Cringely’s Earth Orbit Scow
Renowned technology writer RobertX. Cringely posts about space trash, recognizing it as an additional barrier to spaceward movement. Why leave this manmade hurdle in our path to the stars. He  proposes a vessel that has much in common with Kite. For as a fictional platform our beloved Kite has much more potential for adventure, and it would seem that robotic sweepers are a natural. but if Earth-bound street sweepers still require crew, would it be wise to leave an expensive space utility vehicle unattended? Yes, life support adds significantly to cost  but it could be wort

High Praise for Kite!
Reports from readers (bless you!) are starting to come in and all without exception are highly positive. It’s good to hear that folks can take some time from their daily challenges for a little trip into Earth orbit with Dash and Sheila. Everyone without exception has commented on the humor, and that is most gratifying. One reader has even convinced his son to read it by comparing it favorably to Douglas Adams! High praise indeed. We would never have presumed to make that comparison, but now that it’s been broached by another it may turn up in our promotion copy, perhaps in the ad we place on the menu of Milliways, the Restaurant at the End of the Universe. We’re intere

Hard Science Fiction: Toward a Definition
Embarking on initial research for an essay entitled “The Hard Science Fiction Manifesto” of course I immediately found a web site that covered it well enough to save me the work. The quote below is from Rocket Punk’s fine sci-fi glossary. The original page has anchorlinks to other terms in the glossary (”TECHLEVEL”) which I won’t reproduce here: HARD SF. Written SF that adheres, or tries to adhere, to plausible science and technology.

Kite: A Free Sample
Here are the cover, the first two chapters, and the back cover of Kite. If you’re coming in direct, Kite is a science fiction novel set in Earth orbit. The link and image below will open the free sample into a Flash application that allows perhaps a more pleasant page-turning online reading experience. You must have a Flash player installed on your computer for it to work. Enjoy. For best results maximize the new window that will open when you click the link below and put your browser in Full Screen Mode. Press the “1:1″ button for actual size if needed for readability. More detailed reading tips are at the bottom of the cover image.

Kite…now available!
You can get Kite today at your favorite online outlets. All the details are below, including, synopsis. Kite is a novel set in Earth orbit, written by your friend and mine, Bill Shears. Under the cover pic below is the synopsis and other notes. At your local brick-and-latte bookstore the pierced and tattooed clerk can special order it for you if it’s not on the shelf. It’s available in these three direct online bookstores, among others: Buy Kite at Amazon