Eleven months ago, we lost the awesome science-fiction writer Eric Brown. I have been proud to include several pieces by Eric and his regular co-author Keith Brooke over the years in my Best of British Science Fiction series for Newcon Press. Eric’s writing is very much like the man himself: there is a profound sense of place, particularly his native Yorkshire; it is forward-looking and optimistic; it highlights a humanity and kindness that often extends to the non-humans in his stories; there is always time for good beer and food.
Eric signed his novel Kéthani twice for me: once when I bought it, and once when I happened to be re-reading it on a journey into London for an event we were both attending. I waved it at him saying, “I am reading your book, I love it!” and he offered to sign it for me, but of course, turning to the front we realised he already had. So why not sign it again? Doubly making sure it’s staying on my shelf forever. Kéthani is the ideal book for re-reading, as it seems to reveal different aspects of the human-alien relationship through subsequent readings. There are not many books from this side of the millennium that I choose to read again and again, but that is one of them.
I was deeply honoured to be invited to submit a story for To the Stars and Back in honour of Eric, and I thought about his benevolent aliens when I wrote “A Sea Change”, but my strange manta ray in the sky is not at all like the Kéthani really. But I’ve put in some little treats in the story I thought he would appreciate.
Here is the full table of contents:
Introduction
Rodeo Day – Philip Palmer
Last Orders – Una McCormack
The Scurlock Compendium – Alastair Reynolds
President Max – Josh Lacey
Untold – Keith Brooke
The Peaceable Kingdom – Chris Beckett
The Guardian – Kim Lakin
A Sea Change – Donna Scott
May You Rise – James Lovegrove
The Neglected Bookshop – Phillip Vine
Masterchef on Mars – Ian Watson
Peppercorns – Rebecca Rajendra
Bartering with Ghosts – Ian Whates
The Place of the Mice – Justina Robson
Eric and the Kethani – Tony Ballantyne
I think this anthology is going to be very special. It is available to preorder now from Newcon Press ahead of release on 24th May, which would have been Eric’s 64th birthday.
Leicester Comedy Festival – The Last Weekend
For the final weekend of the festival, I popped back to Leicester to take part in the panel of A Political Brunch – the slightly later version of Chris O’Neill’s Political Breakfast. We had fun discussing Cory Doctorow’s theories of enshittification, AI, how to solve Brexit (no one else seemed to be taken with my theory that we should ask Stacy Solomon to do it, possibly because they are unaware of her brilliantly comforting and inspirational decluttering programme), and we discussed a pro golfer, Georgia Ball, who got approached by a chap at a driving range who gave her unsolicited ‘advice’ on how to improve her swing.
For me, no trip to Leicester is complete without a trip to Cocoa Amore, so I treated us to two “works” dark hot chocolates – and I’m pleased to say we are going back in a few months for a workshop, which I’ll tell you all about when it happens.
I love Leicester – it’s a great place to go shopping, with an abundance of market stalls, boutique shops and second-hand stores, so you’re not obliged to stick to the glitzy high-end places in the High Cross shopping centre. Neil and I availed ourselves of the opportunity to grab more clothes for going to the office, and for a cosplay we are planning for SciFi Weekender, which is now just a month away!
Back to the Comedy Festival, and we managed to fit in another three shows: Mark Row’s well-rounded and highly entertaining storytelling show Don’t You Know Who I Am? at the recently renamed Real Ale Classroom, also the spot for Chris Norton Walker’s experimental pun-filled show Sorry, About Everything… (Featuring the awesome Jamie Mykaela on theremin) and popped over the road to see The Bite at LCB Depot, which was a mixed bill show. Three very good shows.
Staggs T Woodward MCs The Bite 
Mark Row – Does he know who he is? 
Chris Norton Walker and Jamie Mykaela 
Behind a cardboard cutout of a comedian, there’s always an author trying to show you he has written a book.
Do you have a funny science-fiction story? consider submitting it to The Slab! Submissions window opens March 1st through to April 7th. And please do vote for me (for Best Editor) and my book in Best Anthology (Best of British Science Fiction 2022) in the Locus Awards!
