This is the skull I bought for the sale of “Jolene”; it’s heat-treated agate, in the same colours as the titular pickup truck, and I think it looks rather like Fordite.My short story “The Stepford App” is in the final issue of Mad Scientist Journal. Fans of Driving Ambition might want to know that, although it’s a stand-alone piece about the perils of looking for love in an age of AI, it’s also a prequel which explains Liz’s allusion to her former job as a chatbot. Buy a print or e-book at the link.
….well, that’s all you need to know! I’m super chuffed. If you’re a BSFA member and you liked the story (it’s the one about the country singer whose wife, dog and truck have all left him, and you can read it in Interzone 283), then do please vote for it at this link.
Super exciting news. I can now announce that I’ve signed a contract to write a book called “Management and Organization in Game of Thrones: Lessons on Management Theory from Westeros” for Elsevier Publishing.
Drogon knows how to celebrate this!
Catching up on events since I’ve been away– this is a sneak preview of the title page for “Jolene”, a story of self-driving cars, murder and country music, which will be appearing in Interzone 283, available from all good booksellers from September.
I’m back! Between attending Worldcon, attending the Royal Geographical Society conference and teaching in Singapore, I’ve been busy of late. As a start on updating you on my activities, I include a video of me presenting my paper “Comparing Colonialisms in The Terror“, contrasting the treatment of colonialism in Dan Simmons’ 2008 novel and AMC’s 2018 adaptation. You can read the draft paper on my Academia.edu site here.
If any of you are coming to Worldcon in Dublin next month, here’s where I’ll definitely be:
Academic track: Decolonising
15 Aug 2019, Thursday 15:30 – 16:20, Odeon 6 (Academic) (Point Square Dublin)
1. Natalie Ingram – ‘History Through Fantasy’s Western Window’
2. Professor Fiona Moore – ‘Comparing Colonialisms in The Terror’
3. BE Allatt – ‘Questioning Mononormativity: Love, Sex, and Relationships on McDonald’s Luna’
So you want to write a SFF stage play
Format: Panel
16 Aug 2019, Friday 13:30 – 14:20, Alhambra (Point Square Dublin)
Writing for the stage uses a particular set of skills. What does it take to create a solid script? How does it differ from any other writing process? What special considerations are needed when including science fiction and fantasy elements? Our panellists will share tips and tricks on adapting between mediums for the stage, how to create believable characters, and how to write great dialogue.
Grappling with the post-colonial in SFF
Format: Panel
16 Aug 2019, Friday 17:00 – 17:50, Wicklow Room-1 (CCD)
Over the last 500 years, cultures and histories have been forever altered by colonial expansion. Although many former colonies have gained independence, their peoples still grapple with the effects of colonisation. Can post-colonial SFF help to heal the past? How do post-colonial SFF authors reconcile the many facets of their identities in their work, and what do they want their audiences to know?
Audio dramas and radio plays
Format: Panel
17 Aug 2019, Saturday 19:00 – 19:50, Liffey Room-1 (CCD)
With the rise of paying markets like Big Finish Productions and Audible Theater, a new era in professional audio theatre has dawned. But how do you go about writing or recording an SFF audio drama or radio play – and are they even the same thing? In this suddenly booming industry, where do you start? And what is the demand for this type of work?
Autographs: Sunday at 12:00
Format: Autographing
18 Aug 2019, Sunday 12:00 – 12:50, Level 4 Foyer (CCD)
Carrie Vaughn, Amal El-Mohtar, Dr Anna Smith Spark , Professor Fiona Moore, Gareth Powell, Paul Anthony Shortt
I’ll also be at the NewCon Press book launch on Saturday, 17 Aug 17:30-18:30, room TBA.
