So I have this idea...

So, Ok. I'm a geek. Lets get that out of the way right off the bat. I love scifi and fantasy. And comic books. Cartoons too. And games. And I don't really have any more but I still like toys, the more ornate and detailed the better. I love Dragoncon (went for the first time in 08, was awesome!) and ren faires (though I've never been to one). I don't hide the fact but there's no doubt that it makes my social life complicated. I don't really know anyone who really gets me or is into the genre stuff like I am. Not personally anyway. I try to talk to people about the things I am interested in and they literally look at me like I am speaking some other language. Its as if I have just abruptly started spouting russian and wildly flapping my arms. They just don't get it.

Always loved this stuff and probably always will and I am always looking for ways to get more into the genre; to get more from it. Twitter is a great opportunity for me, forums too, websites and podcasts, and of course the old standbys TV, movies and books.

So I was reading some random knowledge and trivia book some time ago and it occurred to me that I would be getting so much more enjoyment out of this book (which was very interesting in its own right) if it had at least some genre reference in it. So I started looking around for something like this and quickly learned that there was just nothing to fit exactly what I wanted: something that covered all of scifi. Something that would give me a taste of all the different aspects of one of my favorite genres, note just a biography, not just a history, not just a question and answer trivia book, but all of this rolled into one.

Couldn't find it. Not anywhere. Not TV, not book or podcast or website. Nothing. And I looked.

So, I thought "You know what? I'm going to do this! I'm going to write the dang thing myself!" So this is it. Or part of it anyway. Pieces really.

I am writing a book and right now its called "SciFi:365" and its what I thought was missing in our genre; a comprehensive, broad ranging, general knowledge, compendium of science fiction facts and figures. Slices of scifi meant to be consumed once daily (or as you desire) to tease your imagination and broaden your scifi mind. Here is the "official" blurb/add copy:

About Scifi:365

Millions of Americans keep bedside and bathroom books of trivia and general knowledge; collections of daily slices of information meant to stimulate the mind and ignite the imagination. Scifi:365 (CreateSpace / December 2009 / $14.97) is a genre version of this idea: 365 days of scifi facts and figures that will inspire and invigorate both the diehard fanatic as well as the casual fan. Each slice of scifi is drawn from one of seven aspects of our favorite genre: TV, Authors, Movies, Directors and Producers, Composers, Actors and Scifi to SciFact.

Astound your friends with your knowledge of the very first scifi book (hint: it may not have been Frankenstein!) pepper your Dragon Con after-party conversation with a wealth of Scifi to SciFact trivia and errata, weigh in on the biggest debates in the genre (JJ Abrams or Joss Whedon??) These slices of genre range from important moments in scifi history to actors who have made their name playing Klingons; from pivotal movie moments to tricorders in daily use. Scifi:365's goal is to refresh your knowledge of your favorite genre, to bring to light tid-bits of knowledge you may have forgotten and expand your your intellectual prowess when it comes to the feild of science fiction. Scifi:365 can also offer you an escape from the daily grind to contemplate more important things, (Mal or Picard?) or can be a great way to awaken in the morning or even to relax oneself before retiring in the evening. Let Scifi:365 be your guide to everything you need to know about your favorite genre!
Inside you will find seven unique categories each one assigned to a day and each covering a unique subject in that category each day of the year; 365 in all! The categories will breakdown as follows:

MONDAY-TV: A look at what for many of us was our first taste of scifi. Firsts, staples and everything in between.
TUESDAY-AUTHORS: A look at some of the greats in the genre and some of their most important works.
WEDNESDAY-MOVIES: An insightful look into the cinematic arts and at some of the most influential works of our time.
THURSDAY-DIRECTORS and PRODUCERS: Mavericks in the industry, rebels whose vision would not be denied.
FRIDAY-ACTORS: The hard working genre actors who are the backbone of the movies and series we love. Often credtied only as "Red Shirt #2" or "Space Marine" these are the men and women that make the genre great.
SATURDAY-COMPOSERS: Some of the greatest musical minds of our time have worked in and provided the soundtrack for our favorite genre. We'll name a few.
SUNDAY-SCIFI to SCIFACT: A look at devices and concepts that first appeared as fancy in stories about spacemen and are now (or soon to be) part of out daily lives.

So thats it. Thats my idea. What do you think? You like it? I hope so!

With this blog I am hoping to do a couple of different things;

1) I want to create a site that will give the kind of information that I might be interested in, in the way I would like to receive it. I have so little time that the little bit of genre I do get to enjoy I have to squeeze and stuff into the cracks. As a result I wanted to create a sort of scifi concentrate: as much interesting info as I can squeeze in to as small an amount of time and space as feasible.

2) I am hoping to create a community of friends. People who may be like me, sort of stranded in a sea of "normal" people. People I can talk to and get to know, people I can laugh with and enjoy our favorite genre with. Might be nice to associate with some people that sort of "get" me, so to speak.

Beyond the scifi stuff (and, for the time being I am only going to focus on my scifi interests. Only so many hours in the day!) I am going to throw in some other things, links to podcasts and websites and errata of general interest to me that hopefully you can get something from as well. Peppering the blog with little items to add a little more depth to your experience.
Until the book is done (which may be a bit later than my promised Christmas release!) I am going to release these pages and entries, ideally on a weekly basis, so that you can enjoy it. You can decide for yourself if its something you may like to own. And if not, thats OK! The content is free either way! Enjoy!

If you have ANY questions or comments, improvements or suggestions you can email me scifi365@gmail.com or you can follow writefast on Twitter, thats me!

Well, thats about all I have to say about that. Hope you enjoy the site!

Ensign?
Course laid in Captain.
Very good. ENGAGE!

Edward. Out.