Well I've been rubbish at maintaining this blog, haven't I?
It's not the only one, either. Well, I intend to do something about that. I intend to make something of my web presence. I will keep writing fiction, and that, I think, will always be my priority, but I'm going to try and keep this thing updated, in the same way I used to keep my old Commentary blog updated: by talking about the flash fiction I posted that week, what inspired me to write it, and what it makes me think about writing. So hopefully I'll go back to talking about process and technique and skills. And experimentation.
I think I shied away from that because I felt kind of like, what do I know, what right do I have to talk about this stuff, an amateur myself? But, you know what, it's as much about talking out loud, making me think about the process, as it is about trying to instruct others. And if it opens discussion then that's a good thing, right? And if it helps improve someone else... that's a great thing. =)
This is kind of a new year's resolution thing, I guess. I don't really do those, but there are lots of things I want to do this year, and I'm pretty determined. I just need to make sure I get myself in gear, stick with it, and try not to get too distracted.
So one of the things I want to start working on again this year is Space-Time Industries. My old science fiction blog. It got an amount of attention that surprised me... not loads, but more than I expected for something so new and unpromoted. Hopefully I can regain that and build from it.
It's kind of a stupid dream but one day I would love to be able to run some kind of Space-Time Industries 'Best of the Year' awards and have people actually look forward to them with anticipation. But hey, I've always been a dreamer... kind of makes me happy to know there's still part of me that aims for the clouds. ;)
Showing posts with label blogs. Show all posts
Showing posts with label blogs. Show all posts
Monday, 2 January 2012
Tuesday, 9 August 2011
Blog Awards
Wow, so while I've been taking a little downtime I've been given a couple of peer-awarded blog awards. They were actually awarded to my flash fiction blogs, Xeroverse: Missing Pieces and Xeroverse: 101, but I'm going to accept them here, because in the convoluted way I've set up my blog presence this is the more appropriate place for rambling discourse... ;)
First up, Steve Green and Stephen Hewitt both awarded me the Versatile Blogger award. For which I apparently have to mention seven random facts about me and announce nominations of my own.
And Rebecca Bohn has awarded me the Liebster Blog award.
So, a big thank you, to all three of you. =)
It's a real honour to be nominated by those three, all of them being writers I admire in their own right, all of whom I would happily nominate in return. As such, I am immensely fortunate to have been given the two awards, as it means I can award Steve and Stephen the Liebster and Rebecca the Versatile Blogger award. So that risks seeming like some kind of hippy love-in, but my mutual respect is genuine and all three deserve it.
Steve Green is an ideas machine. His flash fiction shifts easily among genres and is always a good read, week in, week out. There's often a healthy dose of humour in there too, and what this man doesn't do with zombies isn't worth doing... ;)
Stephen Hewitt takes myth and drapes it attractively over the real world, and then sometimes he takes the real world and drapes it artfully over myth. Always a joy to read, his use of language is sumptuous and masterful.
R.S. Bohn is one of the loveliest people I've 'met' since I've begun to get my toes wet with this flash blogging lark. And she's a very talented writer too. Take the time to read the short fiction she's posted on her blog recently, you won't be disappointed.
To my other nominees I say, "pick and choose". ;)
The following are both among my very favouritest and also extremely versatile bloggers, so they may pick and choose which award they like, or take both. =)
Lily Childs writes exquisite horror fiction. She also hosts and judges the Friday Prediction flash fiction challenge. A gracious host, she invites and brings together a wide spectrum of writers under one roof. Hers is definitely a blog worth following.
Aidan Fritz creates deep and interesting worlds, and somehow manages to evoke that depth without slowing his stories down. Always a great read.
Eastscapes is a blog I've pimped before. A friend and colleague of mine with a great eye for the spaces people leave behind, humanity's afterimages, the photography of the damned...
And now, for those of you still with me, my seven random facts...
1. For a short while I was in business with my parents and managed a lovely little children's bookshop... If I knew then what I know now.
2. I have no TV licence. If you live in the UK you know that means I don't watch any TV. At all.
(OK, so I watch Castle on demand5, but it's Nathan Fillion, dammit.)
3. I'm a big geek, but I'm a massive Batman geek. That established, my favourite character isn't Batman, it's Nightwing. (Not necessarily Dick Grayson as Robin or Batman, but Dick grayson as Nightwing)
4. I have a dragon scarified on my left shoulder.
5. My dream job would be to write computer games (not program, I can't program for toffee, but plot, dialogue etc.). I think, even more so than books, the capacity for (interactive) storytelling and character development is very exciting.
6. The surname 'Xero' comes from my second internet incarnation as Angel Xero. Originally created for a prank, it stuck, and when I wanted something more grounded I swapped out the Angel for my real name.
7. My very first internet venture, back when no one used their real names and I called myself Shadow Weaver, was a site called Dark Minds. It began, 2002-ish, as a collective of friends producing creative snippets; it picked up a few other contributors along the way before fading away. These days it only exists on the Wayback Machine.
First up, Steve Green and Stephen Hewitt both awarded me the Versatile Blogger award. For which I apparently have to mention seven random facts about me and announce nominations of my own.
And Rebecca Bohn has awarded me the Liebster Blog award.
So, a big thank you, to all three of you. =)
It's a real honour to be nominated by those three, all of them being writers I admire in their own right, all of whom I would happily nominate in return. As such, I am immensely fortunate to have been given the two awards, as it means I can award Steve and Stephen the Liebster and Rebecca the Versatile Blogger award. So that risks seeming like some kind of hippy love-in, but my mutual respect is genuine and all three deserve it.
Steve Green is an ideas machine. His flash fiction shifts easily among genres and is always a good read, week in, week out. There's often a healthy dose of humour in there too, and what this man doesn't do with zombies isn't worth doing... ;)
Stephen Hewitt takes myth and drapes it attractively over the real world, and then sometimes he takes the real world and drapes it artfully over myth. Always a joy to read, his use of language is sumptuous and masterful.
R.S. Bohn is one of the loveliest people I've 'met' since I've begun to get my toes wet with this flash blogging lark. And she's a very talented writer too. Take the time to read the short fiction she's posted on her blog recently, you won't be disappointed.
To my other nominees I say, "pick and choose". ;)
The following are both among my very favouritest and also extremely versatile bloggers, so they may pick and choose which award they like, or take both. =)
Lily Childs writes exquisite horror fiction. She also hosts and judges the Friday Prediction flash fiction challenge. A gracious host, she invites and brings together a wide spectrum of writers under one roof. Hers is definitely a blog worth following.
Aidan Fritz creates deep and interesting worlds, and somehow manages to evoke that depth without slowing his stories down. Always a great read.
Eastscapes is a blog I've pimped before. A friend and colleague of mine with a great eye for the spaces people leave behind, humanity's afterimages, the photography of the damned...
And now, for those of you still with me, my seven random facts...
1. For a short while I was in business with my parents and managed a lovely little children's bookshop... If I knew then what I know now.
2. I have no TV licence. If you live in the UK you know that means I don't watch any TV. At all.
(OK, so I watch Castle on demand5, but it's Nathan Fillion, dammit.)
3. I'm a big geek, but I'm a massive Batman geek. That established, my favourite character isn't Batman, it's Nightwing. (Not necessarily Dick Grayson as Robin or Batman, but Dick grayson as Nightwing)
4. I have a dragon scarified on my left shoulder.
5. My dream job would be to write computer games (not program, I can't program for toffee, but plot, dialogue etc.). I think, even more so than books, the capacity for (interactive) storytelling and character development is very exciting.
6. The surname 'Xero' comes from my second internet incarnation as Angel Xero. Originally created for a prank, it stuck, and when I wanted something more grounded I swapped out the Angel for my real name.
7. My very first internet venture, back when no one used their real names and I called myself Shadow Weaver, was a site called Dark Minds. It began, 2002-ish, as a collective of friends producing creative snippets; it picked up a few other contributors along the way before fading away. These days it only exists on the Wayback Machine.
Sunday, 10 April 2011
News, news, news and #fridayflash
So, like the title says: news! =)
First up, I'm pretty chuffed that my story Red Tank has been published over at 365tomorows.com. I've read 365T on and off since the first year when it was only the few of them. Since they opened up to submissions I've always wanted to send them something but never got round to it (that was about 4/5 years ago, I'm very organised).
I was going to use the story for Missing Pieces, but on a whim I thought I would send it off to 365T first, give it a go. I actually missed the acceptance email (my spam filter ate it) so it just turned up in my blog feed, which was awesome! *^_^*
Secondly... what should I submit for the Best of #FridayFlash vol. 2?
Help! What's been your favourite dive into the Xeroverse so far? And how could it be better? (we get to edit before we submit)
My personal favourites are:
Doors (101 words)
Murder between the Stars (science fiction)
People Pies (suspense/ crime)
Starling (magic realism)
Thanks to anyone who takes the time to have a look at these. =)
And finally, the third thing, I've started a new blog...
Seriously?
I know, I know! It's not as if I don't already neglect enough of my blogs. But this one's something a little different, a photoblog. Adventures in Android is an exploration of phone camera photography, a side project.
I love photography, but I love writing more and that will always be the priority when it comes to time management. AiA is a little concession to a secondary passion, and one I can hopefully keep up without it cutting into my writing time too much. =)
First up, I'm pretty chuffed that my story Red Tank has been published over at 365tomorows.com. I've read 365T on and off since the first year when it was only the few of them. Since they opened up to submissions I've always wanted to send them something but never got round to it (that was about 4/5 years ago, I'm very organised).
I was going to use the story for Missing Pieces, but on a whim I thought I would send it off to 365T first, give it a go. I actually missed the acceptance email (my spam filter ate it) so it just turned up in my blog feed, which was awesome! *^_^*
Secondly... what should I submit for the Best of #FridayFlash vol. 2?
Help! What's been your favourite dive into the Xeroverse so far? And how could it be better? (we get to edit before we submit)
My personal favourites are:
Doors (101 words)
Murder between the Stars (science fiction)
People Pies (suspense/ crime)
Starling (magic realism)
Thanks to anyone who takes the time to have a look at these. =)
And finally, the third thing, I've started a new blog...
Seriously?
I know, I know! It's not as if I don't already neglect enough of my blogs. But this one's something a little different, a photoblog. Adventures in Android is an exploration of phone camera photography, a side project.
I love photography, but I love writing more and that will always be the priority when it comes to time management. AiA is a little concession to a secondary passion, and one I can hopefully keep up without it cutting into my writing time too much. =)
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