Reviewing in 2016

This year I wrote 23 book reviews for SF Crowsnest, as well as an article and 2 interviews. I've surprised myself with that total as I didn't think I'd been producing reviews that regularly. This probably also contributes to my post yeesterday, in that I've writen more word count on reviews than on fiction.


I think reading and reviewing will slow down next year as I delve into writing a new novel.

Writing in 2016

I've not managed to write a great deal this year, the lowest word count total since I started writing seriously in 2004, totaling only 4 short stories.




 By strange coincidence I also sold 4 stories, two of them to podcasts. I've also had 3 stories published, one of which was in German and one was a podcast.


I've been working on the plot for a new novel in the past couple of weeks, so prepare for more word count next year!

Reading in 2016

I've read a surprising 58 books this year, rather more than usual. Probably because I haven't done much writing I guess. As I've also been reviewing I've read quite a few new books along with books from previous years and decades.






These are my favourites of the year, in reverse chronological order of reading:






The Core of the Sun by Johanna Sinisalo
Everfair by Nisi Shawl
Death's End by Liu Cixin
Daughter of Eden by Chris Beckett
Europe at Midnight by Dave Hutchinson
Made to Kill by Adam Christopher
Barsk: The Elephants' Graveyard by Lawrence M. Schoen






I know a top 7 is a little odd, but it was either that or a top 28, which doesn't narrow things down much!

EasterCon 2016

I was at EasterCon for just the Sunday this year, and spent the day with my usual combination of browsing the dealer hall, attending a couple of programme items, chatting to other writers and drinking quite a bit of tea.

 I didn't pick up as many books as usual, but I did get a copy of Mercurio D. Rivera's short story collection, which I discovered has a quote from one of my reviews on the back cover which was quite a thrill.




I caught up with Mike Wood, C.A.Hawksmoor and Eliza Chan from Codex and had a lengthy chat about our experiences as writers, GOH Aliette de Bodard, Gareth L Powell and Neil Beynon, Ian Whates, Roy Grey. As usual I also saw a few others in passing that I dodn't get to speak to. Next year will be at the NEC apparently.