Monthly Archives: October 2008

In which fact infiltrates fiction

As a scientist, I am always thinking about the best way to discuss my work with the wider community. And as a novelist, I’ve experimented a lot with a related problem: how to transmit scientific ideas or atmosphere in a … Continue reading

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In which I take lessons from Scotty

General fiction with scientists as central characters plying their trade is rare: the number is probably close to a hundred or so novels ever written (we’re keeping a list over on LabLit, if you’re curious). Unlike science fiction or crime … Continue reading

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In which my dreams come true

It is finally happening. Roughly seven years after I first sat down at the iMac in my airy flat in the Oud Zuid quarter of Amsterdam and typed the words “Chapter 1″, my first novel is about to be published. … Continue reading

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In which science becomes a high craft

I have written before about my admiration of the roll-up-your-sleeves ingenuity of scientists who, when faced with an obstacle, choose to create a solution with materials to hand. But truly great things have been afoot in my laboratory last week. … Continue reading

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In which the white hot lights of fame temporarily recede

Novelists: who can trust them? Delicate creatures with arcane quirks, twisted souls and artistic whims, if you ask me. In this vein, I bring both good news and bad: tomorrow’s Fiction Lab will not, as previously advertised, be invaded by … Continue reading

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