Janril hubbert, Vera shruggled

Happy New Year! to any visitors of this too-infrequently updated blog.

I have a cheerful, futuristic short story in this month's LITRO - the excellent free literary magazine. LITRO can be picked up by Londoners at certain Underground stations. Get your copy today! Alternatively, for those of us benighted enough not to inhabit the Great Wen, the story can be read online, here.

2009 looks set to be a difficult year: madness in Gaza, the credit crunch, last-chance climate change talks in Copenhagen, and only one Barack Obama to go around. Here in Scotland, I will be doing my very small bit to chip in on the last of these great challenges, having been invited by the University of St Andrews Union Debating Society to support the motion that 'this House would enact a Green Revolution'. Details are still scarce concerning the other debaters, though I do know that the charming Lord Christopher Monckton will be one of my opponents.

I will be spending 2009 - with any luck - writing my new novel, as well as working on a radio play for BBC Radio 4, and trying to find a publisher for a short story anthology featuring a tremendous line-up of British writers (who've already pledged to submit work), challenging readers and writers alike to think up the future we fear and the future we might create for ourselves, with a bit of courage and vision. I pledge to keep this blog better updated on progress - or the lack of it - in all these areas.