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I heart spring
This splendid image could be an easy snapshot to miss as I breezed by the hedgerow, but the flash of colour at the periphery of my vision flagged my attention. I have a sub-programme always running in my mind when I’m out and about called interesting things to photograph. It’s a handy technique – noticing odd things, or seeing ordinary items cast differently in spectacular light. On some days it’s that necessary reminder that if you search for it you will always find beauty.
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La Femme cover
Today I received an email from Ian Whates at NewCon Press revealing the cover for the paired La Femme and Noir anthologies. My story ‘Valerie’ is appearing in La Femme. The writers appearing in this volume are: Frances Hardinge Storm Constantine Holly Ice Ruth E.J. Booth Andrew Hook Stewart Hotston Adele Kirby Maura McHugh Jonathan Oliver Stephen Palmer John Llewellyn Probert Benjanun Sriduangkaew The books are being launched at Eastercon in Glasgow, at 6.00 pm on 18 April, 2014, and both paperback and hardback editions will be available.
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parliaments
Anyone who has ever watched birds flocking will understand where Daphne du Maurier got the idea for ‘The Birds’ (or why Arthur Machen was inspired to write ‘The Terror’). There is something both hypnotic and intimidating about their aerial manoeuvres and tight-knit fellowships. They form tribes. And so often, people don’t. Quite regularly a parliament of rooks assembles in the trees behind my house at dusk. Often, hundreds of them show up. In the winter their evening get togethers are very noticeable on the stripped branches. They flap in like a raucous gang, settle on their perches, gossip about their day’s antics, and seem to eye us up as potential…
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life is not measured
I spotted this faux-weathered sign in a shop in Galway. The full quote is: “Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away.” Of course it wasn’t attributed, so I had a quick look online today to figure out who said it first. Looking at this discussion online it appears that it is regularly attributed to Hilary Cooper or George Carlin. But just because someone said something, doesn’t mean it originated with them. Another source claims that this was a quote written for a greeting card put out by the Carleton Card company in the mid 1970s. Other sites…
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end of February cocktail
It’s the end of February cocktail: One part sunshine Two parts rain Half a measure of gale force winds Stir in occasional hailstones Add a twist of daffodils Pour out the wrong weather for your clothing Drink a deep draft whenever the wind scours the sky clean blue and polishes the sun blazing white.
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sunny selfie
When the sun shines in Ireland you have to get out in it. Today felt like a fedora hat kind of day. I like hats. As remarked upon in The Meaning of Life: “People are not wearing enough hats.”
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visual narrative
After I select a picture to feature on my Flickrstream I sometimes ponder what it is about the image that appeals to me. In many cases it’s aesthetic appeal, but often there is an element of narrative. The ones that resonate strongly with me are those that suggest a story. Yesterday, I turned around and spotted this bank of clouds swallowing the clear blue sky. I automatically swung my camera up to snap a few shots. The little grouping of asymmetrical trees set against the stark blue seem like the last, scraggly defenders against an impossible foe. I want them to survive the coming battle. Yet, they are trees and…
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signs of spring
I look this photo of snowdrops two weeks ago – a welcome sign of the changeover of the seasons. Now, the daffodils are ready to bloom, and the day has lengthened enough to be helpful. Soon, February will release us from its heavy grip, and Spring can bound forward unfettered. Winter has its beauties, but I am not sorry at its passing.
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She Walks in Shadows
Within genre circles (sf/f/h) there are some debates that keep rising from the grave, like brain-lusting zombies. You chase the brutes about, slice off their heads, throw them back into the pit, and tamp the soil down hard upon their twitching limbs. Yet, they keep digging their way out of the earth. This is particularly tiresome if the debate is centred around – say – the ability of an entire gender. Since we are 50% of the world’s population, it should be no surprise that women come from lots of different backgrounds, which makes it difficult to make definitive pronouncements about the abilities/interests/desires of such a large group of people.…
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Coole under water
I’ve made mention a few times of the flooding in the West of Ireland this winter, but it’s pretty hard to describe how bad it’s been (although, not quite on the same scale as Somerset in England). I visit Coole Park in Co. Galway quite regularly, and over the past two months more and more of it has disappeared under water. At this point I would guess it’s at least two-thirds flooded. When I last visited it was after the dreadful passage of Storm Darwin, and the place was a mess. One of the car parks was flooded and inaccessible. Huge trees were toppled over, exposing massive rootballs. The buzz of…
