Two children played in a farmer’s field, the manner of games a girl and a boy are want to play when no grown-up eye is watching. The grey and leaden sky grew darker still as the sun dimmed, and the girl became scared. ‘My mother will beat me if I am late.’ The boy hadContinue reading “The Black Bull: Extract One”
Author Archives: Damien Walter
Clarion San Diego
I made my application to Clarion San Diego yesterday evening. Instructors include Kelly Link, Geoff Ryman and yes that is a picture of Neil Gaiman and yes he is one of the instructors. Clarion is basically Top Gun for science fiction and fantasy writers. Its been running since 1968 and in forty years its alumniContinue reading “Clarion San Diego”
Financial Suicide
I’ve just destroyed m y future chances of wealth and prosperity. I have written a poem and – worse – I’ve submitted it. I just sent ‘It vs. They. A Cosmology.’ to Strange Horizons. I’m as good as finished.
Draft 5 and you’re out.
You may notice things look a little different around here. I got board of the old look after almost two years. What do people think? I’m two scenes away from finishing the 5th draft of Great Western Pile. I would have finished it on Sunday but an unscheduled emergency trip to Luton airport got inContinue reading “Draft 5 and you’re out.”
Squee
I’ve found a new word I like. Definitions are available here: http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=squee
Tor E-Book Giveaway
Tor are giving away an e-book a week to anyone who subscribes via e-mail on their website. This weeks book is Mistborn by Brandon Sandersen. Bot really my thing but at least I read the first few chapters, which I doubt I would of done without having it fall into my inbox. One big frustrationContinue reading “Tor E-Book Giveaway”
The Secret History of Moscow
The Secret History of Moscow, the new novel from Ekaterina Sedia is garnering widespread acclaim from readers of contemporary fantasy, and comparisons to some of the genre’s most respected writers, including Neil Gaiman and Charles de Lint. It also marks Sedia out as one of a number of women writers pushing the boundaries of fantasyContinue reading “The Secret History of Moscow”
Rewriting and Editing
Writing isn’t writing. Writing is editing. I’ve been struck by the importance of rewriting, or editing, over the last few days. Yesterday I rewrote an article I was working on to editorial direction, and today I made it half way through the 4th draft of ‘The Great Western Pile’. (To those people who bravely volunteeredContinue reading “Rewriting and Editing”
The 200th Post!!!!!
I just noticed I had made 199 posts to this blog, so thought I would make it 200! I’d better actually write something though or it will be meaningless… I hate reading blog posts about why someones blog hasn’t been updated recently, so I’m sorry to make you go through this. Between work, freelance projectsContinue reading “The 200th Post!!!!!”
The Great Western Pile
Well, I’ve just finished second draft of my new story ‘The Great Western Pile’. Its a bit strange and I have no idea where I’m going to sell it but I like it. Extract below. ***** From the galleries of Westminster the Thames, that sick river, slides along at pace with history. The parliament stones,Continue reading “The Great Western Pile”
Back in the Saddle
The first weeks after the Xmas break have been so intensely busy for me that my feet have barely touched the ground. Constructively busy however, which is good. I wrote my first professional blog post last week for Guardian Unlimited. Following the tremendous response to Sam Jordison’s look at the Hugo Award’s, I pitched aContinue reading “Back in the Saddle”
10, 000 Hits. W00t!
In the early hours of the morning this blog, The Fiction Front, passed the big one zero zero zero zero. I’d been watching the stats for quite some time and menaing to make a big thing of it but I’ve been so busy I almost missed it. Congratulations to whoever visitor number 10, 000 was.Continue reading “10, 000 Hits. W00t!”
Damien Walter 