Andrew Hook

[Ray]

Awesome - that must be a celebratory milestone, surely?  (Mind you, I can find any excuse to drink a toast - story acceptance, story publication, good review, day ending in y...)

[Andrew Hook]

Finally received my copy of Black Static #26 last Friday containing my story "Dizzy Land" which has been out for a while, but got lost in the post. On the same day I also got my contributor copy of The Monster Book For Girls anthology (The Exaggerated Press) containing my story, "Monster Girl."

I've been writing a few stories recently set in Japan. "Monster Girl" is one of these, and I wrote a new story, "Drowning In Air", yesterday which is set on the island of Miyake-jima. Part of that story was inspired by these photographs: http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_-n0Xaek_I0c/TQEmx_q2hsI/AAAAAAAAAAw/Hbbn2Tj7XQg/s1600/Gas_Mask.jpg and http://www.doaaraku.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/Tourist-Information-Japan-Miyake-jima-Gas-Masks-Tourism-in-Izu-Islands-550x392.jpg. Apologies for the long links, I can't work out how to do them differently.

[Ray]

Really enjoyed Dizzy Land, emotive and striking in its imagery (if that doesn't sound too English teachery) and very pleased to see the only eggs were some horrible fried ones and not that one with boxing gloves from the old computer game.

God, I hope someone else remembers that game, or else that was a very weird comment.

[jim mcleod]

here is my interview with Andrew

http://thegingernutcase.blogspot.com/2012/01/interview-with-andrew-hook.html

[Andrew Hook]

Thanks for the comments on the story, Ray. I don't remember the video game but now I'm intrigued.

And cheers again for the interview opportunity Jim!

[Ray]

It was called Dizzy and you were, er, an egg.  With boxing gloves.  Walking around a weird world, avoiding dangers.  Odd, but strangely compelling at the time.

On a more seriosu note, though, I did I really enjoy the disentergration in your story, and when the ground (literally) falls away.  Great stuff.

[Andrew Hook]

Thanks for elucidating, Ray! (by the way, just read your mermaids story and absolutely loved it!)

Meanwhile, decided this morning to launch a new magazine with my partner, Sophie. She's the main editor and I'm along for the ride. We're not specifically looking for genre, but are open to persuasion. Impress us!

Guidelines for Fur-Lined Ghettos here: http://fur-linedghettos.weebly.com

[Andrew Hook]

Wrote a couple of short stories in the past seven days: "The Evening Of The Mule" and "The Stench Of Winter". Still awaiting a first story acceptance of 2012. I must be slipping

[Andrew Hook]

My story "The Human Map" has recently been published in the Eibonvale anthology, "Where Are We Going?"

Quite a few BFS-known names in the table of contents:

Are We Nearly There Yet  - Introduction by Allen Ashley
Dead Countries - Gary Budgen 
A Faraway City  - Joel Lane
The Way the World Works  - Ian Sales
A Guide to Surviving Malabar  - Ian Shoebridge 
The Human Map  - Andrew Hook 
Journey to the Engine of the Earth  - Terry Grimwood
The Discord of Being  - Alison J. Littlewood
Xana-La  - Stephen Palmer 
At the Rail  - Andrew Coburn 
The Bridge - A. J. Kirby
The Chain  - Frank Roger 
Our Island  - Ralph Robert Moore 
Underpass  - Daniella Geary
Overnight Bus  - Marion Pitman 
Wake with the Light  - Jet McDonald 
Future Prospects (Poem)  - Geoff Stevens
Entanglement  - Douglas Thompson 

Further information: http://www.eibonvalepress.co.uk/books/books_wawg.htm

[Andrew Hook]

After a short creative hiatus I managed to write the first drafts of two new short stories over the Easter weekend: "The Universe At Gun Point" and "Dumb Broad". Still quiet on the acceptance front at the moment, but a story has recently been published in the "Dark Currents" anthology from NewCon Press.

[Andrew Hook]

Been busy recently with non-writing stuff, such as the birth of my daughter, Cora. However I managed to squeeze in a short story prior to her birth, called "My Naked Man", and I've just sold "The Universe At Gun Point" for inclusion in Des Lewis's Classical Horror anthology

[Andrew Hook]

Received my contributor copy of "The First Book of Classical Horror Stories" containing my piece "The Universe At Gun Point". I've blogged about why I chose the composer Erik Satie here: http://andrew-hook.blogspot.co.uk/

[Allen]

Hi Andrew,
Congratulations on having your story published in Des’s anthology.
Annoyingly, I can’t find my Naxos Erik Satie CD at the moment, so reliant upon low volume You Tube clips.
Had a quick look at your blog. The title of The Stranglers / Dave Greenfield piece you mention is, of course, a parody of Satie’s famous “Trois Gymnopedies”. As a Kate Bush fan, I’m sure you’ll know that she starts “Symphony in Blue” with a short phrase from Satie. Also – yes, I know I’m getting a bit train-spotterish - for my story “Things Seen, Left” – which was published by (your) Elastic Press in my collection “Somnambulists” - I nicked the title from a BBC documentary about Satie called “Things Seen Left and Right”. I don’t know if you remember the story but “Things Seen, Left” was much better than the original working title “The Boat of Time”, which sounds like something Vincent Price might ride in!

[Andrew Hook]

Hi Allen

I knew there was a link between the Greenfield piece and Satie and must have read it in Strangled magazine at the time. I couldn't verify it online, however, but your answer makes perfect sense. And of course I remember "Things Seen, Left" which is probably one of my favourite pieces of yours. I like hearing how titles come about.

Had a good Saturday at Edge-Lit in Derby last weekend. Thanks for those who attended the events I was on (and no worries for those who didn't attend mine and Rob Rees' reading - we have a nice chat between ourselves!)

New baby has stymied new stories for a few months, but as my partner and baby remained in the Derby area for a week that's meant the creative dam has broken and I've knocked out three stories this week: "The Abduction of Europe", "The Perfection of Symmetry", and "Tetsudo Fan".

[Allen]

That’s pretty prolific for a week.  The rest of us can only look on in awe.