JOHN MEANEY

16.5.06



BOUNCING WITH JOY...

...for all time. And it's the entire universe that may be cycling. Minus the time reversal part, here's a cosmological model presented by Paul Steinhardt of Princeton and Neil Turok of Cambridge, which otherwise resembles the one I used in Paradox. And you thought I was nuts.

Okay, I am. But.

The time reversal aspect came from Gold via Hawking. I think I mentioned that in the Acknowledgments in the book, didn't I? Anyway, as time continues inexorably, let me mention that the US paperback edition of Paradox is now out from Pyr. Wonderful. The book itself looks great.

My first book in the UK was To Hold Infinity. That's going to be my fourth book in the US, coming out in hardcover first (which didn't happen here in Old Blighty). I'm checking the proofs this week. It's fun!

15.5.06

MEANEY'S LAW

To anyone who sufficiently understands science, the entire universe is magical.

Absorb. Discuss. Disseminate or disagree, as you please.

There's no cover art yet, but Amazon UK already has an entry for the next book, BONE SONG. It hits the shelves in February, coming from my new publishers, Gollancz. I'm excited and proud to be with them.

As you can see from the Amazon description, this is a different kind of book...

11.5.06

JUST A SECOND...

...series of the resurrected Dr Who is being broadcast in the UK. (I believe US folk get to see it soon on the Sci-Fi Channel.) I'm going to miss the return of the cybermen on Saturday. Chris Hill and I were comparing impressions of David Tennant: thumbs up.

I got to meet Paul Cornell in Glasgow last year, at Worldcon. He wrote the episode in which Rose (avoiding spoilers here) has an opportunity to change the past. I told him Dr Who wasn't supposed to make me cry, but 'Father's Day' did.

There's only one thing in the revised Who universe that's going to need some serious wild logic to justify... How can the Doctor be the last Time Lord, when his race can travel through time? Shouldn't they keep popping up whenever they feel like it, each Time Lord (or Lady?) with his (her?) unique timeline, in no way parallel or comparable to any other's?

Surely not another parallel universe from a divergence of history... We've been there (and then) before.

Oh, yeah... Yvonne bought me a radio-controlled Dalek. It's suitable for ages five upwards, so I just about qualify...

10.5.06

CARRYING ON...

...despite it all. There's a healing power in writing -- Stephen King would say redemptive -- and so that begins again, with a new novella. Oh, and... when I know the publication date for the next novel, I'll let ya know. The title is Bone Song, as I think I mentioned.

On Saturday, Yvonne and I will be Paul McKenna's guests at his Weight Loss Seminar. Marvellous (and sorely needed) fun. Last month I became a Licenced Practitioner of Neuro-Linguistic Programming, I'll have you know... and Paul was one of the outstanding trainers on my course, along with Richard Bandler and Michael Neill. My first words to Mr McKenna were: "You're a f***ing genius." (He is. Take a peek at http://www.paulmckenna.com/.)

The term 'modelling' has passed into reasonably common usage beyond the catwalk, when it refers to copying someone who's got a great skill you'd like to acquire. In martial arts, I learned shotokan from one of the best. Recently I've formed the opinion that the most practical art for self defence is the Israeli discipline called krav maga. (Some practitioners of other arts are outstanding in the self defence arena, but here I'm talking about the curriculum and teaching methods of the art itself.)



The picture is of me with Eyal Yanilov, chief instructor of the International Krav Maga Federation. Boy, was I impressed with the training!

Earlier this evening, I watched my Jump London DVD again. That's about parkour, aka free running. Yvonne's comment, when she saw me rivetted to the TV screen the first time I glimpsed parkour was: "Shame you're too old, or you'd have just found your new sport." Thanks, darling. It's interesting that Sebastien Foucan, credited as the discipline's founder (see http://www.parkour.com/) quotes Bruce Lee as a major influence.

Then I watched feline parkour as Nutmeg (aka Captain Bonkers) chased Bonbon (the most beautiful being in all known universes) up and down the stairs.

Remember to have fun, Pilots. Take care.