radio

The Future of the Yukon (maybe): Radio Series “Yukon 2058”

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We hear a lot about the future of New York, of San Francisco, of England.  Ever wondered what the NORTH would look like in 50 years? What would be happening, what kinds of trends here in the Yukon?  What kinds of possibilities?  Is it all going to be dark from climate change, or will we adapt as we go? I think it’s going to be a good Future if we can take better care of the Now.

Three years ago I created a five part series called “Yukon 2058” for the 50th anniversary of CBC.  They wanted something that celebrated their first 50 years, so I offered them a look at the next 50 years.  My theme was to eventually come back to why CBC is important, why local programming trumps National programming, why having a large staff in a small place like the Yukon is important.  I tried weave my opinions about what is good about CBC, and what is bad about the trends happening to CBC, into a narrative.  Yukon 2058 is the result.  5 parts.  The narrative of a CBC reporter wondering what his future will be, trying to find where he belongs in a rapidly competitive market.

You can go to the Radio Series page and look under YUKON 2058.

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*image is Joyce Majiski’s “Racing Uphill.”  See more of her work on her website.

“Adopting My Mother” radio series is up

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Hi Folks, if you look under Radio Series, you’ll see I finally put up the 5 parts of “Adopting my Mother.”  It was my first radio series.  Be kind.  I had a lot of fun with it, but it was my first foray into radio series.  It tells the story of when my birthmother found me, when I was 30.  What follows is me getting used to having another mother, or trying to figure out how to fit in a person into my life who had a very important role in creating me.  It’s not easy adopting a new person into your life–when you have a mom, a happy life, and you think you really don’t have to know where you came from or your own history….

But it’s interesting how much that beckons when you’ve never really known where you came from….. or why….

And suddenly here’s someone who can tell you everything…  and they’re only an email away.

Come listen to “Adopting My Mother” on the Radio Series page.

Hearing me read my story in On Spec [online]

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os_spr07Hey, you can hear me reading from my science fiction story, “Why the Poets were Banned from the City” online at On Spec: Follow this link here.

It originally appeared in the Spring 2007 issue that you see on the left. What I loved about the cover art by Robert Pasternak is that it is a wave of white horses, exactly how Whitehorse was named (for the rapids and their uncanny resemblance to white horses). It was a nice piece of synchronicity for me as a writer.

The piece is only 5 minutes long, but you can read the rest in the Spring 2007 back issue.

Much gratitude to Diane Walton and Colin Lynch of On Spec for asking me to do it. And for a great friend who helped me record it. Thanks!

On Spec is dedicated to publishing Canadian Speculative Fiction and is always looking for more. Hop around on their website this holiday and see what they’ve got.

Leaving America is All Here

jstueart2 Comments

Okay, I uploaded the rest of Leaving America.  All seven episodes are there.  Some of you heard this in a 5 episode run–don’t know what they (Toronto) cut, but they went from Seven 6.5 min episodes to Five 5 min episodes.  Here are the original versions where you even get to hear me do a bad Tiki Chorus at the Ft. Nelson hotel….forgive me.  I was having too much fun.

The 4000 mile road-trip journey is full of immigrants, storms, wild and woolly Oz, screaming Heads, funny interviews, a little history, a little death, a lot of song, and many hidden science fiction references–especially in the music.  After all, immigration is about being an alien who finds a home.

And that’s pure science fiction.

I want to thank everyone who allowed me to talk with them along the way, my family, my friends, CBC and Arnold Hedstrom for funding it and giving me complete creative freedom, the great musicians whose music runs through this.  And to all the listeners who liked it and told me about it.  Thanks for liking my story.

Enjoy.

Predicting the Yukon of the Future: a new radio series

jstueart5 Comments

I’m excited to announce that there will be a new 5-part radio series beginning sometime in November, either next Monday, 17th, or the following Monday, lasting 5 days in a row, exploring life in the Yukon in 2058. In honour of CBC North’s 50th Anniversary, we take you flash-forward into a very positive look at the future.

Recently I read a column at Fantasy Magazine’s website entitled, Why We Need Scientist Heroes Again, and the author made a good case for thinking positive:

“Show of hands – who wants to retire to their grandchildren’s sub-prime one-room hovel in the decayed urban warzone that was once America?

Or perhaps roam the sweltering wasteland looking for gasoline while the mutants hunt you down?

Yeah, thought so.

Then let’s inspire some smart folks to get scientifical and create smart solutions to our stupid problems.”

So, in that spirit, I pitched Yukon 2058 to CBC North and they liked it. And I think things will get more and more interesting in the north over the next 50 years. Not every positive accomplishment will have positive consequences all the way round. And that too is a power science fiction has–to warn us. If everything turns out just hunky-dory we never have to change what we’re doing. But in the spirit of thinking positive– of actually dealing with climate change (cause it will happen), I hope you enjoy Yukon 2058, my own personal vision of the Yukon of the future. If you like some of the things, don’t wait 50 years to start them, or to think up things on your own. Create the place you want to live in, the place you want your kids to live in, the place you want to retire in. The world is going to turn its collective global head north very soon–let people know what you would like to see in fifty years.

Also, there’s a science fiction anthology in the works looking at optimistic near future science fiction, called Shine. Check out the website and submit your stories. I’ll write another post about Shine too.

Leaving America: the Radio Series

jstueart9 Comments

Hey, looks like it’s a go!  CBC Yukon is airing my radio series starting Monday, June 2, between 7:15 and 7:30am.  The episodes are about 6 min apiece and there’s seven of them.  Five from Mon-Fri and then two left over on Mon, the 9th and Tues, the 10th.

The seven episodes cover my road trip from Midway TX to Whitehorse, YT–4000 miles of stopovers, national parks and interesting things that I did and thought about and interesting people I met along the way–not all of them, of course.  I only had a total of 49 minutes, tops!

Mostly it’s about Immigration and what you think about when you change your national identity.  But there’s a lot of science fiction in there too because they are so intertwined.  (see earlier post on Immigration and Aliens).

Hope you enjoy it.  I had a lot of fun doing the audio edits and choosing music and sound effects.  I’ve hidden a lot of science fiction music cues in the piece–and hearing what I did with Klingon battle music is worth getting up that early!  LOL.