The Progress of Necks and Subtle Edens: Black Hours Diary-ish No.11

A couple of things happened over the last two weeks, perhaps of small note, but enough to warrant a hotch-potch of a blog entry. A pre-Christmas stocking filler if you like.

Firstly, the British Fantasy Convention in Nottingham on the 22nd went really well. Apart from the extortionate day rate (and apparent light-fingered antics of an interloper or interlopers) attending the Saturday was a good decision. There was an insightful panel on publishing in the genre headed by Gollanz, Virgin and Abbadon books and my only quibble was it was too damned short (I had a hundred and one questions for them but they only fielded two from the audience). It was also great to listen to the Dave McKean interview, and Chaz Brenchley’s anecdotes on the British Arts Council (food for thought, most definitely). Yep, the day-rate was a little pricey but after working out what I got from it, it was worth it. Even with the amount spent on books (about fifty quid) - which I can justify-ish but I won’t be buying anymore books now until the New Year. Not that I’m too bothered, as I have a stack of books to keep me going until 2010.

Still, I might be persuaded to purchase a short story collection coming out from Elastic Press called Subtle Edens which has tales from none other than those short-story machines from Veggie Box: Neil Ayres and Aliya Whiteley. Better still, my university chum, Dave Budd, has expressed an interest in attending the launch in London and will pick up a copy for me (hopefully signed by both Neil and Aliya, as well as any other authors who are attending – I’m a sucker for autographed books, just ask Chris Teague and Gary McMahon – I got the writers to sign We Fade to Grey twice!!).

Sticking to the more ‘ephemeral’ side of writing i.e. publishing matters, it appears that anyone wishing to buy a hardback copy of The Secret War might find it more than a little difficult. Amazon UK is now showing it out of stock, and it’s unlikely to come into stock as the paperback of The Secret War comes out this January. I also have it on good authority that the remaining stock has been bought up by collectors, so the hardback is as rare as, well, hen’s teeth. Collectors editions if you will, which I guess was the intention of the imprint - so that it will appeal to collectors and readers alike. I’ve also heard rumours that the book might be selling at silly prices next year, so the advice is “hold on to your hardbacks!” As I’ll be holding on to mine!

On a more or less obscure point, this is the first day this week that I’ve been able to put fingers to keyboard after a pulling a muscle in my neck last week. I always believed that I could write regardless of physical condition unless someone chopped off my hands or blinded me. I didn’t think a simple and innocuous injury like that could throw off my whole writing regime. But it has.
Never mind, while it’s still a little stiff, it’s pretty cleared up and I’m now on chapter 6 of The Black Hours, and running through it with a big cheesy grin. I can’t believe how easy this 2nd draft is. What did I do right? I certainly don’t remember selling my soul to the Devil of Novel Writing. The pessimist in me expects a big fucking wall to come hurtling my way at some point, but you know, the speed I’m going, I’ll either splat myself across it, or run straight through.
(I can’t say which at the moment, but my advice would be to bring a hard-hat and a water-proof jacket just in case…)