Hûw Steer's Blog, page 32

Missives from Isolation #3 – Productivity

Bank holiday weekends are always nice – but it ain’t half weird when you can’t actually go and do anything.

As ever, I had grand but vaguely formed plans to ‘get stuff done’ on the long weekend. I do, after all, have about 7 different projects that could do with editing, rewriting, finishing, and generally paying attention to. I set out on Friday with grand plans of doing more writing and starting to get some editing done (finally!) on a novel that’s needed editing for a long, long time.

But in this lovely state of partial quarantine… everything just blends into one big blur of similarity. I’m sure I’m not the only one who feels this way. What actually ended up happening on Friday and Saturday was that I got out of bed far too late, wrote a cursory amount each morning, ate lunch late, and then played video games.* Then I felt bad for not getting anything done. Then I felt stupid because it is the weekend, and I’ve been at work all week and earned the break – and then I felt even more stupid because it’s a long weekend, and in my head that apparently means that I have to work even harder to compensate for… not being at work, I guess?

Maybe I’ll get something done tomorrow. Maybe. But even though I haven’t been anywhere further than the shops in almost a month, I still feel like I need the rest more than anything else.

Anyway, on a less depressing note, I did manage to catch up on the Curtis Brown exercises I mentioned last week. Week 2’s product was… well, eh, so here’s Week 3 for you. It was an editing exercise – 20 minutes or so of intense writing to a prompt, crammed with as much description as possible, then cutting it down to what was actually necessary to get things to flow. It was actually pretty helpful. I think I’ll remember this lesson in future.

Enjoy.

*Look, when you can’t go outside properly then Minecraft is the next best thing, alright?

He could hear sirens. He couldn’t see anything, not yet, but he knew that the lights would come. They always did. There were always sirens here.

He leaned back against the wall and looked down on the streets below. This late at night all was golden, streetlamps and shop-fronts turning the city the hue of fresh honey. The brighter headlights of passing cars were ephemeral white streaks through the gold. From where he sat, high atop the office building, the labyrinth of streets below shone so brightly that almost all detail was erased. All was an ever-shifting golden blur.

The wind was cold up this high, but he didn’t mind. His jacket was well lined and the flask tucked inside it held a liquid warmth all of its own. The cinder-block he’d wedged in the doorway was worn almost wedge-shaped from constant use as a doorstop. He was far from the first or only one to come up here. But for now he was alone with the wind and his thoughts. He liked it that way.

He did this every week or so. Sometimes he just needed to be properly alone. That was almost impossible in a city like this – but up here, on the roof, the stench of humanity was blown away by the cool wind. Whenever he was overwhelmed, he came up here, and just listened for the sirens.

He saw the lights at last, peered at them to get the pattern. Police, he decided. The sirens sounded just a little different for each service. He picked out two, three cars, careening down the main road before hanging a razor-sharp left around another high building and darting out of view. He wondered where they were going. He seldom saw where the sirens stopped. But it wasn’t such a bad thing, not knowing.

He took another drink and listened to the wind. He caught sight of a planes running lights as it took off from the distant airport, before another siren caught his attention. Ambulance. He couldn’t see any lights, but it was probably just too far away. The spirits traced a line of fire down his throat.

He should go home. He should have gone home hours ago, but working in IT often meant odd hours and nobody batted an eyelid if he left the building late. Besides, it was Friday tomorrow. Nobody would be paying any real attention – he could roll up late in safety if he had to.

He took another drink. Last one, he warned himself. Hangover or no hangover, he did still have to come in at some point.

But he wanted to savour that particular loneliness for just a little longer.

One more, then, he conceded to himself – but he left the flask where it was in his pocket.

He sat, and waited, listening to the wind for the faint strains of another set of sirens.

Missives from Isolation #2 – On Writing

I’m still writing every morning, as normal. It’s actually a bit easier, because I’m a) writing Untitled Boiling Seas Book Two: Maybe Magical Boogaloo, and it’s flowing really nicely, and b) because I’m getting more sleep. It’s amazing how much difference that extra hour makes.

I thought it’d be good to stretch myself in some different ways, though, so I signed up to Curtis Brown’s weekly writing workout. They’re posting a new exercise every week to keep our creative brains alive during isolation, and it’s free, which is very nice of them.

Of course, I forgot about it, so I’m a week behind, but I’m catching up, I promise.

The first week’s exercise was to pick a prompt and just write whatever came into my head for 10 minutes – and then work it up into a short piece. I thought I’d share what came out of my head here. Maybe week 2 will be a post of its own.

If you’re looking for something to do in isolation and you fancy a crack at writing, I recommend this!

It was that fox again – the one with the limp.

She watched it from the window, pressing her face at an awkward angle against the glass to get half a view of the street two floors below. Amber streetlight spilled like dirty honey across the tarmac and the pavement, touching the edges of the houses opposite. It was bin day – recycling – and the green wheelie bins stood like squat sentinels at the mouth of every little driveway, watching over the scattered cars, their paintwork glinting orange and black in the muted, washed-out light of the city night. There was no moon to speak of, no stars, hidden by light pollution and the clouds, and so the sodium glow leached all colour from the scene, turning it into an ancient photograph, all brown and grey.

And there was the fox, bold as brass in the middle of the street. There were no cars at this hour – not that there was ever much traffic up here save just before nine and just after five – nobody out walking, nobody to disturb it. She’d been idly looking out at the distant skyline, the scattering of blinking crimson lights atop distant towers and cranes, when she’d seen it limp cautiously from the shadows, muzzle high, sniffing at the air for any hint of life, or, more pressingly, of food.

She watched it now, seeing it limp across the street, checking each bin in turn but only paying cursory attention. It was wise enough to know that the heavy bins could not be toppled – save by a high wind, as had happened in that storm the previous month. She’d not seen the fox in the night then, but she’d seen the feast he’d made of the scattered rubbish in the morning. That night he’d eaten like a king.

He hadn’t had the limp then. That was new.

She thought of the fox as a ‘he’ even though she hadn’t the faintest clue if he was such. It was in his bearing, the broadness of his shoulders, a slight bluntness to his snout. A lady fox, she’d always thought, would be sleeker, more slender. But regardless, the limp was a new thing. She’d noticed it first two weeks prior, and it had been bad then, clearly a fresh hurt, the fur still a little matted with blood. She’d almost made to ring a vet, ring someone, but by the time she’d reached her phone the fox was gone. The next time she’d seen him the limp was there but the blood was gone, and she’d thought no more of it.

But now she looked at the fox properly for the first time in a long time, as he slunk along the street sniffing at the bins. He was thinner, his broad shoulders carrying far less weight than they once had. He spent longer and longer at each bin, and something in her heart broke, just a little, as she realised how hungry he must be. And he’s slower, so he can’t get to food as quickly. He must be starving.

But then she saw him pause, stop, at number thirty-three. She was craning her neck now, the fox almost out of sight. She saw him dip behind the recycling bin – and then a heap of stuff poured out into the street with a dull thump; peelings, bits of fruit, old vegetables, and she knew that the Davisons had gotten the week wrong, again, and put out the little food waste bin like fools. But she smiled to see the food there, to see the fox sniff at it, and –

And stop, step back, and turn to the other end of the street, and raise his muzzle, and she heard the edge of a little howl. And then, from the shadows, she saw a sleeker silhouette step into the street, a slender muzzle sniffing at the air – and behind it three smaller shadows, less than half the size, a little unsteady on too-big feet.

The mother fox peered down the road, saw the coast was clear, and from her window the girl grinned as she saw mother and cubs pad softly down to number thirty-three. Not starving, she thought, as the two adult foxes greeted each other with a silent sniff, the cubs trotting happily behind. Sharing.

She watched, a broad smile on her face, as the fox with the limp and the slender lady stood back, very close, and watched over their cubs as they began to eat.

Missives from Isolation #1

So it’s fair to say that there have been some developments in London and indeed the world since I last posted.

I’ll begin by saying that I am, thus far, absolutely fine health-wise (except for a mild cold, but it’s currently raining and my government-mandated daily exercise is not being conducted in the best of weather). I’m still in London, having resisted the temptation to flee to the countryside in order to keep my girlfriend company. We’ve got the house to ourselves, though, which is quite nice, and our departed flatmates are keeping us well supplied with dog photos.

Working from home is interesting. It’s not actually affected my job at all, apart from a few Internet connectivity issues. It’s also nice getting more sleep in the mornings and ‘getting home’ (by which I mean walking downstairs to the kitchen) earlier in the afternoons – but it is strange having my bedroom as my office. But so far we’re all still sane. So far.

[image error]Rate my setup/array of nerdy crap

As I can’t go out of the house (more than once a day), I’m trying to use the time well. That’s going… well, it’s going. I’m 15,000 words into Untitled Second Boiling Seas Book,* and though I’ve not quite figured out where the plot’s going I’m having fun getting to know the characters and the setting again. It’s like putting on an old, comfy jumper. I’ve also told myself I’m going to actually start editing another novel so I can start sending it to agents again. Have I actually started doing that? Have I buggery. But I will. Honest.

I have a lot of videogames to play and miniatures to paint, ok? I will start. Soon. Probably.

[image error]I’m far too proud of this for my own good and reddit didn’t really care, so I’m afraid you may be subjected to more…

Given that we’re all stuck inside now, I’ll do something like this at least once a week. If anyone has any ideas for other stuff they’d like to hear from me during quarantine, let me know!

Otherwise, I’ll see you at the next virtual pub quiz.

* I will definitely solicit the help of the Internet for a proper title as soon as I know what’s actually going to happen. I am not great at naming stories.

WordNerd Podcast

A few weeks ago, a friend of mine called my girlfriend and I and asked if we wanted to help him test out some ideas for a new podcast about words and etymology and, ultimately, clever puns. Naturally, we said yes immediately.

Some time later, and it’s out! It’s actually been out for a while, but only just on Apple Podcasts (so forgive me, Olly, for only talking about it now). It’s called WordNerd, and in it Maddie and I take on Luke and Jonny in a series of etymological exercises, supervised by the extremely tall Olly Jackson.

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If you’ve ever had the inexplicable desire to hear my voice, or just think this sounds interesting, give it a listen on Soundcloud or Apple Podcasts!

There may, eventually, even be more episodes…

Short Story: The Lighthouse

I thought it was time I shared another bit of short fiction with you all.  This one’s based on another little bit of Lucian, from his How To Write History. It’s a really interesting look at the style and substance of how history used to be written – or at least how Lucian thought it should be written. But there’s a passage in there, right at the end, which I’ve always thought was seriously profound. I wanted to expand on it a little. I felt like I had to. Hopefully you’ll see why.

Give it a read here.

GNU Terry Pratchett

Many years ago, my family and I went to the Hay Literary Festival. My mum and sister were off to see a talk with Judi Dench, if I recall correctly. My dad and I were going to see Terry Pratchett. Dodger was about to come out, and I, a bright-eyed youth of about 15, came clutching my copy of The Colour of Magic in the hopes of snagging a signature after the talk. Dad and I dropped off the girls and went to park the car. We got out, we looked around, and set off in the general direction of the rest of the festival.

We’d barely gone ten yards before we bumped into Terry and Rob in the car park.

They were also on their way in, and, given that they actually had a panel to present, were clearly in far more of a hurry than we were – but they stopped, and said hello, and we shook hands, and I mumbled something inarticulate about how much of a fan I was, and that I was trying to become a writer, and Sir Terry smiled kindly and signed The Colour of Magic, and Rob Wilkins said that we should come and see them after the panel if we had time, and then we got out of their way because they had somewhere far more important to be.

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The talk was fantastic – and I was already riding a high when we went in, let alone after hearing Terry and Rob talk for an hour. But I didn’t get a chance to talk to them afterwards, because everyone and their mothers had had the same idea, and the stage was swarmed. Sir Terry was whisked away by the redoubtable Rob before the baying horde of fans could get their teeth into him – but I caught Rob’s eye as they did, and he smiled and said that I should email them when I had the chance.

When I got home, I realised that the main flaw in this plan was the fact that for some reason I, a teenager with delusions of creative grandeur, didn’t have Terry Pratchett’s email address. So I emailed their publishers. I explained that I’d been at Hay, that I’d wanted to talk to them afterwards, that Rob had told me to email. I did not, at any point, expect to actually get anywhere. But whoever was on the other end of that email address – and if I ever meet you, know that you’re owed so many drinks – took pity on me, and gave me the right email address. So I emailed Terry and Rob directly.

And they replied. Well, Rob replied on Sir Terry’s behalf, but he relayed some advice from the man himself: if you want to get anywhere, write every day. Don’t stop. Just write every day, and sooner or later you will get somewhere.

I didn’t do that straight away. I was, after all, a sixteen-year-old idiot. But a couple of years later, just after Monty Oum died, and I was feeling like I had the space in my head to get creative again, I remembered that advice. And then a month or so later when Sir Terry died, I decided I’d better actually take it to heart.

I’ve written every day since. Not all of it’s good. But it’s something. And after five years, it’s a lot of something.

It was good advice. I’ll never forget it. And I’ll never forget the way he took the time to say hello even when he didn’t really have it.

GNU, Sir Terry.

Beginnings

I’m not going to say much this week – just a few words from what I’ve just started working on.

Picking a lock was, even to a man like Tal Wenlock, an activity that required more than a little thought. Picking a lock while hanging upside-down from a rope twenty feet above the ground below was something else entirely.

Yep. I finally started.

What’s Going On? – February 2020

Just a general update on what’s going on in my head and at the tip of my pen. Or what would be at the tip of my pen if I actually wrote with a pen. You know what I mean.

I should, all things willing, have two short stories published later this year. I’m waiting for paperwork and all that lovely stuff to come through before I can give any more details, but I’m really looking forward to being able to share these next couple of tales.

I’ve just finished a project that – as pretty much all my projects tend to do – spiralled rapidly out of control and ended up six times longer than I thought it would. It was originally just a little bit of backstory for an Inquisition warband I was modelling (yes, I have returned to my youth and started doing Warhammer again). I just wanted to write a short story. I just finished the 35,000 word novella. And I’ve got enough ideas to write a full book. So I’ll likely drop the Black Library a line at some point soon, because why not?

Not sure exactly what I’ll write next, but I have a long queue of ideas. Watch this space.

Speaking of space, I wrote something a while ago based on some of the world’s earliest sci-fi. I think it’s about ready to go out into the world. I’m currently doing all the legwork to transform it from manuscript into an actual book, but I’m hoping to have it out by the spring.

As for what it’s about, I’ll just leave you with this.

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Also I’ve just recorded the pilot of a new podcast. It’s about words and stuff. It’s not out yet, but I’ll let you know as soon as it is.

I’ll try and write an update like this every couple of months, assuming enough interesting things happen. If there’s anything in particular that you’d like to know, just tell me!

See you all soon.

TNG Abridged: The Klingon Kollektion

When I posted my guide to the essential episodes of The Next Generation, I focused primarily on what you need to watch in order to understand Picard and what you need to understand the flow of TNG itself.

However, there is a major hole in my selection, and that hole is about 6’2 and shaped like Michael Dorn.

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Lieutenant Worf is a brilliant character in TNG. His episodes deal with themes of identity, of culture clash, and the way the Klingon Empire is depicted in TNG is fantastic. But because the Klingons aren’t really relevant to Picard (at least so far) and I wanted to keep my abridgement as short as possible, I didn’t really include any of them in the original list.

If you’ve time to spare, therefore, I highly recommend adding the following episodes to your watchlist, to get to know one of the best characters in Star Trek. 

And if you’re planning on watching Deep Space Nine, then these episodes are also essential.

 

Season 1

Episode 19 – Heart of Glory

Worf’s first opportunity to take centre stage, when Klingons hijack the Enterprise.




Season 2

Episode 8 – A Matter of Honor

Starfleet does a French Exchange, only it’s a Klingon one. Riker goes to hang out on a Klingon ship.




Season 3

Episode 17 – Sins of the Father

Following A Matter of Honor, a Klingon officer is attached to the Enterprise. But he’s not just any Klingon.




Season 4

Episode 7 – Reunion

The first of several episodes where Picard and co. end up in the middle of Klingon politics. Also introduces Worf’s son Alexander.


Episode 21 – The Drumhead

Sabotage leads to an inquiry and trial on the Enterprise, with Worf and Picard in the middle of it all.


Episode 26 – Redemption, Part 1

A Klingon Civil War begins. This is not an ideal situation for anyone, especially Worf.




Season 5

Episode 1 – Redemption, Part 2

The Klingon Civil War continues.


Episode 10 – New Ground

Family drama with Worf and Alexander.


Episode 16 – Ethics

Worf is crippled. He’s not having a good time.




Season 6

Episode 8 – A Fistful of Datas

This episode was in the original list, but while it’s mostly Brent Spiner having a whale of a time, it’s also a touching story about Worf connecting with his son.


Episodes 16 & 17 – Birthright

Worf goes off to find his possibly-still-alive father. These episodes are also based on Deep Space Nine, so they’re a nice way to meet a couple of its characters before diving in.


Episode 23 – Rightful Heir

Worf just can’t stay out of Klingon politics for the life of him. This time it’s mythical.




Season 7

Episode 11 – Parallels

Worf returns to the ship to find that things are not what they seem. Several times.


Episode 13 – Homeward

Worf’s brother is verging on breaking the Prime Directive to save an endangered community.


Episode 21 – First Born

Worf bonds with his son. And also with his son.

Star Trek TNG: Abridged

I love Star Trek. I particularly love The Next Generation (though Deep Space Nine is also a wonderful thing…) – it was the first of the shows I ever watched, via random episodes on BBC 2 on a Saturday afternoon. When I came to university, got Netflix, and realised that I could actually watch all of it, I did. Twice.

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Star Trek: Picard is also fantastic. I’ve wanted more of Patrick Stewart in Star Trek for ages, and being able to see where the universe has gone since Nemesis is fascinating. I’d love to recommend it to as many people as possible… but without having watched The Next Generation (at a minimum), it’s pointless. And convincing people to settle down for 178 episodes (that’s over a week, not including the movies) of an old show just so they can watch a new one is impossible. I won’t even go into Deep Space Nine and Voyager.

But while watching all of TNG is well worth it, you don’t need to watch all of it to be able to watch Picard. In fact, you only need to watch 32 episodes. And 3 movies. At least in my opinion.

The following episodes are the important ones. They’re what’s essential to:

a) understand Picard

b) understand what’s actually happening in TNG as you go through

c) to watch because they’re just too bloody good to leave out

There are a lot of episodes I haven’t included here that are just as worth watching – but I wanted to keep the list as short as possible. This is your skeleton – if you find yourself enjoying the show (and you probably will), then do branch out and watch some more. But if you’re just wanting the essentials, these are they.

I shall waste no more words. Here we go.

Season 1

Episodes 1 & 2 – Encounter at Farpoint

The beginning. It’s a little slow, but it’s a vital introduction to pretty much all the major crew-members of the Enterprise – and also to the delightful Q. This is where it all starts.


Episode 12 – Datalore

Data is one of my favourite Star Trek characters, and he’s pivotal to TNG (and pretty important to Picard as well). You should probably get to know his definitely-not-evil twin.


Episode 22 – Skin of Evil

A odd episode, featuring a big oil-slick monster and some hammy acting, but there’s some character development you can’t afford to miss.


Episode 25 – The Neutral Zone

Seeing how people from our time react when confronted with a utopian future is a tried and tested trope of science-fiction. Seeing how Gene Roddenberry depicted ‘people from our time’ in this episode is hilarious. Also, Romulans.



Season 2

Episode 3 – Elementary, Dear Data

It’s Geordi and Data doing a Sherlock Holmes mystery. You need know no more than this.


Episode 9 – The Measure of a Man

Is Data a sentient being, or is he just a machine? It might not seem it now, but this episode sets off a chain of events that will fundamentally change Star Trek forever.


Episode 16 – Q Who?

Q is back, and he decides to drop the Enterprise firmly in the shit. By which I mean Borg territory. The Borg, as you’ll see, turn out to be quite important.



Season 3

Episode 10 – The Defector

You’ll need to know a bit about the Romulans when you get to Picard. This is a chance to get to know them better.


Episode 13 – Deja Q

Q loses his powers. For once, the Enterprise crew get to mess with him.


Episode 15 – Yesterday’s Enterprise

Remember how I said Skin of Evil was important even though it’s not great? This is why. See what Star Trek could have been in a darker timeline.


Episode 16 – The Offspring

Data builds himself a daughter. Just as important as Measure of a Man to his development.


Episode 21 – Hollow Pursuits

Ever think that if you had access to a perfect VR rig you’d just get addicted and never leave? So did Gene Roddenberry.


Episode 26: The Best of Both Worlds, Part 1

Now this is where it starts to get really good. Picard is abducted by the Borg. Terrible things ensue. Absolutely vital viewing for every reason possible.



Season 4

Episode 1 – The Best of Both Worlds, Part 2

As above. So important.


Episode 2 – Family

Essentially The Best of Both Worlds Part 3. Watch it.


Episode 12 – The Wounded

Not as essential as the rest for Picard, but it’s a great episode and the first chance you’ll get to see Colm Meaney take centre stage as Chief O’Brien.



Season 5

Episode 2 – Darmok

Absolutely quintessential Star Trek. In a universe with automatic translators, suddenly having a language barrier is a real problem… If you can only watch one episode of any Star Trek series, watch this one.


Episodes 7 & 8 – Unification

The Vulcans and Romulans don’t like each other very much. Watch this and learn why.


Episode 23 – I, Borg

Another vital Borg episode. What happens when a Borg is cut off from its collective mind?


Episode 25 – The Inner Light

Picard gets a chance to live another life entirely.


Episode 26 – Time’s Arrow, Part 1

Archaeologists dig up Data’s head. On Earth. It’s been there since 1800. Unsurprisingly, the crew investigate.



Season 6

Episode 1 – Time’s Arrow, Part 2

The conclusion to Time’s Arrow. Mark Twain visits the Enterprise. Worth watching just for that scene.


Episode 8 – A Fistful of Datas

Brent Spiner plays literally everyone except Worf in a spaghetti Western. Do I really need to explain why this is worth watching?


Episode 12 – Ship in a Bottle

A loose sequel to Elementary, Dear Data.


Episode 15 – Tapestry

Picard gets a chance to live another life. But this time it’s his own life.


Episode 18 – Starship Mine

Picard does Die Hard.


Episode 26 – Descent, Part 1

The Borg are back – and Data is angry. This comes as something of a surprise.



Season 7

Episode 1 – Descent, Part 2

Lore and the Borg! Not all the evil robots in one place!


Episode 6 – Phantasms

Data dreams.


Episode 15 – Lower Decks

Ever wonder what the ordinary crew-members get up to on the Enterprise? Now’s your chance to find out.


Episode 25 – All Good Things…

Q’s trial of humanity comes to an end – and so does the series. There are a lot of characters you might never see again – so take your chance to say goodbye.



The Movies

First Contact

It’s a Borg movie. You may have realised this by now, but the Borg are important. Also it’s probably the best one.


Nemesis

Not the best one. Really not the best one. But until Picard this was the last appearance of any TNG characters onscreen – so for various reasons it’s important viewing. Also Tom Hardy.


Star Trek (2009)

“But this isn’t a Next Generation movie!” I hear you cry – and you’re right. It’s not even (mostly) set in the same timeline – but part of it is, and it’s a very, very important part if you want to understand what’s going on in Picard. Plus it’s a good film.

If you’re watching TNG for the first time, I envy you. Enjoy it. It’s something special.o