Eastercon Diary Easter Saturday 15th April 2017 2001 The SF-Factor

Photo taken by me – the view across the pond from the Birmingham convention hotel
Preston, England
May 3, 2017 5:03am CST
This was a reading opportunity for the three shortlisted entrants in a competition to enter the Arthur C Clarke Awards contest, normally open to professional authors only. My own entry to the competition didn’t get shortlisted but the top three stories were well selected by Ian Waites and Tom Hunter. The stories included one about a Stargate dimension entrance / exit in a supermarket, a Clarke acknowledging Rendezvous With Rama style encounter with an alien ship, and a story involving references to a precursor to Clarke’s Hal 9000 computer (the Hal 6000 series) from 2001 A Space Odyssey. Stories were judged by audience appreciation. It was a tough choice even in the end. I was glad I entered and not disappointed to be beaten by such worthy competitors. Arthur Chappell
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6 responses
@JudyEv (325854)
• Rockingham, Australia
3 May 17
It's always good to have a go at these types of competitions.
2 people like this
• Midland, Michigan
6 May 17
What was your story about, Arthur? Could you share it here or are you hoping to get it published one day? I have several sci-fi ideas on the back burner and I've begun them all but they're waiting for more inspiration or time, not sure which. I think I began all of them before I had my kids and they are now 26 and 28. One of them has a window to travel through. The idea came from a fellow-author on a different writing site. He had twenty some chapters of his sci-fi type novel started and I asked for his permission to use his idea of the transportation window idea and he said fine. I thought for sure when he pulled his novel from the site that it would soon be published, but I've never been able to find it to my chagrin. Is sci-fi the main genre that you enjoy using?
1 person likes this
• Preston, England
6 May 17
@MarshaMusselman I am looking at it potential publication but esentially it's a reality TV how involving a deadly alien World
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• Midland, Michigan
6 May 17
@arthurchappell Is that mostly the type of stuff you write? Sounds interesting.
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• Preston, England
6 May 17
@MarshaMusselman yes, science fiction, fantasy and horror are my main writing areas
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@egdcltd (12060)
3 May 17
I really should go to a convention of this type; I never have (I'd love to go to GenCon 50 - a slightly different type perhaps - if I could afford it).
@Jessicalynnt (50525)
• Centralia, Missouri
6 May 17
that's a healthy attitude, I haven't had the guts to submit anything to something like that in forever
1 person likes this
@teamfreak16 (43421)
• Denver, Colorado
6 May 17
HAL 6000 sounds kind of intriguing.
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@vin12345 (567)
• Kerala, India
3 May 17
Glad that you reached up to that level, better luck next time.