I few years ago I started the custom of stacking up each physical book I read during the course of the year and then, come New Years’ Day, taking a photo. This is purely for personal reasons, mostly so that I have a record that will be interesting to look back on in years to come. It’s never a big number of books in any given year – which is fine, I’m not competing with anyone. I do also read quite a few ebooks as well – possibly more than physical books although I’ve never counted – and consume a dozen or so audiobooks.

This year I took my New Year’s Day photo and then somehow it became February and I still hadn’t posted the picture. (How did it get to be February already?) Anyway, better late than never, here is last year’s reading:

Which ones did I enjoy? Pretty much all of them, although some a little more than others. I particularly liked ‘Eversion’ by Alastair Reynolds which was a glorious mix of SF, history and mystery. ‘Babel’ was also a standout of course, although I was coming late to it. ‘City of Last Chances’ by Adrian Tchaikovsky was particularly excellent and carries with it the memories of reading while also on holiday in Devon.

But now I have a confession to make. I did the same thing last year. I took my book photo on the first day of the new year, left posting it for a week or two, and then a month or two… and ended up not posting it at all! (What am I like?)

So to remedy that, here was last year’s (2023’s) book stack, to avoid a break in the photographic records!

Next year I promise to do better!

It’s always a delight to receive a new printed issue of Analog through the letterbox – but even more so when it includes a story of mine! Mostly I read e-versions of the various SF magazines I subscribe to but it’s a special treat to buy extra printed copies to give away to friends and family (whether they want one or not!)

The Touchstone of Ouroboros is a novelette-length story. It’s centred on an alien artefact, discovered long ago by a cult which has built an entire religion around its curious existence. Maintaining the cult’s authoritarian rule within the cave-like city of Ouroboros means preserving the mysteries of the Touchstone’s existence, bringing it into conflict with visiting scientists trying to understand its strange properties. Anything that comes into physical contact with the Touchstone for more than a few seconds is irrevocably bound to it. A senior cleric, losing his faith and weary of the in-fighting amongst the ruling elite, becomes tormented in more ways than one by the Touchstone. He’s driven to desperate lengths to find a way to break free – and even then he may fail.

I hope you get a chance to read the story! If you do, let me know what you think.

A few months ago the Jan/Feb 2024 issue of Analog Science Fiction and Fact magazine carried my novelette “Places You Have Never Been.” The story plays on the theme of searching for lost things in a (slightly) dystopian future. This was my second story to appear in Analog and my longest story published anywhere to date. 

Now you probably don’t need me to tell you what a long and distinguished history Analog has. It stretches back to the early days of science fiction when giants of the field such as Asimov, Clarke and Heinlein were getting their breaks in its pages. It’s where treasures such as Frank Herbert’s “Dune” and Orson Scott Card’s “Ender’s Game” first appeared – and numerous others. (And since it’s a tough time for all SF/F magazines at the moment, please consider a subscription to Analog if you enjoy short fiction). 

Anyway, you can imagine how thrilled I was to be published here! Since then, my story has attracted some very nice reviews from various readers, which is always pleasing. (I find it very hard to be objective about my work, so it’s always lovely to be told that people have enjoyed my stories). 

The very wonderful A. C. Wise writes a regular review column in Locus Magazine – the monthly newsletter of all things SF/F and horror which is also a national, nay international, treasure and if you don’t already subscribe, then you should seriously consider it. A. C Wise is a terrific writer as well as a perceptive reviewer – see her superb novel “Wendy, Darling” for instance. She very kindly picked out “Places You Have Never Been” for a special mention in her review of that month’s Analog. Modesty forbids me from quoting what she said but you can read the review of the full issue here. So I’m doubly pleased therefore to have made it into an item of Locus recommended reading!