The Cambias Digression

Notes and thoughts on everything from what I had for breakfast to the fate of the Universe.

  • Great Filters, Part 2: Galactic and Stellar Filters

    The first set of potential "Great Filters" I'm going to discuss are those which operate at the level of stars and galaxies — things which might make most galaxies, or most star systems, unsuitable for the development of life. But first, a digression. In science, especially in cosmology, the number 1 is a very funny…

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  • Great Filters, Part 1

    Two weeks ago, during the world's first CYBER WorldCon, I participated in a panel discussion called "COVID-19: A Great Filter?" The panelists were myself, writer and Coronavirus expert Vylar Kaftan, and astrophysicist Valentin Ivanov. Our topic was the concept of the "Great Filter" and whether a plague like the current Coronavirus outbreak could qualify.         …

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  • The First CYBER WorldCon!

    This year's World Science Fiction Convention was to have taken place in New Zealand, but since that country is entirely sealed off from the outside world, the convention has gone entirely on-line. It's a CYBER WorldCon! See the link here. Despite obstacles the show will go on! I'm participating in several events, without leaving my…

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  • Another Cup of Tea

    The complete "Teatime Readings" series is now available for viewing on YouTube. You can see them here. Or you can skip right to my reading from The Initiate. There's a lot of good stuff and some interesting comments and conversation. Check it out.

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  • Inland Seas Reviews

    The first reviews of Retellings of the Inland Seas are out, and it looks as though this collection is getting a good reception.  Nerds of a Feather reviews it here. Treehouse Writers blog reviews it here. It's always interesting to see how different reviewers look at the same book. I like to see varying takes. When everyone…

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  • The Glorious Fourth of July

    Two hundred and forty-four years ago a group of men signed a remarkable document: a Declaration of Independence. They wrote out their reasons for defying their King, and signed their names to it, then published the whole thing. They even sent a copy to the King they were challenging, even though they all knew this…

    jamescambias

  • Set Sail on the Inland Seas!

    The anthology Retellings of the Inland Seas launches today, from Candlemark & Gleam publishers. Edited by Athena Andreadis, this collection of original short fiction takes the myths and history of the Mediterranean into the realms of fantasy and science fiction. I'm proud to be one of a rather impressive lineup of contributors, including Shariann Lewitt, Alexander…

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  • Luna in the Night

    We got our cat Luna as a little black kitten in 2006, and she quickly grew into a grouchy, headstrong animal — always quick to nip or hiss when she didn't get her way. She was never an "inside cat." We let her outside any morning she wanted to go. In practice this meant any…

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  • AmazingCon Continues!

    The online SF convention AmazingCon continues all this weekend. Tomorrow, June 14, I'll be doing a panel at 10am on Worldbuilding. It should be a great show, as the lineup of panelists is pretty impressive: me, Paul Levinson, Rosemary Claire Smith, and T.B. Jeremiah. We'll be talking about how to make convincing and unique science…

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  • This Con Will Be Amazing!

    This weekend Amazing Stories is sponsoring a virtual science fiction convention: AmazingCon! It features readings, panels, special events — all the good parts of a convention without the hotel food and travel expense.  I'm doing two events: a reading from my work in progress at 3pm on Friday, June 12; and a panel on Worldbuilding…

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The Worldbuilding Index