Back to 80: My Literary Life

According to the tradition of the Hugo Awards, there is a section every year to pay tribute to people who have passed away - people who have made significant contributions to popular science and science fiction.

This year's tribute is to the American astronomer, astrophysicist, and science fiction writer Carl Sagan. In addition to making outstanding achievements in astronomy, he also made great achievements in popular science. He wrote "Brocka's Brain" and "Forgotten by the Ancestors". "The Shadow", the science fiction novel "Contact" was adapted into a movie last year (1997).

And the most awesome thing is that in the American Pioneer and Voyager planetary probe plans, Sagan successively proposed that the probes be equipped with metal plates and gold turntables engraved with human greetings. The latter is the well-known "Voice of the Earth" "record!

In 1994, he was awarded the first Asimov Prize for Popular Science and died in 1996.

The host also read out a classic sentence from the novel "Contact" with great emotion: "The vastness of the universe can only be endured by love for tiny creatures like us."

The theater immediately burst into warm applause.

Fang Minghua also clapped politely, but

Based on this sentence alone, more than ten years later, Carl Sagan will be slapped in the face by a novel from a younger generation from China.

After the previous ceremony, the award ceremony followed.

The Hugo Awards are divided into "Best Novel", "Best Novella", "Best Short Novella" and "Best Short Story". Later, "Best Related Work" and "Best Short Story" were also added. "Graphic Novel", "Best Long Form Editor", "Best Semi-Professional Magazine" and more than ten awards.

But in 1998, there were only the first four items, which were also the most important ones.

The order of awards starts with the best short story, which is awarded to "Forty-Three Antarctic Dynasties" written by American writer Mike Resnick.

"Best Short Novella" was awarded to "We Shall Sing with the Fishes..." written by Bill Johnson, and "Best Novelette" was awarded to "Angels Fear" written by serious science fiction novelist Alan Steele. Threat" won.

The most important "Best Novel" award was placed at the end. When the host read "Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets", warm applause broke out throughout the process.

As expected.

In the past year, no fantasy novel has been as good as this one!

Neither does "A Song of Ice and Fire" promoted by Bantam!

Fang Minghua stepped on the stage with ease, took the rocket trophy with fins from the host's hand with a smile, and held it up to accept everyone's congratulations.

After the award ceremony, there was a routine photo session. The four authors who won the trophies stood together and took a precious photo.

Of course you have to be interviewed by reporters.

This time, the security personnel no longer blocked the interview and allowed reporters to look for interviewees. Fang Minghua was undoubtedly the one with the most questions, and the questions they asked also revolved around the novel "Harry Potter".

"How many more films are there to be written?"

"As the author and screenwriter, what is your evaluation of the recently released movie Harry Potter?"

Of course, there are also rather speechless questions: Harry Potter, Ron, who does Ruifang like? Who will you be friends with in the future? "

At first glance, she looked like a young female reporter who had just come out of school, maybe she was a Harry Potter fan.

Fang Minghua looked at this slightly childish female reporter.

He smiled and replied: "This is the story of the subsequent plot. Forgive me, I cannot spoil it."

Of course, taking this opportunity, Fang Minghua couldn't help but say a few words. Tomorrow, he will hold a reader meeting at the largest Barnes \u0026 Noble bookstore in Baltimore, where he will also answer reporters' questions.

At noon the next day, the other two young actors and their agents also arrived in Baltimore on time, and the afternoon reader meeting was held on time. The Barnes \u0026 Noble bookstore was renovated from a 100-year-old old power plant next to the ship harbor, so it is called Baltimore Barnes \u0026 Noble - Power Plant Store;

Because there are four large chimneys standing side by side on the top of the building, it is also known as the "bookstore with four large chimneys". The four large chimneys protruding from the top of the Barnes \u0026 Noble bookstore are black, with the earthy red guitar logo, which is very eye-catching. You can see this unique Barnes \u0026 Noble - Power Plant store from a distance. Its appearance Probably unique in the world.

Today, the third floor, which used to be quiet, seemed very lively. Ming Hua, the author of the Harry Potter novels, held a meeting with readers here.

"Harry Potter" fans from all over the country shared their personal insights and experiences with Fang Minghua. Three young actors who played major roles in the movies suddenly appeared, pushing the entire reader meeting to a climax.

After the nearly one-and-a-half-hour meeting, Fang Minghua took questions from reporters and ended with a book signing and book signing event - there was already a long queue downstairs.

Fang Minghua suddenly discovered that the young reporter who asked questions yesterday came again today, and the questions he asked were still so unreliable.

"Mr. Minghua, why don't you continue writing "Twilight" in the love trilogy? Is it because you don't have the energy to write Harry Potter?"

Fang Minghua was speechless. This was a reporter's Q\u0026A about Harry Potter. How could it be related to "The Twilight Saga"?

But now fans are paying attention, especially female fans.

I like Harry Potter and I also like the handsome and elegant vampire Edward in "Twilight".

It's so sad that I can't see the ending.

I really don’t want to write anymore.

Fang Minghua indeed thought so.

But the other party had already given him his answer - he had no time to care, and he was going to use the slope to unload the donkey.

Suddenly I thought of meeting that young woman and her son on the train.

This was an opportunity, and he wanted to talk about it.

"No, no, although writing "Harry Potter" is very time-consuming and energy-consuming, as a professional writer, I still have time to conceive of other novels, but I don't want to write the follow-up content of "Twilight" for the time being. I want to write another story.”

Fang Minghua is going to write a new novel!

This is very impactful news!

Reporters were immediately interested.

"Allow me to tell you a story first, which is what happened when I took the train from San Francisco to Yancheng two days ago."

Fang Minghua succinctly talked about his encounter with a mother and son on a train, and the little dispute they had with the mother over telling the child the history of the Pacific Railway.

"I want to write a story about Chinese workers building the railway." Fang Minghua finally expressed his thoughts.

The reporters present understood immediately.

Fang Minghua is Chinese!

Why did he write this history?

Isn't it because of the dispute with that mother?

Although quite a few reporters present also doubted the past events that Fang Minghua told, this is their freedom and you have no right to interfere.

"Mr. Minghua, let me ask you, is what you wrote a history or a novel?!" The somewhat childish reporter just now suddenly asked this somewhat pointed question.

Fang Minghua looked at her and said word by word: "What I write is a novel, but it is also history!"