I’m not especially given to shouting out “me too” or piling in to agree on things, but that’s how I felt when reading Jeff VanderMeer’s post on “Editors, influence and you“. Folllowing on from an SF Signal podcast and discussion of recent events at Readercon, Jeff addresses the issue of editors, the influence they can have on your career as a writer, and harrassment.

I can only say read it. I agree pretty much wholeheartedly. Realistically, no single editor can influence a writer’s career significantly. Any editor who tries to suggest otherwise is either being foolish or a creep. Anyone who tries to trade on that impression in any way (especially physically) is contemptible, damages every editor when he or she does so, and deserves to be ejected from our community for such actions (the punch in the face Jeff suggests would also be appropriate).

I also agree about the editor/writer power balance comments Jeff makes. I still very much feel like the newbie I was 20 years ago, and am always surprised and taken aback when I hear people don’t see me that way. It is something I try more and more to be aware of and to manage as best I can, but it does turn people like me into old farts, and I’m already far too far down that path to need any help so I’d ask anyone I meet to remember I’m just some guy and not to take me too seriously.

I am currently working on putting the final touches on my next anthology project*, Edge of Infinity, which is coming out from Solaris Books later this year.

Edge of Infinity is a direct follow on from last year’s Engineering Infinity, but this time is focussed on hard SF/adventure set in an industrialised, settled pre-starflight solar system. It gathers stories set everywhere from Mercury to Neptune, the nooks and crannies of the asteroid belt, to the wonders and beauties of Jupiter.  At a time when interstellar travel seems ever more impractical, these stories breathe life into our dream of the future by showing us the romance and challenge of what is achievable here on our own doorstep.

And so, the very nearly almost completely final table of contents for Edge of Infinity, a book that I’ve come to love a great deal. There’s a very much outside chance one more story might sneek into the book, but it’ll be last minute it it does. I’ll advise you all here if so.

In the meantime, my sincere thanks to the fabulous Jonathan Oliver and the team at Solaris Books , who have been spectacular to work with and who have done a brilliant job of packaging the book, as you can see below.

 

1. Introduction, Jonathan Strahan
2. The Girl-Thing Who Went Out For Sushi, Pat Cadigan
3. The Deeps of the Sky, Elizabeth Bear
4. Drive, James S.A. Corey
5. The Road to NPS, Sandra McDonald & Stephen D. Covey
6. Swift as a Dream and Fleeting as a Sigh, John Barnes
7. Macy Minnot’s Last Christmas on Dione, Ring Racing, Fiddler’s Green, the Potter’s Garden, Paul McAuley
8. Safety Tests, Kristine Kathryn Rusch
9. Bricks, Sticks, Straw, Gwyneth Jones
10. Tyche and the Ants, Hannu Rajaniemi
11. Obelisk, Stephen Baxter
12. Vainglory, Alastair Reynolds
13. Water Rights, An Owomayela
14. The Peak of Eternal Light, Bruce Sterling

Edge of Infinity is now available for pre-order in all sorts of cool places.
* For working, read slightly panicking and looking blearily through a post-wedding haze trying to focus enough to write an introduction.

Where do you find inspiration? Legendary SF novelist Larry Niven once said that everything he did was tax deductible because it was all related to his work. Every experience he had was something he might write about. Even going to the dentist was grist for his writing mill.

Everybody knows something that most people don’t. Perhaps you went skydiving once, or competed as an ice skater when you were a kid. Perhaps you’re learning how to make cheese, or lived in Japan for a year. The trick is in identifying that knowledge, and turning it into a story.

Join award-winning novelist Amelia Beamer for a three-hour workshop designed to write, talk about writing, and get inspiration from the things you already know. Amelia will take you through the process of turning your knowledge into characters and storylines that highlight your unique, individual storytelling voice.

Amelia is the award-winning author of the novel The Loving Dead (2010) as well as fiction and poetry in Interfictions 2, Lady Churchill’s Rosebud Wristlet, Red Cedar Review, and The Living Dead 2 amongst others. A former program assistant for the highly-respected international Clarion East writing workshop, Amelia has also as an editor, reviewer, and photographer for Locus: The Magazine of the Science Fiction and Fantasy Field. As an independent scholar she has published papers in Foundation: The International Review of Science Fiction and the Journal of the Fantastic in the Arts, on topics including John W. Campbell’s Astounding, the TV series Lost, and the works of Peter Straub (written with Gary K. Wolfe). She has spoken at many conferences and conventions on various aspects of publishing. Born in Michigan, USA, Amelia now lives in Australia after stints in California and the UK.

WHEN: 1-4pm, Saturday 11 August, Gary Holland Community Centre, cnr Kent St & Flinders Lane, Rockingham

COST: Free.

Bookings are essential. To book a place, contact Lee Battersby, Coordinator Cultural Development & the Arts, City of Rockingham on 9528 0386 or  lee.battersby@rockingham.wa.gov.au.

Wednesday morning was all about being up and out. I had breakfast then met Cindy for coffee and a catchup, before strolling into the city. We ended up at the Art Gallery walking through the rather lovely Fred Williams exhibit. An hour or so later, dim sum in Chinatown before another stroll through the city and up Swanston Street for a quick visit to Readings and more coffee. After more chat we parted ways and I ended up having a short rest and an early dinner before heading out to record The Writer and the Critic. Kirstyn and Mondy were buckets of fun, and I hope the podcast turned out ok. It ended up being a late night, but a terrific one. This morning was breakfast with Justin, and now shopping. The convention’s around the corner and I think I might need a rest already!

So, I totally should have either brought a camera or bought one. I flew out of Perth for Victoria on Saturday morning. I confess I was a little grumpy because Qantas had changed planes and I found myself sandwiched into a tiny seat. But so it goes. I read some of Daniel Abraham’s The King’s Blood, listened to music and whiled away the three hour flight.

To my great delight I was met at the airport by my dear friend and great pal Jack Dann. We clicked, as we always do, and were chatting away like it had only been five minutes since we saw each other last, and not several years. We jumped in his car and headed down to his gorgeous newly renovated home in Foster. This is where the photos would come in handy. Not for the drive down, not for the dinner we had at the local pub, but for the stunning house with the most perfect library I’ve ever seen, and for the beautiful scenery.

Both Jack and Janeen insist that’s there’s something called “the Prom” just a few miles away. Their home is high on a hill with views over rolling farmland and out to sea – sort of Middle Earth meets Tuscany. It was always, while I was there, bitterly cold and indundated by gale force winds and sleeting rain. I got there at 5pm on Saturday and I don’t think I stepped outside again until I left on Tuesday. That might sound claustrophobic and shut in, but it wasn’t. The company was the best imaginable, the house was gorgeous and got to relax, unwind, chat and just recuperate from the last few months. Rainswept greenery was really all I needed.

What did we do? There was dinner, their wonder beagle Bertie, and lots of talk about books and other stuff. I’ve promised to go back when the weather improves, hopefully with Marianne. Not sure when, but sooner than the last time we did this 17 years ago. If I did nothing else in Melbourne, this alone would make the trip worthwhile.

At noon I hopped on a bus to Melbourne. Got here about three and immediately set myself up in the bar (getting ready for the con) where I tweeted and read and let time pass, before meeting Richard for dinner. We go back 25 years or more, so it was fun to sit and chat and just catch up with what’s happening with each other. I hope I’ll get to see him before heading home again.

And tomorrow? Cindy in the day then Ian and Kirstyn tomorrow evening. The trip progresses! For now, a nightcap perhaps.