Terence Park's Blog, page 2
June 2, 2019
Explorations of the Marvellous
Just looking through my library and came across
an anthology about Science Fiction from the mid 1970s. This started as a series of lectures between January and March 1975 at the Institute of Contemporary Arts in London. The lectures were organised by Ted Polhemus of North East London Polytechnic. As I was heavily into SF at the time, and as my immediately elder brother was at the time dodging and weaving through the London polytechnic scene to get a decent degree, I should be able to say: I went there. I didn't. I wanted to read product not traipse around a city some 200 miles away in hope of seeing some author who (guaranteed) I wouldn't have the confidence to approach. In fact there were only two reasons I went to London: to keep in touch with my brother, who I'd spent a difficult childhood with, and to look for second hand bookshops selling SF. Sometimes I'd drink a can or two with him.
Going back to this edition, the task of editing the lectures fell to Peter Nicholls. I ummed and ahhed about buying this - it was 1976 and I'd just started my first full time job - I was on about one third of the national average wage. Did I want to shell out £1 when Hello Summer, Goodbye by Michael G Coney was only £0.70, Norstrilia by Cordwainer Smith cost £0.85, and The Malacia Tapestry by Brian Aldiss was £0.95? Heck I could get Promised Land by Brian M Stableford (from the the Hooded Swan series) for £0.60, and Lucifer's Hammer by Larry Niven and Jerry Pournelle only set me back £1.50, and that was massive. But there wasn't always much SF around, and what if I didn't get the single copy in Burnley and someone else did... so I got it.
Inside is an interesting array of author views and experiences. My eyes lit on Philip K Dick, Alan Garner, Thomas Disch plus:
Harry Harrison
With the hindsight of writing under my belt, Alan Garner's contribution makes more sense. Philip K Dick sadly couldn't attend. And no Robert Heinlein (a definite buy if he'd been in).
Non genre folk were Alvin Toffler and De Bono, Edward - both then at career apogees - Toffler suggested that SF could be considered a tool to map out consequences of social-industrial-economic decisions, de Bono offered a bit of mind play - let's instil confusion in the audience - very much de Bono's style.
Overall - few instant thrills, plenty to think about.
Explorations of the Marvellous was originally published by Gollancz in 1976 as Science Fiction At Large: A Collection of Essays, by Various Hands, about the Interface between Science Fiction and Reality
an anthology about Science Fiction from the mid 1970s. This started as a series of lectures between January and March 1975 at the Institute of Contemporary Arts in London. The lectures were organised by Ted Polhemus of North East London Polytechnic. As I was heavily into SF at the time, and as my immediately elder brother was at the time dodging and weaving through the London polytechnic scene to get a decent degree, I should be able to say: I went there. I didn't. I wanted to read product not traipse around a city some 200 miles away in hope of seeing some author who (guaranteed) I wouldn't have the confidence to approach. In fact there were only two reasons I went to London: to keep in touch with my brother, who I'd spent a difficult childhood with, and to look for second hand bookshops selling SF. Sometimes I'd drink a can or two with him. Going back to this edition, the task of editing the lectures fell to Peter Nicholls. I ummed and ahhed about buying this - it was 1976 and I'd just started my first full time job - I was on about one third of the national average wage. Did I want to shell out £1 when Hello Summer, Goodbye by Michael G Coney was only £0.70, Norstrilia by Cordwainer Smith cost £0.85, and The Malacia Tapestry by Brian Aldiss was £0.95? Heck I could get Promised Land by Brian M Stableford (from the the Hooded Swan series) for £0.60, and Lucifer's Hammer by Larry Niven and Jerry Pournelle only set me back £1.50, and that was massive. But there wasn't always much SF around, and what if I didn't get the single copy in Burnley and someone else did... so I got it.
Inside is an interesting array of author views and experiences. My eyes lit on Philip K Dick, Alan Garner, Thomas Disch plus:
Harry Harrison 
John Brunner
Ursula K LeGuin
Robert Sheckley
With the hindsight of writing under my belt, Alan Garner's contribution makes more sense. Philip K Dick sadly couldn't attend. And no Robert Heinlein (a definite buy if he'd been in).
Non genre folk were Alvin Toffler and De Bono, Edward - both then at career apogees - Toffler suggested that SF could be considered a tool to map out consequences of social-industrial-economic decisions, de Bono offered a bit of mind play - let's instil confusion in the audience - very much de Bono's style.
Overall - few instant thrills, plenty to think about.
Explorations of the Marvellous was originally published by Gollancz in 1976 as Science Fiction At Large: A Collection of Essays, by Various Hands, about the Interface between Science Fiction and Reality
May 24, 2019
New Title - YA Fantasy - The Turning Stone: Arshanna's Calling
I have three titles coming out this year (at least three btw). The first is
The Turning Stone
and the Kindle version has just been issued. btw I love the cover:
The Turning Stone is YA fantasy set in the present day, with elements of myth. Its starting point is one of the most powerfully destructive events to affect the human race.
If you like this work, please leave a message.
* * *
Two other works to come.
For thousands of years a closely guarded secret has been kept safe. It concerns a pact made to bind the peoples of Earth into one race: man. Pre-human species used to war with each other and their powers were destructive; the only way to end this was to bind them together, by magic. The spell was hidden in a well-guarded artefact and safeguards were set to prevent it falling into the wrong hands, or so tradition tells. Ages have passed and humans grew together, developing a technological society; so legends of beings with great power are just that: legends. No Amazons, djinni, elementals or other more exotic types....
The Turning Stone is YA fantasy set in the present day, with elements of myth. Its starting point is one of the most powerfully destructive events to affect the human race.
If you like this work, please leave a message.
* * *
Two other works to come.
December 30, 2018
2018 Round up
A lot can happen in 12 months.
Move home, help sort out your kids life, deal with a crisis, get a job, have financial problems... the list is long. In my case I moved just over two years back but the chaos of the move will be remembered long. More recently (April 2018) my youngest daughter suffered a freak accident in which her right ankle was simultaneously dislocated and fractured. She had reconstructive surgery to both tibia and fibula, came back home to recover and was on painkillers for the best part of three months. This left her bedridden, missing an important part of her final year at Chester University (History). What parents wouldn't do what they could help their child? In the meantime I lost my only source of income and, due to the vagaries of the UK system, didn't qualify for government help - neither did my wife as carer or my daughter as her injury wasn't long-term! Then on 21/07/18 my wife had a heart attack - the key trigger in this was stress; she's since worked hard on recovering, sticking to being vegan which she took up late 2017.
Looking after a bed-ridden daughter with next to no income sent me into financial crisis - credit card (maxed out), overdraft (maxed out), eligibility for support = zero (Universal Credit rules). I've lived through hard times - growing up on a sink estate teaches you a thing or two - but the past year ranks as one of the worst.
Worry is a cloud that rains destruction (one of the many sayings collected by Idries Shah)... and it sure as heck puts the break on writing. Anyway good fortune landed a job in July. Soon I'll be in a position to get more fiction out there (professional editors don't come for free). I'm equating this to go ahead with renewed vigour. Waiting to be edited are:
Dragonshard
Space, Horror
Is there anything out there between the stars and what would happen if we managed to make contact?
The Turning Stone
Young Adult
All that keeps us from reverting back to the days of warring powers: lithilids vs magmoids vs fire elemental vs Amazon vs whatever, is the Turning Stone. The Turning Stone is found by group of unsuspecting teenagers. Disaster awaits.
Angel in my Heart
Dystopia, Romance
Angels, Archaea, WelteMenn and of course the Last Library on Earth.
Most of my 38,000 words this year is work on Nymphs, tales of beings out of legend: Ice, Storm, Sea and Tree. This collection will probably be 18+.
Move home, help sort out your kids life, deal with a crisis, get a job, have financial problems... the list is long. In my case I moved just over two years back but the chaos of the move will be remembered long. More recently (April 2018) my youngest daughter suffered a freak accident in which her right ankle was simultaneously dislocated and fractured. She had reconstructive surgery to both tibia and fibula, came back home to recover and was on painkillers for the best part of three months. This left her bedridden, missing an important part of her final year at Chester University (History). What parents wouldn't do what they could help their child? In the meantime I lost my only source of income and, due to the vagaries of the UK system, didn't qualify for government help - neither did my wife as carer or my daughter as her injury wasn't long-term! Then on 21/07/18 my wife had a heart attack - the key trigger in this was stress; she's since worked hard on recovering, sticking to being vegan which she took up late 2017.
Looking after a bed-ridden daughter with next to no income sent me into financial crisis - credit card (maxed out), overdraft (maxed out), eligibility for support = zero (Universal Credit rules). I've lived through hard times - growing up on a sink estate teaches you a thing or two - but the past year ranks as one of the worst.
Worry is a cloud that rains destruction (one of the many sayings collected by Idries Shah)... and it sure as heck puts the break on writing. Anyway good fortune landed a job in July. Soon I'll be in a position to get more fiction out there (professional editors don't come for free). I'm equating this to go ahead with renewed vigour. Waiting to be edited are:
Dragonshard
Space, Horror
Is there anything out there between the stars and what would happen if we managed to make contact?
The Turning Stone
Young Adult
All that keeps us from reverting back to the days of warring powers: lithilids vs magmoids vs fire elemental vs Amazon vs whatever, is the Turning Stone. The Turning Stone is found by group of unsuspecting teenagers. Disaster awaits.
Angel in my Heart
Dystopia, Romance
Angels, Archaea, WelteMenn and of course the Last Library on Earth.
Most of my 38,000 words this year is work on Nymphs, tales of beings out of legend: Ice, Storm, Sea and Tree. This collection will probably be 18+.
April 15, 2018
The HAB Theory
The Hab Theory by Allan W. EckertMy rating: 3 of 5 stars
A thought-provoking examination of the Earth's pre-history through a speculative lens. The main protagonist, Boardman, discovers disaster is coming and there's little the human race can do to affect it. There's symptoms of a wobble in the Earth's rotation, meanwhile an accumulation of out of place artefacts all around the globe suggest more ancient catastrophes than scientists will admit to. Then a terrifying discovery is made; another disaster is due to hit soon and when it hits, it will throw civilisation back to the stone age. Can it predicted, or even staved off? It soon becomes apparent that the only viable strategy is to figure out how to survive it. Boardman's main enemy is the ignorance and disbelief from disparate parts of the scientific establishment.
Excellent detail and fact sleuthing let down by overlong, protracted story development. The 70s was a time of epics and this fits those times but on reflection this would now now be better re-served after a serious rethink.
Genre Apocalyptic Fiction
Allan W. Eckert, a prominent Ohio author, has published numerous novels of Ohio Country frontier; these incorporate accounts of frontiersmen and notable Native American (with fictionalised dialogue)
View all my reviews
Lord of Light
Lord Of Light by Roger ZelaznyMy rating: 5 of 5 stars
First read back in the 70's and several times since. Lord of Light Challenged genre boundaries and demonstrated what could be achieved in the genre.
[instant spoiler]
In Lord of Light Zelazny blends Eastern Mysticism with Christianity and a dose of the Afterlife into an intoxicating mix. A distant world has been settled by man who goes on to subdue the advanced life forms already there. Through technology and other means, the more successful colonists go on to acquire powers and become godlike. Many years pass and the past of this world fades to legend; home to some, a stepping stone to ultimate power to others.
[spoiler end]
The state of affairs is intended to be discovered by the reader. It begins:
His followers called him Mahasamatman and said he was a god. He preferred to drop the Maha- and the -atman, however, and called himself Sam. He never claimed to be a god, but then he never claimed not to be a god.This is a well-written journey into uncharted territory, blending religion, mythology and science into an intelligent and sophisticated tale, and winner of the 1968 Hugo Award. I would happily have read a follow up.
Roger Zelazny had a long and successful career, experimenting with and exploring the genre; most of his works were to my liking.
View all my reviews
December 31, 2017
Recent Stories.
The festivities are just getting into full swing, it's 01:30 am, 01/01/2018. My blog on Wordpress is in a good place.
Over the next few weeks I'll be concentrating on developing
follow up stories set in the Panocracy. This is a Science Fiction universe where humans start as the lowest of the low in interstellar society and have to work their way up. The Tau Device is volume 6.1 in this sequence.
Recent works:
Blizzard - Novelette. Two pop stars decide to do their last gig in Antarctica. But wait, have they just discovered a secret Nazi base?
Publish date: July 2018
Zom-poc on Vernon Street - Short story. It's the zombie apocalypse but life must go on. Feat: Car-Jack, That Which Hungers and the one and only Mammon-Thing.
Publish date: tba
The Sea Nymph - Short story. It's winter and a homeless drifter ends up in Blackpool where he bumps into a nereid with unforeseen consequences.
Publish date: tba
Wings - Novella. The future guarantees dystopia, the only question is how. The WelteMenn rule but they fear the fallen angels. Feat: the last Library on Earth with star appearances for Alerée and Archaea,
Publish date: tba
Arshaana's Quest - Novella. The spell that binds humanity together is falling apart. The ancient one is dead and the fate of the world rests in the hands of 10 year old Arshaana. This is vol 1 of the Turning Stone Chronicles
Publish date: tba
* * * * * * Resources * * * * * * *
Wordpress
http://tparchie.wordpress.com/
Facebook
A Guide to First Contact
Unfinished Tales
Silt From Distant Lands
Essays on Burnley Grammar School
The Slow Holocaust
Ice Made
Lucky
The Tau Device
Over the next few weeks I'll be concentrating on developing
follow up stories set in the Panocracy. This is a Science Fiction universe where humans start as the lowest of the low in interstellar society and have to work their way up. The Tau Device is volume 6.1 in this sequence.Recent works:
Blizzard - Novelette. Two pop stars decide to do their last gig in Antarctica. But wait, have they just discovered a secret Nazi base?
Publish date: July 2018
Zom-poc on Vernon Street - Short story. It's the zombie apocalypse but life must go on. Feat: Car-Jack, That Which Hungers and the one and only Mammon-Thing.
Publish date: tba
The Sea Nymph - Short story. It's winter and a homeless drifter ends up in Blackpool where he bumps into a nereid with unforeseen consequences.
Publish date: tba
Wings - Novella. The future guarantees dystopia, the only question is how. The WelteMenn rule but they fear the fallen angels. Feat: the last Library on Earth with star appearances for Alerée and Archaea,
Publish date: tba
Arshaana's Quest - Novella. The spell that binds humanity together is falling apart. The ancient one is dead and the fate of the world rests in the hands of 10 year old Arshaana. This is vol 1 of the Turning Stone Chronicles
Publish date: tba
* * * * * * Resources * * * * * * *
Wordpress
http://tparchie.wordpress.com/
A Guide to First Contact
Unfinished Tales
Silt From Distant Lands
Essays on Burnley Grammar School
The Slow Holocaust
Ice Made
Lucky
The Tau Device
November 29, 2017
Notes on Darwin's Theory of Evolution
Just thought I'd share this from my Wordpress blog.
A couple of weeks back, following the South Manchester Writers Workshop (14/11/17), we headed to the Dog and Partridge and got to talking about our projects. The subject turned to speaking - the author I was in discussion with was developing a talk on Evolutionary Theory - and how much time to allow. He expected to read at just under 200 words per minute - no interruptions. For a long time my speed has been around half that pace. It occurred to me to mention an interest in Darwin but the conversation moved to drinks, football on TV (England v Brazil) and finding some place to sit. The evening took a different course but when I got home - having missed the match on TV :-( - I was prompted to check my Darwinian notes from way back.
Back before I wrote A Guide to First Contact I took a look at Darwin's Origin of the Species. I found a summary of his theory and, expecting to wade through impenetrable logic, I was pleasantly surprised to discover a clear but intriguing list. Later, when I began writing Guide, I thought it would be cool to include some points on human evolution. I realised it would be a good idea to check the science so I wouldn't look stupid. So far so good.
What happened next is a puzzle. As I remember, I dug out the summary of Darwin's Evolutionary Theory and made notes. That would have been sometime in either 2011 or 2012 - when I was writing Guide. Yet the file with the summary plus my notes is timestamped 23/10/2007. This can't be right; those notes justified a plot thread in Guide; Guide wasn't written until 2010/11; I didn't even start writing until 2009. Either my memory is going or... or the timestamp is wrong. A puzzle for me.
Anyhow my notes came in handy. In due course I completed Guide, and published it in 2014. I still like the look of them and they are reproduced below, alongside a summary of Darwin's Theory of Evolution
1 Species have great fertility. They have more offspring than can grow to adulthood.
- Varies in relation to environment niche factors
2 Populations remain roughly the same size, with small changes.
- Only true where environment is in a period of stability but capped by the environmental niche factors
3 Food resources are limited, but are relatively stable over time.
- See 2 above relevant in so far as they help to cap population
4 An implicit struggle for survival ensues.
- True when populations reach a level constrained by the niche
5 In sexually reproducing species, generally no two individuals are identical.
- OK
6 Some of these variations directly impact the ability of an individual to survive in a given environment.
- Truthiness test - seems commonsense but could be irrelevant - direct impact could be also be from learned abilities or just being in the right place at the right time
7 Much of this variation is inheritable.
- ...Genetic Theory - but little to no evidence that this is relevant
8 Individuals less suited to the environment are less likely to survive and less likely to reproduce, while individuals more suited to the environment are more likely to survive and more likely to reproduce.
- True for 'sports' and 'freaks' but otherwise may be just a wee touch of truthiness here
9 The individuals that survive are most likely to leave their inheritable traits to future generations.
- True
10 This slowly effected process results in populations that adapt to the environment over time, and ultimately, after interminable generations, the creations of new varieties, and ultimately, new species.
- See 8 above
Key
• Environmental niche: one of the keys to understanding Guide
• Truthiness: over-emphasis
• Too analytical? SF uses science. If the science is out there in the public domain, it deserves a run for its money.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
btw my reading (at South Manchester Writers) was from the second episode of Lucky - an extract dealing with Chekrikheff
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Am currently reading T.E Taylor's Revolution Day. Have already read, rated and reviewed his Zeus of Ithome. If you like Historical Fiction set in Classical Greece, with hoplites, helots, Spartans and Messenians, go give Zeus of Ithome a whirl.
A couple of weeks back, following the South Manchester Writers Workshop (14/11/17), we headed to the Dog and Partridge and got to talking about our projects. The subject turned to speaking - the author I was in discussion with was developing a talk on Evolutionary Theory - and how much time to allow. He expected to read at just under 200 words per minute - no interruptions. For a long time my speed has been around half that pace. It occurred to me to mention an interest in Darwin but the conversation moved to drinks, football on TV (England v Brazil) and finding some place to sit. The evening took a different course but when I got home - having missed the match on TV :-( - I was prompted to check my Darwinian notes from way back.
Back before I wrote A Guide to First Contact I took a look at Darwin's Origin of the Species. I found a summary of his theory and, expecting to wade through impenetrable logic, I was pleasantly surprised to discover a clear but intriguing list. Later, when I began writing Guide, I thought it would be cool to include some points on human evolution. I realised it would be a good idea to check the science so I wouldn't look stupid. So far so good.
What happened next is a puzzle. As I remember, I dug out the summary of Darwin's Evolutionary Theory and made notes. That would have been sometime in either 2011 or 2012 - when I was writing Guide. Yet the file with the summary plus my notes is timestamped 23/10/2007. This can't be right; those notes justified a plot thread in Guide; Guide wasn't written until 2010/11; I didn't even start writing until 2009. Either my memory is going or... or the timestamp is wrong. A puzzle for me.
Anyhow my notes came in handy. In due course I completed Guide, and published it in 2014. I still like the look of them and they are reproduced below, alongside a summary of Darwin's Theory of Evolution
1 Species have great fertility. They have more offspring than can grow to adulthood.
- Varies in relation to environment niche factors
2 Populations remain roughly the same size, with small changes.
- Only true where environment is in a period of stability but capped by the environmental niche factors
3 Food resources are limited, but are relatively stable over time.
- See 2 above relevant in so far as they help to cap population
4 An implicit struggle for survival ensues.
- True when populations reach a level constrained by the niche
5 In sexually reproducing species, generally no two individuals are identical.
- OK
6 Some of these variations directly impact the ability of an individual to survive in a given environment.
- Truthiness test - seems commonsense but could be irrelevant - direct impact could be also be from learned abilities or just being in the right place at the right time
7 Much of this variation is inheritable.
- ...Genetic Theory - but little to no evidence that this is relevant
8 Individuals less suited to the environment are less likely to survive and less likely to reproduce, while individuals more suited to the environment are more likely to survive and more likely to reproduce.
- True for 'sports' and 'freaks' but otherwise may be just a wee touch of truthiness here
9 The individuals that survive are most likely to leave their inheritable traits to future generations.
- True
10 This slowly effected process results in populations that adapt to the environment over time, and ultimately, after interminable generations, the creations of new varieties, and ultimately, new species.
- See 8 above
Key
• Environmental niche: one of the keys to understanding Guide
• Truthiness: over-emphasis
• Too analytical? SF uses science. If the science is out there in the public domain, it deserves a run for its money.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
btw my reading (at South Manchester Writers) was from the second episode of Lucky - an extract dealing with Chekrikheff
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Am currently reading T.E Taylor's Revolution Day. Have already read, rated and reviewed his Zeus of Ithome. If you like Historical Fiction set in Classical Greece, with hoplites, helots, Spartans and Messenians, go give Zeus of Ithome a whirl.
September 28, 2017
Burnley Literary Festival
Burnley Literary Festival have kindly asked me to participate in the Local Authors Panel Session. This will be on Monday 9th October, 14:30 to 16:30 at Pop-up Festival venue: 93 St. James's Street (by Wilkinsons Cameras).
Authors Barbara McHallam, Laura Sheridan and Terence Park will discuss what inspires them to write, followed by readings from their respective works. Books will be available for purchase. I will be reading from Burnley, which is a book about the town in general and Burnley Grammar School in particular: Burnley so if this is your thing, come along.
This is part of Burnley Literary Festival which runs from the 6th to 9th of October, 2017. For events listing and tickets see: https://www.ticketsource.co.uk/burnle... *
It was back in the 1970s when I first started collecting Philip K Dick. The recent Channel 4 run of Electric Dreams adapts some of his shorter works; alongside this, the Guardian ran an article in which they invited guests to decide on Dick's best novel. Those who like Michael Moorcock might well find this of interest. https://www.theguardian.com/books/201...
For me, Dick's Galactic Pot-Healer comes out tops. It gets the balance of profundity and the profane just about right: https://tparchie.wordpress.com/2017/0...
We are still recovering from our move from Rossendale to Accrington; it certainly gave us some sleepless nights. It was a complete disaster as it was rushed and we were moving into a smaller place. This wasn't helped by eldest three children (ie adults) deciding home was best place to help reset their lives (fortunately our youngest was in university). Everything got horrendously mixed up so, although we moved out in September 2016, it wasn't until round about February 2017, as I was re-inventorying my book collection (I have a good 2,000 books) that I realised a box of them had been mislaid. Then I discovered what was missing: the aforementioned Galactic Pot-Healer (as well as a beat up 1960s Lancer edition of Slaves of Sleep by (L. Ron Hubbard). My copy of Galactic Pot-Healer was the Pan edition from 1977 —in good nick considering it is (was) 40 years old. Nothing can be done; who would want to replace the real with a fake?
Writing update:
Flash finished off 50 pieces - mostly sub-1,000 words. Genre ranges from General through Humour to Anecdote, Supernatural, SF and Fantasy and finally Fable.
Short stories: a retro take on dark matter, Storm Nymph, Nereid (sea nymph), and finally a mini fantasy series set in an alternate Estonia.
Longer pieces: There's a YA novella waiting to come out.
Provisional title: Arshaana's Quest
Series title: The Turning Stone Chronicles
Another novella in draft is a dystopian view of Weltemenn.
Working title: Wings
What am I working on? Shameless sex at the core of the Galaxy; a refugee from an interstellar war hiding out on Earth; plus what if we discover boundaries when we try and leave the Solar System.
Plus there's Northern Voices.
What's Northern Voices? A project I've been working on for a couple of months. Another 3 or 4 months to go.
* If you're wondering what else the town of Burnley offers, apart from Premier League football and the strenuous delights of the nearby Pendle Hill, there's a step into the past at Townley Hall, exhibitions at Gawthorpe Hall, There will be plenty of opportunity to see the local sights. Recommended is The Weaver's Triangle,
http://www.visitlancashire.com/things...
Normally, this is best viewed from the comfort of of the Inn on the Wharf. Unfortunately as the pub is between landlords, https://res.cloudinary.com/jpress/ima...
Until this is sorted the best options are either to go closer to the town centre, eg the Brun Lea, or go uphill to the Hollywood Star which is adjacent to Hollywood Studios.
Authors Barbara McHallam, Laura Sheridan and Terence Park will discuss what inspires them to write, followed by readings from their respective works. Books will be available for purchase. I will be reading from Burnley, which is a book about the town in general and Burnley Grammar School in particular: Burnley so if this is your thing, come along.
This is part of Burnley Literary Festival which runs from the 6th to 9th of October, 2017. For events listing and tickets see: https://www.ticketsource.co.uk/burnle... *
It was back in the 1970s when I first started collecting Philip K Dick. The recent Channel 4 run of Electric Dreams adapts some of his shorter works; alongside this, the Guardian ran an article in which they invited guests to decide on Dick's best novel. Those who like Michael Moorcock might well find this of interest. https://www.theguardian.com/books/201...
For me, Dick's Galactic Pot-Healer comes out tops. It gets the balance of profundity and the profane just about right: https://tparchie.wordpress.com/2017/0...
We are still recovering from our move from Rossendale to Accrington; it certainly gave us some sleepless nights. It was a complete disaster as it was rushed and we were moving into a smaller place. This wasn't helped by eldest three children (ie adults) deciding home was best place to help reset their lives (fortunately our youngest was in university). Everything got horrendously mixed up so, although we moved out in September 2016, it wasn't until round about February 2017, as I was re-inventorying my book collection (I have a good 2,000 books) that I realised a box of them had been mislaid. Then I discovered what was missing: the aforementioned Galactic Pot-Healer (as well as a beat up 1960s Lancer edition of Slaves of Sleep by (L. Ron Hubbard). My copy of Galactic Pot-Healer was the Pan edition from 1977 —in good nick considering it is (was) 40 years old. Nothing can be done; who would want to replace the real with a fake?
Writing update:
Flash finished off 50 pieces - mostly sub-1,000 words. Genre ranges from General through Humour to Anecdote, Supernatural, SF and Fantasy and finally Fable.
Short stories: a retro take on dark matter, Storm Nymph, Nereid (sea nymph), and finally a mini fantasy series set in an alternate Estonia.
Longer pieces: There's a YA novella waiting to come out.
Provisional title: Arshaana's Quest
Series title: The Turning Stone Chronicles
Another novella in draft is a dystopian view of Weltemenn.
Working title: Wings
What am I working on? Shameless sex at the core of the Galaxy; a refugee from an interstellar war hiding out on Earth; plus what if we discover boundaries when we try and leave the Solar System.
Plus there's Northern Voices.
What's Northern Voices? A project I've been working on for a couple of months. Another 3 or 4 months to go.
* If you're wondering what else the town of Burnley offers, apart from Premier League football and the strenuous delights of the nearby Pendle Hill, there's a step into the past at Townley Hall, exhibitions at Gawthorpe Hall, There will be plenty of opportunity to see the local sights. Recommended is The Weaver's Triangle,
http://www.visitlancashire.com/things...
Normally, this is best viewed from the comfort of of the Inn on the Wharf. Unfortunately as the pub is between landlords, https://res.cloudinary.com/jpress/ima...
Until this is sorted the best options are either to go closer to the town centre, eg the Brun Lea, or go uphill to the Hollywood Star which is adjacent to Hollywood Studios.
February 27, 2017
Life out there: Trappist-1 exoplanets
The recent exoplanet announcement for Trappist-1 has received decent press. The Guardian reports Exoplanet discovery: seven Earth-sized planets found orbiting nearby star and in The Daily Telegraph, Sir Martin Rees, Astronomer Royal heralds this discovery with These new worlds are just the start. There are many more life-supporting planets out there waiting to be discovered. In brief what they are saying is that this is significant because there are many more Trappist-1 types of star than Sol types of star. Trappist-1 is Class M, a dwarf star; dwarf stars make up ¾ of all stars. They aren't as luminous so it's tough to work out what their systems are like; that's why this info is a snifter of (potentially) great things. Sol is of course Class G - 1 in 13 stars are like our Sun. These exoplanets have short years - in this case they range from a 1½ day year to a 20+ day year. From what we can tell they don't have moons but then again, the other planets are so close they will loom bigger in the sky than the Moon does to us. But no days, or months, just short years and a weird, planet filled sky.
What we know also places caveats on the discovery.
• Orbital speed is measured in days which implies a tidal lock - ie no rotation so no day or night, thus night side will lose heat and day side will be a heat sink, leaving only the borders habitable. See Zelazny's Jack of Shadows for a science fantasy depiction of such a world.
• Proximity of the star means 'weather phenomena' such as tectonic activity, radiation emissions and magnetic field, are much less attenuated by distance - the full planetary system is 10 times closer than the Earth is to Sol, noting that Trappist-1 is considered to be rich in metals.
• Proximity of other planets raises the question of orbital resonance - they pass closer to each other than the moon to the Earth.
• Sir Martin Rees mentions Tectonic in the context of evolution. There's another consideration: the Earth's molten core means a prodigious complement to the heat cycle of the Earth¹.
• The Moon - a Moon. Life here, particularly our form of life is closely dependent on the Moon, whether it's a romantic atmosphere, tides or regulating fertility.
• Taking this a step further, life here is attuned to the diurnal cycle, the lunar cycle and the orbital cycle - day, month, year. We've no idea what breaking these dependencies will do... we might say, heroically, 'it won't do nuthin'. :-)
• Panspermia ( a common source for life somewhere out there) deserves an honorary mention. We know that meteors have traces of organic compounds; if here then pretty much everywhere. Leaving aside the questions of source, age and prevalence; it's not a question of is there life out there? but where?
This helps build a picture of what is about us. The first waves of humanity out of Africa, doubtless took a keen interest in the world about them. Know the land, know the threats, know your enemies. We aren't able to get out into space yet but we can build up mental maps of where it might be useful to go. Of course that assumes nothing inimical.
More interesting (and more deadly for us) would be signs of advanced life. The language is SciFi but there are serious issues to be thought through. The fact that there's been no welcome committee to our dabblings in space up to this point, hopefully means just that. Not welcome. It is my hope that we remain unnoticed while we learn more; I can think of many bad things that would flow from being noticed and given our track record in planetary stewardship 'not welcome' is the best we could hope for.
¹ This facet has considerable significance for terraforming as a preliminary to colonising other planets. In my novel, The Tau Device, terraforming is forbidden, i.e. we are forbidden from making planets suitable for human habitation, this is an explicit precondition for humans to be granted access to space travel technology. The alien equivalent of terraforming, planetary seeding, won’t result in earth-like planets; alien biologies are different. The Tau Device works to a bigger picture, for example, Planetary Seeding is part of a larger process that begins with a Planet Survey.
We build a cosmology from fragmentary information. Discoveries of this kind help illuminate the quest for knowledge and are often an inspiration to SF writers. There is a cross fertilisation of ideas between the genre and the science and I take Robert Heinlein's view: writers ought to be acquainted with the science. First contact issues would have a significant impact on us as a species and are well worth exploring. They feature strongly in two of my books:
• The Tau Device: Humanity is a junior species in space... this shows I have a soft spot for the underdog.
• A Guide to First Contact: We've been contacted by aliens. They're not remotely interested in what we have to offer but the fact that we're not alone is tearing us apart... and the apocalypse has kicked off: delving into how humanity is programmed (the title is a play on words).
What we know also places caveats on the discovery.
• Orbital speed is measured in days which implies a tidal lock - ie no rotation so no day or night, thus night side will lose heat and day side will be a heat sink, leaving only the borders habitable. See Zelazny's Jack of Shadows for a science fantasy depiction of such a world.
• Proximity of the star means 'weather phenomena' such as tectonic activity, radiation emissions and magnetic field, are much less attenuated by distance - the full planetary system is 10 times closer than the Earth is to Sol, noting that Trappist-1 is considered to be rich in metals.
• Proximity of other planets raises the question of orbital resonance - they pass closer to each other than the moon to the Earth.
• Sir Martin Rees mentions Tectonic in the context of evolution. There's another consideration: the Earth's molten core means a prodigious complement to the heat cycle of the Earth¹.
• The Moon - a Moon. Life here, particularly our form of life is closely dependent on the Moon, whether it's a romantic atmosphere, tides or regulating fertility.
• Taking this a step further, life here is attuned to the diurnal cycle, the lunar cycle and the orbital cycle - day, month, year. We've no idea what breaking these dependencies will do... we might say, heroically, 'it won't do nuthin'. :-)
• Panspermia ( a common source for life somewhere out there) deserves an honorary mention. We know that meteors have traces of organic compounds; if here then pretty much everywhere. Leaving aside the questions of source, age and prevalence; it's not a question of is there life out there? but where?
This helps build a picture of what is about us. The first waves of humanity out of Africa, doubtless took a keen interest in the world about them. Know the land, know the threats, know your enemies. We aren't able to get out into space yet but we can build up mental maps of where it might be useful to go. Of course that assumes nothing inimical.
More interesting (and more deadly for us) would be signs of advanced life. The language is SciFi but there are serious issues to be thought through. The fact that there's been no welcome committee to our dabblings in space up to this point, hopefully means just that. Not welcome. It is my hope that we remain unnoticed while we learn more; I can think of many bad things that would flow from being noticed and given our track record in planetary stewardship 'not welcome' is the best we could hope for.
¹ This facet has considerable significance for terraforming as a preliminary to colonising other planets. In my novel, The Tau Device, terraforming is forbidden, i.e. we are forbidden from making planets suitable for human habitation, this is an explicit precondition for humans to be granted access to space travel technology. The alien equivalent of terraforming, planetary seeding, won’t result in earth-like planets; alien biologies are different. The Tau Device works to a bigger picture, for example, Planetary Seeding is part of a larger process that begins with a Planet Survey.
We build a cosmology from fragmentary information. Discoveries of this kind help illuminate the quest for knowledge and are often an inspiration to SF writers. There is a cross fertilisation of ideas between the genre and the science and I take Robert Heinlein's view: writers ought to be acquainted with the science. First contact issues would have a significant impact on us as a species and are well worth exploring. They feature strongly in two of my books:
• The Tau Device: Humanity is a junior species in space... this shows I have a soft spot for the underdog.
• A Guide to First Contact: We've been contacted by aliens. They're not remotely interested in what we have to offer but the fact that we're not alone is tearing us apart... and the apocalypse has kicked off: delving into how humanity is programmed (the title is a play on words).
November 3, 2016
Books on Kindle
Gradually, my family are recovering from the chaos of moving. Never been a fan of house-moves but sometimes it's there in front of you and nothing you can do can change things. In a few more weeks there's a first house inspection. Ouch. Still not sorted.
Burnley is a deprived town in North West England. It sometimes features in my fiction - mostly in disguise (SF in Burnley!?!) but its problems are real: poor education, integration issues, high unemployment... and no bookshop. The last bookshop in Burnley closed many years ago. Bookshops are coal-mine canaries, in this case the they warn that the audience has gone elsewhere. It prompts questions like: Is there local pride? A: In Burnley Football Club (who at this moment are doing well), Burnley Blues Festival (in existence for some years). More work needs to be done. The issues are staring local housing agent for public stock, Calico, in the face. They're actively involved in initiatives to lift the town eg Burnley Literature Festival - 2016 is the first. The events have been covered by BBC Radio Lancashire and I've blogged my experience in day one, day two, day three, day four. Come along if you can and help this town break the cycle of deprivation.
Today I was over at Horwich in the Brewed Coffee café, with the Phoenix Writing Group, chewing the fat and talking through the writing process. We covered inspiration, what to write, how fast to write, what tools to use, progressing on from first draft and editing, and the continuing fallout from the switch to ebooks, different experiences in Print-on-Demand and the end of the world. End Of The World (in capitals) is always a good conversation stopper... and starter. What if... what if the world's satellite array was suddenly taken out? What if a fleet of alien space ships located us and decided to clear up all the rubbish orbiting the Earth because it was in our best interests – meaning it saved them the bother of having to hunt us all down – on that score I note that I now have a serious reader for A Guide to First Contact.
I read from several pieces which were well received:
The World Began (with a bark) - Poetry about dogs ¹
The Slow Holocaust - Dystopia - a future UK ²
Without Question - Gangsters + Cops in the US, retro ³
The Oath - an affectionate portrait of one of Bolton's favourite sons (not yet published)
It was a good session and my ten minute talk went on for two hours. However, I came away with a new task and it starts like this: What if... what if I put my books onto Kindle. Yes, most of my books aren't on Kindle. Ouch.
Anyway the visit went well and gave me something to think about. By pure coincidence I've recently begun the process of conversion, for example: The Wrong Lane and other detours, it's just that the task becomes more immediate when someone else mentions it.
Tonight I'm back at Burnley Literature Festival, in the Paddock (Hammerton Street) - wish me luck on my ten minute Open-mic.
¹ p14, Silt From Distant Lands
² see The Slow Holocaust
³ from Unfinished Tales
Burnley is a deprived town in North West England. It sometimes features in my fiction - mostly in disguise (SF in Burnley!?!) but its problems are real: poor education, integration issues, high unemployment... and no bookshop. The last bookshop in Burnley closed many years ago. Bookshops are coal-mine canaries, in this case the they warn that the audience has gone elsewhere. It prompts questions like: Is there local pride? A: In Burnley Football Club (who at this moment are doing well), Burnley Blues Festival (in existence for some years). More work needs to be done. The issues are staring local housing agent for public stock, Calico, in the face. They're actively involved in initiatives to lift the town eg Burnley Literature Festival - 2016 is the first. The events have been covered by BBC Radio Lancashire and I've blogged my experience in day one, day two, day three, day four. Come along if you can and help this town break the cycle of deprivation.
Today I was over at Horwich in the Brewed Coffee café, with the Phoenix Writing Group, chewing the fat and talking through the writing process. We covered inspiration, what to write, how fast to write, what tools to use, progressing on from first draft and editing, and the continuing fallout from the switch to ebooks, different experiences in Print-on-Demand and the end of the world. End Of The World (in capitals) is always a good conversation stopper... and starter. What if... what if the world's satellite array was suddenly taken out? What if a fleet of alien space ships located us and decided to clear up all the rubbish orbiting the Earth because it was in our best interests – meaning it saved them the bother of having to hunt us all down – on that score I note that I now have a serious reader for A Guide to First Contact.
I read from several pieces which were well received:
The World Began (with a bark) - Poetry about dogs ¹
The Slow Holocaust - Dystopia - a future UK ²
Without Question - Gangsters + Cops in the US, retro ³
The Oath - an affectionate portrait of one of Bolton's favourite sons (not yet published)
It was a good session and my ten minute talk went on for two hours. However, I came away with a new task and it starts like this: What if... what if I put my books onto Kindle. Yes, most of my books aren't on Kindle. Ouch.
Anyway the visit went well and gave me something to think about. By pure coincidence I've recently begun the process of conversion, for example: The Wrong Lane and other detours, it's just that the task becomes more immediate when someone else mentions it.
Tonight I'm back at Burnley Literature Festival, in the Paddock (Hammerton Street) - wish me luck on my ten minute Open-mic.
¹ p14, Silt From Distant Lands
² see The Slow Holocaust
³ from Unfinished Tales
