Splinters

Every Monday I have a look at Publishers Weekly's Forecasts, a list of forthcoming books they - with their industry-knowledge - want to bring to the industry's attention. I'm just on the lookout for new fiction to review. The Literary Saloon tells of many forthcoming books of interest. I wish I'd know about them two months ago.

Imagine my surprise, then, when I saw the name of my vertical neighbour in the list! Liz Williams is a writer of science-fiction novels (there seems to be a bit of "fantasy" in there too, though one of her Amazon reviewers calls it Social Science Fiction, which doesn't sound right at all, even if it's accurate).

Her latest Nine Layers of Sky, which appears in PW's list, appears to be slightly different from her previous three: The Ghost Sister, The Poison Master, and Empire of Bones. But I can't say for sure as I've yet to read one.

Liz's workrate is terrifying. I'm sitting here smiling like the Queen Mother, waiting for my trickle to become such a flood. And I can wait. It's my speciality. Patience, belated perseverance.