Woo-hoo! I've just sold my story "A Field Guide to Ugly Places" to Strange Horizons. This will be my second SH publication. The first one was a long time ago now, back in 2003, with Five Things of Beauty. I am, obviously, delighted. (And if it's not too immodest, I love "A Field Guide..." :)

Also today: My slightly odd story Next is now online in Issue 14 of Abyss & Apex. I'm expecting that some people really won't get this story, but we'll see.

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Couple of days ago, we had a big thunderstorm which seems to have fried our internet connection at home. We're thinking it's the broadband line that's gone down, although I guess it could be the modem. We're waiting for an engineer to check the line before we get a new modem. Anyway, we have no internet access at home. I'm abusing work time to write this. Poor Steph is completely offline and suffering withdrawal symptoms.

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I gave up on short stories this morning and started to read and revise my novel Jacob's Abyss. I wrote this so long ago I've almost forgotten what happens in it, so at least I'm seeing it in a fairly new light. I like it so far, but it's way too short to be commercial. Luckily, I think it can be padded...ahem...expanded.