Damien Walter

What is the the demographic for the fantastic?

I just took a stride through the SFF section of my local Waterstones. I do this regularly but I don’t tarry as long I used to, there are rarely enough new additions to hold my attention for more than a moment. For many reasons the books I really want to read often aren’t to beContinue reading “What is the the demographic for the fantastic?”

Which ebook reader should I buy?

Waiting alone at a dark, midlands train station and typing this post to keep circulation going through my fingers and and because the light from my phone seems to be the only illumination. The battery is running low though and I don’t want to know what happens around here when the lights go off… …ifContinue reading “Which ebook reader should I buy?”

Remorseless, treacherous, lecherous, kindless villain.

What do you do when you realise that you are the villain of the piece? It’s often said that the worst (or best) villains firmly believe themselves to be the greatest heroes. It’s an absolute truth that nothing empowers us to acts of pure evil better than a complete conviction in our own rightness. PerhapsContinue reading “Remorseless, treacherous, lecherous, kindless villain.”

Seal of Approval

Sigh. The Hundredth Master of Ninja Assassin is malingering. You know that moment when a living malleable story turns into a dull lump of hard, dried up clay in your hands? Yup, thats where I am. One of the joys of writing is observing your own development. If Clarion was about cracking my writing open,Continue reading “Seal of Approval”

Agent and editor 1-2-1 meetings at WIC 2010

A little more information the Writing Industries Conference 2010, including agents and editors available for 1-2-1 meetings. W00t! *** Writing Industries Conference 2010 Saturday 6th March 2010, Loughborough University A Literature Network, Writing East Midlands and Loughborough University project. http://writingindustries.com Twitter #wic2010 Book tickets online here. WIC 2010 – APPLY NOW FOR AGENT AND EDITORContinue reading “Agent and editor 1-2-1 meetings at WIC 2010”

Where are science fiction’s superstars?

I’ve been following the unfolding debate about the decline of science fiction over at Mark Charan Newton’s blog, and recently added my own response: Hmm…I think your insight into the industry is strong Mark, but actually I think you are over complicating the problem facing SF. I pin it on something much simpler…the Michael JordanContinue reading “Where are science fiction’s superstars?”

Why I find things beautiful

I am listening to Prophecies by Philip Glass. I find it very beautiful. Especially the break around 8:45. It gives me those special shivers that come from things that are beautiful beyond comprehension. On my last flight out to California I got a glimpse out of the window as the flight came in over greenland.Continue reading “Why I find things beautiful”

Are the interwebs destroying reading?

The other thing about colds (I’m pretty sure this a bad cold and not flu but that’s purely an assumption. I’ve never really known the difference between the two. So I’m either manfully resisting the the flu germs, or caving into a common garden cold like a wuss) hmmm…where was I? Oh yes, the otherContinue reading “Are the interwebs destroying reading?”

Show me the risk taking writers

Colds do two things to me. They make me bad tempered in a grouchy kind of way. And they make me want to take shelter from all things in a book. Today I hid out in the audiobook of Martian Chronicles by Ray Bradbury (Read very well but not by Bradbury unfortunately. Note to authors:Continue reading “Show me the risk taking writers”

Writing Sci-Fi Short Fiction

I’ll be teaching a five week course in Writing Sci-Fi Short Fiction here in Leicester from 12th January. I was recently challenged to come up with reasons to attend this course on Twitter. My answer? By the end of five weeks you will have written, edited and submitted a complete short story. And I keepContinue reading “Writing Sci-Fi Short Fiction”

Pub Grub

Ate the most amazing beef stew (with mustard mash and kale) at The Pub this evening. Their new chef previously cooked for Gordon Ramsay in London, and oh my good god can the lad cook. A well cooked pub meal on a cold December night is one of the most comforting things I can imagine.Continue reading “Pub Grub”

Speculations

I’m live blogging from The Speculators writing group here in Leicester. We are sitting in silence, writing. I’m taking a few minutes away from working on The Hundredth Master of Ninja Assassin. Writing in a group is one of my favourite things. The Speculators meet every Wednesday and write for two hours (with occasional outburstsContinue reading “Speculations”