Podcast: Rapunzel's Room

A free audio podcast of my short story, Rapunzel's Room is online now at Pseudopod. And my latest podcast review is now on The Fix.

Bone Machines - out now

My novel, Bone Machines, is out now. Available from Bright Spark Publishing.

Bone Machines book jacket

The cover for BONE MACHINES is finalised. I'll announce publication details later, but for now the launch takes place at the Christmas Book Fair on 1 December at The New Elgin Hall, Elgin, from 9am to 3pm.

Special thanks to the phenomenally talented David Gentry for the great jacket image.

My first novel

I'm delighted to announce that my first novel, BONE MACHINES, is being published by Bright Spark near Christmas 2007. I'll report more on this once it's out there. And my short story, RAPUNZEL'S ROOM will be broadcast soon on the horror podcast Pseudopod.

Story, not plot

Story, not plot. If you follow the line of inquiry in Robert McKee's brilliant book about the art of screenwriting, Story, then the reason to promote story in the arts is self evident. Hollywood is obsessed with money, celebrity and special effects. If we're very lucky, the youth audience at which most of the industry aims its weapons, will grow jaded with form over content and we can get back to great stories. Stories nurture our spirit and help us to understand ourselves, and the world, perhaps just a little better.

Great stories are still to be found in the cinema, if you know where to look. Great stories still exist in novels and short stories, in the theatre, even in music and dance. Great stories exist in comic books, in popular TV, and increasingly on the web.

As a writer I strive to create good stories. Stories are what we are, in some ways. As a counsellor, usually the first thing a client tells me is their "story", which is often complex, disconnected, without any clear narrative thread. Part of my task, and the task of the counselling relationship, is somehow to make sense of it all. It may not be the plot line (the facts of the story, if you like), but the emotional journey contained within which is the most important thing. And so, if you can reach the heart of a story, its emotional core), whether as a writer or a counsellor, then that is a road worth travelling.

Creative Holidays

My wife and myself are running creativity courses (including fiction writing) in Bulgaria, starting Summer 2007. So if you're looking for something a bit different (and it's really cheap to be in Bulgaria, and our location is stunning). Here's the link to our website.
Creative Holidays in Bulgaria

Larger than life

Recently I saw an astonishing exhibition of sculptures by
Ron Mueck. He creates ultra-realistic sculptures of people, and plays with scale in a way which is quite unnerving and rather breathtaking. The gigantic woman in bed made me think this is how a child must feel in relation to its mother. And there is a wonderful piece, a newborn baby, about 12ft long, complete with blood streaks, wet hair and an inquisitive eye taking its first peek at the world. If you get a chance to see this man's work, I strongly recommend you do so. I've never seen anything quite like it.