Endings and Beginnings

So, we’ve slipped seamlessly from the end of 2008 to 2009. On Hogmanay, filling in the End Of The Year Club catharsis sheet, it struck me with some force how frickin frustrating last year was for me. On many levels, but mostly creatively. When I got to the section which asked about resolutions (which I […]

Not seasonal

If you’re into your Germanic retro electro, you might enjoy these (courtesy of Random Jane). This one should get you in the seasonal mood. And this one is getting me in the mood for tonight’s fives night out. The bit where the band take on the shop dummies in Sweden strips. That’s pretty much us.

Interzone and me

So, yes, officially, my story Spy Vs Spy will be appearing in the next issue of Interzone. I talk about Interzone quite a lot on this blog: a/ because it’s personally important to me and fundamentally linked to my development as a writer and b/ because it remains a damned good read. And it has […]

Various Variety

Being, in the main, a round-up of random stuff from the last week. It’s been one of those weeks. Life is so a Cabaret – spent the weekend in London watching various varieties of cabaret performance. Most especially lovely to see Miss Leggy Pee taking her unique brand of charming on the road to such […]

Circle Of Life

Over at Notes From The Geek Show, Hal’s been holding forth on the subject of the Glasgow SF Writers’ Circle. I’m not going to add anything here to what Hal’s written, but only as a slight caveat will add that at this week’s meeting we had one of those moments when you realise why we […]

Catching up on culture

Just some cultural notes worthy of note: – “Subtle Edens” is out now from Elastic Press. This is an anthology of new slipstream stories. Slipstream (I’ve never been comfortable with the term, but that’s part of the point I suppose) was an early influence on my writing as I discovered the British small press scene […]

Lost In Translation

Thanks to Mr Gibson’s passing reference to Plastic Bertrand (via the Hello Kitty lounge of Taipei airport), I have decided that all song lyrics read better translated from French. The reason? Well, see it occurred to me on seeing the title of M. Bertrand’s “hit” written down for the first time since 1977 that I’d […]

Sights and Sounds

Looking forward to this weekend’s Sounds Film Festival. Especially the Woody Guthrie biopic, Bound For Glory, and the opening night’s Ballads Of The Book film which will be followed by live music, including the most excellent Zoey van Goey.

Aftercon

So, Newcon went well. Three days of chat, drink, chat, drink, the occasional panel (I was on one, but wasn’t able to offer much of a contribution) and lovely books. Top five moments: Meeting up with friends – Gary, Andrew, Michaela, Sam, Paul, Al, Heather, Debbie, Tiffany, Chaz, John (of course), Chris, Tony (but no […]

In with the New/Ain’t no lie

Conventions. I love them. They come at just the right times to wrench you out of the workaday and let you just hang out with your friends in a bar, for three or four days. Usually, I do two a year. Eastercon at, well, Easter, and Fantasycon in September. Occasionally, if I’m feeling flush I […]