Hey, look, I'm performing a split body! Just kidding, hehe.But come to think of it, if I hadn't been hit by a speeding bus or eaten alive by a pack of marauding badgers as you're opening this book, I'd probably still be in Ohio, USA state, doing what I should do, such as sleeping, playing video games, playing with my pets, and even writing.Look, I'm waving at you!Of course, you probably can't see it.The curvature of the earth separates you and me.But take my word for it: hello, nice to meet you! Yes, I am in Ohio.But I am also in China, by your side.You are reading my thoughts, which I cleverly coded into words, and then sent to the editors in China.After the editor read it, he ordered someone to translate it, and the translation accurately and wisely restructured my thoughts (writing reminder: keep flattering the editor).Then, the editor will publish the article in print.In a completely different language, in a completely different publishing environment, it circulates through the cascades until it reaches you.As you read, you decode my thoughts.You are reading my thoughts right now, they come directly from my brain.So I say, it's like I'm by your side.

This made me very happy, because this is the first time I have "come" to China. I have to admit, though, that I don't know anything about the state of science fiction in China.When my agent told me that he had sold the Chinese copyright of the book, I was very happy, but also very curious, because I don't know how much appetite Chinese readers have for science fiction literature.So I did some research online and found out that not only was my Chinese publisher well established, but they also had a science fiction magazine with a monthly circulation of hundreds of thousands of copies.

Perhaps this information is familiar to you, but let me make some comparisons for you: Even if the top three science fiction magazines in the United States (Analog, Asimov's Magazine of Science Fiction, and Fantasy and Science Fiction ") combined and still fall short of The World of Science Fiction; even if they were added together and doubled, it still wouldn't make it. So not only does China have sci-fi readers, it probably has many more than the US. I suddenly developed a strong interest in China. I hope you enjoy this book so that I can visit your country often.I have to admit that I still don't know much about the state of SF in China, but I hope to catch up, because it seems like a good place to me.

The appearance of is purely accidental, in other words, it was born in a very unusual way.Usually when you write a book, you pitch it to a publisher, hoping that they will buy it, publish it, and make you rich, famous, and noticed.This is the custom, and it has been the rule since the publishing industry existed. However, I did not follow this old path. I had planned to follow through. When I started writing this book in 2001, I planned to pitch it to a publisher.But after I finished writing, I thought about it again, how long will it take to get results?Submit a manuscript, wait months, submit a manuscript, wait even longer?The more I thought about it, the more depressed I became, so I simply threw the manuscript into the drawer.It lasted for a year, until December 2002, I finally decided that instead of submitting articles everywhere, it would be better to put it on my website and post a chapter every day.Who cares, anyway, my website still has thousands of daily visits.So, I updated at a rate of one chapter per day, thinking, maybe this article will be buried.

But after I posted all the novels, things suddenly turned around and I actually received an email from Patrick Nelson-Haydn, the editor-in-chief of Tor Press.Good guy, this is the largest science fiction publishing house in the United States.The two of us are willing to buy and sell, and hit it off: That's the whole process of our deal negotiations.However, I have since received many reprimanding emails from other writers. "You can't do that!" they said.I apologized to them, said I was just a fool, and promised not to be an example.Since then, I have sold three more novels, and the transaction process has also been very smooth.But what I want to tell you is that following the traditional submission process is still the best choice.Although I sold one book "differently," thousands of others sold the traditional way.So sticking to the rut makes sense, if the success rate is calculated carefully.

After the copyright was bought, it took another two years for it to be published.But as soon as the book came out, I was nominated for a Hugo Award and won a Campbell Award for Best Newcomer.For a book I've never contributed to, it's done well enough.Am I happy?You know, it's nice to get what you want, but I'm also kind of flattered that a lot of the book's success is down to luck. Until now, this book is still lucky, because it came to another country, changed into another language, and held it in your hands.You can read this book, you can read this little essay I wrote, and it should be a fantasy, but it actually happened.I couldn't be more pleased with that.This is the first time I've met you, but if my luck continues, we'll surely meet again.

Take care and see you later!