May 10

Star Trek

I agree with this review. Except I am a lot less forgiving.

Stay the f**k away from The Dark Tower, J J. Stay away.

May 03

Progress, and a review

Novel progress is happening, sadly not at the rate I would like, but still happening. I blame early chapter teething-problems, and Monday’s migraine from hell. I seem to have sorted out the world-building and plot kinks, and a quick reread over the first two chapters proved they weren’t as bad as I’d thought. First drafty, yes, but they actually make a kind of sense. So that’s progress. The less said about the migraine, the better.

Moving on 🙂

There’s a very strong review of Masques up at Specusphere. Doesn’t surprise me, cuz it’s a great anthology! And I feel the need to quote, because this totally made my morning:

Death Masque by Joanne Anderton is a stunning descent into dark decay and the grisly madness of eternity. Penned with a decadent flourish in every sentence, Anderton’s story can only be termed a bizarre masterpiece. There is a relentless cruelty and obvious emotional despair that bleeds through the page as Henry joins his dead wife Christine at a gruesome final masque, haunted by the unanswerable question of whether to let his son Will die, or set him to dance forever in a different sort of death. Populated with vivid craftsmen, dolls and other garish undead characters, Anderton’s story is a chaotic and beautiful fairy tale with a patina of gangrene.

Excuse me while I go and squee! myself to death in the corner over there…

Apr 25

Fear

Yes, a novel requires lots of planning. Notes and brainstorming and lists and timelines. But there is a point where the planning becomes procrastinating. For me, that time is now.

And I know why. It’s because I am afraid. Afraid that I won’t be able to replicate whatever it was I did right in the last one. Afraid that the words will abandon me and the characters will bore me. Afraid that I will fail.

There really is only one cure. Shut up and write.

So here we go. 1500 words a workday, 3000 a not-work day. Thems the goals.

I’d cross my fingers but that will make it rather difficult to type 🙂

Apr 15

Various updatey things

Hmm, this might not constitute a real post. Ah well, I shall forge ahead regardless.

Australian Dark Fantasy and Horror 3 is out and on its way… but I haven’t seen it yet *SIGHS loudly in the direction of Australia Post and hopes they hear it*

At this stage I think it’s safe to announce that my short story ‘Shadow of Drought’ (which I will forever think of as ‘Creepy Statue Story’ because it spent so much time without a decent title) will appear in Midnight Echo 2. Yay 🙂

The 2009 Ditmar Award nominations are now open, to the 4th of May. So, you know, go forth and nominate!

I’m coming to the end of my current short story writing stint. About time to launch into a novel, I think. And yay, I know which one and yay I can’t wait! Just a few more days, a bit of revision, and we’re off!

My back is slowly, slowly improving. Did I mention slowly? Still struggling against one very stubborn and bloody painful spot that does *not* want to loosen up. I didn’t think I’d ever say this, but I miss my jogging, and want to get back out there and move. Irritating stubborn back!

Apr 03

Because puppies are more interesting than listening to me complain about my back

I give you Gully. Defender of us all! Particularly from the dry palm tree leaves people dump on the golf course.

Oh no, I lied. I’m going to squeeze in a little back talk here. It seems to be getting better, but it’s slow and petulant about it. Physio torture and swimming have helped.

I managed to set myself up with my laptop while lying in bed and started another story. That has also been petulant — what is it with things at the moment? — and made me rewrite the beginning. But I think we’re on course now.