Monday, June 30, 2003Events updateI've got a couple of events coming up should any of you be around the relevant vicinities... Monday 14th July - Borders, Oxford Street, London at 6.30pm. A talk and reading with friend and fellow author, Adam Roberts Thursday 24th July - Andromeda Bookshop, Birmingham. It'll be a lunchtime signing but I don't know exactly when yet. Either contact the store or watch this space Thursday 24th July - Ottaker's, Milton Keynes, 6.30pm - talk and signing. I'll also be around various bookshops doing stock signings. The one I know for definite is Monday 7th July, Ottaker's High Wycombe. I'm in there signing stock at 9.30am (ish) so if you want to delay buying your copies til then... More updates to come as I get them. Monday, June 23, 2003The new book arrived the other day...It looks tremendous. All the Raven books have been rejacketed to bring them away from carrying 'typical' fantasy covers and I really think it's worked. The set looks very good on the shelf and there is a style and sophistication about them - bold colouring, new type faces - they'll stand out. By the way, Ottakers are doing a special promotion of Dawnthief (don't know when it's starting but anytime now, I expect). They have a limited run at 99p in the new cover style so if you haven't picked up that one yet, now's your chance at unbelievably good value. Tour: there's a small tour being put together at the moment, plus the usual round of stock signings for Shadowheart (and anything else that is lurking on the shelves with my name on it. It'll take place week commencing 21st July. I'll confirm all the dates and venues as soon as I can and give a rough timetable for stock signings too incase anyone is in the vicinity and once a copy signed (new or old). I expect I'll be signing stock in quite a few London shops as always but I'm going to be in Birmingham, Stoke and Milton Keynes at some stage too in the week. Friday, June 06, 2003Pleasure, Wish, Meldrew, Irritation, BrilliancePleasure: there's been a bonus to being published that I never considered before. That's being emailed by people you lost contact with and had wondered about for years. Over the couple of years I've had this site, it's been fantastic. Paul Howlett, a friend from school who'd moved to Cardiff (and was The Unknown Warrior in the DragonQuest role playing that gave birth to The Raven), Hazel Stevens (who was Erienne, though she called the character Artemis and I couldn't use that...), Chris Jennings who I and two others shared a house with in Sheffield City Poly days... he's now a Headmaster in a Rotherham school. Great to hear from people and find out how far they've travelled. Wish: That two other really old friends would drop me a line... Richard Bould, husband of Carol, old college mate, Wrexham fan and legendary computer games player. Are you out there, Bouldy? And James Young. We were at drama school together (London and International School of Acting). We lost touch soon after we left. Shame - those of us still talking still remember you. Come on, an email won't hurt old son. Meldrew: People who are always moaning about stuff. Wait a minute... Irritation: Colonoscopy on a Friday morning. Actually, it's the laxatives the day before that are the worst part. The investigation itself is actually fascinating (if very uncomfortable at times) though it sounds gross til you actually go through it and see the pictures. Brilliance: Colonoscopy is one of the triumphs of modern preventative medicine and shows how the NHS can really work. Story: one side of my family has a predisposition to colon cancer. So we all get checked out every five years. It's voluntary of course but the choice is an admittedly intrusive investigation or risk dying of a cancer you knew you could have stopped... hmm, tough one. That's why it's worth finding out family medical history (it is in the UK anyway) because the NHS are very good at preventing stuff if they have the first clue where to look. Be proactive people... Today, the glass is well over half full... Monday, June 02, 2003Irritation, Meldrew, FilmIrritation: getting a head of steam up for writing and then catching a cold that leaves you listless and bereft of motivation. The question is, is this the mental version of 'over-training?' Bloody frustrating whatever it is. Meldrew: I would like to remind mobile phone users that when making or receiving calls, you do not get the automatic right to abdicate from society, however temporarily. This means, when you stop in the street, make abrupt turns and slow without any warning meaning others knock you, it is your fault. Pointing at your phone and saying 'can't you see I'm on the phone?' doesn't work. Your call, your responsibility. There are tens of millions of the damn things in this country and you being on one doesn't make you in any way special or important. Film: Ghostbusters. At least I had the energy to slap in this dvd and remind myself what a fine film this is. A great set of one-liners, some excellent comic acting and Sigourney Weaver in temptress mode. 'Back off man, I'm a scientist.' It's almost worth getting a science degree just to be able to say that line credibly... |
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