Spider Star

The human colony on the planet Argo has long explored and exploited the technology left behind by an extinct alien race. But then an archaeology team accidentally activates a terrible weapon...
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Praise for Star Dragon

"Seldom does a storytelling talent come along as potent and fully mature as Mike Brotherton. His complex characters take you on a voyage that is both fiercely credible and astonishingly imaginative. This is Science Fiction."
-- David Brin

"Star Dragon is terrific fare, offering readers a fusion of hard science and grand adventure."
-- Locus Magazine

"Star Dragon is steeped in cosmology, the physics of interstellar travel, exobiology, artificial intelligence, bioscience. Brotherton, author of many scientific articles in refereed journals, has written a dramatic, provocative, utterly convincing hard science sf novel that includes an ironic twist that fans will love."
-- Booklist starred review

"Readers hungry for the thought-provoking extrapolation and rigorous technical detail of old-fashioned hard SF are sure to enjoy astronomer Brotherton's first novel."
-- Publishers Weekly

"Mike Brotherton, himself a trained astrophysicist, combines the technical acuity and ingenuity of Robert Forward with the ironic, postmodern stance and style of M. John Harrison. In this, his debut novel, those twin talents unite to produce a work that is involving on any number of levels. It's just about all you could ask for in a hardcore SF adventure."
-- Paul di Fillippo, SCI-FI.COM
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The Launch Pad Astronomy Workshop for Writers is now taking applications

February 15th, 2009

It’s the time of the year again to advertise for my annual astronomy workshop.

Launch Pad is going to be held from July 14-21, 2009. The special guest instructor this year is Joe Haldeman, science fiction novelist, has a degree in physics and astronomy, and is an avid amateur astronomer. Phil Plait of Bad Astronomy should also be joining us for at least a few days. Regular presenters Mike Brotherton and Jim Verley will do their thing as usual, and there will be other astronomers guest lecturing in their specialties. Launch Pad is a week-long crash course for modern astronomy held annually in Laramie, Wyoming, and combines traditional lecture, experiment, activities, discussion, and telescope visits that include a trip to the 2.3 meter telescope at WIRO.

Launch Pad is NASA funded, and we pay for lodging, travel, and some additional expenses (most but not all meals, textbooks). Attendence is limited to about a dozen participants who are selected based on audience size and audience diversity. That’s a fancy way of saying we don’t just admit a dozen white male hard sf novelists who write for pretty much the same audience. We would love to see more applications from writers of all genres, non-fiction writers, screen writers, playwrights, editors and anyone with the ability to put more and better quality astronomy in front of interested eyes, although we expect many participants to continue to be science fiction novelists as they have dominated the applicant pool.

More information, a history, and detailed reports from previous Launch Pad participants Alma Alexander and David Levine are available online. Please be encouraged to spread the word about the workshop. We will be open for applications until March 15 and final decisions should be made by March 31.

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