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Surveillance, the Investigatory Powers Bill and Remain Vigilant
Last week, I published a new ebook. Called Remain Vigilant, it consists of two linked one act plays set in the same fictional government agency that deals with surveillance. I actually wrote it over eighteen months ago, left it on my hard drive and forgot about it. My background is in playwriting, so this was before I got into writing short stories and other pieces.
Remain Vigilant
I have a new ebook available. It's called Remain Vigilant: Two Linked One- Act Plays. It's available from Amazon or Smashwords. Smashwords is pay what you like
Optimism, empathy and The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet
Science fiction is an escape from our mundane reality to another shinier, brighter alternate world. There's a whole universe of unusual aliens to discover. It reflects the times it was written and what the hopes were, or extrapolates based on available data. As well as providing an escape, it can also show us a way forward at the moment.. We go halfway around the universe only to discover ourselves.
What does it matter?
In the shock generated in the wake of the US election, one refrain I keep hearing from people was what does it matter to us? Sure, people feel bad for the USA and all, but we have our own problems to deal with. I can sympathise with this view. The UK is a scary enough place at the moment, what with Brexit, the rise of hate crimes and confusion that has followed in its wake. However, I feel like the rest of the world needs to be concerned about the election of Donald Trump.
Here's why:
October Link Round Up
Summer is a distant memory now. We huddle around the fire for warmth and watch the leaves slowly drift to the ground. It's chilly outside. Best to draw up the blankets around you, grab a hot drink and hibernate for the winter. Here are a few links to keep you going
The importance of a creative routine
One of the most important changes I have implemented in the last couple of years has been a creative routine. I find it helpful to work regularly towards a goal, writing every day instead of waiting for inspiration to strike. Showing up whether I feel like it or not. When I was writing Amber Stars: One Night of Stories, I woke up at six every weekday, wrote for 45 minutes then got on with the rest of my day. I've kept it going since and have drafted several short stories, a play and a novella in the past months. A regular time to write, while the world is quiet, has been immensely helpful for getting the words written.
Nick Cave and music that is too difficult to listen to
I finally got round to listening to the new Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds album Skeleton Tree. It is an incredible listen, but also quite harrowing. After twenty-three years as a band and sixteen studio releases, the music still manages to sound fresh and different. Warren Ellis' sparse but haunting instrumentation adds a strange melancholy air to the proceedings. I've listened a few times now and I think it might be one of my favourite albums by the band. But also, I don't plan on listening to it too much.
'The Shock Doctrine' and the Modern World.
Oh boy. If ever there was a book that was designed to make you furious about the current state of the world, this is it. Although The Shock Doctrine was published in 2007, Naomi Klein's insight into the conservative mindset still remains sadly relevant to the world today.
'With us or against us': Brexit and The Daily Mail
So I was going to write about something else entirely, but then the I stumbled on The Daily Mail on Twitter. I try to avoid it when I can because it is always a hate-filled rag, but I couldn't avoid it. Today it published this front page: