An Acceptance!!!!!

I'm very chuffed to have my story "The Girl in the Cabin" accepted for an upcoming anthology - "Tales from the Bell Club", from Knightwatch Press, and edited by fellow SpecFic NZ member, Paul Mannering.

This story was originally called "Everyone goes to Hell", and had been written for a western horror anthology. Having had it rejected from a couple of places, it sat in the pile of stories that I was going to get around to reviewing and sending out in at the start of 2012, but when I saw Paul was looking for stories, it got a wee re-work to get rid of (in hindsight) its unnecessary framing story and off it went.

Hopefully this exciting-looking collection will be out in the next few months.

So, I AM a writer again....

Of course, if I got off my lazy butt and did some more actual writing I might get to be a writer more often.

More recent news...

I have got myself a Kobo ereader, which I am enjoying and will start looking for some self-published ebooks to see what's out there.

I've also decided to post a review of every book I'm reading, this year, on Goodreads. So far so good, have managed 3 novels and 2 graphic novels.

Right now....

I'm reading - Bram Stoker's original Dracula (free ebooks are great), and very good it is too. True Grit, the novel that two films have been based on (good so far), and a compilation of Clive James's short opinion pieces - very good stuff.

Watching - excellent Battlestar Galactica re-make, better than I remember Moonraker, acceptable Doctor Who Xmas special, very good Tintin at the movies.

This blog's drabble..

Jerry, a one-percenter, looked out from his penthouse suite and regarded the rabble below. The noise disturbed him while he created wealth.

Worthie, his butler entered. “Sir, they demand your head, your bonus or more equal distribution of the wealth that they have produced for you.” He raised a big gun.

“Damn it, Worthie,” said Jerry, “take a billion dollars as a raise.”

“Very good sir,” said Worthie, “I’ll go shoot the swine, shall I?” Jerry nodded.

Worthie headed out the door with a smile and keen eye.

Jerry felt better. This wealth distribution thing was simpler than he thought.

At last - the Tale of Sloppy Bunny

I’ve been watching...

Falling Skies - a new US sci-fi drama taking place six months after alien invasion has torn society apart, following the squabbling survivors. Frankly I saw the first couple of episodes and have given up on anything more. As a long-standing Dr Who fan, I encourage people to watch “The Dalek Invasion of Earth” for pretty much the same storyline, (humanity on the brink of extinction, bickering survivors, aliens abducting humans and implanting them with stuff to make them mindless slaves) but with far better aliens, and, of course, a Timelord who’ll sort the whole mess out.

Survivor – not a sci-fi series but the US gameshow (let’s not call such things “reality” shows, if this is your reality then maybe the aliens have actually invaded). A fairly dull series that has finally lifted off in the last couple of episodes.

Brandon, a nephew of a previous, and far more charismatic and devious, contestant, is continually harping on about his sodding faith and praises Jesus for helping him win challenges. It’s a pity Jesus wasn’t helping him to avoid getting chucked out. Oddly enough Coach Wade, the architect of Brandon’s fall, also claimed that God was telling him what to do.

So what does this tell us about God? God, like this viewer, can’t stand Brandon. God, like this viewer, would like to see the mental Coach Wade win. Or perhaps, God doesn’t give a monkey’s about Survivor.

(God doesn’t seem to take an interest in the US Republican primaries either, since His most devout candidate, Rick Santorum, trailed a weak fourth in New Hampshire.)

I’ve been reading...

Hearts in Atlantis – more Stephen King, and again, cracking stuff. The master on form and on about the sixties and the ‘nam.

Imajica – actually failed to finish the first volume of this Clive Barker epic. Promising start but it trailed away.

Adrian Mole: the prostate years – a little disappointing, mainly because the previous Mole book was so utterly superb. Mole struggling with real issues than his usual delusions is not as funny, but Sue Townsend is still an excellent writer and the Mole circle of family and friends are simply a fun bunch to be around.

I’ve been writing....

I’m actually managing to churn out a few hundred words a day, often around a solid thousand – “The Royal Wedding from Hell” is coming along quite nicely. As always, my abortive first version laid some groundwork for a much better second version; it’s all getting a lot weirder and more sinister.

And, hopefully, if I pull my finger out, it will be a novella that will be getting published in ebook form in time for Kate and Wills’ first anniversary (29^th April).

Is this self-publishing an act of vanity? Probably yes, but it’s also an exercise in just getting something “OUT THERE”, and getting a handle on how this new world of publishing works. There are already self-published writers of ebooks who have chalked up a million sales; sooner or later someone will self-publish the next Harry Potter or Stieg Larsson. To be honest, I don’t think it will be “The Royal Wedding from Hell”, but we’ll have a go.

And this blog’s drabble – I don’t know about you, but I can’t stand Beatrix Potter.

Binky and Sloppy Bunny peeked round the corner of the greenhouse. Farmer Gruber, with his spade, was waiting, just by the hole in the fence.

“We’ll never get past,” squeaked Binky, “but, the baby bunnies need these carrots.”

Sloppy stubbed out his cigarette. “No probs. I’ll distract Gruber, you get the carrots away.”

Binky watched as Sloppy hopped round the greenhouse and shouted “Oi!”

Gruber charged at Sloppy. Sloppy pointed to the corner.

Gruber turned and whacked Binky’s brains out.

“Nice one,” said Gruber, handing over a big carrot.

“Keep the carrots coming,” said Sloppy, “you’ll keep getting rabbit pies.”