Yes, dear people, yes, I know - its been weeks since my last posting. A funpacked, thrill-a-minute joyride its been, as well....well, okay, if one were to look upon world developments with a cold eye then such a description could only be made in a spirit of darkest irony.
How to make a summary comment on what has been happening in Iraq? - I think that Jon Pilger put it succinctly in the latest New Statesmen when he said that yes, there is a war of liberation going on in Iraq right now and we are the enemy. Nothing that the CPA, or Bush or Blair can say or do can conceal the fact that a terrible wrong has been done to the Iraqi people. They suffered 30 years under a tyrant who was our best buddy for most of that time, then three wars then 12 years of crippling sanctions, then this vile invasion. And watching some of the decisions and actions of the Coalition authorities (for which read, American authority - we British have become nothing more than a doormat), you have wonder if they are genuinely that dumb or are there darker motives afoot? Y`know, as a sci-fi writer its my job to imagine possibilities, and boy have I come up with some crackers about the Iraqi imbroglio! Luckily, I have a scrupulously and fully-functioning skeptical outlook (which is not the same as cynical, I hasten to add), which keeps me from adopting any of my or others wild theories as total and utter truth; I`ll entertain the notion but I`m not quite ready to don the tinfoil hat. Still waiting to see all the president`s files and briefings, and most eager to find out just what was in all the emails and messages that flitted between Downing Street and the White House in the months leading up to the invasion.
For now, however, we can only grit our teeth under the burden of shame and anger brought about by the British government - no, make that the Blair government`s murderous culpability in Bush`s war crimes. Things that cannot go on generally don`t - I dread how the situation might turn out, especially if American troops are used against the holy sites and cities in Iraq. You know, one of the main precepts of warfare is `don`t do what your enemy wants you to do`, and I have to wonder why, at ever step of the way, we seem to have done exactly what Osama Bin Laden wants.
On personal and writing matters, I was at Eastercon in Blackpool last weekend, a truly singular experience utterly unlike any other convention I`ve been. And not an entirely favourable one, either - usually a convention takes over a hotel at which the majority of members stay, bringing about that hothouse cultural bubble effect. The Blackpool Eastercon was quite different, being at the Winter Gardens (in essence a gigantic combined conference centre and Baron Munchausian funpalace) the convention felt fragmented, kinda shoehorned in amongst all the other stuff happening there, like the amusement arcade and the opera house (starring Freddie Starr!). The program was a little disjointed as well, and a few items, er, went astray.
On the up side, I met up with a variety of reprobates and shady characters, otherwise known as writers (just kiddin, guys) and much chat and wild flights of conversational fancy were indulged in (the adventures of Jason Dee and the diabolical Dr Tezla should be spoken of in hushed whispers for now), as well as great swathes of mad laughter and stealth photography. Meals of pizza and balti delights were consumed and most of us spent money like drunken chancellors (and during the weekend I laid hands on a few inneresting books, like Ian Watson`s newie, `Mockymen`, `Witchfire` by James Clements, `Lorebringer` Miller Lau`s latest, and `Wyrmhole` by the indescribable Jay Caselberg).
Writing on Shadowmasque proceeds apace or yet further apace - well, yeah, I did have problems last year but trust me, the story is firmly in hand and will thrill and chill the reader, and mebbe even surprise you.
Future events of note - I shall be taking myself across to Edinburgh on the 28th of April for a joint event (yeah, yeah, you know worrimean!) at Ottakars with (Debbie) Miller Lau, starting at 7pm. I`ll be reading from Shadowgod, and a coupla snippets from my forthcoming short story collection, Iron Mosaic, due from Immanion Press mid-end of next month.
That`s it for now. Take care, and walk in the light.
