Time of seclusion ending... Murf returns

"I wasn't born with enough middle fingers"
[Marilyn Manson]

So far 2011 has been the year of change, and not all of it good. The impact on my life has been dramatic and this led to me not posting any reviews or updating my blog for several months while I dealt with some heavy real-life issues. But things are improving and I am almost back to 'normal' (whatever that may be!).

But on a brighter note, I have moved out of London and am settling into life up north in Manchester. I also went to Eastercon, although it was a disappointment after the previous year's experience. The Heathrow venue is definitely much better for food and accommodation! But I made some new friends, *waves at Ian Sales and Lavie Tidhar* caught up with some people I haven't seen for a while, Amanda, Gavin, Adrian, Sharon to name a few, and had a Tarot reading from Liz Williams, which meant it wasn't all bad :-) Maybe next year will be better...

I am resuming reviewing on Speculative Book Review, which I am looking forward to, and the first book up is *drum roll* Songs of the Earth by Elspeth Cooper, to be followed by The Book of Transformations by Mark Charan Newton. I will continue to submit occasional reviews to SF Mistressworks (and elsewhere, if anyone asks me!) and will also review books here, mainly non-SFF I expect. In addition, I am now an Amazon 'Vine Voice' which is great as they send me free books in return for reviewing them on the site. I don't seem to get many SFF books in the list I can choose from, sadly, but there is generally enough mainstream and historical fiction to interest me. So all that should keep me busy and out of mischief for a while!

UPCOMING
Article: Women in SF: writing in invisible ink
Review: The Salt Road by Jane Johnson
Review: The Land of Painted Caves by Jean M. Auel