Tuesday 28 December 2010

Minor update

November and December were busy months. In addition to finishing the new book, I was also happy to accept the kind offer to guest edit an issue of SciFi Now magazine. I selected some books for review, wrote a review myself, did an editorial and contributed to a couple of book and film related articles. I don't know when this issue will hit the stands but I thought I may as well mention it now - keep an eye out if you're interested, and (of course) happen to live where SciFi Now is readily available.

Now that the new book is off to the editor, I'm in the usual period of minor limbo where one hesitates to embark on another big project for fear that any momentum gained will be immediately stalled when the request for editorial rewrites comes in. What I normally do in this period is crack on with some short fiction. That's not really an option at the moment, though. Yes, I do have a few short fiction commitments, but more pressingly I need to get started on book 2 of the trilogy as soon as possible. That's not only because the schedule is tight, but because I'm chomping at the bit to move the story on and exploit the fact that the details of the invented future are still more or less fully loaded into my working memory.

However (there's always a "however") there's another project looming, slightly less formidable in scope but still fairly "big" and that needs to be off my desk before I can do any serious work on book 2. I'm reluctant to say too much about it until the details are nailed down but it's an interesting one, something you won't necessarily expect, and with luck and a fair wind there may be two novels out from me next year.

I'm away for a week; once I get back I may have some more information. Cheers and Happy New Year, one and all.

Al R

17 comments:

  1. Happy New Year Alastair, 2 new books will make for a wonderful 2011 (not that 1 new book from you makes a year in any way ordinary)

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  2. Excellent news on all fronts - I hope your year is a productive one, and there is plenty of down time too. Looking forward to the new books - and hoping you'll do a promotional tour in the States*.

    Cheers!

    *if that's something you _want_ to do, of course - if so - come to Ohio!

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  3. Happy New Year!

    Eagerly awaiting the new releases! And yes, also hoping for a book tour in the US. Don't forget the Minneapolis / St. Paul area if you do.

    Best fishes,
    Larry

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  4. Two books in 2011 would be fantastic. It seems like the wait is just too long between novels.

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  5. Alastair:

    I cannot wait for BRE! In 2001 I was in a book store and chanced up Chasm City. The depiction of realistic starship over an inhospitable world signalled that it would be hard science fiction. I'm an engineer/patent attorney and really enjoy realistic science fiction.

    Chasm City had the absolute best opening of any book, of any genre, that I'd ever read. I was completely hooked on the Revelation Space universe.

    You create great stories that are respectful of scientific reality; which makes them even greater. You also have a great imagination in creating future societies. (I'd like to see someone speak "Canasian".)

    To your credit, you've transversed three common conventions of SF:
    1. You do not treat relativity as a nuissance to be technobabbled away.
    2. You do not assume that the global future will be a giant USA. (The Afrocentric world of Poseidon's Children is brilliant).
    3. Your universe, like the real one, is filled with unintended consequences and failures.

    I have a feeling Poseidon's Children will be even better than Revelation Space.

    Happy New Year,

    Gus

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  6. Well, I think I'm just going to second Gus on this! I have been hooked on the Revelation Space and Xeelee books for a while now and, as much as I enjoy them, I'm more intrigued by the idea of "Space is the enemy" in Blue Remembered Earth at this point. I can't wait until it is released!

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  7. Hans Schmidt-Nielsen2 January 2011 at 19:05

    Happy New Year and you made me a happy dane with the news of possibly two books next year. : )
    Cheers!

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  8. Looking forward to the new work. But please, when you've got some time, can you finish Terminal World?

    Thanks!

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  9. Happy New Year!

    You know when I read your books I consciously put them down so I don't read through them too quickly!

    Thanks!

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  10. Hi Alistair, I have just re-read Terminal World and loved it. I look forward to your new series.
    Best wishes
    Jim

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  11. Hi Alastair, Happy New Year! I'm going to make a guess at the second book being....Doctor Who!

    They're targetting high profile sci-fi authors with one from Moorcock last year, and rumours of a Stephen Baxter one. One from you would just be superb!

    Best Wishes
    Scott

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  12. Happy new year
    Be safe out there! Looking forward to the new works

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  13. Happy New Year and looking forward to your next release. You are an inspiration and I wanted to thank you for your afterward on Galactic North. Inspiring! I would love to hear your thoughts on John Lee's readings of your work....

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  14. Of course youhave a site lol. That's so cool to find out. congrats on any progress on new book--can't wait.

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  15. Hi, the SFX stuff was very nice, liked the movies list :)

    Looking forward to the new book, hope there is some hard sci fi on it, and wouldn't mind some pattern jugglers.

    Anyway, Feliz Año nuevo

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  16. Your Sci Fi Now issue is out now - issue 50.

    A nice read for what is usually fairly thin.

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