Douglas Lain
Encyclopedia
Douglas Lain is a fiction writer who has been compared to Philip K. Dick
and Pamela Zoline
. His first novel, entitled "Billy Moon:1968," is due out from Tor Books
.
His stories and novellas might be called interstitial or "slipstream" (a term invented by the cyberpunk
author Bruce Sterling
). However, his second short story collection Fall Into Time was recently published by the Bizarro
publisher Eraserhead Press, and includes the story "Noam Chomsky
and the Timebox" about a tech blogger who travels back in time and becomes obsessed with a twenty-two minute period in the Chicago O'Hara Airport on November 16th, 1971, when Noam Chomsky and Terence McKenna
nearly met.
Lain is also the author of a the surrealist memoir Pick Your Battle, a book that explores the possibilities involved in urban foraging and psychogeography
. Lain self-published this book with funding from Kickstarter
.
His novella "Wave of Mutilation" was published by Fantastic Planet Press and was described as a "A dream-pop exploration of modern architecture and the American identity" by the publisher. On the release of this novella Kris Saknussemm
compared Lain to J.G. Ballard, Philip K. Dick
, and Walker Percy
, and the novella received an endorsement from Jeffrey Ford
. His first novel is due out in 2013 from Tor books. It is the story of Christopher Robin Milne
's entirely imaginary involvement with the French Student/Worker Movement of Mai 1968, and will be entitled "Billy Moon: 1968."
Lain is also the host of the podcasts "Diet Soap" and "One Thousand Words." He was the co-author of the Artists and Writers Petition Against the War on Iraq, and was formerly an organizer of protests against the Patriot Act, the bombing of Afghanistan
, and the Iraq
war.
He lives in Portland, Oregon.
Philip K. Dick
Philip Kindred Dick was an American novelist, short story writer and essayist whose published work is almost entirely in the science fiction genre. Dick explored sociological, political and metaphysical themes in novels dominated by monopolistic corporations, authoritarian governments and altered...
and Pamela Zoline
Pamela Zoline
Pamela Zoline or Pamela Lifton-Zoline is a writer and painter living in the United States in Telluride, Colorado.Among science fiction fans, she is known for her controversial 1967 short story "The Heat Death of the Universe"...
. His first novel, entitled "Billy Moon:1968," is due out from Tor Books
Tor Books
Tor Books is one of two imprints of Tom Doherty Associates LLC, based in New York City. It is noted for its science fiction and fantasy titles. Tom Doherty Associates also publishes mainstream fiction, mystery, and occasional military history titles under its Forge imprint. The company was founded...
.
His stories and novellas might be called interstitial or "slipstream" (a term invented by the cyberpunk
Cyberpunk
Cyberpunk is a postmodern and science fiction genre noted for its focus on "high tech and low life." The name is a portmanteau of cybernetics and punk, and was originally coined by Bruce Bethke as the title of his short story "Cyberpunk," published in 1983...
author Bruce Sterling
Bruce Sterling
Michael Bruce Sterling is an American science fiction author, best known for his novels and his work on the Mirrorshades anthology, which helped define the cyberpunk genre.-Writings:...
). However, his second short story collection Fall Into Time was recently published by the Bizarro
Bizarro
Bizarro is a fictional character that appears in publications published by DC Comics. The character was created by writer Otto Binder and artist George Papp as a "mirror image" of Superman and first appeared in Superboy #68...
publisher Eraserhead Press, and includes the story "Noam Chomsky
Noam Chomsky
Avram Noam Chomsky is an American linguist, philosopher, cognitive scientist, and activist. He is an Institute Professor and Professor in the Department of Linguistics & Philosophy at MIT, where he has worked for over 50 years. Chomsky has been described as the "father of modern linguistics" and...
and the Timebox" about a tech blogger who travels back in time and becomes obsessed with a twenty-two minute period in the Chicago O'Hara Airport on November 16th, 1971, when Noam Chomsky and Terence McKenna
Terence McKenna
Terence Kemp McKenna was an Irish-American philosopher, psychonaut, researcher, teacher, lecturer and writer on many subjects, such as human consciousness, language, psychedelic drugs, the evolution of civilizations, the origin and end of the universe, alchemy, and extraterrestrial beings.-Early...
nearly met.
Lain is also the author of a the surrealist memoir Pick Your Battle, a book that explores the possibilities involved in urban foraging and psychogeography
Psychogeography
Psychogeography was defined in 1955 by Guy Debord as "the study of the precise laws and specific effects of the geographical environment, consciously organized or not, on the emotions and behavior of individuals." Another definition is "a whole toy box full of playful, inventive strategies for...
. Lain self-published this book with funding from Kickstarter
Kickstarter
Kickstarter is an online threshold pledge system for funding creative projects. Kickstarter has funded a diverse array of endeavors, ranging from indie film and music to journalism, solar energy technology and food-related projects.-Model:...
.
His novella "Wave of Mutilation" was published by Fantastic Planet Press and was described as a "A dream-pop exploration of modern architecture and the American identity" by the publisher. On the release of this novella Kris Saknussemm
Kris Saknussemm
Kris Saknussemm is a cult novelist and multimedia artist. Born and educated in America, he has lived most of his life abroad, primarily in Australia and the Pacific Islands....
compared Lain to J.G. Ballard, Philip K. Dick
Philip K. Dick
Philip Kindred Dick was an American novelist, short story writer and essayist whose published work is almost entirely in the science fiction genre. Dick explored sociological, political and metaphysical themes in novels dominated by monopolistic corporations, authoritarian governments and altered...
, and Walker Percy
Walker Percy
Walker Percy was an American Southern author whose interests included philosophy and semiotics. Percy is best known for his philosophical novels set in and around New Orleans, Louisiana, the first of which, The Moviegoer, won the National Book Award for Fiction in 1962...
, and the novella received an endorsement from Jeffrey Ford
Jeffrey Ford
Jeffrey Ford is an American writer in the Fantastic genre tradition, although his works have spanned genres including Fantasy, Science Fiction and Mystery. His work is characterized by a sweeping imaginative power, humor, literary allusion, and a fascination with tales told within tales...
. His first novel is due out in 2013 from Tor books. It is the story of Christopher Robin Milne
Christopher Robin Milne
Christopher Robin Milne was the son of author A. A. Milne. As a child, he was the basis of the character Christopher Robin in his father's Winnie-the-Pooh stories and in two books of poems.-Early life:...
's entirely imaginary involvement with the French Student/Worker Movement of Mai 1968, and will be entitled "Billy Moon: 1968."
Lain is also the host of the podcasts "Diet Soap" and "One Thousand Words." He was the co-author of the Artists and Writers Petition Against the War on Iraq, and was formerly an organizer of protests against the Patriot Act, the bombing of Afghanistan
Afghanistan
Afghanistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located in the centre of Asia, forming South Asia, Central Asia and the Middle East. With a population of about 29 million, it has an area of , making it the 42nd most populous and 41st largest nation in the world...
, and the Iraq
Iraq
Iraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
war.
He lives in Portland, Oregon.
Short story collections
- Fall Into Time, Eraserhead Press (2011)
- Last Week's Apocalypse, Night Shade Books (2006)
External links
- Wave of Mutilation, a novella Eraserhead Press, October 2011
- Pick Your Battle: Your Guide to Urban Foraging, Hollywood Movies, Late Capitalism, and the Communist Alternative (a memoir)
- Fall Into Time, Eraserhead Press, May 2011
- http://www.amazon.com/dp/1597800341Last Week's Apocalypse, Night Shade BooksNight Shade BooksNight Shade Books is an independent publishing company based in San Francisco, specializing in science fiction, fantasy, and horror. It was started in 1997 by Jason Williams, with Jeremy Lassen coming on board as a partner shortly after the company's founding...
, 2006] - Douglas Lain's Homepage, the author's official site. Includes his blog, bibliography, and links to some of his stories online.
- Diet Soap Podcast.
- http://www.strangehorizons.com/2006/20060410/lain-int-a.shtml/Mahesh Raj Mohan interviews Douglas Lain for Strange HorizonsStrange HorizonsStrange Horizons is an online speculative fiction magazine. It also features speculative poetry in every issue....
, April 17, 2006] - Diet Soap Podcast #34-Reading of How to Cut Your Life to Pieces, December 2nd, 2009
- One Thousand Words Podcast: Conversations about the history of the Avant Garde
Short stories available online
- Resurfacing Billy,"Futurismic November 2008.
- How to Cut Your Life to Pieces,"Farrago's Wainscot" May 2008.
- A Coffee Cup/Alien Invasion Story, Strange HorizonsStrange HorizonsStrange Horizons is an online speculative fiction magazine. It also features speculative poetry in every issue....
, 7 February 2005. - Shopping at the End of the World, Strange HorizonsStrange HorizonsStrange Horizons is an online speculative fiction magazine. It also features speculative poetry in every issue....
, 22 September 2003. - The '84 Regress, The Infinite Matrix, 5 May 2003.
- "Identity Is a Construct" (and Other Sentences), Strange HorizonsStrange HorizonsStrange Horizons is an online speculative fiction magazine. It also features speculative poetry in every issue....
, 14 January 2002. - Free Speech and the End of the World, Pif MagazinePif MagazinePif Magazine is one of the oldest, continually published literary zines online. Founded in 1995 by Richard Luck, the magazine has published original works by authors such as Amy Hempel, Julia Slavin, Richard Yates, and David Lehman, as well as interviews with modern literary greats like A. Manette...
, November 2001.
Reviews of Douglas Lain's Books
- http://redmetaphor.blogspot.com/2011/06/pick-your-battle-by-douglas-lain.html Review of Pick Your Battle at Red Metaphor, 8 June 2011
- http://aaahfooey.blogspot.com/2011/08/fall-into-time-by-douglas-lain.html Review of Fall Into Time, 29 August 2011
- http://www.strangehorizons.com/reviews/2006/02/last_week.shtml Review of Last Week's Apocalypse at "Strange HorizonsStrange HorizonsStrange Horizons is an online speculative fiction magazine. It also features speculative poetry in every issue....
", 20 February 2006.