Saturday, May 26, 2018

Interview April 16, 2018 (TBA)

APRIL  2018  
Hello Dan,

I'm a freelance science journalist based in the USA. I've just spoken with the author of a cli-fi novel  for a profile piece I'm doing on him. I'm using the profile to reach into the world of cli-fi, and how it may influence public perception of climate science.

I'd like to chat with you about his book, your coining of the term "cli-fi" and your work in this genre. Do you have time to chat for 15 minutes or so in the next few days?

We can have a phone chat or an email exchange if that's easiest for you.

Thanks

PS: written on May 30

''Sorry for the delayed reply, as I've been on vacation. 

May 30 is not the publication date, as you thought. It's been pushed back due to scheduling issues, but I'll certainly let you know when the date is set and I'll send it along before then. It's still in an early draft stage.''


Dan replied in internet time:

Hi,
Yes sure, glad to help. Am retired journalist myself. Alaska, Tokyo, Taiwan. Newsroom editor. Now retired in Taiwan doing my cli-fi pr work in support of cli-fi authors like him 24/7.
Haven't taken a vacation or a day off since april 20, 2013. Ask me why that date.

So ask me anything by email ...
Cheers,
DAN

==============
>> >> Here are some of my questions for you:April 16, 2018
>> >>++++++++++++++++
>>
>> >> 1) Why did you decide to go all-in on promoting cli-fi?
>>
>> My background is in journalism and newspaper newsrooms in Washington dc, juneau alaska, tokyo japan and taipei taiwan. Im a newspaper brat. I know the power of opeds, letters to the editor, columnists, online websites and i have hundreds of media contacts worldwide. My mentor was benjamin bradlee. He gave me my start at the washington post. So i have a good sense of the power of the mainstream media to communicate important ideas. After npr did its important cli-fi news segment on april 20, 2013....i decided that it was time then to go all-in. So 24/7 i monitor news feeds from twitter and google news for mentions of cli-fi. This is my life's work now. I'm retired from newspapering.
>>
>> What about this genre is so important to you?
>>
>> I am a word man. Im not an intellectual or a professor. I love pr. I love networking. I love life and wake up every day full of positive energy and optimism. Even though things look grim.  So i feel very deeply that cli-fi as a pr tool and a climate change communication tool is an important part of the culture now. 
>> >>
>> >> 2) Do you think that cli-fi needs to be optimistic and solutions-based in order to be effective, or do you see value in dystopian stories?
>>
>> I am sitting on the fence. Im an optimist and i believe in hope. Cli-fi is for the hopeful. But if individual novelists want to write dystopian cli-fi stories, thats okay with me. I loved reading The Road by cormac mccarthy. But i also like hopeful optimistic cli-fi tales like bill liggeets watermelon snow. I met him and his book online. What first attracted me was his wonderful title! I had to look up watermelon snow. I had never heard that term before! I love it. Titles have power.
>>
>> >>
>> >> 3) How did you first get to know the author I am profiling in my piece to be published in June.?
>>
>> I met him online and wrote to him to interview him for my blog. Ive done over 100 clifi author interviews since 2011.
>>
>> Q. How have you worked with him?
>>
>> I didnt know him  beforehand. But i liked his blog posts too. Hes a committed writer.
>> >>
>> >> 4) Assuming you've read his novel, how do you think it fits into the cli-fi genre, and what can it accomplish as a science communication tool?
>>
>>His book is cli-fi for the general reader. The title grabs you. It grabbed me. He is good at doing his own pr for the book. Hes on twitter everyday! Hes indefatigable! As a science comm tool, his novel's title is eyecatching ear catching and the definition of of the title is a science lesson itself! 

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