Author Archives: Journeymouse

Sunday 16th June, 2013

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  June 16, 2013 - 20:54 | Events
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I haven’t got much to talk about this week. I’ve noodled around on the writing front, been to work like I’m supposed to, given a Father’s Day present that will probably never be used (also like I’m supposed to, right?), and dispensed birthday gifts in the general direction of my sister for later in the week. On site, I finally remembered to put up a link for AMEK’s HEMA-paloosa (not it’s proper name) in the Netherlands.

The only other thing to mention is the Doncaster Steampunk Festival [External Link] that happened this weekend. Apparently all went well and it will be an annual event. I turned up only briefly, basically to meet a few friends in person, and in what can best be described as civilian gear – not being much of a steam or punk enthusiast, all things considered. What little I saw looked lovely, so I do recommend making a note and looking out for it next year.

The friend(s) I went to meet, by the way, was John Reppion, of graphic novel and comic writing team Moore&Reppion [External Link], who has published a book with Dylan Fox [External Link] and Allegra Hawksmoor [External Link]. Foxie and Allegra would also have been there but had some car problems in the week that made this impossible. Oh, and John introduced my to comic creator and illustrator Sally Jane Thompson [External Link]. Hmmm… What’s the collective noun for a group of creative people? A clique?

Monday 10th June, 2013

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  June 10, 2013 - 19:11 | Site Diary
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Yeah, I’m still hanging around. I basically didn’t feel like posting last weekend. And there’s a story behind it abotu a rare disease called “Key-Gaskell Syndrome” (KGS) – or “Feline Dysautonomia”. There’s a facebook group here: [External Link] and a vet level description here [External Link]

Now, I’m not a cat owner and am unlikely to be but… the extended pack has included cats. Note the past tense. Because Jack, Eric, Ariel and Dela were all diagnosed with KGS last weekend. They were my sister’s babies (along with two dogs, four guinea pigs and an actual child) with Jack and Dela being just one, and litter-siblings Eric and Ariel were just nine months old. If I have the timings right, Jack and Ariel were put to sleep on Friday 31st May and Eric and Dela joined them on Wednesday 5th June. So, last week, I was a little too upset to think of anything worth saying. (And, obviously, how I feel doesn’t stack up with how their actual owners are feeling.)

KGS is a rare disease that is apparently becoming uncommon (i.e. appearing more often) but there hasn’t been a lot of research done since it was looked into and discovered in the mid 80s. There is the possibility that it’s gone through a period of being mis-diagnosed and forgotten. If you have cats, please have a look at the links above.

There isn’t much else to report, so I think I’ll call it a status update there, okay?

Monday 27th May, 2013

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  May 27, 2013 - 11:44 | Site Diary
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Delayed weekend post because here in the UK it’s a Bank Holiday Monday. I think Sunday was Whit Sunday. What this actually means in Christian belief terms, I have no idea. It’s just a Sunday however many weeks after Easter Sunday that gives me an extra day off and loads of school kids a week off for half-term. The only things I have to mention are two half-news bites, things that may or may not be coming up in the future.

The most likely thing to appear that’s news related is something to do with 25 Ways To Kill A Werewolf, and in the next month or so. Yes, that’s as good as that gets. Well, not quite. I’m hoping we’ll be sorting out a publishing date for later in the year and then there are some related matters to mention.

The other half-news is to mention that the first draft of A Pack of Lies continues. I’m about a fifth through the projected length, so it bodes well. I’ll not be jumping up and down about it being a workable story until I make it to the end, though. There’s something about doing follow-up stories that make me very nervous about committing to them. Maybe because so many stories turn out to be unworkable or tail off. You only have to have a flick through some of my Site Diary comments to realise that a few projects I thought were a big deal fell over and never got back up again. With a story that follows on from another, I just get so nervous about whether I’m capable of finishing it. Although the problems that kill a piece are as much about the constantly juggling multiple interests (WIPs, work, fencing, whatever) distracting me from just sitting down and getting it done.

Sunday 19th May, 2013

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  May 19, 2013 - 20:32 | Site Diary
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It’s been a housekeeping week. not in the sense of actual housekeeping, of course. I’m far too lazy for things like that. What I’ve been doing is redrafting (cutting, adding to, and restructuring) a few short stories and getting them out to potential new homes. Whether or not it will result in anything remains to be seen.

In further housekeeping / organising news, I’ve booked up for the Smallsword Symposium 2013 (Edinburgh) [External Link] and Satellite 4 / EasterCon 2013 (Glasgow) [External Link]. I suspect I’ve used up my long weekends / holiday financial budget for the year, despite swearing I need to get out more. However, I will be at Edge Lit in Derby in July [External Link] and I suspect I’ll get a few other days out but I don’t have funds to make it to the longer, weekend or more things I was hoping to get to (i.e. Swordfish in Göteborg [External Link]) and my current response to stressful situations (well, what I consider stressful) means I’ve wimped out of the affordable FightCamp [External Link].

On the things I have booked in for, I’ll see you there!

(And, yes, the first draft of “A Pack Of Lies” – the working title for the next Elkie instalment – continues. This pleases me.)

Monday 13th May, 2013

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  May 13, 2013 - 18:08 | Site Diary
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Yeah, so I’m late. No excuses or reasons, just late. Which is just where I was with announcing the publication of Two Hearts, Two Minds and putting up a background post. That second thing pretty much covers everything obviously achieved this week.

Less obviously, I managed the first drafts of another two chapters of “A Pack Of Lies” – the working title for the next Elkie instalment. With a bit of luck, I may even finish it! I also have a couple of short stories to look at with respect to getting into a re-homable draft, so I’ll probably concentrate on that this week.

Two Hearts, Two Minds: Story Background

  May 6, 2013 - 15:56 | Ideas & World Building
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Okay, here’s some background on the recently published Two Hearts, Two Minds. Also known as “In which the author reveals more geekery”.

Publishing Details

Two hearts, Two Minds was published in Interstellar Fiction on 1st May, 2013 and can be found through their website here: [External Link].

Themes

This is a story I wrot getting on for five years ago and has had some tweaks, nips and tucks in its time. It was … Continue reading →

Sunday 5th May, 2013

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  May 5, 2013 - 20:34 | Site Diary
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#BBAD2013

In case you missed Blogging Against Disablism Day 2013 (#BADD2013) on Wednesday 1st May, here’s the link: [External Link]. I contributed a post that is linked from the main BADD post but you can go direct to Living with Invisble Disability here.

Also up this week, one of my stories has been published (also on 1st May). I haven’t prepared a background post on Two Hearts, Two Minds and might put one up this week if I have time to throw some notes together in a manner that someone else can read.

There has alreadty been a small amount of housekeeping in that I finally put up a photo of the year old Rosie. The photo was taken not long after she turned one but it’s taken me a month or so to sort it out.

Finally, there’s also a new Mousie postcard following my trip to London on the 1st for the Clarke Award’s Write The Future (#WTF13) [External Link]. However, as I’ve been saying to everybody there and since, that there London has changed somewhat in the decade since I last hung around in the general area.