
But only for a week. During which time I was on holiday from the day job, which meant of course spending a lot more time doing authorish and musicackle things...
Such as?
Well, you might have caught me guesting on Steven C. Davis’s Contemporary Progressive Rock show* on Reading4u.co.uk Community Radio Station on 20th August (you can listen to a recording of my first visit to Steven’s show, back in June, here). Steven, as you may well be aware**, is an author*** as well as a DJ, and also is organiser of the forthcoming Raising Steam steampunk festival in Reading, UK on 21st and 22nd September.
The music, as you might imagine, was inspired throughout the show. But what scintillating intellectual debates perpetuated throughout our 2 hour conversation? Er... mainly a discussion about cookies. Variously frog, toad and dragonfly flavoured as the night progressed, not to mention the serious question of whether cloven hooves would assist in holding baking trays. Thanks to all those on facebook who joined in these serious discussions (you’re all mad!); and of course to both Steven and Reading4u.co.uk for inviting me to guest for a second time.
Actually, it’s very interesting spending some time with a fellow author, as conversations tend to spark in unexpected directions, that aren’t always about cookies. I’ve come away with several nice ideas for new writings shaped by my talk with Steven, though to be fair it was mostly the off-air conversation that made this happen. What has he come away with? Possibly a resolution never to mention cookies in the studio again... but anything else, you will have to ask him yourself...
What else has been happening? Well, the ongoing investigation into e-books means that it’s highly likely**** that The Home Front, Volume 1 of the Automata Wars, will make it into electronic format this autumn. And as previously mentioned, we’ve been working on videos; so that a youtube offering of the launch presentation for The Front Line should be available soon...

And finally for writing related things – my publisher The Last Line will as usual be at the Asylum, Lincoln, the UK’s biggest steampunk convention on 13 – 15 September. I will be in attendance, so please say hello if you see me. And buy a book. Or seven.
Turning to things musicackle, Crimson Clocks are back in the studio, recording another six tracks to follow up last year’s Ingeniously Evil EP******. Even though we are now a four piece, I think you’ll find a lot of the new tracks a little harder edged than the previous ones, though we have, of course, lost none of our quirky charm (ahem).
Crimson Clocks will, of course, be next performing at Steven C. Davis’s Raising Steam festival. We’re playing on Saturday 21st September at the Curzon Club, along with a host of other excellent bands over the two days – tickets are available here:
And don’t forget, it’s all for charidee, mate – for charity New Futures Nepal, to be exact, who are very close to Steven’s heart. Hope you can make it!
*Listen live via your PC or mobile device every Tuesday night, 10pm - Midnight UK time, on www.Reading4u.co.uk
**If you’ve read any of these blogs before, you certainly will be
*** find out more at www.tenebroustexts.com
****As in almost-definitely-positively-certainly-but-not-wanting-to-jinx-it
***** Hope you weren’t eating your dinner.
******Available through this website and at gigs – but nearly sold out of the current batch...