Guy wanted to pay for room with cash, offered driving license as ID. Wasn’t his face in the photo. I pointed this out and we was all “It was from years ago, faces change”. I was like “This man looks decades older than you, sir. Are you from Gallifrey?” He left. Not in a TARDIS.

‘You can’t beat a biscuit’ as JRR Tolkien once opined. Indeed, it was the first line of The Silmarillion until Tolkien’s editors got all sniffy. And, oh boy, it’s hard to disagree (unless you’re diabetic). We love biscuits, we love boxes of biscuits and we love box sets of Game Of Thrones. But what’s your […]

I’ve just stumbled on some weird arbitrary rule of mine. Time Team is on the telly right now and the archaeologists are digging up bodies in a naval hospital from the Nelson era. Something about that doesn’t quite- quite– sit right with me. Those bodies are a bit too close to me in time. It’s […]

Six months on and the saga continues: Mum: “You didn’t tell Mrs Shah you’re a novelist did you? You never do.” Me: “It’s hard to crowbar into the conversation.” Mum: “She’s a right to know, Jim. She’s your dentist.”

I know I’ve rather been playing the shill these last few weeks but Future Days– an sf anthology with my novelette, The Pink Star-Ship Switch in it- is 99p on Kindle! Plus a whole heap of awesome stories by toptastic authors! Offer ends on the 8th September.

I’m fascinated by this Tesco advert. He has the look of a man whose life has gone to absolute shit.

Congratulations to all the winners and runners-ups at the Hugo Awards last night, especially NK Jemesin on her best novel win (third in a row!). That’s, er, all I have to say really. Wasn’t there this year so no write-up I’m afraid. But everyone clearly had a great time!