Liz Williams's Blog, page 28
January 14, 2011
IRON KHAN - hard copy
IRON KHAN is now released in hard copy. It's up on Amazon, here:
http://www.amazon.com/Iron-Khan-Detective-Inspector-Novel/dp/1456409166/ref=sr_1_9?ie=UTF8&qid=1295018721&sr=8-9
There will be a limited edition - it is on its way.
I would like to thank Reece, Amanda, Mark, Stephanie and Marty for some incredibly hard work over the last few months. It is greatly appreciated.
And there's a review which made me think, up on Strange Horizons, below. It's always interesting to have a detailed review of one's work, as reviewers often (as in this case) pick up on themes which were not intentional/subconscious, but which nonetheless seem to have emerged as dominant.
http://www.strangehorizons.com/reviews/2011/01/the_shadow_pavi.shtml
http://www.amazon.com/Iron-Khan-Detective-Inspector-Novel/dp/1456409166/ref=sr_1_9?ie=UTF8&qid=1295018721&sr=8-9
There will be a limited edition - it is on its way.
I would like to thank Reece, Amanda, Mark, Stephanie and Marty for some incredibly hard work over the last few months. It is greatly appreciated.
And there's a review which made me think, up on Strange Horizons, below. It's always interesting to have a detailed review of one's work, as reviewers often (as in this case) pick up on themes which were not intentional/subconscious, but which nonetheless seem to have emerged as dominant.
http://www.strangehorizons.com/reviews/2011/01/the_shadow_pavi.shtml
January 11, 2011
mevennen @ 2011-01-11T12:39:00
Next Entry
Creative writing tutoring - repost
As some of you will know, I have been offering manuscript appraisal services for some time now, but I have recently been joined by historical novelist Maria McCann. I am updating this as Maria has now come on board with the Arvon team, and I'm including details of that below.
Maria has an MA in Creative Writing from the University of Glamorgan. For nearly a decade (until December 2010) she ran the Creative Writing courses at Strode College in Somerset, helping writers of all levels of ability to nurture their creative processes and to craft their work. Alongside historical novelists Emma Darwin, Rose Melikan and R N Morris, Maria appears at literary festivals as part of a panel discussing aspects of writing and researching historical fiction; from January 2011 she will be one of three writers (along with poet Daljit Nagra and playwright Nell Leyshon) selected to mentor upcoming talent as part of the Jerwood/Arvon Mentoring Scheme.
I will be dealing with SF, Fantasy and Horror, or any related sub-genres. Maria will be dealing with literary fiction and historical fiction. We will be offering:
- manuscript proposal appraisal (first three chapters and synopsis)
- full manuscript appraisal (novels and short fiction)
- submission package assessment
We can also offer tailor-made packages, depending on your needs and requirements. If you want an assessment of your initial three chapters, to see whether a manuscript is worth continuing, we can look at this. If you have a whole novel, and would like it taken up to the point where you are ready to submit to an agent, we can structure a timetable for you and take you through a chapter-by-chapter assessment. This process is likely to take about a year (unless you're a very quick writer!) and we will suggest that you rewrite if we think it's necessary.
You can start at any point. We are both very thorough – this is aimed at the serious writer who is aiming at a professional career. We start with an appraisal, and if we think your expectations are unrealistic and that you would not benefit at this point from a full appraisal program, we will tell you. However, we are solution-oriented and our criticism will always be constructive!
The aim of this process is to prepare work for publication. Obviously, we cannot guarantee that, although I would note that my last student has just had her first novel published as part of a 3 book-deal. I can put you in touch with former students if you wish. For other genres, including detective fiction, post-colonial fiction or other, let me know if you would like details and I will pass you on to a wider mentoring agency.
If you would like to discuss this with either Maria or myself, please email me at mevennen(at)hotmail(dot)com for further information, including a full breakdown of costs.
Creative writing tutoring - repost
As some of you will know, I have been offering manuscript appraisal services for some time now, but I have recently been joined by historical novelist Maria McCann. I am updating this as Maria has now come on board with the Arvon team, and I'm including details of that below.
Maria has an MA in Creative Writing from the University of Glamorgan. For nearly a decade (until December 2010) she ran the Creative Writing courses at Strode College in Somerset, helping writers of all levels of ability to nurture their creative processes and to craft their work. Alongside historical novelists Emma Darwin, Rose Melikan and R N Morris, Maria appears at literary festivals as part of a panel discussing aspects of writing and researching historical fiction; from January 2011 she will be one of three writers (along with poet Daljit Nagra and playwright Nell Leyshon) selected to mentor upcoming talent as part of the Jerwood/Arvon Mentoring Scheme.
I will be dealing with SF, Fantasy and Horror, or any related sub-genres. Maria will be dealing with literary fiction and historical fiction. We will be offering:
- manuscript proposal appraisal (first three chapters and synopsis)
- full manuscript appraisal (novels and short fiction)
- submission package assessment
We can also offer tailor-made packages, depending on your needs and requirements. If you want an assessment of your initial three chapters, to see whether a manuscript is worth continuing, we can look at this. If you have a whole novel, and would like it taken up to the point where you are ready to submit to an agent, we can structure a timetable for you and take you through a chapter-by-chapter assessment. This process is likely to take about a year (unless you're a very quick writer!) and we will suggest that you rewrite if we think it's necessary.
You can start at any point. We are both very thorough – this is aimed at the serious writer who is aiming at a professional career. We start with an appraisal, and if we think your expectations are unrealistic and that you would not benefit at this point from a full appraisal program, we will tell you. However, we are solution-oriented and our criticism will always be constructive!
The aim of this process is to prepare work for publication. Obviously, we cannot guarantee that, although I would note that my last student has just had her first novel published as part of a 3 book-deal. I can put you in touch with former students if you wish. For other genres, including detective fiction, post-colonial fiction or other, let me know if you would like details and I will pass you on to a wider mentoring agency.
If you would like to discuss this with either Maria or myself, please email me at mevennen(at)hotmail(dot)com for further information, including a full breakdown of costs.
Short story subs - repost
First of all, thank you so much for your support. It has been a pleasure to send you all stories, and to have such great feedback. The first 6 stories have now been sent out and the third quarter's set are due in a month's time.
If there is anyone out there who has paid for stories but not received them, do email me asap. I am aware that there are a few people who have not yet had the hard copy of the last set - these are now on their way after the Xmas/bad weather postal hiatus.
We are just about at the limit for Chen - but there are a few subs still available. And do please pass word on - a number of people have bought the year's set, or some of the stories, as presents for others.
You will find a PayPal button at the end of this post. I would like to thank those of you who have already signed up for your support - it is greatly appreciated, and it's also been great to hear from you.
I'm directly marketing a small quantity of limited edition short fiction online. I'll be writing a series of 4 short stories (one per quarter) set in one of 3 worlds. So that's 3 new short stories per quarter:
What will I be getting?: Country houses, airships, opium and a dodgy Imperial Russian love interest.
She did not think that Zhukov was trying to kill her, but would she be expected to keel over immediately, or take faint? Given their location, she thought it might be the second option: the first seemed too obvious by far. But a woman who had drunk a little too much, being escorted to her cabin by an attentive gentleman…far more likely.
Her next move wasn't subtle at all. She stared past the Russian's epauletted shoulder, with widened eyes and parted lips, and gave a little gasp. He only turned for a second, but it was enough for Mary to decant the bulk of her drink into the nearest pot plant. When he turned back, she was unsteadily replacing the glass on the table top.
Cygne: another alt universe, this time Elizabethan. Except that the power on the British throne is a faery queen and the ruling classes, including Lord Cygne, are magicians.
What will I be getting?: demons, shape-shifting governesses, the more unusual elements of the ancient bestiaries, and a singularly vain protagonist.
After a month and a half of peasants squatting in my Great Hall, drinking ale for hours at a time and chatting about the weather or the local totty when they should have been mending the roof, I rebelled, stormed into the hall with the shambling black shape of a conjure-shuck at my heels and threatened woeful things if the roof was not repaired forthwith.
I should have done this before, but one never likes to affront the locals; you never know whether they might appear at your gates one winter midnight, all pitchforks and low muttering and flaming brands.
I suppose they have to make their own fun.
Inspector Chen: Well, you are hopefully familiar with this one by now!
*
I'm doing a limited run of 100, for each story.
Cost: £5/$8 per story. If you sign up for 4 (one series) over the course of a year, I'll call it £18/$30.
3 stories (one of each) per quarter: £15/$24.
The whole deal (12 short stories): £50/ - depending on the USD rate, this is from $78 to $90.
You can do it through Paypal (NB - this is still setting up repeat payments for 2011 but as soon as I hear back from Paypal I will fix this. I obviously won't be expecting everyone to pay twice!)
Stories will be sent as a Word attachment or a PDF. Long-term customers will get something collectible in hard-copy at the end of the year.
Interested?: email me on: mevennen(at)hotmail.com.
Short Stories
Chen £18.00
Cygne £18.00
GP £18.00
All 3 series £50.00
If there is anyone out there who has paid for stories but not received them, do email me asap. I am aware that there are a few people who have not yet had the hard copy of the last set - these are now on their way after the Xmas/bad weather postal hiatus.
We are just about at the limit for Chen - but there are a few subs still available. And do please pass word on - a number of people have bought the year's set, or some of the stories, as presents for others.
You will find a PayPal button at the end of this post. I would like to thank those of you who have already signed up for your support - it is greatly appreciated, and it's also been great to hear from you.
I'm directly marketing a small quantity of limited edition short fiction online. I'll be writing a series of 4 short stories (one per quarter) set in one of 3 worlds. So that's 3 new short stories per quarter:
What will I be getting?: Country houses, airships, opium and a dodgy Imperial Russian love interest.
She did not think that Zhukov was trying to kill her, but would she be expected to keel over immediately, or take faint? Given their location, she thought it might be the second option: the first seemed too obvious by far. But a woman who had drunk a little too much, being escorted to her cabin by an attentive gentleman…far more likely.
Her next move wasn't subtle at all. She stared past the Russian's epauletted shoulder, with widened eyes and parted lips, and gave a little gasp. He only turned for a second, but it was enough for Mary to decant the bulk of her drink into the nearest pot plant. When he turned back, she was unsteadily replacing the glass on the table top.
Cygne: another alt universe, this time Elizabethan. Except that the power on the British throne is a faery queen and the ruling classes, including Lord Cygne, are magicians.
What will I be getting?: demons, shape-shifting governesses, the more unusual elements of the ancient bestiaries, and a singularly vain protagonist.
After a month and a half of peasants squatting in my Great Hall, drinking ale for hours at a time and chatting about the weather or the local totty when they should have been mending the roof, I rebelled, stormed into the hall with the shambling black shape of a conjure-shuck at my heels and threatened woeful things if the roof was not repaired forthwith.
I should have done this before, but one never likes to affront the locals; you never know whether they might appear at your gates one winter midnight, all pitchforks and low muttering and flaming brands.
I suppose they have to make their own fun.
Inspector Chen: Well, you are hopefully familiar with this one by now!
*
I'm doing a limited run of 100, for each story.
Cost: £5/$8 per story. If you sign up for 4 (one series) over the course of a year, I'll call it £18/$30.
3 stories (one of each) per quarter: £15/$24.
The whole deal (12 short stories): £50/ - depending on the USD rate, this is from $78 to $90.
You can do it through Paypal (NB - this is still setting up repeat payments for 2011 but as soon as I hear back from Paypal I will fix this. I obviously won't be expecting everyone to pay twice!)
Stories will be sent as a Word attachment or a PDF. Long-term customers will get something collectible in hard-copy at the end of the year.
Interested?: email me on: mevennen(at)hotmail.com.
Short Stories
Chen £18.00
Cygne £18.00
GP £18.00
All 3 series £50.00
January 4, 2011
Game-tastic
No snow down here, although the Mendip hills are white again. We've had heavy, sleety rain today but then a late golden light and an inky sky, turning to a very wintery sunset.
There seem to have been a lot of shoots around here - I keep hearing guns when I go out to the field and people keep giving up pheasants. T plucked a brace last night, and I just did another brace, for the freezer. Sid thinks that this is the most exciting thing to have happened in this household for weeks and paid close attention, occasionally head butting me in the leg to remind me that he was there. Then he stole some leftover Chinese takeaway, because Sid has wide tastes.
Otherwise I have been taking down the Xmas decorations, sorting out stock that was affected by the flood and generally being busy. Some writing has got done, however.
There seem to have been a lot of shoots around here - I keep hearing guns when I go out to the field and people keep giving up pheasants. T plucked a brace last night, and I just did another brace, for the freezer. Sid thinks that this is the most exciting thing to have happened in this household for weeks and paid close attention, occasionally head butting me in the leg to remind me that he was there. Then he stole some leftover Chinese takeaway, because Sid has wide tastes.
Otherwise I have been taking down the Xmas decorations, sorting out stock that was affected by the flood and generally being busy. Some writing has got done, however.
IRON KHAN - hard copy
A big thank you to everyone who has bought the e-format edition of IRON KHAN, now up on Amazon. Magpie Diaries, which is a new (to me, anyway) SF and Fantasy site, has a review here:
http://www.magpiediaries.co.uk/node/8
The hard copy is likely to be out on January 14th - we're still tweaking it after a couple of hitches, but it's nearly there.
http://www.magpiediaries.co.uk/node/8
The hard copy is likely to be out on January 14th - we're still tweaking it after a couple of hitches, but it's nearly there.
Creative writing tutoring - repost
As some of you will know, I have been offering manuscript appraisal services for some time now, but I have recently been joined by historical novelist Maria McCann. I am updating this as Maria has now come on board with the Arvon team, and I'm including details of that below.
Maria has an MA in Creative Writing from the University of Glamorgan. For nearly a decade (until December 2010) she ran the Creative Writing courses at Strode College in Somerset, helping writers of all levels of ability to nurture their creative processes and to craft their work. Alongside historical novelists Emma Darwin, Rose Melikan and R N Morris, Maria appears at literary festivals as part of a panel discussing aspects of writing and researching historical fiction; from January 2011 she will be one of three writers (along with poet Daljit Nagra and playwright Nell Leyshon) selected to mentor upcoming talent as part of the Jerwood/Arvon Mentoring Scheme.
I will be dealing with SF, Fantasy and Horror, or any related sub-genres. Maria will be dealing with literary fiction and historical fiction. We will be offering:
- manuscript proposal appraisal (first three chapters and synopsis)
- full manuscript appraisal (novels and short fiction)
- submission package assessment
We can also offer tailor-made packages, depending on your needs and requirements. If you want an assessment of your initial three chapters, to see whether a manuscript is worth continuing, we can look at this. If you have a whole novel, and would like it taken up to the point where you are ready to submit to an agent, we can structure a timetable for you and take you through a chapter-by-chapter assessment. This process is likely to take about a year (unless you're a very quick writer!) and we will suggest that you rewrite if we think it's necessary.
You can start at any point. We are both very thorough – this is aimed at the serious writer who is aiming at a professional career. We start with an appraisal, and if we think your expectations are unrealistic and that you would not benefit at this point from a full appraisal program, we will tell you. However, we are solution-oriented and our criticism will always be constructive!
The aim of this process is to prepare work for publication. Obviously, we cannot guarantee that, although I would note that my last student has just had her first novel published as part of a 3 book-deal. I can put you in touch with former students if you wish. For other genres, including detective fiction, post-colonial fiction or other, let me know if you would like details and I will pass you on to a wider mentoring agency.
If you would like to discuss this with either Maria or myself, please email me at mevennen(at)hotmail(dot)com for further information, including a full breakdown of costs.
Maria has an MA in Creative Writing from the University of Glamorgan. For nearly a decade (until December 2010) she ran the Creative Writing courses at Strode College in Somerset, helping writers of all levels of ability to nurture their creative processes and to craft their work. Alongside historical novelists Emma Darwin, Rose Melikan and R N Morris, Maria appears at literary festivals as part of a panel discussing aspects of writing and researching historical fiction; from January 2011 she will be one of three writers (along with poet Daljit Nagra and playwright Nell Leyshon) selected to mentor upcoming talent as part of the Jerwood/Arvon Mentoring Scheme.
I will be dealing with SF, Fantasy and Horror, or any related sub-genres. Maria will be dealing with literary fiction and historical fiction. We will be offering:
- manuscript proposal appraisal (first three chapters and synopsis)
- full manuscript appraisal (novels and short fiction)
- submission package assessment
We can also offer tailor-made packages, depending on your needs and requirements. If you want an assessment of your initial three chapters, to see whether a manuscript is worth continuing, we can look at this. If you have a whole novel, and would like it taken up to the point where you are ready to submit to an agent, we can structure a timetable for you and take you through a chapter-by-chapter assessment. This process is likely to take about a year (unless you're a very quick writer!) and we will suggest that you rewrite if we think it's necessary.
You can start at any point. We are both very thorough – this is aimed at the serious writer who is aiming at a professional career. We start with an appraisal, and if we think your expectations are unrealistic and that you would not benefit at this point from a full appraisal program, we will tell you. However, we are solution-oriented and our criticism will always be constructive!
The aim of this process is to prepare work for publication. Obviously, we cannot guarantee that, although I would note that my last student has just had her first novel published as part of a 3 book-deal. I can put you in touch with former students if you wish. For other genres, including detective fiction, post-colonial fiction or other, let me know if you would like details and I will pass you on to a wider mentoring agency.
If you would like to discuss this with either Maria or myself, please email me at mevennen(at)hotmail(dot)com for further information, including a full breakdown of costs.
Short story subs - repost
First of all, thank you so much for your support. It has been a pleasure to send you all stories, and to have such great feedback. The first 6 stories have now been sent out and the third quarter's set are due in a month's time.
If there is anyone out there who has paid for stories but not received them, do email me asap. I am aware that there are a few people who have not yet had the hard copy of the last set - these are now on their way after the Xmas/bad weather postal hiatus.
We are just about at the limit for Chen - but there are a few subs still available. And do please pass word on - a number of people have bought the year's set, or some of the stories, as presents for others.
You will find a PayPal button at the end of this post. I would like to thank those of you who have already signed up for your support - it is greatly appreciated, and it's also been great to hear from you.
I'm directly marketing a small quantity of limited edition short fiction online. I'll be writing a series of 4 short stories (one per quarter) set in one of 3 worlds. So that's 3 new short stories per quarter:
What will I be getting?: Country houses, airships, opium and a dodgy Imperial Russian love interest.
She did not think that Zhukov was trying to kill her, but would she be expected to keel over immediately, or take faint? Given their location, she thought it might be the second option: the first seemed too obvious by far. But a woman who had drunk a little too much, being escorted to her cabin by an attentive gentleman…far more likely.
Her next move wasn't subtle at all. She stared past the Russian's epauletted shoulder, with widened eyes and parted lips, and gave a little gasp. He only turned for a second, but it was enough for Mary to decant the bulk of her drink into the nearest pot plant. When he turned back, she was unsteadily replacing the glass on the table top.
Cygne: another alt universe, this time Elizabethan. Except that the power on the British throne is a faery queen and the ruling classes, including Lord Cygne, are magicians.
What will I be getting?: demons, shape-shifting governesses, the more unusual elements of the ancient bestiaries, and a singularly vain protagonist.
After a month and a half of peasants squatting in my Great Hall, drinking ale for hours at a time and chatting about the weather or the local totty when they should have been mending the roof, I rebelled, stormed into the hall with the shambling black shape of a conjure-shuck at my heels and threatened woeful things if the roof was not repaired forthwith.
I should have done this before, but one never likes to affront the locals; you never know whether they might appear at your gates one winter midnight, all pitchforks and low muttering and flaming brands.
I suppose they have to make their own fun.
Inspector Chen: Well, you are hopefully familiar with this one by now!
*
I'm doing a limited run of 100, for each story.
Cost: £5/$8 per story. If you sign up for 4 (one series) over the course of a year, I'll call it £18/$30.
3 stories (one of each) per quarter: £15/$24.
The whole deal (12 short stories): £50/ - depending on the USD rate, this is from $78 to $90.
You can do it through Paypal (NB - this is still setting up repeat payments for 2011 but as soon as I hear back from Paypal I will fix this. I obviously won't be expecting everyone to pay twice!)
Stories will be sent as a Word attachment or a PDF. Long-term customers will get something collectible in hard-copy at the end of the year: I'm working on that, but it is likely to be a copy of A Glass of Shadow, which is a new hard copy short story collection coming out with New Con Press.
Interested?: email me on: mevennen(at)hotmail.com.
Short Stories
Chen £18.00
Cygne £18.00
GP £18.00
All 3 series £50.00
If there is anyone out there who has paid for stories but not received them, do email me asap. I am aware that there are a few people who have not yet had the hard copy of the last set - these are now on their way after the Xmas/bad weather postal hiatus.
We are just about at the limit for Chen - but there are a few subs still available. And do please pass word on - a number of people have bought the year's set, or some of the stories, as presents for others.
You will find a PayPal button at the end of this post. I would like to thank those of you who have already signed up for your support - it is greatly appreciated, and it's also been great to hear from you.
I'm directly marketing a small quantity of limited edition short fiction online. I'll be writing a series of 4 short stories (one per quarter) set in one of 3 worlds. So that's 3 new short stories per quarter:
What will I be getting?: Country houses, airships, opium and a dodgy Imperial Russian love interest.
She did not think that Zhukov was trying to kill her, but would she be expected to keel over immediately, or take faint? Given their location, she thought it might be the second option: the first seemed too obvious by far. But a woman who had drunk a little too much, being escorted to her cabin by an attentive gentleman…far more likely.
Her next move wasn't subtle at all. She stared past the Russian's epauletted shoulder, with widened eyes and parted lips, and gave a little gasp. He only turned for a second, but it was enough for Mary to decant the bulk of her drink into the nearest pot plant. When he turned back, she was unsteadily replacing the glass on the table top.
Cygne: another alt universe, this time Elizabethan. Except that the power on the British throne is a faery queen and the ruling classes, including Lord Cygne, are magicians.
What will I be getting?: demons, shape-shifting governesses, the more unusual elements of the ancient bestiaries, and a singularly vain protagonist.
After a month and a half of peasants squatting in my Great Hall, drinking ale for hours at a time and chatting about the weather or the local totty when they should have been mending the roof, I rebelled, stormed into the hall with the shambling black shape of a conjure-shuck at my heels and threatened woeful things if the roof was not repaired forthwith.
I should have done this before, but one never likes to affront the locals; you never know whether they might appear at your gates one winter midnight, all pitchforks and low muttering and flaming brands.
I suppose they have to make their own fun.
Inspector Chen: Well, you are hopefully familiar with this one by now!
*
I'm doing a limited run of 100, for each story.
Cost: £5/$8 per story. If you sign up for 4 (one series) over the course of a year, I'll call it £18/$30.
3 stories (one of each) per quarter: £15/$24.
The whole deal (12 short stories): £50/ - depending on the USD rate, this is from $78 to $90.
You can do it through Paypal (NB - this is still setting up repeat payments for 2011 but as soon as I hear back from Paypal I will fix this. I obviously won't be expecting everyone to pay twice!)
Stories will be sent as a Word attachment or a PDF. Long-term customers will get something collectible in hard-copy at the end of the year: I'm working on that, but it is likely to be a copy of A Glass of Shadow, which is a new hard copy short story collection coming out with New Con Press.
Interested?: email me on: mevennen(at)hotmail.com.
Short Stories
Chen £18.00
Cygne £18.00
GP £18.00
All 3 series £50.00
January 2, 2011
NYE
We don't tend to make a big deal of NYE and this year was no exception - we were at work all day until quite late, due to last-minute tarot readings, then went to the Ashcott (busy but civilised) before grabbing a Chinese takeaway and heading home. I didn't stay up until midnight.
Yesterday, we went to the races, taking a picnic and the dogs, and came back via a surprise visit to my parents and a scheduled one to a friend in Bristol. This is the second trip to the city in a week, as we were up in Clifton on Thursday night at dinner with a friend who has given T some helpful advice about postgrad. Clifton is one of my favourite areas of the city, though shadowed now by the recent murder of a young landscape architect at Christmas. Bristol is a violent city, with a lot of gang crime, and it's ironic that the murder was in one of its quieter areas. A great shame.
Yesterday, we went to the races, taking a picnic and the dogs, and came back via a surprise visit to my parents and a scheduled one to a friend in Bristol. This is the second trip to the city in a week, as we were up in Clifton on Thursday night at dinner with a friend who has given T some helpful advice about postgrad. Clifton is one of my favourite areas of the city, though shadowed now by the recent murder of a young landscape architect at Christmas. Bristol is a violent city, with a lot of gang crime, and it's ironic that the murder was in one of its quieter areas. A great shame.
December 30, 2010
2010 round up
As a friend of mine remarked yesterday, the Age of Pisces is passing with a remarkable lack of grace. Our end of year has been marked by a bad flood in one of the shops: the culmination of a fairly grim autumn in Glastonbury which has seen several unexpected deaths, one near-drowning, one near-fatal head injury and the attack on the Holy Thorn. As my friend also remarked, there are likely to be some drive-by shootings of local astrologers if we don't get some closure on all this fairly soon.
On a personal note, 2010 has been very mixed: relationships among family and friends continue to be extremely strong, although we lost my aunt and uncle, and my cousin and her husband have both undergone major surgery for brain tumours. We also lost our old dog, Chance. My parents continue to be in good health, however, and so is Trevor. Reconnection with some old friends has been very positive. I've also got rid of a couple of extremely toxic people, who were, in any case, at arm's length. The stand-out factor of 2010 has, however, been people - new friends and old, and family.
Workwise, DIARY OF A WITCHCRAFT SHOP is now out in e-format, as is IRON KHAN, which will now be available in hard copy early in 2011. I also signed up the WORLDSOUL trilogy with Prime Books, and am happy to be working with them and with Morrigan Press. I've also been doing a lot of direct selling - the result, I am afraid, of necessity - and started up the mentoring service at the start of the year. We've also been running a series of courses and workshops, both in writing and esoteric practice, which have gone well. Milford was, as ever a delight. The business has been slammed hard by the recession, but we are still going. Trevor got his degree - despite 5 years of extremely trying circumstances, including cancer - and is looking to take it forward into postgraduate work.
New Year's resolutions? Survival.
I wish all of you a happy, productive and prosperous 2011.
On a personal note, 2010 has been very mixed: relationships among family and friends continue to be extremely strong, although we lost my aunt and uncle, and my cousin and her husband have both undergone major surgery for brain tumours. We also lost our old dog, Chance. My parents continue to be in good health, however, and so is Trevor. Reconnection with some old friends has been very positive. I've also got rid of a couple of extremely toxic people, who were, in any case, at arm's length. The stand-out factor of 2010 has, however, been people - new friends and old, and family.
Workwise, DIARY OF A WITCHCRAFT SHOP is now out in e-format, as is IRON KHAN, which will now be available in hard copy early in 2011. I also signed up the WORLDSOUL trilogy with Prime Books, and am happy to be working with them and with Morrigan Press. I've also been doing a lot of direct selling - the result, I am afraid, of necessity - and started up the mentoring service at the start of the year. We've also been running a series of courses and workshops, both in writing and esoteric practice, which have gone well. Milford was, as ever a delight. The business has been slammed hard by the recession, but we are still going. Trevor got his degree - despite 5 years of extremely trying circumstances, including cancer - and is looking to take it forward into postgraduate work.
New Year's resolutions? Survival.
I wish all of you a happy, productive and prosperous 2011.
December 26, 2010
Don't try this at home
The scene: a kitchen in Somerset. The cat is having his tea. I am on my way back from feeding the tortie sisters, to find that Cass has shouldered Sid out of the way and is eating his food.
Sid: mum, MUM, she's eating my tea!!!
Cass: [who knows this is wrong] ooo, sorr-eeeee, [cringes] [runs]
Me: THAT IS NOT YOUR DINNER!
[aims kick at Cass' backside. Other foot slips on rug and I am deposited flat on my back with a yell]
Trevor: [emerging from peaceful NFL watching in the living room to investigate the yell, to find me lying blinking on the kitchen floor, surrounded by animals peering down at me. WTF? expressions all round.]
We have all been sent to our baskets.
Ironically, we have been extremely careful outside, given the ice and snow. Clearly it is within the home that I need to be careful.
Sid: mum, MUM, she's eating my tea!!!
Cass: [who knows this is wrong] ooo, sorr-eeeee, [cringes] [runs]
Me: THAT IS NOT YOUR DINNER!
[aims kick at Cass' backside. Other foot slips on rug and I am deposited flat on my back with a yell]
Trevor: [emerging from peaceful NFL watching in the living room to investigate the yell, to find me lying blinking on the kitchen floor, surrounded by animals peering down at me. WTF? expressions all round.]
We have all been sent to our baskets.
Ironically, we have been extremely careful outside, given the ice and snow. Clearly it is within the home that I need to be careful.
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