Game of Thrones: the last season
The Doctor will see you now
It's not often I'll diverge from books and publishing business on the blog to talk about other things. And I rarely rave about TV or other books - I usually don't have the time to read much other than submissions and the only TV I watch is on catch-up!
However, as a long-time Doctor Who fan I have been watching the progression and coming-of-age of the Doctor with great interest . . .
The art of fear
We all know that the majority of the mainstream would be happy to watch a horror flick and yet most would baulk at the idea of picking up a horror novel. Why is that when the genre has evolved so much in the last few years? And how do the authors who excel in the genre go about writing something that makes other people afraid? I ask two of the best UK horror writers writing today for their tips on how to send shivers down your spine.
Is SFF more mainstream than people give it credit for?
So at this year's London Book Fair I was invited to moderate a panel to discuss this very question. Joining me were David Bradley, the editor and chief of SFX and Total Film magazines and Rosie Fletcher, the editor of Total Film. It was a lively discussion and the audience seemed to enjoy it but it did get me thinking. What is this 'mainstream'? Is it an invite-only club? What do you have to do to get this collective's attention? And is this 'mainstream' welcoming to genre or do they shun it?