tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-79042440478266209752024-02-22T16:50:59.457+00:00Munchkin's MindA blog to track the scribblings of Brian M. MiltonBrian M. Miltonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01998873019206193876noreply@blogger.comBlogger45125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7904244047826620975.post-55061701476358071132023-05-08T08:01:00.003+01:002023-05-10T10:03:10.894+01:00A shorty in the cathedral <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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</div><div>Good News, everybody, I have a new story out.</div><div>Available from <a href="https://www.new-maps.com/news/2023/05/spring-2023-announcement/">New Maps</a> is their Spring 2023 issue and I have a really quite short story in it. </div><div><br /></div><div>It's been two years since my last publication and for a bit there I felt like I might have lost the mojo for this story writing lark so this feels good.</div><div><br /></div><div>This is one of those daft ideas that sticks in your mind for ages and then, when you write it, turns out entirely different to how you'd imagined. I had intended mystery and action but instead it's gone a bit Canticle for Liebowitz meets Joyce Grenfell.</div><div>Still, I like it and I hope you do too.</div><div><br /></div><div>Oh, and if you do, I also had one with these fine people in the Spring 2021 issue too. </div>Brian M. Miltonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01998873019206193876noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7904244047826620975.post-65008431690206194832023-04-16T10:39:00.000+01:002023-04-16T10:39:28.292+01:00Like flippin' busses<p> Why yes, it is a non-end of year post. How bizarre.</p><p>And in this case it is to crow mightily while also banging the drum for persistence.</p><p><br /></p><p>You know that old line about you wait ages and then three busses turn up at once? Well it appears to hold true for writing of short fiction too. Looking back at my tracker I see that I had three acceptances at the start of 2021 and then absolutely nothing until now, when I've suddenly had another three. </p><p>As an average, this is brilliant and better than I could have hoped or deserved. As encouragement to keep going during those dark days of last year it's of no use what so ever. It felt like I'd seen the best of my stuff out there and that what I had left was the dross. I'd surfed my luck as far as I could. On several occasions I considered the idea of looking for a different hobby and when volunteering for the recent Eastercon I very nearly didn't put down that I wrote as it felt like a self-aggrandisement. Which would have been a shame as I ended up on a very nice panel about writing groups.</p><p><br /></p><p>The secret to this feast and famine appears to be persistence. The most obvious of this being the third acceptance which, according to Submission Grinder, I have submitted 34 times (!) before it being picked up.</p><p>Further to that, in both 2021 and 2022 I submitted over 80 times each, cycling through 15 stories, which, if nothing else, is an exercise in playing the odds where you eventually find the one editor who is having a moment of weakness.</p><p><br /></p><p>What does this say about the world of short fiction publishing? That somewhere out in that wide world there absolutely is an editor who will pay you money for your story. But by no means will you find them quickly. All you can do is keep writing, keep submitting and never consider a story dead just because you've had a formal rejection from four markets on the bounce. Your story will find a home.</p><p>Oh, and, if you can, find yourself a supportive writing group. They can tell you a lot about your writing and the submission process but also a good one will keep you going through those many, many rejections.</p>Brian M. Miltonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01998873019206193876noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7904244047826620975.post-90623975460486811022022-12-13T11:14:00.003+00:002022-12-13T11:15:29.086+00:002022: the year of hee haw<p> Hello all.</p><p>It's been a quiet year, writing news wise, this year. </p><p>I've been up to much, first holiday and first convention since the Covid stuff started, got Covid (mildly, I'm glad to say), got all eco-smug about electric cars, but when it comes to news to put in here, not so much.</p><p>I have, according to Submission Grinder, had my highest number of rejections ever but no acceptances. Considering that last year I had a barnstormer with multiple publications I think it is only reasonable to expect a dip but I'd have liked to have been able to report on something.</p><p>Hey, and indeed, ho. Hopefully one of the 'Held for consideration' notes I have will transform into something in the New Year but in the meantime I'll continue to plug away, not least because I'm still enjoying making up bobbins as a distraction from some of the crap in the world.</p><p>Also because I'd like to go to the Glasgow Worldcon in 2024 and say 'I write' and not feel like a total fraud doing so.</p><p><br /></p><p>Anywho, one thing I can still do is put up one of my old stories by way of the traditional Christmas 'present'. This year it's a thing about gods and goddesses that was published back in 2015 that came out of one of the many excellently silly post-GSFWC pub conversations.</p><p>You can find <a href="https://munchkinstein.blogspot.com/p/agnes-fairy.html">Agnes here</a>. Hope you like it.</p>Brian M. Miltonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01998873019206193876noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7904244047826620975.post-34269193153475764322021-12-08T16:36:00.002+00:002021-12-08T16:40:14.206+00:002021: The year of the four emperors<h1 style="text-align: center;"> Merry Christmas, one and all!</h1><div>I hope this December sees you fine and healthy after yet another year of pestilence and incompetently corrupt government. It's that time of year where people recap their writing successes and I jump on the bandwagon with my meagre offerings and a bit of free fiction.</div><div>But this year I have a surprising amount to shout about for I had four, count 'em, four, stories published this year. A phenomenal amount for me and I can't ever say thank you enough to those wonderful editors who picked my little stories.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjM2MrpzUVYdvgQ0xOE9jJoqxKCTXyMaO131_9wCb3kipCvipgYgCIBBEtma86flR8bIcZNopzHrTeFebUJApWIiq_A3xCzG97_wYc1Zcebxyo6kigzS8cPl12HVP8zfWahPB9cdC7lX6ISEMbIexEj1MbUA6l4Jaz3r4nbdDacCpgHPgvhbBu8WvI-0w=s1000" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="700" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjM2MrpzUVYdvgQ0xOE9jJoqxKCTXyMaO131_9wCb3kipCvipgYgCIBBEtma86flR8bIcZNopzHrTeFebUJApWIiq_A3xCzG97_wYc1Zcebxyo6kigzS8cPl12HVP8zfWahPB9cdC7lX6ISEMbIexEj1MbUA6l4Jaz3r4nbdDacCpgHPgvhbBu8WvI-0w=s320" width="224" /></a></div>First of all was Sacrificial Gasoline, published in New Maps in April. A story about incompetent and corrupt government, oddly enough, and it's interaction with climate change. It can be found <a href="https://www.new-maps.com/news/2021/04/spring-2021-issue-available/" target="_blank">here</a></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjOiooB-eGPUuA3YLw92G233MV6Y_EBnUPozKQDc7tDHIUmnH5hYM3yubhTMD4Konsaw2TaCvxaw4rhMYSS18jpBkphzz4I-VqZoFPbi7Le3yj_qm8RVFX2k_QlHwy5DR6W2sezeJgxYZfN2riErvwygR8elb8hab2J1Kw1HQEYrWwAjqcijAOhFPLGkQ=s576" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="576" data-original-width="360" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjOiooB-eGPUuA3YLw92G233MV6Y_EBnUPozKQDc7tDHIUmnH5hYM3yubhTMD4Konsaw2TaCvxaw4rhMYSS18jpBkphzz4I-VqZoFPbi7Le3yj_qm8RVFX2k_QlHwy5DR6W2sezeJgxYZfN2riErvwygR8elb8hab2J1Kw1HQEYrWwAjqcijAOhFPLGkQ=s320" width="200" /></a></div><br /><div>The second appeared in the anthology A Quiet Afternoon 2 and is called Rab the Giant and the Problem Neighbour. It's a quieter piece about being a good neighbour and not jumping to conclusions and can be bought <a href="https://payhip.com/b/LqAfQ" target="_blank">here</a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi2F3MRWZovv3820XXufniGQpz4FjykAQFR1Lffp26LTTjcEsqHxWceP2Vj-9Eg-L13Lhs2VF94xkx4hviFOPRIOHk-0FWpBLxnalrdk84DbvF4LMXF7bDj-_ICL65xS7tF9gNVcz0jcJkhwqvG0k91isyIEfZcaTqDh9nrHXlmS_VMYGTdT1aeSqXjNg=s798" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="798" data-original-width="600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi2F3MRWZovv3820XXufniGQpz4FjykAQFR1Lffp26LTTjcEsqHxWceP2Vj-9Eg-L13Lhs2VF94xkx4hviFOPRIOHk-0FWpBLxnalrdk84DbvF4LMXF7bDj-_ICL65xS7tF9gNVcz0jcJkhwqvG0k91isyIEfZcaTqDh9nrHXlmS_VMYGTdT1aeSqXjNg=s320" width="241" /></a></div><br /><div>Third was Gentrification and the Dream House, published in KZine in June and available <a href="http://www.kzine.myzen.co.uk/kzine/issue-30.htm">here</a></div><div>This one is my attempt at a proper portal fantasy, somewhat let down by the characters being in their forties and not their childhood.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg6hWUyXvKDxUX99F-YZEiNy9e7lfRVezbVezvaUBimnQ3jAIab7mKSyvF7C0tVITcUkUbOWLbzRtX502eXwm_1qe6dxlXwj36pO3CrpcWxTTw1M64W3pIGPhHgq-Cyu4_toIB7kSFZRA-Aq_Ne-ZC84h6ybGTH5d_H4WwjmehrqsL3xavPsp9FUfwzjQ=s2048" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1364" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg6hWUyXvKDxUX99F-YZEiNy9e7lfRVezbVezvaUBimnQ3jAIab7mKSyvF7C0tVITcUkUbOWLbzRtX502eXwm_1qe6dxlXwj36pO3CrpcWxTTw1M64W3pIGPhHgq-Cyu4_toIB7kSFZRA-Aq_Ne-ZC84h6ybGTH5d_H4WwjmehrqsL3xavPsp9FUfwzjQ=s320" width="213" /></a></div><br /><div>Finally last month brought us Titanic Terrstructures, a fairly titanic book in it's own right and an anthology of stories set around ginormous SF structures. Mine also has Aunts and they can be found <a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B09LGK5CH4" target="_blank">here</a></div><div><br /></div><div>I am extremely happy about all of these and not a little shocked to see them all together like this. Sadly I'll not see this many in one go for a long while to come, if nothing else because my writing this year has been very bitty and inconsequential. I will blame it on a second year of pandemic based brain fog but abject laziness does have a part to play as well. Here's hoping that next year I can write more as I have a TV studio set thing I've been working on for ages I'd love to get out there and a thing about post-apocalyptic tablet that keeps gnawing at the back of my brain.</div><div><br /></div><div>One thing I did mange to write was flash fiction in October, following the Glasgow Writer Circle prompts. The output from that can be found <a href="https://munchkinstein.blogspot.com/p/writober-2021.html">here</a> if you didn't see it at the time here or on Twitter.</div><div><br /></div><div>And now to the traditional Christmas gift of free fiction. This year I bring you <a href="https://munchkinstein.blogspot.com/p/why-did-you-leave-your-last-employer.html">Why did you leave your last employer?</a> This was a story that got picked up for publishing last year, in 2020, but, due to the editor's politics not agreeing with mine, shall we say, I never pimped it. Unfortunate but I didn't feel happy directing people towards the magazine after some of the things the editor said.</div><div>Anyhoo, I now produce it here so you can see what it was. Hope you like it.</div>Brian M. Miltonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01998873019206193876noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7904244047826620975.post-35703720771550133782021-11-16T13:16:00.004+00:002021-11-16T13:21:49.706+00:00Life in the big House<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi30WqCxqpDLZPZfETtVrmaVXtf9OfROs9xsH_HKxucdz8GLJa9UI4n8awBLZpmnTSEi_h-RJ7JgZ4eLumPB5O-Szq_7c1t2U87-N6Hx_UNq8rtpYYDycsN5qpeClEyL2pHycmFqHkipwp0/s2048/kindle_cover_authors.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1364" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi30WqCxqpDLZPZfETtVrmaVXtf9OfROs9xsH_HKxucdz8GLJa9UI4n8awBLZpmnTSEi_h-RJ7JgZ4eLumPB5O-Szq_7c1t2U87-N6Hx_UNq8rtpYYDycsN5qpeClEyL2pHycmFqHkipwp0/s320/kindle_cover_authors.jpg" width="213" /></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">I've got a new story out, yay! This one is in an anthology, Titanic Terastructures that can be found <a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B09LGK5CH4">here</a>, that is a set of stories all in some way related to ginormous SF thingumies of a Ringworld stylee. I am very much looking forward to reading this and seeing what huge and wondrous ideas people have written of.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">As for my story, it is set in a place called The House which is a planet wide residence that has seen better days and is a 'living in the ruins' type of story. There may be quite a lot of dust but I hope you like it.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">By way of a wee taster, I've put up a piece of flash fiction that I wrote a few years back that was my first visit to The House. Ever since then the setting has stuck in my head and keeps nagging me to write things about it. I've had a few goes at short stories and this is the most successful. Saying that, the idea keeps nagging me so there might be more.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">The flash piece that created it all can be found here: <a href="https://munchkinstein.blogspot.com/p/the-oculus-at-edge-of-universe.html">The Oculus at the Edge of the Universe</a></span></p><p style="text-align: center;">***</p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">As Amazon is not great at showing all authors, here is a TOC for the book:</span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-indent: 0.26181pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Honeysuckle for Ashes </span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-indent: 0.26181pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">/ </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-indent: 0.26181pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Christopher R. Muscato </span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-indent: 0.26181pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">You Too Shall Pass </span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-indent: 0.26181pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">/ </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-indent: 0.26181pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Russell Nichols </span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-indent: -0.69133pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Jack, the Medbot and the Giant in the Sky </span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-indent: -0.69133pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">/ </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-indent: -0.69133pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Laurel </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-indent: -0.69133pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Beckley </span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-align: right; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Bang </span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-align: right; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">/ </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-align: right; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Craig Russell </span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-indent: 0.659607pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Fundamentals of Search and Rescue </span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-indent: 0.659607pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">/ </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-indent: 0.659607pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Jennifer R. </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-indent: 0.659607pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Donohue </span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-align: justify; text-indent: -1.52588e-05pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Mothership </span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-align: justify; text-indent: -1.52588e-05pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">/ </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-align: justify; text-indent: -1.52588e-05pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">M.R. Parsons </span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-align: justify; text-indent: -1.52588e-05pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Broken Circle </span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-align: justify; text-indent: -1.52588e-05pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">/ </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-align: justify; text-indent: -1.52588e-05pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Manda Benson </span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-align: justify; text-indent: -1.52588e-05pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Memento Mori </span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-align: justify; text-indent: -1.52588e-05pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">/ </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-align: justify; text-indent: -1.52588e-05pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Johannes Toivo Svensson </span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-align: justify; text-indent: -1.52588e-05pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Ashes to Ashes Dust to Stardust </span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-align: justify; text-indent: -1.52588e-05pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">/ </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-align: justify; text-indent: -1.52588e-05pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Wendy Nikel </span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-align: justify; text-indent: -1.52588e-05pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Under the Graying Sea </span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-align: justify; text-indent: -1.52588e-05pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">/ </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-align: justify; text-indent: -1.52588e-05pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Jonathan Sherwood </span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-align: justify; text-indent: -1.52588e-05pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Tharsis Dilemma </span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-align: justify; text-indent: -1.52588e-05pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">/ </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-align: justify; text-indent: -1.52588e-05pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Matthew Ross </span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-align: justify; text-indent: -1.52588e-05pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Moment </span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-align: justify; text-indent: -1.52588e-05pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">/ </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-align: justify; text-indent: -1.52588e-05pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Dan Piponi </span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-align: justify; text-indent: -1.52588e-05pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Big House </span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-align: justify; text-indent: -1.52588e-05pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">/ </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-align: justify; text-indent: -1.52588e-05pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Bunny McFadden </span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-align: justify; text-indent: -1.52588e-05pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Sensation of Drowning </span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-align: justify; text-indent: -1.52588e-05pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">/ </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-align: justify; text-indent: -1.52588e-05pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Dennis Mombauer </span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Long Road Home </span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">/ </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Andrew Gudgel </span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-indent: 0.525341pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">A Singular Event in the Fourth Dimension </span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-indent: 0.525341pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">/ </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-indent: 0.525341pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Andrea </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-indent: 0.525341pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">M. Pawley </span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-align: justify; text-indent: -0.000118256pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">And the House Did Watch Over All </span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-align: justify; text-indent: -0.000118256pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">/ </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-align: justify; text-indent: -0.000118256pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Brian M. Milton</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-align: justify; text-indent: -0.000118256pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Long Sleep to Tera Terra </span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-align: justify; text-indent: -0.000118256pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">/ </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-align: justify; text-indent: -0.000118256pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Mark Kirkbride </span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-align: justify; text-indent: -0.000118256pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The What-The Tree </span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-align: justify; text-indent: -0.000118256pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">/ </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-align: justify; text-indent: -0.000118256pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Liam Hogan </span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-align: justify; text-indent: -0.000118256pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Haunting House </span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-align: justify; text-indent: -0.000118256pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">/ </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-align: justify; text-indent: -0.000118256pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Mike Morgan </span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-align: justify; text-indent: -0.000118256pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Heavenstair </span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-align: justify; text-indent: -0.000118256pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">/ </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-align: justify; text-indent: -0.000118256pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Al Onia </span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-align: justify; text-indent: -0.000118256pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Antimatter Dreams </span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-align: justify; text-indent: -0.000118256pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">/ </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-align: justify; text-indent: -0.000118256pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">David Wright </span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-align: justify; text-indent: -0.000118256pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Distraction </span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-align: justify; text-indent: -0.000118256pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">/ </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-align: justify; text-indent: -0.000118256pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Regina Clarke </span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-align: justify; text-indent: -0.000118256pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Podfall </span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-align: justify; text-indent: -0.000118256pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">/ </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-align: justify; text-indent: -0.000118256pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Barend Nieuwstraten III </span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-align: justify; text-indent: -0.000118256pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Kamacite Cage </span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-align: justify; text-indent: -0.000118256pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">/ </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-align: justify; text-indent: -0.000118256pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Richard de Silva </span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-align: justify; text-indent: -0.000118256pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Land of Opportunity </span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-align: justify; text-indent: -0.000118256pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">/ </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-align: justify; text-indent: -0.000118256pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Gustavo Bondoni </span></span></p>Brian M. Miltonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01998873019206193876noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7904244047826620975.post-80823386696383710342021-06-26T12:57:00.002+01:002021-06-26T12:59:15.288+01:00Recurring dreams and dusty attics<p>Proving that story publications are like busses, I've another new one for your perusal. This time it is a story of old childhood memories and how market forces affects them. Or something.</p><p>Anywho, you can find it in <a href="http://www.kzine.myzen.co.uk/kzine/issue-30.htm">Kzine issue 30</a> and it is called Gentrification and the Dream House.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpb9JyCPBkxyfnT6oNwX94b5dXpL3oV_WOZ4I7E04voTOO8T-SqUwKHISwoDHWa5RRDrHdQf2H52cfH9jc3Q9SBMkEdIQ7qifUfWHR_llYLXDBGfJJ2AVDEucxuFagqUaxgbxQ9BClNXxn/s798/Kzine30cover.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="798" data-original-width="600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpb9JyCPBkxyfnT6oNwX94b5dXpL3oV_WOZ4I7E04voTOO8T-SqUwKHISwoDHWa5RRDrHdQf2H52cfH9jc3Q9SBMkEdIQ7qifUfWHR_llYLXDBGfJJ2AVDEucxuFagqUaxgbxQ9BClNXxn/s320/Kzine30cover.jpg" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>This one had an odd gestation in that it is based on a recurring dream I've had all my life. Child, student, adult, the same basic scenario cropped up of my travelling through narrow passages in old houses and, a couple of years back, it came to me again. Only this time the dream was an angry rant about modern consumerism ruining old stuff. As I'm sure happens in your dreams all the time too.</p><p>Other than being a sign that I'm getting old this inspired me to try to write down the feelings I was getting from the dream and, eventually, it evolved into the published story. Initially there was a lot more of the dream, i.e. passages and non-sequitur weirdness but thanks to the lovely and clever people at the Glasgow Science Fiction Writer's Circle that was (sadly) cut to let the story that it morphed into appear.</p><p>Also inspirational was the Old Fruitmarket in Glasgow which I went to while initially writing this and got distracted from the band looking at the ironwork. </p><p><br /></p><p>Now, while I have you here, not only is this out today, but, as previously mentioned, you can also find a story of mine in A Quiet Afternoon 2 which you can find <a href="https://payhip.com/b/LqAfQ">here</a> on pre-order, although the pdfs go out in only a few days time. </p><p>And, since I've been having that sort of year which I promise this it the last of, a further reminder that back in April I also had a story out in New Maps which you can find <a href="https://new-maps.com/news/2021/04/spring-2021-issue-available/">here</a></p><p><br /></p><p>I hope you enjoy and that the next time you're down the shops you consider the alternatives on offer and if you can get to them by a door half way up a wall.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBBQIB2K52Df7qImujanzP8RIDcSCdzB-qDOfqh0TiFUwiBzqwRM1f3V5D6U_7c7KeTQfPgSv-luqfMavPdldIFZzBv9oOsmkYsT5REqeXXMkWFUpXnyhAl9e2CrB_xZcVMikL1ykFQjQ1/s961/477768_10150631995828531_1297798067_o+%25281%2529.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="961" data-original-width="721" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBBQIB2K52Df7qImujanzP8RIDcSCdzB-qDOfqh0TiFUwiBzqwRM1f3V5D6U_7c7KeTQfPgSv-luqfMavPdldIFZzBv9oOsmkYsT5REqeXXMkWFUpXnyhAl9e2CrB_xZcVMikL1ykFQjQ1/s320/477768_10150631995828531_1297798067_o+%25281%2529.jpg" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p>Brian M. Miltonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01998873019206193876noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7904244047826620975.post-8206028695145408262021-05-30T16:19:00.002+01:002021-05-30T16:44:46.440+01:00Low risk reading for the win!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqVKj5tGLC5hvooGFTkxLGwdQK17IaZh3lXl0lVfqFcRF-tYrVgukv3kL2zsmcmo8IodWmddoM6R_SndcPJTMLZScdVxeZjLEDfk9MeAx-akt9K0bCmIQK2xnlbTNA_7Sh1q6VryvLhtCU/s576/GV_AQA2_cover.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="576" data-original-width="360" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqVKj5tGLC5hvooGFTkxLGwdQK17IaZh3lXl0lVfqFcRF-tYrVgukv3kL2zsmcmo8IodWmddoM6R_SndcPJTMLZScdVxeZjLEDfk9MeAx-akt9K0bCmIQK2xnlbTNA_7Sh1q6VryvLhtCU/w250-h400/GV_AQA2_cover.jpg" width="250" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>I have a new story coming out soon in a wee Canadian anthology called A Quiet Afternoon 2 and they've just opened their site for pre-orders. You can find it <a href="https://payhip.com/b/LqAfQ">here</a></p><p><br /></p><p>The anthology is a collection of relaxed stories ideal for a restful afternoon, something we could all do with these days. Apparently they had volume 1 out last year as a response to the pandemic and you can still find it on their website should you be in need of additional emergency sitting down.</p><p><br /></p><p>My story is a partner to one I had published in Fireside back in December 2017 in that it features Rab the Giant again, this time having to deal with some problematic neighbours and his prejudices and assumptions. </p><p>I like this one a lot and am very glad it's found a home, especially in something quite so suited to my interests of having a nice sit down and not getting wound up. Especially nice is that the publishers will make a donation to a local Canadian charity out of the proceeds so go on, look it up.</p><p>I hope you like it.</p><p><br /></p><p>Special Glaswegian Offer: Due to the relaxed and Canadian nature of the anthology they asked me to tone down the language from it's Glaswegian default but if anyone wants to know how the original sounded I'm perfectly happy to come round your house and shout the obscenity at you from the street.</p>Brian M. Miltonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01998873019206193876noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7904244047826620975.post-62025076498781152392021-04-20T07:50:00.000+01:002021-04-20T07:50:08.997+01:00Sacrificial Gasoline<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.new-maps.com/assets/images/1.2-frontcover-1000px.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="The cover to New Maps, Issue 2" border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="560" height="640" src="https://www.new-maps.com/assets/images/1.2-frontcover-1000px.jpg" width="448" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p>It's a new story! </p><p>I'm very pleased to report that my story, Sacrificial Gasoline, has appeared in this wonderful publication, New Maps. You can find them <a href="https://www.new-maps.com/news/2021/04/spring-2021-issue-available/">here</a></p><p><br /></p><p>New Maps showcases 'de-industrial' fiction and if you want more information on what that is, they have a great editorial all about it in the issue. Basically it's stories of the near future where humanity is struggling with the end of out current profligate pillaging of the planet and turning to a different way of living, whatever that may be. But not with some magic Start Trek clean energy gixmo. In my case, it's a tale told by an old granny of her childhood which is a generation or two from now.</p><p>I first wrote this quite a few years back and it has gone through a number of evolutions before finding it's home but probably the thing that distresses me the most about it is that its politics (and the politician in it) are only more relevant than they were then.</p><p><br /></p><p>And finally a wee note on the inspiration for this story. It's often hard to know what, exactly, triggered an idea but in this case I can point to the album <a href="https://open.spotify.com/album/4yJMIu2AvLwqnoW4xlnnV6?si=wt65uohySMORrCScrDm0-Q">Songs From The Floodplain</a> by Jon Boden. It's a (very good) album set in a similar de-industrial world and got my brain working great style. I highly recommend it and it's follow up Afterglow if you like the ideas in this magazine and/or English folk. </p><p><br /></p><p>Thanks for reading and I hope you enjoy the story, for all its grim settings.</p>Brian M. Miltonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01998873019206193876noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7904244047826620975.post-29256285830718785152020-12-06T12:36:00.004+00:002020-12-06T12:42:00.416+00:002020: The year of the pestilence<p> Hello all. I hope this strangest of years has been not too bad for you and that this finds you well. It's been weird, tragic and befuddling for all so well done on getting through it best you can and fingers crossed for an improvement next year.</p><p><br /></p><p>It's been odd for us all but for me one of the oddest things is that it's mostly been good for me. Being stuck in meant I had to find alternative exercise and have taken up running. Not seeing people in pubs meant I have drunk less. I am probably healthier due to the pandemic than I would have been on a normal year. </p><p>Not that I'd wish this again, ever, of course.</p><p>I do say mostly as I fear I've become too used to not talking to real people in the flesh and, come the glorious day when we're vaccinated and can meet up again, I'll have some sort of Lovecraft-style screaming fit about too many eyes watching me. Hopefully I'll keep it internalised. 😉 </p><p>As for my writing, I've managed to keep up a basic level of it. Working in fits and starts I've finished off a couple of new things and have been diligently working in the background to push them out to markets and not let them languish too long after a rejection. This has led to a significantly higher number of submissions this year, over 70, and an acceptance to come out next year, which is lovely.</p><p>As for publishings, it was a good year, if slightly odd.</p><p>Firstly I had a story out in Shoreline of Infinity, <a href="https://www.shorelineofinfinity.com/product/shoreline-of-infinity-17/" target="_blank">Issue 17</a>, in January. A tale of space-faring starfish and rubbish collection, I'm very happy to have seen it in a local (well, Edinburgh) magazine and alongside some top notch other stuff.</p><p>Secondly was my contribution to the Glasgow Science Fiction Writer's Circle anthology, <a href="http://flotationdevicebook.co.uk/" target="_blank">Flotation Device</a>. This is a charity anthology produced by the circle and donates its funds to several charities helping out those struggling during this strangest of years. If you've not, please consider buying, it's for a good cause and the stories are well worth reading too. Even if mine is deeply silly and has to come with a <a href="https://munchkinstein.blogspot.com/p/some-of-great-old-ones-are-on-pitch_16.html" target="_blank">translation</a>.</p><p>I did have a third story come out this year, in August. A tale of science gone wrong and less than careful bee husbandry that I really like. I was deeply happy about it until the editor, just before publication, made some political comments that I couldn't support. As such, the story came out, I didn't promote it and, sadly, I'll just leave it there. A salutary lesson in being careful who you submit too.</p><p>And so we come to the standard Christmas 'present' of an old story posted up. This year it is <a href="https://munchkinstein.blogspot.com/p/maukit.html" target="_blank">Maukit</a>. </p><p>This one was published in 2013 and was my first anthology publication. It appeared in Caledonia Dreamin', a set of stories based on Scots words and is the darkest thing I've had published. The anthology is still available <a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Caledonia-Dreamin-Strange-Fiction-Scottish/dp/1908125306" target="_blank">here</a> and is well worth it. </p><p>Anyhoo, thanks for reading and fingers crossed for a better year to come. It's going to be a roller-coaster in its own right, what with the politics ongoing. but I hope it finds you better.</p>Brian M. Miltonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01998873019206193876noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7904244047826620975.post-62752384412382490922020-03-23T15:40:00.001+00:002020-03-23T16:24:15.380+00:00Self-isolating for charity<h2 style="text-align: center;">
WASH YOUR HANDS!!</h2>
<br />
Hello, I hope you're all well in these difficult and frankly bizarre times.<br />
<br />
It is difficult to know how the next few months are going to pan out but it does look like it will be difficult for many people through illness or their employer's being selfish bastards. To try to help in what small way we can the Glasgow Science Fiction Writer's Circle has produced an anthology e-book which they are selling for charity.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigPnni8DYa5_xItRQRya_U8GqcqbSY0QICudiAGMvwFQdji71MAVO525f5tktOylefDpP5vAmknUOfV8y7Xbv-gadaRBkQAhXr8KI3q6qXNTWCsSXDqiDOFxgaXrMD_SQWhA7lJpdy9sAP/s1600/flotation+1000+wide+cover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1399" data-original-width="1000" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigPnni8DYa5_xItRQRya_U8GqcqbSY0QICudiAGMvwFQdji71MAVO525f5tktOylefDpP5vAmknUOfV8y7Xbv-gadaRBkQAhXr8KI3q6qXNTWCsSXDqiDOFxgaXrMD_SQWhA7lJpdy9sAP/s320/flotation+1000+wide+cover.jpg" width="228" /></a></div>
As edited by E.M. Faulds and featuring the greats of the circle (and me) it is 20 stories for a small fee of £5.99. Sold directly to try to maximise the money going to charities including The Trussell Trust,<br />
Medecins Sans Frontieres and Simon Community Scotland.<br />
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If you can, please buy one. It's for a great cause and my story is very short and mostly tentacle filled so you can avoid it easily.<br />
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You can find out more here at <a href="http://flotationdevicebook.co.uk/">http://flotationdevicebook.co.uk/</a><br />
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<h2 style="text-align: center;">
BUY IT!</h2>
<h2 style="text-align: center;">
IT'S FOR CHARITY!</h2>
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WASH YOUR HANDS AGAIN!!</h2>
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STAY INDOORS!!!</h2>
Brian M. Miltonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01998873019206193876noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7904244047826620975.post-33907458158520948682020-01-28T15:47:00.002+00:002020-01-28T15:53:31.250+00:00Delinquent, intergalactic starfish<h2 style="text-align: center;">
A new story for a new decade</h2>
<br />
I've a new story out but a slight delay on my blogging about this as, in a fit of anger over having my European citizenship removed at the end of this month, I went to Rome at the weekend instead. Where my wife was photographed crocheting inside the Coliseum by a passing tourist, if you want to know what interests your modern traveller more; ancient, gigantic ruins or some nice crafting.<br />
<br />
Anyhoo, it was lovely, very glad to have been, blimey some of that stuff is old. Now, to this story of mine.<br />
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<h3 style="text-align: center;">
Tentacles!</h3>
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Yes, the very lovely (if you ignore some of their terrible jokes) people at Shoreline Of Infinity in Edinburgh have published a story of mine in their latest issue, 17. The one with this glorious cover:</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuw7-Au20OYThMDSlwQt7upn9sMGMYIm1Z39unn4vstkT6K8ejLkPSdPnpx3aTkNaR-hfUOkygVGZLQa2Z7EL0cfQDNc-I3JcK_uZotDfgqEDPKgnWc7ZFghrW9NMa_p9Ft7JH1ukdxbwx/s1600/IMG_20200128_141341.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuw7-Au20OYThMDSlwQt7upn9sMGMYIm1Z39unn4vstkT6K8ejLkPSdPnpx3aTkNaR-hfUOkygVGZLQa2Z7EL0cfQDNc-I3JcK_uZotDfgqEDPKgnWc7ZFghrW9NMa_p9Ft7JH1ukdxbwx/s320/IMG_20200128_141341.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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It is a wee SF story about how aliens deal with their disaffected youth and their rubbish. It may be a touch silly.</div>
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For those interested in where ideas come from, this was inspired by a tweet I saw by the editor of Shoreline. Just them indicating the sort of thing they like which triggered my brain. Off I went to write up the idea and, to my great surprise, on submitting it through their standard process, they liked it and picked up. </div>
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So, following markets on social media is well worth your time. All part of finding out what they want.</div>
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You can find it <a href="https://www.shorelineofinfinity.com/product/shoreline-of-infinity-17/">here</a> to purchase in both electronic and gloriously tactile physical format which looks like this:</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiWdmVt_o6TW0gnot8UNQKXt_pTi-UM2yrYTGPXkk_w9-RsMKKafo-JxqmRPLw_5ABjkVcl9FP6MOBwMWOcAPDQT2zma-rMVLPrQTNZ1rXAWpbwFdHbyzka80bNe8nAFUlfuuNt0DECdsN/s1600/IMG_20200128_141444.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiWdmVt_o6TW0gnot8UNQKXt_pTi-UM2yrYTGPXkk_w9-RsMKKafo-JxqmRPLw_5ABjkVcl9FP6MOBwMWOcAPDQT2zma-rMVLPrQTNZ1rXAWpbwFdHbyzka80bNe8nAFUlfuuNt0DECdsN/s320/IMG_20200128_141444.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<br />
Also, while I'm here, before Christmas a friend of mine who works for the NHS down in Englandshire told me of a Hospital Radio show that was looking for stories to be read out. So I recorded a version of <a href="http://munchkinstein.blogspot.co.uk/p/unexpected-visitors-brian-m.html">Unexpected Visitors</a>, sent it over and I'm pleased to say they played it. How nifty.<br />
<br />Brian M. Miltonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01998873019206193876noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7904244047826620975.post-35250374783965617632019-12-05T09:22:00.003+00:002019-12-05T09:22:47.385+00:002019: The Year of Distractions<h2 style="text-align: center;">
Vote!</h2>
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Vote wisely and do not vote Tory!</h2>
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Anyway, now that I've got that important public service message out of the way, hello and welcome to my annual blog post on how this writing shenanigans is going. And the answer is, better than I'd thought.</div>
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A lot of this year has seen me distracted by many things in life and the world and I've felt that my writing has suffered for that. But, if I think on it, the following has happened:</div>
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<ul>
<li>Two stories sold - Back in the summer I sold a story to Shoreline of Infinity and, just yesterday, I sold one to Cirsova. Not got an ETA on either as yet but look out in 2020 for stories on intelligent alien starfish paying for their crimes and mad scientists undone by their hubris, as is right.</li>
<li>Went to Worldcon - I'm a con nerd, been going to them since the mid-Nineties and am first and foremost a fan, excited to see the guests and talk bobbins about books, TV and films I love. But, as time goes on I'm also getting a chance to hang out with the writing community at these things and Worldcon in Dublin this year was particularly good for that. Many an insight into the business (as much as that bothers hobbyist me) and a great opportunity to share annoyances with a huge number of lovely people. </li>
<li>Also went to Eastercon and Fantasycon - As above, but smaller, and cheaper, but no less fun. Fantasycon also gave me the first reason to go to Clydebank this decade.</li>
<li>Novelling - A lot of my writing this year has been taking the critiques I got from the GSFWC over a year previously on my current novel project and working them in. I've set myself a target of the end of the year to 'kill' this off. Either getting it to a state where I can push it out to agents and the like, or setting fire to it in a ritual as old as time, and then starting something new.</li>
<li>Podcasting - It was back at the start of the year, and was recorded last year, but I was on a podcast, Speculative Spaces, talking Doctor Who based bobbins and reading a story far too fast. There is a link to it in the Free Fiction menu over yonder.</li>
<li>Bought too many books, actually read some - Oh how poor I am at reading these days.</li>
</ul>
<div>
So yes, all in, actually done quite a lot and exceeded my target of stories sold, if not published, in a calendar year. So that's nice. </div>
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Just goes to show it is worth stopping to look back sometimes.</div>
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And now to the Christmas present tradition bit where I put up an old story of mine for reading. The last two years I've had the joy of linking to fresh, new stories just published on the internet but this year we return to the old ones and, in this case, <a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=7904244047826620975#editor/target=page;pageID=1629251649682175242;onPublishedMenu=pages;onClosedMenu=pages;postNum=0;src=pagename">The Writing Is On The Wall</a> </div>
<div>
This is a story I had published in an anthology called Oomph: A little super goes a long way, which came out in 2013. There are many good stories in that, so if it still exists I'd recommend it. It is my only attempt, so far, to write about superheroes. </div>
<div>
Content Warning; there is a reference to Nitshill Bowling Club.</div>
Brian M. Miltonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01998873019206193876noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7904244047826620975.post-38900167165627492312019-01-31T20:07:00.000+00:002019-01-31T20:26:53.979+00:00A face for radioThis writing thing has led to many odd things but, in what is probably the strangest, today I find myself on a podcast. <a href="http://www.speculativespaces.com/episode-005-brian-m-milton/">Speculative Spaces Podcast.</a><br />
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<br />
<div>
Local great person, Beth Faulds, has started doing a podcast where she chats to writers (local at present but she'd love to branch out so if you know anyone you think would be good for her to talk to, do let her know) about some aspect of writing before wandering off on to multiple digressions and then playing silly games.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div>
It was great fun to record, although possibly a touch drunken towards the end, and I went on at length about my enjoyment of Doctor Who. Cause it's me. I also read a version of my story The Lodger. I babble a bit while doing so, sorry about that, but I hope you get the gist.</div>
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There is also some bonus material (if you chip in) in which I go on about the greatness of Nigel Kneale amongst other stuff.</div>
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I hope you like it and I highly recommend the other episodes, great writers and quality chat.</div>
Brian M. Miltonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01998873019206193876noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7904244047826620975.post-34837643514771229462018-12-11T18:47:00.000+00:002018-12-11T18:51:02.993+00:002018: The Year of Distractions<div dir="ltr">
Hello all and welcome to what was supposed to be an annual blog <u>post</u>, rounding up the year but, as it turns out, I've not posted anything since this time last year.</div>
<div dir="ltr">
Oops, I've been distracted. So, what have I been doing?</div>
<div dir="ltr">
First and foremost, I've had the joy of two stories being published.</div>
<div dir="ltr">
Just out today on their website is <a href="https://firesidefiction.com/cleaning-up">Cleaning Up</a>, from Fireside. It is a tale of those who protect our world and get no thanks for it. </div>
<div dir="ltr">
Back in the summer I also had <a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07GXB6QWZ/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B07GXB6QWZ&linkCode=as2&tag=mightygrom-20&linkId=90f1a6f40e325d2f07a1483e27ae1985">The Advantages of Unofficial Consultation</a> published in the Magical CSI anthology by Otter Libris. This features, oddly enough, a couple of characters from Cleaning Up and their further adventures in getting ignored for the important job they do.</div>
<div dir="ltr">
I'm deeply happy to see both of these stories out in the wild. It's a coincidence they feature some common characters, although it does tickle me. <br />
I hope you like them too.</div>
<div dir="ltr">
Other writing news has been less good. I've had many distractions this year that have stopped me getting stuck into a job lot of novel edits I have and the short stories I have written have not quite soared yet and I've struggled to get some consistent time on them.<br />
My resolution, as much as you can make one, for next year is to mandate writing time and stop making excuses.</div>
<div dir="ltr">
Of course, some of this year's excuses were brilliant. I got married in the summer, for instance, so I'm not going to lament that lost writing time too much.</div>
<div dir="ltr">
Actually, getting married nearly derailed the publication of Cleaning Up. The lovely people at Fireside sent me edits on my wedding day and I had to do them while jetlagged in a Toronto hotel at three in the morning. Hopefully not so as you'd notice.</div>
<div dir="ltr">
All in, a bit of quiet year, writing wise, coasting on the work I put in last year. Hopefully I'll put more effort in during the upcoming solar rotation.</div>
Brian M. Miltonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01998873019206193876noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7904244047826620975.post-66623685648587807872017-12-12T13:40:00.000+00:002017-12-12T22:36:50.267+00:002017: The Year of the Step UpHello all and Happy Holidays.<br />
<br />
Firstly, I have a new story out. Yay! Normally at this time of year I do a review of the year and post up an old story for you. But today I happen to have a new story out from the wonderful people at <a href="https://firesidefiction.com/">Fireside Fiction</a>. It's called Rab the Giant and Witch of the Waterfall and it is available to read for free <a href="https://firesidefiction.com/rab-the-giant-versus-the-witch-of-the-waterfall">here</a> right now. It's a wee story about the monsters of yore and how they get on in the modern world. It features cake.<br />
<br />
Go, enjoy, I'll see you later if you feel the urge to come back for more of my drivel.<br />
<br />
...<br />
<br />
Oh, hello, thanks for coming back. Hope you liked it. If you did, please do consider chipping some money towards Fireside to help cover their costs. It all helps towards them providing more and better stories.<br />
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I've been attending story telling events of late and a lot of their stories are traditional fairy tale type stories. They all start wth 'Once upon a time' and have a moral and this was my attempt to do something similar. With luck and some insightful critiques from the Glasgow Science Fiction Writers Circle I'm feel I've got a fair way towards that.<br />
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Also, did you see the illustration they gave my story? How flipping wonderous is that? By <a href="https://mariannekhalil.carbonmade.com/about">Marianne Khalil</a> and I'm not sure I can quite express how awed and overjoyed I am to look upon it.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBbiAayaGiwXA6ROLa_jnlYcP39Rb5Zq1NV_uOGE8zUBha7JQxSBAF77GbseBGGin1Bd0gRcPZpCnblO59epM7SIFB9sDX8mN-3EnTq80SbUCcd3rGhY3wrWzVjceWlFPbTeCpFLtaTsT5/s1600/giphy-3.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="216" data-original-width="288" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBbiAayaGiwXA6ROLa_jnlYcP39Rb5Zq1NV_uOGE8zUBha7JQxSBAF77GbseBGGin1Bd0gRcPZpCnblO59epM7SIFB9sDX8mN-3EnTq80SbUCcd3rGhY3wrWzVjceWlFPbTeCpFLtaTsT5/s1600/giphy-3.gif" /></a></div>
Anyway, now that I've calmed down from my great excitement let's turn to my more normal end of year review thingy.<br />
<br />
Until quite recently it was looking like a quiet year. I had a story out in KZine way back in January but there has been a wee flurry recently. Obviously there is this new story out but I've also been told another three have been accepted for publication. A flash piece on the dangers of ancient technology, a bit of far future action with musings on memory and a second story to Fireside featuring a university library janitor and his talking cat.<br />
Expect to get spammed by me when those appear, hopefully next year.<br />
<br />
Another thing of note is that back in October I celebrated five years since my first publication. That was The Greatest Rocketman, published by Sein und Werden and you can read it <a href="https://munchkinstein.blogspot.co.uk/p/the-greatest-rocketman.html?m=1">here</a> as a previous year's Christmas present story. As such I thought I'd do a wee roundup of how those five years have gone, with a graph (ooo).<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSF__dIiVS9kJOD3BdDEVXFfPoLgTHYACOL1sJ0PE0lbCyOuC1hSATnZYe4ITxj2oNIkHNYrt9wIs-DjTMqTspYk90f-Bf5yyRQVgJnt0HbE2yy-Q3YYJq9WCGRw6K_YL6QvRm7OWxd1oB/s1600/Publishing_Graph.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="413" data-original-width="654" height="202" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSF__dIiVS9kJOD3BdDEVXFfPoLgTHYACOL1sJ0PE0lbCyOuC1hSATnZYe4ITxj2oNIkHNYrt9wIs-DjTMqTspYk90f-Bf5yyRQVgJnt0HbE2yy-Q3YYJq9WCGRw6K_YL6QvRm7OWxd1oB/s320/Publishing_Graph.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
Mostly what this graph shows is that I hate Microsoft's Excel and can't get it to do what I want, but it does also show that, after my best year for number of publications in 2013, I only just got away without a complete Granny in 2014.<br />
This being a good reminder to myself that one good year does not mean that the next will be similar. Those laurels must remain un-rested-upon.<br />
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Which, obviously, means I need to get my finger out and write more to hawk around next year.<br />
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Still, if, five years ago, you'd told me I'd have seen this much success with my wee writing hobby I'd have laughed right in your face. If you suggest I might even do similar in the next five years I will still laugh in your face.<br />
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Any roads, thanks to everyone who has helped me by reading or critiquing or publishing my nonsense. You're all lovely people.</div>
Brian M. Miltonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01998873019206193876noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7904244047826620975.post-48204837251640229212017-08-10T15:51:00.001+01:002017-08-10T15:53:10.536+01:00Writing on the shoulders of giants<p dir="ltr"><u>I've</u> sold a story!</p>
<p dir="ltr">Very pleased to be able to say that Fireside Fiction have bought a story from me called Rab the giant versus the witch of the waterfall. They have an announcement <a href="http://firesidefiction.com/april2017-submissions-results">here</a></p>
<p dir="ltr">It's a modern fairy tale featuring giants and witches (obvs) and is silly. I hope you like it when they publish it.</p>
<p dir="ltr">I'm pleased for many reasons. They are good people with a politics I like. They publish wonderful stories. It's a fun, daft story which makes me smile. And they pay at a professional level.</p>
<p dir="ltr">Payment is always nice, exposure gets you arrested, but there is a definition by the SFWA of what counts as a professional pay scale and this is the first time I have sold at that level. Normally it's a token fiver and a comp copy, which is always appreciated, but for someone to like something enough to pay the pro rate is such a wonderful boost and write the <u>shoc</u>k.</p>
<p dir="ltr">Probably the only time I'll make this level but, if you'll excuse me, I'm going to be smug about it for a bit.</p>
Brian M. Miltonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01998873019206193876noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7904244047826620975.post-19333375486660457532017-01-25T13:21:00.001+00:002017-01-26T11:36:51.792+00:00It's always colder in your memory<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhstiHG1pnf7wS7uG-v9sV08JrbIpuJLU0JJa1WnNsQVusXJ2oOZtQXPLAtdBml6EmqgSmGEp99p_npMjgrRdUbcJDHzrYvIDVKcBDOfAaFiVhz21I9K7TbKKRVzJQZAaSGI4yYXSjDquoA/s1600/a3.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhstiHG1pnf7wS7uG-v9sV08JrbIpuJLU0JJa1WnNsQVusXJ2oOZtQXPLAtdBml6EmqgSmGEp99p_npMjgrRdUbcJDHzrYvIDVKcBDOfAaFiVhz21I9K7TbKKRVzJQZAaSGI4yYXSjDquoA/s320/a3.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div dir="ltr">
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<div dir="ltr">
Hello dear people. In this time of strife and upheaval let me ignore all that for a moment and tell you of an incident that happened to me when I was but a wee child and growing up in Ayrshire, the land of Burns, cows and decayed towns. But not here, oh no.</div>
<div dir="ltr">
Rather, why not pop along to <a href="http://www.kzine.co.uk/issue-17.htm">KZine</a> where, in their latest issue, I have a new story all about said incident. There is mystery, weather and half a dozen rolls. Can you spot the point where I may have slightly embellished the story from its real life origins?</div>
<div dir="ltr">
KZine is a Kindle based magazine but I see that they have started on-demand physical copies, if that's your thing. May have to get one for my brag shelf.</div>
<div dir="ltr">
Also, while you are there and if you have not already, you could pick up <a href="http://www.kzine.co.uk/issue-15.htm">issue 15</a> where I previously had a story about the apocalypse. <br />
Sorry if it comes over as a bit too topical at present.</div>
<div dir="ltr">
Anyhoo, hope you enjoy these. I now have the rest of the year stretching out before me as a blank canvas with no future publishings planned, so I'd better get my finger out and write more.</div>
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Ta-ra for now.</div>
Brian M. Miltonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01998873019206193876noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7904244047826620975.post-43260338957482307662016-12-13T15:08:00.002+00:002017-01-26T11:32:30.801+00:002016: The Year we'd mostly like to forget.Well, hasn't 2016 been a truly terrible year? War, politics, death have all been busy this year which makes me doing a wee review of my writing feel somewhat unimportant. I entirely understand if you have more important things on your mind.<br />
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That said, there has been the odd nice thing this year. I got engaged for one.<br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="" class="giphy-embed" frameborder="0" height="344" src="//giphy.com/embed/Udgq93hSbG3iU?playOnHover=true" width="480"></iframe>
<a href="http://giphy.com/gifs/doctor-who-classic-william-hartnell-Udgq93hSbG3iU">via GIPHY</a>
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<br />
Another nice thing was my writing. It has been very patchy this year with the muse coming on me in fits and starts but I did get three stories published.<br />
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First, in January was The Past Does Not Watch Over Us, a story of science, General Relativity and willful stupidity. That can be found in <a href="http://www.thespeculativebookshop.co/e-book-available-now/">The Speculative Book</a><br />
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Next up in May was More Certainty In Your Shopping, a story of how to cope with the apocalypse while not believing everything supermarkets tell you. It can be found in <a href="http://www.kzine.co.uk/">Kzine Issue 15</a><br />
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Then, in September the Glasgow Science Fiction Writer's Circle celebrated their thirtieth anniversary with their anthology <a href="http://www.lulu.com/shop/neil-williamson-and-elaine-gallagher-and-cameron-johnston/thirty-years-of-rain/paperback/product-22870981.html">Thirty Years of Rain</a> I managed to sneak a wee collection of passive aggressive letters into it under the title of The Lodger.<br />
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I'm deeply happy with all of these.<br />
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I also had a great time at conventions (waffling about writing rather than doing it, obviously) and even had a couple of reading occasions which were great fun, if nerve-wracking.<br />
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Looking forward, next year is due to start brightly as I have a new winter story coming out in KZine in January. Have no fear, I'll annoy you about it when it does.<br />
Beyond that the aim is to keep on keeping on. I have a first draft novel roughly three quarters done that needs finished and several stories I'm hawking around the place so here's hoping that I can find the time for them.<br />
I'll also be going to Worldcon in Finland and must say I am very much looking forward to it. A place I've never been.<br />
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As is now tradition I've added a new story to the blog for you to read. It's a story of fairy cakes called Unexpected Visitors that I got published a few years back and if you've not seen it before it can be read <a href="http://munchkinstein.blogspot.co.uk/p/unexpected-visitors-brian-m.html">here</a>. It includes a free recipe for some very nice cakes.<br />
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I hope you all have a good festive period and an improving New Year.Brian M. Miltonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01998873019206193876noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7904244047826620975.post-65165457723937513802016-08-29T14:52:00.001+01:002016-09-27T19:34:58.180+01:00Thirty Years of Glaswegian Story Building<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFIoRUrB-mkMWg254KmFBjNKw1Comme18C5CXpd0IzP1Tc0fhRrN9ZcWaaB3woJBdg-u2yGxjjhbtbBN1C1-lFhydeR6k3DZ6Vwd59s7mf3wjxLdZay0OXl1CtecVnA8h_Qt68cssd4OXq/s1600/FB_IMG_1472477656011.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFIoRUrB-mkMWg254KmFBjNKw1Comme18C5CXpd0IzP1Tc0fhRrN9ZcWaaB3woJBdg-u2yGxjjhbtbBN1C1-lFhydeR6k3DZ6Vwd59s7mf3wjxLdZay0OXl1CtecVnA8h_Qt68cssd4OXq/s320/FB_IMG_1472477656011.jpg" width="211" /></a></div>
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<b>UPDATE: </b>Now available from here; <a href="http://www.lulu.com/shop/neil-williamson-and-elaine-gallagher-and-cameron-johnston/thirty-years-of-rain/paperback/product-22870981.html">Lulu shop page</a> and <a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Thirty-Years-Rain-Neil-Williamson/dp/1326753428/ref=pd_ecc_rvi_1">Amazon print edition</a> and <a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Thirty-Years-Rain-King-William-ebook/dp/B01M09GCEQ/ref=asap_bc?ie=UTF8">Kindle edition</a><br />
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Did you know that the Glasgow Science Fiction Writers Circle was started thirty years ago? Well now you do.<br />
Off the back of a writing course run by Duncan Lunan a small group began to meet regularly to critique each other's work and encourage one and all to better and bolder things.<br />
Also to go the pub, but that was a minor part.<br />
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Well, not the main part.<br />
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Well, not the only part.<br />
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OK, so mostly there was a lot of sitting in pubs talking about the state of genre fiction, but also occasionally writing was worked on and eventually people got published. Very good people.<br />
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People such as Gary Gibson, Hal Duncan, Neil Williamson, William King, Michael Cobley amongst many others.<br />
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I first popped along in the mid-Nineties and spent a lot of time feeling hugely inadequeate, before running away to Englandshire and letting all that sort of thing lapse. But, on my return to Glasgow I took up the pen again and eventually returend to the circle, who have been nothing but encouraging as I show them my scribblings. Without their help I would never have had any of my stories published<br />
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To celebrate their milestone the Circle are bringing out an anthology with thirty stories by people who have been at the circle over the years. It's called Thirty Years of Rain (it is Glasgow based after all) and the glorious cover graces the top of the page.<br />
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I'll post links to it as they appear but there is a launch on the Saturday of Fantasycon in Scarborough this year (three o'clock on Saturday with Newcon if I remember rightly) and on the 30th of September at the Sauchiehall Street Waterstones in our own rainy Glasgow.<br />
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Details are <a href="https://www.facebook.com/events/593410350830454/">here</a><span id="goog_1160728486"></span><span id="goog_1160728487"></span><a href="https://www.blogger.com/"></a><br />
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Do please come along, meet some of the brilliant people who are in the book and maybe even buy a copy. We'll probably go to the pub afterwards.<br />
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And yes, I am in it, with a wee short about refugees that, if you ever think my mind has slipped its moorings, this will only add to the evidence. It's silly.<br />
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By way of getting your imagination off on completely the wrong foot here is a Pulp-O-Mizer cover that is totally misleading about the story.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUaoni95iQFLVp3KMGfi7zBI8X_zhqysX4Km-k1MPFo0ggpwa4_-VACPiHbFaqFTMGBXqDJs__BYwcSP2kxzEz_Sk4yra0-osn18U3mVz8UgQK41vz-5JtAgweGFehIbUe64jsE9f2Lm1O/s1600/Pulp-O-Mizer_Cover_Image-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUaoni95iQFLVp3KMGfi7zBI8X_zhqysX4Km-k1MPFo0ggpwa4_-VACPiHbFaqFTMGBXqDJs__BYwcSP2kxzEz_Sk4yra0-osn18U3mVz8UgQK41vz-5JtAgweGFehIbUe64jsE9f2Lm1O/s320/Pulp-O-Mizer_Cover_Image-1.jpg" width="209" /></a></div>
<br />Brian M. Miltonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01998873019206193876noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7904244047826620975.post-65270018857978554232016-05-14T20:12:00.000+01:002016-05-23T07:03:33.690+01:00Two posts in a year? By jingo!<p dir="ltr">No, I'm as surprised as you that I have something to say more than once in a year.</p>
<p dir="ltr">Anyhoo, first things first. Come the 28th of May, point your Kindles and other electronic reading doohickeys at <a href="http://www.kzine.co.uk/">Kzine</a> where you will find me getting a story published in their Issue 15. I am deeply pleased that they have chosen to publish my story about the apocalypse, the food chain and Scottish West Coast holidays. It's called More Certainty In Your Shopping and sits alongside some fine other stories. I hope you enjoy.</p>
<p dir="ltr">In other excitable news, I've just had my story accepted for the Glasgow Science Fiction Writers Circle Anniversary Anthology. The circle, who have to read early drafts of all my nonsense, are thirty years old this year and to celebrate are bringing out an anthology of stories by authors who have, at some point, been members. It will feature stories from the likes of Neil Williamson, Bill King, Hal Duncan, Gary Gibson and Louise Welsh, which does make me wonder how I got in.<br>
Very excited to be in this and fear not, I'll be going on about it for long and weary when it comes out in the autumn.</p>
<p dir="ltr">I think we can safely say I like May. The sun is out, the flowers are blooming, the barbeque is on and I can pretend I am a real writer for a while. </p>
<p dir="ltr">UPDATE: Bus-like, more news appears. If you will be at Satellite 5 this weekend, why not come along to the reading at 8 on Saturday night. Lots of excellent stuff will be read and it very much like like I'll be joining in. Hope to see you there.</p>
Brian M. Miltonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01998873019206193876noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7904244047826620975.post-24060895619933970862016-01-19T14:27:00.001+00:002016-01-19T14:27:57.652+00:00The Past Does Not Watch Over Us<p dir="ltr">It is with great delight that I can point to my latest published short story, now available in e-book format in <a href="http://www.thespeculativebookshop.co/e-book-available-now/">The Speculative Book</a></p>
<p dir="ltr">It's a story on education, black holes and fighting your parents. It also mentions pakora and features REAL SCIENCE. (I know, I must be mad) as I originally wrote it to celebrate 100 years of General Relativity.</p>
<p dir="ltr">I hope you enjoy it. The rest of the book looks fascinating.</p>
Brian M. Miltonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01998873019206193876noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7904244047826620975.post-88547775562433172882015-12-17T10:03:00.000+00:002015-12-17T10:05:07.434+00:002015, the Year of the Long Wait<p dir="ltr">Merry seasonal whatnots. </p>
<p dir="ltr">It's been a quieter year in the writing way. One story on god management published back in May and a lot of writing. <br>
One of the points of note this year has been the nearlies. I always like to assume that if a story is considered for a long time before it gets rejected, then it can't have been all bad. This year I've had a number that have spent months under consideration, one, in fact, has been with a market for seven months. I queried them and was told they were interested but still to choose. So good, but don't ever expect writing to be a quick route to happiness.</p>
<p dir="ltr">A large part of this year has gone on my novel. This is the first one I have taken beyond a first draft and I've been at it, on and off, for four years. I've now reached the point where I don't think I can do anymore for it (it can be better, but I don't think I'm helping) so I'm going to explore the world of novel rejection next year with it. That should be exciting.</p>
<p dir="ltr">Other things I have planned for next year include trying to get into the Glasgow Science Fiction Writers Circle 30th anniversary anthology, starting on a new novel (I'm thinking spaceships and binmen), and hopefully two publications. I have allegedly been accepted for appearances in the Speculative Bookshop anthology (out in January) and Kzine (somewhere around April) if all goes to plan.</p>
<p dir="ltr">I shall annoy you about them at the time, have no fear.</p>
<p dir="ltr">Now, as is becoming a Christmas tradition, I'll link to something I've written. In this case, something that sprang from a lot of cinema serials I used to watch. <br>
<a href="http://munchkinstein.blogspot.co.uk/p/the-greatest-rocketman.html?m=1">The Greatest Rocketman</a></p>
Brian M. Miltonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01998873019206193876noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7904244047826620975.post-5488208091854725602015-04-20T07:51:00.003+01:002015-04-20T07:51:55.197+01:00Agnes, a FairyI've just spoted that Hysterical Realms, the latest Alternate Hilarities anthology containing my story, is available for buying on the internets <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Hysterical-Realms-Alternate-Hilarities-Volume/dp/0996049290/ref=tmm_pap_title_0">here</a><br />
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If you chipped in to the Kickstarter for this then thank you very much but if not and you fancy giving it a look then it is available in both Kindle and the infinitely more signable Paperback formats.<br />
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Suppose I better get my finger out and sell another story now so I can have ths excitement again.<br />
<br />Brian M. Miltonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01998873019206193876noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7904244047826620975.post-1030042434548671392015-02-16T07:48:00.001+00:002015-02-16T07:59:20.872+00:00The Modern World of Book Selling<p dir="ltr">It's been eighteen months but I now get to say I have a new story coming out. Hurrah!<br>
Called "Agnes, A Fairy" it is a story of gods, management and dodgy art. On the Grim Whim scale this is firmly on the Whim end. It sprang from a conversation following a Glasgow Science Fiction Writers Circle meeting and is not the only story to come out of that night. You should check out Cameron Johnston (<a href="http://www.twitter.com/camjohnston">@CamJohnston</a>) for his interpretation of the same seed.</p>
<p dir="ltr">The new thing for me about this story is that it is part of an anthology available through a Kickstarter campaign. This means that I have no idea how much I might, or might not, get paid for my wee story until the bids are in and will lead to me obsessively  refreshing the campaign page for the next month to see if anything is happening.</p>
<p dir="ltr">The campaign is available <a href="https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/809941908/alternate-hilarities-hysterical-realms">here</a> and runs until the 15th of March which, coincidentally, is my birthday. If you want to wish me a happy birthday, why not buy a book. </p>
<p dir="ltr">If you do buy, hope you enjoy it. </p>
Brian M. Miltonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01998873019206193876noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7904244047826620975.post-92230760428197743082014-12-10T21:19:00.000+00:002014-12-15T07:30:31.913+00:002014, The Year Of Not So Much<div dir="ltr">It's time for the end of year review thing, something that was most enjoyable to write last year.</div><div dir="ltr">But pride comes before a fall, so it seems only right that after last year's belter of a start to this publishing larkey things would drop off. I ended last year feeling like a proper writer. Stories published and plenty of opportunity on the horizon.</div>
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None of which came to pass.</div>
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To be fair, I have sold one story which should appear early next year, allegedly. But nothing else I wrote worked out. Still, what does not kill us makes us stronger. Or sends us off in a massive storm to kick a bush.</div>
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In better news I did do several readings, including in front of the General Public and at cons. Nice and something I greatly enjoy even if it is a billion times more frightening than reading someone else's words. I also ended up on a quiz team of real writers at Eastercon and Worldcon. This was an act of bare-faced cheek and the karma backlash almost undoubtedly explains my failure to sell anything this year.</div>
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All in, 2014 was a quiet year writing wise (a very busy year on other distractions though) but hopefully, with the application of elbow grease, the calm before the storm.</div>
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By way of starting a tradition, following last Christmas's free story, I thought I'd stick up the most seasonal thing I have. Published almost two years ago, why not read of <a href="http://munchkinstein.blogspot.co.uk/p/the-15th-of-december.html">The 15th of December</a>.</div><div dir="ltr">You can read it on other dates too and outside of Norwich.</div><div dir="ltr"><br></div>
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Happy Seasonal Whatnots!</div>
Brian M. Miltonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01998873019206193876noreply@blogger.com0