The Dark Elves Have It

Between pieces for the Guardian, reviews for the The Fix and various bits and pieces for the upcoming Clarion workshop I’ve had barely any time to do anything here on the ranch except occaisional posts linking out elsewhere. So today I’m going to update on writing progress which I’ve been pretty silent on recently. ThisContinue reading “The Dark Elves Have It”

Boring old sci-fi

OK, I admit it, sci-fi is boring. After endless Star Trek re-runs, innumerable badly scripted Hollywood movies and a thousand video games with pixel-deep narrative, the once wondrous ideas of sci-fi have become yawn-inducing. Fortunately for me, beyond the world of tedious mass media sci-fi, lies the exciting world of literary science fiction or “SF”Continue reading “Boring old sci-fi”

The Alt. Report 2008

Alt.Fiction 2008 was, as predicted, fun, entertaining, enlightening and…expensive! Ticket to Alt.Fiction – £20. Various snack meals – £30. Too many excellent small press books and magazine subscriptions – £100. Getting to hear John Jarrold bang his fist on the table whilst telling us all that publishing is a commercial industry – £PRICELESS! I’ve seenContinue reading “The Alt. Report 2008”

Roll up for Alt.Fiction

The third annual festival of alternative fiction takes place this Saturday 26th April at the Derby Assembly Rooms, attracting goths, hippies, folkies, cyber-nerds, neo-pagans, sci-fi geeks, trekkers, real ale fans and people from dozens of other assorted sub-cultures – as well as plenty of ordinary folk – all united by their love of a goodContinue reading “Roll up for Alt.Fiction”

Which rule do you break?

I’ve posted Heinlein’s rules numerous times, but a thred at the Asimov’s forum reminded me of them andyou can never hear them too often so here they are again. RULE ONE: You must write. RULE TWO: Finish what you start. RULE THREE: You must refrain from re-writing, except to editorial order. RULE FOUR: You mustContinue reading “Which rule do you break?”

James Patrick Kelly praises The Fix

Jim Kelly, award winning SF writer (and Clarion tutor) praises The Fix… Luckily for fans of the short form, a new site, The Fix, has arrived on the scene. Andy Cox, of TTA Press, publisher of Interzone and Black Static, and Eugie Foster have created a site that is visually pleasing and intellectually stimulating. TheContinue reading “James Patrick Kelly praises The Fix”

Clarion Journal: Reading Geoff Ryman

Its been a little over a week since I found out about getting a place at Clarion. The excitement has been pretty intense, its been very difficult to stop thinking about it. A number of other semi-major life events have occured – I have barely even noticed. I’m getting towards being calm about it nowContinue reading “Clarion Journal: Reading Geoff Ryman”