It started a long time ago (in a galaxy far, far away), back in 1969, when British author Brian W. Aldiss published a short story in Harper's Bazaar , entitled “Supertoys Last All Summer Long.” It challenged the whole public thought on machines and the idea of robots. And it also managed to pique the interest of director Stanley Kubrick. Kubrick acquired the rights to the story from Aldiss in November of 1982, and had hopes to make it into a feature film. Aldriss, however, was skeptical, noting, “while Arthur [C. Clark]'s story looks outwards to the solar system, my story looks inwards,” referring to another of Kubrick's films, which was based upon Clark's short story, “The Sentinel.” (Aldiss has written a very nice Foreword, entitled “Attempting to Please,” preceding his latest book, Supertoys Last All Summer Long: And Other Short Stories of Future Time. The Foreword encompasses the “joking” relationship he and Kubrick had. The book also contains the two sequels to the original story, as well as several other stories — All fairly interesting, especially for science fiction readers. Another disagreement that arose was that Kubrick had continually fashioned the story after “Pinnochio,” which Aldiss strictly objected to — “I could not or would not see the parallels between David, my five-year-old android, and the wooden creature who becomes human. It emerged that Stanley wished David to become more human, and wished, also, to have the Blue Fairly materialise. Never consciously rewrite old fairy stories, I say,” Aldiss comments in his Foreword. Aldiss was quickly wheeled out of the picture at about 1990. Kubrick took on “Supertoys Last All Summer Long,” rechristened it A.I. , and continued to work on his little “Pinnochio”-esque fairy tale, bringing in others, such as Sara Maitland and Ian Watson. ( Visual-Memory.co.uk has compiled a nice little history of the Stanley Kubrick side of A.I. , so I don't feel the need to write it, when they've already done a wonderful job. Click the link to read more.) Aldiss went onto other things. Then, in 1999, Stanley Kubrick passed away. During the past 9 years or so, Kubrick had kept his friend Steven Spielberg very involved in the film, the two of them faxing over 900 pages of notes back and forth. When Kubrick passed away, his brother-in-law Jan Harlan Kubrick decided to pass the film along to Spielberg, whom Kubrick frequently had said would be the perfect director for the film. And so it was. Steven Spielberg started up on the film, scrapping the numerous other scripts and treatments which Stanley Kubrick had gathered, and completely rewriting the script solely by himself, his first screenwriting job since Close Encounters of the Third Kind . It was also during this time that it occurred to Brian Aldiss to re-read his short story — It occurred to him that the story of a young boy rejected by his mother could be continued. And so he wrote the two follow-ups, “Supertoys When Winter Comes” and “Supertoys in Other Seasons.” After completion, he passed both short stories onto Spielberg, who liked the ideas presented in them and purchased the rights to the two stories — Now, by an amicable arrangement with Warner Brothers, Spielberg had acquired all three Supertoy stories. Views: 22
Romance. 96168 words long. Views: 22
The art of needlecraft requires patience, discipline, and creativity. So, too, does the art of detection. Just ask Betsy Devonshire—who’s learning that life in a small-town needlecraft shop can reveal an unexpected knack for knitting…and a hidden talent for unraveling crime.
Unraveled Sleeve
Betsy Devonshire has settled into her new home in Excelsior, Minnesota, as owner of the town’s needlecraft shop. So why is she suffering from terrifying nightmares? She hasn’t a clue—but she thinks maybe it would help to get away for a while. With her friend Jill in tow, she heads north for a “stitch-in” at a remote, rustic lodge. But her nightmares only get worse—especially after she finds a dead woman no one else had seen. Then the body disappears—and she knows she won’t get any rest until she untangles the mysterious threads of the crime….
**About the Author
Monica Ferris is the USA Today bestselling author of several mystery series under various pseudonyms. She lives in Minnesota.
Susan Boyce is an audiobook narrator and an actor who has worked onstage at Trinity Repertory Theater, Worcester Foothills Theater, the Edinburgh Festival in Scotland, and every major ragtime and traditional jazz festival in the United States. Views: 22
Avon the snail and Edward the ant are back for another funny—and philosophical—adventure. This time, Avon has decided he wants to be a writer, only to discover that writing is way more difficult than he ever imagined. He finally gets the word Something written down, but there's a problem: What to write next? Luckily, his friend Edward is there to advise. Brimming with wit, wisdom, and humor, this warm and winning tale of two friends on a quest will be enjoyed by readers (and writers) of all ages. Views: 22
Morgan Hazzard is caught late in life between a cold husband and the self-righteous opinions of her grown children. Forty years of marriage to a hard, prairie-bred man have frozen her into the semblance of a meek and steadfast wife. But when a stroke silences William, Morgan's feelings begin to thaw. A quietly courageous woman emerges and starts to learn — on the eve of her seventy-fifth birthday — her own surprising strength and capacity for joy and change. Morgan’s miserable marriage was not the beginning of her hardships. Life on the farm where she grew up was harsh. To her indifferent mother, she was just another mouth to feed. At sixteen, she was raped by an older brother who silenced her with threats; she was sent away to a convent to have and then give up the child. Two of her sons died very young. Her irascible husband, who himself was scarred by childhood horrors, derided her lack of interest in politics and wars, called her stupid, and crushed her confidence. Her six daughters, now living in other countries, criticize her for weakness, for her dislike of modernization and technology, without attempting to understand her. Morgan Hazzard is tired of being underestimated.Suddenly freed from William’s influence by the stroke, which leaves him helpless and mute, she begins to act as she wants. She defies her bridge-playing friends and thwarts the money-grabbing plans of her son. She begins to live life consciously for the first time, reassessing her place in the world. At leisure to observe her surroundings, she sees the landscape afresh, in spite of failing eyesight. In a narrative woven together from diary entries, dreams, unsent letters to her girls, and the recollections she forces on William, an unexpected journey of self-discovery unfolds. An unlikely heroine, Morgan feels like “a lone explorer in an undiscovered land” as she faces the world without William, but her sense of humour and new-found self-worth sustain her. After years of enforced silence she is finding her own voice again. Finally putting aside the needs of her family and making peace with her past, Morgan learns to love herself, which seems a hopeful start. In this extraordinary but triumphant coming-of-age story, Morgan finds peace and self-reliance in her old age as she contemplates her future.When The Wife Tree was published, the Ottawa Citizen said, “[Speak] creates Morgan as a complicated woman, at seventy-four still unsure of herself, still learning and yearning.” Speak is the author of two books of acclaimed short stories, and The Wife Tree, her much-anticipated first novel, has been compared to Carol Shields’ The Stone Diaries and Margaret Laurence’s The Stone Angel. Speak shares with them an interest in depicting real, recognizable people whose lives are less mundane than they first appear; a characteristic also of the work of Alice Munro. The Calgary Herald said: “Dorothy Speak has the remarkable ability to create mature female characters with whom we can readily empathize, and to translate the unspoken into language honestly, wisely and with insightful wit.” Views: 22
Years ago, wild child Keely Branscom shocked her hometown by posing nude. But she'd been under rancher Noah Garlfield's skin long before then--ever since that painful night Keely kissed him...and he pushed her away.When Keely runs into Noah in Vegas, she figures the time for revenge is at hand! She has the perfect plan to inflict a heap of sexually charged retribution on Noah...and this time it's his turn to be rejected. But as Keely's seduction starts yielding some steamy results, she realizes that this time, the notorious wild child is in serious trouble! Views: 22
Romance/Erotica. 5779 words long. First published in www.barebackangels.com, 2007 Views: 22
A stark but uplifting story of bullying and redemption, for anyone who's ever been a weirdoA charming and uplifting story, perfect for fans of A Man Called Ove or Jonas Jonasson. 'If you're a bit of a weirdo you will love Biddy Weir' - Ian Sansom, bestselling author of The Norfolk Mystery Biddy Weir is a quirky girl. Abandoned by her mother as a baby, and with a father who's not quite equipped for the challenges of modern parenting, Biddy lives in her own little world, happy to pass her time painting by the sea and watching the birds go by. That is, until she meets Alison Flemming. Because there are a few things about Biddy that aren't normal, you see. And Alison isn't afraid to point them out to the world. All of a sudden, Biddy's quiet life is thrown into turmoil. If only there was someone to convince her that, actually, everyone's a little bit weird . . . A story of abuse and survival, of falling down and of starting again, and of one woman's battle to learn to love herself... Views: 22
Continuing the exciting adventures of The Celestine Prophecy and The Tenth Insight, this new book takes you to the snow-covered Himalayas, in search of the legendary Tibetan utopia of Shambhala. As you follow a child's instructions, are pursued by hostile Chinese agents, and look for a lost friend, you will experience a new awareness of synchronicity...and discover, hidden among the world's highest mountains, the secrets that affect all humanity. For Shambhala not only actually exists, but is destined to be found in our time-and will reveal powerful truths that can transform the world. Views: 22
