It’s my contention that, should John McCain have been facing a Red Dragon, instead of the Viet Minh then he would have been so much oven chips. Word. (Joke rather dependent on McCain’s oven chips being a well known US brand)

Interesting that McCain’s spokesman chose to have a go at D&Ders.

http://blog.wired.com/27bstroke6/2008/08/john-mccain-cam.html

This is bit strange on a number of levels:

1 Wasn’t quesionning ‘Nam stories exactly what the Republicans did with John Kerry?

2 There are a lot of D&ders in the military, even more MMORPG guys.

3 D&Ders, in my experience, come from across the political spectrum, with more than a few from McCain’s own right wing.

4 D&D is something of a niche hobby nowadays. Maybe 20 years ago these comments would have made sense – even though they would have still been unwarranted.

5 If we’re indulging in stereotypes, well OK. D&Ders are geeks, we’ll accept that. (I was, am and will always be). Here’s another politcians always tell the truth. No, that’s not quite right is it. What is the politician stereotype, then?

What did you think of this. Any Republican D&Ders find it odd?

Not had a chance to check out your recommended tracks yet because I’m on holiday in France and using a dial up connection (remember them?)

Daughter was ill this morning and went to a French hospital, all fast and free which is fine but then we were given a prescription for anti biotics. ‘You’ll have to wait until 4 when the pharmacy opens’ said the doctor. I asked why. He looked non -plussed. ‘It’s Saturday,’ he said, ‘the pharmacist has to have his lunch.’ For four hours, apparently. It was ever thus in France. Do you remember the heatwave a couple of years ago when all the old people died because their carers had gone on holiday for August, leaving them with no one to look after them for a month? Still, all part of the Gallic charm. ‘The ambulance will set off when the driver has finished his coffee,’ seems to be the attitude over here.

Remember, the light at the end of the tunnel may be a Balrog.

Mark

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Just finishing fantasy novel today. Wife has read it and loves it, which is a good thing. Most people’s families can be relied upon for unconditional praise. Mine can be relied upon for unconditional indifference, so her liking for it means something. I’m also pleased that it’s not her sort of thing as I’m hoping against hope that this may be the holy grail (in the case of Kate Mosse’s Labyrinth, quite literally) of fantasy authors – the cross over novel. If you ain’t got hope what have you got? A realistic appraisal of the market, perhaps.

Now doing best bit – plot sorted, characters all working, just a matter of going back and making sure that every sentence sings for its supper, eliminating clichés, adding to descriptions, that sort of stuff.

Despite my qualms about the massive cut it’s taken (60,000 words) I think it’s been well worth it in the end and the book’s a lot easier to read, which is always a good thing. It should go out for sale to publishers in September, at which point I may be able to reveal its name and content, rather than talking about it in these rather abstract terms.

I really hope it sells because it’s been such fun to write, despite the brain aching editing process.
Thanks for the suggestions on fantasy novels to read.  I’ll certainly check them out when I get time. Off on holiday soon so may get some time to read then. This may also be a giddy dream, as it will probably be consumed with childcare.

There is nothing in theory to stop me reading – I have all afternoon, it will be sunny, I’ll be in a garden by a pool. The practice, however, involves having a two year old pull your elbow every three seconds saying ‘Daddy look!’ at things such as blades of grass, chocolate wrappers etc. She can do this to both her parents at the same time.

Anyway, on page 220 of 413 on final readthrough, so better get back to it.

Oh, just was asked if I minded contributing some of my favourite songs to a website of author’s musical tastes. Asking a man if he minds talking about his favourite music is like asking a laborador if it would like another biscuit. .I’ll post a link, once its up.

Got me thinking about ‘most fantasy song ever’. I thought Black Sabbath by Black Sabbath had to take a shot at the title but came down on Magnu (Horse with Golden Mane) by Hawkwind. Most Sci Fi song ever is definitely Hawkwind’s Spirit of the Age, a real belter. Any other contenders? Rush and Rainbow have to be in there don’t they? Is there some more modern stuff I don’t know about?

Pip Pip

Mark

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As soon as I mentioned Moon Knight being a werewolf, I immediately thought ‘was he?’

I recalled that he’d been sort of half bitten but now, looking it up, I see it was an ancient Egyptian deal. I did think that I’d read an origin where he was half cured of lycanthropy, but then I remembered, that was me, not him.

The Tekumel books were OK but, as they went on, they became more and more difficult to read. Man of Gold was good – though MAR Barker is no stylist – but when you got to the later books they became almost impenetrable with more concern for showing us the world of Tekumel than developing engaging characters, I thought anyway.

Having said that, a lot of fantasy isn’t that well written, I think. Having tried it myself I can see why – it’s very difficult to stop a fit of the ‘thees’ and ‘thous’ coming over you but, if you try to write in a completely modern style, that seems wrong too. It’s also easy for everything to become a bit unsubtle and overblown.

I think Susannah Clarke gets it right in Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell and Ursula Le Guinn is very good but it’s tough to think of many fantasy authors whose characterisation and writing are up with the best – unless you include stuff like The Master and Margarita (spelling probably awful) as fantasy, along with Henry James (Turn of the Screw). Angela Carter, of course, hits much more often than she misses and Philip Pullman is very good. We came up with armoured bears in Traveller years ago, Phil. Mind you, as one of my old bosses used to say ‘any idiot can have an idea. The point is to do something with it.’

Strangely, I prefer the Tolkien of The Hobbit much more to that of Lord of The Rings. The Silmarrillion is one of those books it would be easier to eat than to read. I used to love Michael Moorcock as a kid but I tried Stormbringer again the other day and didn’t get on with it any more. HP Lovecraft too – engaging ideas but not much of a character builder.

Anyway, that’s just my two penn’orth. A lot of these things are a question of taste and I’m sure there are plenty of people out there who find lots of fantasy novels very engaging and well written. Also, I have to confess, I’m a bit out of the loop recently. If anyone has a suggestion of the sort of thing I might read then do let me know. I did think Magician’s Guild might be worth a look.

I’d love to try a game of D&D if I come to the States, Ailen. It will be NYC if that’s good for you.

Yours from the Gelatinous Cube

M

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Thanks for your comments so far.

No, The Elfish Gene isn’t out in The States until November. It’s going to coincide with the birth of my second child. I wonder if my wife will let me come and publicise it. Probably not, is my guess but we can always hope.

Tekumel does tend to melt your face. I’ve no idea why it isn’t more popular, or why it hasn’t been made into a film. It’s a brilliant world, something truly new and strange. Maybe it’s like The Velvet Underground and will only be popular years after it came out. Mind you, it is years since it came out. I think it would make a fantastic basis for a MMORPG.

Been doing radio publicity for my latest book over here, which is whacky. You get ‘so, this is Mark Barrowcliffe, author of the comic autobiography Mr Wrong. Well, that’s all we have time for, so now, Sport.’

I think Bill Bryson said a similar thing about his radio interviews, so at least I’m in good company.

Grappling with end of fantasy novel now. Hero has two destiny, one he knows about, one hidden. It’s a bit difficult to get them to mesh right now. Hope it won’t mean a complete rewrite.

Going to The Amazon for an article in October, to meet a mad explorer who’s walking the entire length of the river – 4000 miles. I’m a bit scared of getting bitten by a snake, but I think I should be OK.

‘Don’t worry, most of the time they don’t envenomate,’ said my organiser.

I wonder if he’s told them that.

Was asked on TV for oldest joke I knew. Came up with ‘waiter, there’s a protozoa in my primordial soup’. Not bad on spur of moment, I thought, if not actually all that funny.

I do have the itch to play a game of D&D again, but I really don’t have the time. I wish I did. I’m thinking of trying to do one of the WOD games, maybe werewolf.

Was speculating, for purpose of latest novel, why vampires are sexy and werewolves aren’t. I think it’s because a vampire seduces you, where a werewolf takes you by force. Marvel tried to make the werewolf a bit sexier with Moon Knight, but it didn’t quite work. I liked it well enough as a kid but it was never going to be as good as Spidey, I thought. Or Thor. Or Doctor Strange.

But here’s a question: which would you rather be, a vampire or a werewolf? You can get a tan as a werewolf, remember.

Anyway, must attend to real life. Doorbell rings. Destiny awaits.

M

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