David Kernot

Archive for November, 2008

I’ve been away again – to the UK with work, and this time I didn’t get to go to one of my favourite places, Canada.  I almost did, but almost doesn’t count.  Weather wise, it was dark by 430pm, and the temperatures got to 7 degrees max.  It wasn’t so bad, I like the cold and it certainly doesn’t phase the locals who get around in the all but sub temps as if it’s nothing.  I saw a lot of rain too – something that I have not seen while at home for some time, but as always the trip away gave me the time to read and write.  I’m trying something new, a style that is more raw, gritty with a twist.  It seems to be working out well, but the trouble is the raw gritty style gives too much of me away – I’m still trying to figure out if I want to open up and give those things about me away.  But then I figure, isn’t that why we write, to vent, to get things off our chest, to turn often horrible situations into something constructive.  Only thing is, I’m going to have a hell of a time explaining about a UFO landing in my back garden.

Forgetting about all that it was good to go for a drive when I came back to Oz and in stark contrast see the affects of the dry Australian heat and lack of rain already making an impact in November.   This is for all those folk who find it dark at 430pm, for all those expecting snow any day, we’re about to get hot, dry and bushfire raging temps.  Here is a glimpse of where we went today – a lake in the national park.  Like Samuel Coleridge’s, The Rime Of The Ancient Mariner – water water everywhere, but not a drop to drink…

Andromeda Spaceways Inflight Magazine.  Issue #37. ASIM have lifted the bar even higher on Spec Fic in Oz.  On the front cover of Issue 37, it says Bumper Fiction Issue, and boy do they have that right – it’s jam packed!  I have to admit to shying away from the ASIM Mag in the past, that’s not ASIM’s fault – it’s just a bit too sophisticated for my simple tastes.  Oh, I’ve bought a lot of them over the years, but I just didn’t get the whole spec fic thing.  Well, at least that’s what I thought.  Maybe my literary abilities have finally improved enough to appreciate a good story.

I have to tell you that this one was different from my earlier impressions, where there wewre a couple that stood out in the past, this one rocks and I actually know and socialise with two of the people who have submissions in this edition – so I ordered it.

Wow!  What a different magazine this is from about a year ago.  If I had of known that this was the quality of ASIM, I would have subscribed a while ago.  So many great stories, in fact I quite enjoyed all thirteen, to the extent that I am enrolling in a 12 month subscription.

I have to say that as far as I could see the best of a great bunch, for me, were:

Dirk Flinthart – This Is Not My Story.  Quite simply Brilliant!  I loved it and want to read more of his work.  For me this had everything in a story that a good plot needs and it was crafted with a mastery I strive for.  Well done Dirk!  If he doesn’t get picked up for a Ditmar or Aurealis Award this year, then I will wonder why not.

Lee Battersby – Amygdala, My Love.  This was another great piece and I love the final catch to the last thought provoking sentence.  Wow!

Eilis O’Neal – The Unicorn in the Tower.  Just magic – another one I thought was quite special and I really enjoyed her style and the way she so cleverly crafted the piece in an older period.  I wish that I could write like her.  For me this stood out as a special story.

Jason Fischer - a mate – I was looking forward to reading this piece and he didn’t let me down.  I loved every blood churning paragraph, and enjoyed the twist in the first page when he turned my whole world upside down.  Well done Jason, another great piece of writing.

David Conyers – a mate – I had already read this piece before it was published – David never fails to please and his work always packs a punch – this one was no different.  It was more akin to my style and I found it the easiest to associate with.  Fantastic!  Absolutely Fantastic!

The rest, while I didn’t mention them were good too:

Dominion by Christine Lucas

Drowning in the Air by Penny-Anne Beaudoin

Love the Tattoo by Leith Daniel

Under Waves and Over by Grant stone

Map by Adam Bales

The Better To by Eugie Foster

Night Heron’s Curse by Thoraiya Dyer

Failed Experiments from the Frontier: The Pumkin by Paul Haines

I think that the ASIM Team have excelled with this edition.  Tehani Wessely features as Editor with a collection of photos highlighting her long and masterful involvement in the production.  My advice is go and get hold of this edition, subscribe to them like I have decided to do.