Spin: a good yarn

The latest in TTA Press’s new novellas series (following on from Mike O’Driscoll’s excellent Eyepennies) is SPIN by Nina Allan. And, having been fortunate enough to get a sneaky early preview, I can tell you it’s a belter. Set in an alternative futuristic Greece, the story teases the familiar Arachne myth into something contemporary, relevant […]

Moving on…

So yesterday was a good day. That’s an understatement. Days like that are the rewards for working hard, and reworking harder, and then doing it again. And again. And, as soon as the moment has passed, it’s time to get on with the work again. But before I get down to it my Saturday morning session […]

The Moon King

I’m overjoyed to announce that my first novel, The Moon King, has been sold by my agent, John Jarrold to Ian Whates of the excellent Newcon Press. The book will be published in hardback, paperback and ebook formats in April 2014. I’m proud of this book. It’s my first attempt at a novel and it’s taken a […]

Neu Birlinn

Good to hear that Nova Scotia’s publisher, Birlinn, has a new website. Birlinn took over publication of Nova Scotia after they merged with original publisher, the wonderful Mercat Press, and for a while it was really tricky to find the book on their site. So if there’s anyone out there with an aversion to A****n […]

Monthly : February

Reading long Eyepennies by Mike O’Driscoll (TTA Press) Not that long a read, actually (in fact I read this novella pretty much in one sitting). I’m a long standing O’Driscoll fan and having taken out a subscription to TTA’s new novella series, I was gantin’ for this to arrive, and when it did I wasn’t by […]

The Mumford Experiment

It happened like this. I discovered the Brit Awards were being presented the other night via a disagreement on a friend’s Facebook. Simon was strongly expressing his dissatisfaction with Mumford & Sons (their award as best something or other, and just in general I think) and in turn an acquaintance of his was claiming they […]

Solaris Rising 2

Mentioned this in passing a little while ago, but since the publisher has now posted about it, I guess it’s a good time to properly fanfare that I have a story forthcoming in Solaris Rising 2. This science fiction anthology, published by Solaris Books and edited by Ian Whates, has a really superb line-up of […]

Cowboy Saints

Really, really, REALLY delighted to hear that good old Brain In A Jar books have released a new short story collection by Phil Raines and Harvey Welles: The Cowboy Saints & Other Lost Wonders. Phil and Harvey stories were pretty much my favourite critiques in my early years at GSFWC. The Olivia Reunion Party (along […]

New eggs

With the Murnie ep projects progressing nicely, I’ve quietly been getting back into songwriting. When we started Murnie up we had a rule that it was going to be fun, which meant no down songs, no songs in minor keys, so songs about breakups or any of that nonsense. We’ve pretty much stuck to that, […]

Enigmatic noodlers

A wee interview has just gone live with Murnie on the Last Year’s Girl blog. Lisa-Marie, who runs the blog, has wide and eclectic tastes, and the whole blog is well worth sticking on your feed reader. She calls us “enigmatic noodlers”. Yes, hands up, we noodle. And the enigmatic bit probably comes from the fact […]