Short Story (card) - Lady Death.

This didn't win (mind, having seen some of the winners, I'm not overly sure I'm that bothered) and was a touch rushed, but here's my entry into that Waterstone's story card competition some time back.





Copyright John Conway - 2008 - john.charles.conway@googlemail.com

The Law of Diminishing Returns.

Twenty years since Watermark, well, I suppose you can't reinvent the wheel twice. On the other hand Enya lives in a castle and I don't, so she wins.

Actually, if I'm honest, I rather liked the single.

A Study in Emerald ebook.

HarperCollins are hosting a free download of the ebook of Neil Gaiman's very ace Sherlock Holmes vs. H.P. Lovecraft short story, here

The text can also be found here.

The Three Minute Wicker Man.

Perfection perfected.

I'm shocked.

George Smiley just went into a sex club, pure filth.

For other filth I went to see Russell Howard last night, he was of course ace (and a little bit sexy), and I have been been thoroughly entertained (over and over) by this...

A new favourite place to die.

Though not, I have no hesitation in adding, for me.

Yes.

I was a Ghostbuster.

The Alpha/Beta Key to Unlocking Success in Gay Relationships

If ever there was a reason to make gay men shudder at changes in the world, then this book is it.

The Greenest Republican.

My favourite line in the papers today, courtesy of The Guardian.

The speculation resurfaced this week in the Wall Street Journal in a piece by Keith Johnson, lead writer for the paper's environment blog, who cited the California governor's impressive record on green policy, from support for renewable energy to running one of his Hummers on biofuel.

Beautiful People Is Over. Dammit.

I'm sad this show's finished (lets hear it for series 2), I'm even sadder it didn't go out on a stronger episode. Olivia Coleman is of course brilliant, and Aidan McArdle is just gorgeous.

Edit - I've just been informed (by the internet, since nobody I know will see sense and watch this brilliant show) that the actress who played Tameka (also called Tameka in real life, which make me happy) is the same actress who was easily the best thing in the (admittedly overrated) A Beautiful Thing, the Mama Cass obsessed Leah.

Sadly Youtube has failed me, and the hundreds of Leah clips I expected turned out to be the (only) one below.

They're Made Out Of Meat.

I like this, I like this a lot.

Obama Wins.

Brilliantly.

But...

It's really starting to get on my tits that (what feels like) most of the people I know have gone from (repeatedly) stating that a black man could never become US president to (repeatedly) stating with the same certainty that he'll be shot. Well go you experts, if only we all got our knowledge of America from repeats of Louis Theroux and Top Gear.

Halloween weekend.

A rather quiet patch recently has been happily broken by Halloween weekend in London. A very busy one, but all the more fun for it. It started with the new Bond on Friday morning (it's only real flaw if I'm honest - on one viewing - is the rather gaping hole where the plot should be), followed by a train to London infested by middle class bratlings, and then straight to the London School of Economics (of all places) to see Neil Gaiman do a reading and a signing.

It was an interesting event, made more interesting by the fact he seemed to be in a bit of a bad mood. He did a reading from The Graveyard Book - the complete chapter 5 happily which was where I had reached on the train - then answered some questions. The girl I sat next too was a little irritating mind, making sure she laughed extra hard at the joke or two aimed at readers of his blog. We all get it love, move on.

It was pleasant to see Gaiman himself, he's better looking than I expected (God, how fickle am I?), and had a delightful reading voice. Attributes immaterial to his actual profession of course, in particular when he writes so beautifully, but handy for promotional work. I finished The Graveyard Book on the train home last night and it's astonishing. I think I fell a little bit in love with Silas, and I’d imagine I’m not the only one. Afterwards I queued for the signing, and given the numbers present I should have expected a long wait. And it was a long wait, made more frustrating knowing a party was waiting for me. But I stayed, and by the time I finally reached him I was quite zoned out, I didn't really say anything (though I suppose by that point Gaiman must have preferred it that way, and I can't say I blame him) and the woman who offered to take our picture together on my camera couldn't use it. Still, I now have a version of Good Omens signed by both authors, and I immensely enjoyed the night.

It being Halloween I spent much of the rest of the weekend with friends, dressed as a Ghostbuster. Two parties happened, plenty of friends. There were some drunken disgraces, thankfully not me, none moreso than the weird Irish guy from next door who tried to pretend somebody had died in order the speak to one of the girls he liked.

Am back home now, and tonight’s planned early bedtime has been totally ruined by the return of a certain Richard Sharpe last night - which was startlingly good (I had been anticipating a mediocre show at best, given the general output of much of ITV’s current output). Sean Bean smouldered, ooh, it’s made me go all tingly.

SFX poll.

Haven't read this magazine in years, but was sent a link to a poll to vote for
the greatest SF or fantasy authors of all time through their website.

I decided to make my list before I read through other peoples, glad I did, though when I read through after many names cropped up I would have liked to say too. Five is too small a number of course. I liked the logic of some of the choices, especially the person who voted for Oscar Wilde on the basis that The Picture of Dorian Gray is a fantasy book (which of course it very much is).

Anyway, my choices...

1. Neil Gaiman - first came across him thanks to Pratchett (Good Omens, incredible book) but it was Sandman and Anansi Boys really got me hooked.

2. Ursula le Guin - A Wizard of Earthsea is one of the most beautiful books I've ever come across. Despite the succinct nature of it and its language every sentence every sentence carries so much meaning, this book is poetry as fiction.

3. Terry Pratchett - everything about this man is brilliant, it was his Witches books I came to first, I loved the way he made Fantasy stare face to face with feminism. And Death, you just want to give him a hug.

4. JRR Tolkien - I know I'm going for all the obvious here, but The Lord of the Rings changed my life, I still have dreams where Gandalf is my Grandad.

5. Jenny Nimmo - I nearly put Mervyn Peake or Susannah Clarke here, but when I think back I can't forget the Snow Spider. Until Tolkien came into my world it was my favourite book ever, when I read it now I still get a tingle down my neck whenever Arianwen appears. When I was a boy I very much wanted to be a wizard, and I very definitely wanted my own snow spider.

So many others I would liked to have included - J K Rowling, Susanna Clarke, Mervyn Peake, Douglas Adams, Frank Herbert, Orson Scott Card (if you haven't read Capitol you really need to) and of course Philip Pullman & Alan Moore.

One person I expected to see mentioned more was CS Lewis, I'm not that bothered as I do think he's overrated, but the backlash against him is getting a bit extreme. At the very least The Magician's Nephew and Prince Caspian are ace.


EDIT: Cannot believe I forgot to mention John Wyndham. The Chrsalids is possibly my favourite book ever!

Been away.

Thailand, Cambodia and Malaysia, what a trip! But now I'm tired, and busy, and jet-lagged, and depressed. Rubbish to be back, rubbish!

First of all you can see my snaps, they're dead sexy and that.

Thailand & Malaysia.

Cambodia 1.

Cambodia 2.

Cambodia 3.

Cambodia 4.

I'm finding more and more

That I'm beginning to narrate my life in my head in the style (and a little bit disturbingly the voice) of David Mitchell. This is a bit odd.

Meetings.

You know what the best feeling in the world is? When you’ve set yourself up with a potentially hot date. You know, the Gaydar route, your profile ever so witty, your pictures showing you at your best.

You know what’s even better than that? Meeting them several hours early, by complete accident, in the checkout que at the Supermarket, straight from work. Not exactly looking your best, and having a basket containing a loaf of Co-op own brand bread and a reduced to clear Microwaveable Christmas Puddings with a large, bright 'Only 99p!' sticker attached. That's what.

So I found out what my daemon is.

Philip Pullman style, Potter fans can of course substitute a patronus.

It's a tiger.

I did the quiz, so I guess I can't complain at the results, especially as Tiger's are (y'know) rock. Things is, I've always been sure my daemon would be a bird...

Born Sloppy - The Best Blog You'll Ever Read.

Written by The Claw of Truth, aka Skotty. brilliant Bloke, fantastic writer, truly amazing blog.

http://www.clawoftruth.blogspot.com/

Dah dah dah, dah de dah, dah de dah....

Think someone, somewhere, may have been making ever such a subtle point?