Interzone #241 has just hit the shelves and I’m chuffed to say that I have a mention in the review section with my short story ‘Incarnate’ (as featured in the Rocket Science Anthology edited by Ian Sales). The reviewer has these kind words to say:
“…the saddest tale was probably Craig Pay’s ‘Incarnate’, telling the story from one parent’s perspective of what happens when the other parent won’t let go and tries to put right the untimely death of their teenage daughter.”
This is the same story that received a favourable mention in the Guardian back in April. And this is a setting that I’ll be exploring later this summer once I’ve finished up with my current projects. With a novel.
At the moment I’m writing in another place and time, namely China and the 1850s, a novel that was drafted last summer and, due to various commitments (Cutaway Magazine mostly), has remained stashed under my bed for too many months. I started edits about a month ago and I’m about a third of the way through. The edits are turning out to be fairly major with my overall word count actually going up, even with some heavy cutting.
They say you should let your writing rest for a while before you edit. I usually struggle with this as I have a slightly, erm, impatient nature… In this instance the shelving has certainly helped and I’m tempted to try it again with the next novel I write. I’m editing with a much more objective viewpoint, sometimes rolling my eyes: “Did I write that guff?” “I don’t understand what you’re–what I’m talking about!?” But at other times I’ve found myself smiling (or grimacing) at all the appropriate moments. I love this world. I need to stop thinking about sequels…
Meanwhile real life rolls on: fun and hobbies thinly veiled as research. More of that in future posts! All I’m going to say for the moment is ‘combat skills‘.
You can (and should) buy a subscription to Interzone (and Black Static while you’re at it).
Then you should pick up a copy of Rocket Science.
Craig Pay 