Marc Aplin's Blog, page 255

Some Kind of Fairy Tale by Graham Joyce

‘No doubt we shall have to sit there all bloody evening listening to some awful drivel about fairies.’ - William Heaney Thousands of people go missing every year in the world. Some of them might never come back, but those that do, after a long or short period of time, have different stories to tell […]

Gaiman reads ‘A Christmas Carol’ & his 8 rules of writing

Yesterday, Neil Gaiman won The National Book Award for his fantastic The Ocean at the End of the Lane. Following our post about his winning, Fantasy-Faction was contacted by an American Library pointing us at the following link of Neil Gaiman reading from the only surviving prompt copy – a copy produced complete with with […]

Seeing Redd by Frank Beddor

Last time, I shared my thoughts on the magnificent adaptation of Carroll’s Wonderland by Frank Beddor. The Looking Glass Wars has always moved me to the depths of social death. I forgot what it was to pick up the phone, send a message and even check the recent email. A bad habit I am not […]

Neil Gaiman Wins (UK) National Book Award!

Good news Fantasy fans: Fantasy has proven its place at the forefront of British Literature as Neil Gaiman’s The Ocean at the End of the Lane wins the public’s vote in The National Book Award. The Award’s subsequent Press Release makes for good reading: Neil Gaiman became the author of Britain’s favourite book today, as his contemporary fantasy The […]

‘Most Anticipated’ & ‘Best Of’ Schedule

Firstly, and fore-mostly, I want to say a HUGE thank you to each and every one of you who has visited Fantasy-Faction in 2013. This site wouldn’t be here without you guys giving us the hits, comments, linkages, tweets, Facebook messages, Forum messages, e-mails and everything else that proves that our content is very much […]

New Year’s Creativity Resolutions

Come January 1st, after the fireworks, champagne, and parties wind down, people focus on their New Year’s resolutions. For most of us, that means focusing on our bodies. We resolve to exercise more, eat better/less, or to finish the Couch to 5k program. Well, most of us do, anyway.* But how many of us make […]

Something More than Night by Ian Tregillis

If you’re thirsty for pulp fiction flavored with angels and cosmic rays, then Something More than Night by Ian Tregillis was written for you. Enter a not-too-distant future where a city glows a moldy hue with luminescent tattoos and graffiti. The newest rage in body modification leaves street denizens bleeding endlessly from paired wounds on […]

The Copper Promise by Jennifer Williams

There are some far-fetched rumours about the caverns beneath the Citadel. Some say the Mages left their most dangerous secrets buried there; some say the gods themselves have been imprisoned there. For Lord Frith the caverns hold the key to his vengeance, against all odds he has survived torture and the death of his family, […]