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Head on over to Jeff VanderMeer’s blog for a sneak peek at Steampunk Reloaded’s gorgeous interior artwork. For those of you who can’t wait even that long, here’s a sneak sneak peek: And, because I’m excited to have contributed to this section, a pic of the Secret History of Steampunk appendix: Meanwhile, in the same…… Continue reading A post full of pretty

It’s not often that I randomly pick a book off the shelves and immediately fall in love with it. In general, I tend not to read back-cover blurbs: I go straight to the first page and start reading. If the writing grabs me, if the concepts are intriguing, if the style is strong and the…… Continue reading The unrequited love in Galore

Take Avatar, for instance. Perhaps an icon in the world of CG animation (read: pretty, pretty, pretty 3D computer aliens) but boasting what has to be the worst (mass-produced, over-used, stereotypical) storyline ever written, not to mention the complete absence of original characters or character development… But I digress. Today, let’s talk about Kubrick’s horror film, The Shining. I’ve come to realise…… Continue reading Iconic films are not always good. Just saying.

…make me realise just how hard a beating my credit card is going to take at Worldcon in September. If you’ve read Horn you’re going to want to read this one (and if you haven’t read Horn, what are you waiting for? Unicorns in Wrong Town, and an indelible image of glowing maggots — what…… Continue reading Books like this…

Forget urban fantasy: suburban fantasy is where it’s at these days. What’s more, Australian suburban fantasy is clearly the at where it is. Wondering where you might get your hands on some of this sought-after fiction? Look no further than Twelfth Planet Press’s latest anthology Sprawl, which is now available for pre-order. Le blurb from TPP’s website, for your…… Continue reading Pure pimpage

I have successfully avoided the lure of t’internetz for most of today. I have gone over one of my thesis chapters, made changes. Sketched out the conclusion. But then the internet knocks on my screen, and puts stuff like this in my face: And then I can’t help but look at The Literary Gift Company’s…… Continue reading Oh internetz. How you taunt me.

 Some exciting stuff on the writerly front in the past couple of days, so this is inevitably going to be a post with multiple cases of linkery: Angela Slatter’s second collection for this year, Sourdough and Other Stories, has a gorgeous cover. You can see the elegant slipcase to the left — but pay a visit…… Continue reading Come to me, my pretty…

Anyone who has ever laid brush to canvas in an attempt to capture something — person, place, or object — realistically will be all too aware that painting is an exercise in mathematics as much as it is an exercise in the fine arts. Oliver Jeffers makes this literal in a recent exhibition of his…… Continue reading Expressions of the marvellous plasticity of mind…

 Angela Slatter has a way with words. Not only is she a writer extraordinaire with two — count ’em two — collections of short stories due out this year (namely, The Girl With No Hands and Other Tales, which you can pre-order here, and Sourdough and Other Stories, which can be bought here) but she also asks some damned…… Continue reading Drive-by!

…is on Tuesday, August 24th not the 25th. D’oh! Hope to see you all there on the 24th (although I’m sure Dymocks wouldn’t mind if you paid them a visit on the 25th as well to buy more copies of Kirstyn’s book!)