Ok, so here’s my sekrit project…
Many of you will be familiar with this story already but for anyone who isn’t:
Last year Canadian marine biologist and science fiction writer Dr Peter Watts underwent a terrifying ordeal at the hands of over zealous border crossing guards in Port Huron, USA. While leaving the United States on December 8, 2009, he was subject to an exit search, then beaten, maced and arrested when he tried to find out what was going on.
A full account of the incident and what was to follow is up on Tor.com
Or hear him interviewed about his experience, podcast at Starship Sofa
Even though all he did was fail to promptly comply with border guards’ instructions, he narrowly escaped a prison sentence and is now officially a convicted felon and therefore no longer able to attend US conventions.
Peter’s short story ‘The Island’ from The New Space Opera 2, edited by Gardner Dozois and our own Jonathan Strahan has been nominated for a Hugo award. What with Worldcon being on Aussie soil in September this year, I thought it would be a good thing if he could fly out here for both the Hugos and Aussiecon itself.
To that end, with Peter’s permission, I am raising money for his airfare and accommodation via tuckerisation in his next novel State of Grace. Peter says:
“make sure that all entrants realize that their namesakes will most likely come to a really painful and unpleasant end. And they may not be especially cuddly as characters before then…”
The Aussiecon committee has very kindly donated Peter’s membership. The rest is up to us. If you think the guy deserves a break, how about taking part in the raffle or making a donation?
I’ve never met Peter face-to-face but we’ve been email buddies since I sent him a gushing fan letter after reading his first novel Starfish some years back.
He is well known as an excellent value panelist and would be a fantastic asset to the ‘hard science fiction’ end of the con’s literary stream. He has also consented to participating in Dudcon where he will hand out the Ditmars and generally partake of other silliness as required.
To have a chance of being tuckerised in State of Grace send AUS $10 via Paypal to watts2aussiecon@gmail.com
Email me privately if you’d prefer to participate via some other medium: cat at catsparks.net
If you’re not into tuckerisation but would like to sling a few bucks into the pot, that’s awesome too.
Any funds raised surplus to requirements will be donated to a reputable charity of Peter’s choice.
Feel free to re-post this message on your own blog if you consider this to be a worthy project
Thank you!
44 Comments
Will his U.S. conviction cause any problems with his travel to Australia? (If not, awesome!)
no it won’t — we have thoroughly researched this issue and Dr Watts has been issued with a visa
That was going to be my question. Although Australia have always been very slightly less insane than the US on that count.
They can stop you coming in if you’ve done jail time. And refuse to issue a visa at their discretion, but he has his visa, no problem.
Count me in.
Good man!
also… Chucky, that’s one mighty scary icon you’ve got there!
But I’m wearing my smiley face!
EEK!
That’s not ‘Chucky’, that’s Wolverine!
the truth is finally out…
That’s a cool idea.
He shouldn’t have too many problems visiting Australia. Just as long as he doesn’t come here by boat!
heh. Yeah.
Awesome! Reposted
🙂
Will buy a ticket or two ASAP
very much obliged!
😀
Tweeted too… sort of…
Ta! the Twitterverse is a mystery to me.
Me too, but still I keep trying…
I will write up a more sensible tweet which might even get re-tweeted in a bit.
I was a bit heady about tweeting again. It’s been a long drought.
thanks for that! Every little bit helps.
Blogged, tweeted and facebooked. Great idea, Cat – you can count me in.
Good man!
Lovely idea, Cat.
Ta! Now what do I have to do to get you to Aussiecon? 🙂
Done and I posted to facebook. I can’t figure out how to copy the post with photo onto my lj ….
Email sent.
awesome dude. Thanks very much.
Oh, and I linked to RPGnet, a forum I frequent.
excellent!
Easy and done!
goodonya darl! XX
$20 from me should be winging it’s way to you via the intertubes as we speak.
thank you kindly!
So how’s the fundraising going so far? mere hours after this has begun
going well — I’ll do a blog post later today
Hey, you made it onto boingboing! I sit at the feet of greatness.
woah indeed!
Great work, Cat! I’ve sent my $10.
Goodonya!
I’ll be sending my $10 directly. Was explaining this to hubby and he wanted to know why there was the rule about him not being able to attend US conventions. Is this some weird, spooky American law or a weird spooky US Worldcon rule?
Peter has a criminal conviction as a result of the border crossing incident. This means he is not allowed to set foot on American soil.
Peter at AussieCon4
Peter doesn’t seem to have mentioned this on his blog, is there a reason? I bet lots of Canadian and US fans would love to contribute as well.
I’m really looking forward to chatting over dinner or drinks with Peter again. I last saw him on my second last trip to Canada in 2004. I still had his voice in my head narrating while I read about the destruction of Vancouver in the Rifters trilogy, while I was visiting Vancouver, just a week later. 🙂
Re: Peter at AussieCon4
It’s me asking for money rather than Peter himself so I suspect this is why he hasn’t blogged it.
Help me
People, I really need to buy tramadol,won’t they cheat HERE ?
I dunno what that cake was made of, but it was LUSH.