A Stitch In Time

Life is difficult at the moment.

My back is a mess of pain and confused nerves which constantly send incorrect information to the pain receptors in my lower extremities, and cries for pain medication to my noggin.

I'm having the house underpinned which is a three grand expense I could have done without just before Xmas, but which the the house desperately needs.

My car brakes decided now would be a good time to require repairing and if I delayed any longer, the callipers would carve their initials into the discs.

My son's 18th is coming (two days before Xmas) and, of course, the fat bloke in the red suit is nearly upon us.

I'm sure I'm not the only one with money worries and stress up to the eyeballs.

But take a moment to think about Kennedy and Brendan Eyberg who will be spending their very first Xmas without their parents this year...all my issues seem to pale into insignificance - how about yours?

If you'd like to help, then place your order for the Strange Publications 52 Stitches anthology. Once you have placed your order, then fire off an email to the wonderful Cate Gardner to receive a further gift of her wonderful book Strange Men in Pinstripe Suits & Other Curious Things which I've just finished reading and recommend highly.

So two excellent collections for the price of one, and you'll be helping out two little kiddies who shouldn't have to face this time of year alone, but through tragic circumstance were robbed of their parents. If you can, buy a couple and give them out as Xmas gifts.

A Long Time Between Drinks

I apologise for the silence from this end, but I'm guessing very few people still pop by to see if I've stirred enough to post something new - but if you do, then today is your lucky day (and thank you for being stubborn enough to keep coming back).

I figured it was time I at least updated what I am reading - which I have. Cate's Men in Pinstripe Suits is something else. I truly believe if reality and the universe of Jeremy Shipp got together, Men in Pinstripe Suits may very well be the love child result. It is very different with a decidedly creepy dose of the tangible to make you stop and wonder: WTF!

Paint me extremely impressed, a little jealous, and very very proud to count Cate among my cyber friends (even if I have been somewhat remiss in my communication with you all of late - at least I hope she is still my friend).

To date, I'm still not writing, and I'm still in copious amounts of pain from back and leg issues. I've got an appointment with a specialist early in 2011 so I need to make do until then. Life is what it is.

Enough about me - go buy Cate's book if you haven't already (click on the picture in the post below) and enjoy.

Strange Men

My signed copy (I love collecting signed copies) of Strange Men in Pinstripe Suits arrived yesterday! (Thanks Cate)

As did a number of other, unsigned, things clamouring to be read. I've taken to reading in the car as I wait for my little one to come out of school. I get there with just enough time to read one standard-length short story/day. I have just about run out of space on my 'waiting-to-be-read-shelf' which now has books piled from top to bottom and front to back - it is utterly ridiculous.

I think all of my subscriptions have now finally run out. Yes, authors who want to be published in small press markets should support them (and read the type of stories they publish), but I've built up a massive backlog, and I'm not currently seeking to be published, so my money goes elsewhere (Tyarna is loving her horse riding lessons).

When I can afford it, I may still purchase the occasional release, such as the above example, but they will have to be fewer and much further between dips into the wallet. Life is what it is. I suppose making offers to personally sign a copy could entice me...

Review: The Sour Aftertaste of Olive Lemon

Bucket 'O' Guts Press made an inspired choice when they chose Catherine J Gardner's tale of twisted woe as the flagship for their chap book series.

Their guidelines state: We want fiction that cannot be classified or pigeonholed. The only contingency is your story must leave us all scratching our heads. Make us say “WTF?” But force us to read it again. Plant an earworm that gnaws away at our grey matter and leaves behind a plaque of damn good storytelling.

I decided I'd read Cate's offering this afternoon as it would be a quick read and be a good way for me to kick start me back into work. By the end of it I was definitely asking WTF? And then I read it again.

On opening the slim book, I was amused to find this little caveat on the inside front cover: This chapbook and the characters herein are a work of fiction. If this story or characters have any resemblance to your own life, then it is a coincidence, or you need to share whatever it is that you're smoking.

Couple that with the earlier stated guidelines and you just know you're in for something different.

If you're new to the Catherine J Gardner brand of fiction, then 'The Sour Aftertaste of Olive Lemon' will leave you in no doubt as to the unique voice, the mastery of the metaphor, and the exquisite use of vivid narrative description this author has developed from years of penning the weird and wonderful. It will also leave you searching out her online work and with a want to quickly obtain her printed material.

I'm lucky enough to have read (and own) a great deal of Cate's work and to be able to call her a friend, but with all sentiments aside, Olive will make you think, and when you get to the reveal, it will definitely make you say 'WTF?'

On a personal note, I've read two chapbooks this year - Olive and Felicity Dowker's Phantasy Moste Grotesk (not sure if they have any left though). If this is the quality we have to look forward to with future releases of chapbooks, I for one will be ordering often and early to ensure I get one - I suggest you do the same.

Chapbooks don't get a gig on my review scale. They are a different animal and can't be held up alongside full novels or anthologies in my opinion. Flick's didn't get a score and neither does Cate's but I would happily give both a 4 out of 5 on the Amazon scale of things if that helps you decide on whether to buy them or not.

The Sour Aftertaste of Olive Lemon

For only $6, you can order Catherine J. Gardner’s The Sour Aftertaste of Olive Lemon from Bucket O Guts Press.

Cate has been published in a huge variety of online zines and print publications to wide acclaim. She has a distinctive, mature, and immensely unique voice. But don't take my word for it. Read some of her online work here:

Trench Foot
A Blood-Splattered Letter from Mr. Grim
Insomniac Ink
Lonesome Pine
Uncle Eric's Leather Bound Tale
The Forest of Sepia Children

Now go buy 'The Sour Aftertaste of Olive Lemon' - you won't be disappointed.

Interesting Stuff II

Do you remember a few weeks/months ago we talked about the benefits (if any) of doing study? I talked about the amount of time I dedicate to assignments and how I wondered if it was time well spent...alright, hang on, I'll see if I can find the post - err, no, I can't find it. Maybe I dreamed about posting that one.

Anyway, I vaguely remember something about wondering if the amount of time I spent on study would be better spent on just writing, and practising the craft.

Here's an interesting take on it from Tess Gerritsen's blog. Make sure you read the comments as well. I'll be finishing my diploma now I've started it, but I'd think twice about recommending it to anyone who just wants to write fiction.

Chuck McKenzie has started a new online zombie novel. I was unfortunate to not have followed the first one and that got rave reviews and may have other plans in the works for it, so don't miss out on reading this one.

An interesting interview of Nathan Bransford over at the Book Deal blog.

Go here to download issue 1 of Ruthless Peoples Magazine and read Aaron Polson's spectacular flash piece titled 'Man Bites Man' - satire at its biting best (It's a pity the mag editor didn't screen his publication for typos though. Still it's only the first issue so a couple of hitches can be excused - I guess). (And happy birthday for the 15th)

And lastly Cate (Catherine J Gardner) has The Marionette Manipulator & The Headless Bride up on 52 Stitches - yes it is as odd as the title sounds, but it is told in the unmistakeably wonderful voice Cate is becoming well known for. Very much worth the read.

And tonight - will be the very first post from my laptop as it comes online - stay tuned...