Monday, February 26, 2007

The Mare Inebrium


The Mare Inebrium is a spaceport bar that has featured in a total of 62 short stories in Aphelion over the past ten years. I've been thinking of writing a Mare story for a while, and last week I was struck with an idea inspired by Aphelion's tenth anniversary.

Ten Years at the Bar is another ultra-short story, though not as short as The Last Adam, and will appear in the March issue.

Thursday, February 22, 2007

Part B


My copy of Universe Pathways #6 has arrived, containing part B of my time travel story Artefact Nouveau. I know enough Greek letters to be able to spot the names of my characters. That kept me amused for ages!

Wednesday, February 21, 2007

More Poll Results

I discovered today that Last Man Standing, the picture by John D Stanton that accompanied The Last Adam finished 8th in the P&E readers poll.

It's a pretty good combination.

Aphelion Tenth Anniversry


Aphelion celebrates its tenth anniversary this month and you can read my comments on the occasion at SF UK Review.

Four of my stories have been published at Aphelion, and I'm currently writing a collaborative story with six of their regulars.

Monday, February 19, 2007

Poll Results

The results of the Preditors & Editors Readers' Poll have been anounced and The Last Adam finished in 11th place. I just missed out on a top ten award, but when you consider that just 90 stories were nominated out of the countless hundreds that are published each year, and that my story was voted 11th out of them, I'm pretty pleased.

I don't know who nominated The Last Adam in the first place, but a special thankyou to that person, and to all of the other people who voted for me.

Tuesday, February 13, 2007

Unconventional and Touching

Matt Wallace, one of the team behind new UK magazine Murky Depths, talks about their plans for issue #1 at his live journal. He writes regarding my story Looking In, Looking Out, slated for issue #1:

We've got one of the most unconventional and touching tales of first contact I have ever read.


I hope you'll agree when you see it.

Then and There

Another sad day noted at Ralan's. UK SF magazine Here & Now has been closed by its editor. I never even got to read a copy. :o(

Friday, February 09, 2007

Another Delivery


My copy of Static Movement has arrived. It looks great, and is packed with stories. The photo accompanying The Last Adam is very effective. Another prize to ad to my collection.

Tuesday, February 06, 2007

Waiting for the Postman

The excitement is building as I check the post each day. Which reminds me, I read The Postman recently and it's a brilliant book. Anyway, I'm waiting on the following to arrive through my letter box:

Universe Pathways #6 - Containing part B of the Greek translation of Artefact Nouveau.

Static Movement - Containing The Last Adam, with illustration.

Issue #1 of Fiction magazine that I'll be reviewing.

Review copies of #6 & #7 of Forgotten Worlds, a magazine that I really enjoyed the previous issue of.

Issue #8 of Here & Now that I'll also be reviewing, though it seems to have been delayed.

I also got Shadow of Saganami through the post last week and I'm well into that already.

That should keep me busy for a while. Meanwhile I'm working on plots for 2 stories in my head...

Thursday, February 01, 2007

Keep an Eye on This

The February 'Invitation Only' issue of Static Movement is now on-line and includes the reprint of A Feast of Eyes. It is accompanied by a specially commissioned piece of artwork by Kevin James Hurtack.