Edward M. Lerner
Edward M. Lerner
Edward M. Lerneris an American author of science fiction, techno-thrillers, and popular science...
NationalityAmerican
ProfessionAuthor
CountryUnited States of America
began computer engineer full high hobby physicist scientist senior sf tech thirty time vice worked
I'm a physicist and computer scientist by training. I worked in high tech for thirty years as everything from engineer to senior vice president - for many of those years, writing SF as a hobby - until, in 2004, I began writing full time.
figure mainstream science understand words
In mainstream literature, a trope is a figure of speech: metaphor, simile, irony, or the like. Words used other than literally. In SF, a trope - at least as I understand the usage - is more: science used other than literally.
agreed basic build experts hard human terms
It would help if human experts agreed on the meaning of such basic terms as intelligence, consciousness, or awareness. They don't. It's hard to build something that's incompletely defined.
challenge expanding fun future gone history knowledge lies remaining true
The challenge - and much of the fun - of writing in an established future history lies in incorporating new knowledge while remaining true to what has gone before. Expanding and enriching, not contradicting.
appreciate readers
I like to think readers appreciate a well-drawn near-future as well as a well-drawn far-future.
mistaken ought
Some books are serials, not to be mistaken for anything else. 'The Two Towers,' for example, ought never to be read in isolation.
authors surprising
Authors like reading. Go figure. So it's not surprising that we sometimes bog down in the research stage of new writing projects.
Happily, researchphilia is not the problem it once was. The Internet makes just-in-time research very practical.
believe forgotten humanity
I want to believe humanity has not forgotten how to explore.
The distinguishing characteristic of the techno-thriller is technical detail.
hard sf
What kind of hard SF do I write? Everything from near-future, Earth-centric techno-thrillers to far-future, far-flung interstellar epics.
background describe expect forensics historical history learn mystery police procedure readers technology westerns
History buffs expect historical background in historical fiction. Mystery readers expect forensics and police procedure in crime fiction. Westerns - gasp - describe the West. Techno-thriller readers expect to learn something about technology from their fiction.
actual attempting fine merely might predict science sf technology uses work
Many a fine SF story uses science or technology merely as backdrop. Many a fine SF story presumes a technological breakthrough and explores its implications without attempting to predict how the thing might actual work.
differ enriched merely particular readers totally viewers
Readers and viewers will differ about what's totally standalone, what's totally serially dependent, and what's merely enriched by reading/viewing in a particular order.