I can’t get enough…

Valetta, Malta

…of being in Malta. From May 2 to 9th my wife and I holidayed at the Preluna Hotel, Sliema for the third – possibly fourth time. It’s on a magnicently paved shoreline and while we stroll along it, the locals are jogging, speed-walking or walking like us. I am thinking of plot lines while my wife talks to me. I nod but, honestly I am really listening too. She made me leave the laptop behind in Chester for the first time. That’s okay, it’s only a week and I had books to read such as Alastair Reynold’s Space Revelation, Vernor Vinge’s Fire Upon The Deep and Michael Summers’ The is Shop – more on those later. In spite of the reading I did get writerly withdraw symptoms after three days and so we took the ferry to the island of Gozo. It’s so laid back, picturesque and deeply moving with its awful history. In 1551 pirates in the pay of the Ottoman empire abducted the entire population of Gozo and took them to Tripoli and Constantinople slave markets, except for those to infirm for the journey. Surely their spirits cry out for revenge and that’s where my magic realism fantasy novel, Xaghra’s Revenge comes in. I take two of the abducted and two contemporary people and play around with their histories and emotions. The reader experiences the slave trade of those days and the frisson when past and present collide. If you are a publisher and are interested then go speak to my agent Rebecca Pratt for a taster.

While in Malta I met author, John Bonello. He writes fantasies, among other genres, in Maltese and is enjoying success with his local publisher, Merlin.

There’s a second-hand bookshop in Chester on the City Walls – website is http://citywallsbooksandmusic.webs.com/ Michael Summers works there and has written a delightful and thought-provoking anthology of science fiction called The Is Shop. Only £4.50 plus p&p – contact him at the shop or via the website. The emphasis of the stories is on science so these are truly science fiction but with humour and characters to enjoy. The first story I admire a lot – The Is Shop in which a young recruit to the shop is mystified by the lack of stock and so much wordplay and intrigue. It’s a shop story like no other.

I have chosen Fire Upon the Deep by Vernor Vinge as my choice book for the Chester Library SF book group for later this year, so I had to read it! I chose it because I like the concept of the Technological Singularity coined by Vinge – ie that one day the artificial intelligence machines on Earth will be sufficiently savvy to take over and humans will be redundant. I asked another SF group which of Vinge’s ficiton does this well and they said Fire Upon the Deep although ironically it was published after his paper on the TS. Very intelligently written with two children as main characters – a nice touch for what are adult concepts. Group mentalities in aliens is something I have written too in various stories.

Revelation Space is also interesting but rather cliched and with contrived resolutions in my opinion. I’m glad I read it.

Saint Margaret’s Bastion in Malta and my wife

1)      NEWS in 2013: Voted best SF of 2012 at P&E Readers Poll. Suppose amnesia was infectious? Thank goodness it isn’t but imagine the ramifications if it was. ARIA: LEFT LUGGAGE is the personal story of people, the breakdown of society and yet hope for the few who escaped. Click on this link to Geoff’s blog, which has details including Amazon e-book and paperback http://bit.ly/10VIRKY

ARIA is endorsed by luminaries such as Mike Resnick and Jon C Grimwood.

2)      5 * reviews for the ebook HOW TO WIN SHORT STORY COMPETITIONS. Co-authored by two experienced judges in a dialogue form and has great reviews (not written by us or our friends!) at

http://www.ideas4writers.co.uk/books/storycomps.php

3)      For something completely different try HOT AIR, an award-winning thriller based in England and the Mediterranean. A feisty woman witnesses a heinous crime from a hot air balloon. She’s abducted and kept in a watchtower on Mallorca until she escapes. A page turner on your Kindle at http://www.amazon.com/Hot-Air-ebook/dp/B0084OZL9E/

4)      SF mystery EXIT, PURSUED BY A BEE is exciting interest. Several unique concepts written in an accessible style with a feisty woman main character and with a beginning and end on Glastonbury Tor – festival and all. Paperback and now Kindle at

http://www.amazon.com/Exit-Pursued-Bee-ebook/dp/B001CQC9LY/

Like ARIA at http://www.facebook.com/AriaTrilogy

http://twitter.com/geoffnelder

Quercus Quirky

Jo, Jo, what are you doing to me? I’ve met publisher, Jo Fletcher several times at FantasyCon and although she rejected Left Luggage (her loss as it it due to be released on August 1st by LL-Publications – yeay, I thought my magic realism, Xaghra’s Revenge, would be spot on for her. Sadly, my agent received the following today:

‘Thank you so much for your agency’s submission of Xhagra’s Revenge. We have finally gotten round to reading it, I am sorry it has taken so long to get an answer.

 Unfortunately, we didn’t feel that it was quite right for Jo Fletcher Books at this moment in time. But we do thank you for considering us and hope that you have good luck in placing it with another publisher.’

No reason given.

I wonder if she actually read the excerpt chapters sent to her? She hadn’t read Left Luggage, even though her trusty staff had. Maybe it was Nicola. Oh well, have a great holiday, Jo. Pity, because it could have been a double whammy with ARIA coming out on August 1st by LL-Publications!

Hey, since when has my blog carried adverts? I don’t like them, don’t want them. If they continue I’m changing. Can other people see them? Can you?

New pals at NewCon5

I’ve just returned from NewCon5 in Northampton – a convention for lovers of science fiction. I had a nice long chat at what in many conventions are called Kaffeeklatsche (German – sort of – for a coffee chat about almost anything with Paul Cornell: author of many SF books and graphic comics including Dr Who novels, Captain Britain, and the recent Young Avengers series. I had a good chat with Jaine Fenn, successful author of Principles of Angels. We discussed the possibility of Adventure Books of Seattle (I am the British branch) being a distributor of Sam Stone’s books. Also with Juliet McKenna, who has graciously accepted to read my Xaghra’s Revenge novel with a view to endorsing it. I have an endorsement for it already from Jon Courtenay Grimwood, who was born in the Maltese Islands where the novel is set.

While there it was a pleasure to meet up with old friends such as Ian Whates. who organised the successful NewCon, and with others such as Sam Stone, her publisher, Terry Martin, and with my old friend, Terry Jackman of the BSFA Orbiters. It was my pleasure to read and review a pre-published version of Sam Stone’s Demon Dance. Also from BSFA (British Science Fiction Association) Orbiters but whom I’d not met in person before, was Robert Harkess and his wife. Robert is a skillful writer and has helped me with critiques of many of my short stories. At the con was Northampton’s jester, Kevin Burke, on his modern bendy stilts. Always a friendly chap – remember he was with me at NewCon4 helping me sell Exit, Pursued by a Bee. Which reminds me that it was a pleasure to hear Robert Harkess say he’d just finished reading Exit on his Kindle. Excellent!

On my train homeward journey I’ve been planning the science fiction workshop session I am doing with the Llandudno Writers’ group. I did a session with them earlier in the year on how to win short story competitions. A creative and appreciative bunch they are too. Brian Lux, writer of excellent children’s stories, is my contact with them.

My nephew, Ben Bamber, is in the papers again. His dystopic novella, The Vast and Gruesome Clutch of Our Law is now out as an ebook at the innovative site, Smashwords, and an article about it has appeared in the Gloucestershire Echo.  The text of the piece is on the Echo’s site here.

Another link for you is my review of Margaret Atwood’s The Handmaid’s Tale at Compulsive Reader. Is it Science Fiction? I don’t think so: just because a story is set in the future it doesn’t make it SF automatically unless the change in the future features intrinsically. Nevertheless. I enjoyed reading the book. My review.

Authors who are too busy…

5,000 people were abjucted by pirates on the Mediterranean island of Gozo in 1551. Their souls cry for revenge but wait until one of their descendents unknowingly meets the descendent of one of the pirates. The novel, Xaghra’s Revenge, and my US agent suggests I ask famous fantasy writer, Ramsay Campbell, for his endorsement. I wouldn’t expect him to read all 103,000 words but a sample, synopsis, etc. His agent, John Jarrold, was kind enough to ask on my behalf but replied that as Ramsey is writing a new novel he is too immerssed and busy to glance at mind.  Note I’d spent time reading his short story, The Hand, and gave it a positive review when it appeared in The Horror Zine anthology below this post.

Understandable to get into the heads of your characters and keep with an intricate plot. I can understand that. It is why I am grateful to write much of the time undisturbed – apart from being mad of mind. The irony is that Ramsey is appearing in my home town of  Chester on a money-making gig to speak to the Society of Authors in April. Not worth the £22 entry fee though cos if I sat in the audience I’d be holding up placards with excerpts of my Xaghra’s Revenge – haha.  

Seriously, good luck with your new novel, Ramsay. I get it wrong – spend too much time critiquing other folk’s writing instead of getting on with my new novel and short stories.

Prestwick and Bicycle clips

Prestwick – a three plane book, but only one can land – is the first thriller to be launched at BeWrite Books as I arrived. Written by David Hough, it’s a cliff-hanger great read and you can find details here.

Bicycle Clips: Warm pre-breakfast bike ride this morning. 20 Celsius so I didn’t really need my flourescent yellow shower proof jacket. I had to stop and tuck it on top of my panniers. At least it added  to visibility for motorists charging up behind me. Actually there weren’t many. I choose quiet rural lanes so that it is mainly tractors and other cyclists who overtake me. On busier roads I’ve slipped into the habit of switching on my rear LED even in daytime. I use the rolling light mode cos the straight on / off flash seems annoying to me. To my surprise having the rear light on does seem to make overtaking drivers keep back more until it is safer and to overtake farther from my elbow. Maybe they think I must be such an amateur and so keep their distance.

With mixed feelings I’ve finished the first and second draft of  magic realism fantasy, Xaghra’s Revenge. It’s based on the true mass-abduction of the Mediterranean island of Gozo in 1551 by pirates, and the fictional retribution. Immense satisfaction in doing the research on Gozo and Malta, and in the writing. It’s been lacerated by my fellow critquers in the BSFA Orbiters and is being given another close read  by Les Floyd. I’ve sent a synopsis and three chaps to my US agent, but now thinking it might be better published by a UK or European publisher.  I’ve a feeling the Americans know little about the Maltese islands whereas Brits and Germans use it as their sunshine location.

Exit, Pursued by a Bee is still selling online. Also at Borders in Cheshire Oaks and hey, I have a book signing in Waterstones, Trafford Centre, Manchester on Saturday August 15th 1-4pm. There will be sweets. Because Exit has metallic spheres emerging from the Earth, I need spherical silver confectionary. Sadly the nearest I can find are white chocolate Maltesers and Imperial Mints. I wonder if they gather time too? Come along to my signing, even if only for a natter, point and laugh.

Fantasy Writers’ Weekend

This weekend I used the excuse of attending a residential writing workshop to enjoy two 65-miles winter cycle rides. As a bonus I met nine fellow writerly residents at the Dane Valley Centre (DVC) with imaginations bigger than the planet. Back to cycling – I’d bubble-wrapped my laptop and, after a previous experience finding it switched and hot, removed its battery before packing it with non-cycling clothes in my panniers. I could have just used a notebook and pencil but I use a word-processor as a thought processor. I also wanted to use free time at the weekend to forward Xaghra’s Revenge a few thousand words. I knew that after cycling the 65 miles from Chester to the Dove Valley, the latter half all uphill including some pumping one-in-six gradients, I wouldn’t be a productive energy generator at the course so I booked a youth hostel. A new hostel, which is a comfortable bunkbarn with lounge, kitchen and store, is at Sheen near Hulme End. I met John Martin there, who as the YHA archivist is travelling the Birtish Isles photographing and recording every hostel that had ever been in existence. We had a great chat on Thursday evening.

Friday I spent the dry cool day hiking Wolfcotedale and Milldale. The ten miles hike included watching a heron scoop a roach out of the River Dove. I felt sorry for the fish flapping in an escape bid, but Nature had given the Heron greater flappability and it took it’s dinner over the hills. Later, I cycled the remaining miles to the Dove Valley Centre at Under Whittle, about 10 miles southeast of Buxton. No wonder it is called Under Whittle: the tarmac changed to gravel as the gradient became negative. It was so steep that even with the brakes full on, my bike skidded with wheels finding ruts and drainage channels. Accustomed to danger, I could see me heading for the brambles on either side but luckily a barking dog announced I was approaching the safety of my destination. But, no. Alex Davies had booked a centre that entailed more slip slithering downhill. Once there, I knew why he’d chosen it. A marvelous stone-built building on two floors and farm outbuildings as a cycle store.

Inside were fellow writers, who when all were assembled included Carla, Paul, Michaela, Brian, Trudi, Mark, Marc and Richard, along with organiser Alex Davies and Emma, who I wanted to smuggle home to cook vegan meals for the rest of my life! Alex makes a great workshop leader in that plenty of time was created for our own writing, talking, and exercises cunningly designed to make us feel at ease yet take us forward. Most of the writers were into Fantasy games and more zombie-ness mess than I am but many too enjoyed science fiction and the kind of magic realism my Xaghra’s Revenge is based on, so we all had aspects of our imagination in common.

I couldn’t stay a weekend  in the Dove Valley without taking in the scenery. It rained most of the time, but even so, Carla and I put on coats and hats and trampled wet grass, hopped bogs and climbed stiles to enjoy the fresh air and the views of the upper Dove. It is on such walks and cycle rides that many of us have plot and characters slip into our heads. Becoming a temporary part of scenery is the best way to appreciate it.

Two literary visitors deepened our cultural experience. Conrad Williams and Kim Lakin-Smith are both best selling British authors in fantasy and they both gave us quite different but equally stimulating exercises and discussion. I’ve been on many writing courses so the most useful aspect of the weekend was meeting those fantasy writers, learning about what they believe makes them tick, their unusualities and intriguing characters, warm and with enviable edges that make each so interesting.

My return cycle journey was a Wagnerian ride. I’d stayed at the Sheen YHA on Sunday night and set off at dawn for Chester. The weather forecast promised a narrow band of dry weather but with up to 75 mph gales along the route I was to cycle. Wrong. Dry for an hour and then sleet and rain showers, but at least the gales blew over my head. The first few miles were mostly uphill, a steady slog until I thought I’d reach above the cumulo nimbus clouds, but at the top I had a surprise. At The Mermaid Inn, so called after the ghost of a lady who drowned in the nearby lake, the view was amazing. The rain stopped and beyond the jagged hills of The Roaches, a sunbeam hit Jodrell Bank radar dish. Surreal. I’d neglected to take a camera but the view from the same spot is on this page http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/453755

Thanks, Alex and my fellow writers for a great weekend.

Aaargggh, I have my Exit, Pursued by a Bee book signing at Cheshire Oaks Borders this Sunday afternoon!

I had a weird moment in Cyprus. In Kyrenia Castle I found the tomb of Sinan Pasha. The others hadn’t heard of him but he features in my Xaghra’s Revenge novel! He was the sadistic Admiral (though a Jew) of the Barbary Corsairs that pillaged Gozo in 1551 & abducted the population. I’d forgotten that later he was the governor of Kyrenia. I patted his tomb and said – Got you! During the day I tapped my laptop to add to Xaghra’s Revenge, but I couldn’t resist walking the scenery most of the time. Evenings I added more words and spent time with the other writers – inspirational.  I’ve added photos of the Northern Cyprus Bellapais location here for the UK Authors writers week. Thanks again to David Gardiner for organising it. Hey John Goodwin, you still have my best Cyprus map!

A charming young woman accosted me yesterday, and I stammered thanks. She was a journalist from a local newspaper who wanted to know more about my Hot Air award in Groningen, and cuddled up to me to ask if their photographer could snap me. I confess this was a telephone interview, so the cuddling is just a fantasy, but as a fantasy writer I’m allowed such indulgencies.

Hayley – she had to tell my wonky hearing twice – wanted to know when Hot Air will be available for readers, but sadly I don’t know. I e-mailed Jean-Marcel, the director of the Wuacademia Arts foundation a week ago and he said it was being worked on. Fair enough, it had sat on my hard drive for 3 years, so what’s another month or so. I’d suggested a cover art to him. Two, actually, but one I like the most is of Erica, the feisty red-headed protagonist as seen in the picture on this page. Another possibilty is the chrome-effect photo of the watch tower on Mallorca that Erica was held captive. People are a better grabber by readers than objects, don’t you think?

I’ve a window in my editing-for-other-people schedule, so hello Xaghra’s Revenge, I look forward to spending a week writing a few chapters. Yesterday, I had a welcome visit from someone who could relate to the historical buzz I get when I hug the stones of the ancient temples (if that’s really what they were) on Malta and Gozo. Andrew J., lived a few houses up from us, and his parents still do. His dad, Alan, was stationed on Malta in WW2 and the islands became a family favourite holiday spot. Andrew now works in New Hampshire, in magazine publishing, and although we’d not seen each other for 9 years, we chatted as if we’d never parted!