I’m Going To Be a Dad!
Posted by bencooper | Filed under General, News
Of course I’ve know this for a while now, but yesterday Kate and I went for the 12 week scan.
Over the last couple of months I’ve been on what I’m told is the normal emotional “rollercoaster” for expectant parents, and I know it’s been a hundred times worse for Kate. I’ve been constantly worrying about how things are going to work out. How will we afford to liev on just my salary? Where are we going to live, we can’t stay in our one bed flat anymore? What about all the expense of a baby? Nappies? Crib? Clothes that are redundant the next morning because they’ve grown out of them? I’ve been struggling to keep these things from my mind.
Then a funny thing happened. As I saw the image of my child, looking so much like the Starchild from 2001: A Space Odyssey, moving around (I never knew they were so active, so young) and heard his/her heart beating strongly I had a startling moment of clarity. Regardless of what happens in my life, whatever I may do in terms of my career, my writing or anything else I will never do anything as important or amazing as having a child.
Of course I may seem sentimental, and I know a whole raft of other worries and stresses are just around the corner, and no doubt there will be times where I’m far from the perfect parent, but I now feel that whatever the future brings I have a whole new purpose in life.
A story acceptance!
Posted by bencooper | Filed under News
That’s right, after a few months of trying I’ve had another story accepted by the folks over at Aphelion. They took my short story ‘Gynoid’ and it will be published in the October issue which should be out in the next few days. Click the link above, or go to my weblinks page to get to the site.
I’ve been floundering with my fiction lately; not enjoying reading much, having no ideas and hardly writing anything SF related. The acceptance has given me a little boost, but I know I have to learn to just keep writing and keep submitting. Easier said than done.
I’ve been quiet for a while, so what have I been up to? Well: more hard work on Acoustic, making some big changes to the magazine which have been well received, with more changes afoot; interviewing one of my favourite musicians, Kip Winger, as well as other musical types; starting interview and review work on Soundshock and Innsmouth Free Press; not doing enough fiction writing and not updating my blog much!
Well, gotta dash and finish off some work.
Ta ta for now.
Finally, some writing
Posted by bencooper | Filed under News
I actually sat down and did some writing today. In fact I did two separate sessions. This is the first time I’ve done any fiction writing since starting work at Acoustic. I’ve been doing copy for the magazine when time allows, but just haven’t had the energy to undertake any fiction, which is always a mentally draining task.
I’ve started work on what I hope will turn into a novel. It’s a post-apocalyptic one, set in the distant future and has something of an odyssey/quest nature to it. I’ve always had a thing for apocalyptic or post-apocalytpic material. Mad Max 2 and Z for Zachariah are what sparked it off in me as a wee nipper. Not sure I should’ve watched The Road Warrior at such young age, but it doesn’t seem to have done any lasting damage.
Now, any book with an apocalyptic theme will guarantee a read through. The Genocides by Thomas Disch, Day of the Triffids, Hothouse and Greybeard by Aldiss. There’s just something about it that strikes a chord in me, and other people I think.
I’ve made a decision recently, spurred on by Kate, to write for myself. Write what I want to write, and not worry about whether I can sell it or not. So if the novel ends up being a slim 150 pager that no publishing house will buy, who cares. Kate always tries to drum into me that I should write for the pleasure of writing, and selling or placing my work should be a separate pursuit. Obviously I want to be published and see a book with my name on it – sci-fi or otherwise, but perhaps that shouldn’t be the be all and end all of writing.
I’ve also made a commitment now to write at least two pages a day. If I feel on a role and manage more, great, if not then each day I’ll rack up approx. 500-600 words and it all adds up. Although two pages a day seems like a low target, it’s definitely an achievable one and should spur me on as I manage it each day.
Here’s to the two-a-day plan!
Am I going off sci fi?
Posted by bencooper | Filed under General
Blasphemy!
I don’t really think I’m going off sci-fi, but I have to say that of late I’m finding it very hard to become enthused about the genre.
Whenever I pick up a novel by one of the new(er) generation of SF, and by that I mean from the 80s onwards, I’m left cold. I read a hundred pages and struggle hard to get through what is often pretentious, self-consciously literary prose. Then I take a break. I leave it for a few days, maybe a week and nothing makes me want to finish said novel.
One of the criticisms leveled at SF (and many genres of fiction/music etc.) is that it hasn’t moved on, indeed that due to the inherent restrictions of genre conventions it cannot. That maybe (though I happen to disagree, and have good reasons for defending genre conventions and their use) but why doesn’t any of the new stuff I read grab me in the way Philip K. Dick’s work does. Dick was no stylist when it came to his writing, in fact he tended to write novels on amphetamine binges in a matter of weeks, but his books (even the lesser ones) are compulsively readable.
Authors like Dick, Clarke and Asimov were all story tellers with ideas. Their prose is generally plain, Dick’s verges on hard-boiled at times, and the narrative pushes forward. I feel it’s this narrative drive that is missing from a lot of modern SF. Who cares if the plot is a little cliché, the characters not quite three dimensional if it rattles along and entertains you? I’m not saying authors shouldn’t strive for the best quality prose, and wonderful characters…but sometimes it seems they get a little bit lost in their literariness.
Another thing that seems to have disappeared with narrative drive, and perhaps is intrinsically intertwined, is the concision of those “classic era” novels. When I look in the SF section of Waterstones or Smith’s all I see are brick sized books, 600 pages long or more, and quite often one of several in a series. Again, I’m not against length – a story is as long as you need to tell it, no? But I very rarely see those 200-300 page novels, unless they are re-prints of classics. Some would argue it’s the scope of the long novels, it requires so many pages. So are the novels of Dick, Clarke et al lacking in scope? I think not.
All this has been sparked by my flick through the latest copy of Interzone (223). Since subscribing to the magazine I’ve read very little short fiction that did it for me. There’s been a few but not much. And I’m in no way criticising the authors from a writers perspective, as I’m hardly a writer with a fine pedigree of published work. I’m simply stating that most of the fiction Interzone publishes leaves me cold, as a reader. I really wish it didn’t.
Anyway, that’s all for now. I’m just crabby because DHL still haven’t delivered my new notebook!
Later.
Update
Posted by bencooper | Filed under News
So I’ve been on my new job as Assistant Editor for Acoustic for over a month now. I’m starting to settle in to the roll but it’s a really full on job – I’m really the engine room of the magazine, editorially speaking. The upcoming issue will be the first one to bear my name on the editorial staff list, and I’m hoping it will be an issue I can be proud of. I’ve got a couple of small pieces in the issue, and interview with Brett Dennen and a DVD review, I’d like to have had more but I just haven’t had the time.
I’ve submitted another story this week and am waiting for a response, hopefully I can build up the short fiction in the background.
Over the coming months I’ll be getting more copy in the mag, and I’ve also got plans for a non-fiction book that I’m kicking around at the moment, about boxing.
I’m increasingly leaning towards non-fiction writing at this stage, as it seems to be a viable way to get published and earn some money. It’s in no way easier than fiction, but you don’t need a finished product, just a proposal, outline and a few draft chapters. If the publisher likes it you get commissioned, given a deadline and an advance, then the ball’s in your court. But I need to do more planning and some initial research and writing before that can get underway.
Now I just need to find the energy and determination to get it out there…
Fiction Up
Posted by bencooper | Filed under News
Well I’ve just got back from the London International Music Show – two hectic days running around getting to meet the people I’ll be working with in the guitar industry. It was busy but I’ll have missed the busiest period over the weekend.
The June issue of Aphelion (www.aphelion-webzine.com) is up, and features a story and poem by yours truly. Head on over and have a gander, be sure to read the other stories too!
I’ll post another update about the show soon – but right now I need a shower!!!
Photography
Posted by bencooper | Filed under General, News
Please check out Darren Newbery’s new photography website. Darren and I used to work in the hellhole that is Jessops (although the people who work in the Exeter branch are very nice). He has just returned from a round the world trip and is available as a freelance photographer. I’m sure you’ll agree his work is excellent.
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Another acceptance!
Posted by bencooper | Filed under News, Poetry, Short Stories
Hi guys,
I received an email today from Robert Moriyama, the short fiction editor at Aphelion magazine. He sent me a very complimentary acceptance letter for a story I submitted earlier in the year. It will be featured in the next issue of Aphelion, which should go live this Sunday. Obviously I’m over the moon about this. Aphelion have also recently accepted a poem of mine, which should run in the same issue.
Robert said it was a good entry in the John Wyndham genre, of a disaster seen through the eyes of an ordinary person. I’m a big fan of Wyndham so this doesn’t come as a surprise, although being told it is good was a nice lift, after a string of rejections.
With the final month of university being a mad scrabble, and the new job taking up a lot of my time, writing has taken something of a backseat over the last couple of months. However I’ve got a couple of other stories ready for submission and some more poetry, and this has given me a much needed boost to carry on and get things done.
I’ll put a short update post on the site, and through my Twitter account, when the story and poem are up.
I hope you enjoy them!
Later.
Tags: Fiction, News, short story, submission
Little Update
Posted by bencooper | Filed under News
Hey all,
Just a brief post to update y’all. I’ve been hard at work in my new job as Assistant Editor for Acoustic Magazine. It’s been a busy old week getting to grips with the various roles I have to perform.
At the moment I haven’t had the energy to do any new writing what so ever 
I’m hoping this will change over the next month or so as I become acclimatised to the work. Nonetheless I’m loving the work and it’s a wonderful environment to be working in, with lots of fun as well as work!
Well, I don’t have too much more to say at the moment so I’ll say adieu for now!
Work, the final frontier.
Posted by bencooper | Filed under General, News
Well, I’ve finished university now. All I’m waiting on is my dissertation to be marked and then I’m done and dusted. Of course there’s the graduation ceremony but I’m not intending to attend that, I’ll just wait for my degree certificate to arrive in the post. I’m not the sentimental type and sitting around for three hours while the whole arts faculty lines up to collect theirs just doesn’t appeal.
But the point of this post is to pass on some good news. After all my worrying and agonising over the future and employment I’ve managed to land a great job. I am the new assistant editor of Acoustic Magazine. A series of events just happened to dovetail all at the same time and I start on Monday!
The job is a multi faceted one. It incorporates not only assisting in deciding what goes into the magazine but also feature/review/interview writing, sub-editing, proof reading, liaising with the graphic designers over layout, being the port of call for industry contacts, chasing up and arranging interviews and all kinds of other jobs. It looks like it’s going to be stressful but fun, the environment is great and the job sounds genuinely rewarding, with some nice perks.
Of course I’m wondering what effect this might have on my fledgling writing career. Although the job is a Monday-Friday one it’s obviously going to be busy and creative, and could leave me drained. On the other hand I’ll be doing a lot of writing for an internationally distributed magazine, which can only improve my skills. Hopefully, after an intial settling in period, I’ll not only have the time to write but also be inspired to.
Gareth Powell touched on the issue of job vs writing in this post.
Anyway, I’ll be sure to let you know how it all goes, and if you happen to play acoustic guitar/mandolin/banjo etc. or are just into the acoustic music scene please be sure to get the latest issue, which you can find in W H Smith’s and, from the next issue, Tescos too.
Ta ta for now
Tags: acoustic magazine, Gareth L. Powell, job, News, writing