Really pleased to hear about the launch of Brain In A Jar ebooks, a new venture by SF novelist Gary Gibson. The ethos behind the company is much the same as that for Infinity Plus books, to bring out of print writing back into public view. Gary’s dusted off his skills as a graphic designer… [Read more…]
January 27, 2012
Several years ago, at a convention, I went down for an early breakfast with one of the books I’d bought during the weekend. The breakfast was huge, which was just as well because the book completely captivated me. Read it in until the toast was soggy and the tea cold. The book was PS Publishing’s… [Read more…]
January 27, 2012
I know I’ve mentioned this before but there was a definitive moment in my life when I made the decision to try writing fiction. A moment, a place, a time. A story. I remember it with absolute clarity. It was 1990-91 and I was living in Shepperton. Sharing a house next to the film studios… [Read more…]
January 24, 2012
Don’t know if I mentioned this or not, but I’ve got a bee in my bonnet about contemporary horror. The following is an attempt to work out why, and – being a rummage around inside my brain – may well be doomed to being malformed and half-baked. So, apologies in advance. I think it started… [Read more…]
January 23, 2012
So, the extended voting period has passed and I hope a few more votes snuck in. The result is really interesting shortlists in all the categories. In the two fiction categories, I’ve read two of the novels and two of the short stories, so I have a bit of reading to do to be in a… [Read more…]
January 22, 2012
Ace short story writer, Iain Rowan, has begun a new blog. Every week in 2012 he’s posting a song and a new story inspired by it. 52 songs, 52 stories. Simple but brilliant. Generally, if you like short stories, you should be checking out Iain’s work anyway. Yes, you should.
January 20, 2012
Over on her site, Holly Phillips is discussing influences on her writing. She has a few things to say on the subject, but the main focus of her thinking on this occasion is Tom Waits’s amazing ability to draw the strange out of the everyday and overlooked. In other words, he does what the magic realists… [Read more…]
January 18, 2012
Hi folks – just a quick one on the subject of browsers. I’d really appreciate it if folks could comment in this thread with a note to say which internet browser they’re using. For a while for me it’s been a toss up between Chrome and Firefox, but are people migrating back towards internet explorer.… [Read more…]
January 18, 2012
I always enjoy the BSFA awards. They usually can be relied on to reward very good work, and the decisions they come to usually have the feeling of being the nod of approval of a collective, cohesive community. You can often read a book and know that it’s a BSFA award contender. And that’s how… [Read more…]
January 11, 2012
Okay, do you remember last year when I talked about my balls? Yes? No? Well, I’m using the new year to kind of stock take and push on from that position. I actually managed to tick a few things off the original list, but here’s what remains. The novel. For various reasons (mainly to do… [Read more…]
January 28, 2012
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