News Sheet: May-July 98'

This is designed to be a quick reference page for those of you who like your information fast. (Note I didn't promise interesting, just fast!). Here you'll find all sorts of odd details about projects I'm currently working on and other things that take my fancy. As this page is new there isn't a lot here yet. But have no fear I'll be filling in the blanks...and if there's no news for a couple of months then I'll do as Grift taught me: make some up!

July 2nd, 1998

Not much news this month I'm afraid. Starting work on a new book is always difficult, and that's what's taking up my time at the moment.
I'm giving away free bookmarks to the first 50 or so people who stop by and say, "Give me those bookmarks!".

I've been looking back over my website archives, and was surprised to learn that this site is now in its fourth year of existence. It was established back in April of 1995, and I've updated it weekly ever since. That's an awful lot of html code. Good job I've got a html editor and haven't seen a line of code in 8 months! The best way to get around the site is to visit the index page or what's new and potter along from there. They both point the way to major starting off points.

siberia
I'm currently reading SIBERIA by George St. George, which is a factual account of the author's travels in Siberia in the mid-nineteen sixties. Books on Siberia are few and far between, and this one is a gem of fascinating information about a part of the world that still boasts thousands of miles of unexplored territory. I'm learning interesting things about diamond mining, freshwater seals, the elusive black salmon, surviving in -70 temperatures and the strange phenomena known as "taiga madness!".

Alas, the World Cup is now in its quarter finals and I'm sorry to say that NONE of my teams made it through. <sniff> The US and Scotland were first to go (and they played such great matches, as well), followed by England. Now I'm not normally a violent person where sports are concerned, but the referee in the England/Argentina match deserves a good boxing around the ears! That third goal should not have been disallowed.
Well that's enough ranting for this month. Many thanks for visiting my website, and taking the time to look around, JV.
June 9th, 1998
I've just started work on Book II of SWORD OF SHADOWS. I haven't got a title for it yet but I'm toying with the idea A SWORD FROM RED ICE.
The first couple of pages to my short story THE INTRODUCER are available here for you to take a look at. I've been playing around with a second short story about galactic diplomacy in my spare time, but I'll be leaving that one on a shelf for a while until I come up with a better ending!
I'm currently dipping into The Year's Best Science Fiction (15th edition) edited by Gardner Dozois. My favorite stories so far are the strange and wonderful fish tale A SPY IN EUROPA by Alastair Reynolds and the marvelous REASONS TO BE CHEERFUL by Greg Egan.
What else? Well, the World Cup is under way and I'm keeping my fingers crossed for my favorite three teams: Scotland, the U.S. and England. Scotland is in the same qualifying group as Brazil, the favorites, so I'm holding midnight vigils for them!
At the weekend I did a signing at the wonderful Little Professor book store in Temecula. I'd like to thank the staff for making me feel so welcome, and also everyone who turned up to get books signed. Sorry I haven't got any photos...I forgot to bring my camera.

May 3rd, 1998
On Saturday June 6th between 1-3pm I'll be signing books at the Little Professor bookstore in Temecula CA. For details please call: (909) 694 6531
I'm currently working on the rewrites to A CAVERN OF BLACK ICE, plus starting to piece together the outlines of Books 2 and 3 in my head. I hope to begin writing Book 2 (as yet untitled) in a few weeks.

I'm planning to attend WolrdCon in Baltimore, and am waiting to see if I will be included in the programming. Also I'm considering attending World Fantasy Con in Monterey (they have sea otters there--that's a big draw to me!).

I've just finished reading SECRETS OF THE SAMURAI by Oscar Ratti and Adele Westbrook. So if you ever see me in the street be afraid. Be very afraid! That harmless-looking shopping bag I'm carrying may well hold my Kusari-gama (which is Japanese for a sickle-like blade with a chain!). So watch what you say about my books! (-;

Secrets of the Sumurai

In my spare time I'm working on a SF/alternative history short story entitled THE INTRODUCER, which concerns first contact, Marx and Engels, Kepler and Galileo, Edward and Mrs. Simpson and Colonel Parker and Elvis! (yes, honestly!). I'll post the first few pages here when I'm happy with them.
The cover art for CAVERN is complete and a sneak preview can be got here. Greg Call is the cover artist, and his wonderful artwork will be used both by Warner Aspect (my US publisher) and Orbit Books (my UK publisher).
Let me see...what else? Oh after much deliberation I've finally upgraded to Netscape 4 and for the first time can view Bodger & Grift: LOST in Space as it was meant to be seen. If you're venturing there, you need Java and a bit of patience. Nothing much happens, but it makes me laugh all the same.