Doctor Who News

Radio Free Skaro #291 - That Which Survives

2012-01-30T19:00:00.001Z

Radio Free Skaro has the kind of irrevancy that makes it an essential listen for any iPod wielding space dustbin.

Radio Free Skaro #291 - That Which Survives

A simple commentary about "Closing Time," which gave the Three Who Rule ample time to discuss the great chemistry between Matt Smith and guest star James Corden, instead devolved into a simply rancid discussion on babies and their propensity to poop on this episode of Radio Free Skaro. Our choice of topic says more about us than it does about the episode at hand, which was a delightful romp penned by Gareth Roberts and not at all a treatise on infants and their digestive habits. But leaving the puerile giggling aside for the moment, weighty matters as fictitious awards, possibly crappy video games and the life and quick death of Doctor Who Insider were also covered. All this and backhanded compliments aimed at Eric Roberts, and you've got yourself approximately an hour of a podcast of some sort!

Check out the show notes at http://www.radiofreeskaro.com

Casual Fridays: A Big Week

2012-01-27T19:00:00.003Z

Blog of Paul Cornell - writer of Doctor Who (and other stuff, of course!)

Casual Fridays: A Big Week
First of all, I know I said I wouldn't do any more promotion, but it took Asimov's a couple of days to get the link to me. You can now read the whole of my BSFA Award-nominated novelette 'The Copenhagen Interpretation' online as a PDF file. I hope you enjoy it.

It's been a serious work week, which is good, in that I was starting to pace and frown a bit, having had only back burner projects to pick away at while I waited for notes. But now they've arrived, and I'm pushing hard to make deadline on a new draft of the novel, Cops and Monsters. The book, several months ago, first benefited from some truly life-changing structure notes from editor Julie Crisp. Now, with Julie on maternity leave, I'm being delighted by similarly awesome line notes from Bella Pagan. These typically consist of pointing out where a paragraph has become too dense, where I need to slow down and lay out what's happening more carefully. It's the voice of the reader, anticipated. I'm very much in tune with what I'm being asked for, and the rewrite is proving pleasurable. (And I've nominated both ladies for Hugo Awards.) From here, the book goes to the legendary Peter Lavery, for his line by line editing, something I'm looking forward to. This is actually what you're buying when you purchase a book from a major publisher like Tor: all that expertise. I feel I'm in the home strait now, sprinting for the finishing line of what's been an ambition of mine for many years.

I also this week am plotting something in an entirely new medium for me, alongside an old friend, and managed, before the notes arrived, to put some more work in on the latest Jonathan Hamilton novelette. I've done some Saucer Country writing today too. Ryan's been delighting me with some very scary pages in my inbox.

On Monday, I popped back to Faringdon, to record my first ever audio reading, of 'The Sensible Folly', the story I wrote in support of the Folly Trust, who look after my old hometown's tower on the hill. I was very pleased with the fifteen minute reading we ended up with, and you guys will get to hear it soon.

On Wednesday, I went to see Christopher Priest be interviewed by Paul Kincaid at the BSFA open meeting, the first at a new venue. Which could turn out to be the last there, because the bosses of the pub chain decided to gazump the cellar for their own meeting, leaving our greatest living author of the fantastic waiting for an hour past his advertised start time. Chris was calm about it, and talked with the elusiveness one might expect about The Islanders and his long career. As long time readers will know, he's my favourite author in any genre, and I was pleased to be able to have a quick few words with him afterwards.

This coming weekend I'll be with Big Finish, attending the recording of the new audio version of Love and War, to mark Bernice Summerfield's anniversary, with Lisa Bowerman, Sylvester McCoy and Sophie Aldred, and a great guest cast. Jac Rayner's provided the wonderful script, which I've mucked about with just a little. It's very faithful to the book, with a couple of neat reimaginings on Jac's part. I'll blog about this at length when it's out.

There's a new episode of The SF Squeecast out, this one guest-starring Javier Grillo-Marxuach, the creator of The Middleman. We discuss, among other things, Poul Anderson, Gail Simone's Birds of Prey, and, erm, Seanan McGuire's love of the SyFy Channel's original movie Swamp Shark. Yes.

Here's a lovely preview of the first few pages of Stormwatch #6, which is out next Wednesday.

And one of my favourite comics critics talks, yet again, in a very flattering way, about Knight and Squire.

The SFX Weekender is, of course, next week (and I'll be striving to complete that new draft in time for it). I hear they're packed out, with something like 4000 people going along. I'm looking forward to staying, with my fellow authors, in the Tor Cottage. Here's my schedule, all these items being on the main stage.

Friday

2pm: Rewriting History: how do you make the past work for your story? (It'll be good to be on a panel with Adam Christopher.)

5pm: Just A Minute. (I'll be hosting this, with guests Joe Abercrombie, China Mieville, Sarah Pinborough and Toby Whithouse trying to speak for a minute without hesitation, deviation, or repetition.)

Saturday

11am: What is urban fantasy? (Me and Ben Aaronovitch will get to talk about our mini-genre of Modern London Metropolitan Police Based Urban Fantasy, or, as we like to call it, Metropunk.)

1pm: Ready, Steady, Flash! (A panel game I'll be a contestant in, hosted by Lee Harris.)

2pm: Did we win? Conquering the mainstream. (With Tony Lee and Phil Ford!)

3pm: Signing at the Forbidden Planet stall.

I like the look of that. I'll be bringing along many piles of DC 'New 52' and Vertigo comics to give away to the audiences of those panels, shamelessly buying your applause and, hopefully, respect.

We've been watching RideBack, an anime about Rin, an injured ballerina who finds freedom (in a rather Black Beauty sort of way) with an SF mecha/motorcycle vehicle, the imagery involved being that of pro motorcycle racing. The 'horse story' aspect makes her a compelling heroine who only wants to learn to ride and compete, but this all takes place on a near future Earth that, almost incidentally to begin with, is ruled by a military dictatorship. As in most modern dictatorships, this impacts the lives of Rin and her friends not at all, as they happily pursue their sport, not even mentioning the political situation (because what is there to say?) But then politics and sport accidentally cross, and, well, it's become very interesting indeed. The visuals of 9/11 have impacted anime, and the scenes of urban destruction here give a sense that the medium's previously purely local interest in devastating force in urban environments has become internationalised. Those smoke trails and news broadcasts feel immediate and uncomfortable. RideBack features characters who are realistically drawn (in every sense), well-designed mad bikes, a relatable (and, as it turns out, hard as nails) heroine, who isn't just a man with breasts, and that lovely Madhouse animation style that enjoys nothing more than the heat haze on a track. I recommend it hugely. Unless it nosedives after episode six, that is. I may well report again.

We've also started watching How I Met Your Mother from the beginning, having become obsessed with it and seen everything from the end of season four. The first thought that occurred was that the writers had worked out who those characters were from the very start, and have kept them immensely stable since. Except in the case of Robin, who is initially a purely romantic lead who isn't given any comedy. A good thing, then, because that really wouldn't have worked, that Cobie Smulders must have at some point convinced them of her range, timing and willingness to do anything in pursuit of the laugh. The show feels slightly empty without eccentric, extreme Robin. We remain obsessed. But thank goodness they got rid of the between scenes music.

I was also very pleased this week with Toby Hadoke's contribution to the new Doctor Who DVD, 'The Sensorites'. 'Looking for Peter' is a short documentary in which Toby goes in search of relatively-unknown writer Peter. R. Newman, and, while it makes use of that 'I'm going on a journey' doco format that I find really tiresome (I may blog about that at some length soon), it's charming because it's Toby, and what he finds out swiftly gives us a bittersweet picture of a man who was previously a mystery to Who fans and media historians. The story is, in the end, a bit of a tragedy, but the fact of the documentary being made gives it more of a happy ending.

Frankly, I inherited a certain strand of my musical taste from fellow Doctor Who writer Gareth Roberts. He's why I own so much by The Sweet. And he also convinced me of the tremendous versatility and lyrical talents of Sparks. With 'that little one who looks like Hitler' as my Mum used to call Ron Mael. They don't seem to have performed 'Looks Looks Looks', their extraordinary attempt to make big band swing for screaming teenagers, on their natural home of Top of the Pops, so here it is instead from Supersonic.

I do think the music you get from your friends is the best sort of pop, because it carries not just the associations of the time it was made, but the feeling of that person too.

Our guest today, also with the SFX Weekender in mind, is my fellow Tor author Adrian Tchaikovsky. Take it away Adrian...

SFX3 : The Welsh Connection. It surely doesn't seem that two years have gone by since that first spectacular over at Camber Sands. SFX was big news for me - my first experience of the convention circuit (although it's far from a 'typical' con) and my first chance to actually meet up with other authors. For reference, although my first book came out almost four years ago now, I still tend to think of myself as 'the new guy.
It was an experience meeting people like Paul and Peter F. Hamilton and China Mieville in person (and sharing a room with Mark Newton for that matter). I will always be a fanboy at heart, no matter how many volumes I get on the shelves. I confess I was expecting to find an elitist clique, but instead I was welcomed with open arms.
SFX itself I found bewildering in the sheer range of different media and spectacle and weird things that people were trying to sell me, but that was pretty much the same the second time round too and I firmly expect to be further baffled this year. Even more so if I just get lost in the wilds of Wales on the way there. An early Torchwood episode comes to mind...
This year, though, I feel I can relax into it a bit more. I'm not the Grand Old Man of the genre by any stretch of the imagination, but I'm not the new guy, any more. Shadows of the Apt sees its eighth instalment, The Air War, out this year, in which I'm doing my damndest to bring my epic fantasy world kicking and screaming into its own tortured version of the twentieth century. I've got the following volume written in draft, and the first chapter of the final book is on the wordprocessor with the ink still wet. The fan response to the series has also stepped up since last year - including a fan-made wiki for the series - as has my own activity on my blog. I'm also facing the question that series authors must always come to: once the final volume is dispatched, what happens next?

Thanks, Adrian, I look forward to seeing you, and the rest of Team Tor, and indeed, some of you lot, in Prestatyn. Until then, Cheerio!

The Cosmos Within by CelesteAvonne [All Ages]

2012-01-27T19:00:00.001Z

New Doctor Who fan fiction from A Teaspoon And An Open Mind:

The Cosmos Within by CelesteAvonne [All Ages]
What memory could be so dangerous that the Doctor would conceal it from himself? After a trip to the ruins of Sacre Coeur Cathedral, the TARDIS crashes into the world in which Rose and the Meta-crisis have lived happily for the past nine years. Soon after the Doctor's arrival, a massive storm breaks between worlds, wreaking havoc on the planet's precisely controlled weather systems. Tensions increase as Rose, Amy, Rory, and River must help the Doctor figure out the secret of a memory hidden within his mind, a memory that is somehow linked to the destructive storm so powerful that it threatens to destroy the universe.
Wedding Shower by basmathgirl [Teen]
The Doctor and Donna are invited to Martha and MickeyÂ's wedding, but thereÂ's a bit of a misunderstanding (or two). What started off as friendship gradually becomes more.
In the Winter Woods by Lyricwritesprose [All Ages]
In which Rory puts his legionary skills to good use. Christmas-y fluff.
Message received from the Doctor II by AspieSays [Teen]
AU. Featuring many including Ten, Eleven, Jack, Rory, Donna and Martha (and sometimes a telepathic lizard and a bored Koschei, minus drumming). Texts to and from, Instant Messaging in all its glory, and random messages the Doctor leaves about. Teen for sexual themes.
The Master's Daughter by Bobsyeruncle [Teen]
Free of the Drums and the Purgatory of the Void, the Master resumes his centuries old obsession to ruin the Doctor, attempting to change the path of the Doctor's companions.

Podcast - January 003: Impressions, Letters and Competitions - 25 January 2012 - 26 January 2012

2012-01-26T19:00:00.003Z

Not so many years ago a new Big Finish CD was pretty much the only new Who to look forward to. They've got news:

Podcast - January 003: Impressions, Letters and Competitions - 25 January 2012 - 26 January 2012
As we head with astonishing speed towards the end of January, it's time for another Big Finish podcast! Nick Briggs is back once more, and he's accompanied for the first time this year by totally accent-free Bristolian (honest) Paul Spragg - who brings an update on new Stargate audios.

If that's not enough excitement, the pair also try to answer as many of your e-mails as possible on subjects ranging from dream projects to audience participation and beyond, announce the winner of the previous competition (and the runners-up) and set a brand new competition to win some extra-special prizes!

All this and more in a packed podcast, which you can download or stream right now!

And don't forget: to get in touch, simply e-mail podcast@bigfinish.com; it's the same address for competition entries.

Download Podcast Here

Doctor Who rarities (and over priced stuff?!)

2012-01-26T19:00:00.001Z

Doctor Who Character Building Wave 2 Amy as a pirate, Ltd ed of 250 Super rare!

£100.00
End Date: Thursday Feb-02-2012 18:13:56 GMT
Buy It Now for only: £100.00
Buy it now | Add to watch list

Full size Doctor Who Dalek Great company for any Dr who fanatic

£1,000.00
End Date: Thursday Feb-02-2012 15:18:05 GMT
Buy It Now for only: £1,000.00
Buy it now | Add to watch list

Dr Who The Mysterious Dalek

£140.00 (0 Bid)
End Date: Tuesday Jan-31-2012 10:51:34 GMT
Bid now | Add to watch list

Day of the Davros

2012-01-25T19:00:00.003Z

Not so many years ago a new Big Finish CD was pretty much the only new Who to look forward to. They've got news:

Day of the Davros
Saturday 28 January is Davros Day at bigfinish.com.

To celebrate Davrosâs return to Doctor Who audio drama in this monthâs The Curse of Davros, all of the Dalek creatorâs previous Big Finish outings will be for sale at just Â£5 each on CD or download. Or you can buy all nine stories in the back catalogue for just Â£40!

The full list of adventures is as follows:
Doctor Who: Davros (starring Colin Baker)
Doctor Who: The Juggernauts (Starring Colin Baker and Bonnie Langford)
Doctor Who: Terror Firma (starring Paul McGann)
Doctor Who Unbound: Masters of War (starring David Warner and Nicholas Courtney)
I, Davros: Innocence
I, Davros: Purity
I, Davros: Corruption
I, Davros: Guilt
The Davros Mission (download only)

Terry Molloy plays Davros in each production. The sale takes place only on Saturday 28 January, at this very website!

Podcast - January 003: - 25 January 2012
As we head with astonishing speed towards the end of January, it's time for another Big Finish podcast! Nick Briggs is back once more, and he's accompanied for the first time this year by totally accent-free Bristolian (honest) Paul Spragg - who brings an update on new Stargate audios.

If that's not enough excitement, the pair also try to answer as many of your e-mails as possible on subjects ranging from dream projects to audience participation and beyond, announce the winner of the previous competition (and the runners-up) and set a brand new competition to win some extra-special prizes!

All this and more in a packed podcast, which you can download or stream right now!

And don't forget: to get in touch, simply e-mail podcast@bigfinish.com; it's the same address for competition entries.

Download Podcast Here
Graceless 2 - February Release
Following a delay from its scheduled release at the back end of 2011, Big Finish is pleased to announce that Graceless 2 will now be released in February. Weâd like to take this opportunity to apologise once more for the unavoidable delay, which was caused by unforeseen problems during post-production, and thank you for your patience in waiting for this second series of adventures for Abby and Zara.

Following on from the end of series one, Graceless 2 comprises a three-disc boxset featuring three brand new adventures for time-travelling sisters Abby and Zara. As they become more experienced in using the powers granted to them by the Grace, the universe grows more dangerous, and Abby and Zara must keep running to stay one step ahead of their enemies.

Ciara Janson and Laura Doddington return in Graceless 2 as Abby and Zara, joined by guest stars Derek Griffiths, Michael Cochrane, Susan Brown, and Fraser James, who returns to the series as Marek.

The series is written by Simon Guerrier and directed by Lisa Bowerman, and is still available to pre-order at the special price of Â£22 for the CD box set, and Â£17 for the download.

Doctor Who props on eBay

2012-01-25T19:00:00.001Z

Doctor who prop replica swirly tie david tennant matt smith dr who new

£59.99
End Date: Wednesday Feb-01-2012 15:47:56 GMT
Buy It Now for only: £59.99
Buy it now | Add to watch list

DOCTOR WHO BBC 9TH 10TH DR DAVID TENNANT SONIC SCREWDRIVER LIMITED EDITION PROP

£9.99 (0 Bid)
End Date: Sunday Jan-29-2012 20:05:54 GMT
Bid now | Add to watch list

The This Time Next Year Game: Update

2012-01-24T19:00:00.005Z

Blog of Paul Cornell - writer of Doctor Who (and other stuff, of course!)

The This Time Next Year Game: Update
Okay, our first points have been scored! Question 8 in the This Time Next Year Game, as detailed in the first of the Twelve Blogs of Christmas last year, was this:

Will any of the 2012 Academy Award (Oscar) nominees for Best Picture be (within a generous description) in the genres of science fiction, fantasy or horror?

And the answer to that is YES, with Woody Allen's Midnight in Paris being indisputably a fantasy movie. (I was worried about debates over Hugo.)

So our first points table reads (alphabetically):

B-Guymer: 1
C.A. Young: 1
Fizzle: 1
Kendersule: 1
Liz: 1
L.M. Myles: 1
Michael Lee: 1
Nick Pheas: 1
Paul F: 1
Penny Heal and Jason Stevens: 1
Phil Hansen: 1
RHeitzmann: 1
Scottish Falsetto Sock Puppet Theatre: 1
Soru: 1
Tom: 1

Sorry, Uther Dean and N.J, you should have limited yourselves to Yes or No. (I didn't penalise those who picked Yes but then went on to guess which movies.)

Some points have been scored in one other category (the New 52 one), but we'll wait until the appropriate month to total them. You're all doing very well!

Doctor Who DVDs under £5

2012-01-24T19:00:00.003Z

GLORIOUS 39 DVD 2011 NEW REG2 DAVID DR WHO TENNANT BILL NIGHY CHRISTOPHER LEE HQ

£2.69 (0 Bid)
End Date: Tuesday Jan-31-2012 18:32:02 GMT
Buy It Now for only: £3.99
Bid now | Buy it now | Add to watch list

Doctor Who Remembrance of the Daleks Sylvester McCoy DVD

£2.00
End Date: Thursday Feb-23-2012 17:12:39 GMT
Buy It Now for only: £2.00
Buy it now | Add to watch list

Doctor Who - Lost In Time (DVD 2004)

£5.00
End Date: Tuesday Jan-31-2012 15:06:10 GMT
Buy It Now for only: £5.00
Buy it now | Add to watch list

Doctor Who Annuals, Yearbooks, magazine specials on 1 DVD

£4.49
End Date: Thursday Feb-23-2012 1:16:11 GMT
Buy It Now for only: £4.49
Buy it now | Add to watch list

Doctor Who magazine 391 - 435 on 1 DVD

£4.49
End Date: Thursday Feb-23-2012 0:47:03 GMT
Buy It Now for only: £4.49
Buy it now | Add to watch list

Doctor Who magazine 341 - 390 on 1 DVD

£4.49
End Date: Thursday Feb-23-2012 0:44:59 GMT
Buy It Now for only: £4.49
Buy it now | Add to watch list

Doctor Who magazine 281 - 340 on 1 DVD

£4.49
End Date: Thursday Feb-23-2012 0:42:50 GMT
Buy It Now for only: £4.49
Buy it now | Add to watch list

Doctor Who magazine 176 - 280 on 1 DVD

£4.49
End Date: Thursday Feb-23-2012 0:21:49 GMT
Buy It Now for only: £4.49
Buy it now | Add to watch list

Doctor Who magazine 1 - 175 on 1 DVD

£4.49
End Date: Wednesday Feb-22-2012 23:41:22 GMT
Buy It Now for only: £4.49
Buy it now | Add to watch list

DR WHO - THE FIVE DOCTORS - R2 NEW SEALED DVD

£3.99
End Date: Wednesday Feb-22-2012 20:01:36 GMT
Buy It Now for only: £3.99
Buy it now | Add to watch list

Doctor Who - The Sontaran Experiment (DVD)USED EX RENTAL

£3.99
End Date: Wednesday Feb-22-2012 19:44:09 GMT
Buy It Now for only: £3.99
Buy it now | Add to watch list

Ill-Met by were_lemur [All Ages]

2012-01-24T19:00:00.001Z

New Doctor Who fan fiction from A Teaspoon And An Open Mind:

Ill-Met by were_lemur [All Ages]
Ace meets the Eighth Doctor.
Drabbles by AspieSays [Teen]
Small stories about the Doctor and everyone he knows that don't fit anywhere in particular.
Message received from the Doctor II by AspieSays [Teen]
AU. Featuring many including Ten, Eleven, Jack, Rory, Donna and Martha (and sometimes a telepathic lizard and a bored Koschei, minus drumming). Texts to and from, Instant Messaging in all its glory, and random messages the Doctor leaves about. Teen for sexual themes.
The Cosmos Within by CelesteAvonne [All Ages]
What memory could be so dangerous that the Doctor would conceal it from himself? After a trip to the ruins of Sacre Coeur Cathedral, the TARDIS crashes into the world in which Rose and the Meta-crisis have lived happily for the past nine years. Soon after the Doctor's arrival, a massive storm breaks between worlds, wreaking havoc on the planet's precisely controlled weather systems. Tensions increase as Rose, Amy, Rory, and River must help the Doctor figure out the secret of a memory hidden within his mind, a memory that is somehow linked to the destructive storm so powerful that it threatens to destroy the universe.
Born in Blood by clare009 [Teen]
Mels would like to see her parents get married, but sometimes, things don't go according to plan.

The Copenhagen Nomination

2012-01-23T19:00:00.005Z

Blog of Paul Cornell - writer of Doctor Who (and other stuff, of course!)

The Copenhagen Nomination
Something big did happen before Friday! I'm very proud to announce that my Asimov's short story 'The Copenhagen Interpretation' (the third in my Jonathan Hamilton series) has been short-listed for the BSFA Awards.

It's also brilliant to see so many friends on that ballot, including Al Robertson in my category, and a very strong field in the Novel section. I do, however, now regard myself as the Taiwan of awards nominees, in that I'm worried that I'm going to get my arse kicked by China.

As per my own personal rules concerning awards, that's the last you'll hear from me on that subject. The playing field is now level (because the BSFA will presumably send out their usual voter pack including all the stories), voters will be able to read all the stories and decide between them, and my input will be nil. (I won't vote in my category, either.) But I once more emphasise: what anyone else decides to do is between them and the electorate. I wouldn't condemn anyone for taking any alternative course of action, up to including swinging from the chandelier with a banner calling upon us to vote for them.

It's time for a celebratory dance, I think. One two three.... la da da dee dah, la da da da da da da dah, la da da da da da da dah! And to the left! And to the right! And sway, and sway, and click, and turn! And dance like Snoopy!

Ahem.

Talking of awards, Cheryl Morgan is one of the brains behind the very worthy SF Translation Awards, for works of science fiction and fantasy translated into English from foreign languages. They're running a fundraiser where, if you donate towards the cash prizes for the winners (or, this being a very legally-minded affair, even if you're mean enough not to), you can win one of many lovely items, including a complete signed hardback run of my Lex Luthor stories in Action Comics. Do take a look.

And finally, but excitingly for Doctor Who fans, if you're quick enough (in the next 19 hours as I write this), you can own a signed pre-release copy of Jac Rayner's new Who novel Magic of the Angels, which isn't out until February 2nd. All proceeds from the sale are going to Let's Do It For ME, the charity which funds research into that terrible condition. So go on, you want to have something no other fan has, don't you?

I'll see you on Friday from the usual Casual blogness. Until then, Cheerio!

Stargate Series 3 Now Available to Order

2012-01-23T19:00:00.003Z

Not so many years ago a new Big Finish CD was pretty much the only new Who to look forward to. They've got news:

Stargate Series 3 Now Available to Order
The long-awaited third series of Stargate on audio is just around the corner, and it's now available for pre-order!

Out in two box sets, each release contains three full-cast adventures starring Michael Shanks as Daniel Jackson and Claudia Black as Vala Mal Doran, set in the heart of the tenth season with the Ori threat at its peak.

The first box set features the pair taking on the last of the System Lords, Ba'al, played once more by Cliff Simon, while the second box set is an Asgard-centric one and features the return of Thor (once more played by Michael Shanks) and the Asgard as you've never seen them before...

Each box set contains three discs with one story on each, but they combine to form two larger arcs. Join us for the biggest Stargate adventure yet, with drama, action, comedy, romance - and one particularly appalling pun!

Download pre-orders will be available soon.

Radio Free Skaro #290 - Whom Gods Destroy

2012-01-23T19:00:00.001Z

Radio Free Skaro has the kind of irrevancy that makes it an essential listen for any iPod wielding space dustbin.

Radio Free Skaro #290 - Whom Gods Destroy

Ah, that's the January we remember. The Christmas Special aired weeks ago, it's a long time until new Doctor Who (even longer than usual) and there's really not too much going on in the Who world. But there's always Gallifrey! A bit of Gally news and banter helps, well, fill more time in our time-filling series of commentaries. The Three Who Rule lads get the privilege of being able to announce another guest for our live show, Radio Free Skaro and the World of Tomorrow and rehash Toby Whithouse's The God Complex, a mindbleep episode that split opinions when it went out. Join us for the ride!

Check out the show notes at http://www.radiofreeskaro.com

Casual Fridays: The Sherlock Solution

2012-01-20T19:00:00.005Z

Blog of Paul Cornell - writer of Doctor Who (and other stuff, of course!)

Casual Fridays: The Sherlock Solution
Well, I didn't expect to only be blogging on Fridays, and I suspect that's just the way it's happened for these first three weeks. Still, at least you know when and where I'll be. This week I've been writing the new Hamilton novelette and plotting comics, including issues of Demon Knights that are getting close, numerically, to my previous personal best of fifteen issues and an annual (both Captain Britain and MI-13 and Action Comics). I have high hopes to see an issue sixteen this time! I'm waiting on both novel and TV spec script notes, and developing something new in a medium I haven't tackled before. Also this week...

Scott Handcock is one of the producers of Big Finish's Bernice Summerfield range, a Doctor Who production person, writer and actor. He's supporting a very worthy cause, Invest in ME, by running a marathon in May. Invest in ME seek to fund research into myalgic encephalomyelitis, and thus change the media perception of it. I've had first hand experience of what this condition can do to people's lives, and I urge you to contribute.

I did an interview with Comic Book Resources about Demon Knights, which seemed to go down well.

I suppose I've been asked odder questions, but, as a former Captain Britain writer (?) this leading politics site asked me how I felt about the prospect of Scottish independence, and I told them.

You can find the solicitation for Demon Knights #8, which is a one-off about the history of Xanadu and Etrigan's romance, with guest art from Bernard Chang here.

This is Ryan Kelly's terrific cover art for Saucer Country #2, coming in April...

And my friend Simon Spurrier has put out into the world, in support of his new novel, A Serpent Uncoiled, the following...

I went along to see War Horse this week, and there follows a review, which thoroughly spoils the plot, so if you're planning on seeing it, you may want to skip the next (long) paragraph...

War Horse is by no means a good movie, although it does contain some interesting, moving and memorable moments. I've heard people call it 'saccharine', but that word's never made critical sense to me. It's supposed to mean that one is not averse to sugar, but can spot fake sugar when one sees it. This being the movies and not the news, however... it's all fake sugar. And people who use the word 'saccharine' never seem to find the real sugar. 'It tried to move me but didn't' is perhaps a more honest way to put it. (Or sometimes the complaint is just 'it tried to move me, and I hate being moved'.) Myself, I'm all for blubbing, and I think heart strings are there to be tugged. I got a little of that from War Horse, but actually not enough. And that's because... it's about a horse. Every human being we meet is onscreen for a maximum of half an hour. The script tries to make us care about them, it sometimes succeeds (that influx of Richard Curtis traits when the movie suddenly becomes about an old man and his quirky grand-daughter, and we're made to care about them very quickly and very well), but mostly fails (the German deserter boys are shot and we've hardly met them, so we don't care). The nature of the film, a series of vignettes, is directly opposed to its aim, moving us. And... it's about a horse. Those of us who don't automatically love horseflesh are told it's a beautiful horse many times, and there are shots where the camera peers into its face, demanding an expression... which isn't there. Because it's a horse. Every now and then Spielberg does go for horse reaction shots, making it the central dramatic presence it would need to be to bear this movie's emotions on its shoulders. But these look ridiculous. (The 'who, me?' when nominated to pull the gun carriage is so pronounced it should have a Scooby Doo voice on top.) So I think Spielberg went with his better instincts and largely shied away from them. But there's nothing to take their place. Black Beauty did the horse with many owners story with an emoting, sentient, narrating horse at the centre of it, and the movie of that was pretty weird as a result, but at least it got its full thump of emotional impact in. This movie sometimes looks to the horse as an emotional centre, but tries to do it... realistically. Sort of. Maybe. I don't know, stop asking! That's the central problem. I was initially quite pleased with the opening vignette of life on the farm. A pretty realistic Devon, not American Devon, a movie about the problems of working people, okay, tottering on the edge of 'trouble 't pit' but daring that and getting points for not falling in. But then there was that rock in the field. And it was a Simpsons rock. One of the standard Simpsons jokes is to portray an everyday annoyance as a grand Hollywood challenge, the moment of heroic fulfillment. Which makes us see how artificial such moments are. Our lad and his horse will plough that stony field and save their farm, they will make it, through sheer willpower! Only... there's a big rock in the way! 'Go round it!' shouts the lad's mate desperately from the sidelines, like Marge might shout to Homer, but the lad is made of sterner stuff. He puts in a last effort and the plough... slices straight through the rock, which breaks in two and lies there... obviously the sort of thing one could have picked up and thrown away. Hmm, perhaps the mate could have done that instead of all the worried shouting. In fact, how about just clearing the field of stones before the ploughing started? Or, I don't know, perhaps one of those hundreds of neighbours could have lent them a ploughing horse? Logic is an underhanded thing to use to attack a movie, but what this shows is a lack of concentration, a lack of meaning it, that the shape of a Hollywood movie rather than the real lives of working people is what it's important here. Similarly, there's a neat metaphorical introduction to World War 1, but it trips on that business of realism. We follow a group of professional cavalrymen, preparing well, taking every precaution, not just doing their jobs but actually being clever with it, and we start to think, hey, none of these people are fools, and this doesn't look like archetypal World War 1, this has an interesting non-cliched realism about it, perhaps this is an early battle, before the machine guns, maybe we're going somewhere interestingly different, and it'll all turn out to be the way they think it'll be. They charge in, sending an enemy camp scattering, until... there's the completely unexpected (now) line of machine guns. We've been suckered into believing in victory, just like they were. Excellent. Except... why is there a camp of genuinely unprepared soldiers, with a line of machine guns in the woods behind them? Who was preparing for those shaving and breakfast-making lads to be routed and cut down? 'Next time,' one of them might well yell, 'how about we put the machine guns in front of the camp?!' The power of that movie metaphor over-ruled realism, which would be the classic Hollywood way, except the magic trick wasn't good enough, we were encouraged to think about realism the moment before the metaphor hit. There are some beautiful pictures in this movie, and some of them are too beautiful. I accepted, in the same way, the poetry of the lad getting his horse back, but not the implausibility of the old man just guessing that was also his daughter's horse. The nervous attempts at salt are what ruin the sugar. Only absolute full-on commitment of a (bloody hell) Avatar kind could make this work. You can't have a horse that's both a dramatic lead and 'just a horse, not a dog'. You can't make a movie about the poetic epic futility of war and about the washout of the turnip harvest. Spielberg and his writers flinch at the last moment and do not (haw) take the hurdle. However, I must say that, if I was 12(A), and thus in one of the target audiences for this movie, the resulting shallow end depth of brief characters whose pain hurts us just a little might just feel like the most meaningful thing I'd ever seen. And if that viewer was my child, I wouldn't want to dissuade them of that feeling.

Phew, that went on a bit. You'll be here for the Sherlock solution, I should think. Sorry, here we go. (And there will of course be huge Sherlock spoilers here.)

At the end of this season of the wonderful Sherlock, Holmes seemed to be forced, in front of Watson, to fatally jump off a building. It's later revealed that he survived. The cliffhanger, pleasingly, is not 'did he?' but 'how did he?' Now, I have no special knowledge, but I thought it would be fun to share with you the solution I spent the evening boring my wife with...

It's obviously all about Molly. Sherlock tells her he trusts her and is going to need her to do something. And then he sets up the final confrontation on the roof of the hospital where she works. So what can Molly do? Well, let's combine that with the only other plot point left hanging in a show which always ties off every dangling thread. Moriarty has set it up so that the little girl he kidnapped screams when she sees Sherlock. How did he do that? By employing someone who looks very like Sherlock, possibly (because he's famous enough now) a professional Holmes impersonator. Then he would have had to kill this arrow pointing to his 'discredit Holmes' plan, and might have done that in front of the child, in order to traumatise her. So Sherlock would suspect that there's a dead body somewhere in London, that will probably have passed through Molly's morgue, that not only looks like him but is even dressed like him. Molly has time to find that body. There's an unknown length of time between the death of Moriarty and Watson arriving. During that time, Molly brings the impersonator's body to the roof, and holds it up on the edge. Sherlock, meanwhile, goes over to the roof of the building opposite, looking down on Watson from behind when he arrives, and talking to him on his mobile from there. (He asks him to keep his eyes on 'him', and not start looking round at the other buildings.) Sherlock jumps down onto a lower level just below the roof he's standing on (because his job here is done and he has to get away swiftly), and Molly pushes the body off the roof. I don't think Holmes can have had anything to do with the cyclist thumping Watson, because what guarantee is there that any particular blow would produce exactly the right disorienting symptoms? But it's too convenient to be an accident. Perhaps Moriarty had left orders that if Watson was seen running towards the body, this medical man should be prevented from attempting to save Holmes? (It would be really neat if Holmes was that cyclist, but there just isn't time.) Even without the blow to the head, it's probably that after a fall like that, with Molly whisking the body away afterwards, Watson wouldn't have been able to tell the impersonator apart from his friend. Molly works with Mycroft to erase inconvenient details like DNA identification, and we see Mycroft saddened not at the death of his brother, but at the lengths to which his brother has had to go to save himself from a situation of his making.

And that's it. Obviously, I expect the very clever Steven Moffat to have come up with a solution that trumps that one, I'd be delighted either way, but that's how I'd get out of it.

Today's music video, from my box of favourite tunes of all time, is from The Andrews Sisters.

I've always loved swing, the first real pop music that worked like pop is supposed to, ecstatic release and teenage rebellion. War turned that music from insidious moral destroyer to great because the troops like it. The Andrews Sisters were The Beatles for the US military, and the sheer pop plundering of this track, plus the fact that it's right there beside the prospect of immediate death, make it vital even today. There's the rumble of a Weimar pit band somewhere in there, the enemy's culture repurposed, as it always has been by soldiers. Much more to the front is a huge debt to black music. This is what pop always has been: black music played by white people. (Louis Armstrong was famous enough when this was made for the 'jazz style' singing on one chorus to be even possibly an impersonation of him. I've always wondered.) And God, how much sex is written between these lines? Look what she does to that upraised trumpet.

Our guest today is Jessica Langer, who received her PhD from Royal Holloway, University of London in 2009. She's published widely on postcolonial theory and practice and science fiction in many different media and geographical contexts. She lives in Toronto, Canada. I met her at a World Science Fiction Convention (I think it was in Japan), and she quickly became one of editor Lou Anders' 'rat pack'. She's got a new book out. Take it away, Jess...

First of all, many thanks to Paul for lending me his space for a few paragraphs. I've been a constant reader for a while, so it's fun to take over the microphone temporarily. I've been invited to discuss my new book, Postcolonialism and Science Fiction, published by Palgrave Macmillan in December 2011 (despite what Amazon may tell you). I understand that print copies just became available in North America, and you can also find it as an ebook via Palgrave Connect.
First of all: what is postcolonialism, anyway?
That's a question with just about as many answers as there are postcolonial critics, and everyone defines it a little differently. Acknowledging the ongoing academic debate, though, I'll try to simplify it: postcolonialism is a field of study that relates to the consequences of the past five or six hundred years of world history, in which various major powers have been busy building and subsequently losing their empires. In some cases these consequences are vast and permanent, and are economic, cultural, political, linguistic, social, gendered, racial, sexual, religious. Postcolonialism, therefore, is about all of those things, though different critics tend to focus differently. For instance, Robert JC Young, one of the Big Names in postcolonial studies, calls race, culture and sexuality the three legs (or, as he puts it, 'mediating term[s]' [Young 97]) of the colonial triangle; they're all systems by which colonial authorities controlled and exploited the native populace. Edward Said's theory of Orientalism - his critique of the European 'othering' of its colonial subjects - is another concept that is associated with postcolonial studies. This may be starting to sound a little more familiar.
So what does science fiction have to do with any of this?
Science fiction is, at its very heart, about otherness. Another time, another planet, another kind of intelligent or unintelligent being, another dimension, another universe, another version of reality, another version of yourself. It is, as Darko Suvin famously wrote, a literature of 'cognitive estrangement' (Suvin 4); of trying to conceptualize something that is in some way other.
Colonialism is also, at its heart, about otherness. Another culture, another language, another kind of resource, another political system. Here, though, it's not about imagining the other, but rather about exploiting him and her: taking the useful parts and suppressing the rest, the threat.
John Rieder, in his excellent book Colonialism and the Emergence of Science Fiction (to which my book functions as a kind of sequel), writes that 'science fiction exposes something that colonialism imposes' (Rieder 15). I'm afraid I'm not quite so quotably brief, but my argument is similar, though a little more specific. I look at two particular images that come up over and over in science fiction literature: the figure of the alien, whether a humanoid alien or a robot or a Tribble or whatnot, and the far-flung planet or undiscovered land, whether the Moon or Mars or Europa or Pern or Gethen or the centre of our very own Earth. I call these two images the 'Stranger and the Strange Land'. (No, it really has nothing to do with Heinlein's book of the same name; his title, modified, is pretty apt for my purposes, though.)
And here, I'm going to quote from the book itself (a quote which you may already have read if you read the excerpt posted on io9 in December):
'These two signifiers are, in fact, the very same twin myths of colonialism. The Stranger, or the Other, and the Strange Land â" whether actually empty or filled with those Others, savages whose lives are considered forfeit and whose culture is seen as abbreviated and misshapen but who are nevertheless compelling in their very strangeness â" are at the very heart of the colonial project, and their dispelling is at the heart of the postcolonial one.' (Langer 3-4)
Throughout the rest of the book I look at all sorts of different things, from Japanese science fiction (Japan, which went from pseudo-feudal victim of free trade imperialism to imperial power to industrialized democracy over the course of about a hundred years, is a fascinating case study from both a postcolonial and a science fiction point of view) to Canadian First Nations science fiction to Indian science fiction to District 9 to World of Warcraft (yup...) to other contemporary writers like Nalo Hopkinson and Ian McDonald and Vandana Singh and Saladin Ahmed. If I may say so, it's a fun romp, and I think you might enjoy it.
(References (because I'm an academic and it makes me uncomfortable not to cite things properly):Langer, Jessica. Postcolonialism and Science Fiction. London: Palgrave, 2011Rieder, John. Colonialism and the Emergence of Science Fiction. Middletown, CT: Wesleyan University Press, 2008.Suvin, Darko. Metamorphoses of Science Fiction. New Haven, NJ: Yale University Press, 1979.Young, Robert J.C. Colonial Desire: Hybridity in Theory, Culture and Race. London: Routledge, 1995.)

We've never had references on here before! Thank you very much, Jessica, and I look forward to reading the book. Now, on these Casual Fridays I've been continuing my series of (sometimes vaguely useful) writing tips, that began with forty of them during the Twelve Blogs of Christmas. So this week's is...

43: 'Eight'. Numbers stand for things. Three is the number for impact (two sensible examples in a joke, the third gets the laugh, two (very brief) ordinary messages on the hero's answerphone, the third is the killer). Six is evil, seven is magic. (Secret Six, The Magnificent Seven.) Eight is 'too many'. There's the old story of the professor heard walking along debating with his friend, ticking off points on his fingers and saying 'eighthly'. Sherlock tells John that's he's already thought of eight theories. That feels like more than anyone could hold in their head. The next number with meaning is twelve, and that feels honest again, for reasons only those more tuned in to archetypes could guess at. If you want too many people, items or concepts, too many is eight.

And that's it for today. I might see some of you at the BSFA open meeting (with Christopher Priest as the guest) on Wednesday. Until then or next Friday, unless something huge happens in-between, Cheerio!

Magnus Greel Revealed!

2012-01-20T19:00:00.003Z

Not so many years ago a new Big Finish CD was pretty much the only new Who to look forward to. They've got news:

Magnus Greel Revealed!
Recording is underway on Doctor Who: The Butcher of Brisbane by Marc Platt, in which the Fifth Doctor, Tegan, Turlough and Nyssa take on Magnus Greel in a prequel to The Talons of Weng-Chiang.

âCasting the role of Magnus Greel wasnât easy,â says producer David Richardson, âbut Iâve been hoping for a long time to bring in Angus Wright for a role â" his voicereel is magnificent! Thankfully the dates worked out and, as I write this, Angus is in the booths recording his face-off with the Fifth Doctor.â

Angus is perhaps best known to Doctor Who fans for playing Mr Dread in The Sarah Jane Adventures story The Vault of Secrets, and he can also be seen in cinemas as John Nott in The Iron Lady. His stage work includes the acclaimed War Horse, and he portrayed Shylock for the RSC in The Merchant of Venice.

The Butcher of Brisbane is released in June.

A Beautiful Disaster by Isilien Elenihin [Teen]

2012-01-20T19:00:00.001Z

New Doctor Who fan fiction from A Teaspoon And An Open Mind:

A Beautiful Disaster by Isilien Elenihin [Teen]
An AU look at Human Nature/The Family of Blood featuring the 9th Doctor, Rose, and Captain Jack!
You've Got Mail by Galesgal [All Ages]
After the Doctor leaves the Metacrisis and Rose on Bad Wolf Bay, he expects them to live happily ever after, but they don't. At least, not with each other. They form a bond unlike any other and she helps him find a connection with an alternate Martha.
Dream a Little Dream (of Me) by Isilien Elenihin [Adult]
The mind is the most dangerous prison of all. Rated M for disturbing imagery and some sexual situations. Sequel to "Sensible Shoes."
The Long and Winding Road by Isilien Elenihin [Teen]
An AU retelling of season 4, beginning with "The Last of the Time Lords" in season 4.
The Five-Ish Stages of Grief by nonelvis [Teen]
"I could be wrong," the Doctor said, "but I'm fairly certain 'rebound sex' is not one of the five stages of grief."

Doctor Who rarities (and over priced stuff?!)

2012-01-19T19:00:00.001Z

DOCTOR WHO TRILOGY TRADING CARDS MASTER SET

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DOCTOR WHO 40TH ANNIVERSARY TRADING CARDS MASTER SET

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DOCTOR WHO DEFINITIVE SERIES 3 TRADING CARDS MASTER SET

£500.00
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Tom Baker the fourth Doctor Who "personally signed to you" 16x12 portrait

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Tom Baker the fourth Doctor Who "personally signed to you" 18x12 portrait

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Tom Baker the fourth Doctor Who "personally signed to you" 18x12 portrait

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Tom Baker the fourth Doctor Who "personally signed to you" 18x12 portrait

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Tom Baker the fourth Doctor Who "personally signed to you" 18x12 portrait

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DOCTOR WHO REPLICA 10th Doctor DAVID TENNANT BLUE SUIT Dr Who Apparel

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DOCTOR WHO REPLICA 10th Doctor DAVID TENNANT LONG COAT Dr Who Apparel

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Doctor Who Monster Invasion 121 - 150 Pick/Choose Any Card From List - Free Post

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DR Who Battles in Time - 3 series are complete, 1 almost & 2 super Rose cards

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Doctor Who Danbury Mint

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Doctor Who character building series 2 SUPER RARE River Song 1 of 500 worldwide

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Podcast - January 002: The Return of Colin! - 18 January 2012

2012-01-18T19:00:00.003Z

Not so many years ago a new Big Finish CD was pretty much the only new Who to look forward to. They've got news:

Podcast - January 002: The Return of Colin! - 18 January 2012
This week, it's time to welcome Colin Baker back to the main range of Doctor Who audios, and he's brought a new companion with him in the shape of Lisa Greenwood as Flip!

Nick Briggs and David Richardson still have John Dorney and Jonathan Morris in the office, which is handy as the duo wrote the first two stories in the new Colin Baker trilogy and thus are perfectly placed to shed some light on them.

Jonny discusses the downsides of the title Waterloo of the Daleks and provides some hints about what you can expect in the rechristened The Curse of Davros, while John discusses his first main range outing, the simultaneously chilling and amusing The Fourth Wall.

With all this, a look ahead to Wirrn Isle, clips and interruptions aplenty, can you afford to go without this latest slice of aural joy? Download or stream it now...

Download Podcast Here

Doctor Who props on eBay

2012-01-18T19:00:00.001Z

DOCTOR WHO 'MASTERS FOB WATCH' - REPLICA PROP (SEE DETAILS)

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DOCTOR WHO 'Daleks In Manhattan' genuine original prop/costume Flat Cap,with COA

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Vintage fiber-glass Mannequin hands Doctor Who Auton prop "custom fodder"

£21.00 (6 Bids)
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Doctor Who DVDs under £5

2012-01-17T19:00:00.003Z

DOCTOR WHO - 9" TARDIS & SERIES 1 DVD - A3

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GLORIOUS 39 DVD 2011 NEW REG2 DAVID DR WHO TENNANT BILL NIGHY CHRISTOPHER LEE HQ

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Doctor Who - Series 3 Vol.2 - BRAND NEW REGION 2 DVD

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Doctor Who - Series 3 Vol.4: John Simms: BRAND NEW R2 DVD

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DOCTOR WHO - VOYAGE OF THE DAMNED DVD - SEALED

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DOCTOR WHO - THE RUNAWAY BRIDE DVD - SEALED

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DOCTOR WHO - THE NEXT DOCTOR DVD - SEALED

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DOCTOR WHO - NEW SERIES 4 VOLUME 4 DVD - SEALED

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DOCTOR WHO - NEW SERIES 4 VOLUME 3 DVD - SEALED

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DOCTOR WHO - NEW SERIES 4 VOLUME 2 DVD - SEALED

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DOCTOR WHO - NEW SERIES 4 VOLUME 1 DVD - SEALED

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DOCTOR WHO - NEW SERIES 3 VOLUME 4 DVD - SEALED

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DOCTOR WHO - NEW SERIES 3 VOLUME 2 DVD - SEALED

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DOCTOR WHO - NEW SERIES 3 VOLUME 1 DVD - SEALED

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A Postcard Home by ninewood [All Ages]

2012-01-17T19:00:00.001Z

New Doctor Who fan fiction from A Teaspoon And An Open Mind:

A Postcard Home by ninewood [All Ages]
The Doctor finds a postcard from the Master.
A Mysterious Customer by Primsong [All Ages]
Dragons are mysteriously appearing in the countryside and UNIT must investigate. Does Bessie hold the key? Fourth episode in the Custom Vehicle series.
Pieces of Her Life by roesloveddrugs [Teen]
Immediately after he says goodbye to her on Bad Wolf Bay, the Doctor goes back to RoseÂ's flat at the Powell Estate to clean out the pieces of her life containing him (or any other alien technology) out.
Message received from the Doctor II by AspieSays [Teen]
AU. Featuring Ten, Jack, Donna and Martha (and sometimes a telepathic lizard and a bored Koschei, minus drumming). Texts to and from, Instant Messaging in all its glory, and random messages the Doctor leaves about. Teen for sexual themes.
The Cosmos Within by CelesteAvonne [All Ages]
What memory could be so dangerous that the Doctor would conceal it from himself? After a trip to the ruins of Sacre Coeur Cathedral, the TARDIS crashes into the world in which Rose and the Meta-crisis have lived happily for the past nine years. Soon after the Doctor's arrival, a massive storm breaks between worlds, wreaking havoc on the planet's precisely controlled weather systems. Tensions increase as Rose, Amy, Rory, and River must help the Doctor figure out the secret of a memory hidden within his mind, a memory that is somehow linked to the destructive storm so powerful that it threatens to destroy the universe.

Radio Free Skaro #289 - Errand of Mercy

2012-01-16T19:00:00.001Z

Radio Free Skaro has the kind of irrevancy that makes it an essential listen for any iPod wielding space dustbin.

Radio Free Skaro #289 - Errand of Mercy

Gallifrey One, the massive and amazing annual fan-run Doctor Who convention, is rapidly approaching and we take some time to talk to Program Director Shaun Lyon about the recently-released convention schedule and to formally announce details of our live show - Radio Free Skaro And The World Of Tomorrow! As Gallifrey One's official podcast, we'll open the convention and will be joined on stage by actress Camille Coduri, director Toby Haynes, jack-of-all-trades Barnaby Edwards and jack-of-even-more-trades Gary Russell. The Three Who Rule also cast their gaze, commentary-wise, upon Tom MacRae's amazing The Girl Who Waited to see if it stands the test of time. And of course there's the news gnashing. One month to Gally!

Check out the show notes at http://www.radiofreeskaro.com

Casual Fridays: Outlandish Flanking

2012-01-13T19:00:00.005Z

Blog of Paul Cornell - writer of Doctor Who (and other stuff, of course!)

Casual Fridays: Outlandish Flanking
It's been a very busy week. I spent the first half of it plotting, sorting out arcs for Demon Knights up to #12 (and we know what the arc after that's going to be too), and Saucer Country to the same point, and carrying on with the heavyweight task of plotting out the sequel to Cops and Monsters. I also finished a new draft of my spec script fantasy TV series pilot, met with my agent, and did another edit on Jac Rayner's fantastic Love and War audio adaptation. (This is beginning to sound like the start of Prime Minister's Question Time.)

Demon Knights #5 came out on Wednesday, and I'm loving the response to it in reviews and on message boards. I think we've now got a dedicated audience behind us. I'd like to say to you lot: the title's not going anywhere, so stop talking about it like it might be cancelled at any moment. (Doing that in public encourages comic shop owners to get nervous and order less.) My editors are keen to plan way ahead, the sales figures are utterly healthy. Just because you like it and it's not a full-on superhero title doesn't mean it's under threat. (I'm now wondering at what point this will sound like I'm protesting too much.)

Here is the lovely variant cover to Saucer Country #1, by Sean Murphy.

And here is the blog that features it, by my excellent editor at Vertigo, Will Dennis.

This week my attendance at two more comic conventions was announced, the small but perfectly formed first iteration of Wiltshire's finest (only?) comic fan event, Melksham Comic Con with Mike Collins, Sonia Leong and Barry Kitson, and the huge and Spanish Barcelona International Comic Con, with Rags Morales, Scott Snyder and many others. I'm very much looking forward to them.

I received, this week, my freebies of the Superman: Reign of Doomsday hardcover, and the softcover of volume one of Superman: The Black Ring, so they should be in your comic shops and book stores very soon.

So, to the meat of this week's post. I got into a little bit of a fight on Twitter this week. Not a huge row (I'm very conflict-averse or yes, wussy if you prefer), but more of a slightly heated debate. It all started when someone tutted about an author, this being the start of Hugo nomination season, who 'suggested readers buy a supporting membership for Worldcon so they could nominate them'. Now, I thought that, at a stretch, that might have been me. (It turned out not to have been.) Because I do let people know, online, what I have that's nominable (that's a word now) in any particular awards system, and I also tend to push the 'buy a supporting membership and get all the nominated books as e-books!' deal. But no sooner had I established my innocence than a few others started chiming in, saying how much they hated authors 'self-publicising' at this time of year, how tasteless and shallow it all was. Which is when I took the perhaps bold step of saying to a beloved and esteemed SF author the words 'my arse it is'.

When it comes to awards, I don't at all object to authors self-promoting. In fact, I'm all in favour of it, and think it should be encouraged, even mandatory. I know that sounds a little counter-intuitive, but let me explain.

Some awards systems have rules in place about whether or not you can nominate yourself (the Nebulas say you can't) or vote for yourself (the Hugos seem to expect you to). I personally wouldn't do either. However, that's just me. Quite often there's nothing in the rules to disallow it, and if it's in the rules, then I would never object to someone else doing it.

But no awards system (except the new version of the British Fantasy Society Awards, which I'll come to in a few moments) has a rule in place about not promoting your own work. What they have instead, and this used to be very much the case with the Hugos, is an unspoken agreement, an understanding. Which reminds me of the worst aspects of British society. Because unspoken agreements, understandings, always benefit someone.

Now, I'm absolutely not saying that the handful of people tutting about these terrible self-promoting authors on Twitter were doing it because they're the sort of author who benefits under the old 'nobody say anything out loud' system. I genuinely don't think that entered their minds. I should think their motives would be an awkwardness with the idea of putting themselves forward, a dislike of showiness and a desire that a book be judged on its own merits. These are fine ideals, but ideals they are. A book will only be judged on its own merits if readers have heard of it. People will always vote subjectively and we can't stop that, all we can do is make sure that social pressure doesn't distort the level playing field.

I should point out here that these authors that benefit from the 'nobody say anything' system I've conjured up are not my own alternative folk devils to those the phrase 'self promoting authors' brings to mind. They're also successful and useful authors, who've made a lot of friends, and, rather than go on the internet to announce their nominable (I do like that word, no, it really is a word) works, they'll just, probably without even realising they're doing it, talk about them in the right company, because the right company is the company they're naturally in. I'm probably one of these people. Or I'm trying damn hard to be. They don't have to tell you what they have up for a particular award, because, well, everyone who might nominate just naturally knows.

Now, I'd say it's a fifty/fifty bet that when I used the phrase 'self-promoting authors' before, it was that sort of person you thought of. That's because this whole business, like all 'unwritten laws' is entirely subjective. That's what makes it all so dangerous.

Hanging out with the right people at conventions, letting a small group of nominators just naturally know that you've written stuff that's up for awards in the process of merely hanging out. Is that okay?

Going on the internet to tell the world, in the open, like anyone could. Is that okay?

Which do you prefer?

The people who do the former, in private, would accuse the people who do the latter, in public, of being 'self-promoters'. The latter probably also have some nasty words that describe the former.

Some people (including a prominent critic who responded to my Twitter posts with a truly nuclear level of anger) would say neither is okay. I responded, and still respond, that it's impossible to legislate against the former. Even using the word 'novelette' in describing one's own story, even describing one's own story, even smiling at someone who might vote for you, these are all forms of campaigning. You'd need to have cameras placed in front of every author at every moment of the day (and you haven't seen authors in the morning, nobody wants that) in order to fairly monitor this 'unwritten law'.

So I say, how about we accept that chatting up your electorate in private and going on the internet to announce your works are both, in principle, absolutely fair things to do?

Of course, the electorate will complain when an author does it arrogantly, or at boring length, or too much. That's the risk any promoter takes. The electorate will then not vote for said author. When you, dear reader, complain about authors who 'self-promote', I suspect that you were actually complaining about those who did it badly. You often won't have noticed the self-promotions of those who do it well.

And there's also the possibility that what you're complaining about is the idea that others might not agree that said self-promotion is a bad one. That others might be 'taken in'. That others, erm, might not share your tastes.

Welcome to democracy. It's truly horrible. But it's the best horrible we've got.

An agreement that all self-promotion is, in general, fine, expected, mandatory even, would make tutting at those terrible people who self-promote, without ever having to define who those terrible people are (because a definition would mean we might have to end up including one of our friends and that would never do), out of the question. (One thing I noticed when people starting tweeting me about this was that everyone's definition of what was and wasn't allowed was completely different. But nice people always get a pass.)

I said I'd mention the British Fantasy Society Awards, which do now have in place a rule against self-promotion. (Well, a 'discouragement', the rule actually reading 'The BFS discourages the practice of canvassing for votes'.) This came about as a response to our last round of awards, where, in a society with a tiny electorate and a culture of silence about the nominations process, author Sam Stone had a reasonable number of people willing to vote for her, and so won basically everything she could win. I'd say she did that fair and square. Her being able to do that fair and square is an indication that our Awards needed fixing, but not because there was a need for an anti-self-promotion clause. I think she mostly did that through friendly chat in person, in a way that would be impossible to police, rather than going on the internet. And I think that, if everyone nominated had felt free to campaign as hard as they could, in public and in private, then she wouldn't have won.

I can also see a nightmare scenario ahead for the BFS, because while it 'discourages' self-promotion, the new awards system doesn't actually define what that is. (And how could it?) And it doesn't say what might happen if someone ignores that discouragement. When the first nominee is barred (because who knows what the punishment could be?) for 'canvassing', I should think they will be able to point to every other nominee and say how that individual has done the same thing, in a different way that was probably just a little more charming. A law without a definition is a law that says 'we'll decide who the nice people are'. And if the use of the word 'discourages' means there's no penalty at all, is it really okay to have officially put in place the sort of Crucible-style awards culture where one can have aspersions cast on one's character because of people whispering 'In the bar, I distinctly heard her use the word "novella"'?

Having said that, I don't find folk devils there either. I am also one of those people. (Yes, this whole post is a stridently-worded version of 'let's all try to get along'. Have we met?) Apart from that one glitch, I'm all in favour of the new BFS voting system, and indeed contributed to the design of it. You lot know from many posts past that I'm an avid supporter of the new BFS. I just think we've made a rather terrible rod for our own backs there.

I'd also like to mention the case of writer Tony Lee and the Eagle Awards. Similarly to Sam Stone, a few years back, he had a lot of people willing to nominate him in the small electorate of a rather shaky system. He was shocked to find himself accused of ballot rigging and struck off the ballot in several categories. Now, I think the definition of ballot rigging is using multiple email addresses for your own votes, creating fake identities, getting people who have no idea what they're voting for to line up by, say, paying them. Having a lot of friends in the community who want to vote for you isn't ballot rigging, it's a successful campaign. Following that ruling, myself and a lot of other comickers completely shut up about the Eagle Awards, because if what Tony had done was ballot rigging, any kind of self-promotion might be. We were hoping for people to nominate us, but not too many people. And who knew how many was too many? Surely that number would be much higher if one was Grant Morrison? (It's at this point that award organisers might as well just give the gongs to the people they expect to win.) The Eagles suffered from this echoing silence, and, as part of a renovation in many aspects of their organisation, did a u-turn, and, in a very healthy move, declared that everyone was free, indeed, encouraged, to promote their cause, and the awards, as much as possible.

That, ladies and gentlemen, is the way to do it.

I was heartened, in the end, by the Twitter debate, by how many people came out in favour of 'everybody self-promote as much as they like, let the electorate decide', including Jon Strahan and Gary Wolfe on the Notes from Coode Street podcast and a number of noted authors. I think, in terms of numbers, we won the day hugely.

So I'll continue to let you know what works of mine are nominable (I do like that word, and it is a word, right?) for awards, present you with the voting form but otherwise shut up from then on, and not nominate or vote for myself. But that's just my practice, not something I want or demand others to live by. Everything is, in principle allowed. It not only should be, it usually is. Even if people tell you it's not. Hence the banner line at the top of this website.

And you may want to go and cast your votes for novels, short fiction, comics and book covers in the (refreshingly open about accepting the turnouts from author campaigns) Tor.com 2011 Readers' Choice Awards.

I know. Shameless.

Today's music choice (from my list of tracks that I love) is the extremely exciting Ash with 'Kung Fu', which dates me horribly. No video could match the images this piece of music puts in my head. I've always wanted to write a fight scene to go with it. And it mentions the X-Men!

And now we come to our guest, Aussie TV showrunner John Richards, who I first met at the Melbourne Worldcon. Take it away, John...

A television show is like a baby. You conceive it, and then there's a gestation period. You worry about how it's going to turn out, you question if you're doing the right things and then... Finally! The big day! When â" just like a real baby - you throw it out the door, abandoning it to an uncaring world with the vague hope that random strangers won't be mean about it on Twitter.
Except that with a TV show that's legal.
If my show Outland was a baby, I'd currently be in the waiting room, nervous and clutching an unlit cigar. Or possibly in the delivery room, with my feet up in stirrups. Or maybe I'm the doctor? Actually, this whole 'baby' metaphor is just causing confusion now, so let's move on.
In 2005 Adam Richard and myself were having coffee, discussing sitcom ideas that might be suitable for Adam to star in. After a string of involved, intriguing and difficult-to-write ideas - including one called The Kylie Show - Adam said 'Or we could just do something about a gay science fiction fan club'. After all, we were both gay, and we were both science fiction fans. So at least the research would be minimal. And thus the journey began.
Outland follows five people who are are forced to meet in each otherâs homes when they are unceremoniously evicted from a larger science fiction club. This forced intimacy reveals parts of their lives that have previously been too personal for public consumption â" they may all be out of the closet but their skeletons aren't.
Thereâs Max, insecure and looking for love; the sexually-adventurous, muffin-baking Andy; Rae, the moral centre and unofficial head of the group; the high-camp, high-maintenance Fab; and the wealthy but socially-inept Toby.
One of the central ideas in Outland is that our characters are all openly gay, but largely closeted geeks. I should point out that â" unlike in the UK â" in Australia the words 'gay' and 'Doctor Who fan' are not synonymous. There are no 'friends of Davros' here. (Well, there are, but that's considered as correlation, not causation. A gentleman's love of cock and his love of Quarks are considered two completely different things).
Each episode takes place at one meeting and mostly in real time. There's pain, deceit, secrets, recriminations, anger and regret â" it's comedy gold!
I'm really pleased with the final result â" it's a beautiful-looking show, the cast are great, it's got a lot of heart and â" fingers crossed â" it's funny. And to be honest, while all the characters are gay and lesbian, in some ways that's irrelevant. It's not about being gay any more than it's about being geek. It's about being different, how everyone feels the odd-one-out from time to time. It's about finding a place to fit in, and how you really have to find that place within you.
And there's fisting jokes.
Joss Whedon once said 'I'd rather make a show a hundred people need to see, than a show that a thousand people want to see.' I'd go one step further and say I'd be happy if Outland was watched by ten people, as long as those ten people thought it was the bestest show ever, and their favourite show of all time. Although that would make for a terrible business plan.
It's seven years since we began this project and Outland is finally about to debut on ABC1. It's been a long gestation period â" if I was still pushing my laboured 'birth' metaphor it would be like a frilled shark being pregnant twice in a row with the same baby. Since starting this project we've been through three Prime Ministers and as many Doctors.
But come February my baby will be out there in the world, blinking in the light and generating angry letters to the tabloid press. And I couldn't be happier.
We're in discussions with UK broadcasters and the region 4 DVD will be available later in the year.

Thanks very much, John. I think I can tell which sentence of my blog today is going to generate the most comments. Cheers for that.

And now it's time for this Friday's writing tip, in our continuing series, it's:

42: Flanking. Whenever there's a military action in a US TV show, and the writer wants to convey some tactical expertise on the part of a commander, 'flanks' will be mentioned. There'll be 'outflanking'. This has probably evolved to be the shorthand for every other form of tactics because a viewer with no knowledge of military goings-on will have heard of outflanking someone as a metaphor, and so gets that this is a clever thing to do. But it's been used so much now that it's a sign of laziness. Sooner or later, a writer will do a bit of military research and find another word that does the same job, and the first use of it will be the rolling out of a devastating new weapon that makes said writer look damn clever. How about that writer is you? It could even always be you. But then you'll have become a writer of military fiction, the job of whom is to delve deeply into these matters, to know what all those tactics words mean, and to find some new ones from truly extraordinary sources, such as actual soldiers. It's not just military matters, of course; every specialist field that's touched upon by the general media probably has its 'flanking'.

And that's it for today. I'll see you midweek if something interesting happens, otherwise let's meet back here at 5pm next Friday. Until then, Cheerio!

Fifth Fights Magnus Greel

2012-01-13T19:00:00.003Z

Not so many years ago a new Big Finish CD was pretty much the only new Who to look forward to. They've got news:

Fifth Fights Magnus Greel
Magnus Greel â" aka the murderous Chinese god Weng-Chiang â" is returning to Doctor Who this year in a new audio adventure from Big Finish. Peter Davison, Janet Fielding, Mark Strickson and Sarah Sutton are back as the Doctor, Tegan, Turlough and Nyssa in The Butcher of Brisbane, facing this old enemy in a story set before Robert Holmesâs 1977 tale The Talons of Weng-Chiang. The script is written by Marc Platt, whose previous work includes the TV story Ghost Light and a large number of Big Finish audios.

"Marc Platt has extrapolated a whole 51st century world from a few enticing phrases in The Talons of Weng-Chiang,â says audio script editor Alan Barnes. âSo if you ever wanted to know more about the advance of the Filipino Army on Reykjavik, Findecker's discovery of the double nexus particle or the murderous origins of the Peking Homunculus, you can't afford to miss The Butcher of Brisbane... which, as the title suggests, begins with Tegan's arrival in the ruins of her home town."

The story is out in June, and is actually the final instalment of a mini-season featuring the Fifth Doctor and his companions. First up is The Emerald Tiger by Barnaby Edwards in April, which is set in colonial India and guest stars Cherie Lunghi (Excalibur). Mayâs release is The Jupiter Conjunction by Eddie Robson, in which the Doctor, Tegan, Turlough and Nyssa land amid a community living out a dangerous existence at the heart of a speeding comet.

Of Love and Pain by amandaandthetardis [Adult]

2012-01-13T19:00:00.001Z

New Doctor Who fan fiction from A Teaspoon And An Open Mind:

Of Love and Pain by amandaandthetardis [Adult]
This time there wasn't running. This time there was hurting and screaming and cries of "Doctor, please, help me." You can't run when you have already been caught. This will get dark fast. First chapter is fairly clean, but you have been warned.
Terminal Decay by unslinky [Adult]
Set shortly after The Planet of the Dead. AU to everything Doctor Who and Torchwood after that.
Enough by navaan [All Ages]
Amy thinks the Doctor has left her behind to seek adventure on his own, but runs into him and a handsome stranger...
Gallifrey Invictus by grigor [All Ages]
The Doctor's old friend needs him.
Effigermus by TKirr [Adult]
TenRose. Two species have grown unnaturally apart. The Tenth Doctor and Rose find themselves whisked away into a sensual mystery of greed, love and loyalty that shatters the barriers of their relationship.

Dark Shadows - 11 New Tales This Year

2012-01-12T19:00:00.003Z

Not so many years ago a new Big Finish CD was pretty much the only new Who to look forward to. They've got news:

Dark Shadows - 11 New Tales This Year
Big Finish is pleased to announce that 2012 will see the release of an unprecedented eleven Dark Shadows Dramatic Readings. As ever, the series will feature characters both old and new facing a terrifying array of spooky horrors!

The first story, The Voodoo Amulet, sees the return of Tony Peterson (Jerry Lacy) and Cassandra Collins (Lara Parker) after their reunion in last year's The Death Mask. This time they're in New Orleans up against the sinister Mr Jericho (Michael Salami) and his wife Sybilla (Adenya Knight).

The following month tells the terrifying tale of what happens when lawyer Gerald Conway goes to stay at The House by the Sea. Are the voices he hears in his head? Or is a long-dead horror about to return from beyond the grave?

Further details of these and the following stories will be announced soon, but we can reveal that plans are underway for the return of at least four characters from the television series yet to have featured in the audio range. They'll be taking their place alongside such favourites as Quentin Collins (David Selby), who finally escapes war-torn London, and Gregory Trask (Jerry Lacy) - now reunited with his daughter, Charity (Nancy Barrett).

The plays will be released from February through to December, with the first five stories completing the subscription package that began with last year's The Crimson Pearl. That subscription is still available on CD and for download. A new subscription beginning with July's release will be available soon.

Doctor Who rarities (and over priced stuff?!)

2012-01-12T19:00:00.001Z

SET 4 DR WHO LTD EDITION BUST HARTNELL TROUGHTON PERTWEE BAKER LEGENDS FOREVER

£119.00
End Date: Saturday Feb-11-2012 14:10:23 GMT
Buy It Now for only: £119.00
Buy it now | Add to watch list

Dr Who The Early Years limited edition signed numbered hardback with slipcase 59

£140.00
End Date: Saturday Feb-11-2012 13:32:51 GMT
Buy It Now for only: £140.00
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Dr Who The Key To Time Limited edition hardback #75 SIGNED BY THE AUTHOR with pr

£120.00
End Date: Saturday Feb-11-2012 13:10:00 GMT
Buy It Now for only: £120.00
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DOCTOR WHO 18" VOICE INTERACTIVE DALEK RADIO REMOTE CONTROL BNIB GIANT TOY

£249.99
End Date: Saturday Feb-11-2012 8:55:22 GMT
Buy It Now for only: £249.99
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DOCTOR WHO 18" RED SUPREME REMOTE RADIO CONTROLLED DALEK LEADER GIANT TOY

£149.99
End Date: Saturday Feb-11-2012 8:55:22 GMT
Buy It Now for only: £149.99
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DR WHO 18" GIANT HUGE VOICE INTERACTIVE DALEK RADIO REMOTE CONTROL SUCKER ARM

£149.99
End Date: Saturday Feb-11-2012 8:55:22 GMT
Buy It Now for only: £149.99
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Doctor Dr who collect and build vespiform figures x12 new

£400.00
End Date: Wednesday Jan-18-2012 22:25:39 GMT
Buy It Now for only: £400.00
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The Fourth Doctor Arrives at Big Finish

2012-01-09T19:00:00.001Z

Not so many years ago a new Big Finish CD was pretty much the only new Who to look forward to. They've got news:

The Fourth Doctor Arrives at Big Finish
Weâre delighted to announce that the first Big Finish titles starring Tom Baker as the Fourth Doctor have now been released.

Destination: Nerva is a new two-part story by Nicholas Briggs in which the Doctor and Leela (Louise Jameson) travel to the distant future and face a new enemy in a familiar place. Raquel Cassidy guest stars as Dr Alison Foster, and Timothy Bentinck plays Giles Moreau.

Also available is Doctor Who: The Lost Stories â" The Fourth Doctor Box Set, a six-disc collection of adventures previously devised for the small screen in the 1970s and now finally made on audio. In The Foe From the Future by Robert Banks Stewart the Doctor and Leela face ghostly apparitions and an evil enemy in a Devon village. In The Valley of Death by Philip Hinchcliffe the travellers join an expedition to the Amazon jungle, and uncover the secret of a lost city of gold. Guest stars in the box set include Paul Freeman, Louise Brealey and Anthony Howell.

The Fourth Doctor stories can be purchased on CD or download from bigfinish.com

Radio Free Skaro #288 - Friday's Child

2012-01-08T19:00:00.001Z

Radio Free Skaro has the kind of irrevancy that makes it an essential listen for any iPod wielding space dustbin.

Radio Free Skaro #288 - Friday's Child

Despite January usually being a lean time for news of things Who, this week was chock full of factoids and quasi-related marginalia for the Three Who Rule to ponder and prognosticate upon. Of course all seriousness went out the window with a commentary on "Night Terrors," which such weighty matters discussed as watching Battlestar Galactica (the old one) and Star Wars (the old, good one) on French television, lack of consistency in doll house detailing, and of course the...nutritional habits of a young man/alien named George. Truly riveting listening.

Check out the show notes at http://www.radiofreeskaro.com

Casual Fridays: The Monty Python Yes

2012-01-06T19:00:00.003Z

Blog of Paul Cornell - writer of Doctor Who (and other stuff, of course!)

Casual Fridays: The Monty Python Yes
Hello, and welcome to the first Casual Friday, my new regular blog feature in which we try and keep the spirit of the 12 Blogs of Christmas alive throughout the year, with guests, chat, music and contests. And, hopefully, the occasional bit of writing advice.

This week I've script edited Jac Rayner's new audio version of Love and War (which basically amounted to removing a few typos, it being amazing stuff), done half a draft of Demon Knights #7 (#8, the next between arcs issue, is nearly finished too), written some of the new Hamilton story and done some serious plotting on the sequel to Cops and Monsters, as well as starting to talk about publicity for said book with the good people at Tor. I also went out yesterday, first for lunch with the ever-hearty Terrance Dicks, and then to the launch of Adam Christopher's Empire State at Forbidden Planet. (I was able to surprise Who fan Adam with Terrance's good wishes.) There was also a fabulous afterparty, with Lee Harris, Lavie Tidhar, Tony Lee, Emma Morgan and Danie Ware amongst the many having a jolly time.

During the 12 Blogs, I mentioned how I was looking forward to the season finale of Merlin, but how I found the way the series airbrushed all organised religion out of its worldview tiresome, and wondered how it would tackle Arthur and Gwen's wedding. Well, the writer in question, Julian Jones, performed the show's usual feat of neatly sidestepping any awkwardness in favour of narrative clarity, and basically had Arthur marry them himself by just making Gwen his Queen. It's rather awful seeing such fine skills displayed in the cause of stopping a priest appearing on BBC1 by all means necessary. But still, I await next season with anticipation. Some people have asked me if I similarly have problems with the utterly religion-free angels in the new lawyer show Eternal Law, but I actually find that approach more palatable. If I was writing a series about scuba divers, I'd go out of my way to tell people that it wasn't especially for divers, that you didn't need to know anything about scuba, that it was for everybody. What I wouldn't do is write a series where divers plunge into the depths without breathing equipment and never talk about how they did that. (Hmm, if you see what I mean. I'm saving all my good metaphors for the books.)

I'm still so in awe of Steven Moffat's first new Sherlock episode that it's actually hard to talk critically about it. I think in the last year he's been advancing British TV scriptwriting into completely new territory. It's exciting like Aaron Sorkin is exciting. It's exciting like jazz. Moffat's playing, to continue that metaphor, is so extraordinary, and so extreme, that, despite the fact that clearly and obviously the script's only purpose is to tell a story, what this ninety minutes of television is about and even what happens in the plot is actually secondary to that playing. I can just about see how he's doing it, but I know it's at a level I could never match. The series of 'irrelevant' cases at the start, all but one of which turn out to be meaningful (and surely that other one is a set up for a later episode), have their significance concealed by also being two other things at the same time: a set up for Holmes' growing blog fame and a run of parodies of Holmes story titles. The revelation of their significance is the climax of a magic trick, the writer doing exactly what the detective does when he reveals who did it. Everything in Holmes' world has relevance. To the character, it must be like living in a TV drama. The genius of this episode was that it set up once again that completely rational world, then rocked it by having Irene Adler come at Holmes from an emotional angle, her nakedness being an absence of cues as well as clues, leaving him suddenly in the wrong genre. When we hear she's died, we're tricked into believing it because Mycroft has already lied about it, and her death is the big reveal, and we decide that, since we're in a show that can hop between levels of seriousness at the same speed as Holmes chops through reality and swaps emotional states, that's the sort of show we're in now. Except, reveal reveal reveal, hey presto, we're in a much more over the top and romantic show than that. What did you expect? Did you forget you were watching Sherlock Holmes? Just because the playing rocketed us along through a case that wasn't a mystery, and formed one out of what looked like side issues. The magician, like the dominatrix, asks us to surrender control, and in return we demand of them mastery of their work. And we got it. I have no idea where he can go next. As I said, I am in awe.

I mentioned this in passing the other day, but I think it stands repeating: if you're going to nominate in the Eagle Awards, why not opt for Frank Hampson in the Hall of Fame section? The creator of Dan Dare, possibly the greatest British comic book artist of all time, should surely be honoured by an award that bears the name of the comic for which he did his most famous work.

I've also decided to use these Fridays to share some of my favourite music, starting with this piece from Woodstock. I like a lot of CSN. The combination of romanticism, odd real world emotional shocks and close harmonies suits me down to the ground. Something that calls itself a Suite should earn that, with different movements, and this does, but simply.

And now we come to our guest. The author of a forthcoming book entitled The Doctor's Monsters: Meanings of the Monstrous in Doctor Who...

Paulâs very kindly offered me some space to talk about my forthcoming book on Doctor Who. I guess I should introduce myself first: my nameâs Graham Sleight, and Iâve been writing about SF and fantasy for a decade or so now. Mostly, I concentrate on written sff â" for instance, I review for Locus, and write introductions for some of Gollanczâs SF Masterworks. But Iâve also been a Doctor Who fan from way back when, and Paul outed me a few years ago.

I canât remember when I had my first contact with the series, but I think it was through a very battered jumble-sale copy of Terrance Dicksâs novelisation of 'Planet of Evil', at around age six.

I canât say that I understood it fully. (I still donât. Whatâs beyond the mysterious pool? Why does it release Sorenson at the end?) But something stuck with me about that story of a monster in a jungle at the end of the universe. I started following the series on TV from, I think, 'The Ribos Operation' in 1978. When the show vanished from the screens in 1989, I went on to other things â" like, as I say, writing about SF and fantasy books.

Anyway, I suppose that train of thought led me, a few years ago, to saying Yes to a suggestion from Philippa Brewster, an editor at I.B.Tauris. Tauris have an extensive line of rigorous-but-accessible books about SF and fantasy tv, including Matt Hillsâs Triumph of a Timelord and several by my friend Roz Kaveney. Philippaâs suggestion was a book about the monsters in Doctor Who, and I grabbed the idea with alacrity. This was a question that had always fascinated me: what are monsters for in stories? I mean, theyâre there to menace the protagonists, of course, but what else? I found myself coming to the conclusion that monsters are very often presented as standing for something â" some human trait taken too far, for instance. As an example, the Sontarans have humanityâs desire for war to the exclusion of all else. The Cybermen are an embodiment of the desire people often have to get rid of flawed bodies that get colds or break their legs, and replace them with something that canât fail. Once in a while, you get monsters that are based on something else, like an animalâs characteristics â" the Wirrn, say, or the Zarbi or the Macra. Perhaps the most interesting are Malcolm Hulkeâs Silurians and Sea Devils, which in a sense are just humans that happen to look different from us.

The book consists of over 30 chapters covering most major Doctor Who monsters, from the Daleks to the Silents, from this point of view. I describe how theyâre depicted and, in the case of long-running monsters, how that depiction has changed over time. The tone of the book, I hope, isnât too academic. Iâve tried to write something thatâll be interesting to adult fans of the show, but also accessible to, say, a smart twelve-year-old.

The writing took a little longer than anticipated, partly because of an unexpected stay in hospital. But Philippaâs been very patient, and the book is now in the hands of the production team at I B Tauris. Itâs due for publication in October, and you can pre-order it from Amazon here. If youâre interested, Iâll be updating the bookâs page on my website with cover images and more news over the next few months.

Thanks, Graham. Now, I promised some writing advice, continuing from my 40 Things About Writing blog last year. I said at the time that that was all I had to say on the subject, but I keep thinking of more points. Whenever I do, I'll share them with you on a Friday. So, we start with:

41: The Monty Python Yes. The Pythons, and indeed anyone else satirising advertising in the 1970s, had jaunty announcers saying things like 'yes, new Whizzo, the soap powder for sea serpents' (I'm making this example up. Oh, you noticed.) I get the feeling this was already the selling style of a previous decade when they did it, but at least it was fairly current then. But I still hear it (a little) in radio comedy now. Probably because it's just one syllable. But it's a syllable that says the writer isn't looking at how things are in the world, but at previous fictional depictions of it, ones that are now out of date. It's a bit like how Doctor Who fan fiction during the old series was full of 1960s stock British characters who said things like 'stands to reason'. Attempts to modernise that approach felt shocking to an audience that had got comfy with a portrayal of a world that no longer existed (if it ever had). That comfy place isn't where a writer should be, which is one of the reasons why moving from fan fiction to a professional approach can (and should) feel like having a bucket of water thrown over you. You have to make sure you're depicting the world as it is.

Here endeth the lesson. Hmm, I'm not sure. It feels odd to lecture people out of the blue like that. You decide whether or not it works, and let me know, eh?

And finally, Esther, we come to our contest. (While so far no points have been scored in our ongoing This Time Next Year game.) The prize is a copy of issue two of Vworp Vworp, the extraordinary fanzine about Doctor Who Magazine, along with some stunning extras like a new Weetabix-style Doctor Who board game. And that will go to the first person who posts in the Comments section correctly answering this (easy) question: in which televised Doctor Who serial are the silent gas dirigibles of the Hoothi mentioned?

(Don't add your address, I'll get the winner to email me with their contact details.)

And that's it for our first Casual Friday. Cheerio!

A Night On The Town by johne [All Ages]

2012-01-06T19:00:00.001Z

New Doctor Who fan fiction from A Teaspoon And An Open Mind:

A Night On The Town by johne [All Ages]
Luke's date with Kelsey wasn't going well, even before the talking penguin in the trenchcoat showed up.
Death in the Garden by Poetry [Adult]
A week after his regeneration, the Doctor takes Jack and Rose to a party. But he's been keeping secrets from them, and the truth will soon catch up to them in the worst way the Doctor could have imagined.
Isolation by EllyF [All Ages]
After a week spent in solitary confinement, the Doctor needs a little comforting, which Donna provides.
Bad Wolf Ballet by Lilac Reverie [Teen]
Rose Tyler, Defender of the Earths - all eight of them. There are more parallel worlds than those we've seen, and all are in trouble now. Rose/TenB and my usual couple of surprise guest stars.
Torn Asunder by LadySwan [Teen]
Second in the Birthright series: Esther recovers from her months of captivity, a new Rift is suspected of opening, and Jack has a decision to make. And is Octavia Tregarth putting the moves on Rex?

Doctor Who and the National Television Awards

2012-01-05T19:01:00.001Z

The peeps over at the official BBC site have just posted an update:

Doctor Who and the National Television Awards
You have less than 20 days left to vote for the people and programmes you'd like to see win!
Your Favourite Amy and Rory Moments
Nominate your favourite scenes!

Doctor Who rarities (and over priced stuff?!)

2012-01-05T19:00:00.001Z

doctor who dalek half size LOOK!

£250.00 (0 Bid)
End Date: Sunday Jan-15-2012 18:33:54 GMT
Bid now | Add to watch list

DR. WHO AND THE DALEKS/11/CUSHING MAC MOVIE POSTER1965

£448.43
End Date: Saturday Feb-04-2012 12:58:02 GMT
Buy It Now for only: £448.43
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Tenth doctor who coat 38"

£150.00
End Date: Saturday Feb-04-2012 12:18:48 GMT
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Doctor Who Fine Art Print ( Giclee) - Gallifrey - RARE

£125.00
End Date: Saturday Jan-14-2012 19:48:03 GMT
Buy It Now for only: £125.00
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Stormwatch, Eagles and Hugos

2012-01-04T19:00:00.003Z

Blog of Paul Cornell - writer of Doctor Who (and other stuff, of course!)

Stormwatch, Eagles and Hugos
Today Stormwatch #5 will be in your comic shops. I think that in this issue the plan we've been working towards, indicating the future of the team, becomes clear. Do check it out.

The nomination phase of this year's Hugo Awards is open. I'd like to point out that I have several horses in the race this year...

In the Novelette category, 'The Copenhagen Interpretation' in the July issue of Isaac Asimov's Science Fiction Magazine.

In the Graphic Story category, 'The Black Ring' in Action Comics or 'For Six' in Knight and Squire. (A story needs to be complete to qualify, so no Demon Knights or Stormwatch yet.)

In the new Fancast category, The SF Squeecast, which is brought to you by me, Kat Valente, Seanan McGuire, Lynne Thomas and Elizabeth Bear.

To vote in the Hugos, you need either to have attended last year's Worldcon in Reno, be going to this year's in Chicago, or buy a supporting membership for Chicago, great value in that you get e-editions of all the nominated works in return.

This is not the case, however, in terms of the other awards system I'm mentioning today, the Eagle Awards, which is open to anyone. Go take a look at their new ballot and vote for your favourite comics. (Demon Knights, Action Comics, Knight and Squire and Stormwatch are all eligible for this one, but please don't vote for me as Favourite Newcomer. I won that last time. Jimmy Broxton, though, would be a cool write-in as that, or indeed as Best Artist. I think this is one of those polls where write-ins stay in the drop down menu, so he may well be on the list by the time you look.) Doctor Who fans will want to help DWM in its quest for Eagle recognition. And could I just say that it's a shame that Frank Hampson has never been voted onto the Hall of Fame in an award named after the comic he spent so much time working on.

In other business, CBR asked me and a whole bunch of other creators about their comics picks for 2012, and if you've ever visited the Broken Frontier comics website, they've got a survey up asking about that.

I'll be back on Friday, with the first of our Casual Fridays, featuring music, special guests and chatter. Until then, Cheerio!

264 - Doctor Who: Podshock

2012-01-04T19:00:00.001Z

Doctor Who: Podshock features discussions and news about our favourite TARDIS traveling renegade Timelord including interviews with cast and crew.

264 - Doctor Who: Podshock

Doctor Who: Podshock - Episode 264
Running time: 1:14:53

We review the 2011 Doctor Who Christmas special, 'The Doctor, The Widow and the Wardrobe' with your live feedback. Hosted by Louis Trapani and Dave Cooper.

Presented to you by the Gallifreyan Embassy and is a production of Art Trap Productions.

This podcast is made possible in part by and is brought to you by Podshock Supporting Subscribers and from donations from listeners like you.

Get a special discount on domain names at http://hover.com/podshock - Hover: Domain names made simple.

Get the DWP Podcast Companion App for iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch.

This episode is also brought to you by Audible. Visit http://podshock.net for the link to your FREE audio-book download with free trial.

Do you want the Enhanced Podcast AAC file format? Get our Enhanced Podcast version of this episode using our feed at http://www.gallifreyanembassy.org/podshock/podshock.xml.

Matt and Zane: The Rematch!

2012-01-03T19:00:00.005Z

The peeps over at the official BBC site have just posted an update:

Matt and Zane: The Rematch!
The rematch between Zane Lowe and the Doctor himself - Matt Smith!

Doctor Who DVDs under £5

2012-01-03T19:00:00.003Z

DR WHO DVD SERIES 3 EPISODE11&12 NEW & SEALED & SMITH & JONES NEW + FREE P&P

£3.99
End Date: Thursday Feb-02-2012 17:27:32 GMT
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Doctor Who - The Robots Of Death Part 1 (Promo DVD)

£1.00
End Date: Thursday Feb-02-2012 15:23:06 GMT
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Doctor Who - Day Of Armageddon (Promo DVD)

£1.00
End Date: Thursday Feb-02-2012 15:13:23 GMT
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Doctor Who - Spearhead From Space Part 1 (Promo DVD)

£1.00
End Date: Thursday Feb-02-2012 15:00:42 GMT
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Doctor Who - Earthshock Part 1 (Promo DVD)

£1.00
End Date: Thursday Feb-02-2012 14:02:18 GMT
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Doctor Who - The Faceless Ones (Promo DVD)

£1.00
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DOCTOR WHO - THE INFINATE QUEST DVD - NEW/SEALED

£4.71
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DOCTOR WHO STORAGE BOX AND DVD SERIES 1 EPISODES 11&12 NEW

£2.99
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DR WHO - Resurrection Of The Daleks - R2 DVD NEW

£4.99
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The Sun DR WHO SMITH AND JONES Promo dvd

£1.49
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Doctor Who - Series 3 Vol. 3 [DVD] [2007], New DVD, Dav

£4.53
End Date: Wednesday Feb-01-2012 22:12:17 GMT
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Doctor Who - Series 3 Vol.1 [2007] [DVD] [2005], New DV

£4.53
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Doctor Who - Series 3 Vol. 2 (DVD) Volume Doc Starring David Tennant by BBC

£1.95
End Date: Wednesday Feb-01-2012 21:57:40 GMT
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Doctor Who - Series 5 Vol. 4 (DVD) Volume Doc Starring Matt Smith

£3.99
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Doctor Who - The New Series - Series 2 - Vol. 4 [DVD] [

£4.53
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Doctor Who - The New Series: Series 2 - Vol. 3 [DVD] [2

£4.53
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Doctor Who : Series 1 - Volume 4 [2005] [DVD], New DVD,

£4.53
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Doctor Who: Series 1 - Volume 2 [DVD] [2005], New DVD,

£4.53
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Doctor Who: Series 1 - Volume 1 [DVD] [2005], New DVD,

£4.53
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Doctor Who: Series 2 - Volume 2 [DVD] [2005], New DVD,

£4.53
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Buy It Now for only: £4.53
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The Finish Line by LN29 [Teen]

2012-01-03T19:00:00.001Z

New Doctor Who fan fiction from A Teaspoon And An Open Mind:

The Finish Line by LN29 [Teen]
It's been over two months since Rose last saw the Doctor. But things are about to come to a head, and nothing will ever be the same again. Final part of the "Step by Step" trilogy.
Everything Ends by Amilyn [Teen]
After the near-disaster on the Dauntless in the Sarah Jane Audios , Sarah and Nat keep in touch while getting on with their lives. (Follow-up to "The Curse of Mandragora".)
The Curse of Mandragora by Amilyn [Teen]
Josh and Sarah are stranded in a crippled spaceship, high above earth, and a bright light is coming toward them. How will they get out of it? And what does the Mandragora Helix have to do with their situation and possibly their solution? (Part 1 of the Everything Ends: Audios to SJA series.)
Rebirth by LadySwan [Adult]
Tenth in the Worlds Apart series: The Battle of Canary Wharf is over, and it's time to pick up the pieces. But for two former Sector Seven agents looking to re-start their defunct agency, it may provide the perfect opportunity. . . especially after they encounter a traumatized young survivor named Ianto Jones and his partially converted girlfriend, Lisa Hallett.
By Proxy by Sykira [Adult]
Hurt/comfort shag-or-die, heavy on Jack and Donna, but definitely of the Ten/Donna shippy persuasion.

Radio Free Skaro #287 - The Man Trap

2012-01-02T19:00:00.001Z

Radio Free Skaro has the kind of irrevancy that makes it an essential listen for any iPod wielding space dustbin.

Radio Free Skaro #287 - The Man Trap

As 2011 draws to a close and the Three Who Rule look forward to 2012 and the next series of Doctor Who - whenever the heck it ends up being transmitted - and also deliver their commentary for the Series 6.2 opener, Let's Kill Hitler. We'll see if it stands the test of time or not, mad ride that it is. And in real-life news, hearty congratulations go out to former Doctor David Tennant and former Doctor's "daughter" Georgia Moffett on their nuptials! Now calm down, fangirls. Just. Calm. Down.

Check out the show notes at http://www.radiofreeskaro.com

The This Time Next Year Game: The Entries!

2012-01-01T19:00:00.003Z

Blog of Paul Cornell - writer of Doctor Who (and other stuff, of course!)

The This Time Next Year Game: The Entries!

Hello, and welcome back to the blog after my post-Christmas break. I'm feeling rather wonderfully rested, and ready for what I hope will be an exciting 2012 (the new novel!) From this Friday I'll be starting a new feature on the blog, Casual Fridays, which will hopefully continue the spirit of the 12 Blogs of Christmas all year round, with music, guests and regular writing advice (because that was the really popular bit).

A couple of things have happened in that gap. Stormwatch #5 is out on Wednesday, and you can see a five page preview of the issue (where the format we've been working towards comes clearly into view, I think) here. And if you were after a Harry Tanner/Midnighter fight scene, this is the issue for you.

And Vaneta Rogers at Newsarama interviewed me about Saucer Country, wherein I reveal a lot of detail about what that title will be aiming for.

Now, we come to the matter of our This Time Next Year Game. On the first of the 12 Blogs, on December 13th, I set a number of speculative questions, for one point each if the entrants got them right, about what might happen in the 365 days between that blog and December 13th 2012 (which is when we'll tot up a final score and declare a winner). I'm delighted at how many of you took up the challenge. We have 27 entrants, namely:

@kendersrule.

Jennifer Kelley.

Adarnallen. (Ads.)

Tom.

B-Guymer.

L.L.

Adam Short.

RunIago. (Ed H.)

C.A. Young.

Matthew Hyde.

Psmithsonian.

Soru.

Uther Dean.

NickPheas.

Fizzle. (Lee Sailor.)

Phil Hansen.

Paul F.

Liz.

Michael Lee.

Unknown. (Which is a bit steep, since I asked for a name, but this is the only one.)

Rheitzmann.

L.M. Myles.

N.J.

David Bishop.

Scottish Falsetto Sock Puppet Theatre. (Kev F Sutherland.)

Dean Hazell.

Penny Heal & Jason Stevens.

And here, to remind you, are the questions, and some of the more interesting responses we got for each...

1: Name *one* musical act, other than any that took part in (that is, was a contestant in) TV talent show The X Factor, that will have a UK Number One single (on the standard chart the BBC use) between February 1st, 2012 and December 13th, 2012.

Rihanna was your most popular choice, for obvious reasons, and stranger things have happened than The Wombles or GWAR making it back to the top spot.

2: Who will be the British Prime Minister at midnight on December 12th, 2012?

Everyone but three of you went with David Cameron. (Two for Boris Johnson, one for Alan Moore.) But twelve months is a long time in politics.

3: Who will be credited as writer on the last issue of Action Comics that comes out before December 13th, 2012?

Again, in a similar way, Grant Morrison is widely seen to be staying put, with outside bets on me and, again, Alan Moore. (I should think it's more likely he'll become Prime Minister. If he does both, I think that's proof magic works.) Joe Casey, Si Spurrier, JMS and Garth Ennis are all interesting middle-odds punts.

4: Name *one* writer (apart from Steven Moffat) who will write a script in the next season of Doctor Who (specials and charity episodes don't count).

Mark, Gareth and Toby were your recurring obvious bets, with one thoughtful punt on John Fay and a surprising long shot on Geoff Johns.

5: Will life on another planet (not necessarily intelligent life) be generally regarded by the scientific community as having been discovered before December 13th, 2012?

N.J. and Dean Hazell are the only ones of you that say yes.

6: Which book will win Best Novel at the 2012 Hugo Awards?

A Dance With Dragons, Embassytown and Reamde are your most popular choices. Some of you have picked interestingly-plausible alternatives (Vernor Vinge, Jo Walton), some of you seem to be promoting your friends' books, or know something I don't.

7: What about Best Dramatic Presentation: Short Form at the same Awards?

'The Doctor's Wife' or 'The Wedding of River Song' are your runaway favourites, with interesting side bets on 'The Pointy End' from Game of Thrones and the last episode of Misfits. Just specifying a series title (as a few of you did with Doctor Who) isn't good enough to get you a point.

8: Will any of the 2012 Academy Award (Oscar) nominees for Best Picture be (within a generous description) in the genres of science fiction, fantasy or horror?

Most of you think so. I'm really tempted to go with the literal wording of the entrant who said 'all of them', but actually I'll just take that as a yes.

9: Name *one* historical figure (apart from H.G. Wells) whose name will be mentioned in a new episode of Warehouse 13 broadcast in the UK before December 13th, 2012.

Jules Verne, JFK and Abraham Lincoln each got two votes among a varied and almost entirely plausible field. Unfortunately, I forgot that the agents' weapon of choice is called a 'Tesla', and so the several who said that are almost guaranteed a point. But fair enough, I missed that and you took advantage. The game is the game.

10: In the three Test Matches played between England and the West Indies in May and June 2012, which England bowler will take the most wickets?

Onions, Tremlett, Finn, Anderson, Swann, Broad, Rashid or Tredwell (two nice long shots those last ones), sure, Kevin Pietersen... well, what sort of match are you anticipating, Ed? (And you just copied Ed, didn't you, RHeitzmann?) To many of you this was one question too far. Sorry.

11: Will any more missing episodes of Doctor Who be discovered before December 13th, 2012? (I know some of you are just going to say 'I hope so', but only concrete answers get you points.)

The episodes that were discovered before the game started don't count, so I hope those of you who voted Yes didn't think you were guaranteed a point. You're pretty evenly split either way, but I do like the courage of the people who guessed they'd be from 'Reign of Terror' and found in Zambia. (I won't hold you to the details.)

12: Name *one* author with a story in the June 2012 cover dated edition of Isaac Asimov's Science Fiction Magazine.

Many of you think that was my coy way of saying I'd sold another story (it wasn't), but amongst several plausible choices (and some mad ones: a Mark Millar career change?) Connie Willis and Allen M. Steele were mentioned a couple of times.

13: Name *one* (with all episodes existing) Doctor Who story that will still not have been released on DVD (in the UK) by December 13th, 2012.

'The Ambassadors of Death', 'The Mind of Evil' and 'Terror of the Zygons' are your leading bets. I feel very sorry for the (quite a few of you) who went for 'Invasion of the Dinosaurs' (and then presumably saw the release schedule for next week) or 'The Sensorites', and I think that 'Dimensions in Time' is a clever punt on Kev's part, so I'm allowing it.

14: Name *one* (new, not reprint) Marvel Essentials volume that will be released (in the USA) between June 1st, 2012 and December 13th, 2012. (You don't have to give a volume number, just name a series.)

Many interesting and informed long shots (Excalibur, Warlock, New Mutants) and someone who just liked the idea of more giant-sized Man Thing.

15: Which musical act will provide the main title theme song of the 2012 James Bond movie, Skyfall?

Adele, Lady Gaga, Rihanna and Coldplay are your favourite guesses, with Kendersrule intriguing me by opting for Queen. Hmm, that can't be, can it?

16: Will the physics community generally accept (to what they call a 5-sigma level of uncertainty) the discovery of the Higgs Boson before December 13th, 2012?

Surprisingly many of you bet against.

17: And for that matter, will they, in the same way, before the same date, accept that neutrinos (in that particular well- reported experiment or any other) can travel faster than the speed of light?

Six of you went for yes. Hopeful people.

18: Name a DC New 52 comic (one of the 52 launched under that banner) that won't have an issue released in August, for whatever reason. ('They'll all have one' is allowed, and what I'd hope for.)

Pleasingly many of you think they'll all have one.

19: Other than The Lizard, name another villain who'll appear in the movie The Amazing Spider-Man. Or will there not be any other?

The Rhino, Vulture, Green Goblin, Mysterio, and one vote for the Man-Wolf. No, Flash Thompson doesn't count, and I've decided those of you who put that are actually voting for 'no other'.

20: In what month of 2012 will the Archbishop of Canterbury retire? Or not this year at all?

February, March, April, June, July, August, October and November are where that roulette ball's run will attract your attention. But most of you think he'll stay put.

21: Name *one* song performed or heard in Glee in a new episode shown between March 1st 2012 and December 13th, 2012. (Let's go with UK broadcast dates, which are just a couple of days after the US ones.)

I'm assuming, L.L., that you're betting on Rage Against The Machine rather than insulting the person who will decide on your points. 'Edge of Glory' by Lady Gaga and 'Price Tag' by Jesse J attract a few votes among a field of interesting options ('Rocket Man' with William Shatner, I can see it now!) Those of you who voted in a witty vein, oh no, I'm taking your bets absolutely seriously.

22: Of the actors who have played the Doctor (in any medium), who will have the most Twitter followers at midnight on October 1st, 2012? (Genuine accounts only. Anyone within 100 either way gets a point.)

Yes, Colin Baker, obviously, but many of you bet on Matt Smith or David Tennant opening an account (and one thought Matt already had). I'm counting those who went for Joanna Lumley or Mark Gatiss, because 'in any medium' could be taken to include comedy sketches.

23: And how many Twitter followers will I have at midnight on August 1st, 2012? (Don't be rude, now. Same rule as for question 20.)

From 15,000 (Soru thinks I'll be losing two thousand followers this spring) to 1.3 million (no pressure), most of you are guessing somewhere around 20K.

24: Which country will top the official medal table at the end of the London Olympic Games in 2012?

'Top the medal table' is very specific, so I've taken Nick's 'to get the most overall medals' as his answer. Most of you said the USA, then China, with individual bets on Jamaica (!) and one on the UK (thanks, Tom).

25: Will Captain Britain appear in at least a single panel of any new Marvel (US) comic released in September 2012?

A pretty even split there. David Bishop said NO in block capitals.

26: Who will get the Republican nomination for US President? (Just a name, please, not an essay.)

Romney leads Gingrich, with single votes for Perry, Palin and Bachmann.

27: Will Kate Bush release any new music (that is to say, any track that has so far been unreleased) between January 1st 2012 and December 13th, 2012?

Most people think not. ('Sorry,' says Nick.)

28: Will Peter Dinklage's character Tyrion Lannister slap anyone onscreen in Season Two of Game of Thrones?

Most of you think so and look forward to the prospect. Those who know the books well tell me this isn't likely, but this being an adaptation, they may well decide to repeat such a popular move. We shall see.

29: Will the makers of the upcoming (2013) Star Trek movie reveal that the character of Khan will be appearing in that movie before December 13th, 2012?

Sorry, I did say '2013' in the original question, but most of you think not. No, it hasn't happened already, there's just an internet perception that it has, hence the luring question.

30: Who will win this year's Boat Race? Oxford or Cambridge? Or will both sink?

Most of you think Oxford. If Adam Short's bet on an underwater victory for Cambridge happens, I'll suspect sabotage.

Thanks, everyone, for taking part. Whenever a point is scored, I'll post about it here, and put up a league table as soon as possible. The earliest that points will definitely be scored is January 24th, when it's the Academy Award nominations announcement.

Good luck, and until Wednesday (when I'll remind you about Stormwatch), Happy New Year and Cheerio!

Destination: Nerva Preview Podcast - 01 January 2012

2012-01-01T19:00:00.001Z

Not so many years ago a new Big Finish CD was pretty much the only new Who to look forward to. They've got news:

Destination: Nerva Preview Podcast - 01 January 2012
A Happy New Year to all our listeners!

Here's a special podcast preview of the first ten (or so) minutes of Big Finish's first, original Fourth Doctor adventure (starring Tom Baker and Louise Jameson)... Destination: Nerva. The CD and download of the full story are released this month.

And remember, there are more Fourth Doctor adventures coming this year, along with a special Fourth Doctor Lost Stories Box Set. You can find details by following this link.

In the meantime, you can download or stream this exclusive preview... for free!

And speaking of free things, further teasers for Destination: Nerva and the rest of the January releases can be found in the stylish new Vortex, available to download or view for no money at all right now!

Download Podcast Here

Past Tense, Future Tense by rioghna [Adult]

2011-12-30T19:00:00.001Z

New Doctor Who fan fiction from A Teaspoon And An Open Mind:

Past Tense, Future Tense by rioghna [Adult]
Sequel to "Through Time". With Ianto back, things are just starting to settle down when John Hart comes and changes everything.
Bad Hospitality by Shen [Teen]
Bad steering and worse luck land the Doctor, Jack, and Rose in three different shades of trouble. Can they all make it out together? Nine/Jack/Rose established relationship.
Leftover Angel by Vilinye [All Ages]
After Sarah Jane's death, Luke Smith joins the 11th Doctor in the TARDIS. Their first stop looks familiar-but something sinister is going on. Sequel to the My Sarah Jane, and the first of six in a new series.
By Proxy by Sykira [Adult]
Hurt/comfort shag-or-die, heavy on Jack and Donna, but definitely of the Ten/Donna shippy persuasion.
A Beautiful Disaster by Isilien Elenihin [Teen]
An AU look at Human Nature/The Family of Blood featuring the 9th Doctor, Rose, and Captain Jack!

Doctor Who rarities (and over priced stuff?!)

2011-12-29T19:00:00.001Z

DR WHO RARE COLLECTION UNIQUE BOOKS DVD AUTOGRAPHS

£3,500.00
End Date: Saturday Jan-28-2012 16:51:28 GMT
Buy It Now for only: £3,500.00
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Official Doctor Who 11th Doctor's Jacket - Abby Shot

£241.70
End Date: Saturday Jan-28-2012 16:32:46 GMT
Buy It Now for only: £241.70
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Doctor Dr Who Denys Fisher Giant Robot x 2 Cyberman K-9 Action Figures Vintage

£349.99 (0 Bid)
End Date: Thursday Jan-05-2012 12:13:27 GMT
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DOCTOR WHO: THE DAVID TENNANT YEARS [REGION 1] - NEW DVD BOXSET

£101.98
End Date: Saturday Jan-28-2012 10:29:52 GMT
Buy It Now for only: £101.98
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Doctor Who 6V Ride-In Dalek - Brand New, unused

£99.00
End Date: Friday Jan-27-2012 19:16:15 GMT
Buy It Now for only: £99.00
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Doctor Who DVDs under £5

2011-12-27T19:00:00.003Z

Doctor Who : The Infinite Quest - New DVD

£4.95
End Date: Thursday Jan-26-2012 17:43:26 GMT
Buy It Now for only: £4.95
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Doctor Who - Series 4, Volume 1 -DVD- -2008- NEW

£3.67
End Date: Thursday Jan-26-2012 16:38:23 GMT
Buy It Now for only: £3.67
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Doctor Who - City Of Death (DVD)

£5.00
End Date: Friday Jan-06-2012 12:41:40 GMT
Buy It Now for only: £5.00
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Doctor Who - The Genesis Of The Daleks (DVD)

£5.00
End Date: Friday Jan-06-2012 12:36:33 GMT
Buy It Now for only: £5.00
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DOCTOR WHO - NEW SERIES 2 VOLUME 5 DVD - SEALED

£4.84
End Date: Friday Jan-06-2012 12:08:03 GMT
Buy It Now for only: £4.84
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DOCTOR WHO - NEW SERIES 2 VOLUME 1 DVD - SEALED

£4.84
End Date: Friday Jan-06-2012 11:59:40 GMT
Buy It Now for only: £4.84
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DOCTOR WHO - THE NEXT DOCTOR DVD - SEALED

£4.84
End Date: Friday Jan-06-2012 11:52:29 GMT
Buy It Now for only: £4.84
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DOCTOR WHO - NEW SERIES 2 VOLUME 2 DVD - SEALED

£4.84
End Date: Friday Jan-06-2012 11:49:33 GMT
Buy It Now for only: £4.84
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DOCTOR WHO - NEW SERIES 2 VOLUME 4 DVD - SEALED

£4.84
End Date: Friday Jan-06-2012 11:44:44 GMT
Buy It Now for only: £4.84
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DOCTOR WHO - NEW SERIES 3 VOLUME 4 DVD - SEALED

£4.84
End Date: Friday Jan-06-2012 11:38:01 GMT
Buy It Now for only: £4.84
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DOCTOR WHO - NEW SERIES 1 VOLUME 4 DVD - SEALED

£4.84
End Date: Friday Jan-06-2012 11:30:31 GMT
Buy It Now for only: £4.84
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DOCTOR WHO - THE RUNAWAY BRIDE DVD - SEALED

£4.84
End Date: Friday Jan-06-2012 11:27:02 GMT
Buy It Now for only: £4.84
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DOCTOR WHO - NEW SERIES 4 VOLUME 1 DVD - SEALED

£4.84
End Date: Friday Jan-06-2012 11:21:22 GMT
Buy It Now for only: £4.84
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DOCTOR WHO - NEW SERIES 4 VOLUME 2 DVD - SEALED

£4.84
End Date: Friday Jan-06-2012 11:15:26 GMT
Buy It Now for only: £4.84
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DOCTOR WHO - NEW SERIES 4 VOLUME 3 DVD - SEALED

£4.84
End Date: Friday Jan-06-2012 11:15:24 GMT
Buy It Now for only: £4.84
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DOCTOR WHO - NEW SERIES 1 VOLUME 3 DVD - SEALED

£4.84
End Date: Friday Jan-06-2012 11:13:57 GMT
Buy It Now for only: £4.84
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DOCTOR WHO - VOYAGE OF THE DAMNED DVD - SEALED

£4.84
End Date: Friday Jan-06-2012 11:12:46 GMT
Buy It Now for only: £4.84
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DOCTOR WHO - NEW SERIES 4 VOLUME 4 DVD - SEALED

£4.84
End Date: Friday Jan-06-2012 11:12:10 GMT
Buy It Now for only: £4.84
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DOCTOR WHO - NEW SERIES 3 VOLUME 1 DVD - SEALED

£4.84
End Date: Friday Jan-06-2012 11:11:46 GMT
Buy It Now for only: £4.84
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DOCTOR WHO - NEW SERIES 1 VOLUME 2 DVD - SEALED

£4.84
End Date: Friday Jan-06-2012 11:03:49 GMT
Buy It Now for only: £4.84
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Symbiosis by Queen of the Castle [All Ages]

2011-12-27T19:00:00.001Z

New Doctor Who fan fiction from A Teaspoon And An Open Mind:

Symbiosis by Queen of the Castle [All Ages]
The Doctor loses something, but not everything. (Ten/TARDIS, Ten/Rose)
Don't Ever Let It End by EllyF [Teen]
They're mates. Just mates. That's all! Really!
Health Hazard by Queen of the Castle [All Ages]
ItÂ's hardly the worst place heÂ's ever landed them, but that doesnÂ't mean there wonÂ't still be serious repercussions.
The Beginning of the End by Yamx [All Ages]
An unexpected discovery leads to an even more unexpected promise.
From London To The Moon by shelwass [Teen]
A retelling of "Smith and Jones;" 3rd in the "The Doctor and the Pilot" universe. After leaving the 1600s, the Doctor accidentally brings Gemma to 21st century London and finds mysterious plasma coils around the hospital.

Radio Free Skaro #286 - The Knaves of Androzani

2011-12-26T19:00:00.001Z

Radio Free Skaro has the kind of irrevancy that makes it an essential listen for any iPod wielding space dustbin.

Radio Free Skaro #286 - The Knaves of Androzani

Christmas has come and gone for another year, and Santa Claus has delivered another Doctor Who special for us all to devour like so much poorly digested turkey. Steven Moffat's The Doctor, The Widow and The Wardrobe certainly wasn't the centrepiece of a holiday feast for the Three Who Rule, but more of a side dish of undercooked mashed potatoes that failed to elicit any strong reaction from any of the Three. Even multiple references to that most treasured of classic Who stories, The Caves of Androzani, couldn't prevent this year's special from being eclipsed by last year's momentous A Christmas Carol, mentioned here only to provide this write-up a high note to end on. Here's another depressing note, though: no more new Doctor Who for about nine months...

Check out the show notes at http://www.radiofreeskaro.com

Adventure Calendar 2011

2011-12-24T19:00:00.003Z

The peeps over at the official BBC site have just posted an update:

Day 24
Attack of the Snowmen: Part Three. By Mark B. Oliver

The 12 Blogs of Christmas: Twelve. Looking Forward.

2011-12-24T19:00:00.001Z

Blog of Paul Cornell - writer of Doctor Who (and other stuff, of course!)

The 12 Blogs of Christmas: Twelve. Looking Forward.
It's been a long journey, but we finally got here. Actually, I've found this year to be the most enjoyable of my 12 Blogs series, mainly because, through sheer accident, it happened when I didn't have any deadlines to meet, and so I was able to devote a longer time to the writing of each blog. I'm exhausted, but that's kind of the idea. Today's blog ends with a rather lovely exclusive!

Midnight tonight is the cut off point for entering the This Time Next Year Game, where you're asked to judge the outcomes of thirty things in the coming year. There are loads of entrants already, and big prizes to be had. I have to manually clear blog comments (I started doing that after my blog briefly became the central hub of anti-Robin Hood feeling, not an asset to one's popularity with the producers of that show. I also still get the occasional fascist (I mean literally) dropping me a line to share their views about Captain Britain and MI-13.) So don't worry if you enter before midnight but your comment doesn't show up until after. I'm going to be at midnight mass (and then, erm, where there is beer), so it might take me a while to clear last minute entries, but they'll be counted.

Two lovely reviews have appeared which I'd like to mention, the always interesting Too Busy Thinking About My Comics continues a series of blogs about Knight and Squire and Comics Alliance is nicely thoughtful about Demon Knights. Thanks, everyone.

Today, I'd like to look ahead to some of the events I'll be attending in 2012.

On February 2-5th, I'll be one of now quite an enormous list of author guests at the third SFX Weekender, now at Prestatyn. What I love about these events, more than anything else, is the audience. They're a very mainstream crowd, diverse, and with a much more even male/female balance than at conventions inside SF fan culture. There's a lot of cosplay, and an emphasis on inclusion and partying. These are people who grew up outside the ghetto and think of fan life as one element of a healthy diet. I'll be staying once again at the Tor Cottage, where my publishers create a little sitcom of a bunch of authors sharing a house. (Last year we woke to the sound of China Mieville skipping on the patio.) The SFX guys have got me doing some fun stuff onstage, which I'll reveal nearer the time. And you'll get to see me dancing ridiculously at the disco.

On 18th February, I'll probably pop my head round the door of lovely little Picocon at Imperial College, because former Guests of Honour get in free. There are always good guest panels, in actual lecture halls. I usually say 'but why is it bigger than Microcon?' They've probably never heard that before.

On the 25-26th February, I'll be at the first London Super Comic Convention. Obviously, this is an unknown quantity, but they've got Stan Lee onboard, and the travelling party with many venues that is the UK Comickers will be there having fun as always.

On 6th-9th April, I'm proud to be a Guest of Honour (alongside George R.R. Martin, Cory Doctorow and Tricia Sullivan) at Olympus 2012, this year's Eastercon. Now, my relationship with the Eastercon movement has sometimes been slightly fraught, but that's true of everyone who regularly goes to Eastercon, and I think perhaps now a lot of the previous problems (that I kept pointing at and yelling about) are now behind us. The venue is one of those classic convention hotels I've been at so often that I associate it entirely with good times. It may, actually, be, kids, where I met your... well, where I met my wife. (But we didn't know each other at the time, and aren't sure.) I intend to make myself as available as humanly possible, and be as good a GoH as I can be. 'Work me hard,' I said to Liz Batty. And she burst out laughing. For some reason.

The very next weekend I'll be in Leicester for Alt.Fiction. I very much like the emphasis of what feels more like a literary festival than a convention, on all forms of professional genre writing being equal. It's when I get to meet the good people who write for ranges like Torchwood and Warhammer. There are lots of opportunities for readings, and panels stretch into the evening. There's an infectious sense of civic enthusiasm about it.

On May 11-13th I'll be joining the travelling party again at the Bristol Comic Expo. In truth, I felt the recent years with a much smaller dealer area felt like thin stuff, so it's good to hear it's back, and the bar life of this particularly convention, for fans and pros, is like no other. (I have dim memories of Mike Carey, who really does deserve a hug, gently extracting me from a bush. That I'd, erm, fallen into.)

And the weekend after (oh my aching liver) I'll be at the second Kapow Comic Convention. The first one did very well in bringing a new audience to a comics event, and generated my longest ever signing line (two hours of new people!) There's an excitement and a closeness to the audience that I find very attractive.

The Hugo Awards wait for us all at the World Heavyweight Championship of conventions (in significance rather than size), this year's Worldcon, this time in Chicago, from August 30th. I've written many times about the wonderful extremity of the Worldcon experience, and this looks like a good one, with everything in one hotel venue, and it being Chicago outside. We'll probably arrange a holiday around it, as we often do.

As someone who's getting involved with the British Fantasy Society, I'll be heading for Fantasycon in Brighton on September 27th. If the BFS can manage such warm-hearted fun (and an excellent disco) as this year when they were suffering from organisational troubles, then the newly-shipshape society should celebrate in great style. And it seems some truly major guests are going to be announced soon.

And speaking of conventions I feel warmly about, Bristolcon is on October 20th in 2012. It gets bigger and better every year, and this year's was like an enormous hug from fandom, very welcome after the death of my Dad.

There will be a few more, because I'm in mid-negotiation with various con committees about going to various places, but that already looks like an exciting year ahead. I hope I'll get to see you at one of these. Do say hello.

Today, we have no less than three guests on the blog, telling us about their seasonal plans. Firstly, it's a Mr Tony Lee who writes...

'Christmas is always an interesting time for a freelancer; you have the enjoyment of a day or two off, watching cheesy television and films you haven't seen since you were a teenager, catching up with family and old friends and eating more food in a week than you would in the usual month, measured against the crushing freelancer guilt that this a day off, and a day not working is a day not moving closer to deadline and payment and get to a bloody computer and work already, wordbitch.

For me though, this Christmas is a special one, for it is the first one for Tracy and myself in the newly acquired roles of married couple. I expect that this new marital state will provide bountiful harvests of new, marital Christmas experiences, as I settle into my role of happily married husband, and Tracy carries on her journeyman steps to the position of long suffering wife.

I'll be downing tools on Christmas Eve this year* as Tracy and I make our traditional journey to Birmingham for Tanya and Ant's (two of my best friends) traditional Christmas Party. Having lived in Birmingham from 2000 - 2009 before returning to London, this party was always a staple date in the calendar, and when they selfishly decided not to have one last year (due to travelling around the world for eight months or something), it was greatly missed.

We'll drive back to London in the early hours of Christmas Day, racing Santa down the M40 and, after opening our own presents on Christmas Morning, we'll go to Tracy's sister's house for the Farrow Family Christmas. Much jollyment and merriness will be had with the entire Farrow clan in one place.

Boxing day will begin with a trip to my Mother's grave for a more sombre Christmas moment - this will be the eighth Christmas that she's been gone now, followed by an afternoon with my Father and my Uncle Jack and an evening catching up on that aforementioned cheesy television. And even though the 27th is technically a Bank Holiday, I'll be back at the keyboard, finishing deadlines, wondering why editors, agents, producers and publishers aren't replying to my emails and working up to New Years Eve, where this year we've decided to go for something a little more quiet and intimate. And probably involving hideously cheesy shark-related movies.

So have a wonderful Christmas from me and mine to you and yours, and may Santa bring you everything you desire and wish for - last year he brought me the promise of a beautiful wife, and it was the best present I ever had. May this year be even better.

*Depending on deadlines, this entire piece might turn into "I shall be writing, weeping, munching forlornly on a lone mince pie this Christmas as I try to finish a revised deadline", as is the freelancer's way.'

Thanks, Tony. Next, we hear from a Ms Emma Vieceli, who writes...

'Christmas was a ninja this year. I swear it just leapt out from behind my settee...gave me quite a scare. So, plans? We have an early Christmas gathering with family number one. And then hubby and I will be heading up to the Lake District to see family number two and hopefully indulge in copious amounts of food in gravy. I'll no doubt be taking a little work with me which I will attempt not to cover in said food and gravy. That's about as far as I've managed to plan. Wishing much festive cheer to everyone reading. Let the gravy flow!'

And she sends this image, of one of her new characters, who we'll meet in 2012...

And finally, here's my artistic collaborator on the forthcoming Saucer Country for Vertigo, a Mr Ryan Kelly, (check out his sale of original art on that page) who writes...

'Normally, the momentum towards Christmas is filled with a cocktail of exuberance and panic that will inevitably end in jubilation or tears. Or a simulation of both. In earlier years, I had the time and devotion to make homemade christmas cards, homemade ornaments, homemade mittens and even homemade snow. That's how powerful I am. But these days, I've been busy with work and the holidays collide with the unmovable force of deadlines and tasks and the struggle to complete them. This is not said lightly though. Some people don't have jobs, and I know that. I think about it all the time. I am grateful to have work. Work, love, family, friends -- these should be appreciated and coveted. I have to remember this is all that matters, and not getting that Panini Maker on sale at Sears. Wait... Paninis. That sounds really delicious. No, nevermind, I take that all back. I'll have the Panini instead!

I have 3 kids, so Christmas really belongs to them now. I've had my way with it already and now Christmas lives as a Greatest Hits Collection filed away in the record collection of my mind. Christmas is me and my brother and our neighborhood friends dragging our sleds a mile (or two) across the frozen tundra to "The 17th Hill". It was named that because it was either on 17th Avenue or 17 people perished there. I don't know, either way.

In the past, my mother and I would go to Christmas mass every Christmas eve. The music was especially lovely, not the usual dour hymns and hymnals. Nothing wrong with that though, just that the music was more soulful and Christmasy. My father and brother would never go. It was always just me and mom, so that was a special little thing.

Past Christmases are marked by which toys I got. First a firetruck; then Star Wars; next Star Wars; after that, Star Wars; then He-Man and Masters Of The Universe; then G.I. Joe; and finally,Transformers. I remember how bad I wanted a Han Solo and Luke in his Jedi outfit. I remember how bad I wanted the G.I. Joe hovercraft. Now I'm a grown-up and I can buy them all by myself and laugh and scream "Victory!" into the sky with fireworks and explosions and a music score by Ennio Morricone.

But back to real life. This Christmas, my 5 year old son and I set out to craft the 12 Days Christmas in 12 unique visual styles. The art gallery can be seen here.

Last night, we had potato latkes for Hanukkah and on Christmas day we will have a swedish breakfast with gravlax, havarti, sausage, boiled eggs, lingonberries and rolls. After we revel in our bacchanalian excess, I will take the kids sledding just like the olden days of my youth. If there is no snow, I will make some. That's how powerful I am.

Next year, should be good. I'm drawing the new Vertigo series Saucer Country with Paul Cornell. As a gift, I bring you gold, myr, and some sneak previews of the art.'

(And this is the rather wonderful exclusive of which I spoke. Vertigo kindly let us release the following images, some in pencil, some in ink, some promo or design images, some frames from the comic itself, all as chosen by Ryan. We see this as akin to a movie teaser trailer.)

I hope that whets your appetite. I'm very much enjoying working with Ryan. Saucer Country #1 goes on sale on March 14th, 2012.

I cried at the Christmas episode of Rev and I'm sure much the same will happen if Arthur pulls the sword out of that stone this evening. Christmas is an emotional time for me, and writing this blog is a part of that. I'd like to thank everyone who's contributed to this run of the 12 Blogs, and I'd like to link to (because they so need the followers), three people I didn't at the start, Neil Gaiman, Lauren Beukes and John Scalzi. Also, a round of applause please for Laurie Pink, whose cartoons have brightened up the place wonderfully.

This afternoon I narrated a Nativity Play at one of the local churches. (And what an insanely cute toddlerpocalypse that was. The initial Donkey fell over and needed a hug, so a stand in got called up out of the congregation.) It started with the following words:

Welcome all wonders in one sight!
Eternity shut in a span.
Summer in winter, day in night,
Heaven in earth and God in man.

That's what Christmas is about.

I hope wherever you are, especially if you're on your own, you have a joyful time tomorrow and in the rest of the holiday season. And I'll see you back here in 2012, with a list of the This Time Next Year Game entrants. (Unless anything extremely exciting happens in the meantime.) Merry Christmas!

The 12 Blogs of Christmas: Eleven. Favourite Fiction of 2011.

2011-12-23T19:00:00.003Z

Blog of Paul Cornell - writer of Doctor Who (and other stuff, of course!)

The 12 Blogs of Christmas: Eleven. Favourite Fiction of 2011.
Thanks very much for all your kind comments on yesterday's post about writing. We're into the home stretch now, and I can see the finishing line. For Laurie Pink's cartoon today it's important to remember that her Paul and Mike characters were originally cuddly versions of me and artist Mike Collins...

Today, I'd like to talk about some of my favourite prose of 2011. Let's start with the novels. I'm behind with the Song of Ice and Fire books, so can't comment on A Dance With Dragons (except to say that, in a wide open field, I think George might finally get his Hugo next year).

I think Heaven's Shadow by Michael Cassutt and David S. Goyer is not only a very good book, but is important for the relationship between the genre and the mainstream. It's a J.J. Abrams -style genre revivification, pumping energy back into the Arthur C. Clarke type of near future NASA novel, while retooling it to be relevant to today. Thus, while we get a tense depiction of two competing teams attempting to land on a Near Earth Object that's entered the solar system, we also get a continual feeling for the reaction of the media landscape, and some real personality in the characters. It's the 'airport novel' for SF that we as a genre have long been seeking. (Or, actually, that we as a genre should long have been seeking.) And it doesn't forget that Clarke was always about the sense of wonder, which arrives with a numinous kick halfway through the book. Perhaps the ending isn't all it could be. If there's someone in your life that hovers on the fringes of SF, and misses the sort of book they used to write, well, they do now write them like that again. Unfortunately, the book doesn't seem to be gaining much critical traction, being perceived, I think (David Goyer being the screenwriter of The Dark Knight) as a bit of an outsider book. (The forthcoming movie will, incredibly, increase that feeling.) But an outsider can see the wood for the trees.

Reamde by Neal Stephenson doesn't need my recommendation. A story that should be filmed by Guy Ritchie (were he interested in gold farming in massive multiplayer online games) with Stephenson's typical love for stopping the narrative to tell us all the interesting background detail (and it is interesting). It's telling, I think, that an attempt at the Great American Novel, a novel of character and history and how people are formed by the underlying patterns of the world can now quite simply and obviously be set in genre territory. It's not SF, it's about how SF has changed the world, a literary novel about how things are, now that we've won.

Look at the blockiness of those islands on the cover of (my favourite author) Christopher Priest's new one, The Islanders. This is also, in its way, an SFnal literary novel, being a gazetteer, a map, a series of descriptive pieces, about a completely fictional group of islands, in a fictional world, with fictional politics. It's somewhat about Britain and its former colonies. And it's, as always with Priest, about conflicting narratives and playful world building to an extraordinary degree. He starts toying with us on the first page. I mention the cover because I think it gives the game away a bit: if this isn't influenced by games like Skyrim, then it should be an influence on them. Any book you might pick up in that game is a highly abbreviated version of this. One day, when there's enough memory in the world, I hope to find this book down a dungeon. Or by then I might be living in it.

Fuzzy Nation by John Scalzi is an interesting experiment (a first in prose, I think) a re-imagining of a classic SF novel, Little Fuzzy by H. Beam Piper. This is a courtroom thriller about colonisation and the rights of an indigenous intelligent species. It's also a book about ethics, where they come from, and how they're maintained. It's well aware of the potential pitfalls. (Avatar's absolute lack of grey areas and it's horrifying desire for its aboriginal people to be 'noble'. A cultural fable which I think reinforces the possibility of exploitation of those who aren't wise and noble, but are just people.) Our hero is motivated by gain almost throughout. There is due legal process in place. (It's almost a direct response to the idea that what the aliens of Avatar really needed was a good lawyer.) The book features that most cliche-bashing of creations: a good lawyer who works for an enormous mining company. (Scalzi loves going 'wait a minute' to prejudicial assumptions about types of people, especially when the prejudices are those of his own liberal readership.) It's a book of clever tricks and reversals, satisfying and fast paced. I listened to it via Audible, with a well-chosen Wil Wheaton doing the narration. (One surprise, though, was that halfway through the package, I started to feel that the story was coming to an end, and wondered what insane twist Scalzi could possibly spring to keep this going for several more hours... only to find the book is bundled with the original Piper novel. That's a nice gesture.)

This year, but not from this year, I also very much enjoyed Jon Armstrong's Grey and Walter John Williams' This is Not a Game, the sequels to both of which I'm anticipating diving into with great pleasure.

In 2012, I'm looking forward to Alastair Reynolds' Blue Remembered Earth, Adam Christopher's Empire State (that's just about out already), Kim Stanley Robinson's 2312, Mary Robinette Kowal's Glamour in Glass and many, many more.

In the back of my diary/notebook, I keep a list of my favourite stories from each month of my Isaac Asimov's Science Fiction Magazine subscription. I thought I'd share that list with you. I love how the power of the Hugo Awards shapes the contents pages of SF magazines (making sure they make a clear division between novella, novelette and short story, the second of which especially is now almost a thing known only to SF fans), so why not continue that tradition? (Where there's an except of the story available online, I've linked to it.) Let me begin with the...

Short Stories.

'Visitors' by Steve Rasnic Tem (January). Parents visit their son, a criminal who's kept in suspended animation, in a vividly described near future America. One of those 'if this goes on...' stories that are the heartland of SF, with the usual Asimov's emotional depth.

'Smoke City' by Christopher Barzak (April/May). A furious critique of steampunk as we get to meet the begrimed, poverty-stricken workers who keep all those lovely steam dirigibles in the air. Makes excellent use of movement between two worlds of the imagination. Now, it says, is better, choosing the future is better.

'The Fnoor Hen' by Rudy Rucker (April/May). A brilliantly bizarre story of gene tech let loose in a future world seen, again, not from the ivory towers but through the eyes of the couples that live in the condos.

'Walking Stick Fires' by Alan DeNiro (June). And this out-bizarres that, even, a road trip through an America that's disintegrated to the point of surrealism. I love SF where the definitions and origins are lost to the point where the audience doesn't care and the thing is held together just by storytelling. Giddy stuff.

'Watch Bees' by Philip Brewer (August). Again, what becomes of America in the near future, where genetic engineering is available for farmers, but social order not so much. It's not about the deadly bees that guard property from anyone whose biology they don't recognise, or the desperate ways to get around that, it's about how the world got here.

'Danilo' by Carol Emshwiller (September). Emshwiller is swiftly becoming the new Bradbury, a unique voice that Asimov's has become the obvious home for. Danilo was this guy this woman once knew, maybe, and she sets out to find him, in a future America (?) where going over to the next town is a major task. (Reading Asimov's over a year puts one's finger on the pulse of what SF is thinking, and right now that pulse is jittery.) The world's not so much in apocalypse as in slow, sighing decline. Or this might be set right now, just in the other world of the very poor and lonely. The search says something to us, something lost and romantic and sad, and the story doesn't want to be bothered about being in any particular genre.

'Free Dog' by Jake Skillingstead (October/November). File sharing is taken to the max in a world where a man's love for his dog, and the way that love is shaken by divorce, is interfered with when the dog starts getting... pirated. It could be played for laughs, but again, the emotions are raw. This is heartland SF adapted in that very Asimov's way: 'if this goes on... how would it feel?'

'"Run," Bakri Says' by Ferrett Steinmetz. (December). Bit of a masterpiece, this. Iraqi dissidents start using SF equipment to enable one woman to rescue her brother from US forces by being able to have multiple 'lives' and go through her actions time after time, just as in a video game. It gets as grim as you might expect, and neatly describes the processes of alienation from the world and loss of perceived personhood in one's enemies that form all extremism.

Novelettes.

'Out of the Dream Closet' by David Ira Cleary (February). Another surreal future, the getting to which from here is unclear, but this one, a comfortable nostalgic post-everything Earth, littered with memories (literally) and sparsely populated with interesting posthuman characters, is almost somewhere you'd like to live. Our heroine is avoiding thinking about the approaching (deliberate on his part) death of her father, who's no longer really human at all. It's all a bit Alice and a bit Mervyn Peake.

'Clean' by John Kessel (March). It's medically useful for a Dad to have part of his memory erased. And that means consquences for his family. (Dads, real people, emotional consequences, what Asimov's does.)

'I was Nearly your Mother' by Ian Creasey (March). And was there ever a more Asimov's title than that? It's so dull when you're a teenager and the woman from a parallel universe who decided not to be your mother wants to hang out with you. In a wonderfully urban British setting.

'A Response from EST 17' by Tom Purdom (April/May). Brilliant space opera, depicting some very original socioeconomic means of conflict and contact between worlds. Dashes along at an exciting pace.

'The Cold Step Beyond' by Ian R. MacLeod (June). In an unfair world of warriors on quests, that's set in the ruins of SF rather than the towers of fantasy, a young woman warrior does her duty.

'Day 29' by Chris Beckett (July). When you're teleported to the colony worlds, you lose your memory of a certain number of days before you left. And the implications of that are worked through very nicely. Until the story starts to hint (and it never does more than hint, leaving it to our intelligence) that... but that would be spoiling a very fine piece. (In what was always going to be my favourite issue. Ahem.)

'Corn Teeth' by Melanie Tem (August). This is a bit of a masterpiece, a dissection of how the pressure of prejudice (in this case anti-alien prejudice) shapes the mind of a little girl, from within her point of view. It's heartbreaking, and feels utterly real. Getting inside the consciousness of a child takes great skill.

Novella.

And to my surprise, when I look back at my list, there's only one novella on it.

'The Man Who Bridged the Mist' by Kij Johnson (October/November) is a hymn to the pleasures of work. It's about an engineer sent to a rural community on what could be a future (low tech) Earth or a colony world, or (honestly) an imagined past or a fantasy world without magic. His job is to build a bridge across a dangerous river of mist, in which there are huge, liminal creatures. This will impact on the town's ferry services. He meets a number of intriguing characters. There is romance. There are setbacks. (None of them are obvious, every reversal is surprising.) But make no mistake, this is a story (it could be a novel, even) about building a bridge. Life goes on afterwards. Life is good and work is good. (The SFnal feel of it comes more from everyone's joy in the use of skill and intelligence to solve problems than from the creatures.) It makes one wish there was a genre of civil engineering fiction. Perhaps this is the first. Just tremendous.

And that's it for my survey this year. As always on the 12 Blogs, we're joined by a creator to tell us of their festive plans, and today it's a Mr Kim Newman who writes...

'I'm going to spend the holidays in the West Country. On the 23rd, I'll be in Bristol with my oldest friends - Eugene Byrne, Alex Dunn and Brian Smedley - and we'll perform our annual ritual of opening the envelope in which we made prophecies for what would happen this year and see how wrong we were, and how few of the celebs who've died we managed to get in the Dead Pool. Then we'll make a whole new bunch of predictions for next year. Disappointing Team GB medal showing in the Olympics is likely to figure. And Margaret Thatcher has been in the Dead Pool since she was in office. Then, I'll be in Aller, a tiny village in Somerset, for Christmas with my Dad, sister and nephew - open presents, eat meal, play with toys, etc. The Aller Pottery Christmas sale is still on if anyone in the Sedgmoor area needs a last-minute present. Here's my Dad and me at Christmas dinner some years ago ... it'll be in the same room, but we're older now ...'

That sounds lovely, Kim, thank you. (Maybe you should enter our This Time Next Year quiz.) Tomorrow I'll be summing up, looking forward to the conventions of 2012, and saying hello to a whole bunch of guests, one of whom brings Vertigo surprises. Until then, Cheerio!

Party Hard by paranoidangel [All Ages]

2011-12-23T19:00:00.001Z

New Doctor Who fan fiction from A Teaspoon And An Open Mind:

Party Hard by paranoidangel [All Ages]
Barbara discovers news things about Ian at staff parties.
The only flower by the river is the rose by DQBunny [All Ages]
In a bazaar on a far-away asteroid, two women find themselves browsing for ship parts.
Effigermus by TKirr [Adult]
TenRose. Two species have grown unnaturally apart. The Tenth Doctor and Rose find themselves whisked away into a sensual mystery of greed, love and loyalty that shatters the barriers of their relationship.
In Orbit Around You by keep_counting [All Ages]
'Donna informs me that I am an insensitive bastard'. Rose returns, but things aren't exactly brilliant. Yet.
What Child Is This by alwaysgus [Teen]
The Doctor and River find themselves thrown together at Christmas and must make one of the hardest decisions either could imagine.