Gillian Polack's Blog, page 312

Kate Forsyth and Belinda Murrell interview each other

Today I have a bit of a treat. Kate Forsyth and her sister Belinda Murrell both have new books out. To celebrate, instead of an ordinary blogpost, I asked them if they would mind interviewing each other. It's not quite an orthodox interview, but it gives some insights into their writing and their family and their very much shared sense of humour.

You can find out more about Kate and her new book on her website and about Belinda and hers on Belinda's website. Kate's has a booktrailer as wel...

gillpolack @ 2010-05-11T17:20:00

I was eading [Error: Irreparable invalid markup ('<lj="anghara">') in entry. Owner must fix manually. Raw contents below.]

I was eading <lj="anghara">'s post on the fifth anniversary of her blog and I thought "I should check up my start date. This blog is five years and five days old. I'd better get equipment so it's ready to start school after the holidays.

gillpolack @ 2010-05-10T12:36:00

One day I would like to follow the route to Compostella as set out by the 12th century tour guide. It would be fun. I could check the good and bad rivers and everything. I would get to Spain through the pass at Roncesvals, which is something I have yearned for since I was eighteen.

In the meantime, I've checked the whole single paragraph I need right now for something entirely different. It now gets put away alongside my Pseudo-Turpin chronicles because it contains a version of said Chroni...

Zoo City – Lauren Beukes

Another Angry Robot book and that's my two books read for today. The rest of the day is all Dr Who and research. Impossible nights make electronic reading the best kind of all, because I can blow the font huge and pretend my eyes work.

I loved Moxyland, Beukes' first book with Angry Robot. I don't always love edgy books, but Moxyland was nervous and dangerous in a very real way. The life we should never want near us. Like Moxyland, Zoo City is set in South Africa. This makes the story bo...

gillpolack @ 2010-05-09T11:19:00

I've been thinking about all those phone calls where the caller insists on asking for "Mrs Polack." I've formulated a standard response. "I'm sorry, but if you're only talking to married people then I can't help you."

All this says about me is that I need a coffee.

Amortals - Matt Forbec

I read an Angry Robot book today, from their electronic review copy program. It was very satisfying.

Not only it was a good book, but it made me feel almost normal. Almost human? Maybe it makes me feel life is under my control again. Except that I keep wanting to use that old slogan "Tight, taut and terrific" about Amortals, which is accurate, but oh, so wrong. There's not a wasted word. There's not an idea that doesn't make sense. I meant to start it tonight and finish other work, the...

gillpolack @ 2010-05-08T16:38:00

Deciding on what friendships to accept in Facebook is sometimes a puzzle. I just received a friendship request from Richard Plantagenet. If I knew which Richard it was, maybe my decision would be simpler. None of them are the stuff of BFFs though. And if it's Richard I and he knew what I say about him in class...

PS I'm slowly recovering from a migraine. I've written my Coyote Con thingie (when one is on at 5 am on Sunday, one wings as little as possible). I have more Angry Robot books ...

gillpolack @ 2010-05-07T22:57:00

I'm sorting out a stack of notes so they get thrown out, dealt with, or put in the right piles for research. As usual, my handwriting produces some interesting puzzles. What action do I take concerning one can moderate ghosts? Do I need, perhaps, to lay my hands on a second can of ghosts, or trade it in for one can of mild ghosts?

Another note tells me I must write to Zeus, but fails to include his address or advice on the proper honorifics. It also fails to tell me what I wanted to write...

Baggage cover

Now that I have the secret of the code (which turns out to be the same code I use on my website - I feel a tad on the idiot side for not working it out for myself), I can give you the cover of Baggage directly. Today is the day of the pretty picture.

Well of Sorrows - Benjamin Tate

Today I have a surprise guest post by Benjamin Tate. I promised more about books that weren't necessarily so well known, by people whose writing I respect. Maybe I'll sneak little interviews in from time to time. All the rest of the time, it will be blogging as usual. (Note the beautiful picture. Mr Tate has kindly given me the secret of blogging pictures. I'm now a dangerous human being!!)

Welcome, Benjamin!


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First, let me thank you for letting me guest blog here today. I really appreciate...