Writing to Publish

W2P GUEST SPEAKERS

Gardner Dozois

Gardner is a published author, editor, and anthologist. He edited Asimov's magazine for many years, and continues to produce The Year's Best Science Fiction.

6/16/08 18:39:32 Opening "Chat Log 6-16-08"

PCarlson: I see a crowd in the lobby
PCarlson: I'm most of the way thru Leiber's classic Conjure Wife
PCarlson: Had to search for a copy on line
PCarlson: Need to cast a spell on these computers
gardnerrdozois: Is this thing on?
PCarlson: Yes
gardnerrdozois: The world's most technologically sophisticated SF writer finally figured it out.
gardnerrdozois: So open the floodgates, and let's get on with it.
PCarlson: LOL
PCarlson: Awaiting the crowd. They may have gone into the other room.
gardnerrdozois: All two of them? (g)
PCarlson: I will check
gardnerrdozois: I hope I don't have to go someplace else. I'm not sure how I got HERE.
PCarlson: LOL
PCarlson: We use an AOL-only room on other occasions
Monstie114: hi
gardnerrdozois: Hi.
gardnerrdozois: Of course, in life none of us are sure how we got here anyway. Except that I'm pretty sure AOL didn't have much to do with it.
Monstie114: lol
Monstie114: My mother says I came from hell. But I don't believe her. jk
gardnerrdozois: Hi, hi, hi, hi (in a moronic, robotic undertone)
Mallie1025: Wow--getting senile--I actually forgot to come tonight--because of no crit I guess.
PCarlson: Hi there Bev, Dub
PhilaWriter: Thanks for the invite. I forgot.
Rose1533: I was on IMDB looking at a movie based on real events. Events that happened at MY HIGH SCHOOL!
gardnerrdozois: I can say it like a stewardess, if you'd all rather. "Hi, now. Hi, Hi, Hi, Hi, there."
gardnerrdozois: Chain-saw massacres?
PCarlson: It's a subtle space-time phenomena. We all forget this version of the universe.
Rose1533: The Brotherhood of Justice.
PhilaWriter: lol
Rose1533: You got the right state anyway. Texas.
gardnerrdozois: If it's got justice in it, it's got nothing to do with THIS universe. (g)
Rose1533: Vigilante group at my school. Back in the nid-80's
Rose1533: mid
gardnerrdozois: I like the nid-'80s better.
PCarlson: Carol, you are the heroine?
Rose1533: LOL! Funny, I told my college roommate how things had settled down at my school. The next day, the news broke about the vigilante group there.
PCarlson: Do not see Adam or Saul on line. If Adam is away we might need a Greeter.
Rose1533: No, I graduated 5 years before the events.
Rose1533: Hi, LaTina.
gardnerrdozois: Hi (in a voice of incredible gravitas)
PCarlson: soooooo
Typosarus: Wow that was a gravid voice.
PCarlson: Our guest this evening, as you can see from his new screen name, is Gardner Dozois. He is a certified Big Name in fantasy and SF circles.
gardnerrdozois: Or perhaps a dog PRETENDING to be Gardner Dozois. On the internet, you can't tell.
PCarlson: He edited Asimov's magazine for many years. He also edits the big anthology Year's Best Science Fiction.
gardnerrdozois: I'm not big, mind you--just my NAME.
Typosarus: License and registration please.
PCarlson: We have no Formal Topic this evening. Please feel free to pester Gardner with questions, or ask for one of his infamous stories.
Typosarus: Now?
gardnerrdozois: Pester away! (sneers) Do your worst!
Typosarus: How do you chose?
PCarlson: We only met in person once, though he probably does not recall, as ConJose some years ago. We do chat via the Asimov's discussion board.
gardnerrdozois: You were the guy with the rhino mask, right?
PCarlson: I was the ugly truck driver talking to Stan Schmidt. Took a few more years, but I finally did sell him a story.
gardnerrdozois: Is it harder to drive an ugly truck than the regular kind?
PCarlson: ugly enough and people get out of your way
Rose1533: What fantasies have you written?
gardnerrdozois: I mostly write SF, but I've written a few fantasy stories, and even the occasional horror story.
Rose1533: Short stories?
gardnerrdozois: Yes. No fantasy novels. Couple of SF novels.
gardnerrdozois: I've edited LOTS of fantasy anthologies, though. Including, most recently, the original anthology WIZARDS.
Rose1533: OK, just wondering. I'm a fantasy writer.
PCarlson: They like to come up with arcane themes for new anthologies. Interstellar tales of the oddest sort.
Mallie1025: Ever do paranormal--I do short horror and paranormal--pubbed a few.
gardnerrdozois: And dozens of fantasy anthologies for Ace over the years. MERMAIDS, BESTIARY, SORCERERS, MAGICATS, etc.
gardnerrdozois: I've done a few horror stories. My best known might be "Down Among the Dead Men."
PCarlson: There is also a memoir of sorts, called Being Gardner Dozois.
Mallie1025: Great title! I appreciate good titles--an art onto itself.
PCarlson: sort of a long and casual interview in book form
gardnerrdozois: Actually, it's not a memoir in any real sense.
PCarlson: I stand corrected.
gardnerrdozois: Just Michael Swanwick wasting his valuable time doing a book-length interview with me.
PCarlson: I have a copy, alas not a signed one. Stuck on the SF-less west coast, here.
Monstie114: What advice would you give an unpublished writer in regard to getting their work published?
gardnerrdozois: Monstie, off the top of my head, the two best pieces of advice are "Don't give up," and "Read a lot."
Monstie114: thank you
gardnerrdozois: Especially, write a form that you like to read, and read a lot of it.
gardnerrdozois: If you don't like a genre, and are unfamiliar with it, don't waste your time trying to write it.
Mallie1025: Sigh--guess I should pass on the screenwriting attempt then.
Monstie114: I wouldn't .... I write because I love to write. Well,...unless its a school assignment...but I even enjoy writing those.
Typosarus: Big responsibility when the anthology says "Best of." How do you choose?
gardnerrdozois: Typosarus, people are always disappointed when I tell them that I don't have any elaborate aesthetic formula for picking stories for the Best.
PCarlson: wb, Dan
MontanaDan19: Hey. Thanks for the invite
gardnerrdozois: It's simple, actually. If I REALLY LIKE A STORY, I pick it.
Typosarus: I don't mind intuition, if that's what it is.
Monstie114: Do you read every submission?
Typosarus: Do writers ever quibble about inclusion?
gardnerrdozois: Of course, it's not always that easy. Sometimes you can't buy the rights for a story; sometimes it won't fit in the book and leave room for anything else.
gardnerrdozois: Monstie, I did when I was the editor of ASIMOV'S. Reading for the book is different; there aren't any "submissions," per se. Just what's been published during the year.
Monstie114: thank you
Mallie1025: What's the average word length, if any?
gardnerrdozois: Hard to say. I've used stories of all different lengths in the Best, from novellas to (more occasionally) short shorts.
Mallie1025: thank you
Typosarus: do you, in any given year, have a mental theme you follow for your anthologies?
PhilaWriter: How do let people know that you are looking for submissions for an anthology? Do you have a website? Facebook page?
gardnerrdozois: I don't generally get submissions for the anthologies I'm doing these days. They're all invitational.
gardnerrdozois: I'm too much of an obsolete old dinosaur to have either a website or a Facebook page.
PhilaWriter: Thanks!
gardnerrdozois: I will say that Internet magazines in particular seem to favor really short stories. If you had to bet how long some story on an e-zine would be, you're money would be safest if you said that it was short, maybe even a short-short.
PCarlson: ( I am guessing he has to beat off the submissions with a stick.) But in a polite and dignified way, of course.
Monstie114: I heard that publishing companies have the interns read most of the submissions from unknown authors and then pick out the ones they think are good, and then the editors might or might not read them. Is that true? And if so, how can a person make it more likely to have their work read?
Rose1533: Do you ever do reviews of books?
Typosarus: As an avid reader of short stories anthologies give me the best bang for the buck, and yours are top drawer.
gardnerrdozois: You can find me on the ASIMOV'S Forum page most of the time.
PCarlson: http://www.asimovs.com/aspnet_forum/default.aspx
PCarlson: In case you're wondering. Need to register, but with the new software that is quite simple.
Mallie1025: My shorts usually stop at 1000 words--have to really push for 2000. lol
gardnerrdozois: Monstie, this is a very tough market for novels from young writers these days. Unless you can find an end-run around the system.
Rose1533: LOL! When is comes to writing, I don't do anything short. Even my SF short is 6k.
Mallie1025: Gardner, it's a tough market for all writing--had to happen just as my first book comes out--great timing!
gardnerrdozois: The brutal fact is that most publishing houses aren't even bothering to read their slush piles anymore.
MontanaDan19: How depressing.
Monstie114: So...you think I look like a "young" writer?
gardnerrdozois: There's a few who still do--Tor does, I think Ace does, although they're both glacially slow.
Monstie114: <----smiles and bats eyelashes
Mallie1025: He's right--word of mouth and the internet is how I mostly market.
gardnerrdozois: Look pretty young to me!
Monstie114: Seriously? So....how does one get their work read?
Monstie114: hmmmm
gardnerrdozois: This is not just an SF problem. In fact, its worse in mainstream circles.
Mallie1025: I love Tor--heard they are taking other genres now except children's?
Monstie114: I'm going to submit some work to Sigma Tau Delta's publications. If I were to get published in one of those, would that give me a better chance of getting other people to read my work?
gardnerrdozois: Probably not, if you want me to be honest about it.
Monstie114: Yes, I want to know the truth.
gardnerrdozois: The best way is to figure out some way to attract special attention from the editors. So that they're actually the ones who read you, rather than your novel being returned unread.
Monstie114: haha. I just thought of a way to attract their attention, but I'd probably get arrested.
Mallie1025: That does not include running around naked Monstie. LOL
gardnerrdozois: In mainstream circles, they have weekend-long workshops that you have to pay to attend...
PCarlson: LOL
Monstie114: Mallie, you read my mind. Not just naked,...naked with poetry written all over me in magic marker.
Mallie1025: Short read. lol
PCarlson: SF is like a small town. Word does get around.
PCarlson: Whoops we lost him. He is logged on still.
Monstie114: haha
MontanaDan19: Maybe the streaking scared him off
Monstie114: I'm on the east coast.
Mallie1025: Maybe scared him off with that nude pic of Monstie. (g)
PCarlson: Scared him off! A rare accomplishment.
Miztinny: Even running round naked these days is nothing new.
[Gardner returns.]
Rose1533: WB.
PhilaWriter: Does dropping a name help?
gardnerrdozois: If they like it, they'll give you a card with a special address on it that bypasses the mailroom.
gardnerrdozois: Getting a known professional agent is also a way to do it.
PCarlson: A special address. I like that.
gardnerrdozois: Editors pay attention to what agents tell them. In many ways, in many places, the agents are functioning as the slush-pile readers these days.
Mallie1025: Nice idea, but how do you reach them to get that card?
PCarlson: I'm telling myself that joining SFWA will help.
Monstie114: Are agents expensive?
PCarlson: No!!!! They pay you --- the legitimate ones do. They work on 15% or so.
Rose1533: Really?
Monstie114: So...where do you find an agent? Google?
Mallie1025: Yes and that's scary--I stay away from agents for that reason--might use a publicist though.
gardnerrdozois: What they do is sell your work, and take a cut off the top. Usually 20%.
Monstie114: And how do you get an agent to read your work?
PCarlson: I stand corrected -- 20% now?
gardnerrdozois: Usually. Well, the bad news is that they don't have these paid networking workshops in SF.
PCarlson: http://www.agentquery.com/
PCarlson: A legitimate site that lists agents.
PhilaWriter: Paul, why don't you start one?
gardnerrdozois: The good news is, that SF is a very social field.
PhilaWriter: don't forget Predators and Editors.
Miztinny: Does just having something decent to sell get attention ... without the bells and fluttering eye lashes, etc.?
Mallie1025: Even the book of the month club is short on SF books.
gardnerrdozois: You can go to conventions and meet editors and agents socially. Once they get to know you, if you impress them and they like you, you can work end-runs around the system, and actually get them to actually read your novel themselves.
PCarlson: There is the SF Book Club -- what's left of it, anyway. But they only do reprints, I think
PhilaWriter: I'm telling you, Paul. You could start your own. It would take a year or two of planning but you could do it with friends helping.
PCarlson: At that same ConJose I went to one panel discussion, and at that table were half the major SF editors. Book and magazine both, sitting together.
PCarlson: I recall Gardner making some comment about a pipe bomb getting rid of the whole fan base at once.
gardnerrdozois: The other tried and true method, having worked for more than fifty years now, is to write and sell a lot of good short fiction, especially in the major markets.
Mallie1025: Paul, when I join and get my 6 almost free books, there's nothing left that I haven't read or like.
Rose1533: Wish a conference would come back here. Haven't heard of one here like the one I attended in 1995.
gardnerrdozois: If you can generate a buzz in the short fiction market about your short fiction, book editors will notice.
PCarlson: They have 'em in Texas all the time. SF and more science-based, both.
PCarlson: Just wrapped up SoonerCon, in Oklahoma. Hearing all about it from my Yard Dog buddies.
Rose1533: Not in Fort Worth.
PhilaWriter: Folks, I'm sorry to skip out early but I'll read the blog. Thanks, Gardner, for taking the time and sharing with us.
PCarlson: Adios, Bev
Monstie114: I write short fiction and creative non fiction, and poetry, and essays, ...and letters. but mostly papers for school right now. I'm a "returning student."
gardnerrdozois: Once they know your name from the magazines, you'll find it a lot easier to get their attention.
gardnerrdozois: In fact, sometimes editors and agents will come to you, once you get a big buzz going in the short fiction market. They pay attention to it.
gardnerrdozois: The SF Book Club is doing all reprints now.
Mallie1025: Monstie, keep slowly building up a writer resume of published things--anything.
Rose1533: The one I attended was in the Tarrant County Convention Center (now the Fort Worth CC). I don't go to Dallas if I can help it.
gardnerrdozois: They used to be do original books that you couldn't get elsewhere, but once Bertelsmann bought them, they tanked that.
PCarlson: Becki!
Beccastrat: Hi all!
gardnerrdozois: hi
PCarlson: There are legitimate contests, as well.
gardnerrdozois: Paul went to a convention and met Stan Schmidt, I remember him saying. It can be done.
PCarlson: He rejected about ten more of my stories -- but not that 11th one.
gardnerrdozois: Most of the major SF novel editors go to Worldcon and World Fantasy Convention too.
MontanaDan19: Where are they?
PCarlson: The next WorldCon is in Denver.
Rose1533: Yeah, and how much does it cost to go?
PCarlson: Coming up soon. Not much, in fact.
gardnerrdozois: ASIMOV'S runs an undergraduate writing contest, in fact, every year.
Monstie114: I'm still technically an undergrad, even though I'm going to be taking a couple of graduate level courses in September.
Rose1533: I didn't have much money then and less so now.
PCarlson: Beyond the travel -- hotels give participant rates.
gardnerrdozois: They move around the country every year. Worldcon's in Denver, beginning of August. World fantasy Con is in Canada this year. It was in upstate New York last year.
Rose1533: Great. Opposite end of the continent!
MontanaDan19: Plane fare and hotel costs enough to be prohibitive.
Mallie1025: Monstie, the contests Paul runs here in this chat have all sold--another way to start up a compilation of pubbed works.
PCarlson: I'm doing some panels at SiliCon so they comp the conference fee.
gardnerrdozois: It doesn't cost anything to enter the ASIMOV'S undergrad contest I mentioned.
Monstie114: ty, Mallie, I didn't know that.
Mallie1025: Hey, I live there--well downstate. lol
Monstie114: I live in upstate NY too, but not WAY upstate. in the Hudson Valley.
Rose1533: I was talking about the writers' conferences, not contests.
Mallie1025: the internet has endless possibilities for legit publications--some later go to print like Skyline Magazine.
gardnerrdozois: World Fantasy Con was in Saratoga Springs last year.
Rose1533: I'm in Texas. And I was talking to Gardner.
Mallie1025: I know Rose, I was talking to Monstie--sorry.
gardnerrdozois: There's a major SF convention in Austin every year, Armadillocon.
PCarlson: We need a cyber traffic cop.
Rose1533: I just got back from Austin. I was there when the governor's house burned down, and I didn't even know it!
Beccastrat: lol
PCarlson: Yeah Carol. I saw that match book! heh heh
Rose1533: Do they do Fantasy at Armadillocon?
Beccastrat: I was laughing about the traffic cop by the way...not the governor's house burning down. Just wanted to clarify.
gardnerrdozois: There's regional conventions of varying sizes in almost every part of the country, in fact.
PCarlson: Carol, I'd say, yes.
gardnerrdozois: It's usually not that strictly separated.
PCarlson: Most of these Cons blend all types of spec-fic, while some do specialize.
gardnerrdozois: After all, you still find Fantasy and SF mixed in together on bookstore shelves.
Rose1533: OK. I'll look into it. But it would be nice to have another con in Fort Worth.
PCarlson: I saw flyers for the first annual KhanCon. Seriously. They will have a yelling contest, as per Captain Kirk yelling, "Khannnnnnnnn!"
MontanaDan19: lol, Sushi
gardnerrdozois: The best way to find out what conventions are coming up is to go on the Locus Online site, and hit the button marked "Conventions." It will have a list of upcoming conventions, with contact information.
Rose1533: I was just about to ask that. OMG!
Rose1533: Khan. Gees!
Miztinny: That should get attention.
Rose1533: Cool! I'll have to check that out.
gardnerrdozois: http://www.locusmag.com
PCarlson: Alas, Mr. Montalban is no longer available.
gardnerrdozois: Best place there is to get SF-related news, anyway.
MontanaDan19: Thanks, gardner. Good to know.
Miztinny: Paul what happened to Mr. Montalban? Something I haven't heard?
PCarlson: Am I in error?
gardnerrdozois: As soon as you die, whap!, a notice will be posted up on Locus Online.
gardnerrdozois: I think Montalban has been dead for years, hasn't he?
Miztinny: Not recently. a couple of years anyway. I used to belong to his fan club.
gardnerrdozois: If he's not dead by now, he must be 700-years-old.
PCarlson: My mistake -- his wife passed on. He is still working, well into his 80s.
Miztinny: I always pictured him as the old priest for [my historical novel] Tsoro.
PCarlson: Like that wall of photos in the desert bar, in "The Right Stuff." Hey folks, I want my picture up there too!
gardnerrdozois: Gee, he's reported both dead and not-dead. Schrodinger's Montalban!
Mallie1025: He is not dead--I would know--I love that man!!
Monstie114: lol
Miztinny: Lots of folks are reported dead and alive. Some are.
gardnerrdozois: Sometimes it's hard to tell.
PCarlson: They say Keith Richards keeps 'em wondering.
Mallie1025: It was the little guy that died years ago-
MontanaDan19: Hey there's a scam that might work. Fake your own death.
Mallie1025: lol Paul
PCarlson: Tattoo, right
Miztinny: Herve Villashey.
gardnerrdozois: By this point, the Rolling Stones look like living beef jerky.
Mallie1025: Right Tinny--forgot the correct term for little people.
Mallie1025: Yes, amazing and yet they keep on going.
PCarlson: Wonder where Tom and Adam and Dale and David are this evening? And Saul! Adam is still buried in course work.
gardnerrdozois: I believe the correct term is "Little People." They don't like "dwarfs" or "midgets."
Mallie1025: They sure don't. It's something height disabled -- lost it--with the rest of my mind.
Mallie1025: Paul that is odd that so many of them are not here tonight.
gardnerrdozois: They're probably avoiding me. (g)
Miztinny: They missed a good talk.
Monstie114: yes
PCarlson: Their loss.
gardnerrdozois: Either that, or there's a big sex orgy going on somewhere that none of us are invited to.
MontanaDan19: gardner, damn. And we're here?
gardnerrdozois: My feelings exactly!
Monstie114: Are poor people "financially challenged?" Are stupid people..."cognitively challenged?"
Beccastrat: Financially challenged...I love it!
Mallie1025: It's height challenged! Thanks Monstie!
MontanaDan19: Mallie, I think it's vertically challenged.
Mallie1025: Haha Dan--maybe.
Mallie1025: I know I am cognitively challenged, Monstie.
Miztinny: I am. House payment went up and TV broke down. Oh woe is me.
Monstie114: Lazy people...motivationally challenged?
gardnerrdozois: Vampires are "non-dead Americans."
Rose1533: No, that was me when I suffered from clinical depression.
Monstie114: hahahaa
Rose1533: Motivationally challenged.
Mallie1025: I am actually terrified of vampires.
Monstie114: There is no such thing as a vampire.
Miztinny: That should be outlawed, Rose.
PCarlson: I am temporally challenged. Need a time machine or tardis.
Monstie114: hahaha
Mallie1025: I think Salem's Lot was the scariest movie I've seen.
Rose1533: Then you wouldn't have wanted to be where I was Tuesday night.
gardnerrdozois: Lots of vampires?
Mallie1025: Monstie--the logical mind believes you--the other doesn't quite. lol
Rose1533: Barton Springs in Austin. Close enough to the Congress Street bridge where a colony of bats live.
Monstie114: Wasn't Salem's Lot a trailer park? Or am I thinking of Eight Mile?
gardnerrdozois: Ah, I've seen those bats spiral out at night. Pretty neat, actually.
Rose1533: We were supposed to see that flight, but we ran out of time. But some of the bats flew over the Springs.
gardnerrdozois: Of course, they're fruit bats, not vampire bats.
Mallie1025: I hate bats--just my luck to have lived in a haunted house with tons of them dropping by-the bats along with the ghosts.
PCarlson: Micki, you depict that very well in your book. And your various reactions -- yes I was laughing.
Mallie1025: Well Paul, it was hard to forget. lol
Monstie114: There is no such thing as a ghost.
Rose1533: Are you in Texas, Gardner?
gardnerrdozois: No, I live in Philadelphia. But I've been in Texas many times, including Austin.
Mallie1025: A bat is a bat--they hiss and show their nasty little fangs and dive down on you.
gardnerrdozois: How about the ghost of a vampire?
Monstie114: nope
MontanaDan19: oooohhhh, the ghost of a vampire? there's a story dying to be written. (no pun intended)
PCarlson: Ouch! Very punny.
Mallie1025: Monstie, read my book and tell me that, and it's not fiction.
PCarlson: I get 'em out. Grab spiders and carry them to the door.
Monstie114: I'd like to read your book.
gardnerrdozois: A vampire that prayed on ghosts would get pretty hungry.
PCarlson: http://www.cuebon.com/ewriters/buy2.html
PCarlson: All listed here. Our member's publications. (No vanity press stuff, either.)
Mallie1025: A ghost of a vampire would simple kill me from fright-and I don't scare easily.
gardnerrdozois: Neal Barrett wrote a story about the ghost of an alien.
Monstie114: A vampire who preyed on ghosts would be like...the local version.
Rose1533: Am I listed yet even though my book doesn't come out until October?
PCarlson: Not yet Carol. I'd add it with a link, either to Amazon or to the publisher.
Rose1533: OK. Just asking. Don't think I have an ISBN yet.
Mallie1025: Yes, Paul and thanks for setting that up--it get better and better.
gardnerrdozois: If you think about it, if there IS such a thing as a ghost, why wouldn't aliens have them too?
Monstie114: hahaha gardner.
gardnerrdozois: Or animals, for that matter.
Mallie1025: Ghost of an alien--neat idea--I do love aliens--I have a pea-sized thing in my ankle that some say is how they track people--never saw one thank goodness. That I know of -- yikes!
PCarlson: I was talking to Seth Shostak about a friend who thinks he'll find the correct frequency for Heaven. He thinks SETI will tune in on angels. Dr. Shostak was anxious to disabuse him of that notion.
gardnerrdozois: Maybe some of the cockroaches scurrying across the floor are actually GHOST cockroaches...
Monstie114: Imagine if someone was terribly cruel to a pet....and the pet died, ....and after its death realized how badly he had been treated by the people he loved. And it came back ... buoyed by his anger.
Miztinny: Cockroaches are cannibals.
Mallie1025: I believe in aliens--otherwise the universe is a real waste of real estate. How arrogant for us to believe it's all ours!
gardnerrdozois: And did what? Bit them on the ankle with its ghost teeth?
Monstie114: And that anger gave him supernatural strength......and.....somehow....something happened that made this animal able to affect things in this world.
Rose1533: It's late. Got to go.
PCarlson: Mine all mine. All the stars, and the ghosts can live on the ghost planets. Somewhere.
Beccastrat: I'm gonna have to sign off here too. It's been a long day for me. I'm sorry I didn't make it here on time for the whole session ... it was good to see everyone.
Monstie114: Mallie, I agree that there must be other life out there. It is mathematically improbable for there NOT to be.
Mallie1025: Wow Paul, I want to hear more about that link- I believe it's is on another frequency or realm too.
MontanaDan19: A ghost planet would be cool.
gardnerrdozois: It's not OURS. It all belongs to PAUL.
Mallie1025: Yes Dan--free of bats though.
PCarlson: Micki, I'll email you about that discussion group.
gardnerrdozois: That's what SETI doesn't understand.
Mallie1025: haha gardner.
MontanaDan19: Or would that be a 'living impaired' planet?
Mallie1025: And well he deserves it.
Monstie114: What's SETI?
Miztinny: There has to be something out there Monstie.
MontanaDan19: Monstie, Bigfoot.
Monstie114: Yes there most likely is.
Monstie114: haha Montana
gardnerrdozois: The Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence.
PCarlson: http://www.seti.org/
Monstie114: thank you
Mallie1025: Scientists just found a new bunch of earth-type planets orbiting suns, in aol news today.
Monstie114: I've heard of them, I just didn't make the connection when I saw the acronym.
PCarlson: I await the Contact list's view on the new exoplanets. Still no earth sized worlds. That awaits two new-and-better satellites.
gardnerrdozois: Nice places for cheap vacation homes?
MontanaDan19: (Sorry, I was thinking yeti.)
gardnerrdozois: Yeti, seti, same difference.
PCarlson: With real estate prices out here in the Bay Area, I'll sign up for a land rush any day.
Monstie114: I'm not going to another planet until the get the roads built, the plumbing working, irrigation, ...cars, factories, hospitals, an infrastructure. I don't think I would like a planet until its been civilized a little.
MontanaDan19: Thanks, gardner
gardnerrdozois: At that point, Monstie, they won't NEED you. All the work will have been done already.
Monstie114: They will need me! They need me to entertain them. They need me to enjoy their planet.
Mallie1025: Yep-always need nudity. lol
PCarlson: Amen sister
Monstie114: The reward for them, will be that they get to make me happy.
gardnerrdozois: Ah, intergalactic USO shows!!
Monstie114: lol
Miztinny: Thanks for coming Gardner. Goodnight.
PCarlson: Night, Tinny
gardnerrdozois: Yeah, I've got to get going myself.
PCarlson: The hour has flown.
Mallie1025: Yes, me too--much to do and little time left.
Monstie114: No don't leave.
PCarlson: THANK YOU Gardner, for sharing the evening with us.
Monstie114: awwwww....
MontanaDan19: Thanks for the info, Gardner.
Monstie114: Thank you very much. I really appreciate you taking the time to answer our questions.
Mallie1025: It was so nice meeting you gardner--please come again soon.
PCarlson: We will be right here (or in our other chat room.)
gardnerrdozois: Thanks to all of you for coming.
Monstie114: I'm so glad I did.
Mallie1025: My pleasure.
gardnerrdozois: Would have been embarrassing if it was just me and Paul.
Mallie1025: Night all--stay well.
gardnerrdozois: Since Monstie keeps threatening to take her clothes off, no doubt I'll be back! (g)
PCarlson: Missed you, Dan. Come around more often.
MontanaDan19: I will, if you send me more stuff. Newsletters or the like.
PCarlson: We can manage that, I suspect.
MontanaDan19: Put me on the list.
gardnerrdozois: Well, goodnight, all.
Monstie114: Goodnight, gardner!
PCarlson: Adios amigos.
MontanaDan19: Night, gardner.
gardnerrdozois: See some of you on ASIMOV'S.
Monstie114: Goodnight...goodnight...parting is such sweet sorrow.
MontanaDan19: Great chat, Sushi, thanks again.

6/16/08 20:18:42 Closing "Chat Log 6-16-08"

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