Categories
Book Launch Charity Events New Story

Flotation Device and Laura Lam’s Goldilocks

Story news from me this week as the Glasgow SF Writers’ Circle launch their Flotation Device, a new charity anthology, plus some disappointing news about an upcoming event.

Categories
Awards Charity

The Anniversary – Support Domestic Abuse Charities

Robert MacFarlane recently said, “perhaps we shouldn’t think of books as saving the world, but rather as catalyzing uncountable small unknown acts of good.” I don’t see why short stories shouldn’t do the same. So, if it’s okay, I’d like to ask a small favour.

CW: Domestic Abuse.

Categories
Awards Conventions Events Fantasycon Readings

Fantasycon 2018: Schedule

Not long now until Fantasycon, which this year takes place at The Queen Hotel, Chester over 19th – 21st October. The programme is online now, and here’s where you can find me across the weekend.

FRIDAY

5:30pm – Robot Companions in Film and Television
The Albert (Panel Room 2)
Stewart Hotston (m), Russell Smith, Eric Ian Steele, Dominic Dulley, Ruth EJ Booth

50 full minutes of my Kryten impression, including such highlights as smug mode, smeeeee heeeee, and Space Corps Directive 34124 (NSFW).

SATURDAY

1:00pm – Readings: Fantasy
The Disraeli (Reading Room)
Steve McHugh, Sandra Unerman, Ruth EJ Booth

Just a heads up: for fantasy, read dark fantasy. Very, very dark fantasy.

7:00pm – Writers and Computer Games
*UPDATE* The Victoria (Panel Room 1)
Allen Stroud (m), Ruth EJ Booth, Ben P Holden, Jaine Fenn, Powder

Join us for my in-depth analysis of why the recent World of Warcraft expansion has completely ruined my chances of getting my paper on Sylvanas Windrunner — which, by the way, I got a really decent mark on in class — from ever getting published. Not that I’m bitter or anything.

SUNDAY

3:00pm – The British Fantasy Awards
The Jubilee Room

Oh blimey. Well, fingers crossed, eh?

Apart from that, I’ll be floating about the convention all weekend, so please feel free to say hi. Do note that, as I have Social Anxiety Disorder, it’s a good idea to use the Frozen Rule of Chat. If I’m sat down, especially with a group of people, that’s a good time to say hello. If I look like I’m running on my way somewhere, then make like Elsa and let it go, let it go.

If you’re going, hope to see you there!

Categories
Awards Awards Book Launch Conventions Events Fantasycon Fiction

***UPDATED*** Sept & Oct 2018: ‘The Anniversary’ Honorable Mention, plus Justina Robson, From Glasgow to Saturn, and Fantasycon 2018

Before I get onto upcoming things, some news: ‘The Anniversary’, which first appeared in last year’s Black Static #61, has received an Honorable Mention in Volume 10 of Ellen Datlow’s Best New Horror anthology. It’s a stunning achievement for a drabble that’s already been honoured with a British Fantasy Award shortlisting, and I’d like to thank Ellen and her team for considering my wee tale for this critically acclaimed series.

Here’s a quick round-up of what’s happening right now.

On 26th September, From Glasgow to Saturn will be launching Issue 41 at DRAM in Glasgow. Join us for story and poetry readings, as well as the famous From Glasgow to Saturn open mic sessions. Sadly, this will also be my last issue with the journal for the foreseeable future, so if you’d like to quiz me on what it’s like and how to get involved, please join us on 26th September from 6pm at DRAM in Glasgow. Click here for more details.

On 4th October, I’ll be interviewing Justina Robson, one of British SF’s most celebrated writers, at the launch of her new novel, Salvation’s Fire (Solaris). This is part of the After the War series, set in the same shared world as Adrian Tchaikovsky’s Redemption’s Blade — so if you’d like to hear about Justina’s first published Fantasy novel, this an event not to be missed. Please join us for wine and chat on 4th October from 6:30pm at Waterstones Argyle Street. For more information, click here. ***UPDATE: This event has now been cancelled***

Finally, on 19th – 21st October, I’ll be at The Queen Hotel in Chester for Fantasycon. The schedule has yet to be finalized (I’ll post again when it has been), but I’ll be there for the full weekend, likely appearing on at least one panel and reading that weekend. On the Sunday afternoon (21st), the winners of this year’s British Fantasy Awards will be announced, so if you’d like to know who we on the Best Artist jury picked as our winner this year, click here to grab yourself a ticket and join us there – or alternatively, follow the British Fantasy Society and Fantasycon 2018 twitter accounts for live tweeting on the day.

Categories
Awards Awards Conventions Fantasycon Fiction

British Fantasy Awards 2018: Best Short Fiction shortlisting for ‘The Anniversary’

I’m delighted to announce that ‘The Anniversary’, which first appeared in Black Static #61 last year, has been shortlisted for the British Fantasy Award for Best Short Story.

Heartfelt thanks to everyone who voted me in to the jury stage – and in such wonderful company as Nina Allan, Stephen Volk, Laura Mauro, Joanne Hall and Stephen Gallagher too! In the face of such a strong field of contenders, I’ll take the chance now to thank Andy Cox at Black Static publishers TTA Press for taking a punt on this wee tale. This is my first shortlisting for this award, and I’m pleased as punch to say it was this one.

On an additional happy-but-heart-torn-in-two note, Black Static have also been shortlisted for Best Magazine / Periodical, alongside Shoreline of Infinity, which publishes my Noise and Sparks column. Good luck to them both, I say, along with everyone else who’s been shortlisted this year.

This year’s shortlist is a feast of wonderful things and great recommendations*, so do check out the full British Fantasy Awards 2018 shortlist here.

The awards will be announced over 19th – 21st October at the British Fantasy Society’s annual Fantasycon in Chester.

*I can definitely say this as a juror for the Best Artist category this year.