Support for new writing

Please take a gander at the excerpts from this new anthology, which includes writing from a friend of mine Kelly Dillon

*this image is not from the book, but it seemed appropriate and I like it.

Picocon 29 2012

Yesterday I attended Picocon at the Imperial College, London.This a day of scifi and fantasy geekery run by the Imperial College Science Fiction and Fantasy Society. While it is one of the smaller con's was also lots of fun. It is attended by real life award winning authors, (this year one of my favourite authors Justina Robson was there), who gave interesting talks and paticipated in a panel discussion of apocolyptic fiction.

There was also silly games-including an event which "no-one " saw, that invloved dueling with fish....

and the most satisfying and hilarious "Distruction of Dodgy Merchandise", which raised lots of money for charity, and removed from existance the blasphemy that was " dancing Jar Jar Binks" , among others....

Another highlight of the day for me was the visit to the College's Science Fiction Library. Total Bliss making! I don't know how the students ever get any work done!

Nadya

Nadya- by Pat Murphy was enjoyable to read and at the same time irritating. This was not because it was badly written(personally I loved the style), but it was so realistic with the historical attitudes toward women and non-white people, I could really feel the frustration of the characters who were forced to live with them.

The basic synopsis is a historical novel set during the 1830s, with immigrants, and pioneers, and native Americans all trying to fit in., and find "their version " of civilisation.Nadya's family are werewolves, originally from Europe and and she has a very different upbringing, learning to shoot and hunt(in both human and wolf form). Unfortunately other pioneers are not contend to leave wolves wander free nearby, afraid of losing cattle or human lives , so Nadya's family are at constant risk.


This is also a road movie of sorts, as a tragedy forces Nadya to, travel across the American west, where she meets a variety of people, and treated to a variety of reactions to her and the environment.

I recommend this book to those who enjoy historical , adventure and romance with a bit of supernatural thrown in.