If you are going to be at World Fantasy Con on 31st of October, please come along and hear the debut reading of Books and Braun; Phoenix Rising. It will be the first chapter which is full of explosions, gun battles and maybe an airship or two. It is 10am Saturday and I would love to see you all there!
Archives for October 2009
My friend Mary Ann
In the next week I will be flying to the States. I do this every year at least once, because of one person- someone that I now consider family.
My friend Mary Ann. She and her family have hosted me every year since 2006- and every year I feel safe, happy and part of their lives. For this wonderful relationship that has been going on since 1999- gosh ten years- I have something to thank. Â The internet.
Now the internet is blamed for a lot of things-porn, breaking up families, addiction with gaming… but there is also a lot of good out there too. Â Before I got into the world of podcasting there was Mary Ann.
She’s my elder sister, and something about her makes me believe in reincarnation. We talk about being sister’s in the Highlands of Scotland- and I call myself her Little Sister Over the Ocean. Â Though we only met in 2006, we had many, many emails written between each other.
Her husband David and her son Justin welcomed me–but not just me. My Mum and Dad actually got to meet them all before me. Mary Ann took my Mum around Washington.
Mary Ann and her family have taken me to Boston. I’ve spent time with her sister’s-now my sister’s in the Berkshires.
And I have never had a sister. I always wanted one as a kid- I just took a long time to find her.
That’s the love and hospitality I feel when I am with her. And that is a precious gift that I keep coming back for. So when people say bad things about the online world I just smile. They don’t know how many wonderful things it has bought me.
So many cool friends…
The great thing about the internets is knowing so many talented folks. It challenges me, makes me work harder to be a creative individual.
So here are three examples of cool, interesting, talented folks that are rolling out new projects.
Gail Carriger‘s Soulless is a book that we need to buy. Seriously. Everyone. It’s the kind of smart, fun book that takes language twists it about and gives you a spank with it. Seriously, listen to the first chapter put together by the just as talented JD Sawyer.
Zodi and her co-consipirator Tim have began a project called 31 days of Ghosts for October. Since writing Geist and working on the sequel Spectre, I have a real fascination with ghost stories- scrub that- I have always had an interest in ghost stories. So I am looking forward to keeping up with all these great stories.
And finally Tee Morris has put up the 1st 15 minutes of his Speak Geek to Me talk, that he did at Te Papa. I did the camera work, and you can even faintly hear me chuckle. (Ok, anyone that has heard my laugh, knows faint isn’t exactly the description)
Tee’s a great speaker so pop on over and check it out
Now, I better go write something…these guys are making me look bad :p