29 Quotes by Edward M. Lerner

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.

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.

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.

I like to think readers appreciate a well-drawn near-future as well as a well-drawn far-future.

Some books are serials, not to be mistaken for anything else. 'The Two Towers,' for example, ought never to be read in isolation.

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.

I want to believe humanity has not forgotten how to explore.

The distinguishing characteristic of the techno-thriller is technical detail.