Apr 6
The Conflicts anthology, which includes my own story Songbirds, is now available from NewCon Press.
“Thirteen tales of human striving, of ingenuity, brilliance, desperate action, violence, and resolution. Thirteen tales of Conflict, of Science Fiction at its absolute best.“
Artwork: Andy Bigwood
Am going thorough a hard copy of the novel with a red pen. Would really like to give it to my agent ahead of the convention at Easter. But that may be premature…
Trying to formulate ideas for the Alice Street short story commission – could be good. Am hoping to write it quickly (for me); say, over a couple of weeks, no more.
Also attempting to adapt my short story Deciduous Trees for Radio 4′s afternoon play slot. Again, it could be good but I have to make sure I do it very well.
Band on hiatus at the moment. But the good news is I’ve strung my guitar with a set of D’addario Chromes (12s) and it sounds fantastic.
That’s it! Keep well.
I’m both shocked and genuinely saddened by the news that writer Robert Holdstock has died this weekend following a short illness. He was 61.
I first met Rob at a convention in Hinkley. It must’ve been around 2002 or 2003. That same weekend I also met Ian MacLeod for the first time. Rob and Ian were then being published by Earthlight with John Jarrold at the helm, and John was in the process of bringing my own novels to publication.
The three of us crammed into the back of a taxi, and were taken to a restaurant and treated to a Chinese meal by our publisher. I remember the evening vividly: I suddenly found myself among people I’d read and aspired to be like. I felt as if I’d “made it”.
I’ve met Rob several times since then, most recently at the Arthur C Clarke Award ceremony in London earlier in 2009. As usual, Rob was full of beans, enthusiastic about writing, and always happy to spare some time to talk to a newcomer such as myself.
Robert Holdstock was a true gentleman, and a top bloke. He will be sadly missed.
The Conflicts anthology, edited by Ian Whates, will be launched by Newcon Press on Friday 2 April at the 2010 Eastercon at Heathrow. As well as my own contribution – Songbirds – Conflicts includes the following stories:
Psi.Copath – Andy Remic
The Maker’s Mark – Michael Cobley
Sussed – Keith Brooke
The Cuisinart Effect – Neal Asher
Harmony in My Head – Rosanne Rabinowitz
Our Land – Chris Beckett
Fallout – Gareth L. Powell
Proper Little Soldier – Martin McGrath
War Without End – Una McCormack
Dissimulation Procedure – Eric Brown
In the Long Run – David L. Clements
Last Orders – Jim Mortimore
Newcon Press’s recent Celebration anthology includes my story Deciduous Trees.
As well as the publication of Conflicts, editor Ian Whates is also celebrating news that his novel The Noise Within will be published by Solaris in the UK and US, also in May 2010.
Newcon Press website
The Newcon Press Celebration page
Solaris website
I’m delighted to be able to announce that my third novel, THE LIBERTY GUN, is now available on the Kindle e-book reader.
Theme: Linen by The Theme Foundry
