What a week. I’ve been struck down by the virus from hell which doesn’t seem to get spectacularly worse, it just doesn’t go away. So, I’ve been slumped, thick-headed and dopey on a couch watching the Olympics and doing little of much worth. For whatever reason, I just can’t seem to read much when I’m sick, so this has been a real set back. Still, there’s time.
I noted a few days back that I’d started to read the new Stephen Donaldson novel. I now note, without further comment, that I’ve stopped. Not sure what next. Probably just some short fiction. The latest Lady Churchill’s Rosebud Wristlet has a lovely story by Deborah Roggie, “The Enchanted Trousseau”, that you should definitely check out. I’m also about to start in on the December Asimov’s. The year is slipping away.
Gavin and Kelly are crazy people, in a good way. In between life and it’s daily travails they both write wonderful fiction, edit fine anthologies and somehow find time to publish a magazine and books. They’ve just announced their latest, a chapbook of stories and poems by Theodora Goss. I loved her stories “The Rose in Twelve Petals” and “Professor Berkowitz Stands on the Threshold”, both of which are in the chapbook, and think her new story “Miss Emily Gray”, from Steve Pasechnick’s fine Alchemy, is definitely amongst the year’s best. I suspect you need this one, and know I do. I just don’t know how Gavin and Kelly find time to sleep.
On a less happy note, the new Donaldson has a particularly ugly opening paragraph. It’ll get better though. I’m sure of it. Definitely. Really. Probably.
So, I went out and bought Bob, the B2 Stealth Walkman, to replace the recently deceased one. Spent more than I wanted, got a good deal, and am pretty happy. Can’t wait to get to the States and try the new headphones with it. Should be cool. Only ten days till I go, and still too much to do. I’ve now finished buying clothes etc for the trip, and really only need to read a lot, pack and then go. On reading, I finished the Jon Courtenay Grimwood novel, which was good, have started the Steve Donaldson, and am trying to read as much short fiction in between. On that score, SciFiction has a terrific new Terry Bisson story coming up in October. Keep an eye out for it.
I was just reading this interview with Geoff Ryman over at InfinityPlus, where he discusses his new novel and discusses something he calls ‘mundane science fiction’. There’s a site at www.mundanesf.com. According to Ryman, “… the word Mundane means of the world. So by and large Mundane SF sticks to Earth or the nearby solar system. For example if we can’t get to the stars, aliens can’t get to us. Quantum uncertaintly works only at the micro level. Parallel universes are unlikely. So two years ago, out of Clarion a bunch of young writers decided they wanted to limit themselves to the most likely future. This meant facing up to what we know is coming, dealing with it and imaging good futures that are likely.” Read the manifesto for more info. Seems pretty sensible to me, and it looks like it describes work by some of the more interesting writers in the field today. Still, do we need another movement?
