So here we are in the heart of convention season, and I have just about recovered from my excesses and lack of sleep at Orbital (Eastercon 2008) in time for Alt Fiction later this month.

In all honesty, I think the pressure of getting the BSFA’s media magazine, Matrix, online a couple of days prior to the con meant that I was pretty shattered even before I arrived at Orbital. It’s always nerve-wracking to be involved in implementing change, and folk were understandably reticent. Thankfully, the new format was welcomed with overwhelming enthusiasm. I also got to indulge a personal passion of mine via my article on rock star, film and video director, vegetarian, comic book illustrator and author, graphic artist, shameless self-promoter, and ruler of a worldwide merchandise empire, Rob Zombie…so that was a bonus.

Matrix Online successfully launched, Del and I headed off to Orbital, Jack and Gin in hand. The hotel was pretty damn big, and might have been lovely if only the heating in our room had actually worked. Luckily we didn’t get to spend much time in those particular four walls, opting instead for the customary circuit of intellectual debates/drunken ramblings with friends, old and new.

Friday night kicked off with the joint book launch of Celebration - the British Science Fiction Association’s 50^th year anthology- and Myth-Understandings from Newcon Press. I’m delighted to have short stories in both anthologies, and it was great to meet folk at the signing afterwards – even if I did forget my pen!

Saturday morning I moderated a panel on ’Supernatural Romance’, and was joined by fellow panellists, Tanith Lee, Jo Fletcher and Pagan Stone. While I would not class myself as a romance writer, I was intrigued to learn about this very popular genre and to spend time on a panel with Tanith, one of the writers who first inspired me to want to put pen to paper. Later, I took part in a deliciously heated panel on ’Religion and Science Fiction’. I have to confess to being slightly daunted, but as is often the case, the anticipation proved far worse than the reality – which was that I had a blast, and hopefully didn’t ruffle too many feather with my hippy pagan ways.

Saturday night was dominated by the BSFA awards. And here are the results:

BEST NOVEL:

’Brasyl’ by Ian McDonald (Gollancz)

The award was presented to Ian McDonald by Neil Gaiman.

 

BEST SHORT FICTION:

’Lighting Out’ by Ken MacLeod (from ’disLocations’; Newcon Press)

The award was presented by Tanith Lee and accepted for Ken MacLeod to Ian Whates, the editor of ’disLocations’.

 

BEST ARTWORK:

’Cracked World’ by Andy Bigwood (cover of ’disLocations’).

 

The award was presented by Charles Stross.

 

BSFA FIFTIETH ANNIVERSARY AWARD: BEST NOVEL OF 1958

’Non-Stop’ by Brian Aldiss.

The award was introduced by Rog Peyton and presented by China Miéville. Jo Fletcher from Gollancz, which now publishes ’Non-Stop’ in the SF Masterworks range, accepted the award on Brian’s behalf.

 

So all that remained for Saturday night was to get horribly drunk and dance to the Bangles’ Walk Like An Egyptian…and, yes, I do suspect there is photographic evidence.

On Sunday, I dragged my aching carcass out of bed for the launch of Sarah Singleton’s latest YA novel, The Amethyst Children. Sarah gave a fascinating reading and then let us slurp red wine while going wild over the contents and the cover. Del, bless him, got stuck manning the BSFA table…that’ll teach him for sitting down and opening up his laptop! Sunday night repeated the same pattern as Saturday, if with more evidence of eyeliner and PVC given the evening’s theme of Dark Fantasy. A divine time was had by all…even if I could hardly write my own name on Monday.

Then it was back off into London to collect Scarlet and home. Exhausted, exhausted, exhausted…but happy.

Since returning and giving my liver a rest (yeah, right), I have finished a new short story called ’Johnny and Emmie-Lou Get Married,’ so kitsch as to be untrue, but I had fun. Steampunk, hot rods, urban landscapes, cute chicks and dirty boys…what else could a girl ask for? I’ve also started work again on the plot of my second novel, and am very happy to find that I am much further on than I had thought. Another four chapters or so should see the outline done and dusted. In between, I really must find time to work out what I’m going to cover in my workshop on ’Dark Fantasy’ at Alt Fiction. Don’t worry boys and girls, I’ll pull something out of the bag.

Other news? Went to see Derren Brown live at Derby’s Assembly Rooms on Monday night. I can not even begin to explain how the man ’reads’ minds. Very disconcerting. And last weekend Scarlet bought a Venus Fly Trap. I took comfort in the thought that I might be able to feed it plant food, but oh no, it only eats bugs. Maybe I’ll have to dissect the tarantula and scorpion she keeps on her bedroom wall?

 

xxx

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Hands up. I have been more than a little slack updating this blog over the past few months. Huge apologies. Life has been crazy busy in the best sort of way!

Firstly, I was delighted to accept the role of co-editor and designer of the British Science Fiction Society’s (BSFA) media magazine, Matrix. Working alongside the inimitable Ian Whates as editor, and Del in his role as fellow co-editor and development officer, we put out the last print edition of Matrix in November 2007, and have been hard at work on the online version ever since. Matrix Online goes live on Wednesday, 19^th of March 2008. I’m currently working my socks off to finalise the design, write my articles, and lay out all of the content. I await its launch, and subsequent reception, with baited breath.

Alongside my work on Matrix, and the design and development of a new website for the BSFA, I have worked as design consultant for Newcon, a SF convention which will take place at The Fishmarket in Northampton on Saturday October 11^th and Sunday October 12^th 2008. Guests of honour are Iain M Banks, Storm Constantine, Ken Macleod, and special guest, Paul Cornell. Visit http://www.newcon4.com for further details. Del and I will definitely be in attendance.

On the writing front, I’ve been working on my second novel, and have given it the provisional title of Heteroclite. I’m taking a new approach with Heterclite and plotting the novel in great detail rather than working to an outline. The theory is that this will free me up to concentrate on the quality of my writing rather than the nuances of plot. So far, Heteroclite is shaping up very nicely and along the urban SF lines I’m so keen to stay true to.

Other news? I have two short stories coming out in anthologies in March. Myth-Understandings features some of the UK’s top writing talent, and I’m thrilled to have my dark fantasy story, ’Heart Song’, included. My SF short story, ’The Killing Fields’ will feature in Celebration, an anthology celebrating 50 years of the BSFA. Both anthologies will be launched at Eastercon in March. I also have a Victorian ghost story called ’The Shadow Keeper’ coming out in All Hallows magazine later in the year.

So, the daffodils are coming out, mornings are getting lighter and I’ve started a fiercer new exercise regime – which means it must be spring. Convention season. First off is Eastercon. Orbital takes place between the 21^st and 24^th of March at the Radisson Edwardian hotel, Heathrow. Guests of honour are Neil Gaiman, Chine Miéville, Tanith Lee and Charles Stross. It sounds like a blast. Then in April, it’s Alt Fiction at Derby, perhaps my favourite convention from the point of view of my work as a writer. Alt Fiction manages to combine workshops with readings, panels, interviews and signings. All in all, a helluva day.

So no let up for the wicked…That said, we have been busy digging a giant swimming pool in our garden, otherwise known as the new patio. Thanks to our residents hounds, I can’t work out if there is more earth inside the house than outside at the moment. On a plus note, we do have three impromptu Celtic burrows on our drive thanks to said swimming pool and several tonne of shovelled earth. I like it. It gives me just another excuse never to set foot in the quagmire which is our garden, and with all of the creepy crawly that entails.

So how exactly did I end up with a five year old daughter who keeps a framed tarantula and a framed scorpion on her bedroom wall? I’ve been assured that they are dead.

xxx

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