Friday 21 August 2020

Update - Writing Group - Gemmell vs. Abercrombie - Writing Mag - Sci-fi Now

 Hi Folks 


Just a quick update on what I've been up to in the last few weeks.  Hope you are all safe.


Firstly I've still not done any writing but after having an excellent Zoom meeting the other Monday with my writing group (Cleckheaton Writing Group), they talked me into going on a writing course.   I'm still looking at this and have to enrol.

It was great catching up with the group and seeing how far their writing has progressed.  Unfortunately I'm in a reading slump at the moment and still to read their work and give feedback.


Talking of reading slumps, I was wanting to be onto the third book in Joe Abercrombie's First Law Trilogy yet still on "Before they are Hanged".  I'm only about 300 pages in too.  I think this is because some back story in the book is eerily similar to back story in David Gemmell's "Winter Warriors" which I read a few months ago.

The back story involves demons walking the World and one of them turns against their brothers and banishes his fellow demons to the underworld.  This was a main point in "Winter Warriors".  Maybe it is just coincidence with the book being in the same genre and is a familiar trope.  Although there are other similarities with David Gemmells work.

Other than that plot point I'm enjoying "Before they are Hanged" as Joe has written great characters and I love his prose.  I will just steam forward and get it read.



In the pandemic it has been hard to get copies of Writing Magazine.  Although now everything is easing and shops are now open I have still had an hard time finding a new Writing Magazine in WH Smith stores.  These being the Halifax and Bradford branches.  I've ended up buying the magazine in Sainsbury's in Halifax.

Has anyone else had problems finding Writing Magazine in WH Smith stores?



Sad Sci-fi, Fantasy and Publishing news as I've found out Sci-fi Now magazine has gone out of print and will only be available online.  I prefer physical copies.

I used to love this magazine as it had more writing and a larger book section than it's rival SFX Magazine which I also liked but didn't buy as much as I felt it wasn't as good as years before.  But I will purchase SFX Magazine when I can as be even more of a shame if that went too.


Well that's it for a catch up.  I will also be looking at an IT Course to re-teach me some skills and hope get a job.


Ta 


Neil x

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