Stuff What's Happening Lately Yeah

  Hello peacocks, 

(I’ve recorded this as an MP3 by way of doing something exciting and novel that isn’t hard drugs or holding one’s breath and standing up real quick. It’s attached below if you can’t be bothered to read stupid squiggle text words.)

You may notice I’ve switched this month’s patronage to per creation again. You know the drill. I’m not sure I’m set to put anything out for May, so I’d prefer not to take your coin. I use your support for stock footage, music, and hiring people who actually know what they’re doing. Not too much point accepting it otherwise, in my opinion.

I was lucky enough recently to wander around Greece for a few days. Much to my surprise Socrates is dead and everyone spoke better English than me. So yeah. It was fairly humbling to stand next to structures several thousand years old, and on spots Aristotle himself probably yelled at people from. I didn’t yell at anyone but it was still a very nice day. I would recommend going to Athens if you haven’t. It’s neat.

Do you want to know about the new book? Probably not, but I’ll tell you anyway. It’s a three-section novel and it involves a revolution against the animal gods, a family saga, and what happens when the physical constants start changing in the galaxy. There’s also jokes and a love story. The working title is Ocelot Vex and I suspect that’ll be the final one too because I really, really, really like ocelots. I hope you also like ocelots. 

It’s coming along fine and there’s no set date to hand it over to the editor (I have an editor now. So maybe this book won’t be shit?) and I’m going to try and cook up the finest bookish casserole I can for you.

It’s been rather humbling to occasionally follow discussions online regarding stuff I put into the last book. Just like I do with stories, I notice folks reading significance into the colour of the sky in certain scenes, or a character’s name being an anagram or whatever. In actual fact I was usually just a bit tired or baked and decided to throw something in for fun. So, no codes

As usual I will recommend some stuff I’ve been enjoying recently, attempt to bombard you with thanks, then disappear.

So. It’s been a while since something properly did a number on me, book-wise. But I fell in love recently. It’s called The Sparrow by Mari Doria Russell. The description might sound like sci-fi, but it isn’t really sci-fi. It’s one of those lovely human-centred books that you come away from a bit broken and somehow a bit better and I think you’ll dig it. Get hold of it if you can, I say.

TV-wise, there’s a British thing called Peep Show you may’ve heard of. I’ve just finished the third season again and laughed so hard I thought my ears were going to come off. Again, you’ll almost certainly dig it and it’s easy enough to find online.

Oh. What the fuck is going on with the writing of Game of Thrones recently? How are they going to wrap this one up exactly? 

Nonetheless, what I really wanted to say is cheers. Hopefully an idea decent enough to make will strike in the next week and I’ll be very grateful to reactivate Patreon come June. I’ve said it so much it probably doesn’t have much weight left, but I’m just so incredibly thankful for the support; it means the world. Bear with me while I have a bit of a think and work on the new book please. 

I hope you’re doing all right out there in reality-land and your existential adventure is coming along nicely. 

Ex.

P.S. – Freya was reasonably behaved this month. I have attached a photo of her as a kitten that I may’ve shared before, but god knows I’m not going back through the last squillions of Patreon posts to check. Ahhhhhh, halcyon days, back when she didn’t scratch your eyes out just to look at a packet of ham.