I return from the frozen north
So I'm back in the UK now, after three weeks visiting in Canada — specifically Edmonton, a city I am now woefully maladapted to living in. People here in Newcastle constantly complain about the state of its public transit system, but that's only because they've never been to Edmonton: a place where you will wait 90 minutes for a bus at 40 degrees below zero until the wolves get you.
Despite the jetlag, I'm currently working on final edits for the next Casefile of Jay Moriarty story. It's turning out to be around 12 000 words long, which brings the total wordcount of the series to a little over 80 000. That's long enough to justify a print collection, which is making me think about putting out a print collection — if only for the benefit of those among my friends and family who want to read my writing but struggle with ebooks.
They might also struggle with the gay transgender sex and constant railing against late-stage capitalism, but that part is more of a "buyer beware" situation.
Spooky Season Sale on itch.io
For the month of October, all my horror/dark fantasy books are on sale over at my itch.io store! "The Scent of Blood," "Possession," and "Move Fast and Break Things" are each 25% off, or you can get all three in a bundle for $1.50 USD.
This Week's Links
Officers allegedly damaged MRI machine after police rifle snatched by magnets
... an officer walked into the room with his rifle "dangling... in his right hand, with an unsecured strap," which was quickly ripped off his body and pinned to the MRI machine, the lawsuit said.
I installed a box high up on a pole somewhere in the Mission of San Francisco. Inside is a crappy Android phone, set to Shazam constantly, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. It's solar powered, and the mic is pointed down at the street below.
Heard of ShotSpotter? Microphones are installed across cities in the United States by police to detect gunshots, purported to not be very accurate. This is that, but for music.
Alleged Tax Dodger Says It’s a "Legitimate Snail-Farming Operation"
In this case, the council says the ground-floor office space at 9 Dale Street is currently empty and the firm renting it should be paying full business rates. The firm and its landlord disagree, saying the space isn’t empty and is being put to an “agricultural use.” Specifically, the space is occupied by fifteen (15) crates each containing at least two (2) snails. So the firm—Snai1 Primary Products 2023 Ltd—says it’s exempt.
Some of my work on this latest Moriarty story involves tweaking one of Sebastian's fight scenes, following feedback that his opponents should — and I'm quoting directly — "hit his pretty face." It's good to have beta readers who understand your art.
-K
