I have been trawling through the archives a little bit recently, primarily to get ideas for a redesign, but also reminding myself that I actually can write, and that I used to kick ARSE at this blogging thing. During the history safari, I rediscovered a gem I originally posted back in 2006. I hate the thought of it languishing, unloved and unread, so in the spirit of all the remakes infecting our cinemas, I have brought it back to life. Slightly tweaked of course, because I would hate to be accused of rehashing content for the sake of it 😛

So without further gilding the lily, I bring you:

HOW TO SURVIVE IN A SCI-FI WORLD

Before we get to the fun stuff, a little background. I love sci-fi and fantasy, and have read and watched far too much over the years (according to friends and family that is. As far as I am concerned, bring it on!) All this has left me with a slightly, um, geeky, outlook on life, and more trivia than you can shake a moderately large stick at.

One thing that you would have to be fairly unperceptive not to have noticed, is the number of cliches that abound in this genre. Whilst watching Alien for the n^th time with my brother, he yelled at the screen “don’t you realise, you never go back for the ships cat!” That stuck, and the idea transmogrified into what you see below. Kind of a beginners guide for the first-time heroine (or hero, I’m not picky. All the gender specific nouns I’ve used are interchangeable). Inspired by everything from the “classics” to the slightly more screwball, I hope they strike a cord, and you find at least a few funny. Do let me know, both what you think of these, and if you can think of more.

Continue reading →

Remember those choose your own adventure stories from when you were a kid?
Ever wished you had more control over the ending of the story?

Well…

The ever-so-lovely Caroline Smailes has written a rather groovy book called “99 Reasons Why”, which can be purchased through Amazon and through iBooks. There’s no one ending to the story, instead there are nine possible outcomes which you can navigate through your ereading device. Each is different, and each exposes a little more of Kate’s utterly wonky world.

The Kindle edition will present the reader with three questions at Reason 88. These questions are entirely arbitrary, working much like a playground paper fortune-teller, to lead the reader to one of nine possible endings.
The iPad/iPod edition will present the reader with a spinning wheel at Reason 88. The reader will spin the wheel and be offered one of nine possible endings.

But wait, there is more! There are two additional endings. One will be given away online (guess where this post is going?) and the eleventh ending will be auctioned for charity.

Kate isn’t like most 22 year olds. She’s got a job to do for her Uncle Phil. Each day, she spies on The Kevin Keegan Day Nursery across the road from her bedroom window, writing down all of the comings and goings in her notebooks. That’s how she spots her little girl in the pink coat. She likes her, and it isn’t long before Kate asks her mum to steal the girl for her. Plans are made.
But then, quite unexpectedly, Kate flashes her breasts out her bedroom window at the little girl’s father. And that’s the reason why nothing will ever be the same again…

Read after the jump for the extra-special ending, free to you gorgeous Bright Meadow readers because I love you 🙂
And if you’re intrigued by that, why not go and buy the book? (I know I am).

Continue reading →