”Cli-Fi” Ruminations Pose Philosophical and Literary Questions About the Purpose and Direction of Cli-Fi Genre

[An interview with Dan Bloom about his informal “Cli-Fi Ruminations” at @clifi on Twitter and Who They Are Intended For]

INTRO:

On Twitter, Cli-fi theorist Dan Bloom has shared many of his cli-fi musings, and compiled a list of them to share with other people — mostly intended, he says, for potential or would-be cli-fi novelists, academics studying the emergence of the genre, reporters researching news story about the rising genre and of course, current cli-fi writers themselves. And, he points out, readers of cli-fi, too.

You can find his list of some of his cli-fi thoughts on a blog here. We recently asked Bloom, who is not a novelist or a literary critic, why he sat down to write these thoughts down and how he did it, and who he had in mind when he wrote them down. He was kind enough to reply in a few emails to explain his zen-like ”cli-fi ruminations.”

QUESTION: So, Dan, what’s this all about? You’re not an academic, you don’t have a PhD, you’re not a literary theorist or a literary critic or a novelist, so what were you driving at in writing these thoughts down? And how did you do it?

DAN BLOOM: I wanted to gather my thoughts about what direction I felt cli-fi is going in, should go in, might go in in the future, and its philosophical and literary meanings. So using the 140 chararacter limit of the usual Twitter post, in order to keep my thoughts concise and brief — and readable, without being verbose — I sat down on my bed in my spare time, and lying on my back with my head propped up on a pillow, I merely jotted down on my cellphone screen shorts Tweets either late at night or early in the morning. I was just thinking to myself, and thought the ideas might be useful to writers, critics, academics, literary theorists, PhD scholars, book reviewers and readers.

QUESTION: And what do you hope the publication of these ideas might do?

DAN BLOOM: I wrote them down with no real purpose or intention, other than to try my hand at putting my thoughts down on paper (on screen, that is) and to see if anybody out there in readerland or writerland or academia or the literary criticism or book reviewer world might find some of the “cli-fi ruminations” useful or food for thought. That’s all. I mostly wrote them down for myself, though, to think out loud to myself and for myself, and to try to clarify in my own mind what cli-fi is all about now and might be about in the future. I really didn’t have any real purpose in mind, just to use the Twitter format to keep things neat and concise. And, I found out, as I began writing them down, about ten or twelve at every sitting, that the ideas were interesting and provocative to me, if nobody else. So I found the exercise, the thought experiment, useful for me, first of all. If anyone else gets anything out of them, great. I really just wanted to experiment with a short concise form to write down some ideas I have about the direction of cli-fi and its future.

QUESTION: So, then, which ones did you like best and which ones didn’t you like so much, after you wrote them down?

DAN BLOOM: Good question. In fact, I wrote them all down, without thinking of which ones “worked” or which ones didn’t. I just wanted to make a record and then see later on if it added up to anything. So yes, some of the ruminations work very well, and some don’t work as well, too, and I decided in the end, that in fact, it’s up to each reader to decide which of these ruminnations work for them, and which ones don’t. I didn’t edit myself, and I just let the thoughts come out, almost like writing poetry. The ideas just came out of my mind as I began typing. I am now writing about ten a day, and I plan to compile 100 or 500 or 1000 eventually. But I will be happy to reach 100.

QUESTION: Can you give us some examples of which ones you like best?

DAN BLOOM: Well, I like them  all, of course, They are just a record of my thoughts as I jotted them down. But on looking at them later, I do see that some of them are more positive and inspiritng and even motivational than some of the others, which might seem dystopian or apocalyptic to other people. So I feel that it’s up to each reader to take the ruminations and check off the ones they like and the ones they don’t like so much. To five you an example, below I will mark in BLUE those ruminations I like best because I feel they might be useful to literary critics and writers and readers who want to understand what cli-fi is. And every reader will have different choices. I think that is what is most interesting about this thought exercise. Everyone will have different reactions. So here they are:

​• Cli-fi isn’t a marketing term or a bookstore shelving category, and it’s more than a literary term. It’s a password into the future and those who know it, know.

• ​Cli-fi is more than a genre term, much more than that: it’s a code word, a password, a secret handshake; it is bringing us together as one

• ​ Cli-Fi is not for you or your children or grandkids, no. It’s codeword for future generations, as yet unborn. And born they shall be. In next 30 generations.​

• Cli-Fi cannot, will not, save us from what’s coming. Too late for that. But it’s here, now, always. We have 30 generations to prepare. See?

• In the future, come 30 more generations of man, there will be no Cli-Fi. By 2500 A.D. (Anthrocenus Deflexus) it will be too late.

• People want cli-fi to offer solutions, comfortable happy fixes. Aint gonna happen. We are ”doomed, doomed” as a species, and we did it to ourselves.

​• Cli-Fi cannot, will not, save us from what’s coming. Too late for that. But it’s here, now, always. We have 30 generations to prepare. There’s time.

​• Cli-fi won’t make much of a difference either way you define it. It’s just here, now, beckoning future writers. It’s not sci-fi, never was

• Cli-fi is more than a mere genre: it’s a cri de coeur, a warning flare, a pathway to the future before it’s too late. See? #CliFi’s here now​

• If the rising new literary term “cli-fi” makes you ‘cringe’ at first sight or hearing, don’t give up on it yet. With time, you will come to see it for what it is.

• ​ Cli-fi is not sci-fi, it is not eco-fiction, it is not subgenred to anything earlier. #CliFi is a hashtag burning its stamp into our very skin, as we prepare.

• ​Cli-fi is more than a genre term, much more than that: it’s a code word, a password, a secret handshake; it is bringing us together as one.

• Cli-fi wasn’t just a case of slapping a new name on an old genre. It’s much deeper and existential than that. Think game-changer, new directions.

• We’ll never make it out of here alive. That’s cli-fi in a nutshell. Man the lifeboats, prepare to test the seas of one season after the next.

• Cli-fi defines a line the sands of time that no man can cross without trepidation or reverence. There’s a reason we are here. What is it?

• If cli-fi is one thing, it’s a chance to choose our future. One door leads here, another door leads there. Choose wisely: Your descendants are waiting.

• There’s a tragic flaw in our genes, a selfish shellfish that doesn’t want to share. This DNA will be our downfall. This Earth shall abide.

• Cli-fi doesn’t choose sides. We do. Choose your weapon, use it wisely. We are here by the grace of God, and someday we won’t be. God knows.

• You could say that in a post-sci-fi world, cli-fi has come to rescue us from oblivion. Not true. No way.

• You might not really be interested in cli-fi, or where it is going. But trust me, cli-fi is interested in you. Why? Becos the End is nigh

• When all is said and done, cli-fi points in only one direction. It’s for everyone to find it on their own. ON THE BEACH from 1957 has clues.

• Cli-fi is not about who coined it or who popularized it. It’s about much more pressing things, like how many more generations before the End?

• I never met a future I didn’t like. No, that can’t be true. Some futures spell the end of humankind. It’s in the cards. Choose your exit.

• Cli-fi is neither pro nor con. It just is. Take your pick. Choose yr sides. We are at war w/ a future that threatens all futures. Arise!

• Cli-fi is so much a part of this world that on first hearing the word or seeing it in print, it slips right by, invisble, unnoticed.

• If by some remote chance you find yourself reading a cli-fi novel without realizing it’s cli-fi, you have arrived.

• There are are still 30 generations to be born before the real apocalypse begins. This now is just a rehearsal. An audition.

• Cli-fi leads to a meeting of the minds, borderless, rudderless, unconsolable. Will we get there on time?

• If you think time is running out, or has already run out, in terms of the unspeakable cli-fi future we face, you are very close to solving the riddle. Why are we here?

• I don’t want to sound pessimistic, as optimism must abound and console us. But listen to the wind, hear the chimes sing, ring.

• Cli-fi has a place in our hearts and minds, now and forever. But forever is no longer forever. We sold the farm.

• Cli-fi can, and will, shine a light on the darkness that is about to befall us. Let’s stick together and shoulder the burden.

• You didn’t know cli-fi was coming. Nobody did. It’s taken us by surprise.

• There will be days when cli-fi is beyond us, unscoutable, undetected. All the more reason to pay attention.

• Cli-fi doesn’t mean resignation or giving in to the darkness ahead. To the contrary, it means taking up arms.

• If a time shall come when all else fails, cli-fi may just come to the rescue. Make room.

• Cli-fi cannot answer all our questions or undo the deeds we have done. No. But she can unburden us of our fears.

• There will come a time when there is no time left. That’s where, and when, cli-fi comes in.

• Who will write the cli-fi of the future? They will be legion, legends. Welcome them.

• Cli-fi is more than a mere genre term, much more than a literary term. It’s a battle cry, a cri decoeur, a shout-out to future generations: “We tried to warn you!”

• Think positive, think cli-fi. Think future generations, think now. Think the end is nigh unless we change our ways.

• There is no way out of here, said the sailors to the sun. Thirty more generations is all we have left. What then?

• Ploddingly, one step at a time, we are marching to future days. Cli-fi cannot stop the deluge, yet we must not surrender. Never.

• With sea levels rising in future times, Nature has been turned on its head. Cli-fi paints a picture, sight unseen.

• If we could see CO2, smell it, know that is there, over-loaded, we might be able to put out the fires. But it is invisible, odorless.

• Whatever generation you belong to, know in your heart that there is no way out of here. Nature has spoken, Earth recoils. Write on.

• To show respect to the Earth, which is our home in the cosmos, please always capitalize the word as ”Earth.” Earth matters, tell the copy desk. Lowercasing it is beneath us.

• Cli-fi cannot, will not, lead the way. This is a clean-up action, and way too late. But it matters nevertheless.

• One cannot see the future, cli-fi is blind. But the stories we tell will matter, even if it is all for naught.

• Cli-fi, by indirection finds direction out. Your words on the page must be balanced, insistent. Always. And never lose hope.

• Not doomed yet? What will it take to connect the dots? Not doomed yet? Some overly-rosy displays of optimism in print could be seen as pathological.

• As humans, ike all life forms, we are hardwired and programmed to believe that the near future will be similar to the recent past. Our Achilles heel, so to speak.

• Cli-fi won’t solve our problems, and can’t undo what’s done. Fasten your seatbelts. This is a ride to Hell.

• Climate change is more than a fact of life. It is the result of human ingenuity, greed, rapaciousness and fear. Fear not: cli-fi is here. Write it.
• I came to the table naive and unquestioning. I left totally convinced there will be dead people, lots of dead people. That was the genesis of cli-fi.

• You might not want to go down the cli-fi road, and that’s okay. It’s not a pretty picture, not a happy selfie. It’s disaster, writ large.

• In the long and rambling history of humankind, cli-fi will be just a blip on the radar screen. Pay it no heed.

• You weren’t born yesterday. Your descendants may not even be born at all, ever.   That’s how unfathomable cli-fi is.
• If you can manage to fit the personal stories of cli-fi between the covers of a book, do it. With trepidation. Know your audience.

• Cli-fi will have no denouement, no act three, no happy ending, no Greek chorus, no social media take-away. Push send.

• Sorry, but this is how cli-fi is going to be, in the Anthropocene. Just 12 letters spelling doom.
• I wish there was some cli-fi way out of here, but there ain’t. Ain’t ain’t ain’t. Ain’t ain’t ain’t times, ten thousand times ain’t.

QUESTION: So in the end, what were  you driving at?

DAN BLOOM: You know, as this all unfolded, I had no idea what I was doing, nor did I want to know what I was doing. I just did it. They came to me, when I made in the evenings or in the early mornings. I hope they will prove useful to some people — maybe cli-fi novelists working now or in the future with the genre, or maybe readers or literary critics or academics writing papers about cli-fi for academic or research journals. I amost feel like this was a kind of automatic writing. I just wrote down what was in my mind, and one idea led to another, one by one. But not all of them “work.” But I will let others decide for themselves which ones work and which ones don’t. For them. For me, they all work. I was just sitting in bed jotting things down to myself.

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Teacher disappears from Caldecott Preparatory — 11 year-old son investigates

SAN JOSE, Calif. — Sunbury Press has released Ricky Bruce’s Sucked Into Cyberspace, an adventure for middle-grade readers.

About the Book:
When he learns that his father has disappeared from Caldecott Preparatory (aka CPU), one of the most prestigious computer and technology schools in the country, eleven year old Ty Hansen enrolls in summer camp classes and changes his name to Devon Riley in hopes of solving the mystery. When Devon arrives on the campus, he is thrown into a whirlwind of strict teachers, bullies, and the magnificent world of technology.

While keeping up with his work, he befriends, Mina Kim, the daughter of another teacher. They work together on completing new levels of the school’s virtual game, VOLT. But something feels off about VOLT, and the programming seems to take on a life of its own.

What is going on with VOLT? And where could Devon’s father be? How far would you go to rescue a loved one who suddenly disappeared?

Excerpt:
The way Devon saw it, he had one choice left if he ever wanted to see his father, Kirk Hansen, again. He must return to the scene of the crime.

Devon pushed his glasses up over his freckled nose and climbed the front steps of Caldecott Preparatory, or CPU as the junior high and high school students called it. Devon couldn’t help but feel a rush of satisfaction. This would be his home for the next week. He was eleven years old and going to summer camp at one of the most prestigious computer and technology schools in the country. It was a one shot chance for kids like him who wanted to get into CPU. The special summer session was an opportunity for the teachers at CPU to find the best and brightest in the country too.

Devon gazed up at the building, which resembled a cylinder surrounded by three, spinning rings. On the inside, each of the rings contained classrooms with computers and data centers. There was the gaming deck, a theater, and offices on the first floor. Classrooms for high school were located on the third floor, and the middle school, where Devon was headed, was on the second floor. The dorms for CPU were located within walking distance of the main campus.

He’d come here to learn, but that was secondary. The real reason he’d changed his name from Ty Hanson to Devon Riley, had little to do with gaming or school; he was here to find his father’s abductor. It seemed crazy to him that his dad could have disappeared from a school filled with such great minds, but when he considered the evidence, nothing else made sense. October 15, 2030, would forever be scratched in his memory as the day his father, Kirk Hansen, vanished. His father was a teacher at CPU at the time of his disappearance. Moreover, after the incident, he’d received an email from his father with an IP address located on school grounds. The police investigation had turned up no leads, but Devon never shied away from a problem. He knew his father was alive, even if the cops couldn’t find him.

With a renewed focus, Devon reached the top of the staircase and moved into a crowd of students. The girl on his left was staring at him. Devon suddenly felt sweaty. He glanced to the side at the girl he remembered from orientation and smiled.

The girl laughed. “As if!” She gave him a snobby look and swung her backpack over her shoulder toward Devon.

Devon dodged the backpack, took a few awkward steps to the side, and one step back. Off balance, he fell down the staircase, right toward a group of students.

About the Author:
Rick Crawford, aka Ricky Bruce, lives in San Jose, California with his wife Marcia. He has a Bachelor of Arts in Social Science, a Multiple Subject Teaching Credential, and a Master of Arts in Education. He has 15 years of teaching experience and is currently an Educational Specialist for a charter school. He is the author of several other books including Stink Bomb, Ricky Robinson-Braveheart, and Dot and Scribble Fall into Adventure. View his website at http://www.rickybruce.com.

Sucked Into Cyberspace
Authored by Ricky Bruce
List Price: $14.95
5.5″ x 8.5″ (13.97 x 21.59 cm)
Black & White on Cream paper
184 pages
Sunbury Press, Inc.
ISBN-13: 978-1620066874
ISBN-10: 1620066874
BISAC: Juvenile Fiction / Science & Technology

For more information, please see:
http://www.sunburypressstore.com/Sucked-Into-Cyberspace-9…

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Solomon Screech Owl Goes to the Antarctic

MECHANICSBURG, Pa. — Sunbury Press has released Beth Lancione’sSolomon Screech Owl’s Antarctic Adventure.. The book was illustrated by Kathy Haney.

About the Book:
In the third of Solomon Screech Owl’s stories, Sollie travels to the bottom of the world, exploring the Antarctic where he meets many of the strange and wonderful creatures that dwell there.

About the Author & Illustrator:
The late Beth Lancione, formerly of Etters, PA, retired from a long career in public education and began what she hoped would be a long second career as an author of children’s books. The Solomon Screech Owl stories, conceived as an eight book series in which Sollie will visit the seven continents in his quest to see all that the world has to show him, was inspired by Beth’s love for her grandchildren, her enjoyment of adventurous travel, and her experiences working with owls as a volunteer at a rescue facility for injured birds of prey.

Kathy Haney, a retired high school art teacher, resides in Salem, Oregon. She is an active award-winning artist, creating drawings and watercolor paintings, designing posters, and illustrating books. An area of special interest for her is early childhood literacy, having taught young parents the value of reading to their infants, volunteering in Guatemala’s efforts to increase literacy in indigenous peoples, and proudly being the first person to read a book to her grandchildren. Kathy and her husband, Gary, love to travel, and much of her artwork reflects the peoples and cultures they encountered. She is excited to share the adventure of travel with Solomon’s readers.

Beth and Kathy had been friends since high school. The Solomon Screech Owl series is their literary collaboration.

Solomon Screech Owl’s Antarctic Adventure
Authored by Beth Lancione, Illustrated by Kathy Haney
List Price: $19.95
8.5″ x 8.5″ Hardcover
Color on White paper
34 pages
Sunbury Press, Inc.
ISBN-13: 978-1620067239
BISAC: Childrens / Adventure

For more information, please see:
http://www.sunburypressstore.com/Solomon-Screech-Owls-Ant…

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“Healing Tips for the Mind, Body, and Soul” is the top Sunbury bestseller for January

MECHANICSBURG, Pa. — Sunbury Press has released the bestsellers list for January, 2016. Dr. Arif Shaikh took the top spot with his compilation of 365 tips for personal growth Healing Tips for the Mind, Body, and Soul. John E. Wade II’s Bipolar Millionaire took the #2 spot.

SUNBURY PRESS – Bestsellers for January, 2016 (by Revenue)
Rank	Last Month	Title	Author	Category
1	—	Healing Tips for the Mind, Body, and Soul	Dr. Arif Shaikh	Self-Help
2	NEW	The Bipolar Millionaire	John E Wade II	Biography
3	6	Capital Murder	Chris Papst	Investigation
4	—	Ionica	Catalina Petcov	Biography
5	NEW	Choice of Enemies	M A Richards	Spy Thriller
6	—	The Savage Apostle	John Kachuba	Historical Fiction
7	14	Jesus the Phoenician	Karim El Koussa	History
8	11	The Penns’ Manor of Spread Eagle and the Grist Mills of the Upper Mahantongo Valley	Steve Troutman	History
9	10	Amelia Earhart: The Truth at Last	Mike Campbell	History
10	23	Call Sign Dracula	Joe Fair	War Memoir
11	16	Hour 30	Brandon Musgrave	Memoir
12	NEW	Between Good and Evil	R Michael Phillips	Detective Thriller
13	8	Murder in Tuxedo Park	William Lemanski	Detective Thriller
14	—	The Heatstroke Line	Ed Rubin	Climate Fiction
15	21	From Blue Ground	Joe Harvey	YA Fiction
16	12	The B Team	Alan Mindell	Sports Fiction
17	—	The Sign of the Eagle	Jess Steven Hughes	Historical Fiction
18	—	Pink Flamingos All Around	Matt Anderson	Childrens
19	19	Winter of the Metal People	Dennis Herrick	Historical Fiction
20	9	The Closer	Alan Mindell	Sports Fiction
21	1	The Keeper of the Crows	Kyle Alexander Romines	Thriller Fiction
22	—	Raising Monarchs	Sue Fox McGovern	Self-Help
23	NEW	Rabid Philanderer’s, Inc.	Nancy Williams	Thriller Fiction
24	25	The Death Machine	Charles Godfrey	Historical Fiction
25	—	The Segregated Georgia School for the Deaf	Ron Knorr & Clemmie Whatley	History
26	4	Mary Sachs: Merchant Princess	Barbara Trainin Blank	Biography
27	3	Pit Bulls	Anthony Julian	History
28	—	Perilous Journey	Ted Brusaw	Historical Fiction
29	30	Freemasons at Gettysburg	Sheldon Munn	History
30	15	That Night at Surigao	Ernie Marshall	History

Sunbury Press has wrapped up its best January ever. Compared to last January, sales were up slightly at 2.5%. EBook sales continued their slide, dropping 12% from January 2015. Overall, sales increased over 9% from December.

“Healing Tips for the Mind, Body, and Soul” grabbed the top spot thanks to author activities. John E. Wade II’s reissued biography “The Bipolar Millionaire” debited at #2 due to author publicity. Chris Papst’s “Capital Murder” surged to #3 due to renewed interest in the Harrisburg mayoral scandal. “Ionica,” Catalina Petcov’s biography climbed to #4 in preparation for her book release event. “Choice of Enemies” by M A Richards was released in January and took #5 thanks to author activities and direct sales. “The Savage Apostle” by John Kachuba charted at #6. Karim El Koussa continued to see success with “Jesus the Phoenician,” garnering #7 thanks to export orders. Steve Troutman’s “The Penns’ Manor…”, #8, continued to chart thanks to sales up state. Mike Campbell’s “Amelia Earhart: The Truth at Last” notched up one spot to #9 because of continued interest in the missing aviatrix. “Call Sign Dracula” by Joe Fair soared to #10 thanks to author events. Dr. Brandon Musgrave’s “Hour 30” charted at #11 due to text book orders from medical schools. R. Michael Phillips’ “Between Good and Evil” debuted at #12 thanks to orders from the author’s fanbase. William Lemanski’s “Murder in Tuxedo Park” slipped to #13 as Christmas orders from the New York town ebbed. Ed Rubin’s “The Heatstroke Line” surged to #14 as interest in climate fiction increased. Joe Harvey’s “From Blue Ground” continued to chart, bumping up to #15 thanks to online orders. Alan Mindell’s novels “The B Team” and “The Closer” continued on the list at #16 and #20 thanks to author activities in the San Diego area. Jess Steven Hughes’ “The Sign of the Eagle” returned to the rankings at #17 due to author appearances in the northwest. Matt Anderson’s “Pink Flamingos All Around” was the only childrens book in the rankings at #18, bolstered by an appearance at Smithsonian.com. “Winter of the Metal People” by Dennis Herrick held at #19 thanks to author appearances in New Mexico. Kyle Romine’s “Keeper of the Crows” slipped to #21 from #1. “Raising Monarchs,” Sue Fox McGovern’s how-to book about raising butterflies, climbed to #22 due to interest in butterfly recover. Nancy Williams’ “Rabid Philanderers, Inc.” debuted at #23 thanks to orders from the Meadville, PA community. Charles Godfrey’s “The Death Machine” continued to chart at #24 thanks to ongoing author activities. “The Segregated Georgia School for the Deaf” by Ron Knorr and Clemmie Whatley returned to the rankings at #25 thanks to online orders. Barbara Blank’s “Mary Sachs” slipped to #26, but continued to receive support from regional bookstores. Tony Julian’s “Pit Bulls” continued to chart at #27 following a strong Christmas season for this title. Ted Brusaw’s “Perilous Journey” eeked onto the list at #28 thanks to orders from friends and family. Sheldon Munn’s “Freemasons at Gettysburg” remained on the list at #29 as orders continued from venues in the battlefied town. Ernie Marshall’s “That Night at Surigao” rounded at the list at #30.

The company released five new titles during the month of January.

SUNBURY PRESS – New Releases for January, 2016
Between Good and Evil	R Michael Phillips	Detective Thriller
Rabid Philanderer’s, Inc.	Nancy Williams	Thriller Fiction
Irish Spring	Jack Adler	Spy Thriller
Choice of Enemies	M A Richards	Spy Thriller
The Bipolar Millionaire	John E Wade II	Biography

For a list of Sunbury’s best-sellers, please see the Sunbury Press web site:
http://www.sunburypressstore.com/BESTSELLERS_c3.htm
For a complete list of recent and upcoming releases, please see:
http://www.sunburypressstore.com/COMING-SOON_c47.htm

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