12/12/2013
29/11/2013
Blog Neglect: Stamp it out - TODAY!
Blog, Oh Blog, how have I neglected thee?
I plead the usual defence - stuff happened. Hardly an excuse, because surely I should have been blogging about it. Shouldn't I?
Anyhow, a big part of the stuff has been working with Fox Spirit to get 'Warrior Stone:Underland' ready to launch in the new year. Edits are nearing completion, and we have confirmed the talented Linzi Goldstone as cover artist.
The other BIG THING is that Aphrodite's Dawn is going to be relaunched over Christmas; new cover art, new edit, and available as a paperback. All though Metaphoric Media. Should be available from the week before Christmas.
And the last element of the excuse (apart from a new day job) is that I am currently editing or rewriting THREE books; 'Amunet' (Steampunk Urban Fantasy), 'Maverick' (SF), and 'Warrior Stone: White Magic'. I am hoping 'Maverick' will be published some time around May/June, and 'Amunet' has yet to find a home.
I have a feeling 2014 is going to be a very busy year!
I plead the usual defence - stuff happened. Hardly an excuse, because surely I should have been blogging about it. Shouldn't I?
Anyhow, a big part of the stuff has been working with Fox Spirit to get 'Warrior Stone:Underland' ready to launch in the new year. Edits are nearing completion, and we have confirmed the talented Linzi Goldstone as cover artist.
The other BIG THING is that Aphrodite's Dawn is going to be relaunched over Christmas; new cover art, new edit, and available as a paperback. All though Metaphoric Media. Should be available from the week before Christmas.
And the last element of the excuse (apart from a new day job) is that I am currently editing or rewriting THREE books; 'Amunet' (Steampunk Urban Fantasy), 'Maverick' (SF), and 'Warrior Stone: White Magic'. I am hoping 'Maverick' will be published some time around May/June, and 'Amunet' has yet to find a home.
I have a feeling 2014 is going to be a very busy year!
27/10/2013
BristolCon another resounding sucess
I am home, footsore and liver battered, trying to find the will to sort through my suitcase and goodie-bag.
Knackered doesn't cover it.
But what a time. There was great pre-con conviviality with friend Dom Dulley, plus Kathrine and Lawrence from Crafty Miss Kitty, and great post-con conviviality with the incomparable Ian Whates.
I was lucky enough to be a panelist discussing world building, and I got to moderate a lively discussion on artificial intelligence between Ian Whates, Jaine Fenn and Nick Walters
Actually, who am I kidding. I was terrified. The panel went in completely the opposite direction than I had expected and threw all bar my first question out of the window. Still, with the help of some very good questions from the floor, and three very generous and experienced panelists, the noob mod managed not to make a fool of himself. And thank you to everybody who did turn up, given that we were the last panel of a very long day, and that the other thread was hosting a retrospective of Iain M Banks!
Couple of other people to mention that I met for the first time in this BristolCon. First, Chrissie of Great Escape Publishing who took time out to have a long chat with me about small press publishing and printing, and artist Jim Burns. Jim brought along an original piece of his work that had such luminosity and depth it took my my breath away. Also up for an art mention is Dave Powell, who did me an off-the-cuff sketch based on a description of one of my characters. Great work.
And as always, a massive thanks to the BristolCon team, who work far harder than we mere attendees will ever know, and deserve for more recognition than they get. You Are Magnificent :)
Knackered doesn't cover it.
I was lucky enough to be a panelist discussing world building, and I got to moderate a lively discussion on artificial intelligence between Ian Whates, Jaine Fenn and Nick Walters
Actually, who am I kidding. I was terrified. The panel went in completely the opposite direction than I had expected and threw all bar my first question out of the window. Still, with the help of some very good questions from the floor, and three very generous and experienced panelists, the noob mod managed not to make a fool of himself. And thank you to everybody who did turn up, given that we were the last panel of a very long day, and that the other thread was hosting a retrospective of Iain M Banks!
Couple of other people to mention that I met for the first time in this BristolCon. First, Chrissie of Great Escape Publishing who took time out to have a long chat with me about small press publishing and printing, and artist Jim Burns. Jim brought along an original piece of his work that had such luminosity and depth it took my my breath away. Also up for an art mention is Dave Powell, who did me an off-the-cuff sketch based on a description of one of my characters. Great work.
And as always, a massive thanks to the BristolCon team, who work far harder than we mere attendees will ever know, and deserve for more recognition than they get. You Are Magnificent :)
25/10/2013
Crafty Fox Does it Again
Delighted to find out last night that my short story 'Change of Address' has been selected to appear in the 'Girl at the End of the World' anthology, to be published by Fox Spirit early next year.
Apparently, there were so many excellent offerings that the decision was made to split the anthology into two volumes!
I'm delighted to have been included in such an awesome project. Be prepared for a storm of marketing messages when the luanch dates and covers are announced.
Apparently, there were so many excellent offerings that the decision was made to split the anthology into two volumes!
I'm delighted to have been included in such an awesome project. Be prepared for a storm of marketing messages when the luanch dates and covers are announced.
21/10/2013
I am now officially Foxy
No, seriouslly. I am.
I can now reveal to the world+dog that Fox Spirit will be publishing my YA Urban Fantasy novel 'Warrior Stone:Underland'. Excited doesn't cover it. My tail twitcheth with delight (which is annoying the cats).
No firm publication date, but some time in 2014.
Lovely bunch of people to work with. They have even given me my own author page and I am now sharing space with personal heroes like Alasdair Stuart (presenter of Pseudopod, amongst other things) and Colin F Brown
News, cover reveals, and firmer dates all to follow in due course.
(Is there a happy fox dance?)
I can now reveal to the world+dog that Fox Spirit will be publishing my YA Urban Fantasy novel 'Warrior Stone:Underland'. Excited doesn't cover it. My tail twitcheth with delight (which is annoying the cats).
No firm publication date, but some time in 2014.
Lovely bunch of people to work with. They have even given me my own author page and I am now sharing space with personal heroes like Alasdair Stuart (presenter of Pseudopod, amongst other things) and Colin F Brown
News, cover reveals, and firmer dates all to follow in due course.
(Is there a happy fox dance?)
03/09/2013
Blog tour: Mark Iles
Mark and I have had the fortune (misfortune?) to have appeared in a number of anthologies together, so I was delighted to hear his debut novel had just come out. Today I hand Harkess Hall over to him to shamelessly flaunt his wares :)
A Pride of Lions – Blurb When Selena Dillon is caught in an assassination attempt on her planets ruler, she finds herself sentenced to 25 years servitude in mankind’s most feared military force, the Penal Regiments. Much to her surprise she enjoys the harsh military life and is quickly selected for officer training. But something’s wrong, worlds are falling silent. There’s no cry for help and no warning, just a sudden eerie silence. When a flotilla of ships is despatched to investigate they exit hyperspace to find themselves facing a massive alien armada. Outnumbered and outgunned the flotilla fight a rearguard action, allowing one of their number to slip away and warn mankind. As worlds fall in battle, and man’s fleets are decimated, Selena is selected to lead a team of the Penal Regiments most battle-hardened veterans, in a last ditch attempt to destroy the aliens’ home world. If she fails then mankind is doomed. But little does Selena know what fate has in store for her, that one of her crew is a psychopathic killer and a second the husband of one of his victims. Can she hold her team together, get them to their target and succeed in the attack? Selena knows that if she fails then there will be nothing at all left to go home to.
Mark works for Southampton University, and also as a freelance writer. His short stories have been published in Back Brain Recluse, Dream, New Moon, Auguries, Haunts, Kalkion, Screaming Dreams, and the anthologies Right To Fight, Escape Velocity and Monk Punk. With an 8th Degree Black Belt in Taekwondo he’s also written non-fiction for Combat, Taekwondo & Korean Martial Arts, Fighters, Junk, Martial Arts Illustrated, profwritingacademy.com and calmzone.net.
Bio
His first full length work was ‘Kwak’s Competition Taekwondo’, and he also has a short story collection entitled ‘Distant Shores’. ‘A Pride of Lions’ is the first in ‘The Darkening Stars’ series. Having written features and fiction for over 30 years Mark applied to do an MA in Professional Writing. ‘Pride’ had been bouncing around in his head for some time, and he seized the opportunity of the MA to produce this first novel as part of the course. Mark says it’s without doubt the best choice he’s ever made, as it really focused him, and that getting this novel accepted is the perfect conclusion to a wonderful experience. He’s now focusing on the second book in this series, ‘The Cull of Lions’.
Links
Books:
Distant Shores: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Distant-Shores-ebook/dp/B008SD4KOS/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1347182066&sr=1-1
Kwaks Competition Taekwondo: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Kwak%60s-Competition-Taekwondo-Mark-Iles/dp/B000FTHGFI/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1325614714&sr=1-1
25/08/2013
Review: The Troupe by Robert Jackson Bennett
In a nutshell, The Troupe is about a young man, George, with a preternatural ability on the piano, who gets into a vaudeville theater so as he can spot when a certain troupe comes through; the one run by his father.
Only they aren't an ordinary troupe of performers. They sing, and seek out, fragments of the First Song, the song sung by the Creator to bring forth the universe. They are chased by the Wolves, who seek to destroy the world by stilling the music, and who are out to destroy the song as well.
I haven't had a difficult to put down book on my bedside cabinet for some time, but The Troupe certainly qualified as such. Bennett creates a plausible, smooth universe and populates it with incredibly dense characters. The plot is never sedentary, and snaps around a couple of twists sharp enough to give you whiplash.
As with most page-turners, this is about the people as much as it is about the plot, and Bennett's five characters are fragile, multi-layered, and are as twisted as the story. In many ways, I'm reminded of the HBO series 'Carnivale'.
A definite 'recommended'.
Only they aren't an ordinary troupe of performers. They sing, and seek out, fragments of the First Song, the song sung by the Creator to bring forth the universe. They are chased by the Wolves, who seek to destroy the world by stilling the music, and who are out to destroy the song as well.
I haven't had a difficult to put down book on my bedside cabinet for some time, but The Troupe certainly qualified as such. Bennett creates a plausible, smooth universe and populates it with incredibly dense characters. The plot is never sedentary, and snaps around a couple of twists sharp enough to give you whiplash.
As with most page-turners, this is about the people as much as it is about the plot, and Bennett's five characters are fragile, multi-layered, and are as twisted as the story. In many ways, I'm reminded of the HBO series 'Carnivale'.
A definite 'recommended'.
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