#RequiredReading: SF, Fantasy and a little bit of the old Medieval

In  downtime I read avidly. Here’s a snapshot of the last six months or so:

Wool [and] Shift [and] DustHugh Howey. The first is brilliant and the second and third necessary and involving extrapolations of the original idea.

11.22.63 [and] Under the Dome Stephen King. Fell out of interest with King until I picked up the first, which like the second, is a superbly realised high concept novel. If you can get over the style these are classics.

American GodsNeil Gaiman. Interesting take on the Gods imported to America by the European diaspora, at times compulsive.

Blood SongAnthony Ryan & Emperor of ThornsMark Lawrence. A great trilogy in prospective with the first, and a sometimes excruciating finale to a great trilogy in the second. Really, really rate Mark Lawrence.

RevelationC. J. Sansom. Shardlake is one of those persistent characters whose idiosyncracies stay with you long after the novel ends. Sansom hasn’t disappointed yet, although this time around I’d guessed the culprit long before the eponymous revelation.

Proxima [and] FloodStephen Baxter. One of my favourite all-time authors. The first is totally compulsive. The second a bleak warning about climate change – a must-read.

In the presence of greatness: the album “Strangers” by Simone Felice is now #onmyplaylist

Simone Felice – Gettysburg

So its Alt. Country Folk. Lumineers provide some backing vocals. There’re some exquisite melodies. Great lyrics. Only half-way through. Superb!

Cover finalised for the Conservation Plan of @DunansCastle, including Barcode, ISBN, blurb and fabulous panorama

Sometimes the simplest design is the most beguiling. In this case a panorama taken one  early summer morning from the bridge towards the castle. With title, strap and author on the cover;  title, author and Dunans Castle Ltd. logo on the spine; and blurb and barcode on the back, everything is pared back to the minimum.

The thinking is that the Conservation Plan represents the foundation point from which we are restoring and therefore should display the bridge and castle at their barest – although of course in a picturesque way – reflecting its “quite breathtaking … impact.” (Davies)

But aside from all the design niceties, we’re very, very grateful for the CreativIndieCovers website for the great free online barcode generator – just wonderful how the market throws up truly innovative answers to the questions one asks i.e. where can I generate a barcode free online? And before you ask why one should be able to generate a barcode artwork for free, the answer is that because the standard for deriving barcodes from ISBNs is free, and if I’d had to I’d have coded it myself – and also offered it free once I had.

A superb collection of singles that (frankly) I have never heard, but wish I had before now. #FutureIslands #OnMyPlaylist

Future Islands – Singles

So I am just older than I’d like to admit, but I am loving this bona fide eccentric (as Kitty Empire calls it in the Guardian)(and therein hangs an indicator if ever there did).

Looked after beautifully @invercottage on #motheringsunday – the Rhubarb was stupendous!

Inver Cottage, on the shores of Loch Fyne, and opposite old castle Lachlan is the best place to eat near us. Recommended for every occasion, and particularly when in the company of three lovely mothers who require a wonderful time.

#OnMyPlaylist #TheBoss has made many albums and this is the one I keep going back to!

Bruce Springsteen – The Rising

Genius and for me, one of the best musical responses to 9/11. I am (Also testing out a new twitter / Facebook posting combo – hope it works!)

#ScottishIndependence #VoteYes The Yes Campaign gathers momentum, even the Guardian is reporting it

http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2014/mar/18/scottish-independence-scotland

In my view, Land Reform, community ownership of assets and independence are the right way to go. There’ll be uncertainty, there’ll be change, but if we wish to have a happy, vibrant, civilised country which makes its own decisions then it has to be a Yes.

Music for putting up shelves while its raining outside …

Ezra Furman – Day of the Dog

Along with the new Jake Bugg album, this inhabits my playlist every day!

HANDY Study from NASA has just Ruined my Saturday morning…

http://www.theguardian.com/environment/earth-insight/2014/mar/14/nasa-civilisation-irreversible-collapse-study-scientists

This is credible, specific and convincing. We all know what to do. When will we start doing it?

Rules for Writing that every Writer needs to Read

http://www.theguardian.com/books/2010/feb/20/ten-rules-for-writing-fiction-part-one

Some of these are wonderful. Particularly the short ones. Like Philip Pullman’s. Much rather read this than tick off the books I’ve read, particularly when so many of them make their first rule: Write, just write.

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