Theaker’s Quarterly Fiction: Issue 22
Current mood: jolly
Category: Writing and Poetry

Issue twenty-two of Theaker’s Quarterly Fiction is one of our best yet (I know, I say that every time). From Mike Schultheiss we have "Darwin’s Corridor", a rousing tale of action, colonialism, love, anthropology and philosophy on a far-off planet. Though I’ve enjoyed everything I’ve published in this magazine, this one probably comes closest so far to being exactly the kind of thing we’re looking to publish - thematically rich but pulpily adventuresome. Then we have "The Spirits of ’26", by Robert Laughlin, a Silverberg-esque story of ambition, dedication and calamity. Sam Leng returns to our pages with "A Matter of Taste", another short, sharp tap on the shoulder, and Richard K Lyon and Andrew J Offut supply another in their series of Tiana adventures. John Greenwood describes the next events in the unfortunate life of Newton Braddell, researcher unextraordinary, and I round out the issue with a bunch of short reviews.

Regards,
Stephen

3:22 PM - 0 Comments - 0 Kudos - Add Comment

Theaker’s Quarterly Fiction: Issue 21
Current mood: voluminous
Category: Writing and Poetry

TQF21 is now available - as usual you can download it from us here or buy a print copy from Lulu. I'm sorry about the cover painting - it isn't very good, but I had a great deal of fun painting it! (Digitally, of course - I wouldn't want to get my hands all mucky with real paint.) The real fun, though, comes with this issue's two lengthy stories: John Greenwood delivers the second half of a novel, The Hatchling, and Wayne Summers brings us the entirety of "The Exile from Naktah", a terrifying tale of a dark castle and its dark, dark lord! At the end of the issue I bring my powerful critical faculties to bear on my favourite game of January, Mass Effect – the game that forced me into asking my significant other to implement the parental timer on the Xbox 360...

Currently reading : Castle Waiting By Linda Medley Release date: 19 June, 2006

8:13 AM - 0 Comments - 0 Kudos - Add Comment

Theaker’s Quarterly Fiction: Issue 20
Current mood: relaxed
Category: Writing and Poetry

In the twentieth issue of Theaker's Quarterly Fiction we present the very substantial horror of "The Hatchling: Post-Natal Paranoia" by John Greenwood. Cultists, monsters and secret government ministries - what else do you need? "Contrarieties" by Bruce Hesselbach continues his charming series of Tales of Yxning. The issue is rounded out by the final part of After All, by Michael Wyndham Thomas. There's also a bit of apologising from me about the poor quality service I'm providing as a book reviewer. It isn't quite half the length of the previous issue, but it is a little bit shorter. See TQF20.

Currently reading : Making Comics: Storytelling Secrets of Comics, Manga and Graphic Novels By Scott Mccloud Release date: 05 September, 2006

6:36 AM - 0 Comments - 0 Kudos - Add Comment

Theaker’s Quarterly Fiction: Issue 19
Current mood: relieved
Category: Writing and Poetry

A few days late, but it's finally here!

There's lots of great stuff in this issue, and it's all divided up into neat little sections so you can head straight for the stuff that interests you most!

First there's a dash of horror, to reflect the fact that it's a Halloween special: Pumpkin Jack, by Laura Bickle, and The Walled Garden by Wayne Summers.

Then there's lots and lots of fantasy: Rural Legend by Eric R Lowther, The Iron Mercenary: A Tale of Tiana, by Richard K Lyon & Andrew J Offutt, When the Sun and the Moon Did Not Shine, by Sam Leng, The Remarkable Life of Yren Higbe by Bruce Hesselbach, and the fifth instalment of After All, by Michael Wyndham Thomas.

Then we have a bit of science fiction: The Broadest Divide by David McGillveray, and Newton Braddell: a Detour by John Greenwood.

And though it didn't fit anywhere else, there's also a bit of bizarro from Dan Kopcow, Who Picked the Pope's Nose?

Finally there's a review of Zencore!, or as much of one as I could do, having lost the book a couple of weeks ago.

Another great issue of TQF! Read yourself some Theaker's Quarterly Fiction 19!

This was one heck of a tough one to get finished, so expect the next issue to be half the size! I think I definitely bit off more than I could chew with this issue, but I think it was worth it, because this is one of our most varied and readable issues yet.

Currently playing : Pokemon Diamond Release date: 22 April, 2007

3:53 PM - 0 Comments - 0 Kudos - Add Comment

Theaker’s Quarterly Fiction: Issue 18
Current mood: cheerful

As I say in the editorial for this issue, the rock just won't stop!

This issue of the munificent and magnificent TQF contains the following stories: "Ananke", by Jeff Crook (fantasy in the high style); "Winter's Warm Blood" by Mark E Deloy (horror with a feminine side); "Live to Be Hunted" by Sean & Craig Davis (100% masculine); "Glimmerick", by Michael McNichols (featuring the magical tree of god!); "La Tierra de la Sangre", by Benjamin Spurduto (pirate-crazy); "The Tragical History of Weebly Pumrod, Witch Hunter", by Bruce Hesselbach (the world of Yxning); "After All", by Michael Wyndham Thomas (antepenultimate engagement); more Newton Braddell by John Greenwood; and reviews of the Transformers movie and Apex 10!

Theaker's Quarterly Fiction 18 – it's longer than 17, and contains nothing by Howard Phillips – you can't lose!

It's always really nice to get a new issue out. It gives me a great sense of achievement, and it's very exciting. The joy of creating art! It's like having a new and infinitely cute little baby to coo over every two months. And it's amazing that all these authors trust me with their own offspring! It seems like a huge responsibility, but not one of those reponsibilities that weighs you down. It's more like a seatbelt that keeps me strapped in as this TQF rocket hurtles on!

Well, it's late, and I should get some sleep. All these exclamations can wear a fellow out! Goodnight!

Currently reading : Showcase Presents: Superman, Vol. 3 By Jerry Siegel Release date: 07 April, 2007

6:08 PM - 0 Comments - 0 Kudos - Add Comment

Steven Gilligan (1973–2007)
Current mood: depressed
Category: Friends

I can't quite remember when I first met Steven Gilligan. It might have been at the school library, where I soon joined him, John Greenwood and Sam Dixon as a student librarian. It might have been after someone suggested I look in on a writers' group (made up mainly of the same people) that was meeting at lunchtimes. Or I might just have met him in the hall at lunchtime one day.

However it happened, it was a lunchtime, and he made an immediate impact on me, and we quickly became involved in a dozen silly projects together – we performed sketches at the school shows, started a band (Master Zangpan and the Mechanical Housewife), tried to start a marbles revival, sold trumped-up horoscopes, offered a ghost hunting service, created New Words, launched Silver Age Books, published our novels, and most recently we created November Spawned and Theaker's Quarterly Fiction, to both of which he made notable contributions.

In amongst all that, we laughed a lot, talked a lot about computer games, tv and music, and drank a bit from time to time. He introduced me to Hellblazer, HP Lovecraft, Warhammer, Primal Scream, My Bloody Valentine, Joy Division, Vic Reeves' Big Night Out, and a million other things I love so much for which I'm forgetting to give him credit, and took me to my first ever gigs (The Wedding Present and The Wonder Stuff).

He gave me confidence in whatever I wanted to do, gave me a kick up the butt when I needed it, taught me how the importance of the punk rock spirit in everyday life, and did a brilliant job as the best man at my chaotic wedding.

Anyway, he's gone now – he died last week. For the rest of my life it'll feel like something's missing. My daughter's lost someone who would have been the best "bad influence" uncle a kid could ask for, and I've lost a best friend. He was also the best gift-giver I've ever known – birthdays and Christmases are going to really suck now.

We have some of his Helen and Her Magic Cat strips in hand, so his presence will be felt directly in the magazine for a little while yet, and indirectly for as long as it lasts. If we can, we'll also put together a new collection of his work at some point.

I think he would have appreciated the way I found out that he was a goner.

Sitting in the lobby of his tower block, waiting for news from the police who had gone to open and investigate his room, I heard someone, a cleaner I think, yelling, "Have you heard? Someone on the first floor has kicked the bucket!"

I couldn't help laughing, because that's exactly how Steven would have wanted it.

Currently listening : Fast Man Raider Man By Frank Black Release date: 20 June, 2006

5:42 AM - 0 Comments - 0 Kudos - Add Comment

Theaker's Quarterly Fiction: Issue 17
Current mood: tired
Category: Writing and Poetry

Our biggest issue yet is now out: eighty pages of the strangest and best in fantastic literature! And it's all available to download for free (or to purchase in print form from Lulu)!

Read the conclusion of The Doom That Came to Sea Base Delta, and the next instalments of After All, Helen and Her Magic Cat and Newton Braddell's Inconclusive Researches.

Join us for our first dip into the worlds of Diane Andrews, Dan Kopcow, Richard K Lyon and Jeff Crouch.

Read reviews of games and movies that were out months ago.

And read our manifesto, which should go some way to explaining why we roll in the square-wheeled way we do. (That is to say, it's a list of our excuses.)

Theaker's Quarterly Fiction #17  kicks out the jams, and spreads them on toast!

Currently listening : Christmass By Frank Black Release date: 01 March, 2007

5:39 AM - 0 Comments - 0 Kudos - Add Comment

Theaker's Quarterly Fiction: Issue 16
Current mood: sleepy
Category: Writing and Poetry

After four issues in four months, we're back on track – issue sixteen of TQF is out on time!

What's more, it's the longest issue of TQF yet published, running to 64 amazing pages! Every one of them is jam-packed with adventure, terror, laughter and awe-inspiring greatness! The creative renaissance of Howard Phillips continues apace, we have new contributors from the United States, another Lost Classic, and, best of all, adverts for the British Fantasy Society, Trevor Denyer's Midnight Street, and Homegrown Goodness, the magnificent website of our cover artist, John Shanks.

Go and read  Theaker's Quarterly Fiction #16 – it's free to download, and it doesn't come cheaper than that. All it will cost you... IS YOUR MIND!

Currently reading : Weirdmonger: The Nemonicon: Synchronised Shards of Random Truth & Fiction By D.F. Lewis Release date: October, 2003

5:50 PM - 0 Comments - 0 Kudos - Add Comment

Theaker's Quarterly Fiction: Issue 15
Current mood: accomplished
Category: Writing and Poetry

Issue fifteen of TQF is out now! The effort of preparing all 23 stories for publication has wearied me to the point that I can hardly find any more words to say!

We have called this incredible issue "The Silver Age Treasury of Fantastic Literature".

The idea was to fill an entire issue with single-page stories – in the end, many of them ran a bit longer than that, but in every case the extended word count is undeniably essential!

What's more, I've just realised that this is the first TQF since #8 to feature any actual fiction by me, so it's worth reading for that reason alone! – SWT

Currently reading : Telzey Amberdon (Telzey Amberdon (Baen)) By James H. Schmitz Release date: 01 April, 2000

2:19 PM - 0 Comments - 0 Kudos - Add Comment

Bound Volumes of TQF from Lulu
Category: Writing and Poetry

Now available from our Lulu store - bound volumes of all issues of Theaker's Quarterly Fiction to date. Year One covers #1-4, from 2004, Year Two covers #5-8, from 2005, and Year Three covers #9-14. Eagle-eyed shoppers will notice that the prices for the bound volumes compare very favourably with the prices for the single issues, so these are real bargains. We plan to continue putting out a bound volume at the end of every year - so if you want to "wait for the trade" next year, that's fine by us!

4:59 AM - 0 Comments - 0 Kudos - Add Comment