Category Archives: Commentary

What’s New for the 3rd of February: Denise’s favourite reading space, a science-fiction classic, the real Dracula, music from the Penguin Cafe Orchestra, more gamelan, Patrick’s breakfast and other matters

Posted on 3rd February 2019 by Iain Nicholas Mackenzie

In the bleak midwinter Frosty wind made moan, Earth stood hard as iron, Water like a stone; Snow had fallen, snow on snow, Snow on snow, In the bleak midwinter, Long ago. — Christina Rossetti Ahhh there you are. Have … Continue reading →

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What’s New for the 20th of January: Mary Gauthier’s Rifles & Rosary Beads, Elizabeth Bear on chocolate truffles, some Roger Zelazny reviews, Music from Sufjan Stevens, Bruce Campbell’s Jack of All Trades series and other matters

Posted on 20th January 2019 by Diverse Voices

Endings are rubbish. They’re only the place where you choose to stop talking. — The Narrator in Catherynne Valente’s The Girl Who Raced Fairyland All the Way Home Come in, we’re almost ready for you to read this edition, but first have … Continue reading →

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A Kinrowan Estate story: Minding the Stockpot

Posted on 7th October 2017 by Diverse Voices

Even visitors to Kinrowan Hall get put to useful work if someone such as the Kitchen staff needs a hand as Elizabeth Bear, author of such works as the White Space novels of Ancestral Nights and Machine discovered one autumnal evening… Oh, hey there. Come … Continue reading →

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On Reviewing

Posted on 18th May 2017 by Robert

I periodically find myself confronting the question of exactly what it is I’m doing here as a reviewer. I don’t want to call myself a critic because that means, to me at least, that there is some theory involved, and … Continue reading →

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Transatlantic Sessions to perform at 2017 MerleFest

Posted on 10th March 2017 by Gary Whitehouse

The Transatlantic Sessions tour will be part of the 30th anniversary MerleFest in April. The Transatlantic Sessions is a series of musical productions that brings together innovative and iconic U.K. artists with the best American roots artists, under the musical … Continue reading →

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What’s New for the 1st of January: music from Sunas, banana French toast, music in fiction and other matters…

Posted on 1st January 2017 by Iain Nicholas Mackenzie

Should auld acquaintance be forgot,and never brought to mind? Should auld acquaintance be forgot, and auld lang syne? Robert Burns Shhh… We need to be more than just a wee bit quieter than usual as a lot of the residents of … Continue reading →

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What’s New for the 4th of December: Ursula Le Guin fiction, Ragnarok and beyond, Jack’s favorite reading place, Nordic traditions, chocolate and other matters

Posted on 4th December 2016 by Iain Nicholas Mackenzie

English autumn mornings are often like mornings nowhere else in the world. The air is cold. The floorboards are cold. It is perhaps this coldness which sharpens the tang of the hot cup of tea. Outside, steps on the gravel … Continue reading →

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A Kinrowan Estate story: Venison Stew (A Letter to Tessa)

Posted on 17th October 2016 by Iain Nicholas Mackenzie

A letter from the journal of Alexandra Margaret Quinn, Head Gardener here in the Reign of Her Majesty Queen Victoria to her friend, who was staying in Constantinople as of this letter. Alex, as she was known, copied her personal … Continue reading →

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On Writing

Posted on 7th October 2016 by Grey Walker

Welcome! This is Grey. Summer has passed today. Autumn has arrived. Along with the trees turning and the cooler nights, autumn brings school days back again. A boy who lives in my neighborhood called me yesterday to interview me. Seems … Continue reading →

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What’s New for the 18th of September: a story from Kage Baker, new music from Bua and Iron Horse, a new novel from Peter Beagle, a new collection from Patricia McKillip, a “cowboy” movie, Welsh sort of trad music, Indonesian sort of trad music, American pop and several other things as well

Posted on 18th September 2016 by Iain Nicholas Mackenzie

At no other time (than autumn) does the earth let itself be inhaled in one smell, the ripe earth; in a smell that is in no way inferior to the smell of the sea, bitter where it borders on taste, … Continue reading →

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