David Siegel Bernstein's "Mostly Harmless" Site

A December to Remember

2011-12-09T07:56:00.000-08:00

Above is a picture I took of Itzhak Perlman at a Kimmel Center concert. Being there, with him, was an amazing experience. I had no idea the violin could be played with such (I lack the appropriate word) precision (perhaps the better word would be love).

If you are interested in speculative flash fiction, or curious about speculative flash fiction, or have 30 seconds free, I encourage you to read my story Textual Relations in this month’s issue of AntipodeanSF—a science fiction magazine and podcast (AntiSF Radio) out of Australia. When you read the story, I think you’ll scratch your head at how it could be read during a podcast. When asked to record it, I politely declined in favor of one their professional reader.

Here is AntiSF Radio version of Textual Relations. If you fast forward to about 25:45 seconds you'll here it. Please keep in mind it is meant as a visual piece, loaded with deliberate text abbreviations. So, feel free to LOL.

Also for a quick read, check out the very very very short story I wrote: You Reap What You Write for One Forty Fiction. It is Tweet-sized for the attention-span challenged. (Not anyone reading this blog of course! But read anyway.)

I've completed my two part series on the probability of intelligent life existing outside our solar-system for the Abandoned Towers: News & Blog. So read this month’s Science for Fiction (S4F). Last month, using the Drake Equation and a certain set of assumptions, I calculated 600 communicating civilizations in the Milky Way galaxy. So how come we haven’t heard anything from them? This month I use the Rare Earth Hypothesis to address this question—known as the Fermi Paradox. The paradox addresses the contradiction between the high probability (Drake Equation) of extraterrestrial life capable of communication and the absence of evidence of such life. So check out this month’s S4F.

Finally, do you like good science fiction? If yes, I suggest you check out Subversion: Science Fiction & Fantasy tales of challenging the norm! It’s an original anthology by the gang who publish the sleek Crossed Genres magazine, edited by (dare I say) the visionary Bart Lieb. Click here to see my work in Crossed Genres.

Happy Holidays. The next round is on you.

Post Halloween - Pre Thanksgiving Updates

2011-11-07T11:18:00.000-08:00

Abandoned Towers Magazine is under new direction and I for one really think the new facade of the Abandoned Towers: News & Blog, rocks! This is where you can read my latest Science for Fiction (S4F) contribution:

Can Anyone Intelligent Communicate with Me? Other Than My Earthling Friends.

In the article I write on chances of intelligent life outside our little corner of the Milky Way and if there is, can they communicate with us here on Earth?

Of course I leave it scientists and fiction writers to decide the definition of intelligent life. Obviously fiction writers are allowed a more liberal definition.

Using the Drake equation, I calculated 600 communicating civilizations within our galaxy.

The television show The Big Bang Theory gives a good summary of the Drake equation (and its application to Lady’s night). However, I’ll leave it for others to prove the Wolowitz Coefficient.

Click here to watch the Big Bang Theory (the show, not… um, the theory) describe the Drake equation.

If you’re interested in a spooky libation and horror micro-story check out The Hair of the Wolf That BitYou published in Bosley Gravel’s Cavalcade of Terror. This story might explain why I’m not allowed out anymore—or to mix drinks.

Weather be damned (and by damn a dam would've helped with the flooding)

2011-09-13T10:24:00.000-07:00

Somehow I survived an Earthquake (the East Coast Shaker), a Hurricane (Irene), flooded basement, and the first week of my children’s soccer season.

During all this I managed to eke out a few new words for my novel and to complete my latest installment of Science for Fiction (S4F): Black Holes Suck.

BTW, if a black hole got married, would it still be considered a singularity?

In other writing news, an online version of my story Chronology has been reprinted in the farewell issue of Chaos Theory: Tales Askew. We’ll miss you CTTA! The story originally appeared in M-Brane SF, a sleek science fiction anthology magazine. Check out the story… I hope you enjoy it.

Here is a math truth--as interpreted by xkcd webcomics

Welcome July - Let the Heat Begin

2011-07-08T12:21:00.000-07:00

The Picture of the Day
Lady Gwendolyn giving a private performance of the Pink Swan.

In this month’s Science for Fiction (S4F), I discuss the breadth and depth of the universe. No small task (and neither is universe). In the article I explain there are regions of the universe we can see and others we can never see. The reason we can’t see it all is because the expansion is pulling some areas away from us faster than the speed of light. Yes—FASTER THAN LIGHT—and with no violation of special relativity. For details read the complete piece: We Hold Universal Truths to Be Not Self-Evident , found at the Abandoned Towers Magazine Blog.

I want to thank Jon Gibbs of An Englishman in New Jersey for including a link to one of my S4F pieces in his SALTY FOP week posting (Share A Link To Your Favorite Online Post week). He linked to If You are Uncertain—Call a Quantum Mechanic For a Fix.

In other news, this is a big month for the comma. The comma is cool! First read, Grammar ABCs: C is for Comma in The Blood-Red Pencil and then click your way over to GalleyCat to read about the death of the Oxford comma.

The Samuel Literary Messenger is paying $50 for stories and essays. Something for my writer friends to consider.

Finally, since writers are also readers, and readers need a place to store their pre-Kindle books, I suggest checking out 46 Creative and Stylish Bookshelf Designs in DesignMag.

Fiction by the Numbers & Other Tales

2011-06-16T10:26:00.000-07:00

My story Taking Leave found its way to Fiction365. Yes, everyone now and then I like to sneak a literary piece into the aether (and the occasional odd poem). Fear not. I’m still a genre writer-- so get ready to buy new novel when (dare I say if?) it comes out. My short story, Chronology, will soon be making its web debut in Chaos Theory: Tales Askew. It has already appeared in the M-Brane SF, a magazine I can’t gush over enough. It’s helmed by Christopher Fletcher who puts out a sleek product. Keep an eye on this guy, he’s a growing force in the SF community.

My S4F June contribution to the Abandoned Towers Magazine blog is numeric in nature. Its title, Fiction by the Numbers, is a dead giveaway that there be numbers in dem dar hills. The brief article includes science-fied numbers which can be used to add verisimilitude to a writer’s science fiction. Because, AS I KEEP SAYING, in SF it’s important to minimize the number lies you tell about science. Exaggeration on the other hand is encouraged. The more truth you include the more enhanced the fiction component will be.

A Great Time was had by All

2011-06-06T12:19:00.000-07:00

I'm back from the Philadelphia's premiere writers conference. Yes, I'm talking about the 63rd annual Philadelphia Writers Conference. As always, I was blown away by the creativity of the conferees, the knowledge and nurturing of the workshop leaders, and the camaraderie—especially from a group of people who have devoted themselves to such solo arts.

Except for the poets... nothing solo about them... they cluster in crazy groups spouting Yeats. Maybe the "crazy" part comes from my bias as a fiction writer, but it doesn't mean I'm wrong!

I promise that the fact the conference coincided with Philadelphia's Beer Week was pure coincidence. A happy one. Kismet.

A special shout out goes to my fellow board members for all their hard work and making everything perfect. Great job Eileen (our leader-and-chief).

To all the great writers I got to meet this year, feel free to get in touch with me. I miss you guys already. If you want to stay connected with the PWC join us on facebook.

I would also like to congratulate James Kemper, a member of a writers group I lead. He won three awards for his writing including a fully funded scholarship to next year's conference.

Let the Games Begin

2011-04-07T08:05:00.000-07:00

The presentation of my story, Let the Games Begin, in Kalkion Literature and Science Fiction Magazine is awesome. Thanks Editors! As for you readers, don’t let the picture of a chess set scare you off! You don’t have to know how to play enjoy the story. At least I hope you’ll enjoy it.

I finally completely my series on time travel for the Abandoned Towers Magazine blog. What was left? I’ll tell you: thorny paradoxes. Paradox Found is the sequal to last month’s Paradox Lost (I probably should have reversed the titles… too late now). Anyway, I’m done writing about paradoxes in S4F for awhile.

This week the Philadelphia Writers’ Conference held another of their free workshops. Kathryn Kraft spoke on Writing that Matters. She did a wonderful job. My question: doesn’t all writing matter? My answer: yes.

Paradox Lost and Other Things Found

2011-03-31T10:23:00.000-07:00

I finally I got to use grandfathercidal in a sentence—a word (I’m pretty sure) I made up.

How? Why?

The word can be found in my March S4F article titled Paradox Lost. Personally, I’m not convinced paradoxes exist outside the rocky marriage of philosophy and mathematics (i.e., logic), but that doesn’t mean they aren’t fun to think about. In the article I go over the epitome of paradox in science fiction, the killing your grandfather paradox. Yes, the famous paradox that popped out of a thought experiment on the horrors of time travel.

Also this month, the Philadelphia Writers’ Conference held its first Free Forum of 2011. The topic: Writing and Selling Magazine Articles. The speaker was the Larry Atkins and he was phenomenal. He has written more articles for more magazines than you can shake a stick at. I’m not sure where that expression comes from, but it feels right. If you haven’t had the chance to check out our new website for the Philadelphia Writers’ Conference website, do it!

Time Travel (Yes you to can make your own time machine)

2011-02-10T13:11:00.000-08:00

In my latest Science for Fiction (S4F) article, I write about a staple of science fiction staple: time travel. It isn’t as far-fetched as you might think. Einstein’s theory of relativity, the best explanation we have for spacetime (the fabric of the universe), does not rule out time travel. And in science if something is not specifically excluded, then it must be allowed.

So read Part III of my series about Time at Abandoned Towers Magazine to learn how to, possibly, plausibly, use time travel in fiction.

Do you know What Time it is?

2011-01-03T13:14:00.000-08:00

Science fiction writers get a lot of mileage driving their characters through the space-time continuum. In most cases, the protagonist manages it without the benefit of a TARDIS (I really need to get one of those). But, what is time? Physicists know how to measure it (time as a metric, i.e., a clock), what direction it flows (Arrow of Time) and how to bend it (General Relativity). I go over each of these in my latest set of articles of Science for Fiction (S4F) in Abandoned Towers Magazine Blog.

Part I Classical ideas of Time

Part II Modern theories

But for the record, none of them actually tells us what time is. Most ideas on that subject reside in the realm of speculation. And who are best at speculating? Writers and readers of science fiction—of course.

Part III The best ways to plausibly get time travel into fiction and to make it. (I will get this out soon)

If You are Uncertain—Call a Quantum Mechanic for a Fix

2010-10-04T08:11:00.000-07:00

Check out my writing on the (impossible) topic of Quantum Mechanics. Included for your pleasure are a few suggestions for including QM in fiction.

So if the Heisenberg Uncertainty Principle is something that interests you or something you want to sneak into your story, check out the article.

Public Service Warning: if for any reason you think you completely understand Quantum Physics: get yourself to a doctor!

A Poet's Moment

2010-09-27T15:14:00.000-07:00

It is seldom that I get sappy. But when I do... I do in a big way. This month Apollo's Lyre reprinted a poem of mine titled Moment. I wrote about this little guy:

It brings back memories. It also reminds me very much of this little princess:

So give it a read!

Undergraduate Paper Competition

2010-08-13T13:12:00.000-07:00

I finally finished my task as a first round judge for the "Best Undergraduate Paper Competition." It is a national Competition hosted by the International Atlantic Economic Society.

I read over 1000 pages of writing essays and math... some of these papers were very advanced. I'm very impressed and hopeful for the future.

The End of Infinity (Infinity of Fun Part III)

2010-08-01T17:19:00.000-07:00

Check out the conclusion to my riveting series on the idea of infinity. Did you know that infinity comes in different sizes? If not read The End of Infinity in Abandoned Towers Magazine.

Infinity of Fun, Part II

2010-07-10T11:14:00.000-07:00

If you don't like people writing about math and science then you will want to read my article, Infinity of Fun (Part II), because: I get shot!

If you do like math (spoiler alert) I survive to continue giving tips in Abandoned Towers Magazine on . . . science . . . in fiction.

Infinity of Fun

2010-06-07T11:23:00.000-07:00

Infinity of Fun is my latest article for Abandon Towers Magazine. The only thing I can guarantee is the reader will have finite fun reading. Hopefully the finite amount isn't too small.

Philadelphia Writers' Conference is rolling into town (Get your tickets now).

2010-05-19T11:24:00.000-07:00

Fellow Conference Board member, Don Lafferty, has posted a great article titled: The 62nd Annual Philadelphia Writers’ Conference: Just the Facts.

Anyone interested in attending this year's conference -- check it out. Anyone not interested -- check it out (It will make you interested.)

Scratches head. Wait a sec, who wouldn't be interested? Where else in Philadelphia in July can you speed date with editors and agents? Hear great speakers?

Is this the Dark Knight?

2010-05-15T09:21:00.000-07:00

This is frustration staring you in the face. His hypnotic gaze failed to lull me a trance and get him dessert.

Splicing Science from Fiction

2010-05-03T08:01:00.000-07:00

Read my latest article, Splicing Science from Fiction, in Abandoned Towers Magazine. It is a brief piece on the what science means to science fiction.

My April Posting to the Abandoned Towers Magazine Blog

2010-04-30T10:25:00.000-07:00

I'm now a contributing author to Abandoned Towers Magazine's Blog. Here is my April Posting. It is more or less an introduction of who I am and topics I plan to discuss. So give it a read and feel free to post comments (to that posting) of topics you would like me to write about.

Welcome

2006-08-11T20:13:00.000-07:00

I'm glad you could come for a visit.

Now, the first question you might have (well probably not the first, but at least the 438th) is: ho am I? Well, you've come to the right place!

If you choose not to explore these pages and links . . . well . . . So long, and thanks for all the fish.

The Lady Gwendolyn kissing her Prince.

Me and Michelle

The boys are out for drinks.

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