Tag Archives: science fiction

Convexity

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This piece was my unfinished attempt at NaNoWrimo 2013. Unfortunately writing often takes a back seat to life so stories are never finished in accordance to the original plan. The excerpt below is not the full story but a taster. The full story (it’s a short story!) has not been finished yet, but when it is finished I’ll place it here.

This story follows a gambler’s chain of thoughts through a game which will sound like a mix of chess and poker. There is some inspiration drawn from Iain Banks, which is despite my criticism of his works. There is some overlap in what he has written and what I link to think about. My complaint of his work would be the execution rather than a complaint of his underlying ideas.

For those that have read my collection of sci-fi short stories may also be pleased to know that this one is set in the same Universe. :-)

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Science fiction is more than just economics

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I recently read that economist Paul Krugman was a fan of science fiction. I can recall him citing Charles Stross when he blogged about Bitcoin but I was unaware that he was a fan of the genre. Perhaps it shouldn’t have been a surprise, but rather I figured that Stross was a fan of Krugman rather than the other way around. It may be mutual fandom, and I’m sure the two are politically aligned.

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Terosan Tales

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Finally! I managed to get something published. Ok, so it is self-published rather than through a traditional publishing house but it is a milestone none-the-less. It is something that I could have / should have done years ago.

I’ve been writing for years and wandered aimlessly through the self-publishing (killing?) fields without actually pulling the trigger. In 2013 I created a new Twitter account for my creative writing and have engaged in some writing chatter. After year of wandering I decide that I should get something published. Anything. I enjoy writing and I think that the universes I’ve created are interesting and intriguing. Eventually, I came across Smashwords and decided that was the best way to go. And now I can present my first finished published work (excluding my PhD thesis of course, does that even count?):

Terosan Tales
Terson Tales – A collection of short stories by Edward A Thomson

Smashwords link: Terosan Tales

Four short stories set in the same universe which are the beginnings of a larger tapestry of interwoven stories.

For a brief summary of each story click on “Continue reading”:

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Reflections on technical, discursive and creative writing

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I’ve had quite a long break from creative writing and finally catching up this weekend. Not actually writing but typing up notes and finally released my first short story collection to Smashwords. The last time I wrote creatively was my failed attempt at the NaNoWriMo. Since then I’ve mostly done technical and discursive writing. This post covers my thoughts on the differences in motivation and thought processes between technical and creative writing.

(note: Long read. Actually ended up longer than intended.)

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The background to my sci-fi Universe (novel)

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So I’m finally getting around to chatting about the sci-fi Universe I’ve created. As I said in my first post on this blog I originally created the universe in my teens and have writing a novel on-and-off for the last 10 years. What originally start as a custom made RPG became an (incomplete) novel. About a year ago I decide to create short stories (might have been for nanowrimo actually) in that Universe with the aim of getting those self-published and to be shared with anyone who is interested. I will refer back to my previous blog posts and try to show how they weave together into a greater story. Hopefully this helps get me into the zone for this year’s NaNoWriMo too.

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Review: Consider Phlebas – Iain M Banks

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Caution: may contain spoilers.

I’m somewhat disappointed with this book. Banks is so highly praised by many people I know that I had high expectations for this work. I tried to read Use of Weapons but didn’t enjoy it (will discuss that in a separate review), so I tried Consider Phlebas instead. I finished it and will admit that there are parts that I enjoyed or thought were cool but on the whole I’m unimpressed.

[Short Story] Apocalypse Short

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Ok, so this short story is a little bit rougher around the edges than previous stories. It started off as a ‘cool’ idea but then I ran out of steam. As a drive to put more of my work online I’ve decided to upload it in a “sold as seen” state. It was inspired by the end of the Mayan calendar on 22nd December 2012 and by the book Black Swan by Nassim Taleb. The latter (if you are not familiar) is about large and mostly unforeseen events that have a huge negative impact: e.g. global financial crisis. Ergo, this book has a financial edge to it. I’ve tried to shoe horn the idea into sci-fi because that’s the genre I’m most comfortable with, plus I was trying to think of a way to weave it into the Universe I’ve already created. It isn’t quite there but I’m trying. I hope you enjoy. Comments welcome.

Note: “Short” is relating to the concept of running a short position where a financial instrument is borrowed and sold. It is mostly a metaphor here.

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Allow me to recommend some popular science books on the Universe

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For those who are interested in brushing on their knowledge of Cosmology, i.e. the study of the Cosmos (“Universe”), then I would like to recommend the following books. While there is a lot of good info on the web already (wiki is updated by experts I know for a fact) I still believe in having a good book that presents a structured and coherent account of the modern understanding of the Universe. Understandably, the books are not necessarily easy to read but I also believe that the effort will provide its own rewards. Such topics still fill me with wonder despite any cynicism I sometimes convey when asked about professional research: the topics are interesting and that is something I haven’t forgotten. So here is a brief list of my top picks…

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[Short Story]: Untitled Sci-fi story with a female lead role as a pirate captain

Short Stories

Another short story set in the same universe (well, galaxy actually) as the previously posted “Fallen Gods of Cheam”. At the moment there is no obvious link  between the two, at least not in either of the stories I’ve published. Enjoy and comment below.

Untitled (“Pirate Queen”)

Zsilana awoke with the taste of blood on her lips and a pounding headache. She felt around to see if her clothes were still intact. ‘I wasn’t raped, at least,’ she concluded in silence while surveying the cubic room in which she lay. Only a single door and no window.

“How’s the cell?” At first she thought she dreamt the voice but there was a shimmer of light and shadow through the gap in the door.

“Go die in a hole scumbag.”

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On morality in fantasy and science fiction

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TL;DR: Telling a reader what to think will just irritate them.

On morality in fantasy and science fiction

This a repost of an article I did that evaluates morality /ethics in science fiction and fantasy. The same lines of argument can be applied to any genre but my knowledge is in SFF.  This is the moderately less contentious and shorter version. 😉

Ultimately, you want readers to buy your book (really just a consumer product although I secretly pretend it is a work of art) and it doesn’t matter what their views are as long as they buy your book. Not everyone like it, but hopefully some will love it. Under no circumstances would I ever recommend talking down to the reader, any reader. Soap boxing your political (e.g. moral) beliefs is really a no-no. Make the readers emote but do not irritate them.

In this essay I review the judgement of morality as given by the author from the evidence of their texts. I will state my own preferences and understanding of the texts used, and come to a conclusion that is consistent with my appreciation of said texts.

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