J.D. Moyer

science fiction author, beatmaker, against fascism

Category: Personal Updates Page 1 of 11

The Present Has Always Moved Fast

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On April 12

In Personal Updates, Tech

Historian Ada Palmer recently blew my mind with the idea that history has always moved quickly, and that the idea that change has accelerated in modernity (which is taught in both history books and games such as Civilization) is a lie.

My initial reaction was the same as Dwarkesh Patel’s (the interviewer), which was to point out the technological change has obviously accelerated, with AI being a big one. But Palmer has a great counterpoint: we just don’t care about historical technological progress because we take all of it for granted. But in fact big changes were always happening just as quickly: chairs with backs, scissors, advances in metallurgy, new paint pigments, etc.

Maybe her argument breaks down if you go all the way back to the Stone Age. But maybe even then, the discovery of a new medicinal plant, or a new freshwater spring, or a new type of flint tool might have changed everything for a small tribe, and quickly.

What we’ve gotten better at, as a global civilization, is retaining and sharing new knowledge and inventions. If there’s been any acceleration of change (and/or progress), it’s because of that.

Life Updates

  • My kid is touring colleges, and will soon make a decision! Life moves so quickly…
  • I posted my first TikTok (for the new Jondi & Spesh release, throwback to clubbing days at 111 Minna)
  • I’m still writing my second Saint Arcology novel, which takes place in San Francisco, and will in fact be the first in the series (followed by the Mumbai book, which I wrote first). I’m 60k words in, about halfway through the first draft. Progress is slow, but I’m having a blast, and it might even be good.

New Music Release, and Writing Update

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On July 7

In Creative Work/Career, Electronic Music, Personal Updates

MOMU, my breakbeat project with Mark Musselman, has a new release out on Beatport. From our publicist:

The release glides open with Momu’s original, subtly dissolving you into a rich tapestry of vivid harmonies and instrumental layers before ushering you into a sophisticated downtempo breakbeat groove – with the enveloping melodies modulating around it perpetually. This latest contribution from Momu further cements the duo’s status as one of the industry’s most diverse and artistically unlimited acts, capable of shaping timeless electronica with succinct nods to on-trend sonic nuances and a new-age feel.

The release is also available on Bandcamp with a second, alternative alias_j remix exclusive to that site.

Writing Update

TBH, I’m in the midst of a publishing drought. My most recent novel and short story were both published in 2021. But it’s not for lack of writing or submitting.

More than two years ago, I had a novella accepted by The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction. Unfortunately, that particular publication has been in a slump, with a dearth of recent issues and apparent financial difficulties. So my novella has yet to see the light of day. However, F&SF was recently acquired, so there’s still hope.

Publishing troubles aside, I’ve been busy. Since 2021 I’ve completed two screenplays, three novels, and half a dozen short stories. Some of those works still need revision, but some are currently in submission. Something will get the green light eventually, and you’ll be among the first to hear about it.

The recent explosion in AI slop “writing” has made things very difficult for editors who accept unsolicited fiction submissions. As a result, submission windows have tightened, and keeping track of which magazines are open for what kind of stories is practically a part-time job. But I’ve finally got some systems in place so that I’m getting my work out there again.

Wish me luck!

A Few Words About My Dad

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On December 26

In Personal Updates

My father, John Roaldseth Moyer, died on November 16th 2024, of natural causes. He was with his wife Kristin, at their home in the village of St. Hilaire d’Ozilhan, France.

I flew to France to attend his funeral. We gave him a great send-off with an abundance of flowers. Many of his friends from Geneva (where he and Kristin worked for many years) made the trip to the village, and several members of Kristin’s family flew in from Norway to pay their respects. My dad was loved by many.

This obituary on the World Council of Churches site is a good one, especially when it comes to his career. For those interested in Frontier Internship in Mission, the Geneva-based NGO my dad directed for many years, Ada Forcer’s dissertation is a good place to start (PDF link).

On a more personal note, I want to share some thoughts about what kind of father he was.

  • My dad was a hobbyist. He had a huge model train setup in our garage in Berkeley, which my brother and I were absolutely fascinated by. He also built model boats from kits, and even briefly took up oil painting. As far as I know he was entirely self-taught, but approached each activity with a fearless sense of exploration that I admired (and I like to think rubbed off on me).
  • My dad was gentle. I’m sure he got angry at my brother and me at times, but none of those moments have stuck with me. I think we did get a few comically light spankings when we were little (as was the tradition at the time), but neither of us ever feared him physically, and he rarely raised his voice.
  • He was strong, too. My brother and I were both surprised by one particular incident where my dad confronted someone who tried to cut in line at the airport. He did so with utter confidence and no anger, and the line cutter backed off without protest. Later, discussing the moment, my brother and I realized we’d both had the same thought–Dad is kind of a badass… (though he never acted “macho”).
  • He led a number of family adventures, including building a cabin in the Oregon woods, a week-long sailing trip on a small boat, and moving to Europe for a number of years.
  • He made and maintained lifelong friendships, including Bill Hepworth (from high school), Gus Schultz, Chuck Harper, Marvin and Erdmut Brown, and many others.
  • He had “joie de vie” to the utmost. He loved parties and he loved to host. He loved wine, probably a little too much (St. Hilaire d’Ozilhan is a small village with six wineries), but most of all he enjoyed sitting with friends and talking endlessly. John and Kristin had an endless flow of guests through their house, all who felt loved and welcome.

My father had his struggles as well, which he included in a series of informal memoirs that he wrote for family. And my relationship with him wasn’t always easy. But I loved him greatly, and looked up to him in many ways, and am grateful that he positively modeled so many aspects of life for me.

Here are a few pictures from various phases of his life. If you want to learn more about my dad for any reason, feel free to get in touch.

 

No More Building on Sand

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On June 16

In Culture Rants/Shares, Personal Updates

When Twitter went downhill, I wasn’t sure what to “do” about social media. Many of the authors and artists I followed fled the platform, and my feed became a cesspool of vile posts from accounts I was not following. Though my Twitter/X feed has become more sane, I rarely go there anymore. The company dismantled TweetDeck, my preferred mode of viewing and posting, and I just lost interest.

Until then, Twitter had been my preferred social media platform. I posted to Facebook and Instagram a few times a year, usually to promote a new release. But I was on Twitter daily, posting at least a few times a week, sharing thoughts, opinions, and retweeting items of interest.

Post-Twitter, I decided not to rush the process of finding my next “main” social media site. I signed up for Bluesky, Threads, and Mastadon, but I didn’t spend much time on any of them.

I’d been burned. I’d spent significant time on Twitter, and my experience had been ruined by Elon Musk’s ego purchase and atrociously poor management (firing top engineers, dismantling moderation teams, inviting fascists and bigots back to the platform, alienating advertisers, and generally running the company into the ground). I didn’t want to repeat my mistake by hopping on a new bandwagon.

Then, a few weeks ago, I had a realization. I already had a “main” social media site. It’s this website. It’s self-hosted WordPress.

If I have something to say or share, long-form text is usually my preferred mode of communication. Sometimes I like to share a picture or two, but usually it’s just words. So a WordPress blog is perfect. People can comment on my posts if they want, or message me. And I can share posts to different audiences on Twitter/X, Facebook, Instagram, and even LinkedIn, depending on the subject matter and vibe.

Many of my family and friends visit my site occasionally to see what I’m up to. I keep up with them by following their posts on whatever social media site(s) they post on, or just call and say hi (a Gen X thing). So my blog does function as a social media site, in addition to being a place where anyone can read my posts or learn more about my fiction writing and music.

And I’m no longer building on sand. No one can rug pull my own site, or buy it and ruin it. Nothing lasts forever, but WordPress.org is open source software. I own my own domain and my own content. Being the sole moderator, I can edit or remove old posts or comments whenever I want.

So welcome to my social media platform.

Alta (She Made History)

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On April 6

In Culture Rants/Shares, Personal Updates

My mother-in-law passed away recently. I had a good relationship with her, despite the fact that we were both stubborn people with frequently divergent opinions.

Alta was a poet, famous in some circles for both her poetry and her press. Andrew Gilbert has written an outstanding obituary on kqed.org that really does her justice.

Though Alta was complex, loved attention, and was sometimes overly dramatic, I liked her and have an enormous respect for her life’s body of work. She dedicated herself to art, compassion, equality, and all the qualities that I consider to be progress in the greater picture of civilization.

We live in an era where the radical right is actively dismantling human rights, especially women’s rights. Abortion rights have been trashed, they are coming hard for birth control, and famous influencers say publicly that women should lose the right to vote.

But because of the work of Alta and her peers, the right faces an uphill battle. There are too many female role models in all walks of life to say with any credibility that women “can’t” occupy a particular societal role. There are simply too many living, successful counter-examples of women playing prominent roles in the arts, politics, sciences, and every other sphere. Women still face discrimination prejudice, and under-representation in many fields, but culturally we’re in a much different place than when Alta was growing up. And that’s partially due to her work.

So hats off, and respect.

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