David Kernot

Imagine my joy today, when I received my very own signed copy of Cthulhu’s Dark Cult from writer and friend David Conyers.

I haven’t read them yet, but here is a list of the stories and the writers:

“The Eternal Chinaman” by John Sunseri
“Captains of Industry” by John Goodrich
“Perfect Skin” by David Witteveen
“Covenant of Darkness” by William Jones
“The Whisper of Ancient Secrets” by Penelope Love
“Old Ghost” by Peter A. Worthy
“The Nature of Faith” by Oscar Rios
“The Devil’s Diamonds” by Cody Goodfellow
“Requiem for the Burning God” by Shane Jiraiya Cummings
“Sister of the Sands” by David Conyers

Based on the names, it is sure to be a good read.  David Conyers also wrote the editorial.  I’ll let you know, but if your interested in obtaining a copy, here is a link to the Chaosium Inc Site.

Current Mood:  energetic

Recently I was spoiled with a new desk to write on, and it is literally quite awesome, it demands that I sit and Write!  lots!  It was supposed to be unveiled at my recent birthday, but ended up coming a few days late.  Imagine my added pleasure when friend Jason Fischer turned up, with his lovely wife and little Fisch in all his glory!  Was great to catch up with Jason and congratulate him on his successes.

So here’s the new desk!

David's New Desk

And yes, the mac sits pretty on it, and there is Scrivener running with my novel on it (Did I mention my Honorable Mention from WOTF hanging up just above it?)

The reason I recently bought a Mac was to use Scrivener.  So today I spent part of the afternoon moving some of my writing over to it.

From what I can see, it looks pretty good and does a fantastic job in full screen mode of hiding all those interruptions (except the kids).

Hoping to move my novel over this week and have a consolidated list of my work mixed with my OWW review feedback.  It’s going to make it so much easier to manage the work.

Editing Chapter 4 for reviewing soon.

Here is a link to Scrivener.  You have to have a Mac, but who wouldn’t if they were serious about their work, right?

Current Mood:  satisfied

Not wanting to bask in the success that was the stories I published, here are a couple of excellent reviews that people have recently highlighted to me about my Issue 43 of the Andromeda Spaceways Inflight magazine.

Here are two links that talk about ASIM issue 43:

http://aussiespecficinfocus.wordpress.com/2010/06/09/andromeda-spaceways-inflight-magazine-issue-43/#more-428

http://www.sfcrowsnest.com/articles/books/2010/Andromeda-Spaceways-Inflight-Magazine–43–14899.php

So there you have it .  Happy that I picked some great stories.

Hoping that Midnight echo Issue will be just as good!

Current Mood:  accomplished

Got to be chuffed to find that my story “Tesla Coiled” was on the front page of Issue 143.  It was also listed in the 50 worders section, too, so I was happy – imagine 2 places for only 50 words.

If you take the time to read it, notice that the title is supposed to flow into the beginning sentence (that way I gave myself another two words).  So it was Telsla coiled, ostracised…

And to those who don’t understand it – most of you it is actually a summation of the master Nikola Tesla, who invented amongst other things, alternating current, magnetic coils, and the incandescent light bulb.  He was ostracised as a mad scientist.  He won the War of Currents, and contributed to the science of robotics, radar, computer science, nuclear physics, and early new age occultism.

But you knew all that from reading my tiny condensed 50 worder.

I thought it was clever anyway : )

Go online and check it out at Nuke’s fab site AntipodeanSF at  http://www.antisf.com/

Current Mood:  happy

I have “Tesla Coiled” in the next issue of AntipodeanSF, issue 143, any time now…

Issue 146 (August) “Herschel”

Issue 147 (September) “Space Twins”

Issue 148 (October) “The Seven Sisters”

As always it is great to have my work included in such a good publication.

Here is the link to the site.  http://www.antisf.com/

Current Mood:  accomplished

Well, after what seemed like an eternity, I found that the issue I edited was published and has gone off around the world to all subscribers!  I spent a lot of my time last year picking and editing stories and getting the issue ship shape, and ready for publication, which I have to say was a LOT of fun, and a lot of effort too.  I think , no I am convinced that I chose a LOT of brilliant, thought provoking stories, and all the stories submitted were the cream of what is out there at present!

I have got to feel proud after my efforts, and in some ways have achieved something that I set out to do.  Sitting in an Adelaide cafe a couple of years ago, fellow writer, Jason Fischer said to me if I ever get a chance slush for ASIM – check – if I get the chance edit an issue – check! then do so.  So I did, and before i knew it, I had a gig as editor of Issue 47.  Issue 47 ended up being Issue 43, which could not have come at a worse time for me because of my work commitments, but anyway I survived.  And it looks damn fine!

So where to from here…  Obviously, I am going to edit Midnight Echo later this year with Jason and Sydney writer David Conyers, who I am writing a collaboration with.

But getting back to my issue 43, I couldn’t have done it without the firm guidance from fellow cooperative member, Simon Petrie who was awesome at showing me the ropes.

Here is the cover:

Fiction:
Thief of Tears, by Jason Crowe
Instructions for Lighting Candles, by Martin A Reed
From Little Things, by Felicity Dowker
Star, by Aimee Smith
Emergency Rebuild, by David Conyers
Relative to Elsa, by Martin A Reed
By the Banks of the Nabarra, by Daniel Russell
The Prize, by Carine Heidmann
The Painted City, by David Tallerman
Fairy Gothic, by Tracie McBride
Scars that Let the Light Shine Through, by Victorya

Poetry:
My Naked Hand, by Helen Patrice
Higg’s Boson, by Don Webb

Regular Features:
Book reviews

I am sure there will be more than a few nominations for awards from this issue over the following year!  Well done to you writers and to Greg Hughes, whose illustrations are bliss!

Current Mood:  chipper

This is a heads up of an impending future release – don’t submit yet, but get prepared.

Issue #6 of the Australian Horror Writers Association’s magazine Midnight Echo will be edited by David Conyers, Jason Fischer and David Kernot, and the theme will be science fiction horror. Why? Well we just don’t believe there is enough science fiction published in Australia, and dark science fiction is even better.

We are looking for stories that blend the science fiction and horror genres. We are especially looking for stories set on worlds other than Earth, or in deep space, and especially stories in the future. Themes might include contact with alien species that defie explanation, plagues or viruses destined to wipe out humanity, enslavement by an alien race, nanoplagues gone wrong, alien artifacts that are death traps, future totalitarian governments, gothic alien worlds, or enslaving technology are just some ideas. Films like Alien and 28 Days Later are obvious influences. Alternatively imagine what Iain M. Banks, Charles Stross or Alastair Reynolds might write if they got really dark — that’s what we are looking for.

We are not looking for fantasy stories. Vampires, werewolves, ghosts, demons and zombies are unlikely to impress us unless you can deliver something outstanding within these guidelines. We will consider Lovecraftian or Cthulhu Mythos tales provided they meet the theme, and then we are likely only to select one such tale in this style at most. Remember, the key ingredient to getting your story picked up is to write a science fiction tale with horror elements, not a horror tale dressed up with science fiction references.

We are not accepting submissions just yet. We just want to give would-be writers a head’s up that it is coming. Further details on how that will happen will occur later in the year.

Current Mood:  bouncy

Well, its been hot – too hot to sit down and NaNoWriMo…  I tried and didn’t have it in me, but enjoyed the concept, so maybe next year.  All I penned were 3500ish words, and did get some value out of it.

Here’s a list of temperatures we’ve had, and while its slowed my writing, it strangely it hasn’t deterred me from running in it and getting fit for summer – I suspect that I am like the frog they placed into lusciously warm water and then slowly cranked up the temperature until my skin changed to a boiling red – I don’t notice the heat (the crispy garden does, however).

Day Date Temp Diff

Sun 01/11/2009 38.1 +11.0

Mon 02/11/2009 40.6 +13.5

Tue 03/11/2009 20.0 -7.1

Wed 04/11/2009 20.1 -7.0

Thu 05/11/2009 22.3 -4.8

Fri 06/11/2009 30.3 +3.2

Sat 07/11/2009 35.9 +8.8

Sun 08/11/2009 38.0 +10.9

Mon 09/11/2009 38.2 +11.1

Tue 10/11/2009 40.7 +13.6

Wed 11/11/2009 41.0 +13.9

Thu 12/11/2009 41.6 +14.5

Fri 13/11/2009 40.3 +13.2

Sat 14/11/2009 41 +14

As you can see the temperatures are mostly a LOT higher than normal November temps.  We have had 5 days of 40+ temps, and another one tomorrow.  At this rate February will be sitting at 45.  I should go and pull out a story I wrote some time ago about Global Warming, a hot topic at the moment.

Current Mood:  hot

yes, it was impulsive, and no I don’t have time… but I’m going to do it all the same, to progress a story I have.   yes I’m in the middle of a collaboration with David Conyers, and there’s the ASIM mag – should be fine…

So, I shall see how it goes.

Life is fun, is it not – this should be so too then   I can hardly fail, even if i only write 100 words.

Current Mood:  excited