If you go strictly on metrics that’s about how far I’ve now got with Queen of Nowhere. Approximately two thousand words out of a contracted hundred thousand. Not much, but a start. Of course, as any writer will tell you, writing a novel doesn’t actually work like that. Though I’ve never tried to calculate what […]
(a) love (b) novels I can’t speak with much authority when it comes to (a). Or perhaps I can, given I was lucky enough to score a win there early on. But that’s not what this blog is for. As for (b) … how very true. Possibly thanks to apprehension about tackling this new and […]
I have to confess I’ve been pretty lazy this last week. The sum total of writing-related work I’ve done has been a little background reading on codebreaking and jotting down the odd ‘imaginary bet’. I have also watched more bad TV than in the previous twelve months combined. And now I’m going to point you […]
… for the festive season, whichever festival(s) you celebrate.
There’s plenty of people I don’t have time for but today I feel moved to mention two women of my acquaintance who live at the ‘gold star’ end of my mental filing system. The first is my editor, Jo Fletcher. Or rather, my ex-editor, as today is her last day at Gollancz. I will always […]
I stole the term ‘imaginary bets’ from Tim Powers. He used it in the talk he gave at Eastercon 2009, which was a true plotting masterclass; I offer as evidence the fact that Ken McLeod, who had just won the BSFA award for best novel, was taking as many notes as I was. The Powers’ […]
Of Guardians of Paradise, from ‘Strange Horizons’, right here. Be warned: contains spoilers for my earlier books.
I’ve been aware, in the week since handing in Bringer of Light, of the need to refocus on the next novel. Okay, I’m also waiting for editorial feedback, tinkering with short stories and enjoying the seasonal re-appearance of my social life, but really those are just excuses. Prompted by a desire to avoid another deadline […]
I emailed Bringer of Light off to my agent at 11:55pm on Tuesday evening, technically meeting the November 30th deadline. Right now I’m feeling slightly lost without the Little Nagging Voice telling me I should be writing. Of course, I still should be writing: I’ve got several short stories I’d like to revisit, not to […]
I was meant to be Scorpio. Not actually a giant sky scorpion, but born under the sign of same. Only, I was fashionably late, and so I’m – just – Sagittarius. Not that I’m at all sure about astrology – those born in Sagittarius are meant to be moderate, athletic, reasonable people, whereas I … […]