Welcome to my first newsletter-style monthly wrap-up! It’s been a while since I updated this site and it’s time to try something new. Each month, I’ll be pulling together some updates on what I’ve been up to, what I’ve read and written, and bring you a recommendation (or two).
With the new year, that brings a new reading goal. I’m starting off with a modest, calm, target of twelve (12) books for the year. 2024 was a bit of a slow one for me, most of it spent in a slump, so I’m starting low this year to avoid any pressure. I’ve come to realise, if I feel like I have to read something, my mind balks at the idea of being assigned a task in my leisure time. I also have a tendency, if I’m stuck on a book, I won’t move on because it’s not finished. So, my additional aim for the year is to be more chill. If I’m not vibing with a book, forgive myself, DNF it and move on to something I do enjoy.
In a similar vein, I’m trying to experiment with a few different reading apps so see if there’s any significant rivals to Goodreads. Since 1st Jan, I’ve been testing out Fable, Storygraph and Hardcover. I’m running them alongside GR as it remains a staple of the bookish community (for now), which has meant four different places to update my progress. My oh-so-simple plan is to see what falls away and the last one standing should, in theory, be the least irritating to use.
Lastly, fans of The Offline Gamer will be pleased to hear I am back for the 2024 wrap-up episode! It was great fun recording with Matt and Karen again, and talking about board games together. You may even hear my dulcet tones again in the near future, as the 100th episode approaches!
Reading
This month I’ve made my way through three novels, a novelette and three short stories (available online), all of which I have enjoyed – bonus!
- Along the Razor’s Edge (Rob J. Hayes)
- Symbiote (Michael Nayak)
- The Sword of Kaigen (M.L. Wang)
- Bailuchien (Rebecca Crunden)
- Tantie Merle and the Farmhand 4200 (R.S.A. Garcia)
- Mid-Earth Removals Limited (R.S.A. Garcia)
- The Author of the Acacia Seeds and Other Extracts from the Journal of the Association of Therolinguistics (Ursula K. Le Guin)
Writing
Two reviews of mine have gone live on Grimdark Magazine this month.
Of Fire and Blood by Ryan Cahill: https://www.grimdarkmagazine.com/review-of-blood-and-fire-by-ryan-cahill/
Symbiote by Michael Nayak: https://www.grimdarkmagazine.com/review-symbiote-by-michael-nayak/
I’ve also started trying to build my writing habit back up by jotting down as many ideas as I can (before I forget them) and joining in with some writing sprints hosted by the British Fantasy Society. I’m working on a short story on the theme of patterns, which is a sci-fi offering, and a fantasy short that could veer into a sort of alt-history with witches. Well, at least one, verifiable, witch.
Recommendations
If nothing else, I hope to use this section to suggest a shorter fiction for you to read that’s available online. This month I’d like to recommend you to go and find something by R.S.A. Garcia to read, and to get you started I thoroughly enjoyed Tantie Merle and the Farmhand 4200.
Originally published in Uncanny Magazine #53, you can find it online here: https://www.uncannymagazine.com/article/tantie-merle-and-the-farmhand-4200/
It’s written in Trinbagonian creole, which I absolutely loved, and takes a look at how AI reflects what we show it to a brilliant, hopeful, ending. Even better, if you enjoy it, R.S.A. Garcia has confirmed a sequel story has been commissioned! Plus, Garcia is a true joy to interact with so go follow her on Bluesky.
For a bonus recommendation, Tantie Merle reminded me of Sarah Gailey’s short story Drones to Ploughshares, which turns five years old on 4th Feb.
Originally written for Vice, it is available online here:
https://www.vice.com/en/article/drones-to-ploughshares/
(though I hope you have a robust ad-blocker)
You can also find an audio version of the story on the podcast LeVar Burton Reads, in the December 2021 episode.
Upcoming
I’ll be reviewing The Sword of Kaigen for GdM, as well as working through reviews for more of The Bound and the Broken series. There are some new releases coming in February I’m quite excited for; Future’s Edge by Gareth L Powell and But Not Too Bold by Hache Pueyo to name a couple.
Lastly, I’m finishing up an article about dis-, mis- and malicious information that I hope to publish soon (maybe over on Medium).
That’s it for now! I hope you’ve found some enjoyment from my little update. I’m over on Bluesky (@magpiepages.bsky.social) and have dusted off my Ko-fi page as well.
Take care, and see you next month!