I just realised my novel, Aphrodite's Dawn, was published four months ago yesterday.
Its my first novel, so its a bit shy, but I'm sure it would be more than happy if anybody wanted to buy it from Amazon (for the paltry sum of £2.05). It needs to get out more and meet new people.
My facebook page is feeling lonely too. Why not click here to pop over and tell it how much you like it.
27/05/2012
25/05/2012
Wolf Whistles and barbs
On the news this morning were articles telling of a recent report into abuse and inappropriate sexual contact of women. I'll start off by saying any form of contact or communication that makes anyone feel threatened or abused is inappropriate.
Having said that, the poor old wolf whistle got lined up for its usual battering, and I feel kind of sorry for it. OK, I get it, for some its not welcome, and I get that it can make people feel threatened. maybe that's because its overused? I don't know. I've never had anyone whistle at me.
But that got me thinking about something slightly different. What is an acceptable way to show ones appreciation, and how is one supposed to know when its appropriate? I mean, if you go to effort of making yourself look smart, what could be worse than nobody noticing?
But on a more serious note, it did ring a bell with me about the impact of (presumably) innocent comments/gestures. Very recently, someone I interact with on a regular basis made another in a series of jabs about my technical skills/knowledge in an area which I have never professed to be expert, or even competent. My first reaction was anger, and a desire to strike back - but when I picked at it a bit more I realised my reaction was because I was hurt. Not offended, plain old hurt.
I confess. I have just been on a 'management training' course, and I've just been dealing with this sort of interaction, but it still came as a surprise. I'm sure that this person thinks they are being funny. Might be, to them. Even maybe to others. Not to me.
So, to get to the point (at last, I hear you cry), something that was mentioned right in the dying gasp of this course, which is relevant to both the situations above, stuck in my head and I will be trying to keep it there.
"We are personally responsible for the impact of our communications."
Or to put it another way, don't assume the person on the other end of your comment will interpret it the same way as you. I know its a generalisation, but maybe its a good place to start.
Having said that, the poor old wolf whistle got lined up for its usual battering, and I feel kind of sorry for it. OK, I get it, for some its not welcome, and I get that it can make people feel threatened. maybe that's because its overused? I don't know. I've never had anyone whistle at me.
But that got me thinking about something slightly different. What is an acceptable way to show ones appreciation, and how is one supposed to know when its appropriate? I mean, if you go to effort of making yourself look smart, what could be worse than nobody noticing?
But on a more serious note, it did ring a bell with me about the impact of (presumably) innocent comments/gestures. Very recently, someone I interact with on a regular basis made another in a series of jabs about my technical skills/knowledge in an area which I have never professed to be expert, or even competent. My first reaction was anger, and a desire to strike back - but when I picked at it a bit more I realised my reaction was because I was hurt. Not offended, plain old hurt.
I confess. I have just been on a 'management training' course, and I've just been dealing with this sort of interaction, but it still came as a surprise. I'm sure that this person thinks they are being funny. Might be, to them. Even maybe to others. Not to me.
So, to get to the point (at last, I hear you cry), something that was mentioned right in the dying gasp of this course, which is relevant to both the situations above, stuck in my head and I will be trying to keep it there.
"We are personally responsible for the impact of our communications."
Or to put it another way, don't assume the person on the other end of your comment will interpret it the same way as you. I know its a generalisation, but maybe its a good place to start.
11/05/2012
Rock On, RB
Going to a gig. Well, cross between a gig and a festival and all in support of cancer charities. http://www.concertatthekings.co.uk/ is well worth a look if you are in the west country, and feature many bands I thought had died long ago. Glad to be so wrong. Worthy cause, glad to support it, and looking forward to spending time with my family from Bristol at the same time.
Just wish my hair was a bit longer and my waist was a bit thinner to make the obligatory bad dancing easier
Just wish my hair was a bit longer and my waist was a bit thinner to make the obligatory bad dancing easier
Happy Day
Twenty three years ago today, I met this pretty, shortarse young lady near the statue of Eros in Piccadilly Circus. Luckily for me, the dodgy moustache I favoured at the time didn't scare her off, and we got married 2 years later to the day.
We're still together, and she is still my best mate.
My favourite day of the year, to remind me how lucky I am
We're still together, and she is still my best mate.
My favourite day of the year, to remind me how lucky I am
01/05/2012
Hammer in one hand, screwdriver in the other
Yes, I'm worldbuilding. Again.
Its one of the unique features of being a writer of speculative fiction. At the very least we usually need to bend what relevent reality exists. Usually we end up starting from scratch. Right now, I'm creating a factory that is ring-mining a gas giant and the culture that would go with it. Hell of a lot of work to add to the process or storytelling, but its part of the fun, part of the act of creation.
Still, I can see why so many of my peers tend to prefer trilogies, or same-world series :)
Looks like this one is going to be a bit of departure from my last four novels; for grown ups, rather than YA, and 'dark SF' (if there is such a genre - if not, I guess I just invented it). Still in planning, though, and a long way to go. Still, it takes my mind off wondering how the two I have out on submission are doing.
The fun just never ends :)
Its one of the unique features of being a writer of speculative fiction. At the very least we usually need to bend what relevent reality exists. Usually we end up starting from scratch. Right now, I'm creating a factory that is ring-mining a gas giant and the culture that would go with it. Hell of a lot of work to add to the process or storytelling, but its part of the fun, part of the act of creation.
Still, I can see why so many of my peers tend to prefer trilogies, or same-world series :)
Looks like this one is going to be a bit of departure from my last four novels; for grown ups, rather than YA, and 'dark SF' (if there is such a genre - if not, I guess I just invented it). Still in planning, though, and a long way to go. Still, it takes my mind off wondering how the two I have out on submission are doing.
The fun just never ends :)
26/04/2012
Standing at a crossroads...
After many, many longs months of editing and tweaking, my latest two projects are finally at a point where I can throw them out to the market and see if anybody bites. Both are for the Young Adult market; one SF and one Urban Fantasy/Steampunk.
Of course, having macheted my way through that particular jungle, the next problem is what should I start on next? I just looked at my project folder and I have seven books waiting to be written. OK, two are follow-on's from stuff already completed, but I have Vampires, Brain-sucking Aliens, a Psychic, and a baby factory!
Maybe I need to stop having ideas faster than I can write them :) Still, I'm not complaining. Cant think of anything worse than coming to the end of a project and not having any ideas for what to do next :)
Of course, having macheted my way through that particular jungle, the next problem is what should I start on next? I just looked at my project folder and I have seven books waiting to be written. OK, two are follow-on's from stuff already completed, but I have Vampires, Brain-sucking Aliens, a Psychic, and a baby factory!
Maybe I need to stop having ideas faster than I can write them :) Still, I'm not complaining. Cant think of anything worse than coming to the end of a project and not having any ideas for what to do next :)
24/04/2012
Don't ask if you don't want to know...
Most writers brave enough to give their work to somebody else and ask for comments have a vague idea of what's coming back. The depth of the comments and feedback will always depend on the experience of the person you asked to dissect your precious child and, intellectually at least, you are prepared to get back comments and suggestions that feel as though somebody has ripped out several of your internal organs.
Then you read them again the next day, and the pain is (usually) less, and you see which comments you agree with, which ones you don't, and you send back a nice note to the friend who ripped out you heart, thanking them for their help and maybe asking for a clarification or two. Sometimes they are painful, but they are necessary and we learn to take them in the spirit they are intended.
Then there are the writers who ask you for comments, but who are really looking for a mutual back-patting society, where everyody tells them how talented they are and that they are bound to sell this one because its so ground break/innovative/etc/etc. Its often branded as 'being supportive'. I guess it has its place. But then, people can be supportive and honest.
A quick aside, here, to establish my bona fides. I am an active member of the BSFA's 'Orbit' community of mutual critiquers, and I am the co-ordinator for Orbit-4. So I'm used to being on both ends of crits, on a regular basis.
I had a situation recently where somebody was asking for people to look at a published book and comment. I thought that was a bit odd. You normally ask that sort of question before publication. Now, to make this easier to write, I'm going to say this person was a lady, but she may not have been, in the sense of preserving anonymity.
So I read the free bit from the Amazon page, and while I was there had a look at the comments. The sample looked as though it had not had the benefit of a professional editor, the publisher was not one I had ever heard of, and the eleven 5* reviews all consisting of two words, like 'good read' and 'excellent book'. I pointed out how fake that looked (in the kindest way), asked about the editor, and made a few fairly gentle comments about things I saw as potential issues with the book.
Not a word back, not even a thank you. And I guess that's OK if you think what some authors have vented into the cybersphere when they've had negative comments made. Still, its made me think twice now about extending a 'helping hand' in the future. I guess the moral is be sure what you ask for is what you really want. And even if what you get back isn't what you expected, at least say thanks.
Then you read them again the next day, and the pain is (usually) less, and you see which comments you agree with, which ones you don't, and you send back a nice note to the friend who ripped out you heart, thanking them for their help and maybe asking for a clarification or two. Sometimes they are painful, but they are necessary and we learn to take them in the spirit they are intended.
Then there are the writers who ask you for comments, but who are really looking for a mutual back-patting society, where everyody tells them how talented they are and that they are bound to sell this one because its so ground break/innovative/etc/etc. Its often branded as 'being supportive'. I guess it has its place. But then, people can be supportive and honest.
A quick aside, here, to establish my bona fides. I am an active member of the BSFA's 'Orbit' community of mutual critiquers, and I am the co-ordinator for Orbit-4. So I'm used to being on both ends of crits, on a regular basis.
I had a situation recently where somebody was asking for people to look at a published book and comment. I thought that was a bit odd. You normally ask that sort of question before publication. Now, to make this easier to write, I'm going to say this person was a lady, but she may not have been, in the sense of preserving anonymity.
So I read the free bit from the Amazon page, and while I was there had a look at the comments. The sample looked as though it had not had the benefit of a professional editor, the publisher was not one I had ever heard of, and the eleven 5* reviews all consisting of two words, like 'good read' and 'excellent book'. I pointed out how fake that looked (in the kindest way), asked about the editor, and made a few fairly gentle comments about things I saw as potential issues with the book.
Not a word back, not even a thank you. And I guess that's OK if you think what some authors have vented into the cybersphere when they've had negative comments made. Still, its made me think twice now about extending a 'helping hand' in the future. I guess the moral is be sure what you ask for is what you really want. And even if what you get back isn't what you expected, at least say thanks.
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