Podcasts about Burning Chrome

Real Life: This week's episode kicks off with Devon missing in action, attending a wedding and recovering from, well… life. Also, he's apparently deep into building off-brand LEGO, which raises some very important questions: How many pieces? How many regrets? Meanwhile, Ben survived a 5.2 earthquake and checks in to let us know that everyone's safe. He also shares a couple links to Desert Child, an indie hover-bike racer/RPG that mixes hip-hop, ramen, and pixel art vibes—and may or may not be rolling onto Xbox soon thanks to some juicy UI integration rumors. https://store.steampowered.com/app/844050/Desert_Child/ https://isthereanydeal.com/game/desert-child/info/ https://www.theverge.com/news/633478/microsoft-xbox-steam-games-support-ui   Steven's life update is more... fluffy. Literally. He's in line to pick up baby chicks for the backyard flock (Black Sexlinked and Smokey Pearl, if you're curious), and discovers that mailing baby birds is a surprisingly common thing. Also, he's deploying next-level parenting tricks by disguising fun surprises as errands. The dad game is strong.  Also: The Last of Us S2 premiere dropped and Steven gives it a glowing 10/10. We talk a bit about how the show mirrors the game—and why it's working so well. Ben also brings us something very important: The Naboo Movie. It's real. It's glorious. It's here: watch it now. Future or Now: Ben drops some cosmic perspective with a planetary fact that blew our minds: All the planets in our solar system could line up between the Earth and the Moon. That includes Pluto, for those of you still rooting for the little guy. Steven introduces us to Mad Mouse—no, not a Disney spinoff. This is about AI mapping mouse brains. A new model simulates how the mouse visual cortex responds to images. Basically, it's science fiction getting closer to just… science. Read the study here. Book Club: This week, we took a listen to the first episode of It's Storytime with Wil Wheaton, featuring “Rock, Paper, Scissors, Love, Death” by Caroline M. Yoachim. It's a short, beautiful, gut-punch of a story about love across time and space—a real Gordian knot of feels. Check it out on Lightspeed Magazine. Next week we'll be diving into “Fragments of a Hologram Rose” by William Gibson, part of his Burning Chrome collection. It's a short one—just 15 minutes—and dripping in cyberpunk atmosphere. And if you're wondering about the Star Trek side of our brains: yes, we saw the new Strange New Worlds trailer. Yes, it looks wild. Yes, we're watching. Peep it here.  

Real Life:   Steven's been back at the forge for Blacksmithing Class #2, where Ben learned the existence of trivets (yes, those little metal stands your grandma probably had). Meanwhile, babysitting round two for Steven's nephew went... well, let's just say he survived. Rainy days are not great for four-year-olds. On the tabletop front, we got into Dungeon Crawl Classics (aka the ‘70s cranked up to 11) with its insane artwork and a spell system that just loves making you regret your choices. Then there's Mutant Crawl Classics, which, well... we didn't get as far, but you know it's gotta be weird and radioactive. Ben, on the other hand, had feedback about last week's discussion of Mothership. Devon's character was from Planet America, and Ben played Rodney McKay, based on our favorite Grumpy Scientist from Stargate: Atlantis. Also, Ben's dog has bladder problems (is it Cushing's disease?), and he's making custom Mac Mini decals that look like that Joy Division album cover that you probably know from Hot Topic t-shirts.   Future or Now: Since Devon's not here, let's talk about video games.    Dragonsweeper is Minesweeper meets dungeon crawler, and it's addictive as heck. Play it for free on the web at one of these two links:   https://dragonsweeper.com/New-Dragonsweeper-Version https://danielben.itch.io/dragonsweeper   Also, can we finally talk about UFO 50, that game that combines 50 indie games in one, all looking like they're straight out of the 80s? Ben waxes on and on about Party House: a deckbuilding game where you gather as many guests as you can to throw a huge party, but don't let it get out of hand! If it was released separately, it'd probably have been game of the year.   https://ufo50.miraheze.org/wiki/Party_House   Paper, Watch Out! Scientists in Japan are making biohybrid hands with lab-grown muscle tissue. These “MuMuTAs” are a step toward prosthetics and robots that mimic real muscle movement. Read more about it here: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/02/250212151423.htm   This reminded Ben of a love poem he wrote recently: Colonies:  https://ben.lawless.rocks/poetry/colonies/   “Book Club”:   This week: Burning Chrome by William Gibson, specifically the titular story in the collection that brought us cyberpunk classics like Johnny Mnemonic.   Next week: Billennium by J.G. Ballard — a 1962 dystopian tale of extreme overpopulation, where people live in minuscule rooms in overcrowded cities. Sounds like fun, right?

Real Life:  How silly is Devon? According to him, not at all. But his big toe pain might argue otherwise. The jury is still out. Steven took a blacksmithing class, and it turns out, there's a whole process to it. Safety docs? Check. Appropriate clothing? Check. Payment going to the blacksmithing museum? Very cool. His first project? A letter opener—definitely not a shiv. (Side note: Can you just carry knives around? What if you're being particularly menacing?) Good news: Steven is now a Level One Blacksmith and qualifies for the Level Two class! There's even talk of a blacksmithing tournament and chili cookoff. Speaking of knives… does everyone remember sock knives? On a more serious note, Ben reflects on the passing of his neighbor, Ronna, and the challenge of timing at the end of life. A moment to acknowledge those we lose and the impact they have.   Future or Now:  Ben's Dive into the Desktop Metaphor Ben took us down a philosophical rabbit hole about the desktop metaphor in computing. How does it relate to capitalism? How did William Gibson envision computing? Are there better metaphors we should be using? If you want to dig deeper, here's some background reading: History of the Graphical User Interface Xerox PARC and DNLS from 1968 Liber Indigo - Metaphysical Prisoners of the Desktop MercuryOS and Jason Yuan's vision Steven's Reaction: Uh…what? Steven, caught off guard, tried to process it all. But then he found an interesting study: link. The question is: Are its findings really about gender differences, or are they tied more to familial and societal roles? Let's just say, we have some thoughts about the methodology. Book Club (But Make It TTRPG): Next Week's Read: Burning Chrome by William Gibson We had to shift things around this week since Ben had a family emergency. But next week, we're diving into Burning Chrome by William Gibson. Get ready for some cyberpunk goodness! Mothership: A Sci-Fi Horror TTRPG Review Instead of discussing books, we reviewed Mothership, the sci-fi horror RPG that Steven ran, with Devon as a player. Here's the rundown: The setup: A distress call leads the crew to a ship. The dilemma: Follow company orders or investigate the alien presence? The experience: Mystery, clues, and big decisions. The result: Devon said he'd play again—high praise! If you're into sci-fi horror with a heavy dose of corporate greed and existential dread, Mothership might be worth checking out. That's it for this week! As always, let us know your thoughts, and we'll see you next time for Burning Chrome and more weird, wonderful discussions.

Real Life Devon is gearing up for a trip to Barcelona in April, planning a Friday-to-Wednesday itinerary. The big question: is it worth it? We'll see how he weighs the travel time, costs, and must-see sights against the trip's duration. Meanwhile, Steven has been deep in Sonic nostalgia. He picked up a remake of Sonic the Hedgehog from the original Sega on the Switch, only to find his oldest daughter struggling with its difficulty. Ben suggests they try Sonic Adventure from the Sega Dreamcast era, but Steven is skeptical. On top of that, they've watched the first two Sonic movies—but Steven refuses to pay to see Sonic 3. Also, a side note from parenting life: manage expectations when handing kids new electronics. In other news, Steven has started learning Latin on Duolingo and already has thoughts—mostly about the overwhelming number of ads. Ben has been learning some unexpected rat facts since his son got new pet rats. Steven, from prior experience, warns that they don't have the longest lifespans. Speaking of things taking a dark turn, Ben draws a comparison to the game Heavy Rain, where a child finds a dead bird—definitely a tonal shift from Super Mario Brothers. Future or Now Ben revisited Star Trek: Section 31 and had a moment of deep reflection—too deep, according to Steven. Is Section 31 aimed at 11-year-olds? Are the plot holes too much? Devon steps in to explain Section 31 to Steven, who—by his own admission—is a Star Trek dummy. Meanwhile, Ben is also reading Star Trek: Discovery: Die Standing for even more Trek content. If you're curious, check it out on Goodreads. Devon drops an incredible animal fact: the nine-banded armadillo (Dasypus novemcinctus) is the only vertebrate that always gives birth to identical quadruplets. Every single time. Scientists still aren't sure why this happens, but it's a fascinating mystery of biology. Read more on IFL Science and Carnegie Museum of Natural History. Steven, meanwhile, has been thinking about water scarcity and the challenges we might face in the near future. He calls it "Not a Drop to Drink" and shares an article which you can read here. Book Club Next Week: We're diving into Burning Chrome by William Gibson. If you've ever wanted to jack into the Toronto construct matrix, this is the time. Gibson, often credited with popularizing the term "cyberspace," helped define cyberpunk as a genre. Burning Chrome prefigures his famous novel Neuromancer and introduces one of the first literary computer hackers. Unfortunately, the story isn't available online, but you can find it in the Burning Chrome short story collection. This Week: We discussed "Fondly Fahrenheit" by Alfred Bester. Bester, best known for The Demolished Man, was a unique figure in Golden Age sci-fi—not just a visionary storyteller, but also an incredible writer. "Fondly Fahrenheit" is a dark, gripping short story about a servile android-robot that turns murderous. What makes it unforgettable is the way Bester plays with language, shifting perspective and structure in ways that make the writing an essential part of the story itself. If you haven't read it, you can find it on Goodreads or read it online here. Be warned: it's a dark one, featuring a serial killer narrative that may not be suitable for younger readers. That's it for this week—see you next time for more real-life updates, sci-fi debates, and deep dives into classic literature!

We read the rest of the stories of William Gibson's Burning Chrome. CWs for: misogyny, rape, ableism. For the next show, we are reading the first ten chapters of Neuromancer. You can go to patreon.com/rangedtouch to support the show and access the bonus episode feed. The show is hosted by Cameron Kunzelman, Michael Lutz, and Austin Walker.… Continue reading Burning Chrome – Part 2

We read the first six stories of William Gibson’s Burning Chrome. CWs for: sexual assault, racism, addiction, animal abuse, suicide. For the next show, we are finishing Burning Chrome. You can go to patreon.com/rangedtouch to support the show and access the bonus episode feed. The show is hosted by Cameron Kunzelman, Michael Lutz, and Austin Walker. You… Continue reading Burning Chrome – Part 1

We watch the Hallmark film Love in Paradise. For the next episode, we are reading the first five stories of William Gibson’s Burning Chrome. You can go to patreon.com/rangedtouch to support the show and access the bonus episode feed. The show is hosted by Cameron Kunzelman, Michael Lutz, and Austin Walker. You can get the mentioned shirt… Continue reading Love in Paradise

Chow down on chicken tikka masala with Gareth L. Powell as we discuss the way a Diana Wynne Jones critique of his teenaged writing was a complete revelation in how to write fiction, how an adversarial relationship with a university professor who didn't want him writing science fiction actually ended up helping him, the New Year's resolution which led to him to both kick smoking and write a novel, how reading William Gibson's short story collection Burning Chrome shook him up and made him realize what kind of short stories he really wanted to write, the message he most wants to convey to beginning writers in his workshops, the importance of stepping outside your comfort zone, how to make a good impression when approaching an editor in a convention bar, the way he developed his propulsive writing style, why he's so receptive to editorial suggestions, what it was like collaborating with Peter F. Hamilton and Aliette de Bodard, his techniques for deciding which of many story ideas you should write, the reason his mother refuses to read his books, why writing novels can be like telling a joke and waiting two years for somebody to laugh, and much more.

In this kind of special episode, Jonas, Christian S, Johan and Fredrik geek out relentlessly about a piece of media that completely took over and overshadowed the Kartell's operation upon release; FromSoftware's magnificent Elden Ring. Particularly, we discuss it through a TTRPG lens; trying to find ways to translate, borrow and mimic the game's qualities onto the role-playing table. // Media tips: Onibaba and the nature of the supernatural in games, The Book Cover and The Book Block, Severance, Burning Chrome, Kelly Lee Owens. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/kartellian-clamor/message

Episode #394! Welcome back! This week we look at Frank Cho's newest art book "Pencil and Ink". This book contains what Cho is best know for, images of babes, dinosaurs and apes. However it does cover other subjects also from throughout his career. Listen for details. Scott tells us about the book "Burning Chrome" by William Gibson. And to make it a Gibson two-fer, Scott encourages us to watch the William Gibson documentary "No Maps For These Territories". To close down this episode, DL spotlights a landscape comic with two page spreads and many sweet art styles. Listen as he talks a little about J.H. Williams III and W. Haden Blackman's new comic "Echolands". Check this episode out! 

Willkommen im Sprawl und herzlich Willkommen bei unserer großen Cyberpunk-Abschlussgala „Cyberpunk's not dead“. Der Anzug ist gereinigt, die Fliege ist gebunden und der Kummer Bund sitzt. Wir freuen uns heute auf unseren Gast Jiré Gözen, die uns schon ein zweites Mal im Sprawl besucht. Wie gewohnt gibt es natürlich auch brandheißes Infotainment (heute Schülerreferate über Solarpunk und Synthwave) mit Spielen, leckerem Essen, Musicaleinlagen und noch mehr. Steckt ein - This is Sprawl Radio.

Willkommen im Sprawl. Wir schreiben euch eine Postkarte, darauf zu sehen ist das Fragment einer Hologram Rose. Dann widmen wir uns wieder unseren geliebten Gernsback-Pulp-Heften und verlieren uns in den Massenträumen einer längst vergangenen Zeit. Die Zukunft ist an uns vorüber gegangen und wir trauern um unsere verschwundenen Geliebten in den Särgen des New Rose Hotel. Es war heiß, die Nacht als wir Chrome verbrannten. Erneut widmen wir uns William Gibsons Werk im Sprawl Radio - wir sprechen über die Kurzgeschichtensammlung Burning Chrome und fragen uns außerdem: Was ist eigentlich eine Kurzgeschichte? Doch schaltet nicht zu früh ab, am Ende der Folge spielen wir noch eine Runde Chandler oder Chrome. Steckt ein, ihr Hard Boiled Detectives und Feme Fatales.

Steve and Rodney jack in and discuss this classic collection of short stories from William Gibson.

Summer 1982, Ridley Scott's Blade Runner is in theaters and William Gibson's story "Burning Chrome" just published in Omni magazine. Host Timothy Wilcox explores the multiple origins of cyberpunk: cyborg bodies, cyberspace, and the worlds of simulated stimulation.

From «Alternative World» to «Sky Dive», from «Empty Heart Again» to «Heart Beating». 25 of the latest uplifting trance tracks in this episode. Take a journey into sound with TranceChill every week! TranceChill is a non-profit, independent trance show. Please don't upload this episode to paid download sites! Tune in for two hours of pure uplifting trance awesomeness! Stay safe! This episode was broadcasted on Twitch.tv/djskoen at July 5th, 2020 at 22:00 CEST/16:00 EDT, ETN.fm Ch. 1 (www.etn.fm) at July 6th, 2020 at 22:00 CEST/16:00 EDT, on NoGrief FM (t.co/tuQU60mMq3) at July 7th, 2020 at 19:00 CEST/13:00 EDT, Discover Trance Radio (www.discovertrance.com) at July 7th, 2020 at 23:00 CEST/18:00 EDT, and on Beats2Dance Trance (www.beats2dance.com) at July 10th, 2020 at 12:00 CEST/06:00 EDT. 1. Alyx - The Alternative World (Original Mix) [Digital Euphoria] 2. Fischer & Miethig & Rezwan Khan - From Munich to New York (Simon Fischer Remix) [Phoenix] 3. Joyline Snow - Heart Beating (Original Mix) [Sundance] 4. Woody Van Eyden & DJ T.H. & Cari - Drowning (Extended Mix) [ASOT] 5. Rezwan Khan - Ascension (W!SS Remix) [Nahawand] 6. MakeFlame & Toyax - My Love Of My Life (Extended Mix) [Redux] 7. Peter Miethig - Incredible Feelings (Extended Mix) [Always Alive] 8. 40Thavha - Amor Roma (Extended Mix) [Sundance] 9. Han Beukers - Perseverance (Original Mix) [Nrgized Audio] 10. ZeroMusiX - Power (Extended Mix) [Progressive Vibes Dark] 11. Jamie Walker - Harmony [VANDIT] 12. Jhonny Vergel - Beloved Wife (Extended Mix) [Redux 138] 13. Atragun, Eldream & Mark Wild - Devotion (Amine Maxwell Remix) [Sub.Mission] 14. Kometillo - Blue & Pink (Original Mix) [Aural Sonic] 15. Alex Burn & Costa Pantazis - Resolution (Psy-Trance mix) [Burning Chrome] 16. FAWZY - Cosmic Mission (Extended Mix) [HeavensGate] 17. Evgeny Venge - Appeasement (Original Mix) [Neostatic] 18. Kelvin Rowlands - Zeus (Original Mix) [Aural Sonic] 19. David Surok - Desire (Extended Mix) [Beyond The Stars] 20. Nord Horizon - Lost In Ibiza (Extended Mix) [Digital Society] 21. Tony Hang - Willpower (Extended Mix) [Regenerate] 22. C-Rouge - Groong (Ash K & Junior Uplifting Remix) [CD-R] 23. Rene Ablaze & Christopher Corrigan - Back To Reality (Extended Mix) [Nocturnal Knights] 24. Saket & Kate Miles - Empty Heart Again (Extended Mix) [Molekular Sounds] 25. Trance Ferhat - Sky Dive (Original Mix) [Aural Sonic] Website: www.trancechill.com iTunes: www.trancechill.com/itunes TuneIn: https://tunein.com/podcasts/Podcasts/TranceChill-p1122215/ Twitch: https://twitch.tv/djskoen Program site on Facebook: www.facebook.com/TranceChill Program site on Twitter: www.twitter.com/TranceChill Program site on Discord: https://discord.gg/4qg99Fw

The crew has successfully infiltrated the tower, and are navigating through the levels of a compound that the will lead them to its leader...who is clearly expecting them. Support this podcast

Stand on Zanzibar by John Brunner Transmetropolitan by Warren Ellis Wild Palms Vurt by Jeff Noon Burning Chrome by William Gibson Show Notes Stand on Zanzibar 00:30 // Transmetropolitan 01:55 // Wild Palms 09:50 // Vurt 14:15 // Burning Chrome (and others) 22:00 Music Credits Music is by Chris Zabriskie: chriszabriskie.com // bandcamp // free…Read more Episode 67: Cyberpunk further reading

A Collection Of Short Stories Printed After The Success of Necromancer This William Gibson Book Looks At The Arthur Early Works And Proto Cyberpunk World. This Was The Object You Had To Give To Agent Two Of The Hunted Key. Burning Chrome A Short Story Collection Johnny Mneomnic, The Gernsback Continum, Fragments of a Hologram rose, the Belonging Kind, Hinterlands, Red Star, Winter Orbit, New Rose Hotel, The Winter Market, Dogfight, and Burning Chrome. Official Game Information Website: https://satoshistreasure.xyz/ Telegram: https://t.me/satoshistreasure Twitter: https://twitter.com/toshitreasure Reddit:https://www.reddit.com/r/satoshis_treasure/ Tool: https://satoshistreasure.xyz/ssss PEOPLE With Business Cards ERIC MELTZER https://twitter.com/wheatpond https://proofofwork.news/ DOVEY WAN https://twitter.com/DoveyWan http://primitive.ventures/ Jess Wang https://twitter.com/jesssylw satoshistreasure.xyz Websites https://www.sthuntnews.com/ https://thehuntison.xyz/ Teams Public Group Toshi Cipher https://www.toshiciphers.com/ Ev Satoshi’s Treasure Clan Steem Clan https://steemit.com/@steemclan Private Dread Pirate Robert Revenges https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeawYh0POJhlKjaUM4Gor240vH_yVN9Urni7VjPYlh4Z5rlRA/viewform?fbzx=1944757206718534803 Enigma0 Dream Hunter Teams https://thehuntison.xyz/sat_stream/249 Where You Can Find Me Twitter: https://twitter.com/hirojashibe https://twitter.com/SatoshisHunters Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/satoshis_treasure/ Keybase:hirojashibe --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/hiroja-shibe/support

In this episode we discuss "Burning Chrome" by William Gibson with Andrew Robbins of Hendecatope. We discuss the story, the wide ranging influence of cyberpunk, and how it all influences Andrew’s music. Check out his latest record, Aleph Infinity, here: https://hendecatope.bandcamp.com/

Kaizafox is a well established hardcore DJ in the furry community, as well as a producer releasing on weblabels such as Lucky Lotus and BURNING CHROME. Recently Kaiza has taken on bass house, footwork/juke and future bass as seasoning in his work, and it's paid off as some of the most standout material in the niche of the niche. Known to pack every Megaplex dancefloor and stomp every arrow in sight, Kaiza brings true rhythm and fluffitude to FRC. SUPPORT AND FOLLOW KAIZA: Twitter SoundCloud Mixcloud SUPPORT AND FOLLOW FURRY RAVE CREW: Twitter Telegram JOIN THE CREW BY APPLYING HERE Kaiza artwork by @comfybones Podcast intro produced by ♥GOJII♥ Podcast feed hosted and maintained by @Veyote

 Doing It! (Show notes: huntingthemuse.com/podcast/5) Welcome to HuntingTheMuse.com's Creative Writing Podcast.  If you cannot see the audio controls, your browser does not support the audio element. Today's podcast episode is about doing it!Setting goals.Following ThroughFighting for the dreams that are important to you.This week was tough, but despite all the roadblocks, the hiccups, and the distractions... I was Doing It!Not subscribed to the podcast? Get it now!Writing UpdatesChlorophyllium 9 is coming along nicely. I've already written over 6,000 words in my expansion of the story since I unpublished it. The characters are starting to grow and I feel like they have a lot more dimension to them. I've been working in Scrivener and being able to select alternating chapters and read them back to back has been invaluable! I love that I can quickly see if my cliff hangers are paying out and if my pinches and pulls are doing their jobs. So far, I'm very satisfied with how everything is coming together.Greg's thread (my primary MC) is almost done and then I will be moving to polish up Julia's thread. I'm really excited to see the story go back up on the market, but I've learned a lot of things on the road to where I am right now. I'm definitely going to be sticking with Kindle Unlimited for a while. I just don't have the following or enough of a mature series to support going wide. I think I really liked the idea of it, but seeing what that move did to my short story sales is enough to convince me that I need to build a strong foundation before branching out.I will also definitely be waiting until Final Hope is complete before I release Chlorophyllium 9. I've already covered this to a degree in previous episodes, but it just makes sense to finalize the whole novel before I release the novella. I'm not going to make that mistake again.I might even delay publishing Chlorophyllium 9, then Final Hope, until I have at least a strong foundation for the next novel in the series. This isn't a big stretch as I have that novel partially outlined already and I know what purpose it will serve in the overarching series.I'll have to watch how things go as I get closer and modify my strategy accordingly.That's one of the great things about the shifting Indie culture and weighing what is working vs. what isn't. There are so many great voices to listen to and get input from. It truly is an amazing community to be a part of.A Tough WeekAs I mentioned earlier, it was a tough week for me. You see, we moved to the country about 2 years ago and we don't have a few of the conveniences we were used to back in Utah. One of those conveniences we gave up was access to a public sewer system. That's right, we have a septic tank, and this weekend things came to a head when I heard the burbley-gurbelies bubbling up in the lawn. I guess the sprinklers stopped working and the last tank in the system had filled up with water that would normally be pumped out into the field. Yikes!Afraid that we might get some back-flow into the house, I tried my best to get things working again. I attempted to siphon off water out of the tank, I tried messing with the electrical breaker. No dice. I really hoped it wasn't the septic pump.Yeah, it was the pump... $475 later, we once again have a working septic system. But, as luck would have it, just a few hours after that issue was fixed, I got home and noticed that one side of the house was practically boiling. It seemed like one of the A/C units wasn't working.I went outside to take a look and there were several bites in the thermostat control wire leading into the unit. What could possibly do such a thing? Bunnies... Yeah, those crazy North-Central Texas rabbits do some crazy stuff. So, determined to try to fix it myself and save some money, I headed to the hardware store for a spool of wire I could use to splice in. I picked up some electrical tape and some other doodads, (hey... I'm no electrician or plumber... what can I say?) and then got home and replaced the wiring. The unit tried to fire up, but it just wasn't turning the fan over. Sheesh! Defeated, I asked my wife to call an HVAC company to come out and take a look. $189 later, we once again have functioning A/C. I guess one of the capacitors had died and a second was on its way out. Can't a guy get a break?!I can't help but think how those two expenses could be at least two professional-looking covers for books. Or maybe a round of edits. It's tough. But this is just part of owning a house and I'm not the only one to get slammed out of the blue with one issue after another... But, despite all the trouble and the frustration this last week brought, I still managed to meet my writing goal. That's huge! There was ample opportunity, from the moment I discovered the septic was having issues, to toss out an excuse and give up.I've also been playing with the Mac Mini I bought a few months back when I saw a really good deal on eBay. I've used a Mac for work in the past and I never bothered to play with any of the creative features it included. I mean, it was a work machine and I worked the dickens out of it... But I've really been enjoying messing around with it and I even turned off my Windows tower for the entire weekend. That's why I've got new podcast intro and outro music tracks!I also had the opportunity to work on a creative project with my wife, Tara, and it was an awesome experience. We've been dealing with a fair amount of stress for a while now. I'll be honest, this move has been tough on us at times. But sitting down and working on this project was amazing. We talked and laughed and worked together to create something. It's funny how things that take some effort can actually recharge your batteries far more than sitting and trying to relax after a long, hard day.Podcast NewsOf course, I mentioned the new Intro and Outro music tracks I created, but I'm already thinking the out track might be a little long and info-heavy. I tried to include information on how to contact me and interact with the podcast community as it grows. I know I don't have a big following yet, but I guess I was trying to anticipate a future need. I think it might be best to record several similar-sounding out-tracks and then alternate them from week to week. One week you might be encouraged to hit me up on Twitter, while another week might be a plug to join the Facebook group. It's just a thought for now, so let me know what you think.I also set up the Patreon page I mentioned last week. I know, I know... I said I didn't have time. But then I thought about it and I wanted to make sure noone took patreon.com/huntingthemuse. Okay, yeah, that's probably silly... I just didn't want to be that guy. I honestly just put it out there for a part of the journey I'm hoping this podcast takes. I didn't mention the financial hardships we encountered this week in any way to garner sympathy or push supporting the podcast. I hope you believe me! Setting up the Patreon page was just something I did earlier in the week and I was rather proud of doing it.There's still so much I don't know when it comes to Patreon. I mean, I need to figure out what kind of content, incentives, and bonuses I could create to reward the donation tiers. So, yeah, this isn't a push for you to donate money. (I know what the outtro says, but that was just me trying to create an episode feel that sounds the same now as it will in the future when I have several more episodes under my belt. Okay, I'll leave that dead horse alone for now.)Doing It.Are you doing it?Turning dreams into reality is hard work.Yes, it can be harder for some than it seems like it is for others, but we have to stop comparing. The truth is, we don't know the entire story. And even for those to whom success seems to come so easily, perhaps we don't see the agony they face when they try to duplicate that selfsame success.It isn't about how easy or hard the journey is. It's about putting one foot in front of the other. It's about moving forward, even when you don't feel like it. It's about learning from your mistakes and redoubling your effort.Goals vs. DreamsI came across a great post written by Hugh Howey (a well-known Indie author) in 2014. It's all about the difference between goals and dreams and he does a bit of introspection with his own success. It's just the sort of navel-gazing post that I think a lot of writers would benefit from reading; because Hugh has been there and he's done it. It took a lot of hard work and sometimes you need to examine that road and keep a level head about it.You see, goals require work, but they can help you achieve your dreams. Some dreams require more than just goal fulfillment, though. They require outside interaction.For example, your goal might be to write 10 books in the next 10 years. Your dream might be that you will be able to retire rich, write when you want to, and have the love and adoration of fans worldwide. You can do the work, but realizing the dream requires many things that are out of your control.How well do fans connect with your writing?Despite your best efforts, are potential readers finding your books?What market constraints are you up against?An example for those of you who aren't interested in pursuing a writing career:Are you wanting to capture your family's stories?You might have a timeline requirement.Aging family members.It can be hard to track down old records, etc.How do you take control of your desire to write?What goals can you make to help you achieve the outcome you desire?Do you make time for your writing hobby, or do you dream of writing... someday?Do you only dream about finding the quiet and solitude you need in order to sit down and write?Following Through “I have made up my mind. I will strive to finish my novel and submit it to publishers or agents within the year. I must dedicate myself as I have never before - this means that I must ultimately face my many insecurities… It is true that my story may not succeed in being the Great American Novel, or even find itself on a single bestsellers list.” --R. Brady Frost, A journal entry August, 2003.It's 2016. That journal entry was written 13 years ago... What happened?I failed to follow through. Failing to follow through equates to empty dreams...I was in the active duty military when I wrote that journal entry and I had a lot on my plate. While the military took its pound of flesh, I was also working my way through a full-time course load for my bachelor's degree. As time wore on, my passion for the project died.I look back now and I see the project for what it was, a juvenile endeavor, and it probably wouldn't have done well, but finishing would have been a huge start. By not following through, I set myself on a downward spiral where I lost faith in my abilities and gave up on my passion.The military was both very great and very hard on me in different ways. Things didn't necessarily get any easier for me when I got out of the service like I thought they would. In some ways, they got harder as I had to face things that I'd long pushed under the rug.Excuses are the enemy of follow-through.I'm not going to get overly deep into my personal hardships or distractions because there's only one thing you need to know. Excuses are the enemy of follow-through. Follow-through is required to meet your writing goals. It's very seldom that your dreams will come true if you don't have a healthy relationship between your goals and your ability to work towards them. Don't count on your fairy godmother. You have to fight for the dreams that are important. While things might not always be under your direct control, you usually do have a significant level of influence on how they turn out. You have to keep trying. Keep reaching for those dreams.Hedging Your Expectations...It also helps to keep your dreams somewhat realistic. You can dream of winning the lottery, but (generally) short of investing more money than you'll feasibly stand to gain, your odds are not very good. It's still fun to play sometimes, but your expectations have to be in line with reality.In the end, what matters most is...Are you DOING IT?Are your day-to-day actions in line with your goals and dreams? If you need to make a change, what can you do to help reinforce your efforts?When it comes to writing and creating art, there is very little use in guilt or shame in having failed in the past. Look, that journal entry from thirteen years ago is a constant reminder of my past failures, of how sure I was of being able to finish a project and latch onto a writing career. I knew that immediate success probably wasn't going to happen but, even knowing that, I failed to finish my project. I can't allow that to hold me down. I can't let a failure in the past dictate the rest of my journey.It's important to get back on your feet and keep pressing forward. Keep creating. Keep telling the stories that only you can tell.And now, for this week's writing prompts.What you'll find below is a series of creative writing prompts to help get you through your week. There are no rules as to how you should use them, but I recommend taking your muse's hand; wherever she may lead you. Whether you find yourself writing a descriptive scene or dialogue, a poem or prose, or anything else (even if it seems entirely unrelated to the prompt), you have won. Happy writing, and may you find success in hunting your muse this week.  1. The Steamsmith's ApprenticeYou’ve been working on your mechanical wings for months, but when your test flight doesn’t go as planned, you crash into an attractive bystander. You notice right away how kind their eyes look as they help you to your feet. When they proceed to gather the scattered parts of your contraption, doing more harm than good with their clumsy hands, you decide to let them help as best they can. After all, chances are you’ll have to start from scratch anyway.2. Save the ChildOn August 9th, 1945, the second of two atomic bombs strikes Japan. This time the target is set on Nagasaki, a ship-building town where an estimated 60,000 to 80,000 people will die at around 11:02 AM. In a horrifying race against the clock, you’ve been sent back in time to save just one of them, a small child who holds the genetic key that will unlock a cure to the disease that threatens to consume us all.3. The Road to NowhereIn Alaska there once existed plans to build a bridge. It was a very expensive bridge ($398 million by some estimates), one that would connect the town of Ketchikan to a small airport on the island of Gravina. When federal funds were shifted to natural disaster relief, the bridge project fell through. Or did it? With funds already allocated to road construction, crews worked to build the road. Now the Road to Nowhere ends where the bridge to Gravina would have once begun. Though, it is often said that if you stand at the edge of that vacant road in the dead of night and stare out into the fog and mist, you can hear the sounds of traffic.4. Just a Touch of CyberpunkIn his book, Neuromancer (1984), William Gibson coined the term, “cyberspace.” (Though he also used it, to lesser fanfare, in a 1982 short story, “Burning Chrome.”) Since then, the magic of computers and the notion of an interconnected grid has lost much of its luster. For many of us, it has become the expected norm. Think of something you do on the computer, your smartphone, or any other electronic device as a part of your normal day-to-day activities. Now take that action and make it magical by adding a touch of cyberpunk. How will you visualize traveling the information superhighway? Will you get entangled in the sticky web of Social Media? What is it like to encapsulate how very integrated into the system we’ve all become?5. A Modern TribeTake a look at the world from where you are in this moment. Do you see convenience and excess? Now imagine the infrastructure crumbling around you. Something has happened, be it natural disaster, man-made pandemic, meteorite impact, or something else. All you have is a group of your most trusted friends and family members. All you know is that you’ve got to get out of the city with your tribe as fast as you can. Take us through that tribulation.6. The Magic TouchHave you ever felt an unexpected spark of magic in a touch? After a man in a shabby trench coat stumbles into you on the street before disappearing into the crowd, you can’t help but feel… different. Now it seems that every time you make physical contact with someone, they instantly feel connected to you on some intimate, trusting level. How do you use this new power? Give us a try-fail cycle (An instance when your best intentions don’t work out the way you hoped they would.) on your way to mastering your new ability.7. A Shoebox in the AtticYou’re cleaning out the clutter in your attic when you find an old shoebox. By the layers of dust, you imagine it’s been tucked into the shadows of the remote corner for decades. You carefully pull it into the light and open the cover. What you see surprises you. I hope you've enjoyed this week's episode and creative writing prompts. 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Topics: Radiance, by Catherynne M. Valente. Published in 2015 by Tor Books. / The Gernsback Continuum, by William Gibson. Originally published in 1981 by Universe 11. Collected in the anthology Burning Chrome, published in 1986. / Zathura: A Space Adventure, directed by Jon Favreau. Columbia Pictures. 2005. / Fallout 4, developed by Bethesda Game Studios and published by Bethesda Softworks. Published for the Sony Playstation 4, Microsoft Xbox One, and Windows PC in 2015. Intro / Outro Music: "Go Cart" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

“The future is already here—it’s just not evenly distributed.” So said William Gibson, an American-Canadian science-fiction writer (who also, incidentally, coined the term ‘cyberspace’ in his 1982 short story ‘Burning Chrome’)—and it’s this quote that has inspired the 2016 Biennale of Sydney. Helmed by artistic director Stephanie Rosenthal, the twentieth instalment of Australia’s largest contemporary arts festival will run from 18 March to 5 June 2016 across seven ‘embassies of thought’ in and around the harbour city—including, for the first time, in an old mortuary train station. So why this William Gibson quote? What significance does it hold to Stephanie and the Biennale, and what performances, ideas and site-specific works can we expect it to generate? Listen to this intriguing MTalk as Stephanie introduces us to the 2016 Biennale of Sydney through a special illustrated lecture, presented by Monash University Museum of Art (MUMA). Thirty or so years after William Gibson first spoke his famous line, how do we view the future? Have the virtual and physical become closer, or more disparate, and how were the seventy-one-plus artists encouraged to explore these concepts? Following her address, Stephanie is joined by MUMA director Charlotte Day for further discussion and rumination on the key themes, histories and connections woven into the Biennale’s twentieth edition.

Med Neuromancer fra 1984 samlede Gibson trådene fra blandt andet Johnny Mnemonic (1981) og Burning Chrome (1982) i en genre-definerende roman, der blev ankerpunktet for alt Cyberpunk. Med cyberjockeyen Case og den cybernetisk modificerede en-kvindes-hær Molly Millions i hovedrollerne, går den vilde jagt gennem Cyberspace og Chiba City, i forsøget på at frigive AI’en Wintermute. […] Indlægget Ep. 15: William Gibson, Neuromancer blev først udgivet på SCIFI SNAK.