Words cannot express how genuinely excited I am to bring you this news. Sponsored by the Glasgow in 2024 Worldcon bid, Russell Jones and I will be co-hosting ‘Digital Wor(l)ds’, a video games special edition of Shoreline of Infinity‘s Event Horizon series, on 22nd October. Bringing together the cream of UK games design, research, music and writing, we’ll be indulging our love of the medium as we explore the best of Science Fictional and Fantasy gaming, its impacts, and possible future(s).
It’s the most wonderful time of the year... Yes, awards season is upon us again. If you’re currently thinking about your nominations for 2018, here’s a brief rundown of my eligible works:
In fiction, I’ve got one short story for your consideration. ‘Telling Stories’ is a dark fantasy tale about social interaction and selfhood (CW: mental health issues). Charles Payseur called it “a fascinating story that plays with fantasy and reality” in his Quick Sip Review of The Dark #43. You can read it online at the link below.
‘Telling Stories’ – The Dark #43, December 2018. (3,000 words)
In non-fiction/fan writing, I published columns about building on the legacy of Ursula K. Le Guin and about persistent anti-SF prejudice. Both can be found in Shoreline of Infinity.
‘Beyond the Mountains’ – Shoreline of Infinity #11 (IWD Edition), Spring 2018.
‘Who’s Afraid of the Big Bad Genre?’ – Shoreline of Infinity #12, Summer 2018.
I also heartily recommend The Dark and Shoreline of Infinity for any relevant magazine categories, as well as Silvia Moreno-Garcia, Sean Wallace, Noel Chidwick and Russell Jones in the editor categories.
Finally, if you’re looking at editing categories in awards outside of genre, I edited From Glasgow to Saturn’s Issues 41 and 42, alongside Valerie Brentjes, Claire Kennedy, Bess Lewis, and Sarah Spence (issue 41 only).
If you’ve enjoyed any of these works this year, please do consider them for a nomination. Thank you!
Before I go, if you’re looking for more nomination reading for science fiction and fantasy awards, Cat Rambo and A.C. Wise are currently collecting eligibility posts in the links below.
Cat Rambo – ‘Round-up of Awards Posts by F&SF Writers, Editors, and Publishers for 2018’
A.C. Wise – ‘What Have You Done? What have you loved? 2018 Edition’
I hope you all have a splendid holiday break, and I’ll see you again before the new year.
Now that Worldcon is over, on to the next thing: the Edinburgh International Book Festival is on now, and Shoreline of Infinity have produced a special issue in partnership with the event.
The line-up includes *deep breath* Iain M Banks, Shelly Bryant, Monica Burns, Thomas Clark, Benjamin Dodds, Gary Gibson, Pippa Goldschmidt, Lewis Grassic Gibbon (James Leslie Mitchell), Caroline Grebbell, Nalo Hopkinson, Russell Jones, Katie Gray, Ken MacLeod, Iain Maloney, Ada Palmer, Dee Raspin, Adam Roberts, Marge Simon, Charles Stross, Jo Walton, Andrew J Wilson, Jane Yolen, and Grahaeme Barrasford Young. You’ll also find my BSFA Award-winning story, ‘The Honey Trap’, in there, and I’m thrilled to be in such wonderful company.
You can find it at the Book Festival Bookshop over 12th to 22nd August – or you can pick it up online here.
Shoreline of Infinity are also hosting a special event this Wednesday (16th August) as part of Unbound at the Edinburgh International Book Festival. The line-up includes Ken MacLeod, Jane Yolen, Nalo Hopkinson, Jo Walton, Bram E. Gieben, Pippa Goldschmitt, and Markee de Saw & Bert Finkle, so it’s going to be a wonderful night. It’s free, so if you’re about why not join them at The Spiegeltent from 9pm?
With all this end of year nonsense, I’d clean forgotten to post about my latest column for Shoreline of Infinity. S0 here’s a belated bump for it.
This one is called ‘Noise and Sparks: Interlude‘ – and it is, in a way. ‘Interlude’ reflects on the change of the seasons, and thoughts this provokes as we hurtle inexorably towards the year’s end.
Also in this issue, you’ll find stories by Bo Balder, Hannah Lackoff, Victoria Zelvin, Katy Lennon, Russell Jones and many more. There’s an interview with Steven Palmer, and a review of Empire Games by Charles Stross – which makes a great preview for his upcoming appearance at Shoreline’s next Event Horizon showcase in February. Chris Kelso gives a glowing review to Thirty Years of Rain, the Glasgow SF Writers Circle anthology which features my poem ‘Picture, of a Winter Afternoon.’ Additionally, this issue boasts the first of a new cover series by Stephen Pickering. So it’s well worth a look, I reckon. Click here to pick it up from the Shoreline website.
I’ve got a bit of news. Well, quite a lot of news, actually. Earlier this year, I put in an application to the University of Glasgow’s MLitt programme in Fantasy — and to my immense delight, they accepted me. So I’m currently condensing my life into a dozen boxes, as I’ll be moving myself and them up to Glasgow this weekend. It’s both terrifying and utterly exciting (and I’m not just talking about the ability to buy a tonne of books and call it work), but I can’t wait to be living in such a vibrant, creative community of writers and artists. The hard work begins here.
September is looking to be a busy month already, with book launches, events, and two new things coming out. While I’m taking a breather from boxing up, I thought you might like to know what’s coming up in the next few weeks…
5th September: Event Horizon XI (Edinburgh)
Next Monday, join me, Bram E. Gieben, Harry Giles, Elaine Gallagher, The Spiders, and Russell Jones for stories, slam poetry and some stonking performances that’ll knock your SFing socks off. We’ll be at the Blind Poet in Edinburgh from 7pm. For more details, check out the facebook event page here, or last week’s blog.
23rd September: Shoreline of Infinity 5 is out! (Everywhere!)
The next issue, featuring my latest Noise and Sparks column, hits the shelves! Pick it up from Transreal Fiction or Deadhead Comics in Edinburgh, or order direct from www.shorelineofinfinity.com.
Additionally…
23rd – 25th September: Fantasycon-by-the-Sea (Scarborough)
This year’s Fantasycon ships up in sunny Scarborough for a weekend of fun, frolics and the world famous Fantasycon Disco Karaoke, the Karaoke is the best. Kev McVeigh, Martin Petto and I have just finished judging for the Non-Fiction Award of the British Fantasy Awards, which will be announced that weekend. I’ve also been booked for a panel, so more on that when it’s been officially announced. For now, I can say I’ll be at the NewCon Press & Glasgow SF Writers’ Circle Book Launch on Saturday (24th) at 3pm, where we’ll be signing copies of the GSFWC‘s 30th anniversary anthology, Thirty Years of Rain. If you’re about, why not join us?
30th September: Thirty Years of Rain – Glasgow launch (Glasgow, funnily enough)
Naturally, it wouldn’t be right to have a Glaswegian book without a Glasgow launch. Come join me and even more GSFWC authors at Waterstones (Sauchiehall Street) for free booze, readings — and, of course, we’ll be on hand to sign any 30th anniversary anthologies you may have just bought that evening. The event kicks off at 7pm, so do join us then.
If you’re not able to make either of the two launch dates for Thirty Years of Rain, you’ll be able to order it online nearer the time, and I’ll post details of that when I have them. In the meantime, if you’re wanting your new story fix, don’t forget Fox Pockets: The Evil Genius Guide (feat. ‘Dame Ammonia Dastardly-Truste’s Evil Genius College for Ladies Class of 2014: Graduation Speech [Transcript]’) is out now in paperback, with e-book to follow soon.
I think that’s it — until Glasgow!