Paul Melko's Blog

We tried this tonight and everyone loved it.

Ingredients:
2 eggs
2/3 cup granulated sugar
1 envelope unflavored gelatin
2 Tbsp lemon juice
1 cup passion fruit juice
1/2 cup whipped whipping cream
1 quart raspberries or strawberries

1. Beat eggs until foamy with mixer. Gradually add sugar. Beat until thick.

2. Soften gelatin with lemon juice for 5 minutes.

3. Bring passion fruit juice to a boil. Add gelatin. Stir until dissolved.

4. Beating constantly, gradually add hot juice to the egg mixture.

5. Refrigerate until cooled. Stir occasionally.

6. Fold in whipped cream. Turn into serving dishes.

7. For sauce, puree most of fruit. Sweeten with sugar to taste.

8. To serve, pour sauce around and garnish with fresh fruit.

Winter2010

For SFWA members, here is a link to the new draft bylaws. These are open for comment until February 1, 2010 to all members of SFWA.

Paul

Tomorrow, Saturday the 7th, is the 22nd Annual Buckeye Book Fair. I'll be attending, along with 99 other Ohio authors and illustrators, including pal C.C. Finlay. Charlie and I are at adjoining tables very near the men's bathroom. Prime locations for us.

The book fair runs from 9:30 am to 4 pm at the Fisher Auditorium on the OARDC/OSU campus in Wooster, Ohio. Come and buy a book!

It was a bigger deal than I realized.
At first, I thought I was one of several student speakers, such that each college sent a representative, and so I was just the one from the College of Business picked. No, it became clear after speaking with the associate director in change of commencement that I was the speaker for all the students at the pre-commencement dinner on the night before commencement. President Gee was going to be introducing me as the representative of all students to speak to the trustees, honorees, deans, and their guests. It didn't sink in until the actual event.

Professor Lahmers -- my business law professor -- had nominated me, but she wasn't able to attend due to a trip out of town. "Pimp your book," she told me. "This is the first time a non-traditional student has done this. Take advantage."

I was told I'd have 3-5 minutes to speak. The subject was, vaguely, "my experience at Ohio State." Now, in case you didn't know, I'm an introvert. I dwell on things, and worry, and live inside my head. The thought of standing in front of strange people and speaking.... well, it's not pleasant. But if there's one thing that being a panelist at science fiction conventions does, it relaxes you about talking on any subject in front of a crowd. And just this Memorial Day, I had stood in front of a crowd of several hundred fans to receive the Compton Crook Award. And two years ago, I stood in front of an even larger audience and received Tim Pratt's Hugo in Yokohama. (Do extroverts even count the times they stand in front of crowds? Do the extroverts envy the introverts for anything?)

I decided to write my speech about what it meant to be a non-traditional student in the working professional MBA program. Since no other such student speaker had this perspective on things. The idea that I latched onto was the fact that life didn't stop for a non-traditional student -- we didn't go away to college for 4 years. We didn't live in dorms. We had families and lives and jobs and none of that stopped when we started our program. I combined that with a blog entry I had done about a month ago, talking about how milestones were not the point of any journey, that you have to enjoy the journey itself because that's where a person spends 99.9% of the time.

Thursday was my last class. Friday was the College of Business Graduation Ceremony. Saturday was the pre-commencement dinner. A jam-packed weekend, with a science fiction convention tacked on top of all that, as well as a brunch with the folks to celebrate. Candice took a look at the speech, but I didn't show it to anyone else. It was sweet on Stacey, so I wanted that to be a surprise for her. The associate director had offered people up to help me with the speech, but we vain writers think we can write everything ourselves. I started to have doubts as I sat and watched the speaker at Friday's ceremony. Did I have anything worthwhile to say?

Friday I learned that I had received a scholarship recognition, as 1 of the top 6 students in the graduating class. Cool beans. I hadn't expected it, and nearly all the students who also received the same recognition were those I had worked with on past projects. The Fisher Scholar Award is for students who had the best GPA in core coursework. The Weidler Scholar Award is for students who had the best GPA in core and elective coursework. The same 6 of us were honored in both categories. That probably happens a lot. I also got a clock. I realized that I would be speaking for all of these students who I had worked with for 2 years, many I considered good friends after the times we had had together. It was suddenly a bigger responsibility than before.

Saturday, Stacey and I gussied up for the big event, after I got home from a panel for Context on writing and marketing short stories. I wore my suit -- still fits! -- with the new tie Mom-mom had given me that day for a graduation gift. Stacey wore a very nice black dress; she looked incredibly sexy. We arrived at exactly 6pm at the Faculty Club.

We had arrived at the same time the night before and been a little late. But that night we were very early! Apparently the deans, trustees, and honorees knew to arrive late for the pre-commencement dinner.

Stacey is an introvert too, so we were a little tentative about things. Dean Mangum was nice enough to come by and speak with us for a while. Then the photographer arrived to snap our picture.

President Gee appeared (6:35pm!) and worked the crowd. We saw him with Archie Griffin for a moment. I had brought a copy of my second book to give to President Gee and hoped to do so, but he jumped from person to person like a hummingbird. He never came our way, even though we placed ourselves in strategic locations that we expected he would pass by. His walk was too random.

Dinner was announced and we drifted upstairs. We found ourselves seated at table 2, with various trustees and provosts, including Dean Pat Osmer and his lovely wife Anita on our right and Ms. Alex Swain, the undergraduate trustee, a very passionate student and most probably an extrovert, on our left.

President Gee worked our table, introducing himself to Stacey and myself. In the time it took me to reach down and grab my book, he had moved on to speak with Alex. I couldn't find a moment to interrupt, and then he was off! Once more, he came to our table, mistaking table 2 for his table 1, and just as I was about to offer the book to him, he turned smartly around and headed back his rightful spot. He's slippery, that President Gee, very slippery.

Dinner was lovely, beef and salmon. Anita noted that they usually served chicken at these functions, which is what the ceremony the night before served. Stacey and I, listening to the conversations at the table, realized that we were among the ruling class this night: the ruling class of The Ohio State University, possibly the ruling class of Columbus.

Immediately after dinner, Dean Osmer introduced the honorees for the night, including Ohio Supreme Court Justice Tom Moyer, Nobel Laureate Chemist George Olah, and Chemical Company CEO John Shepherd. Then he introduced President Gee, who spoke for a few minutes about each of them, and then Gee introduced me.

Yes, I was introduced by Gordon Gee.

Much fun was made of my first graduate degree from the University of Michigan. I played along. He spoke of my books and the awards I had won. It was all very flattering, a given, since I had written most of it myself in the bio I had sent over! Then it was my turn to speak.

I stood and grabbed my book. This was serendipitous as President Gee handed me a gift -- a medal (front/back) -- and I was able to hand him a copy of my book in return. Triumph! After three tries I had finally managed to slip him the book, and in front of 100 people.

I turned to podium and unfolded the speech.

Here is what I said:

Yes, this is my second graduate degree, and yes, the first one came from the University of Michigan. Somehow as of last night I feel karmicly balanced. A Big Ten tabula rasa. Only 9 more Big Ten schools to go.

I've been asked to speak a few minutes about my experience at Ohio State in the MBA working professional program. I've found it impossible to do. I can't really separate off that one piece of my life – the MBA – from everything else. As a working professional student, life kept on going while I was in the program. Going to class, reading, doing homework, just became a part of the amalgam of my life. Let me try to explain.

In the past 27 months,

My household celebrated 14 birthdays, Claire's first two, Graham's second and third, my 40th.
We attended 2 20 year high school reunions.
I published 2 novels and a collection of short stories.
I changed jobs and got two raises.
My third child Graham, born with a hypoplastic right ventricle (half a heart), had his third and final open heart surgery at Childrens Hospital.
I won two awards for my first novel.
I lost three other awards, traveling in one case all the way to Japan to do so. I loved Japan, but had a lot of trouble with the doors there. They always opened the wrong way.
I attended 200 classes at Fisher, wrote 50 papers, read 30 books.
I missed the opening day of some 2000 movies.
I spent countless hours in the spacious conference rooms of Gerlach hall.
I had 50 dinners at #1 Chinese Restaurant over there on High Street (I recommend the Beef with Pea Pods), and dinner twice now at the Faculty Club.
I drove to work 450 times, attended 1500 meetings.
I bought a new car.
I got a Hollywood agent, learned that Zac Efron was interested in my book (I had to ask my daughter Audrey who he was, but apparently he's a big deal for the young folk), and had my people talk with his people. I was not involved.
I kissed my wife over two thousand times.
And, yes, I started and completed an MBA.


It's been a very busy 2 and a quarter years. How's it been for you all?

There's a bit of advice I tell my writing students whenever I teach writers workshops. A lot of these new writers are waiting for the glory, the awards, the moment when the Japanese fans clap and shout your name. They think, if I could just sell that first story. If I could just get an agent. If I could just get a nomination for the Hugo. Then things would be different. It'll all change.

But they're wrong. Writing – life – isn't about the milestones. If you spend your days waiting for the accolades, for the awards, for the day you sell your book, for the day you see it in the book store, for the day you win an award, for the day you get your MBA, you're going to be sorely disappointed. 99.9% of the time, you're in the car, on your way, traveling somewhere. The milestones are few and far between.

Getting my degree -- yeah, that's nice. Speaking with you all tonight -- I'm glad to be here. But frankly, the milestone is nothing compared to the journey. It's where we spend most of our time anyway. I'd never trade the 2000 kisses with my wife for another degree. That's the journey. That's the part that you have to enjoy.

A lot of new writers, they don't get that.

I'm glad to be done, oh, yeah. Don't get me wrong. And so is my wife. But not because I've reached a milestone, have this third diploma, gotten to stand up in front of all of you tonight. No, why I'm happy is because I get to take the next exit for somewhere new. It's time to write another book. Or get my black belt in Taekwondo. Or get another degree. A PhD or JD this time.

Stacey? No?

Maybe in a few years.

Thank you all for the honor of speaking tonight, and enjoy the journey.


After that the other honorees spoke, all very gracious. And before long, the evening was over. I shook hands with a number of people who said they enjoyed by talk, and Stacey said I did well. It's all on tape, but I haven't watched it yet. Maybe next week. It's still all wild in my mind.

I hadn't realized how big it was until it happened, until the night. I was representing every graduating student at OSU this quarter, speaking as their class representative. What an honor, and I'm not sure how it fell to me. I hope I was an adequate representative.

The best part of the night was as Stacey and I were leaving, having taken a picture with President Gee and shaken more hands. We were just leaving down the spiral staircase, when Archie Griffin walked up and shook my hand. "Good job," he said. "Nice speech."

Then it must have been so.

I'm taking tomorrow off and so don't feel the rush to be ready for work, for school, for life. Sister Michaela is coming in for her annual visit, and I don't want to miss that. It's time for the annual migratory journey of the Franciscan nuns out of Wisconsin. :) Stacey's brother Matt stopped by today and delivered our anniversary/birthday/birthday gift: a new zoom lens for the digital camera. So today in pictures:

Claire was dressed up in her ladybug dress today for a friend's birthday party.
From July 09

After Claire and Graham came home, Stacey sat on the deck out back and watched all the kids play. She hates getting her picture taken.
From July 09

Audrey and Amy sat on the back deck and paged through a book playing a game.
From July 09

I turned back to take Stacey's picture. She thinks she can hide from me behind her curls.
From July 09

The zoom lens caught Eli a yard away playing Nintendo with his friend Michael as Jenna, Michael's sister, looks on.
From July 09

And finally Graham on the couch resting from all the fun we had today.
From July 09

There you have it, a day -- actually a half-hour -- in July with the Melkos.

It's happened just three times before, a writer winning both of the first novel awards in the Science Fiction/Fantasy genre. Donald Kingsbury did it for his novel Courtship Rite in 1983. Michael Flynn did it in 1991 for his novel In the Country of the Blind. Naomi Novik did it two years ago for her novel His Majesty's Dragon. And this year my novel Singularity's Ring won both the Compton Crook Award and the Locus Award for Best First Novel.

Frankly, it's quite shocking. I didn't expect it. It's not something I have any control over. Yet, it's happened. Thank you to all the readers!

From Covers

Paul

The kids are taking swim lessons this week and next, or at least the 3 oldest ones are. But when we got swim goggles for the oldest 3, Claire needed them too. And she insisted on wearing them to the pool last night.

Getting ready to go in the water, she proudly said to me, "I'm wearing goggles."

Replying in the same fashion, I pointed down and said, "I'm wearing socks."

She looked down and, having just shucked her flip-flops, replied, "I'm wearing feet!"

Paul

My Aunt Mikey passed away last night. We've known it was coming for the past week; she'd suffered a brain stem stroke last Friday. Uncle George when I talked to him before our trip seemed to be holding up well, sad, yet pragmatic about what was happening.

We talked about my books on the phone. I told him again that my writing career was due to him and Mikey. One summer for my birthday - I was 12 I think - they had bought me two books: Heinlein's Have Spacesuit, Will Travel and The Rolling Stones. I couldn't tell you a thing about the latter, but the first fired my imagination and made me think about things I hadn't thought about before. Kip was solving problems! With a slide rule. I was mesmerized. That one book did more to shape my future as an engineer and as a science fiction writer than any other thing in the universe.

Suddenly, because of Uncle George and Aunt Mikey, instead of being a listless youth, I had a passion. Have imagination, will travel!

I know Uncle George had read my books, but I don't know if Aunt Mikey did. I'll have to ask at the funeral on Tuesday. I hope she did. I hope she saw what she had started.

It's clear now to whom my next book will be dedicated.

Paul

I don't think the highlights of family vacations are the locales visited at all. It's the family parts of the vacation that count.

We visited the Hocking Hills of Ohio this weekend, hiking the various sites of interest: Old Man's Cave, Ash Cave, and Cedar Falls. Here's what I'll be remembering.


Story the first: Graham at Old Man's Cave.

"Where's the old man?"

When explained that there was no old man, it was just the name of the cave.

"Dad, when you're one hundred, you can live here and be the Old Man."


Story the second: Eli on the second day.

"We haven't played Wii for 24 hours and I didn't even notice!"


Story the third: Graham as we gathered sticks to toast marshmallows

"Careful of sparklers!"

"What?"

"Careful of sparklers!"

"What's a sparkler?"

"If you grab a piece of wood you might get a sparkler in your finger."


Story the fourth: Eli and Dad around the fire

"Dad, did you and mom go to grade school together?"

"Uh, no. Your mom grew up in New Jersey and I grew up in Ohio."

"Where did you meet?"

"In college."

"Oh... Were you on the football team and was she a cheerleader?"

"Er... no."



Paul

Yes, I won the Compton Crook Award/Stephen Tall Memorial Award for Best First Novel... on my birthday! Here's my speech:


What an honor to be here today and receive the Compton Crook/Stephen Tall Memorial Award for best first novel. I'm glad you all got the invitation and could make it. Today is my birthday.

This is not my first award ceremony, I'll have you know. In fact this is not the first award for which these words were nominated. The first chapter of this book, in slightly altered form, was on the ballot for the best novelette in the Asimov's Readers Poll. I didn't win. But that's not the point of this story. Because I won today.

Even though I did not win, I did get a nice breakfast out of it. Sheila Williams was kind enough to invite me to the awards breakfast, held that year at the Nebulas in Chicago. The hotel, when asked if they had a room suitable for a literary award breakfast, replied that yes, yes indeed we have the Library Room. How grand, perfectly suitable. The Library Room would be perfect for an award ceremony celebrating short stories.

It was a nice room, wood-paneled, lined with book shelves, upstairs from the hotel restaurant. After our buffet breakfast, we as writers were naturally attracted to the walls of the room and began perusing the titles. Gardner Dozois pulled a book off the shelf. He turned toward the rest of us, horrified. And if you know Gardner, you know it takes a lot to horrify that man. This may be the only time in 2004 that he was horrified. We'll have to check records.

The book shelves were too shallow to hold a full-sized book. Such a book would have extended off the end of the shelf. So, for aesthetics, the designer of the room had cut all the books in half so that they fit on the shelf clearly and evenly! Every single of one of the books had been sliced in half.

The irony, the horrific irony, was that an awards ceremony for the best literature in Asimov's SF magazine was being held in a room full of mutilated books.

As is often the case when confronted with horror, the human mind turns to maniacal humor. It was the only way we could deal with the trauma. Someone took a book, held it, and recited the title.

Charles Dickens' A Tale of One City

Next to it was Ray Bradbury's Fahrenheit 225 and a Half and the European version, Celsius 116

Harry Potter and the Quarter Blood Prince was there.

Vonnegut's Slaughterhouse 2 and a half.

Zelazny's 9 Barons of Amber.

Orwell's medieval book of authoritarianism: 942.

To Maim a Mockingbird.

A Streetcar Named Lukewarm Affection.

Tuesday Brunch with Morrie.

The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Solar System.

1001, a Feudal Odyssey.

The Skirmish of the Worlds.

10,000 Leagues under the Sea.

Journey to the Mantle of the Earth.

The Time Traveler's Girlfriend.

Tolkien's second book in his trilogy... (pause while the audience fills in the gap.) See, it's like you all were there.

But the story ends well. When we left, we only tipped 7 and 1/2 percent.

Every book I've written is dedicated to my best friend, my wife Stacey, who was kind enough to travel here with me. Also present is my editor David Hartwell. Thank you, David. And Havis Dawson from my agency is here as well. And thank you to all the readers who read my book, even if you only read half-way.