Keith Ferrell, 44, is a fulltime writer and speaker. From 1990 until 1996, he was Senior Vice President of General Media and Editor-In-Chief of OMNI magazine, the world's leading science and science fiction magazine for consumers. Before returning to fulltime writing, he supervised OMNI's transition to becoming an Internet-only publication: the first magazine to leap fully into cyberspace. Ferrell also served as Senior Vice President/Director of Online and Internet Services for General Media International, a diversified publishing corporation, and one of the publishing industry's leaders in the migration from paper to electronic/Internet publishing. Additionally, Ferrell served as Vice President and Editorial Director for COMPUTE magazine, the leading magazine for home computer enthusiasts, Saturday Review, General Media Online Services (including OMNI, Longevity, and Saturday Review Online), as well as being Science and Technology Editor for Penthouse.
The author of a dozen published books, Ferrell has written biographies for young adults including books on H.G. Wells, Ernest Hemingway, George Orwell, and John Steinbeck. His novel PASSING JUDGMENT was published in 1996 by Forge. Forthcoming are another novel and a rumination on the effect of interactive electronics on world culture.
BLACK MIST AND OTHER JAPANESE FUTURES, co-edited with Orson Scott Card, will appear in December, 1997 from DAW.
Ferrell has for several years written the computer hardware and computer software articles for World Book Encyclopedia and World Book Science Year. He recently completed a major revision of the Computer entry for the encyclopedia, essentially a small book on the history and future of computer technology.
For Cnet (http://www.cnet.com) Ferrell has been writing a series of articles exploring the "darker" side of the Web.
As a public speaker, Ferrell has addressed university, civic, public school, and business audiences ranging in size from under a dozen to over 2,000, speaking on topics which range from the future of business, the importance of competitive research, the dangers of censorship, and the future of libraries and information technology. He has appeared frequently on television and radio.
Ferrell attended the Residential College of the University of North Carolina, Greensboro, and has taught five separate courses at that institution; in addition, he has lectured there frequently.
Ferrell was honored in 1990 with the Software Publishers' Association award for "outstanding journalistic contributions to the microcomputer software industry." In 1991 he received the SPA journalist award for "Best Industry Analysis/Editorial," an honor that was repeated in 1992. He is the spokesperson for the consumer section of the Software Publishers Association. In 1994 he was appointed to the Board Of Directors, Software Publishers Association, Consumer Section. His seat on the Board was renewed in 1996; he retired from the Board upon his return to freelance writing.
Ferrell's wife Martha is a high school teacher; they have a 19 year old son, Alec, and divide their time between Greensboro, North Carolina and a farm in southwestern Virginia. He is a better writer than farmer, although this year's tomatoes and peppers were quite impressive. The corn, however, was a wash.
Keith Hi all! (Again) JanCyberC Keith...have you been watching the proceedings in Washington on C-SPAN re Cyberspace? Keith Sure have. JanCyberC I was amazed when a man on the panel, yesterday, said he didn't have time to sit with his kid while the kid was surfing....is this common? Just wanted your take on the proceedings. GA Keith Is bad parenting common? Sure. And the patrents who buy computers to have the computer serve as babysitter...well, the problem creates itself the minute the machine is plugged in. JanCyberC It seemed to me that Washington and some marketing groups are pushing heavily for a Web rating system. Keith Sure thedy're pushing for a rating system, for any kind of homogenizing device or system that can let them pretend that all the problems have been addressed, and persuade their advertisers and sponsors that it's a great big Disney Net out there. JanCyberC Sounds about right. Thanks Keith. Keith Happy to grumble. Techyo So how do we get the parents to do thier bit? GA Keith Good question Tech. The answer is that we won't. Any more than parents have done their bit with TV. You can't legislate good parenting, or sell kits. Techyo So it's too much to ask for the info revolution to change people? GA Keith What it takes, I guess, is a better class of humans having babies. Ones who find nothing more interesting than spending TIME with their kids. Whether at the computer or the ballfield or whatever. And that's not happening. ga cyberstorm OK. Keith, I have a problem with your analogy. The technology is advanced enough for me to regulate my children's TV viewing. And broadcast TV isn't in their school yet, so I don't have to worry about 1 teacher regulating 30 kids. But the technology isn't advanced enough even for me to get rid of XXX spam. Which I don't want, and never visited. So, do you perceive that the technology is now available for me to intellligently regulate my kids' browsing? Because I can't find it. GA Keith No, I don't think that technology is available... or ever will be. What i was trying to say is that for decades now, parents have been using TV as... childcare. And while the means exist to cut off material parents find... objectionable, you still end up with kids sitting unregulated in front of the box getting hours of mindless -- but parentally inoffensive -- stupidity in the heads. With the Net, they're getting offensive stuff as well, and dangerous suff and so on. But even IF perfect screening technology came about, the problem as I see it would still be parents letting their children sit without parental interaction. In other words, the adult stuff, smut stuff, etc. is one problem. But I was talking about an even larger one, as I see it. GA JanCyberC Thanks Keith RAfrCC I had a subsciption to the magazine ever since it came out. Then OMNI went to straight online. It's not as handy as the magazine. And it's cumbersome and slow at that. Why did you decide to do this? cyberstorm Tech, I appreciate the invite, but I am out of here. I don't need someone else telling me that the whole problem is me. I get enough of it from my mother in law. Keith The decision to make OMNI an online only publication was a corporate one, based on a variety of factors, economies, etc. Believe me, RA, everyone at OMNI loved the paper product, was deovted to it, and, I think it's far to say, still miss it dreadfully. GA JanCyberC Thanks Keith. Techyo Sorry about that Keith. Do you find a lot of good content for kids all ages is on the net? As it's kind of a mute point if they don't have a good reason to be here. GA RAfrCC Me Too, Keith Keith Yeah, there's a lot of good content out there for all ages but there's a lot of lousy stuff too. Falso information, misinformation, stupidity and cupidity and on and on. It's not just smut that's bad for kids, and that's my big concern. Techyo Agreed Keith. Keith There's very little peer review of net material, and a lot of foolishness psoing as good info the parent's responsibility -- and pardon me if I sound like a mother-in-law here -- is to help their kids learn to evaluate ALL inputs, not just hide the dirty ones. GA JanCyberC Thank you Keith. grape Do you subscribe to H.E.s glass teat rant? Keith Whichj one? GA JanCyberC Please go ahead and expand on that Grape, if you like. Keith Harlan is a man of many rants! grape The one in which he blames tv for being a babysitter.etc Keith Well, sure. But again, it's the parents who pay the cable bill the parents who let the kids watch. The parents who turn on some mindlessness like Touched By An Angel -- or name your own annoyance -- and say it's good for the kids because it's clean. Still mindless, still electronic babysitting. But inoffensive. Better they should talk to their kids for an hour or so rather than leaving them in front of the TV or the computer. ga Dayahla DO you think that the level of publicity 'cybersex' has received, is contributing to the *type* of folk now surfing the net, which adds to all the idiotic Spam? GA Keith New technologies are ALWAYS driven by sex. Look at the history of pre-recorded videotape. Or the printing press. GA Dayahla True...you rarely hear, on TV, about the folks having that crazy SF chat on the web :) Thanks AtvarHsial This may sound like a crazy question, but what the heck...If the OMNI online site generates enough hits, would it be brought back to print? hint hint GA Keith Awwww -- how I wish. But that question would have to be addressed to the people at OMNI. I'm not there any more. GA Techyo So you see the net may become safe but as worthless as most TV? GA Keith I am confident that the Net is well on its way to becoming TV-ized. GA Techyo Bummer thanks. JanCyberC Keith...let's turn a little bit to your writing now....what pulled you into writing about the internet for C|NET in the first place? GA Keith I had a few things I wanted to say about various topices, and they were kind enough... to give me a forum in which to say them... The Net as cultural phenomenon is what interests me, and I've explored a few areas of it for CNET. GA AtvarHsial I have to ask this question....since you write for C|NET..have you met Sophie Formica? GA Keith I actually was interviewed by Sophie for her show. Nice lady. GA AtvarHsial .:::Heart fluttering at the mention of Sophie's name::: Techyo Since you mentioned net culture. (G) Are chats an important part of the culture on the net? GA AtvarHsial I'm a C|NET junkie, BTW Keith I think they are for people who chat...I don't mean that facetiously, but most of the "mass" net users I know -- people who buy computers for their familes don't seem to be taking to chat they way people sued to. GA Techyo That's what I was wondering, thanks! Keith used to. GA JanCyberC Thanks Keith...I'd like to ask a question now then we'll go back to QUEUE. Can you tell me a little about this new Anthology you just co-edited? Keith Happy to! BLACK MIST -- And Other Japanese Futures is just out from DAW. It's a collection of original stories about Japan... sf stories from a very diverse collection of writers. It's quite a good book, I think, and I won't pretend to be modest about. One of the things I'm proudest of is that stories are all science fiction... not sort-of sf, or almost-sf... but the REAl thing. GA JanCyberC Thanks Keith... Rusty Hi, what do you think the US space program will be doing in ten years? ga Keith Rusty, it is my sincere hope that 10 years from now we'll be in space in a much... bigger way than now, permanent stations (plural), fast robot probes throughout the system, back to the moon, etc. And I hope even more ferevently that it's a WORLD space program, freed from nationalism. GA AtvarHsial I like the way you think, Keith JanCyberC Thanks Keith. Folks....we're coming up on the first hour of chat...which is about as long as we keep any Guest of Honor strapped to the hot seat...So if you have any questions...now is the time. AtvarHsial already? where has the Day gone? Rusty Thank you Keith Dayahla Still, here, Atvar... AtvarHsial LOL JanCyberC Okay...Keith...if you'd like to stay for a bit...we'd love to have you chat with us in open chat.... Keith Love to stay! Techyo Tis a wonderful dream I hope we make it. JanCyberC Great. Protocol is OFF. Techyo Yes!
............................Erin left ............. :( JanCyberC We are now in open chat.... Rusty Thank goodness protocol is soooo confining Karina oh, there, that's better Dayahla ..:::stretches::: Ooh....nice...Thanks! JanCyberC Great...sorry Karina...we've just turned of Protocol if you've just returned to us. AtvarHsial PAARRRTTTYYY grape Cool.........I learned that from chat rooms JanCyberC LOL...Keith... Rusty whats parity? Keith yes? JanCyberC What's the difference between real SF and fake SF? Karina fake? Rusty ? JanCyberC From an editor's point of view of course. Keith Fake sf is when the stormtroopers always miss and the hero always hits. Real sf Karina i'd say that fake would be star wars/star trek/etc ripoffs Keith has characters who bleed and belch and hurt. grape Oh yes ATvar...............about your winnings............... Dayahla Hmm, Jan...should you not free him from the restraints? :::grins::: JanCyberC Rusty...you can just ask away...no more need for ???. AtvarHsial Keith, is Sophie nice in person? JanCyberC LOL. It's always a toss-up, Day...but I doubt Keith will get roudier than we do. Techyo Keith if you'd had total freedom at OMNI can you name one thing you'd have changed? GA JanCyberC Atvar...:::thwapp::: Keith Atvar, Sophie is a gas! grape Good night jRusty Dayahla True, Keith...I like 'realism' in the fiction I read... Techyo Hey I like the GA Rusty I guess my question is how come the Russians have a working space station and the US and Japan doesnt AtvarHsial REALLY? COOL! Dayahla Besides barring Tech, that is.... Keith Tech, I'd have had more skeptical coverlines about UFOS. Karina well Rusty, at lest SOMEONE'S up there! grape LOL Kar JanCyberC I don't know...IS the Russian space station really working or a continuous band-aid operation? Techyo Oh that reminds me of the article you wrote in Pent about them loved that bit BTW. Gave me a big grin. Keith It was a pretty skeptical piece, I thought. Rusty Yes but I would rather be visiting a US station than a falling apart Soviet one. And why is the mission for the space program so seemingly haphazzard? Techyo Yes and well written I enjoyed it. Keith Bless you Tech! JanCyberC Rusty...if $$$$ count, it IS an American Space station...or at least that's what I've heard. Karina maybe because so few people care anymore rusty... Rusty bye all , got to get up early and teach tomorrow. Economics or something like that. Dayahla Hmm, IT may work...but I think the Mir's Computer is run by Steve Case.... Keith Ructy -- the program is so haphazard because it's budgeted annually. Dayahla Nite, Russ JanCyberC Rusty...thanks for dropping by... Keith No way to set long-term projects or goals, Karina Night Rusty! JanCyberC Log will be up to read in a few. grape Nite Russ Techyo Bought the mag because of the article OF COURSE> Keith Wow! grape Russ, call me tomorrow Techyo (Keeping up impressions here)
............................Rusty left ............. :( Karina always a good idea Tech! Dayahla ...:::grins at Tech's attemtpts to score major brownie points:::: AtvarHsial . Keith major general brownie points JanCyberC Keith...any other editing jobs peering over the horizon? Keeping your hand in the SF game at all? grape . Techyo ROFL. Dayahla Indeed, he is an expert, Keith Keith Jan, I don't know. My plans are for bigger and bigger novels and nofiction Keith books. None of them sf. And probably fewer articles. Books -- back to teh 19th century! Karina and so editing is not a priority? Dayahla Keith...what do you think of all the free SF up on the Net? Does it hurt or help? grape Tech knows all JanCyberC Like Passing Judgment? (Great book btw). Keith Day, so much of the free material on the net is obviously unedited, amateur stuff... Keith which is fine! JanCyberC . Dayahla ...:::shakes head::: Jan...practicing Techyism again?? Karina good place to get feedback, i suppose Keith But so much of it seems derivative of video sf. Not the real thing. Dayahla Keith...some of it is Very Good... Dayahla Better than some things I have purchased... JanCyberC No...I really loved the book...slaps the Conservative Religious Movement around, real good. Keith Thanks for the plug, Jan! Techyo Of all your many hats do you prefer some over others? Or is it a situational thing? AtvarHsial LOL Keith The writer hat is the REAL hat. That's me. grape AV. Do you still have a grip on me? Techyo KEWL JanCyberC LOL. Dayahla LOL, Jan...I need to check that one out... JanCyberC .:::also grabbing Grape::: Keith KEWL? Techyo Blame Larry. JanCyberC Yes you do Day...if it's not in your local library...make them get a copy ;8^) AtvarHsial Yes, Grape Techyo You pick up some strange habits on the net, LOL Keith PASSING JUDGMENT will be in paperback in March. Karina it's unavoidable Tech! JanCyberC Larry=DrofGolf...old denizen of AOL. JanCyberC Really! That's great Keith...I didn't know that...should have asked earlier. Dayahla ,,::grins:: Jan, I do that religiously...as them to get books by my fave authors, even if I have read it already... grape Kelw Jan Keith Hey! Did I REALLY sound like a mother-in law? Techyo No JanCyberC Paperback...does this mean royalties? Or is that too much to ask of the Gods? JanCyberC No. grape cool Dayahla Hmm, well, Momma', not really.... tee hee AtvarHsial LOL JanCyberC I think the person was just a little .:::ahem::: sensitive. Keith Royalties? You're kidding, right? Techyo Some nerves come already exposed, Keith, and you never know when one drops on what you say. JanCyberC Well, no...did want to ask you about the midlist crunch. Keith What I was trying to say ahs just come to me: Dayahla Good thought, Tech... Keith You can use all the technology you want and your kids are still gonna find the Keith forbidden stuff. Your job is to teach them how to keep it in Keith perspective... and how to protect themselves from the bad guys. Keith That's all I meant. JanCyberC Hey...I did...found the forbidden stuff that is...and I was a goody-two-shoes. Techyo And I thought I was supposed to hide stuff so my son would learn how to find it that's good training. Keith YOU were a good two-shoes? WHEN? Dayahla Keith, valid point. Even without Technology, children would still play doctor, or worse... Karina of course everything seems more interesting if it's forbidden JanCyberC I think if any of us examines our teenaged years in detail we will readily admit soft-ware is not up to the job. Dayahla LOL, Jan Keith My most embarrassing moment -- anyone interested? Dayahla Yes Karina yes! JanCyberC LOLOLOLOL. Techyo Oh for sure! I was supposed to ask that one! JanCyberC Wild and crazy rascal...Of course. Keith The book I learned to ... well, my first dirty bookw as one I found and went crazy about AtvarHsial YES...um...was Sophie involved? grape The parental controls don't work........Peds hang out at the kids channel Keith for weeks when I was 11. JanCyberC LOL Atvar. Dayahla (hmm, this guy knows how to push our buttons) Keith Then, when I was much older, I saw it again -- on a shelf od similar books written under Keith a pen name by Robert Silverberg. JanCyberC LOL! Dayahla Really?? AtvarHsial LOL Keith What amde it embarrassing was that i saw it at Bob's house! Keith I nearly fainted! AtvarHsial LOL Karina LOL!! JanCyberC LOLOLOLOL. grape . Dayahla LOL Keith And when I told Bob, he simply said, Keith "Keith, there are some things even I was not meant to know." Techyo ROFL! JanCyberC LOLOL! Dayahla LOL grape ROFL AtvarHsial ROFLMAO grape too JanCyberC Keith...we're always moaning about our huge TO READ book piles....would you care to shame us by telling us about YOUR book pile? Karina never moan about having good books to read Jan! AtvarHsial Good Question...I just added my 30th book to the pile Keith Funny you should ask, because I am in the process of boxing and moving my Dayahla Hmm, umm, Keith..there may be some things we should not know too... ::grins:: Keith 14,000 book library. talk about a pile! grape I am a book phile AtvarHsial WOW...I have BOOK ENVY Dayahla LOL Karina me too! JanCyberC Good lord. I didn't know. They must be reproducing while you're not looking. Techyo I have shelf envy. JanCyberC LOLOLOL Keith Right now, though, I'm getting ready to read (fiction) ANGEL OF DARKNESS, the new Caleb Carr Keith Nonfiction, I'm in the middle of Steve Pinker's HOW THE MIND WORKS. Dayahla Tech...we need that one... Techyo Too dangerious, Day. Karina we'd just scare ourselves Day Dayahla Too true, dear... Techyo BTW Keith something you wrote in OMNI launced this guy on a long strange journey on AOL and the net. How's if feel to have so influnced some of us? AtvarHsial LOL Keith Plus a LOT of paleopsychology and evolutionary biology for a new nonfiction project. Techyo Launced = started. grape . Techyo Self edit there. Keith Tech -- i feel, what can I say.... guilty. Keith LOL JanCyberC launched...started...all the same to us. Techyo ROFL! grape Do we still have to > JanCyberC Guilty? grape . JanCyberC LOL. AtvarHsial LOL Keith Seriously, it's a strange thing to find that your words have influenced people. Techyo Well I thank you for it. AtvarHsial "." Dayahla Tech...as opposed to 'lunched' which is snacking while surfing? Keith Big responsibility. So I try to write honestly, if nothuing else. Warts and all. AtvarHsial LOL, Day Karina But a good thing I'd say Keith grape . Keith Thanks, Karina. JanCyberC What are you up to these days Keith...working on anything in particular? Or did someone ask that already? Keith Flying to New York tomorrow to a)meet with agent and publishers about selling new novel... AtvarHsial I live in NY Keith b)do research at library for nonfiction book... c)opera. Techyo Busy man. Karina never a wasted moment! AtvarHsial Downtown Manhattan JanCyberC New novel? New Novel? Opera?!?!?!?!?!?!? Keith Cool, AV. AtvarHsial Can you bring me an autographed photo of Sophie for me? Techyo .:::watching Jan do happy dance:::: Keith Going to opera, not writing one. Keith Or singing in one. AtvarHsial LOL Keith AV -- Sophie's in San Francisco. Keith Where it sounds like you left your ehart. Keith heart Techyo LOL Techyo Should be a song. Dayahla I like that, Keith...the honesty...there is that quote by Eliot that applies; something about the views he expresses through his characters, may then be emulated by the reader... JanCyberC LOLOL..still...you learn something new everyday...didn't know you did opera. Keith All the time, Jan. You? AtvarHsial well, can't blame me for asking JanCyberC Um....no. I prefer my classical instumental. JanCyberC instrumental that is. grape Jan, At, Ya got me? JanCyberC Holding tight, Grape. Techyo Grape this may be a record for you. Dayahla I think so, Tech JanCyberC All of the vibratto around a note and the graces, etc. do something funny to my nervous system. grape Daaaaaaaaaay! Dayahla Greetings, Grape... AtvarHsial Even AOL hasn't frozen me here tonight Karina me neither Techyo High Soprano you mean? JanCyberC So...paperback coming out in march...new book on the block...up to anything else that we should know about? Dayahla Jan, I can swing listening to classical in my office...cannot listen to songs with lyrics... grape AT, it takes two to hold me in! Keith Moving to a 35 acre farm. Karina what about at home Day? Do you like lyrics then? JanCyberC Techyo...I mean that most operatic singers use a lot of vibratto...they warble around the note...and it's like fingers on a blackboard to me. Karina or songs with them even? JanCyberC Ah...I saw in your bio that the peppers came out well this year. Techyo Oh just the hig S bothers me. grape Sofie, Sofie, Sofie JanCyberC LOL, Grape. Techyo Animals and everything? Keith LOTS of peppers -- twenty different varieties. Dayahla Yes, love them...but it is hard to play verbal mind games with lyrics running round your brain JanCyberC Habeneros? Keith No animals yet, except for my Husky, Holly... aka Musclehead. Dayahla Hmm, sounds like a hot house Keith Habeneros, yes! Dayahla LOL...nice name JanCyberC Oooooh. Techyo Maybe we need to get some Scorned Woman hot sauce? grape LOL Keith Oh, Jan, I shoulda sent you some. Next year! JanCyberC Yes...I think a shipment of Scorned Woman and perhaps even some Nuclear Hell would be in order. Techyo Sounds like he could handle them. Keith Anybody ever seen Joe's Hell sauce? JanCyberC Yep. Dayahla Nuclear Hell? JanCyberC Nope...sure haven't...how hot is it. Dayahla Nope... Karina sounds nasty Keith High medium hot. JanCyberC Yes Dayahla, Nuclear Hell is a hot sauce out of Kentucky. AtvarHsial sounds interesting JanCyberC Blows new sinuses. Dayahla I am hot sauce impaired.... AtvarHsial YUMMY Keith How about -- I swear -- Kick Sally In The Ass This Sauce Is HOT! sauce JanCyberC LOLOLOLOLOL! AtvarHsial LOL Techyo Sounds Lousiannian. JanCyberC No...can't say I've ever had that either. grape I'm devastated Atvar AtvarHsial I've got to get a bottle of that one! Techyo Talk about a dinner conversation piece. Karina . AtvarHsial LOL, Tech Dayahla Hmm, does Hot sauce affect the part of the brain that is responsible for naming things? :) Techyo Put a tiny police line tape around it. JanCyberC Keith...do you have any idea why Hollywood insists on blowing up ships in space...complete with the sound of the explosion? Dayahla LOL, tech grape scorned in a chat room..........the ultimate humiliation Karina yeah Jan, the sound of the explosions always bothers me just a liiiiittle bit Techyo I consider it space music. Keith Sure -- the audience expects it because Hollywood execs taught them that's how it works. grape may I cuss? Karina of course i guess people just wouldn't get a space movie with no explosion noises.... JanCyberC Within reason grape. Don't scare the horses. grape Darn Karina that was harsh JanCyberC LOLOLOLOL! I think Damn is quite alright Grape. AtvarHsial CALM DOWN GRAPE Dayahla Jan, what is the ratio of the movie going public that would KNOW there should not be sound? Dayahla LOL, Grape grape LOL AATV Dayahla Atvar...what have you done to Grape Techyo Most people I know know this. JanCyberC I really don't know, now that you mention it Dayahla...only HCSF fans I guess...or astronauts. Karina but are they SF fans Tech? Techyo Nope. JanCyberC How stupid are we, as a society? Karina hmm. Dayahla Yes...I would think the majority would NOT know... Techyo But then most are technical types. Dayahla Hmm, isn't that relative?' JanCyberC They would also not know that things do not burn or *sink* in space. Karina and why don't people ever fly *up* in space in those nifty high-graphic battles, hmm? JanCyberC But then I have a dear Aunt who made it through nursing school and still was unaware that the earth revolves about the sun and not vice versa. Dayahla Yes...no oxygen...but actually, in a movie would be the perfect showcase to teach them that... AtvarHsial Some of us like things that go BOOM Techyo Isn't even the idea of two ships finding each other close enough to fire at each other just as bad or worse?
...........................RAfrCC joined............. :) Techyo Re's RA. AtvarHsial RA! JanCyberC Re's RAfrCC Karina the burning could be from oxygen escaping from the ships ingniting grape But there is stink in space RAfrCC Back again...sheesh....what a punt! Karina Hi RA grape Hi RAF Techyo Keith still here? RAfrCC hi again JanCyberC That certainly was! Dayahla I loved Tommy Lee Jone's line, in MIB "1500 years ago they knew the sun revolved around the Earth..." Dayahla Hello Raf! Keith . Techyo Cool Dayahla WB, Keith... JanCyberC Yeah...he's still there. Techyo Thought we'd lost you. RAfrCC Jones has got such a deadpan delivery style that even a normal statement can come out funny Keith My favorite line: Pierce Brosnan in Dante'seak: AtvarHsial "." Dayahla . "...and 15 minutes ago, you KNEW that man was the only thing living on this planet" Loved that! Keith "Don't worry. My truck has a snorkle." JanCyberC LOL Dayahla LOL Techyo AtvarHsial LOL grape . RAfrCC I want a big gun! JanCyberC . Dayahla Oh...and then there is Devil's Advocate "Just call me Dad" Dayahla That one was simply priceless! grape Jan holds me better. I JanCyberC LOL. grape I've not been punted JanCyberC Hey Keith...what about that game...WarHammer you were working on. Techyo "Genetics" Keith Yeah Jan -- CD-ROM, be out late next year. JanCyberC What did you do on that...besides writie it. Karina knock on wood grape! grape She must work out Keith I wrote the dialogue, the cutaway scenes, and helped shape teh story. Dayahla ROFL, Jan...."besides Write it" Isn't that enough?? JanCyberC This is technology that's totally outside the grasp of my brain...what do you do...write a script or something? Keith Warhammer itself, of ocurse, was created by Games Workshop in England. grape I don't have any, just plastic JanCyberC Sorry...Day...got a major case of the DUHs. tonight. Keith Yeah -- a script, just like for a movie. Dayahla Grape...please stop tapping me on the head...that is an old wives tale.. grape LOL Dday Clone Keith Did anyone hear the one about thje starlet who was so dumb she slept with the... Techyo So Keith how did you get them to use Commander Farrel in XWing I think it was? Keith writer RAfrCC Good grief!...2 days?! RAfrCC ;-) Dayahla Oh, Keith, I have not read of that one; what type game? Techyo ROFL! That's bad! I love it! Dayahla LOLOL. Keith Keith Tech -- those guys are all old and good friends of mine. Techyo So that was you? That's too good. JanCyberC Yeah, that is great. Dayahla LOL...the game... Karina woah, I have to go! Goodnight everyone!! Techyo Night Karina! RAfrCC nite Karina AtvarHsial Bye Karina grape nite Karina JanCyberC Night Karina. Dayahla Hmm...you know, Keith, that is not far off...the women seem to flock after the resident writers in OWC
............................Karina left ............. :( Dayahla Nite, Kar Techyo So more writters should hang out in SF chats, Day? grape gotta check my mail...........and go.........always fun here////// Techyo Night Grape. Dayahla LOL...ya' never know, dear... AtvarHsial Bye Grape JanCyberC Goodnight Grape RAfrCC bye grape Dayahla Nite, Grape...take care Keith Writers should write. Techyo True. grape how do I get out? Dayahla lol Techyo For without that this just wouldn't be the same. JanCyberC Keith...tell me a little about the Midlist crunch that's going on in the SF market these days. JanCyberC Are things really as rough out there as I'm hearing? AtvarHsial you can't leave grape Keith Well, to quote Bob Silverberg -- again -- there is no sf market these days, except for.. JanCyberC Grape...if you want me to open the trap door...I can.. Keith Star Wars, Star Trek, and Bladreunner ripoffs.
............................grape left ............. :( Dayahla Besides, Tech, if any of them were silly enough to hang here long, their books would be overrun with acronyms...LOL Keith Or knockoffs, to be more polite. Techyo That's depressing, Keith. Dayahla Oh...Keith...We like SF!!!!! JanCyberC So there's no real market for honest SF anymore? Keith I mean, Norman SPINRAD can't get a novel published? Keith Or Spider Robinson? JanCyberC That's frightening. JanCyberC I wouldn't consider them midlist authors either. Keith The publishers don't seem to think so. Dayahla Has it evolved into Fantasy? Keith Silverberg's left sf altogether and will write only fantasy from here on out. JanCyberC Can you explain to me what they consider MIDLIST? Techyo That's anyone but King and a couple of others. Techyo Keith Anything that sells fewer than 150,000 copies is now considered midlist... and endangered. Dayahla You know...I think I was the only one to Check out Gilgamesh at the local library... JanCyberC LOL...it hurts to laugh at that but it's probably horribly true. Keith Day -- good book!!!! JanCyberC Keeripes...that's most SF. Dayahla I liked it! Keith Jan, that's almost ALL sf. Techyo Woa that's scarry. JanCyberC So are we going to see a real SF drought then? Techyo Do you see anything coming up to stop this trend? Keith Don't get me wrong -- it'll still get published, but in runs of 2-10,000, which means not even all Dayahla One of the first fantasy books I got my grubby lil' paws on was Lord Valentine's Castle.. Keith superstores will have the books, and the writers will make a couple of grand per novel. JanCyberC So we'll have to patronize specialty SF bookstores, belong to book clubs, or ask for the books to be special ordered? Dayahla So then, will they not write? Techyo .:::worried::::: Keith Jan, don;t you thibk we' Keith we're already seeing a drought? JanCyberC Pardon? JanCyberC Yeah. JanCyberC I do...but I was trying to pretend like we weren't. Techyo Why don't some athors team up and start a publishing house of their own? AtvarHsial LOL Keith I know a lot of writers who are very worried about their ability to sell the next book. JanCyberC Do you think the web is the answer? Keith Someone asked Norman Mailer if Ame5rica needed more brave writers. Keith He said we need more brave PUBLISHERS. JanCyberC .::hurrah::: for Mailer. Techyo Ok so how do we get those? RAfrCC . Dayahla . Keith Jan, no. I don't think people are going read serious fiction on the Web, and I'd bet Keith that the more people are on teh Web the less they reqd anything. Keith read Techyo Are sales really that bad? Keith The mass of people, that is. Not US. Dayahla Short stories on the web are my limit...they are hard on the eyes, Jan...
...........................Nemia joined............. :) JanCyberC So...Fantasy and SF knock-offs may be all we have in the near future. .:::poking around in closet::: what *does* one wear to languish these days. JanCyberC Nemia! Hi! Dayahla True, Keith..I put down a book, to come on here... JanCyberC Grab a seat...we're talking with Keith Ferrell tonight.
............................Nemia left ............. :( AtvarHsial Hi Nemia Keith Sales are terrible and returns are worse --- too many books coming out. Dayahla LOL. Jan AtvarHsial HMM, maybe not a Keith fan
............................RAfrCC left ............. :( JanCyberC Probably was frighted by all of the people speaking in complete sentences. AtvarHsial WOW, they are dropping like flies Dayahla Raf was not rude...he froze... AtvarHsial Not AtvarHsial true AtvarHsial Jan
...........................RAfrCC joined............. :) JanCyberC Ah. RAf has been having trouble tonight. Thank the gods the logs are working again. JanCyberC Re's RAf. AtvarHsial RE's RAf Dayahla He will return, if possible.. Dayahla WB, Raf... AtvarHsial He has, Day RAfrCC lets try it again
...........................amalthea joined............. :) AtvarHsial Hi amal! JanCyberC Amal! Glad you could join us this evening. amalthea Hi guys Dayahla Hey, Amal JanCyberC Keith...let me introduce you to Amal...one of our younger members from Mexico. amalthea Hi Keith, I came specially to meet you. JanCyberC Glad you could make it tonight Amal. amalthea Yep, what's going on tonight? AtvarHsial I came because I knew Keith knows Sophie Dayahla LOL. Atvar AtvarHsial .:::Heart fluttering again::: JanCyberC Been chatting with Keith Ferrell....LOL. So...from what I'm reading and what you're saying Keith... JanCyberC writing SF is no longer something one can hope to make a living doing. JanCyberC It's an avocation at best? JanCyberC Sorry...hobby that is. JanCyberC Yikes...did we lose Keith again? AtvarHsial HEY...no big words her! AtvarHsial here Techyo And will that oh maybe kick the chaff out and leave us with better survivers? Keith Hobby is PRECISELY the word Silverberg used. Dayahla Hmm, with all the electronic publishing on the web, it is not out of reach for most... amalthea Robert silverberg? Dayahla Keith, you like Silverberg, hmm? Dayahla Just thought I would toss that in... Techyo He saw this happining quite a while back. Keith I like Bob very much as a friend and I ADORE him as a writer. amalthea He knows Robert???? Dayahla He has always made my "faves" list Keith But the problem for serious writers is that the audience is no longer ready for serious fiction. Keith They're ready only for tv and movie knockoffs. AtvarHsial I loved Kingdoms of the Wall Techyo Could you name some examples of serious fiction? Keith Kingdoms is out of print in America. Dayahla Hmm...I don't know, right now I am reading Modesitt. Not a media knockoff in any way... JanCyberC Keith...Pohl said at WINDYCON this year, that SF's growing up may have very well killed it. He says the average age of a SF fan has gone from 14 to 35-40 in the past 50 years. Could this be true? AtvarHsial I have a signed first edition of that book Keith Tech -- DYING INSIDE by Silverberg. Out of Print. Keith Helliconia Trilogy by Aldiss. Out of Print. JanCyberC Could the market that once ate SF alive have been turned off by mature SF and be going to video for the splash? AtvarHsial Hot Sky At Midnight is another good one by Silverberg Keith Bug Jack barron by Spinrad. OP amalthea I think it's not a thing of leaving young readers out, but of expanding the possibilities of sci-fi, serious and not so serious Keith And on and on and on. Keith OMNI -- out of print. JanCyberC .:::sigh:::: Techyo But arn't more books even of those types sold now? Just a smaller ratio to the whole which makes publishers think it isn't worth while? Techyo Yeah I miss OMNI. RAfrCC I wonder if it's not so much that the age of SF readers has changed as it is that the reading habits of the younger generation has changed. If you've been brought up on the pap that television and movies puts out, maybe you (or they ) need simplicity Techyo That's scarry, RA. Keith Right on, RA. AtvarHsial well, I'm outta here now everybody Techyo Night Atvar! amalthea Bye Atvar AtvarHsial Keith...say hi to Sophie for me! RAfrCC night Atvar JanCyberC Goodnight Atvar. Keith Amalthea -- what sf needs is thousands more readers like you!
............................AtvarHsial left ............. :( Keith Atvar -- I'll give Sophie your best! JanCyberC LOL...we'll be sure to let him know you said that Keith. Dayahla Well, all...need to go. Wonderful meeting you, Keith. Bye, all!! amalthea All literature needs more readers
............................Dayahla left ............. :( JanCyberC Day...thanks! Keith Amal -- perfectly said! RAfrCC g'night Day Keith Nite Day! -- You are the one. amalthea The average books read in Mexico is, half a book a year JanCyberC Well Keith...thanks so much for coming out and talking with us this evening. amalthea Day, we will miss u Keith That's more than in America now. JanCyberC You know...I think that's about the same here in North America. JanCyberC Or perhaps One...but I think they're counting true romances as books. amalthea Ah, all around Keith Jan, I think it's lower than that now. .33/yr or something. Techyo Er Mexico is in North America. Keith 1/3 of a book a year JanCyberC Sorry.... Keith Ooops -- provincialism showing. Sorry! JanCyberC You're right...my apologies. amalthea Nah, no problem JanCyberC This is dreadful. Is Farenheitt 451 far off? Keith They won't have to burn them. They'll mold on the shelves... unread. amalthea Aggh!! JanCyberC Ack...I'm gonna start crying any second now. Keith And on THAT note, thanks for a lovely evening! JanCyberC But before I short out the keyboard. JanCyberC Thank you Keith... Techyo Keith THANK YOU! Keith Amalthea -- don;t lose hope! amalthea I wont JanCyberC Folks...the log should be up soon. Yes...I'm sure that some of us will prevail. Techyo We'll all have to keep doing our bit to get others to read. RAfrCC Reminds me of that old twilight zone episode, "The Bookworm" Keith Read my books! (shameless plug) JanCyberC LOL...we will Keith. Looking forward to picking up your new anthology. Keith Good night, everybody! JanCyberC Good night Keith! Techyo Night Keith! amalthea Bye Keith! RAfrCC Good night , Keith
