Hi! I’m Tobias S. Buckell and today I’m doing a guest post for Grasping For The Wind.
One of the things that seems to get people’s attention is that I grew up on a boat in the Caribbean. Not a house boat. That’s where people’s minds always leap to. But a yacht. One with mast and sail. I lived in the fore-cabin. It’s like very tight New York apartment living, but you can take your home anywhere you want.
It wasn’t magical tropical paradise living. We were more like members of a constantly shifting community of temporary neighbors who’s socio-economic background varied. I’ve compared it to an RV camp to some people. You had the gamut of friendly vacationers, clueless vacationers, old timers, people hard up on tough times, international members passing through, and the rich people with souped up vehicles that shone. We were always scrabbling a bit to make ends meet, and yet at the same time enjoyed the vistas that usually only millionaires get to enjoy.
We had a wind generator to power our batteries, and rain tanks to catch water. We could sail to other places to enjoy the beaches. It was a semi-independent life that I miss, now. Now my house is connected to a coal-powered grid. I use too much electricity. I don’t catch my own water, but take ridiculously long showers and trust the sewers to catch it all. And my house doesn’t pick up and move. I miss the ocean.
Although my latest novel, Arctic Rising
Writing Arctic Rising was an excuse to let my mind get back onto the ocean, and I have to say, it left me rather home sick.
Tobias is a Caribbean-born SF/F novelist who lives in Ohio whose novels include Halo: The Cole Protocol; the space opera trilogy Crystal Rain, Ragamuffin, and Sly Mongoose; and many critically acclaimed short stories and novellas.
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I’d love if Mr. Buckell could read this comment.
A few years ago I read and loved “Crystal Rain”, which I got as an ebook before publishers began blocking non-Americans from purchasing them. But when the sequel, Ragamuffin, came about, no e-store would allow me to purchase it. The message was and continues being the same: “This title is not available for customers from your location.” Sure, the printed version is available, but with freight added it costs almost the triple, meaning I still haven’t been able to afford them. The same happens with the new one: no ebook version for me.
So, if possible, I’d like to ask you to ask your publishers to make your books available as ebooks worldwide, or at least to include Brazil among the available countries. The day it happens is also the day I’m purchasing them!
Thanks!
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