June 2011 (Issue 13)

Fiction: “Snapshots I Brought Back from the Black Hole” by K.C. Ball, “Frost Painting” by Carolyn Ives Gilman, “Transcript of Interaction Between Astronaut Mike Scudderman and the OnStar Hands-Free A.I. Crash Advisor” by Grady Hendrix, “Recording Angel” by Ian McDonald.

Nonfiction: “Dividing By Zero” by Mike Brotherton, “Dissolving the Wall Between Art and Science” by Graeme McMillian, “Six A.I. Types Who Annoy Us to Death” by Genevieve Valentine, “Feature Interview: Mary Roach” by John Joseph Adams & David Barr Kirtley.

Cover art by Randy Gallegos

June 2011 (Issue 13)

Editorial

Editorial, June 2011

by John Joseph Adams

Welcome to issue thirteen of Lightspeed! Here’s what we’ve got on tap this month … Fiction: “Snapshots I Brought Back from the Black Hole” by K.C. Ball, “Frost Painting” by Carolyn Ives Gilman, “Transcript of Interaction Between Astronaut Mike Scudderman and the OnStar Hands-Free A.I. Crash Advisor” by Grady Hendrix, “Recording Angel” by Ian McDonald. Nonfiction: “Dividing By Zero” by Mike Brotherton, “Dissolving the Wall Between Art and Science” by Graeme McMillian, “Six A.I. Types Who Annoy Us to Death” by Genevieve Valentine, “Feature Interview: Mary Roach” by John Joseph Adams & David Barr Kirtley.

Artist Showcase

Artist Spotlight: Randy Gallegos

by Erin Stocks

I try to take in lots of art, whether in person at museums or books. I also find it important to keep up some with the rapidly changing world of my contemporaries.

Science Fiction

Snapshots I Brought Back from the Black Hole

by K.C. Ball

Author spotlight

No one knows what happens when an object crosses the point around a black hole known as an event horizon and falls into the singularity.

Author Spotlight

Author Spotlight: K.C. Ball

by Erin Stocks

I’m interested in the notion of sentient A.I., and got more and more into the character as the story developed. I tried to make him real and unreal, to give him attitude, particularly in his view of humans.

Nonfiction

Dividing Space by Zero

by Mike Brotherton

Anything with an escape velocity greater than the speed of light is a black hole. That’s the black hole’s defining characteristic: Gravity so intense nothing can escape.

Science Fiction

Frost Painting

by Carolyn Ives Gilman

Author spotlight

“It’s easy for you East‑Coasters to be tolerant,” the man said. “You don’t have to live near them. I’ll tell you this: If those weirdos ever decide to come out of the mountains, we’re going to be ready for them. That is, if you liberals haven’t taken away our guns by then, too.”

Author Spotlight

Author Spotlight: Carolyn Gilman

by Robyn Lupo

Galena came to me in a flash, fully formed and demanding that I should write about her. I have no idea where she came from, but I was not about to argue with her.

Nonfiction

Dissolving the Wall Between Art and Science

by Graeme McMillan

Science fiction fans have long known that art and science aren’t as deeply divided as they’re made out to be.

Science Fiction

Transcript of Interaction Between Astronaut Mike Scudderman and the OnStar Hands-Free A.I. Crash Advisor

by Grady Hendrix

Author spotlight

The following transcript details the last known use of the OnStar Hands-Free A.I. Crash Advisor, once a mandatory install on all craft equipped for interstellar travel.

Author Spotlight

Author Spotlight: Grady Hendrix

by Robyn Lupo

Let’s face it: Crash landings are no one’s preferred method of parking. Mostly because you will die screaming if you crash land.

Nonfiction

Six A.I. Types Who Annoy Us to Death

by Genevieve Valentine

Sure, there are shining examples of A.I., but for every Lt. Commander Data or Number Six, there are a dozen mainframes just waiting to ruin your day.

Science Fiction

Recording Angel

by Ian McDonald

Author spotlight

“I don’t do gossip,” she had told T. P. Costello, SkyNet’s Nairobi station chief when he told her of the international celebrities who were coming to the death-party of the famous Treehouse Hotel.

Author Spotlight

Author Spotlight: Ian McDonald

by Erin Stocks

It’s a cliché that when the aliens arrive, they appear over the White House, or Tiananmen Square. But why shouldn’t they arrive in the developing world?

Nonfiction

Interview: Mary Roach

by The Geek’s Guide to the Galaxy

Eunuchs are the way to go—avoid all the soap opera, all the falling in love and the anger and the possible murder and jealousy, definitely.