Here’s the cover for the November issue of Penumbra magazine, featuring ‘Time Hoppers’ by, er, me.
Revealed – Penumbra Magazine Cover
Writing
It’s Here!!!!
Now, pdfs and all the other technological and digital whizz bangs that allow files and pictures to be shared between computers and tablets and pills and potions and what not are all very well, but, believe me, there is nothing, absolutely nothing, to compare with holding the first paper copy of the book you’ve spent the last three years working on in your hands.
There it is, pictures, words, the whole blessed shebang: a real, actual, frankly all-but-breathing thing! You can take your Kindles and your iPads and all the other devices that depend on moving electrons around and shove them. Give me paper, give me vellum, give me inky fingers and pages you can flick through marvelling at the pictures, the design, the way the words sit upon the page.
So, here it is, Northumbria: The Lost Kingdom, held in my slightly shaky hands!
Magic Realism for the Masses
The wave of urban fantasy novels that began in the ’90s (‘Neverwhere’) and went into overdrive in the 2000s (twinkly vampires in suburban America) appears to be a move into the mainstream for magic realism. Rather than levitating nuns in exotic South American destinations, we now have policemen using magic and personified river goddesses in London (Ben Aaronovitch’s Rivers of London series).
It might seem strange, for a modern city can be the most prosaic of environments, but a slight change of perception reveals that wonder and mystery lies all around. A woman sitting on a wooden chair on the platform at King’s Cross tube station (District Line) was one of the strangest things I have ever seen. Walking home one evening, down a quiet suburban street where no one moved and life continued behind doors and windows, I realised that it would be no surprise to walk out of this world entirely.
The new urban fantasy novels show an inchoate sense that there is wonder all around, and that it might break in on our ordered, sensible lives at any time, with unpredictable, possibly disastrous but never dull consequences. It’s only a matter of time before someone reports seeing a unicorn in Kensal Rise, or dwarves in Dulwich.
Acceptance Notes – no.7 in a series
Thank you for the opportunity to read and consider your story “The Last Actor”. We would like to publish your story in an upcoming issue of Neo-opsis Science Fiction Magazine.
Nearly There
I’ve just finished going through the final batch of corrections for Northumbria: The Lost Kingdom. Emailed off this morning, Lindsey, our editor at The History Press, will input them on Monday and then off the file goes to the printers. It looks like we’re on track for the official publication date of 1st October 2012.
Gosh.
The Cover of Northumbria: The Lost Kingdom
It’s been a memorable day. First, Professor Tolkien of Oxford comes out, and then I get to see the final version of the cover – front and back – of Northumbria: The Lost Kingdom. I like it.
Professor Tolkien of Oxford out now!
My new ebook, Professor Tolkien of Oxford, is now available on Kindle from Amazon. I’ll have to go out and buy myself a Kindle now!
Cover Quandaries
It’s an exciting time: the History Press has sent me a trial cover for Northumbria: The Lost Kingdom. I quite like it, but what do you think?
Timothy and the Animals
Timothy and the Animals is now available online, from the excellent On The Premises team. A taster:
Dear Mr. President/Prime Minister – please delete as applicable
(Timothy had seen this on a form once and thought it looked very official.)
I love animals, but we’ve only got cats and dogs round here, unless you count Megs and his gang. Please could you send me one of yours,
Your Friend,
Timothy.
PS. I promise to vote for you when I grow up.
PPS. And say nice things about you to the papers.