remotepush

Russell Hoban

February 4, 1925 - December 13, 2011

An author who influenced me immensely.

He'll be missed.

I am going to Eastercon this year, for the first time ever. I've not really done cons particularly. I did worldcon in 2005, because it was in Glasgow, and it worked for me. This one I'm doing because a number of friends are going, and for the first time I had the Friday/Monday as holidays anyway.

Getting a strange vibe about it though. Seems to be a strange buzz about this con, and its hard to tell how much of that is just how cons work, and how much is because this one is particularly odd. I'm hoping it'll be an interesting weekend anyway. Hope to get to some interesting panels, even if this year's theme does nothing for me. Hoping to get some cool books, get some cool books signed. And I'm taking part in one of the writer's workshops, partly out of curiosity, and partly as an attempt at taking my writing more seriously.

I expect there will be a few people here that are going, so I'm interested in feedback/opinions on the whole thing, so comments appreciated.

In October of last year Russell Hoban took part in the Map Marathon put on by the Serpentine Gallery in London. I was there, and heard the actress Eleanor Bron read from his novel The Lion of Boaz-Jachin and Jachin-Boaz, followed by Russ talking about the novel and his work. Afterwards we were able to meet him in the bar, where he signed a copy of his most famous novel Riddley Walker for me.

In Fiction We Trust?

Wow. It seems like I may have become fictional in these parts. Far too long since I posted, despite best intentions. So it goes.

1st things 1st. Today is Russell Hoban's 86th birthday, to celebrate, have a quote from the first novel of his that I ever read:

2
Empty Spaces

‘A sense of loss pervades the paintings of Peter Diggs,’ wrote the critic Cecil Berkeley about my last show at the Fanshawe Gallery. ‘His palette is muted his compositions unsettling. The figures in his pictures seem about to depart, and there are odd empty spaces that make the viewer wonder who or what is coming.’

But that’s life, isn’t it? And those of us who think about the empty spaces tend to paint pictures, write books or compose music. There are many talented people who never will become painters, writers, or composers; the talent is in them but not the empty spaces where art happens,

Russell Hoban
Amaryllis Night and Day

The empty spaces is one of those things I find myself thinking about at odd moments within moments. As one does.

Next

What The Stars Hold

My first piece of fiction for 2011 has now gone online, a nasty little piece for all you TV astrology fans... enjoy. Thanks as ever to Weaponizer

Also, a podcast went online during December, a series of flash fiction pieces based on the 12 Days of Christmas. My short submission Five Gold Rings was one of the selected pieces. You can hear it at Dark Fiction.

Archive

I have a number of other stories online from 2010, a number of which it appears I never linked here, so here is a summary of whats out there:

Weaponizer

Prospective Parliamentary Candidate No. 1
The Lady
Cut Now, Cut Deep

Telling of Tales: Podcast

The Gods Are Small Birds

Mythaxis

Blood & Souls
1. Survivor
2. No Survivor
When Gretchen Met Sally
Red Fever

Push Art

Also worth noting I've set up a tumblr to document/collect and Push Art!

British Animation Awards

8th Feb BAA 1 - 8.45
10th Feb BAA 2 - 8.45
16th Feb BAA 3 - 8.45

The British Animation Awards happens every February. I've been a few years, if I have been organised enough. In a series of cinema around the country a selection of short animations are shown - a mix of short films, adverts and music videos - and the audience vote, giving each a score which counts to the public selection of the best animation. These dates are for the 3 selections in Glasgow, which I hope to go to, the website has the full list for all venues

http://pushart.tumblr.com/ - started a tumblr, just to prove that i can't resist signing up for everything. but i also kind of needed a clean slate in some ways, so this is acting as an art blog thingy.

Concerts of possible in interest in next few months
Event:Monday 8 February - Imogen Heap at ABC Glasgow
Event:Saturday 13 February - Jesca Hoop at Nice n' Sleazy
Event:Wednesday 17 February - Nitzer Ebb at The Classic Grand
Event:Friday 19 February - Marina & The Diamonds at Oran Mor
Event:Sunday 21 February - Xiu Xiu at Nice n' Sleazy
Event:Tuesday 2 March - Kathryn Williams at King Tuts
Event:Tuesday 16 March - Autechre at Sub Club
Event:Wednesday 17 March - Mono at Oran Mor
Event:Friday 19 March - Silver Mt. Zion at Art School
Event:Wednesday 5 May - Pavement at Barrowlands

Telling of Tales - The Gods Are Small Birds - Telling of Tales is a podcast dedicated to short fiction. Magnus is looking for submissions to keep the site running. So I had sent him one of my short pieces, which he has now posted online. I am really pleased with how he has read it, he hits the tone perfectly, makes the piece come to life. Give it a listen, and if you have stuff to submit might as well give it a go.

Just paid for my cup of green tea, expect it to arrive by the end of the month.

Mythaxis June 2009 issue is now
online and live. It contains a half dozen stories, including my latest
piece. In Survivor, Lei Bliley was the only survivor from a first
contact expedition. Physically twisted and broken she was haunted by
the memories of those events. Two years later, the whole world knows
her name. Two years later and there can be No Survivor.

There are another 3 new pieces up there, and 4 previous issues worth
of material.

Thanks to Noir who illustrated Survivor and to Mistress Onions who
illustrated No Survivor.

I'm particularly pleased with my contribution to this issue, I hope
that people will read and enjoy.