Andrew McEwan's Blog: Words Are the Gravy On the Mashed Potato of Life - Posts Tagged "sci-fi"
Spare Parts For Spaceships
Sometimes you really can travel back in time. Right now I have one foot in the early noughties, toes wriggling in the grass of then, sensing the earth and air of that place in the past where was written the first 14k words of a science-fiction extravaganza the title of which resides above. That it's lain idle this long is no mystery: I lost interest in the genre. Why? I'm not entirely sure. Perhaps I read one too many average sci-fi novels. Perhaps I felt the need (as agents and publishers would tell me) to write something else. That's else, a peculiar word that doesn't necessarily mean different. Different is bad in agent/publisher speak. Else generally means marketable. But I've worn out that record...
Spare Parts For Spaceships is the 'space and time' of Skidmore Shuffledeck, galactic mechanic. And my other foot is firmly in the now. The struggle is to bring my heels together without a) anyone noticing the narrative gorge, and b) crushing my balls.
Not having written anything since last year I must say having something other than quiet desperation occupying my imagination is a relief. A book fills that subconscious space otherwise given over to pernicious mindfruit and self-devouring insightfulness into the human condition best not shared with the world at large, which, facilitated by the internet, tends to present itself, despite your best intentions, as piss on shoes.
So, you're asking, how's it going? When might we see this novel of which you speak? Well, I've added roughly 1000 words. More importantly I've tuned in to the when and made subtle adjustments, which hopefully will result in a new now. And a way forward. And a book that finally breaches 100k words, with room for more.
Skidmore Shuffledeck, bespectacled, stoic, non-violent and - almost - unkillable.
Out 2014!
In the meantime there's 10k on Smashwords as a free download. Or 99c will get you a whole Armwrestling the Dead. Sci-fi in mutant form, by me.
Spare Parts For Spaceships is the 'space and time' of Skidmore Shuffledeck, galactic mechanic. And my other foot is firmly in the now. The struggle is to bring my heels together without a) anyone noticing the narrative gorge, and b) crushing my balls.
Not having written anything since last year I must say having something other than quiet desperation occupying my imagination is a relief. A book fills that subconscious space otherwise given over to pernicious mindfruit and self-devouring insightfulness into the human condition best not shared with the world at large, which, facilitated by the internet, tends to present itself, despite your best intentions, as piss on shoes.
So, you're asking, how's it going? When might we see this novel of which you speak? Well, I've added roughly 1000 words. More importantly I've tuned in to the when and made subtle adjustments, which hopefully will result in a new now. And a way forward. And a book that finally breaches 100k words, with room for more.
Skidmore Shuffledeck, bespectacled, stoic, non-violent and - almost - unkillable.
Out 2014!
In the meantime there's 10k on Smashwords as a free download. Or 99c will get you a whole Armwrestling the Dead. Sci-fi in mutant form, by me.
Something For Nothing
I've fourteen titles on Smashwords. Previously the older stuff, slightly mad sci-fi and peculiar otherness, was free to download. Well I can confirm I've misplaced my balloons and currently eleven of these great works will now cost you nowt; indeed you can but benefit from taking a wander through my back catalogue. Paracetmol not included.
No I'm not including a link. Don't be lazy.
Happy Christmas.
No I'm not including a link. Don't be lazy.
Happy Christmas.
The Mechanical Universe
Cause and effect. Everything has consequences. The stars are alive and so are you.
I'm about finished a novel called Spare Parts For Spaceships, which is about a man who might be a robot, or vice versa. Two thirds of it is in fact Thump, the second volume of which never met its resolution and thenceforth (after much delay, a visit from the cancer fairy etc.) decided it was going no farther. The new title is in fact the original one, dating back to 2000, when I was living in Birmingham and doing the first year of an English degree. That ended early, too! Whole other story. Ergo: I now have a MS of around 129k. Probably it will shrink a little, but hopefully not too much. What I'd like is for someone with a shred of nous, an open mind and a love of sci-fi to read it and let me know what they think. If this is you let me know.
My sink is blocked. I'm rapping a piece of wood off the pipe behind the fridge. So far physics isn't helping.
Onward.
I'm about finished a novel called Spare Parts For Spaceships, which is about a man who might be a robot, or vice versa. Two thirds of it is in fact Thump, the second volume of which never met its resolution and thenceforth (after much delay, a visit from the cancer fairy etc.) decided it was going no farther. The new title is in fact the original one, dating back to 2000, when I was living in Birmingham and doing the first year of an English degree. That ended early, too! Whole other story. Ergo: I now have a MS of around 129k. Probably it will shrink a little, but hopefully not too much. What I'd like is for someone with a shred of nous, an open mind and a love of sci-fi to read it and let me know what they think. If this is you let me know.
My sink is blocked. I'm rapping a piece of wood off the pipe behind the fridge. So far physics isn't helping.
Onward.
Words Are the Gravy On the Mashed Potato of Life
...there may be lumps in either or both.
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