I’ve been working away at the second draft of my new novel which I can announce here. The book is called ‘Juvie’ and is set fifteen seconds into the future, that is just slightly ahead of time now. Set in Greenville, a town in the middle of the grass desert that could be the US or else a town in Europe, the novel follows Ben, a teenager who has decided to stop taking his inhibitors. The world around Ben is antagonistic too children and juveniles alike, treating them with outright hostility and ensuring that they are constantly watched and monitored after ‘the incident.’
The book is about paranoia, surveillance culture, Big Brother and the Mothering State, how we’re fearful of those who differ from us, are younger than us, think in different ways to us.
I hope to have the second draft done by Christmas with another rewrite early next year.
‘The Missing’ has had it’s cover approved and I’m now awaiting the proof copy for one last read through. The publisher’s claim it will be out for Christmas - so fingers crossed. I’ve got a website going live very shortly adamjshardlow.co.uk will be the place to find out about my work and also the new home for this blog. I’ll let you known when it’s live.
'the small print' also has a blog.
Right back to work, but before that here are a few things to keep you busy:
A great little story in pictures by the very talented Shaun Tan is available at The Guardian.
The Mannahatta Project is cool interact map showing what parts of Manhattan looked like in 1609.
A new blog by a friend of mine. He’s managed the sum total of one update so far but I’m sure he’ll add another. He is a little angry with life. Stay away if you don’t like swearing.
The website for artist Vincent Chong
And an interview with John Jarrold which is very perceptive and informative.
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Warren Ellis is well known for his comic books, but his single novel should be hunted out as well. Crooked Little Vein is a pastiche crime novel, part Raymond Chandler, all Warren Ellis. It’s laugh out loud funny and shocking and perverted (in only the best sense) and clever.
A burned out PI Michael McGill lands a case for the American Presidents heroin addicted Chief of staff to search out a lost part of the Constitution. This leads to a nightmare road trip across the US in the company of a nymphomaniac into the darkest underbelly of alternative sexual deviance.
Did I mention it was funny?
Warren Ellis (not to be confused with the musician) is a definite favourite of mine. You can read his daily updated website here. He’s a little misanthropic, but below the gruff exterior I have first hand knowledge that he’s a very nice man deep down (I won’t say what it is to protect his cover).
Read this week:
Crooked Little Vein by Warren Ellis
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