This does feel like indulgence, but I’m going to do it anyway. Below is a selection of my preferred writing music, listed as artist followed by any particular album(s) I like. It’s a somewhat eclectic mix. Slow default, the sort of stuff I usually put on to get started: Banco de Gaia, especially Maya, Iqizeh […]

I’m in a rather in-between place right now, writing wise. The next deadline will be when I go over the copyedits for Guardians of Paradise, probably in a month or so’s time. Until then I have two big projects I could get to work on, but neither of them are firing my enthusiasm, and until […]

I survived my 10 days without internet access quite easily, due mainly to spending most of it surrounded by distractingly beautiful landscapes. My waterfall buffer is now full. The weather was a little Scottish at times, and having gone on holiday with a trio of photographers, I did get rather used to hearing the phrase […]

Though I’ve not got much writing done over the last week, I’ve certainly been busy. I enjoyed playing at being medieval, especially the bit where I got to pose in a big frock with an eagle owl on my arm; beautiful bird, if a bit heavy after a while. I went to a village fete, […]

I’ve now finished the revisions on Guardians of Paradise. As with Consorts I found that that the longer the editorial comment, the shorter the actual change. It was the one-liners that involved the most work. The first of the three major changes I mentioned, that of ironing out the remaining lumps of info-dump, I’m still […]

Further to last week’s announcements, I’m letting the world know that my good friend Sue M – Hugo-award winning artist, purple hippy and all round bad grrrl – will soon be taking a turn at being, rather than producing, art. She’ll be up on a certain plinth in a certain Square next Thursday the 3rd […]

Department of Positive News: I’ve discovered that the mass-market paperback of Principles of Angels will be getting another print run. This should make the first editions, with their data-rich cover-copy, valuable collectors’ items … (!)  Department of Proper Education: Liz Williams, author of some damn fine SF, as well as the spiffing Inspector Chen series, […]

As I’ve said before (with apologies to Peter Cook) I coulda been an ‘ard SF writer, but I never ‘ad the maths. I love a good analogy, but equations just seem to slide off my brain. How much of this tendency is down to my mild dyscalculia (if the condition can be said to apply […]

Well firstly I’m bad because I did no writing whatsoever over the weekend. Instead I went to a beach-themed BBQ, took part in a medieval re-enactment show, attended a party and wandered round the local zoo in the sunshine. Actually I did sort of do some work at the zoo, as while we were trying […]

I admit I’ve been sidling up to my editor’s requested rewrites on Guardians of Paradise. It’s not that I don’t want to do the work, as I am that rare beast, a writer who enjoys rewrites. It’s just taking me a while to get back into work mode. Plus, going on past performance there will […]