Russell Kirkpatrick's Blog, page 4

Day 2: Oamaru to Arrowtown

Stuart MacBride is a very funny man. Many people are funny without intending to be, but Mr MacBride means to be funny. Droll, in fact, is the best word to describe his wit.

He has discovered he is taller than me, and takes every opportunity to explore the comic possibilities this affords. I refrain from thwacking him with the box I carry around.

Anyway, today we took in the sights of the Moeraki Boulders, Dunedin, the windswept and hoar-fristed central Otago plateau, and Queenstown. All were splen

Day 1: Christchurch to Oamaru

Today my youngest brother James and I played our annual golf grudge match. To my surprise James won, helped a little by the 18 shots I gave hom. But he had a glorious period that meant I was consigned to the 2009 dustbin.

After lunch Stuart and I headed off for a three hour drive south to Oamaru. An odd place to stay, but there is a fun little place to watch penguins come ashore and that's what we did. Eventually. After not being served petrol at one service station, despite asking nicely.

Then th

Gallavanting

I'm about to set forth on a trip around the South Island with a total stranger.

I've done this before, of course: long-time readers of my blog will remember three years ago I took Ellen Datlow on a week's tour of the South Island. This is the same deal, only my un/lucky companion is Stuart Macbride, the Scottish crime fiction author.

We were brought together by the amazing Linda, she of Penny's bookstore fame and weird and wonderful contributor to this blog, as well as part-time donkey. (Don't ask

Your Weekend

I've had a few writeups in the print media these last few years - both for the novels and for the atlases - but the article appearing in todays 'Your Weekend' is the best I've read.

Don't know what it was that made the interview go so well. Actually, I do. I've been reflecting on life a great deal lately, and have been subject to intense questioning by a trusted friend. So the interviewer got the fallout from that. I've never been so candid about myself of why I do what I do. Actually, at the tim

Off to Adelaide

Having attended the chaotic but wonderful NZ Natcon last weekend has reignited my hunger for the company of writers, readers and fans. So in a rash and ill-considered decision I'm off to Adelaide and the Australian Natcon, to be held this weekend.

Currently I'm using a wi-fi hotspot at Auckland airport. I have a bit of the lurgi and I'm hoping I don't get quarantined in Melbourne! There are some people I really, really want to talk to in Adelaide.

Sir Julius Vogel award and Book Launch

It's been a great night. The launch of 'Beyond the Wall of Time' was a great success. My friend Donna Hanson launched the book in front of an enthusiastic and supportive bunch of fans at the NZ Natcon. Thanks to HarperCollins, to Donna and all those who helped out. An hour later 'Dark Heart' was awarded the 2008 Sir Julius Vogel award for Best Novel - Adult. I am so pleased, as it was up against serious competition. It is such a wonderful validation of the Husk/Broken Man trilogy. Russell is off

Stuff including Star Trek review

Blogging. Has anyone noticed I'm not very good at it? Last blog I talked about my strength. Well, as the remaining friends I have will tell you, communication is my weakness.

I've spent the last few days enraptured by The Decemberists' new album 'The Hazards of Love'. It's utterly captivating folk-rock, melodic but with a sinister twist, all wrapped up in a fantasy about the doomed love between a woman and her shape-shifter beloved.

If you can find it, have a listen to the song 'The Wanting Comes

My Greatest Gift

My greatest gift is to see the connections between things. It's not just seeing the big picture, it's knowing where the big picture sits in relation to the rest of the pictures in the art gallery.

So I'm increasingly changing the way I write. My first series, 'Fire of Heaven', was closely plotted. I decided to do things differently for the 'Husk/Broken Man' trilogy, and plotted the story much more loosely, relying on my ability to make connections to tie it all together. And I really believe it w

What I'm Up To

OK, enough ranting about selfish behaviour on the roads. What have I been writing?

Lots of stuff. I've written 50,000 words this year of a new sci-fi story I'm very excited about. While I dearly love fantasy, science fiction is my first love, and I've always wanted to write it. This is a near-future story with a myriad of twists, some hard science and some very interesting characters (including one actual, real, well-known living person who won't go away). It's the first spec fic story I've read

Road Rage III

Today in the Russell Universe a law was passed called the 'Impeding Traffic' law. All vehicles with clear road ahead but at least four vehicles trapped behind them must pull over at the earliest safe opportunity and let the trapped vehicles past. Failure to comply will result in instant confiscation of vehicle.

The inhabitants of the Russell Universe cheered.