Thanks to everyone who made it to the Scottish Writing Centre last week, where the first ever reading from my novel-in-progress got an amazing response from the crowd! Wish you’d been there? Fear not. Over the next two weekends you catch me reading in-person, plus chatting online with Premee Mohamed and Ren Hutchings! Check out the details below…
Just one more thing…
Shoreline of Infinity 29 is now up for pre-order, and features my latest column (deep breath), ‘Beyond UK Black History Month: The Self-Fulfilling Prophecy of the Fear of Being Awful’. This one tackles the somewhat taboo subject of why many white folks don’t explore the historical contributions of POC outside of the annual celebrations. I’m hoping this will encourage folks to dig into their motivations for doing the work and take a chance on themselves. And if you’re unsure of where to start your own journey, this column also includes some recommended reading.
Issue 29 also includes the first print publication of my GSFWC buddy E.M. Faulds‘ short story ‘A Flight Of Birds’, as well as work by Tim Major, Callum McSorley, Ida Keogh‘s stunning flash fiction piece ‘The Reminder’ and a new interview with Ken MacLeod about Beyond The Hallowed Sky, his latest novel.
Pre-order link: https://www.shorelineofinfinity.com/product/shoreline-of-infinity-29/
You can hear some of these stories, along with a brilliant reading by Eris Young and more, as part of Event Horizon’s takeover at Cymera‘s recent mini-festival. Check out the video below:
In other news, last week I had the privilege of dropping in to Newcastle University Law School to talk to students exploring “Emerging Technologies: Emerging Relationships” – part of an independent research module on the future of the Law. Here, I spoke on ‘Science Fiction and the Law of Relationhips’ and how genre can help explore our developing society, highlighting the work of authors such as Aliette de Bodard, Helen Sedgwick and Becky Chambers.
In return, I was delighted to hear the students working on projects exploring the Gender Recognition Act, Domestic Abuse, Social Media, Ghanaian legal approaches following R vs R (1991), and more. To see students even at an undergraduate level exploring the social responsiveness of the Law, especially with such timely topics, was particularly uplifting. I’ve attended courtrooms several times (either as court reporter or visitor) and sometimes come away rather disheartened – and so this research gives me hope for the future of the Law and courtroom decision making.
And that’s it! If I don’t post again before the holidays, here’s wishing you happiness and peace over the festive season, and all the hope and joy this new year deserves.
What an amazing time Flights of Foundry was! Fun panels with amazing creative minds, and the opportunity to share and discuss with a vibrant community across the world. I hope you had a grand time too if you went. But now the time has come to talk of other things**. Specifically June, and how to sign up for the splendid things I’m doing then.
The cards have been sent, the gifts are all wrapped, and this afternoon I go into Newcastle for my annual Christmas whiskey-drinking session with a local pal. In other words, this is the perfect moment to reflect on the past year.
This weekend, the debut run of Scotland’s Science Fiction and Fantasy Festival, CYMERA, kicks off in Edinburgh. If you’re planning on heading up, down, or over, here’s where you can catch me.