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Ben Bova’s new novel, The Immortality Factor, is published by Tor Books. Dr. Bova is President Emeritus of the National Space Society and a past president of the Science Fiction Writers of America. He has written 120 futuristic novels and nonfiction books, and has been involved in science and high technology since the very beginnings of the space age.

Dr. Bova received the Lifetime Achievement Award of the Arthur C. Clarke Foundation in 2005, “for fueling mankind’s imagination regarding the wonders of outer space.” In 2008 Dr. Bova won the Robert A. Heinlein Award “for his outstanding body of work in the field of literature.”

In his various writings, Dr. Bova has predicted the Space Race of the 1960s, the discovery of organic chemicals in interstellar space, virtual reality, human cloning, the discovery of life on Mars, and stem cell therapy.

Dr. Bova has worked with film makers and television producers such as Woody Allen, George Lucas, and Gene Roddenberry. In 2001 he was elected a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science.

Technorati Tags: ben bova, hugo award, immortality factor, science fiction, Stem Cell Research

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Ken Scholes

Ken Scholes is the author of LAMENTATION, published by Tor Books in February 2009. LAMENTATION is the first in a five book series called The Psalms of Isaak. Ken Scholes was recently hailed by Booklist for his ‘rare gift for inventive storytelling that invites comparisons with the genre’s leading practitioners’.

Ken discusses how LAMENTATION came about and gives us insights into becoming a successful writer. He compares and contrasts short story writing and novel writing, and discusses his many upcoming projects.

Ken sold his first story to Talebones Magazine in 2000 and won the Writers of the Future contest in 2004. His quirky, offbeat fiction continues to be published in various magazines and anthologies like Polyphony 6, Weird Tales, and Clarkesworld Magazine. In 2006, Ken’s short story Of Metal Men and Scarlet Thread and Dancing with the Sunrise appeared in the August issue of Realms of Fantasy. LAMENTATION is an extension of that story.

Technorati Tags: fantasy, ken scholes, lamentation, science fiction, short stories

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Orson Scott Card is the national bestselling author of the Ender’s Universe novels. His newest book, ENDER IN EXILE, is published by Tor. Most recently, Mr. Card was awarded the 2008 Margaret A. Edwards Award for lifetime achievement in Young Adult literature from the American Library Association.

Best known for his classic novels Ender’s Game and Ender’s Shadow, Mr. Card’s work has won multiple awards, including back-to-back wins of the coveted Hugo and Nebula Awards – the only author to have done so in consecutive years. His titles have also landed on “best-of” lists and been adopted by cities, universities, and libraries for reading programs.

The Ender novels have impacted other areas of pop culture, inspiring a Marvel Comics series, a forthcoming video game from Chair Entertainment, and pre-production on a film version. Mr. Card offers writing workshops and occasionally teaches writing and literature at universities.

In our SCIENCE AND SOCIETY interview, Mr. Card discusses the tremendous cross-over appeal of the Ender novels, comparable to that of the Harry Potter novels and The Lord of the Rings trilogy. He offers insight on character development, the creative process, and what constitutes a good story. Mr. Card also discusses the critical importance of developing young peoples’ literacy skills and reading habits.

Technorati Tags: ender in exile, ender's game, orson scott card, science fiction

This is a highly personal list of Top 10 SCIENCE AND SOCIETY all-time faves -

1. Assignment in Eternity by Robert Heinlein
2. The War Against the Rull by A.E. Van Vogt
3. The Naked Sun by Isaac Asimov
4. The Demolished Man by Alfred Bester
5. A Fire Upon the Deep by Vernor Vinge
6. Dune by Frank Herbert
7. Ender’s Game by Orson Scott Card
8. Holy Fire by Bruce Sterling
9. Neuromancer by William Gibson
10. Snow Crash by Neal Stephenson
11. Altered Carbon by Richard Morgan (contemporary bonus)

We could have made a Top 10 list solely out of Robert Heinlein’s books. Or A.E. Van Vogt’s. Or Isaac Asimov’s.

Everyone knows Heinlein and Asimov and Herbert. Not everyone is familiar with Van Vogt and Alfred Bester, who IMO are two of the visionary geniuses of the sci-fi genre.

Van Vogt’s genius was in his wide-ranging imagination, his deep understanding of human character, and his sophisticated knowledge of politics, money, and warfare.

Bester’s stories are likewise built on sheer genius. The Demolished Man is only one of several action-packed, highly imaginative books. When you read Alfred Bester, buckle-up! You’re in for a wild ride.

We hope you enjoy these books as much as we have. All of these authors have become lifelong “friends” – you know you can count on them!

Technorati Tags: science, science fiction, space travel