Hello all, it’s December and so time for the annual roundup of my writing year, be it thick or thin. And this year has a hefty thickness.
I have had three stories published, one about an old gnome, one about a shepherd and one about a talking cat. I also have a fourth due soon. Technically it was due by the end of the year, but that’s looking unlikely, so something to look forward to next year. It’s about food.
I like all these stories in different ways and I’m pleased that they each do their own thing. The upcoming one might even be considered dark. For me , at least.
However, the big thing of this year was obviously editing Gallus and launching it at Worldcon. That still feels a hugely surreal experience but wonderfully satisfying. To be able to help produce a great anthology and to then have it sell so well at both Worldcon and the Waterstones launch is a definite high point. To help people get their first work out there and to make it the best we can makes me very happy.
I can recommend the experience (font size arguments not withstanding).
Worldcon itself was excellent, easy to get to and full of fun. Possibly too much as I ended up running from pillar to post. I did enjoy every minute of it, though. Here’s to it being in Dublin in a few years time.
In the real world I have mostly been looking to get my gas boiler replaced with a heat pump, something that is currently ongoing, and that has taken up far too much of my brain space. It’s going to spill on into next year as I have tidying up to arrange and more insulation to add to really get the best from it. But I’m pleased that this means I no longer have any gas appliances in my house. It’s a drop in the ocean, but I feel better knowing I’m trying to make up for all the climate problems that are coming down the line.
And so we come to the traditional part of an end of year post, the old story posted up. In this case it’s from a collection called The Speculative Book that was published in 2016 and the story is called “The past does not watch over us”.
It’s me playing with my science background while delving, ever so slightly, into the problems of family expectations. You can read it here:
Happy Holidays when they come and if they’re your thing.
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