This Friday and Saturday, I'll be telling scary stories at Fort Edmonton Spooktacular with Marie-Anne McLean and Jennie Frost. It is a couple years since I have taken part in this event and I am looking forward to doing it again. Basically, we spend the evening in a creepy old building taking turns telling the scariest stories we can come up with. No one under 13 is admitted - there is a separate kids' storytelling area, but for some reason they only ever let me tell stories there once.
Most of the stories we tell are based on traditional tales or urban legends, but I have invented a couple as well. Last year I wrote up a more literary version of my Spooktacular story 'The Fatality Sign.' The story actually didn't go over very well at Spooktacular (not scary enough) but it did get published in the anthology In The Dark: Stories from the Supernatural . More information about that is available at the publisher's website www.tightropebooks.com . The book has quite a variety of stories, many of which explore the creepier aspects of modern life.
Monday, October 22, 2007
Sunday, October 21, 2007
About Pure Speculation
Well, Pure Speculation was last weekend, and once again I had a great time. There were some fascinating discussions at the panels, and I was certainly impressed with the collection of intelligent, and somewhat strange minds that we gathered together - both panelists and audience members. I also would like to thank the organizers, and especially Diane Walton for all her work in putting the writing sessions together. I only hope that this convention can grow into a bigger event without losing the hometown feel which it has for me right now.
Here is the blurb which I wrote up for the DragonMoon Press newsletter:
On October 13 and 14th, I attended the Pure Speculation convention in Edmonton. The Alberta SF scene seems to mostly centre around Calgary, and this convention is a pretty modest affair, but friendly in a way that bigger cons seldom manage. It was held in a community hall, with the main area devoted to vendors and gaming, and two smaller rooms for panels. So far, more of those panels were devoted to games and comics than fiction, but there was a strong attendance at the writing panels. The guest of honour, Peter Watts, was interviewed by Barb Galler-Smith on Saturday to a packed room, and a large proportion of the crowd stayed afterwards to hear Robert Burke Richardson, Edge author Amber Hayward and me give some hints for aspiring writers.
On Sunday, we had our 'Writer's Jam.' Ann Marston joined Peter, Barb, Robert, Amber and I for an interesting discussion in which we delved into dreams, taboos, and other sources of inspiration. Susan MacGregor and Diane Walton of On Spec Magazine also joined us for a while, before leaving to run another panel.
Brian Hades of Edge SF was in attendance with a large display of books, including many Dragon Moon Press titles.
Here is the blurb which I wrote up for the DragonMoon Press newsletter:
On October 13 and 14th, I attended the Pure Speculation convention in Edmonton. The Alberta SF scene seems to mostly centre around Calgary, and this convention is a pretty modest affair, but friendly in a way that bigger cons seldom manage. It was held in a community hall, with the main area devoted to vendors and gaming, and two smaller rooms for panels. So far, more of those panels were devoted to games and comics than fiction, but there was a strong attendance at the writing panels. The guest of honour, Peter Watts, was interviewed by Barb Galler-Smith on Saturday to a packed room, and a large proportion of the crowd stayed afterwards to hear Robert Burke Richardson, Edge author Amber Hayward and me give some hints for aspiring writers.
On Sunday, we had our 'Writer's Jam.' Ann Marston joined Peter, Barb, Robert, Amber and I for an interesting discussion in which we delved into dreams, taboos, and other sources of inspiration. Susan MacGregor and Diane Walton of On Spec Magazine also joined us for a while, before leaving to run another panel.
Brian Hades of Edge SF was in attendance with a large display of books, including many Dragon Moon Press titles.
Saturday, October 6, 2007
I have a website. . .or a blog, anyway!
Well, after several years of being told that I need to get a website to promote my writing, I have finally done something about it. Welcome to my brand new blog page!
I hope to be posting lots of information on here about my work, and perhaps even the odd story or rant if the mood takes me. I write mostly science fiction and fantasy, but I am also an oral storyteller, and sometimes write up my own retellings of traditional tales. I will post more about my first (and so far only) novel, Dominion soon, but in the mean time you can read all about it at www.dragonmoonpress.com
For now, the big news is that I will be at Pure Speculation in Edmonton on October 13th and 14th 2007, participating in the Writer's Jam and a panel for new writers. Pure Speculation is a small con, but I had a lot of fun last year, and was really impressed with how much the organizers manage to do with what they have.
If you would like more information check out www.purespec.org
I hope to be posting lots of information on here about my work, and perhaps even the odd story or rant if the mood takes me. I write mostly science fiction and fantasy, but I am also an oral storyteller, and sometimes write up my own retellings of traditional tales. I will post more about my first (and so far only) novel, Dominion soon, but in the mean time you can read all about it at www.dragonmoonpress.com
For now, the big news is that I will be at Pure Speculation in Edmonton on October 13th and 14th 2007, participating in the Writer's Jam and a panel for new writers. Pure Speculation is a small con, but I had a lot of fun last year, and was really impressed with how much the organizers manage to do with what they have.
If you would like more information check out www.purespec.org
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