 1999. HauntedPen Slick! JanCyberC Cool...and what is this I hear about Lois constructing a "Data"? Lois Ho. I'm not really making a Data, Jan. (That was a joke.) HauntedPen LOL Lois But we certainly studied Data intensely. JanCyberC LOL. Well you never know. Lois and the Borg. RW all about the computers and computer-based concepts used in the show. We discuss whether they are going to be possible in the future. JanCyberC I could use a good positronic brain. HauntedPen Careful, could lead to a Terminator Gizmo LOL! I was about to ask you about your Data's language processing capabilities. Anotherealm Ah! Very cool. RW And why a lot of Star Trek is so silly Lois That was incredible fun. Lois Though I was overdosing for awhile on those Kirk episodes. AWDorn Ah! Non-Fiction! RW we watched every Star Trek series episode ever to write the book JanCyberC Ah...yes...good old James Tiberius. Lois We describe what we think computers will be like in 3-400 years, and contrast/compare our visions to those of Star Trek AWDorn Jimmy T! Lois Bob ate breakfast with Kirk, lunch with Kirk, dinner with Kirk. RW and discuss the Borg and space war and the holodeck JanCyberC So, it may not be a book that your average Trekky would enjoy? Rather one your average virtual citizen might find more palatable? Lois Then we switched to DS9. Gizmo Definitely sounds interesting to me! Lois Trekkies should love this book, Jan. Also people who get off on computer tech. RW I think most Trekkers will like the book. We tried to keep it pretty light and funny. JanCyberC Excellent. Anotherealm 400 years from now as soon as you deciede to buy, it will be out of date! HauntedPen It'll be interesting to see where the technology goes. I love watching 50's B pictures and seeing how they constructed the instruments of the starships Lois Oh gosh, we talk about holodecks and how they might really operate. AWDorn Yes, we should have our robot servants by now! JanCyberC WEll...we'll just have to get you back out here when that book comes out to talk to us about it. JanCyberC Sound good? Lois I dream of them, Dorn, I really do. Anotherealm Scanning or tunneling? Lois RW Pen, watch the original series, when the orderlies serve Kirk coffee on the bridge Lois I play with the Legos Robotics System, praying that someday, Legos will enable me to construct a peronsal robot slave. RW sure Jan. This book was hard work but did have fun moments AWDorn Then they can overthrow us, like in those 50s B movies! RW Lois did the hard part. I did the easy stuff. HauntedPen That one always amazed me--> Holodecks. How a holodeck might actually have a physical effect on someone. Psychosematic? AWDorn A world ruled by Leggos?! :) Lois We both worked hard. We both watched ALL Kirk episodes again-g RW we learned that math is our friend Lois (g)-bob Lois the mantra, MATH IS OUR FRIEND JanCyberC Well...at least some dirty windows and laundry ruled by Leggos, AWD. JanCyberC LOL RW especially when calculating light years HauntedPen Don't say that! I failed algebra twice and trig once! AWDorn LOL RW and how much information is in the Library of Congress Lois and kiloquads RW in bytes Lois and FTL speed in an electronic circuit..... AWDorn Damn -- Damn Metrics! HauntedPen Tooooo many zeroes on that one, I bet RW and how Worf can type at faster than light speeds Lois right! ha! HauntedPen LOL AWDorn LOL RW I think ours is the funniest non-fiction book written about Trek JanCyberC I've always been curious about how you can flip a mother board and get the starship to do something that's never been done before...the Trek solution. AWDorn Of course, that would be Micheal Dorn -- No Relation, of course! HauntedPen I sometimes wonder, though if we're using the right technologies to design our own propulsion systems. RW how about Geordi using a screwdriver to remove part of Data's head, Jan Lois On one episode, they go INTO a NANO (microscopic) processor to fix it with hardware from the handyman's store! JanCyberC LOLOLOLOL. HauntedPen LOL Anotherealm :) AWDorn ACTION grabs his stomach from laughing too much! Gizmo :: chuckle :: Lois I love the hexadecimal lights flashing in Data's head to signify error codes. HauntedPen Then again, we still use a "needle and thread" in our own "advanced medicines" Anotherealm Is "DATA" a unix box? Lois and I do wonder what kind of hardware is required in his stomach, his rear end, his toes, etc Anotherealm :) Lois and it's funny that his "cooling system" happens to be his nostrils JanCyberC Back to THE TERMINATION NODE, you say you have the sequel outlined out...any estimate on when we'll see it? AWDorn What was it, Picard programmed some data into his head with a sliver of metal once? RW depends on the editor, Jan Lois ---hee hee--- aw --- picard as borg was hysterical AWDorn LOL HauntedPen When the two of you work on outline together, what's your method? Lois oh gosh sorry, back to The TErmination Node. Yes. Hopefully, we'll see TERRORISM.NET about the time that The Termination NOde comes out in paperback, or shortly afterwards. Fingers crossed anyway. RW Borg are the most advance race in the galaxy. But they walk like Frankestein monster. JanCyberC so...8, 10 months? Lois 12-18 months, we hope JanCyberC Thanks Lois. HauntedPen Not the most advanced according to ST: Voyager's records. Not anymore, any way Lois Bob and I quickly agree on everything we do, including the outline. Then we try to convince our boss. Anotherealm :) RW Lois usually comes up with the basic threat and I elaborate on idea for the plot. Then she makes changes. JanCyberC LOL! Lois Actually, we bat around a lot of ideas, send revised outlines back and forth until we're both happy, etc HauntedPen How about with the actual writing? RW We come up with the characters. Lois gets most of the good guys. I get the bad guys. JanCyberC Bob, Lois, do you have any individual works coming out soon...ones you've not collaborated on with each other? HauntedPen Sounds like you get the fun part, Bob. I always have more fun working on the bad guys RW I get the violence. Lois gets the intelligent stuff. HauntedPen You definately get the fun part! RW I have a novel I finished about a year ago based on the DARK EARTH computer game coming out this November. It's been delayed and delayed waiting for the Playstation version to come out. Lois Bob's real name is Robert "Fists" Wisecracker Anotherealm [chuckle] JanCyberC LOL, Lois. RW I was a Green Beret before I became a writer Gizmo I'd better run. Nice digs, Jan! :) Lois Some short stories of mine appeared this year. The TErmination NOde is my first novel, thanks to Mr. Wisecracker. RW nite Gizmo HauntedPen Slightly off subject but, Lois, where did you find the illustration for Lovecraft's Color Out of Space that you have displayed on your website? Lois hahaha JanCyberC Oh that's right, Lois, we have quite a few Lovecraft fans who meet here on Monday nights. Lois Bob found this widow, you see, in Nebraska....he went to see her, you see...with his "fists", of course.. HauntedPen I have the same picture in a book on horror illustration through the years, but hadn't seen it anywhere else HauntedPen LOL RW my fingers are registered with the police as dangerous weapons. my toes also AWDorn And I think I'd better go too -- My cocateil is shouting into my ear! HauntedPen Take care AWD JanCyberC Deadly Digits Weinberg Lois I had some ammo on Wisecracker, something about a blonde named Gloria... AWDorn Good Night, and thanks again for coming! RW it comes from Famous Fantastic Mysteries in 1940, Pen JanCyberC Later AWD! Anotherealm nite Lois right, Jan...you know him well, i see AWDorn That's good -- 'deadly digits' ! :) JanCyberC I've had the pleasure of meeting Bob in the flesh. Lois then you've seen more of him than i have- JanCyberC Really? JanCyberC LOL! HauntedPen LOL HauntedPen Modern Technology has its advantages, I guess RW Lois has met me in the flesh. She just thinks of me as being an artificial being like Data. HauntedPen LOL JanCyberC Ah. Pulling our virtual legs there, were you Lois. RW she tried opening the back of my head with a screwdriver JanCyberC LOL Anotherealm LOL HauntedPen LOLOL Lois i was pulling another body part, but.... HauntedPen LOL Anotherealm :) HauntedPen (ouch) Lois yes, we tinker with each other's flesh constructions using screwdrivers...this is how we brainstorm our ideas JanCyberC Lois, any plans for an individual novel in the future, or is Bob going to keep you busy with this series for the next few years? Lois we REALLY get inside each other's heads, you see JanCyberC I see. Anotherealm I have to go folks, It's been great! Good luck with the book! Lois I don't honestly know, Jan. I enjoy writing technothrillers with Bob, and we both hope that publishers allow us to continue writing them together and that readers enjoy them. RW nite Realm Lois My only other itnerest would be to write a far-future hard SF novel, or something 'weird' JanCyberC Lovecraftian perhaps? Lois in novel length? unlikely such a book would find a home-g JanCyberC You never know. HauntedPen Unfortunately, at least here in the States Lois 'weird' meaning 'original' in both content and style JanCyberC Thank you *so* much for coming out tonight. Lois Thank you very much. RW Jan, thanks for a great chat. Thought it really went well tonight. Lots of good questions. Lois Bye, Bob, for now. RW Bye, Lo! RW nite all
