Cate Gardner's Blog, page 46
December 29, 2010
The Future is Bright
I wasn't going to post again this year until New Year's Eve, but on the day I surfaced back on the net the following review by Steven Pirie over at The Future Fire went live. I wake at the best times.
This is without doubt a most unusual collection of short stories. It's nice when a writer finds a unique voice, and Cate Gardner has done just that with Strange Men in Pinstripe Suits. Read the full review here.
The book is now also available to purchase at Amazon UK which is super cool because I'm British.
This is without doubt a most unusual collection of short stories. It's nice when a writer finds a unique voice, and Cate Gardner has done just that with Strange Men in Pinstripe Suits. Read the full review here.
The book is now also available to purchase at Amazon UK which is super cool because I'm British.
The Future is Bright
I wasn't going to post again this year until New Year's Eve, but on the day I surfaced back on the net the following review by Steven Pirie over at The Future Fire went live. I wake at the best times.
This is without doubt a most unusual collection of short stories. It's nice when a writer finds a unique voice, and Cate Gardner has done just that with Strange Men in Pinstripe Suits. Read the full review here.
The book is now also available to purchase at Amazon UK which is super cool because I'm British.
This is without doubt a most unusual collection of short stories. It's nice when a writer finds a unique voice, and Cate Gardner has done just that with Strange Men in Pinstripe Suits. Read the full review here.
The book is now also available to purchase at Amazon UK which is super cool because I'm British.
December 24, 2010
Christmas circa 1978
In the 1970s, Father Christmas was a rather clumsy fellow. Sure, he'd leave a sack of presents each for me and my brother, plus a pile of other presents too large to fit into the sack, but he always managed to drop a few behind furniture that my mum didn't find until later in the day. Seriously, these extra 'dropped' gifts would appear from morning until night. Every year. And the following year, it never once occurred to me (or my usually inquisitive bro) to check if he'd dropped any that year.
Have a fabulous Christmas and party like it's 1978. Now where did I put my crepe paper Christmas crackers and tree made of tinsel.
Christmas circa 1978
In the 1970s, Father Christmas was a rather clumsy fellow. Sure, he'd leave a sack of presents each for me and my brother, plus a pile of other presents too large to fit into the sack, but he always managed to drop a few behind furniture that my mum didn't find until later in the day. Seriously, these extra 'dropped' gifts would appear from morning until night. Every year. And the following year, it never once occurred to me (or my usually inquisitive bro) to check if he'd dropped any that year.
Have a fabulous Christmas and party like it's 1978. Now where did I put my crepe paper Christmas crackers and tree made of tinsel.
December 22, 2010
Final Day
Final Day (of meme): One confession
I'm human.
And thus, my version of the meme is done... One more post until Christmas and then I'll see you in 2011. Deck the halls with... (supply your own answer).
I'm human.
And thus, my version of the meme is done... One more post until Christmas and then I'll see you in 2011. Deck the halls with... (supply your own answer).
Final Day
Final Day (of meme): One confession
I'm human.
And thus, my version of the meme is done... One more post until Christmas and then I'll see you in 2011. Deck the halls with... (supply your own answer).
I'm human.
And thus, my version of the meme is done... One more post until Christmas and then I'll see you in 2011. Deck the halls with... (supply your own answer).
December 21, 2010
No Place for Regret
Day Four: Six things you wish you'd never done.
I'm changing this (because I can) to six things I'd love to do but haven't done yet, because this is not the place for regret.
I've wanted to go on a road trip across the United States forever. Almost. I've been obsessed with the US since I was about seven. It all began with Elvis and thinking New York was just across the water (as in, where Ireland is).
Learn to swim and have a swimming pool in my house. In fact, the only way I'll learn to swim is if I build a swimming pool or if they clear the local baths of all spectators.
Dye my hair red. I've tried, trust me. But all I ever seem to get is a slight reddish cast, but then I haven't tried for years and hair dyes appear to have improved. Of course, five minutes after it's dyed red, I'll probably decide I want to go back to my usual colour – dark brown.
Lose weight. Okay, I have lost weight only not right now. :P In fact, I once got down to 7 stone 12 lb by eating white food. I'm going to starve myself in 2011 and maybe I'll eat all pink food. Yay, candy floss. In fact, if you hear mention of my licking chocolate on twitter – please employ some tough love and tell me to put the treat down and move away from the problem.
See one of my books on a shelf in a real brick and mortar store and not just because I've taken Strange Men out of my bag and put it there. Though I will resort to that if need be.
Place a short story with Weird Tales, Shimmer, Interzone, Fantasy and Science Fiction, and a ton of other places not yet won.
I'm changing this (because I can) to six things I'd love to do but haven't done yet, because this is not the place for regret.
I've wanted to go on a road trip across the United States forever. Almost. I've been obsessed with the US since I was about seven. It all began with Elvis and thinking New York was just across the water (as in, where Ireland is).
Learn to swim and have a swimming pool in my house. In fact, the only way I'll learn to swim is if I build a swimming pool or if they clear the local baths of all spectators.
Dye my hair red. I've tried, trust me. But all I ever seem to get is a slight reddish cast, but then I haven't tried for years and hair dyes appear to have improved. Of course, five minutes after it's dyed red, I'll probably decide I want to go back to my usual colour – dark brown.
Lose weight. Okay, I have lost weight only not right now. :P In fact, I once got down to 7 stone 12 lb by eating white food. I'm going to starve myself in 2011 and maybe I'll eat all pink food. Yay, candy floss. In fact, if you hear mention of my licking chocolate on twitter – please employ some tough love and tell me to put the treat down and move away from the problem.
See one of my books on a shelf in a real brick and mortar store and not just because I've taken Strange Men out of my bag and put it there. Though I will resort to that if need be.
Place a short story with Weird Tales, Shimmer, Interzone, Fantasy and Science Fiction, and a ton of other places not yet won.
December 20, 2010
The Meme Continues
Day Three: Eight ways to win your heart*
*rather a strange meme for a writing blog, but hey-ho...
Have a voice transplant so that you sound like Kiefer Sutherland and I'm yours. Otherwise, send me Kiefer Sutherland. I will love you forever. William H Bonney, you are not a god… Seriously, weak at the knees every time.
Re-enact that final scene in an Officer and a Gentleman and sweep me off my feet. Yeah, good luck picking me up.
Poker. Beware though, every time I play I have extraordinary luck and will probably walk away with yours instead.
Scalpel.
Gee, I'm beginning to think it's hard to win my heart…
Whisk me off in a time machine and introduce me to Oscar Wilde.
Grab my hand when the monsters are coming. (Go, Joaquin--I could watch that scene over and over)
Amuse me.
Be a thoroughly decent fellow.
*rather a strange meme for a writing blog, but hey-ho...
Have a voice transplant so that you sound like Kiefer Sutherland and I'm yours. Otherwise, send me Kiefer Sutherland. I will love you forever. William H Bonney, you are not a god… Seriously, weak at the knees every time.
Re-enact that final scene in an Officer and a Gentleman and sweep me off my feet. Yeah, good luck picking me up.
Poker. Beware though, every time I play I have extraordinary luck and will probably walk away with yours instead.
Scalpel.
Gee, I'm beginning to think it's hard to win my heart…
Whisk me off in a time machine and introduce me to Oscar Wilde.
Grab my hand when the monsters are coming. (Go, Joaquin--I could watch that scene over and over)
Amuse me.
Be a thoroughly decent fellow.
December 18, 2010
Who am I?
Day Two: Nine things about yourself.
Oh good lord.
I'm a nightmare. That's number one.
When I was a kid, I wanted the world to play out like a musical with everyone singing at every opportunity. Actually, I still wish the world a singing and dancing extravaganza. When I miss my morning bus, I want to press my hand to my forehead and belt out, "Oh no, I've missed my bus, wait there'll be another, why am I causing such a fuss?" Everything has to be over dramatised in musical land.
Talking of musicals… Erm, meaning 'Once More With Feeling', the musical episode of Buffy… a confession. I never fancied Spike. This one is more for my brother who is convinced I did or do. Yes, his picture is glued to my desk (why did I use glue, now I can't remove it-darn), but that's because he looks super cool and he inspires me. I fancied Riley, and before Riley, I fancied Oz. :P
I love my mirror. Wait…Before you all start thinking I'm a narcissist, I mean, I love my mirror (or rather mirrors) because I've trained them to show 'slim' me. Seriously, I look in the mirrors at home and at work and I see someone who doesn't need to lose weight. It's a problem. Because I do need to… Trust me on that. Once upon a time, when I was skinny, mirrors had the opposite effect. They used to elephantise (is that even a word?) my hips etc. I suspect mirrors are playing with me. However, strange mirrors (ones I've only just met), they don't like me at all. Or maybe they do, because we all need a little honesty in our lives.
…Don't worry, the glass you hear shattering is not my mirror, it's my sanity… Muaha..uhoh…
Sometimes I'm very, very happy and sometimes I'm very, very sad, and most of the time, I drive people mad.
I can't drive. I lost control of a car on a dual carriageway and nearly crashed into some bushes and that was it for me. Never again. Although, after reading the above, I'm sure you'll agree it's safer if I don't have a licence for anything.
I would however love to learn to fly a plane. Fewer things to crash into up there. Except for clouds and clouds don't frighten me. Not even, rain clouds. How tough am I?
Okay, how many is that? Seven, right…
I'm obsessed with coconut hand cream. I abuse the stuff. The local M&S ran out of my favourite and I had to buy Aloe Vera instead. For me, it was close to a catastrophe. My colleague saved the day. At work a week ago, I opened my drawer and out popped five tubes of coconut hand cream. She'd scoured the four corners of the Earth until she found some. Or else, she went to the M&S in Preston.
I'm untidy. Five minutes after I've finished a cleaning spurge a fresh explosion of paper or make up or hair things happens.
And, I guess, that is me.
Oh good lord.
I'm a nightmare. That's number one.
When I was a kid, I wanted the world to play out like a musical with everyone singing at every opportunity. Actually, I still wish the world a singing and dancing extravaganza. When I miss my morning bus, I want to press my hand to my forehead and belt out, "Oh no, I've missed my bus, wait there'll be another, why am I causing such a fuss?" Everything has to be over dramatised in musical land.
Talking of musicals… Erm, meaning 'Once More With Feeling', the musical episode of Buffy… a confession. I never fancied Spike. This one is more for my brother who is convinced I did or do. Yes, his picture is glued to my desk (why did I use glue, now I can't remove it-darn), but that's because he looks super cool and he inspires me. I fancied Riley, and before Riley, I fancied Oz. :P
I love my mirror. Wait…Before you all start thinking I'm a narcissist, I mean, I love my mirror (or rather mirrors) because I've trained them to show 'slim' me. Seriously, I look in the mirrors at home and at work and I see someone who doesn't need to lose weight. It's a problem. Because I do need to… Trust me on that. Once upon a time, when I was skinny, mirrors had the opposite effect. They used to elephantise (is that even a word?) my hips etc. I suspect mirrors are playing with me. However, strange mirrors (ones I've only just met), they don't like me at all. Or maybe they do, because we all need a little honesty in our lives.
…Don't worry, the glass you hear shattering is not my mirror, it's my sanity… Muaha..uhoh…
Sometimes I'm very, very happy and sometimes I'm very, very sad, and most of the time, I drive people mad.
I can't drive. I lost control of a car on a dual carriageway and nearly crashed into some bushes and that was it for me. Never again. Although, after reading the above, I'm sure you'll agree it's safer if I don't have a licence for anything.
I would however love to learn to fly a plane. Fewer things to crash into up there. Except for clouds and clouds don't frighten me. Not even, rain clouds. How tough am I?
Okay, how many is that? Seven, right…
I'm obsessed with coconut hand cream. I abuse the stuff. The local M&S ran out of my favourite and I had to buy Aloe Vera instead. For me, it was close to a catastrophe. My colleague saved the day. At work a week ago, I opened my drawer and out popped five tubes of coconut hand cream. She'd scoured the four corners of the Earth until she found some. Or else, she went to the M&S in Preston.
I'm untidy. Five minutes after I've finished a cleaning spurge a fresh explosion of paper or make up or hair things happens.
And, I guess, that is me.
December 17, 2010
Ten Reasons Why 2010 Didn't Suck
There's a meme doing the rounds on Live Journal, I discovered it on MG Ellington's blog and thought I'd steal a part of it.
Here's the proper meme...
Day One: Ten things you want to say to ten different people right now.
Day Two: Nine things about yourself.
Day Three: Eight ways to win your heart.
Day Four: Seven things that cross your mind a lot.
Day Five: Six things you wish you'd never done.
Day Six: Five people who mean a lot (in no order whatsoever)
Day Seven: Four turn-offs.
Day Eight: Three turn-ons.
Day Nine: Two images that describe your life right now, and why.
Day Ten: One confession
...for those who intend to answer all the questions. I plan on answering five.
Day One: Ten things you want to say to ten different people right now.
Aaron Polson, thank you for Strange Men. Wait, that sounds wrong. Aaron, thank you for offering to publish a collection of my short fiction and making my dream of having a book with my name on it come true. Thank you for your stories. Most of all, thank you for being a friend. Oh, and for sending me cash--not enough people do that.
Katey Taylor, thank you for trusting me to beta read your book. Are you mad? Wait, of course you are. Congratulations on snagging an editing job over at Morrigan Books and boy, the artwork you've commissioned for The Red Penny Papers is beyond awesome. Paperback versions please.
Simon Marshall Jones, thank you for providing the first review of Strange Men and for allowing me to join the hallowed halls of Spectral Press and thus stand among some mighty writers. Thanks also to Joshua Reynolds, E. Catherine Tobler, Simon Bestwick, and Velvet Van Bueren for reviewing my book, and to the reviewers of reviews forthcoming. Eek! Seriously, I'm expecting a WTH is this from a forthcoming one. Gulp!
Note to meme: Am I supposed to be thanking everyone?
Thanks to Eric Reynolds of Hadley Rille for offering to publish Theatre of Curious Acts, and for Rob Darnell for shoving me to the top of his to read pile and recommending it to Eric. Snoopy dance.
Erm, still the word thank you is out there. Let's abuse someone and who better than Mike Stone. Hehehe. Mike, Cadbury's chocolate is made in a paint factory ;) *Runs away*. Oh, and that thing you asked me to do. You're mad, I swear, mad…But I'm working on it. Ah, I guess I have to add a thanks, so thank you for all your advice re Theatre.
How many people is that…? Six official, I guess and ten if we count the review thank you's. I'm such a cheat.
Oh hey, one more… Thanks to Nate Lambert for taking time out of his busy schedule to write an introduction for my book. I caught him just before he hit the stratosphere.
And to everyone else, have an awesome 2011. Oops, does that mean I've just not wished that to the above. You know I wish that, of course I do.
Here's the proper meme...
Day One: Ten things you want to say to ten different people right now.
Day Two: Nine things about yourself.
Day Three: Eight ways to win your heart.
Day Four: Seven things that cross your mind a lot.
Day Five: Six things you wish you'd never done.
Day Six: Five people who mean a lot (in no order whatsoever)
Day Seven: Four turn-offs.
Day Eight: Three turn-ons.
Day Nine: Two images that describe your life right now, and why.
Day Ten: One confession
...for those who intend to answer all the questions. I plan on answering five.
Day One: Ten things you want to say to ten different people right now.
Aaron Polson, thank you for Strange Men. Wait, that sounds wrong. Aaron, thank you for offering to publish a collection of my short fiction and making my dream of having a book with my name on it come true. Thank you for your stories. Most of all, thank you for being a friend. Oh, and for sending me cash--not enough people do that.
Katey Taylor, thank you for trusting me to beta read your book. Are you mad? Wait, of course you are. Congratulations on snagging an editing job over at Morrigan Books and boy, the artwork you've commissioned for The Red Penny Papers is beyond awesome. Paperback versions please.
Simon Marshall Jones, thank you for providing the first review of Strange Men and for allowing me to join the hallowed halls of Spectral Press and thus stand among some mighty writers. Thanks also to Joshua Reynolds, E. Catherine Tobler, Simon Bestwick, and Velvet Van Bueren for reviewing my book, and to the reviewers of reviews forthcoming. Eek! Seriously, I'm expecting a WTH is this from a forthcoming one. Gulp!
Note to meme: Am I supposed to be thanking everyone?
Thanks to Eric Reynolds of Hadley Rille for offering to publish Theatre of Curious Acts, and for Rob Darnell for shoving me to the top of his to read pile and recommending it to Eric. Snoopy dance.
Erm, still the word thank you is out there. Let's abuse someone and who better than Mike Stone. Hehehe. Mike, Cadbury's chocolate is made in a paint factory ;) *Runs away*. Oh, and that thing you asked me to do. You're mad, I swear, mad…But I'm working on it. Ah, I guess I have to add a thanks, so thank you for all your advice re Theatre.
How many people is that…? Six official, I guess and ten if we count the review thank you's. I'm such a cheat.
Oh hey, one more… Thanks to Nate Lambert for taking time out of his busy schedule to write an introduction for my book. I caught him just before he hit the stratosphere.
And to everyone else, have an awesome 2011. Oops, does that mean I've just not wished that to the above. You know I wish that, of course I do.
