FLY SOUP

To be honest, my writing has suffered of late. I've had a few articles appear here and there and a few stories a while ago but nothing substantial in terms of fiction. So I message a US mag who accepted a story of mine last year but hasn't done anything with it, and they say YES, it will be published, it's just taking longer than anyone expected. WIN!!! Simultaneously another publisher has been in touch and have been working through another story with me. DOUBLE WIN!!! Then I get notification that yet another story is on a shortlist and will be decided shortly. TRIPLE WIN!!!!!! All without having written a word (of new fiction) in the past three months. It just goes to show that patience in writing is an important part of the process, and just because you don't have a lot out there at any given time, doesn't mean nothing's happening.

The amazing and talented Dan Allen has just put up my Imperial Imprecision  post at the  Aurealis  Xpress website. It begins thus: Imperial Imprecision It’s long been known that Star Wars: A New Hope contains examples of some of the worst marksmanship in the history of cinema, particularly with respect to the Emperor’s ‘elite’ forces. But how bad were they really? Wouldn’t it be awesome if there was a statistical measure of exactly how astonishingly bad imperial stormtroopers were at hitting their mark?  Click here to read more... Because reading more makes you supercool...

Aurealis #74 is a great read, and of course, contains some thoughts from me on The Empire Strikes Back and Raiders of the Lost Ark . The blurb reads thus:  In this issue we feature Imogen Cassidy’s ‘Soul Partner’, an urban fantasy gumshoe pastiche with some original touches, and Leife Shallcross’ creepy and engrossing ‘Music for an Ivory Violin’. Chris Large brings some thoughtful silliness* with his ‘When a Jedi Should Think Twice About Bringing a Knife to a Gunfight’ , and Stephen Higgins continues his SF’s Sacred Cows with Asimov's Foundation. *Read: awesomeness!  BUY IT.

Harrison Ford doesn't mind shoving a gun in your face and there's no doubt he's been the toter of some of the coolest guns in movie history - but which is the best? I compare two in Aurealis #74: Han Solo's DL-44 Blaster, and Indiana's 1917M revolver, with surprising results. Ford's "G" face has changed a lot over the years, from the languid intensity of Han Solo, to the glaring hatred of Deckard and Indiana, all the way through to the weary, war-torn Jack Ryan in Patriot Games. Then there's this: Gotta love the guy's enthusiasm. Can't wait for Solo MkII in Star Wars VII. Yeeeharrr!

I guess there's a first time for everything! As part of my commitment to start writing again I joined the Canberra Spec Fic Goup (CSFG) as an 'outer' Canberra member. Since I'm based in Tassie their definition of 'outer' is clearly pretty broad, which is great for me. I already know a few of the guys and I met a few more last year at the launch of Next so I'm hoping being a part of writerly discussion will bring me back from the brink of oblivion and set me firmly back on the page once more.