Year: 2016

Philip K. Dick’s Birthday (And A Present For You!)

Posted on by Michael Fisher

Homeopape.com and .net stores are now open. Purchase digital (i.e. not analog) versions of the works of Philip K. Dick or other works related to Philip K. Dick’s life and his writing. For reading, watching or listening on the go with your portable homeopape device.

 

In a corner of the large room a chime sounded and a tinkling mechanical voice called, “I’m your free homeopape machine, a service supplied exclusively by all the fine Rootes hotels throughout Earth and the colonies. Simply dial the classification of news that you wish, and in a matter of seconds I’ll speedily provide you with a fresh, up-to-the-minute homeopape tailored to your individual requirements; and, let me repeat, at no cost to you!” — From Ubik, by Philip K. Dick

Second Season Of The Man In The High Castle Now Available On Amazon Prime Video

Posted on by Michael Fisher

The entire second season (10 episodes) of The Man In The High Castle is now available to stream on Amazon Prime Video (for Amazon Prime Members). The Man in the High Castle won two Emmy Awards for 2016.

The description from Amazon.com:

After giving Joe the film, Juliana is forced to flee the fury of the Resistance while embarking on a new path to save her home from destruction. Joe confronts his absent father in Berlin, who is not as he seems. Smith wrestles with what to do about his ill son. Frank takes a gamble with his life in a bid to save Ed. Tagomi’s life is turned upside down by his “travel” to an alternative world.

For more information about the series:

Official Site
The Man In The High Castle

The Man In The High Castle (2015– )
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1740299/

Wikipedia
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Man_in_the_High_Castle_(TV_series)

Twitter
https://twitter.com/highcastletv

Electric Shepherd Productions

Official Site
http://www.philipkdickesp.com

Wikipedia
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electric_Shepherd_Productions

Twitter
https://twitter.com/philipkdickesp

 

Note: If you don’t see an image from the television series above, most likely your ad blocking software/browser extension is not allowing the content from Amazon.com to appear.

New Audiobooks Page And A Contest To Win A Free Audiobook

Posted on by Michael Fisher

In celebration of the new Audiobooks page just posted, one of the narrators has partnered with this site to sponsor a contest. The new page is located in the Works In Print menu or can be found here: /works-in-print/audiobooks/.

Ray Greenley (web site, Facebook, Twitter, SoundCloud) narrated “The Unreconstructed M and Other Stories.” I listened to this audiobook and I think it’s really well done. Ray Greenley’s voice is a pleasure to listen to. With some audiobooks I’ve listened to, I have difficulty becoming immersed in the story because the narrator’s voice or rhythm or style of reading aloud, but with Ray’s narration I didn’t have that problem.

From the Amazon description of this audiobook:

What if…a machine could murder one person while implicating another for the crime? An alien being looked like livestock but spoke like a philosopher? Earth was ruined by war, and Mars was humanity’s only hope? Robots were created to wage an unending war on the ravaged surface of Earth while man hid underground? Peeking into the future showed a worse result with each look?

In The Unreconstructed M and Other Stories by master of science fiction Philip K. Dick, reality is as thin as imagination. Trust in your senses, your experience, and your expectations if you must. But be warned. What you do not know can leave you – and your world – forever changed!

“The Unreconstructed M” (1957), “Beyond Lies the Wub” (1952), “Strange Eden” (1954), “Survey Team” (1954), “The Defenders” (1953), “Beyond the Door” (1954), “Shell Game” (1954), “Piper in the Woods” (1953), “Meddler” (1954), “Of Withered Apples” (1954), “Progeny” (1954), “Upon the Dull Earth” (1954), “Human Is” (1955).

You can hear a preview of the audiobook at Audible, SoundCloud, or Amazon.

Now for the contest:

First and second place are each awarded with a copy of The Unreconstructed M and Other Stories, sold and delivered by Audible, an Amazon company

The challenge:

Readers will leave a comment with what would be their ultimate choice for a book to be read and the person who would read it. The best and/or most creative answer and the runner-up would receive the two promotional copies. Please leave your email address in the comment so we can contact you if you are a winner. You have until August 29. 2016 to enter.

For example, my choice would either be Benedict Cumberbatch reading The Hobbit (His voicing of Smaug in the movie was amazing! It was like the sound of Smaug’s voice that I’ve imagined since I first read the book.) or Martin Shaw reading Geek Love or Stranger in a Strange Land.

Biography Coming Soon [Updated]: Pre-order Links For The Other Side of Philip K. Dick

Posted on by Michael Fisher

Coming Soon

The Other Side of Philip K. Dick By Maer Wilson

To pre-order visit Amazon.com or Smashwords.

The Other Side of Philip K. Dick By Maer WilsonExpected to be published later this summer, The Other Side of Philip K. Dick By Maer Wilson is a memoir that tells the story of her ten year friendship with Philip K. Dick from 1972 to 1982.

From the description at Maer Wilson’s web site:

“What is the truth behind the legend of Science Fiction great, Philip K. Dick?

In spring, 1972, Phil Dick moved to Fullerton, CA, where he met Theatre student Mary (Maer) Wilson. Amid marriage proposals, marathon talk-fests and a love for music and films, they forged a strong friendship that would last the rest of his life.

Wilson’s quirky, yet unflinchingly honest, memoir reveals a funny, compassionate and generous man. She captures an inside view of one of our literary greats – a brilliant writer who gave the world some of its most revered Science Fiction.”

For more information, visit Maer Wilson’s web site, Goodreads, Amazon.com or Smashwords

Books Recently Published And Coming Soon

Posted on by Michael Fisher

Available Now

Published June 1, 2016, “The Divine Madness of Philip K. Dick” by Kyle Arnold is available through Amazon.com or your favorite book supplier.

The book is a biography shown through the lens of a clinical psychologist. From the description at Amazon.com and probably the back cover of the book also:

“In The Divine Madness of Philip K. Dick, clinical psychologist Kyle Arnold probes the fascinating mystery of Dick’s heart and mind, and shows readers how early traumas opened Dick to profound spiritual experiences while also predisposing him toward drug dependency and violence. Disputing the myth that Dick had schizophrenia, Arnold contends that Dick’s well-known paranoia was caused by his addiction to speed. Despite Dick’s paranoia, his divine madness was not a sign of mental illness, but a powerful spiritual experience conveyed in the images of science fiction.”

For more information, visit Amazon.com or Goodreads.

 

Available Now

Published April 9, 2016, “Ganymedean Slime Mold On Tour And Other Things: Essays And Stories, 1988-2015” by Lord Running Clam is available through Amazon.com, Wide Books (with a ten dollar discount), or your favorite book supplier.

The book is a collection of stories and essays, and for Philip K. Dick fans, there are essays from For Dickheads Only and PKD Otaku. From the description at Amazon.com and probably the back cover of the book also:

“Its the umpteenth decade in the War On Drugs. The 1980s. Ronald Raygun is dozing off and Nancy just says No. Into the fray inches the Ganymedean Slime Mold, armed with telepathic power and not enough weed. Will the forces of righteousness prevail? Or will the dark denizens of the Government squash this alien dopesucker? A true story. Inspired by Philip K. Dick and challenged by Hunter S. Thompson, Lord Running Clam here presents his stories and essays written over the last thirty years, including the best from the zines ‘No Bullsheet’ and ‘For Dickheads Only’-and everything he wrote on Philip K. Dick for ‘PKD OTAKU’.”

For more information, visit Amazon.com, Wide Books or Goodreads.

 

Coming Soon

The Other Side of Philip K. Dick By Maer WilsonExpected to be published later this summer, The Other Side of Philip K. Dick By Maer Wilson is a memoir that tells the story of her ten year friendship with Philip K. Dick from 1972 to 1982.

From the description at Maer Wilson’s web site:

“What is the truth behind the legend of Science Fiction great, Philip K. Dick?

In spring, 1972, Phil Dick moved to Fullerton, CA, where he met Theatre student Mary (Maer) Wilson. Amid marriage proposals, marathon talk-fests and a love for music and films, they forged a strong friendship that would last the rest of his life.

Wilson’s quirky, yet unflinchingly honest, memoir reveals a funny, compassionate and generous man. She captures an inside view of one of our literary greats – a brilliant writer who gave the world some of its most revered Science Fiction.”

For more information, visit Maer Wilson’s web site or Goodreads.

 

Note: If you don’t see the book cover and title above, most likely your ad blocking software/browser extension is not allowing the content from Amazon.com to appear.

Philip K. Dick Award Winners For 2016

Posted on by Michael Fisher

The finalists for The Philip K. Dick Award were revealed on Friday, March 25, 2016 at Norwescon 39, in SeaTac, Washington. The award is given to the distinguished original Science Fiction paperback published for the first time in the U.S.A. during the previous year.

The Awardees

Distinguished Paperback Special citation
Apex

Ramez Naam 		Archangel

Marguerite Reed

From http://www.philipkdickaward.org
“The Philip K. Dick Award is presented annually with the support of the Philip K. Dick Trust for distinguished science fiction published in paperback original form in the United States. The award is sponsored by the Philadelphia Science Fiction Society and the award ceremony is sponsored by the NorthWest Science Fiction Society.”

“This year’s judges are Michael Armstrong, Brenda Clough, Meg Elison, Lee Konstantinou, and Ben Winters.”

For more information, visit The Official Philip K. Dick Awards Page.

Note: If you don’t see the covers and titles above, most likely your ad blocking software/browser extension is not allowing the content from Amazon.com style= to appear.

New Games Page

Posted on by Michael Fisher

Just finished an initial foray into creating a Games page for any type of game – video, board, role-playing – that was inspired by the works of Philip K. Dick or was based (i.e. licensed) on his writing. The new page is located in the Works In Print menu or can be found here: /works-in-print/games/.

There are only two entries so far. A Blade Runner computer/video game from the 90’s exists but isn’t in print. If anyone has other suggestions to add to the page, please comment below with as much information as you can provide.

Philip K. Dick Award Nominations For 2016

Posted on by Michael Fisher

Six paperback originals published in 2015 were selected for the final ballot of the 2016 Philip K. Dick Award.

The Nominees

Edge of Dark

Brenda Cooper 		After the Saucers Landed

Douglas Lain 		(R)evolution

PJ Manney
Apex

Ramez Naam 		Windswept

Adam Rakunas 		Archangel

Marguerite Reed

The final results will be announced on Friday, March 25, 2016.

For more information, visit The Official Philip K. Dick Awards Page.

Note: If you don’t see the covers and titles above, most likely your ad blocking software/browser extension is not allowing the content from Amazon.com style= to appear.

The Passing Of David Bowie And Philip K. Dick

Posted on by Michael Fisher

David Bowie passed away Sunday (January 10, 2016) at the age of 69. I’m not sure how well known David Bowie’s link to Philip K. Dick is and the importance of Bowie to the novel VALIS.

Minor Spoilers Follow

David Bowie's LowThe movie that the characters view at roughly the halfway point of the strongly autobiographical novel was titled VALIS, but the incident is based on Philip K. Dick viewing the film The Man Who Fell To Earth starring David Bowie (who is fictionalized in the novel VALIS as Eric Lampton A.K.A. Mother Goose). Dick found the film to be provocative and beautifully textured and relevant to the experiences he had been having originating on 2-3-74.

David Bowie's Station To StationBowie strongly identified with the character he portrayed in the film, Thomas Jerome Newton. Two of his album covers, Station to Station and Low, are imagery that is associated with the film. I think that Philip K. Dick also strongly identified with Thomas Jerome Newton and with the religious and messianic themes of the film. I believe that Dick saw parallels with his own experiences after and including his Pink Beam Experience on February 20, 1974.

I have always been attracted to music (mostly Rock Music) that expresses themes or ideas from Science Fiction especially Progressive Rock and Space Rock. I’ve enjoyed David Bowie’s work because he toys with concepts that are easily associated with Science Fiction and also concepts that seem to sit within other genres but with a bending or tendency towards Science Fiction. He wrote music and lyrics that weren’t solely about romantic relationships. David Bowie also has acted in films that are Fantasy or Science Fiction and has created personas that have these same elements.

Ziggy Stardust, Aladdin Sane, The Thin White Duke, The Man Who Fell to Earth, Mother Goose. David Bowie will definitely be missed and he left an incredible legacy of music, image and film.

The Man Who Fell To Earth

References

/literary-criticism/interviews/horselover-fat-and-the-new-messiah/

/literary-criticism/frank-views-archive/philip-k-dicks-final-interview/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Man_Who_Fell_to_Earth

http://flavorwire.com/377128/a-journey-through-the-12-ages-of-david-bowie

David Bowie’s Low (33 1/3)

Divine Invasions: A Life of Philip K. Dick