Category Archives: Writing Journal

20,000th Anniversary

Congratulations reader number 20,000! Tonight you, whoever you are, have pushed this little blog past the 20,000 hit mark. Not much in the grand scheme of things, and probably less than a nanoseconds worth of Google traffic, but a giant leap (made in very small hops) for this little blog. Thank you all who haveContinue reading “20,000th Anniversary”

Murky Contents

The citents of Murky Depth #6 have been confirmed. Look out for this in December, featuring my story Horizon. Issue #6 cover art: Jason Beam Contents:- The Last Marriane Alan Frackleton [Art: James Fletcher] All I Want For Christmas Christian Carter-Stephenson [Mark Chilcott] Are You Lonesome Tonight Alan James Roll [Nancy Farmer] Between Hanson andContinue reading “Murky Contents”

Community is King

OK, so the stand out line from the Cory Doctorow interview I am currently transcribing is that ‘If content isn’t king, then community is’. Doctorow is a writer at the heart of a community of technologists, sci-fi fans, passionate readers and probably many other vectors. Its a community cross-section he shares with a writer likeContinue reading “Community is King”

A Little Space Between Things

I’ve take a little break from writing over the last few weeks. Not a break in writing itself, as I have still done a bit, but a break from making myself write. To paraphrase David Mamet, a writers life is 10% achievement and 90% guilt, but for the last few weeks I’ve taken my footContinue reading “A Little Space Between Things”

The Politics of Gloom

The debate on positivity in science fiction continues. Co-editor of Years Best SF Kathryn Cramer makes a robust response to my Guardian article on the subject. Lou Anders, editorial director of Pyr, finds the middle ground and Jetse de Vries, who started the debate back in January, rebutts Cramer’s response. There have been too manyContinue reading “The Politics of Gloom”

Free World Fantasy E-Books

Tor.com are offering two free e-books nominated for this years World Fantasy awards. I have not read either War of the Oaks by Emma Bull or Dogland by Will Shetterly, but look forward to getting into both quite soon. You can download the e-books for free for the next month, but will need to beContinue reading “Free World Fantasy E-Books”

Holy Cow…where did all these books come from?

Its been ages since I updated my progress working through the infinite pile of books beside my bed, so here goes a brief round-up of the last three months. Firstly, I read something like 120 short stories in various states of completition at Clarion. They were the greatest leaning resource for me as a writerContinue reading “Holy Cow…where did all these books come from?”

Get Your Electric Velocipede Hot and Fresh!

Electric Velocipede is without doubt the magazine I most look forward to finding in my mail box. Yes, I know, I’m biased because I’ve featured in their pages. But even if I hadn’t, I hope I would have the sense to recognise what a great ‘zine editor John Klima is putting into the world. TheContinue reading “Get Your Electric Velocipede Hot and Fresh!”

Happy SF

With the news that Jetse de Vries has left the editorial group who make Interzone magazine, some discusion has arisen at the Asimov’s fourm about whether the tone of not just Interzone, but the whole of contemporary science fiction, has become too pessimistic. Its an interesting discussion and makes me wonder, are we in needContinue reading “Happy SF”