>>Nostalgia For Infinity

I put quite a bit of effort into ‘Love Story’ and ‘This Urban Aesthetic’ so I’m taking it easy this week. Still, I hope you enjoy this shorter-than-usual piece.

.

» Read the rest of this entry «

The first draft schedule for Orbital 2008 is live. It’s not long now!

Hopefully I’ll feel less uncomfortable this time around – which last year was an inevitable consequence of Contemplation 2007 being my first con experience. Still, as I’ve been reminded a few times since, Contemplation was an undersized example as Eastercon goes, what with it being a last minute response to Convoy’s cancellation. Blah blah blah, con politics, blah.

This year I resolve to drink less, pipe up in a few seminars, get a bit more involved, that sort of thing. Oh, and actually do some reading at the con. That would be nice. But above all else, I hope to avoid last year’s hangover o’ death. Who remembers Sunday? I wish I didn’t.

(That said, I managed to write ‘The Flowers of War World’ through that hangover, so it wasn’t a total loss. Maybe this year I can get round to actually doing something with the story. Sigh.)

I’m on a panel this year, which is a little intimidating. Fortunately it’s more of a workshop than anything else, and I’ll be there with several other members of the F3 posse:

OW31 – Flash fiction with the Friday Flash Fictioneers – George – Saturday – 15:00
“The FFF guys encourage folk to come along and write a short, short story. Simple and fun – bring a pen and paper.”

Potted description shamelessly lifted from Martin. I’m not sure what to expect, other than a fairly empty room – the schedue may change but at the moment we clash with the George Hay Memorial Lecture, which last year was one of the con’s highlights.

Anyway, I’ll be there alongside Neil Beynon, Gareth Jones, Martin McGrath, Gareth L Powell, and Paul Raven – Gareth J is chairing the panel so it’s up to him what we do, but I expect we’ll talk a bit about flash fiction and then invite all present to have a crack at writing something.

Here’s my offering for this week, presented in a timely fashion no less. Don’t forget to check out the other F3ers: Gareth Lyn Powell, Paul Raven, Martin McGrath, Neil Beynon, Gareth D. Jones, Justin Pickard, Dan Pawley, newcomer Greg O’Byrne, and possibly even Ian Hocking – although his first flash may have been a one off as it was on a Sunday.
.

» Read the rest of this entry «

There’ll be no Friday Flash from me this week. It’s been a… complicated, and busy, seven days. This evening I also have a work shindig, overshadowed by a very recent tragedy, so I won’t have an opportunity to squeeze in a late piece. Apologies, all.