Cyberpunk. In the early 1980s Interzone called for a “new science fiction” and a small group of writers in North America responded, starting a Movement that focussed on high tech and low life that used information technology and cybernetics, but took them out of the lab and onto the street where anyone could pick them up, recycle and reuse them.

The fiction was gritty, typically dark and dystopic, and in the mid-1980s, utterly thrilling. Writers like William Gibson, Bruce Sterling, Pat Cadigan, John Shirley, Lewis Shiner and others pushed the envelope and cyberpunk evolved into only the second true literary movement in the history of science fiction (after the New Wave).

In 1986 Bruce Sterling edited Mirrorshades, the definitive anthology of cyberpunk fiction. It featured just a dozen stories, all of which sketched out in one way or another, what cyberpunk was and what it meant. In some cases the authors weren’t cyberpunks per se, but the work in question very much was.

I’ve just accepted the challenge from Jeremy Lassen at Night Shade Books to, a quarter century later, follow in Bruce’s footsteps and edit a new anthology that will cast its net wider and deeper, and give a fuller picture of what the cyberpunk movement was and what it meant to the field. The anthology, which is still untitled (though I’m referring to it as Cyberpunk at the moment), is due out in 2012.

What I am doing now, though, is asking you to recommend your favourite cyberpunk story using my Cyberpunk Fiction Database. I am looking for recommendations for short stories, novels, and anthologies, and am considering any cyberpunk story, no matter when it was published.  I am especially interested in / looking for recommendations for work by women, people of colour and others.  Cyberpunk was mostly a white male phenomenon, but I’m eager to present as full a picture of this important movement as possible.  Anyone recommending a story will be acknowledged in the final book. I’ve put some recommendations in myself, just to get things started.  You can see what’s already in the database here.

So, we’ve “upgraded” to Windows 7 as of today. What a total clusterf*ck that was, and I say that having arranged for someone else to handle the actual physical upgrading of the physical machines in question.  It’s very clear to me that I made an error of judgement last year when I opted to upgrade my working computer at home to a new Windows-based machine. I toyed with the idea of buying a MacBook to replace it and most likely should have.

The reason that I’m so confident about this is because moving my Outlook email from one machine was, once again, a drama. At a time when I needed to be working on various projects I suddenly had to deal with not having computers accessible and then trying to manage 31,748 emails that weren’t quite where they should be. (sigh)

Still, that is done now.  I now need to look into (a) network storage and (b) the wireless network.  This last set of problems has made it clear that since “Jonathan and Marianne’s Editing Inc” depends on our computer network then it needs to be better managed and regularly backed-up in a safe manner.  I’m looking into that (Netgear’s Stora seems a possibility).  Marianne also continues to experience wireless network connectivity issues, so it looks like that’s going to have to be dealt with too. So, more dollars.

I think what makes this so much fun is that  it’s happening at the same time I need to finish up on Wings of Fire (lots to do and its due 18 March), write copy for the Niven collection, and get ready for taxes.  And all of that has to be done by 2 April, cos we are going on holiday, people, and I will be offline for the whole time. Busy business indeed!

I’ve never done a lot of link updates, but here are few I’ve noticed this morning.  First, there’s an interesting new webzine going up over at Lambda Literary. From the stuff that’s up already it’s should be well worth checking in on regularly.

I also noted that Tor.com have persuaded my pal and colleage Lou Anders to get his geek on and talk about Michael Moorcock as part of their celebrations of all things Moorcockian.

And finally, the latest issue of Clarkesworld is online.  The March issue features fiction by Gord Sellar and Matthew Kressel, along with a conversation with Kij Johnson and a piece on neuroscience fiction and neuroscience fantasy.  Clarkesworld has developed into a terrific magazine and I’ve become a real fan of Gord Sellar’s fiction. Check it out!

According to Locus Online we’re getting ready to ship the March 2010 issue of Locus. This one features an interview with Samuel R. Delany, Forthcoming Books (always one of my favourite parts of the magazine), and appreciations of William Tenn and Kage Baker.

The March 2010 issue is Issue # 590. I don’t know why I was motivated to look, but I checked out the back issue information, and the first issue I wrote reviews for was the August 1997 issue (#439).  So that’s something like 151 issues of the magazine I’ve been involved with over a close to 13 year period.  It’s probably a little closer to 156 because I started as ‘Visiting Editor’ in about April.

It’s been a long and interesting ride working for Locus. I’ve gone through pretty much every emotion with it, and I’m still pleased to see a new issue hit the stands.  I’ve made life-long friends, traveled, and had wonderful experiences simply because I’ve been involved with it. And, of course, I met my wife at their 1993 WorldCon table.

Of course, it’s a hungry beast, Locus.  I’m doing edits on the April columns now, assigning books for May and June, and have thoughts for the September issue.  I’m even taking notes for next February’s ‘year in review’.  It’s a heck of thing.

Well. That was not fun. The upgrade of my working computer from Windows 7 RC1 to Windows 7 did not go smoothly. While all of the main data files have been imported and backed up safely there has been an issue with my email.

Now, what I’m guessing has happened is that when I created a final backup of my main email files (these are .pst files in Outlook) the central file was corrupted. When we tried to import it into Outlook on the new build of the new computer Outlook would not recognise the file. It insisted it was invalid.

After a little research I ran a repair tool over the mailbox and this morning Outlook opened it. All of the folder structure is lost. Now if this were any other email record that would be annoying but not appalling, but losing all folder structure on a little over 29,000 email messages covering a ten year period is a little like someone walking into an organised office and unleashing a whirlwind.

I’m not entirely sure how I’m going to proceed from here. I have quite a number of book projects on the go, and my taxes need to be confronted shortly (as always, I’m late with this – these are my 2008/2009 taxes). I’m tempted to simply take all of the emails out of the ‘recovered folders’, put them in a single folder called ‘old email’ and move on. If I do that, though, I’m going to need to seriously consider how I want to move forward on email organisation.

In the meantime, my apologies for any delays in responding to things or delays in getting things organised. I’m sorting out my information as fast as I can. I should add this mostly affects accessing old record. I may have to ask some people for new copies of recent attached files, but that’s about all.