Liz Williams's Blog, page 48

Hands-on approach to crime

Whilst no Tory, I can only approve of a politician who directly tackles crime in the capital*. Maybe the Captain Britain team could set Boris up with a pair of tights and a phone booth? By day, mild mannered bumbling mayor of London. By night, iron-bar wielding crime fighter...

http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2009/nov/03/boris-johnson-saves-franny-armstrong

*I also have a soft spot for anyone who uses the term 'oik.' Shows you what an Eton education can accomplish. Psmith would be proud.

Happy...

...Samhain to those who celebrate (somewhat belated, sorry).

....WFC to those who are there.

...post-Milford to those who are now back.

Despite flu and sundry viruses, we have spent a lovely week in N Wales and Milford 09 went very well, I think, with some excellent writing, log fires, lots of chocolate and wine and a wander around Snowdonia on Friday. Wales is stunning at this time of the year, with coppery beech and golden birch all along the mountain slopes and the bracken reflecting in the ...

Imagicon

After a very pleasant stopover in London with annafdd , and dinner in Camden at Belgo, I flew out on Friday morning and was met at Arlanda by J. We dropped my bags off at the hotel, then took the subway to Skarpnack and the the Kulturhus (I hope I have spelled this correctly). I had a panel, meeting up with some Swedish authors - very interesting to hear their take on the genre and the state of publishing in Scandinavia. Later in the evening, Graham Joyce also showed up - good to catch up with...

Mid October

I am gearing up to go to Sweden on Friday now, but apart from that, we have been apple bagging and wood chopping, as well as the usual shop work, Chamber of Commerce and other bits and pieces. T and I went out with the chainsaw yesterday (he saws; I feed) and got the wood pile stacked up. No frosts yet, but it was a very clear night last night, with Jupiter blazing away in the south east, and would not have surprised me if we had woken to a white world. So it's back to log fires in the evenin...

Cass: lapdog

Dogpiling

Ah, Cardiff....

...for the sophisticated night out. If you want to see some gay-bashing little shit punched to the floor by a man in a crotch length dress wielding a clutch bag, now is your chance.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1218651/Thugs-attack-men-dresses--turn-cage-fighters.html

Women's Hour

I was very pleased, but somewhat startled, to be namechecked yesterday as a possible future Booker contender on BBC Radio 4's Women's Hour. The critic who mentioned me is a genre fan - she writes for the Guardian.

You can listen to it here:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/womanshour/listenagain/

And there was some good, if familiar, stuff about whatever women write being considered 'domestic', whereas the Updikes of this world can write about relationships and still be taken seriously.

Anyway, my wo...

Imagicon 2

As some of you know, I am honoured to be the GOH along with Graham Joyce, at Imagicon 2, which takes place from 16-18 October in "Skarpnäcks kulturhus" in Stockholm. My schedule is as follows:

From a foreign perspective
Friday 1800

Goblins in the backyard
Friday 2100

Liz Williams Interview
Saturday 1300

Liz Williams GoH Speech
Saturday 1900

The author and her obligations
Sunday 1100

Bioanthropology and sf
Sunday 1500

This will be my first visit to Sweden and I am very much looking forward to meeting you a...

Faery Fair

Glastonbury is hosting a fairy fair today so there are lots of people with sparkles, wings, dreadlocks and glittery faces wandering about - rather nice, actually. (No sign of any black shucks, yet, unless you count Cass and Lily).

I have had a very brief chat with Brian Froud (don't know him at all well).