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Two weeks in Calgary, Canada, and I feel rested, invigorated and ready to get back to the writing with a fresh mind. Canada is an awe-inspiring place to be. Standing on top of Mount Sulphur, looking down at the stunning scenery spread out below me, was easily one of the most inspiring experiences of my life. In the two weeks I was there, I visited the Calgary Tower with its freaky glass floor; I rode the gondola to the peak of Mount Sulphur; I walked on the frozen surface of Lake Louise; visited the amazing Tyrell Dinosaur Museum at Drumhelle r; went to the Calgary Zoo; and shopped at Wal-mart--a North American institution! There was so much more, all combining to make it a fantastic experience. As an embittered Englishman, I couldn't get over how friendly people were over there. Even teenagers said 'hello' and 'how are you?'--and they weren't being sarcastic! There seems to be a healthy dose of respect in Canada--respect for elders, respect for wildlife, respe...

My story 'Medea's Children' appears in the latest issue of UK SF mag Jupiter, edited by Ian Redman. The magazine also contains stories by Gareth D Jones, Ralph Greco Jr, Geraint D'Arcy and Caroline Bates. At 2.75 (GBP) a copy for a print magazine it's an irresistible bargain! I don't regard myself as a science fiction writer. 'Medea's Children' is one of just a handful of SF stories I've written, but the science (what little there is) is only ever used as a backdrop for the deeply human story I'm trying to tell. In this case, the story is about a young woman's search for her infant child on an inhospitable planet. It was written quite some time ago and I'm very proud of it. I'm also glad that it's found a home in such a well-respected magazine.