Oh gosh I haven't posted in ages....
I still lurk a bit, but since my time is limited I tend to stick to just one site :/

I'm still anxiously waiting for WOFLP though :)

Other news.... busy busy at work, new computer with slim monitor :D and waiting for broadband (it takes 5 days to be activated...)

Finished the 'Wasp factory'. One word: weird!!!!!
(but interesting)

Currently reading 'Boudicca' and I don't know how I'll survive until the publication of the other 2 books in the trilogy :((( it's truly AMAZING, thanks sis :D

I like the Wasp Factory. Weird, disturbing, funny. Very very dark.

I prefer his sci-fi stuff though, if you can get past the silly character names. 'Use of Weapons' is stunningly good.

I think my favourite must be 'Against a Dark Background'. He says in the title it's gonna be dark, and by golly he's not kidding...

Oh, the wasp factory was the first one I read from him.

No, I'd read one ages ago, but can't remember the title... it were 3 stories... one was a couple locked in some palace that had to solve games (finding the rules first) to be able to move on...

Think I read read 'Wasp Factory' years ago. Remind me who wrote it.

Ian Banks. There were exploding rabbits in it.

OK, I always get confused. Is he the same Iain (M?) Banks who writes scifi about 'The Culture?' (iirc). My Dad raves about them, but I ain't never read any.



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I am very interested in the Universe. I am specialising in the Universe and everything surrounding it. - E. L. Wisty

yup, that's him.
Ian Banks is the name he uses for weird mainstream stuff
Iain M Banks is the scifi name.

Quite why he needs the extra I and M, I'm not sure.

If you're going to give the 'M' a try, I'd go for 'Against a Dark Background' as it's a standalone story. Otherwise go for 'Consider Phlebas' as it's the first of his 'Culture' novels, or 'the Player of Games' as it's better...

If you're going for the mainstream (non scifi stuff), I'd recommend 'The Crow Road', which has one of the best opening lines ever:
'It was the day my grandmother exploded.'

Also made into a mini series type thing on channel 4, with Peter Capaldi.

Other corkingly good one is 'Complicity', a murderous tale with some of the most unpleasant murders you're ever likely to see.

Was 'Against A Dark Background' the one with the "Lazy Gun", which always destroyed each new target in a different way? And the solipsist mercenaries?

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"Some days I diet, other days they serve lasagne."

that's the one. It'll kill you in whatever way it finds most amusing at the time. Splendid.

Just got notification of my annual payments from Authors Licencing and Collection Society, which I somehow became a member of when I joined the Authors Society. Haven't been a member of Author's Society in about four years, but still with ALCS (?)

So far as I can tell, the ACLS goes around demanding money from other countries, on the grounds that their members might have had something photocopied in said country's libraries.
Germany have paid me £3.66 and I get £2.60 from Finland ! Switzerland only manages a miserly 76p but I get £8.63 from Norway. There are three separate entries for Canada.

In total, after commission and legal fund fees, these hypothetical photocopies have earned me £40. Which covers most of the cost of that Paul McCartney ticket.

Life works in mysterious ways

anyone got an entroposcope handy?

This just in ... Claire has picked up the reserved copy of Darrow's Word from the library. Yee-haw!



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I am very interested in the Universe. I am specialising in the Universe and everything surrounding it. - E. L. Wisty

Aw, thanx.

Now if I can only stop myself from spending so much time on the fforum, I might get 'Darrow's Badge' written.

just looked Skiffle up on Amazon....COOL!!!!

although, they do charge $20 for a paperback! Hope you get a HUGE portion of that! YIKES!

congrats on all the books...groovy!

AAC:

You searched on Amazon.com, naturally. Try the UK site; there are more of my books and the prices are much @#$%&, at least in sterling. The postage is @#$%& than you'd expect too.

Well, pardners, all this is kinda interestin', but (flicks hat to back of head with easy but strangely compelling motion) I guess I'm a-goin' to turn in. I got me a cowboy book to read. Y'all come back now, you hear?



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I am very interested in the Universe. I am specialising in the Universe and everything surrounding it. - E. L. Wisty

Jon,

So did you read 'Darrow's Law' yet ? Don't go around taunting poor, insecure writers by saying you'll read their books and then forgetting. Plays havoc with me whazziz, it does.

And there's nothing worse than going round with all your whazziz in a state of havoc. Incidentally, when are you going to be back in Sheffield?



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That which does not kill us makes us stranger.
(Llewelyn the dragon, Ozy and Millie)

Sarah

Sarah,
Iain B. had a look at the flat on friday evening, and guesses it won't be ready before next weekend.
Iain F. phoned not long ago to ask when I'd be back. Cats are fine; Diesel enjoying Great Outdoors, apparently.

Went upstairs and cried a bit. I miss my cats more than I thought I could. I'm getting so bored here. No really fun conversation unless brother or wife visiting. I'm spending all my time staring at computer, telly or books.
I haven't been to the pub with my friends in about six weeks. I'm losing the will to live out here. I so want to be home again.

So glad I can at least chat to the fforum. I need to have some contact with people as off-the-wall as I am.

In the interests of saving Skiffle's whazziz, here's a book review.

Darrow's Word (by G F Taylor)

It's pretty good. I wasn't sure what to expect, really, but I found it very enjoyable. I read it on the bus to and from work yesterday. It isn't going to get accused of Literature, but it had a nice pacey plot and the setup wasn't too hackneyed. Bearing in mind the target demographic (little old ladies in libararies - copy borrowed c.24 times in 2 years) one can't expect social realism; it's a fantasy West, the like of which never existed outside Hollywood, but within the constraints of the genre some bits of realism were snuck in - the ethnic mix of the West was nicely portrayed - Dutch, English, the black stable owner - and despite the various bits of gunplay it managed to give the impression that gunshots and murder weren't *quite* as prevalent as Hollywood would have you believe. I liked the touches such as Darrow studying law books - you never saw Coop reading Blackstones. (Which college did Darrow attend, btw? And did he fight for the South in the War?)

But the best bits are of course all the stuff that the little old ladies will miss. Yes, it was Avon and Vila all right, and wasn't that a Servalan we saw drawing a bead on poor old Tom Judd? (What, no Travis? He was my second favourite character). Only one Sheffield suburb spotted (Bramall), but name of Dutch family noted with a groan. (Isn't Verstappen the one who is always verstopped?)

Verdict - entertaining read, passed a dull journey very pleasantly, laughed several times at Darrow's sardonic remarks and Keating's replies, ripping good yarn.

Now, I'll say to Skiffle something I'm sure she's heard before. You can handle a plot and characterisation. We know you to be clever and witty. How about putting your talent to loftier goals?



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I am very interested in the Universe. I am specialising in the Universe and everything surrounding it. - E. L. Wisty