First published in Sci-Fantastic magazine. Recreation by Damien G Walter Every evening Mike would hang the costume up in his wardrobe and every morning he would take it out again and put it on. Every other day he would hose down the insides to wash away his own stale sweat. After two months he stoppedContinue reading “Recreation”
Author Archives: Damien Walter
Dust : A Hypertext Narrative
Dust : A Hypertext Narrative was written in completion of my BA Performance & Media at De Montfort University. It is an experimental piece, but contains some intensely personal writing. Read Dust : A Hypertext Narrative online.
Compartment
First published in Bloom: Young Writers, Route publishing. Reprinted in The Route Compendium. Compartment by Damien Walter I would like to apologise. I would like to apologise to you. I would like to apologise for your lousy day, for the train that was late, the hair that went wrong, for the unwritten essay, the unfinished dream, theContinue reading “Compartment”
Cheer up! The future is Shiny
The future. If our television screens are to be believed, it’s not a place you’d want to go. Dwindling resources will continue to fuel national rivalries, pitching the world into a state of endless war. Our environment will become ever more chaotic and unpredictable. Our economic system will collapse under its own weight, plunging theContinue reading “Cheer up! The future is Shiny”
Where can I get more Chinese spec.fic?
Prompted by the news that leading Chinese authors of science fiction are demanding new leadership for Science Fiction World, the countries biggest publication, I went looking for stories by Chinese SF authors. (Will this rebellion, I wonder, incite similar Coup d’Etat in Western SF publications?) (Unlikely, as Western editors are not government appointed.Imagine if theyContinue reading “Where can I get more Chinese spec.fic?”
This week I have mostly been..
…working on the first draft of a new story now titled ‘To Rule the Sky’. (The title only emerged late last night, towards the end of the draft. I take it as a good sign when the title emerges from the writing.) During the writing I’ve been thinking of it as a literary adventure fantasy.Continue reading “This week I have mostly been..”
The Hate Barrier at the End of the Universe
You can’t be all things to all people. A strength in one area becomes, almost by default, a weakness in another. So it is with stories. The great guru of story, Robert McKee, talks about the story triangle. The relationship between plot, character and idea which means that the more you have of any twoContinue reading “The Hate Barrier at the End of the Universe”
In the Evening
I have been for some time now been collecting translations of the poem ‘Im Abendrot’ by Joseph von Eichendorff. I discovered the poem through the Four Songs of Richard Strauss (of which it is the basis for the last and greatest) and it has been a constant source of inspiration for my growing interest inContinue reading “In the Evening”
Independent and happy that way
Today was spent at States of Independence, a gathering of independent publishers organised by Five Leaves press and De Montfort University. Great to see so many independent publishers under one roof, and I had a great day talking with many old friends. It was also good to see both speculative fiction and comics represented byContinue reading “Independent and happy that way”
Poetry is perfect for social media
Carol Ann Duffy’s ode to David Beckham is a perfect illustration of why poetry is experiencing a tremendous revival in the age of Twitter and social networks. Achilles (for David Beckham) Myth’s river- where his mother dipped him, fished him, a slippery golden boyflowed on, his name on its lips. Without him, it was prophesised,Continue reading “Poetry is perfect for social media”
Have we made writing too easy?
A good friend drew my attention to the disappearing act of calligraphy this week, and the beautiful work of master calligrapher Paul Antonio captured by The Guardian. Coincidentally, I am part way through reading The Book of Five Rings by Miyamoto Mushashi, a martial text from circa 17th Century Japan, an era and a cultureContinue reading “Have we made writing too easy?”
What do you think about the BSFA awards shortlist?
So no sooner does one event sail under the bridge (yesterday’s Writing Industries Conference went swimmingly, more details tomorrow perhaps) than another comes bobbing along on the white water rapids of life. I will be at the next meeting of the British Science Fiction Association on Wednesday 24th March, and will be discussing the shortlistContinue reading “What do you think about the BSFA awards shortlist?”
Damien Walter 