Tim Jones's Blog, page 58
November 8, 2009
A Wonder-Filled, Fun Journey Through Time And Space
Linda Addison's review of Voyagers has appeared in Issue 109 of Space and Time Magazine. It's short, but so sweet that I'm quoting it here in its entirety:
Voyagers: Science Fiction Poetry from New Zealand, edited by Mark Pirie and Tim Jones (Interactive Press, The Literature Series) contains 152 pages of poetry by various authors; a wonder-filled, fun journey through time and space. From 'the poetry of the future' by Anna Rugis; to 'lumbering space cruisers' from Bill Sewell; and 'Dreams of...
November 4, 2009
Fallen / Niedergang
A couple of years ago, a poem from my first collection, Boat People, was selected for inclusion in Wildes Licht, an anthology of New Zealand poetry with German translations, edited by Dieter Riemenschneider.
I was pleased not only because it always feels good to have work anthologised, but also because I have an interest in literary translation, and a particular liking for books which have the original on one page and the translation on the facing page.
Subsequently, however, due to a change...
October 31, 2009
IP Picks and Landfall Sings
Part 1: IP Picks
Interactive Press (IP), the publishers of Voyagers: Science Fiction Poetry from New Zealand, hold an annual competition for unpublished manuscripts in five categories. This year, the competition is open to New Zealanders as w...
October 29, 2009
Seminar: Electric Vehicles and Electric Transport in New Zealand: 2010 and Beyond
The Annual General Meeting of the Sustainable Energy Forum (SEF) on 6 November will mark the end of my three-year term as Convenor of SEF. While I've enjoyed the role, I'm looking forward to being able to spend more time working directly on the issues, and less time organising things.
But the final thing I have to organise is the seminar below. SEF held a similar seminar in 2007, and the 2009 seminar will look at how far things have moved in the world of electric transport since then, and...
October 25, 2009
Book Review: Urban Driftwood, by Morgan Davie, Jane Elizabeth, Dan Rabarts and Stephen Rhoades
Urban Driftwood is an anthology of poems and short stories/prose poems written by Morgan Davie, Jane Elizabeth, Dan Rabarts and Stephen Rhoades. It's currently available as a free download from Dan Rabarts' web site, and is also available from Lulu.com.
Urban Driftwood consists mainly of poetry, with a few longer pieces which I would class as being prose poems rather than short stories - though that is always a difficult boundary to define. It's a nicely-put-together of the four authors...
October 20, 2009
The Road Goes Ever On And On
The Road goes ever on and on
Down from the door where it began.
Now far ahead the Road has gone,
And I must follow, if I can.
[JRR Tolkien:]
Well, the Road may go ever on and on, but I've stopped following it. The Voyagers Book Tour of New Zealand has moved north of Wellington, while I remain, dipping my weary feet in snow just deep enough to serve as a coverlet for a hobbit's toes.
I could report tales of drunkenness, drugs and debauchery from my travels with Voyagers, but I won't, because I'd...
October 11, 2009
An Open Mike, An Open Heart
Just a couple of days now till the Voyagers Book Tour of New Zealand begins, and we have decided to include an Open Mike for science fiction/speculative poetry at the tour events for which we don't have a full slate of Voyagers poets reading. Note the highlighted events on the tour:
14 Oct: Dunedin Library, 5:30 pm
15 Oct: Circadian Rhythm Café (72 St Andrew St, Dunedin), 7 pm
16 Oct: Madras Café Books (165 Madras St, Christchurch), 5 pm
19 Oct: Wellington Central Library, 5:30 pm
20...
October 7, 2009
Speculative Fiction Update: Helen Lowe's Writing Workshop and New Zealand Spec Fic Markets
It isn't New Zealand Speculative Fiction Blogging Week any more, but that doesn't mean that speculative fiction in New Zealand has crawled under a rock. Helen Lowe is holding a speculative fiction writing workshop in Christchurch next week as part of New Zealand Book Month, and the second issue of the SpecFicNZ newsletter has come out, showcasing the increasing range of publishing possibilities in New Zealand for speculative fiction.
Helen Lowe's Writing Workshop
When Helen Lowe talks about...
October 5, 2009
The Listener Likes Voyagers. A Lot.
Voyagers has already received a very positive review from the US science fiction poetry journal Star*Line, and has also had good reviews in the Capital Times (Wellington) and Waikato Times. This week, Voyagers has received an excellent review in the New Zealand Listener.
The full review won't be available online until 24 October (at which point I'll provide a link), but the preview is now online. Reviewer David Larsen notes the inclusion of poems by more than 70 different writers, including...
October 3, 2009
Voyagers Book Tour: Who Is Reading Where?
Here is the lineup of venues and readers for the Voyagers Book Tour of New Zealand. Like any lineup of readers, this one is subject to change - but I am very much encouraged by the enthusiasm Voyagers poets around the country have shown to take part in the tour.
A Hamilton event is still to be confirmed, but I hope this will go ahead - if so, I'll add the details here as soon as possible.
It's a real fillip for the tour that Voyagers has received a very good review in the latest issue of the
