27/05/2012

Aphrodite's Anniversary

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.

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.

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

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

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 :)