Writing
5.13.18 How a musical called ‘Chess’ keeps making all the wrong moves after 34 years
Chess is not a great musical. It is not even one of Tim Rice’s greatest musicals. But if you’ve ever heard “One Night in Bangkok” or “I Know Him So Well,” you know this: it’s got some pretty awesome 1980s-era pop music. And I love it dearly. How could I not? Along with Rice, the…
Read More04.03.18 Farewell Steven Bochco, who knew TV audiences wanted to be ‘transported’
He was the man behind Hill Street Blues, NYPD Blue, L.A. Law and Cop Rock. OK, nobody’s perfect. But Steven Bochco, who died of a rare form of leukemia on April 1 at age 74, bridged classic old TV procedurals with a new, edgy way of storytelling that was also hugely commercial. As I grew…
Read More11.20.17 Answers to Award Season Stupid Questions: Kenneth Branagh orients us about Hercule Poirot’s mustache
One of the more wonderful aspects of award season is I get to ask all of the weird questions of directors, writers, producers and sometimes actors about things that often have nothing to do with the reason I got them on the phone. Here’s the first in what I’m hoping will be an ongoing series…
Read More11.10.17 Fame, Fortune and Fifteen (Dollars)
Excitement! Fame! Fortune! OK, well, mostly just excitement. And “fame” if you don’t mind it in quotation marks. And fortune … well, if $15 counts. But I’ll take it! A couple quick updates I wanted to share with y’all, so no one can say they are not in the loop. I’m No. 2! I’m No.…
Read MoreWorld Fantasy Convention 2017
Thursday, November 2 3:30 p.m. Reading WR – ExecSalon 3 I will be reading from a short story or a novel! Saturday, November 4 2 p.m. Broad Universe Rapid Fire Reading WR – ExecSalon 4 More reading from me, along with fellow Broads E. C. Ambrose, Elizabeth Crowens, Ellen Denham, J. Tullos Hennig, Paula S.…
Read More9.07.17 NYRSF Reading in Brooklyn – Randee Dawn and Cassandra Khaw
In case you missed my New York Review of Science Fiction reading with Cassandra Khaw on Wednesday, September 6, you can now view the whole thing in living color via Livestream! Alas, it doesn’t seem that I can embed it here, but just click through and you’ll do fine! https://livestream.com/thecommons/NYRSFr-170906-Dawn-Khaw/videos/162389753?t=1504759038325
Read More9.05.17 Warning: It may not be the information you seek
Beware anyone who comes after your right to learn. Your right to hear opposing notions. Your right to be among those who see the world differently than you do.
Read More7.26.17 Read my story ‘The Visitors’ in the new issue of Fantasia Divinity
Huzzah! My story, “The Visitors,” can now be read at Fantasia Divinity, as part of their July 2017 issue. Thanks to editor Madeline Stout, who saw the beauty in the tale. A sample: Tales tumbled from Ma’s mouth like ripe fruit from a summer tree. She would pierce each one open with her voice, sending…
Read MoreConfluence (Parsec) 2017
Friday, August 4 6 p.m. Superhero movies: Why hasn’t the bubble burst? Commonwealth East JL Gribble (moderator), Timothy Liebe, Randee Dawn, Dame Dahlia “Star Wars” initiated a series of Hollywood sf films, and “Halloween” started a craze for slasher films. But in the end, the bubble burst. We’re saturated with superhero movies, television series, and…
Read More7.08.17 Flashback! Ellen Kushner and Delia Sherman talk Readercon (1994): ‘It’s like Brigadoon!’
In 1994, I had my first brush with science fiction/fantasy conventions when The Boston Phoenix asked me to interview Ursula K. LeGuin, who was to be the Guest of Honor (along with Terri Windling) at the 7th annual Readercon. At that time, I still had an image in my head that SFF conventions were all…
Read More