New Story

The good people of 3:AM have very kindly posted a short short story I wrote over the summer. I was originally going to read it at the reading I did at Boogaloo (see previous posts if you care) but I didn't have time. So, anyway, go here if you want to see it. It's not long...

Multi-Story

Matt Thorne asked me to take part in a strange kind of story relay with Ewan Morrison, Chris Manby, Stella Duffy, Alison Macleod and his good self. The result was called "Messenger," came out rather good and is now published in the new issue of Another Magazine. You can't actually read it on that link, just stare dreamily at a picture of Scarlett Johanson and imagine yourself drinking classic cocktails with a contemporary twist.

Link

Short interview with Susan Tomaselli at 3:AM here.

In Yer Dreams

I dreamt last night that I met Salman Rushdie and he told me that, having read my book, I should get a different career. With which he got into a chauffeur driven car and motored off. The dream would have been far worse if I hadn't been playing a strange cricket/tennis hybrid at the time, which knocked an edge of reality off it. Also, if I was a bigger admirer of Mr Rushdie's books in non-dream life. All the same, though, it seemed pretty low. Although I will laugh about it when I claim a gold in Crown Bowls at the 2012 Olympics or win next year's "Apprentice" or some such...

Shouting In a Pub

Next week I am engaged to be shouting in a pub. Actually, only nerves will cause the shouting. I'm meant to be reading. ANd I'm even (whisper it) hoping to write something special for the night.

Fear not...

In addition to me there's readings from Amber Marks (author of "Headspace: On The Trail of Sniffer Dogs, Wasp Wardens and other Dumb Friends in the Surveillance Industry" - the latest, greatest non-fiction work on the corporate and state colonization of private/personal space) and Daniel Davies (author of "The Isle of Dogs" and like me a man slaving under the yoke of being compared to J.G.Ballard). There will also be beer at the bar, available in exchange for paper tokens from a cashpoint of your choice.

Even if it's not actually fun there will always be alcohol...

Date: Thursday, June 5, 2008
Time: 8:00pm - 11:00pm
Location: The Boogaloo
Street: 312 Archway Road, N6 5AT
City/Town: London, United Kingdom
Phone: 02083402928

The Day I Bought A Controlling Interest In The Independent Newspaper Group

Okay, so I didn't. I don't have enough money. Otherwise I would've done. Because being a newspaper mogul has to be better than waiting for reviews. Just think of the yachts you can fall off the back of.

Anyhow. The Independent on Sunday did me proud yesterday and you can read the review here.

That's it.

Cap'n Bill. Got a nice ring to it.

Reviews...

Still waiting, scared to open the weekend papers, but have had a couple of nice ones:

"The Heritage is a disturbing, sophisticated and brilliant novel. With Dickensian brio, Ashon creates characters, handles plot effectively and writes so well ... a twisting, turning, riveting journey of grubby sex, criminality, sperm clinics and grim discovery. This is fresh, serious, explicit, unsettling fiction." - Irish Times

"A completely assured - if intensely discombobulating - book, The Heritage has "cult classic" written all over it, but also suggests a writer with a great future." - Word Magazine

I don't think you can read either of them in full online and, in fact, I haven't read them in fullmyself, so I can't certify 100% that they don't also say I'm a bit rubbish.