Bill DeSmedt

Infobox Writer
name = Bill DeSmedt
birthdate = 1943


occupation = Knowledge Engineer, Novelist
notableworks =
genre = Action/Thriller/Science fiction
website = http://www.billdesmedt.com/

William H. DeSmedt is an American author of science fiction. His first novel, "Singularity" (2004), explores the 1908 Tunguska event and the speculative hypothesis that it was caused by a submicroscopic, primordial black hole. Although the novel is frequently generalized as a work of science fiction, its premise is heavily supported by factual science fleshed out with fictional characters. The novel qualifies in the action/thriller genre as the pace of the plot development resonates with the works of Tom Clancy or Michael Crichton.

DeSmedt has a depth of knowledge in both Russian language and Russian Studies which are both highly employed in his debut novel, "Singularity" (2004). He completed eighteen months of Russian language instruction at the Army Language School (which later evolved into the Defense Language Institute (DLI)) in Monterey, California. He also earned both a Bachelor of Arts (B.A.), a Master of Arts (M.A.) in Soviet Area Studies, and a Master of Science (M.S.) in Computer Science. The culmination of his Soviet-oriented education was a ten month tour in a US – USSR student exchange program.

Since then, DeSmedt has served in the capacity of programmer and system designer, consulting for both startups and Fortune 500 companies. He also developed a specialty in Artificial Intelligence research and language. More recently, he is highly regarded as a knowledge engineer [ [http://www.writerswrite.com/journal/dec04/desmedt.htm "A Conversation With Bill DeSmedt by Claire E. White"] ; [http://www.writerswrite.com/journal/dec04/desmedt.htm see the complete interview at writerswrite.com] ] .

DeSmedt is married with both children and grandchildren.

Fiction

Awards

* Foreword Magazine Book of the Year Awards: Winner – Gold Medal for Science Fiction, 2005 ("Singularity")
* Independent Publishers Association: Winner – Ippy prize for Best Fantasy/Science Fiction novel, 2004 ("Singularity")
* Publishers Marketing Association: Finalist – Ben Franklin “Best New Voice” Award, 2005 ("Singularity")

Literary influences

DeSmedt has cited two authors, Larry Niven and Roger Zelazny, as having a strong influence on his writing style.

Speaking of authors he enjoys, DeSmedt mentions Jorge Luis Borges and Vernor Vinge as favorites. Specifically speaking of Vernor Vinge, DeSmedt elaborates;

Scientific concepts

In his debut novel, "Singularity (2004)", DeSmedt marshals his fascination with non-fiction science in order to bring validity to the long defunct hypothesis that the devastation of the Tunguska basin in 1908 was the result of a submicroscopic, primordial black hole. He uses real principles in quantum physics and cosmology to elucidate that the Jackson – Ryan hypothesis may actually be correct.

peeches

The Jackson – Ryan Hypothesis

In November 2004, Bill DeSmedt spoke at a meeting of the Johnson Space Center Astronomical Society in Houston, TX, along with Drs. Albert A. Jackson IV and Michael P. Ryan Jr. who first put forward the Tunguska-black hole hypothesis in 1973. The lecture centered around the "Jackson – Ryan hypothesis" on which "Singularity" is based.

At this lecture, DeSmedt had the unique opportunity to defend the Jackson-Ryan hypothesis against the co-creators who, in DeSmedt’s words, had “come around to the conviction that it was probably a meteor or a comet” [ [http://www.scifidimensions.com/May06/billdesmedt.htm " Interview: Bill DeSmedt (Author, Singularity) by Carlos Aranaga"] ; [http://www.scifidimensions.com/May06/billdesmedt.htm see the complete interview at scifidimensions.com] ] .

References

External links

* [http://www.singularitythebook.com The Official Web Site of Bill DeSmedt]
* [http://www.perasperapress.com/ Web Site of Per Aspera Press, publisher of "Singularity"]
* [http://www.vurdalak.com/ Vurdalak Conjecture Web Site, companion site to "Singularity"]

Persondata
NAME=DeSmedt, Bill
ALTERNATIVE NAMES= DeSmedt, William H.
SHORT DESCRIPTION=American novelist
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