Tag Archives: science fiction

Behind the scenes – or – Why I did not write two new books during lockdown.

Posted on May 18, 2022 by Jacey Bedford

During lockdown I had the time/opportunity to write two novels. Did I do it? Of course not. Why not? I guess the reason is multi-layered and complex culminating in writerly inactivity. I didn’t exactly stop writing, but I ceased to … Continue reading →

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Happy Endings or Not?

Posted on April 29, 2022 by Jacey Bedford

Do stories really have happy endings? They do if we choose to stop the tale at the point where the prince slips a golden ring on Cinderella’s finger, or where Beauty kisses the beast, or the princess kisses the frog … Continue reading →

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What I’m reading (March 2022)

Posted on March 15, 2022 by Jacey Bedford

You absolutely can’t write science fiction and fantasy without knowing what’s being published. It’s always better not to reinvent the wheel unless you can make your wheel very different. Naomi Novik’s A Deadly Education begins a new trilogy about the … Continue reading →

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Books Read in 2021

Posted on December 31, 2021 by Jacey Bedford

With the year drawing to a close, here’s my list of books read in 2021. There are 73 in total, including re-reading a couple of my own. I’d like to give a quick shout-out to T Kingfisher/Ursula Vernon, particularly for … Continue reading →

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Lois McMaster Bujold: Gentleman Jole and the Red Queen – Vorkosiverse #16 – for your reading pleasure

Posted on November 2, 2021 by Jacey Bedford

If, like me, you are a fan of not only Lois McMaster Bujold’s writing in general, but her Vorkosigan series in particular, you probaby grabbed it on its first day of publication. I jumped the gun and shelled out for … Continue reading →

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Andy Weir: The Martian – for your reading pleasure

Posted on October 19, 2021 by Jacey Bedford

I galloped through this book in two days, ignoring my own pressing work and letting the family sort itself out because I couldn’t put it down. I’m sure everyone has heard the plot by now: astronaut, Mark Watney, left behind … Continue reading →

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Judith Tarr: Forgotten Suns for your reading pleasure

Posted on September 21, 2021 by Jacey Bedford

On the deserted world of Nevermore, a family of archaeologists labours to uncover ancient mysteries despite the threat of funding cuts which will lead to the United Planets stripping the planet’s resources in a legal invasion. Nevermore presents a conundrum. … Continue reading →

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Ian Whates: Pelquin’s Comet: The Dark Angels #1 – for your reading pleasure

Posted on September 4, 2021 by Jacey Bedford

Space opera, adventure, treasure hunting, a motley crew, aliens and some corporate intrigue are the building blocks that form this science fiction tale from Ian Whates. Pelquin is a free trader/ The Comet, his ship, and motley crew, bear some … Continue reading →

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Space Opera

Posted on July 19, 2021 by Jacey Bedford

I write science fiction. I’m pretty sure my sub-genre is (so far) space opera. I’m happy with that definition. I grew up reading my dad’s Lensman books and the distinctive Gollancz yellow jacketed SF which (sadly) I only have a … Continue reading →

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Ann Leckie: Ancillary Justice – For Your Reading Pleasure

Posted on June 1, 2021 by Jacey Bedford

Breq was a space ship, the Justice of Toren, equipped with enough power to destroy planets and enough ancillaries to invade and conquer ‘uncivilised’ worlds in Radch ‘annexations’, however now she’s just Breq, human (more or less) and alone despite … Continue reading →

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Space Opera

Posted on September 8, 2020 by Jacey Bedford

I write science fiction. I’m pretty sure my sub-genre is space opera. I’m happy with that definition. I grew up reading my dad’s Lensman books and the distinctive Gollancz yellow jacketed SF, however I wasn’t aware of any distinction between … Continue reading →

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How Long is a Piece of String?

Posted on June 30, 2020 by Jacey Bedford

Chopping and Changing – Revisions, Cuts and Additions. How long should your story or novel be? A piece (story, novel or poem) should be as long as it needs to be – but that’s not always as long as you, … Continue reading →

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Science for Fiction 2019

Posted on July 16, 2019 by Jacey Bedford

Science For Fiction is an annual event organised by Dr. David Clements at Imperial College, London. It’s a series of lectures by scientists at the cutting edge of their field, specifically aimed at writers. (Unsurprisingly a load of Science Fiction … Continue reading →

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Jaine Fenn Guest Blog

Posted on August 28, 2018 by Jacey Bedford

Every writer has their obsessions, the themes we return to; real-world stuff that bothers us enough that we pick and peck at them repeatedly through our stories – because y’know, writing is therapy. I’m fascinated by juxtapositions. Especially physical ones: … Continue reading →

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Men in Science Fiction and Fantasy

Posted on April 4, 2018 by Jacey Bedford

A comedy panel at Eastercon 2018 with Jaine Fenn (moderator), Juliet McKenna, Adrian Tchaikovsky and Jacey Bedford. Comedy panel on Youtube

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What’s the Psi-Tech trilogy about?

Posted on January 3, 2018 by Jacey Bedford

Nimbus, the final book in my Psi-Tech trilogy, is out now.  Who-hoo, I have five books out and this is the first complete trilogy. Sometimes big ideas start with a bang and arrive fully formed, sometimes they start small and … Continue reading →

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My best books of 2017 – A personal overview of my reading year

Posted on December 13, 2017 by Jacey Bedford

There are inevitably lists of ‘Best SF Books of…’ such as this one from Barnes and Noble  but with the amount of books on offer from this year and from previous years, it’s almost impossible for any one person to … Continue reading →

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Happy Book Day To Me!

Posted on October 3, 2017 by Jacey Bedford

My new book, NIMBUS, is out today. Let me say that again because it never gets old. My new book, NIMBUS, is out today! It’s my fifth published book, and the third in my Psi-Tech universe. It represents a milestone … Continue reading →

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Bladdered or Shitfaced? The gentle art of word choice and the bogglement of page-proofing.

Posted on July 25, 2017 by Jacey Bedford

No, I’m neither bladdered not shitfaced – that’s one of my characters. I’m sober as the proverbial judge, and doing page proofs. Five hundred and thirty four pages of closely printed text – almost one hundred and seventy thousand words. … Continue reading →

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Worldbuilding for a Series

Posted on May 1, 2017 by Jacey Bedford

In the last blog I talked about Committing Trilogy, but glossed over the worldbuilding aspects so I could talk about them in this blog entry. I’m going to (mostly) talk about the worldbuilding involved in my futuristic SF trilogy, though … Continue reading →

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Committing Trilogy

Posted on April 20, 2017 by Jacey Bedford

As I write this blog post I’m editing and polishing my third Psi-Tech book, Nimbus, the last in my trilogy of space operas (though there may be more ahead set in the same universe—it’s too early to tell, yet.) It’s … Continue reading →

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Cover Reveal: Nimbus

Posted on April 4, 2017 by Jacey Bedford

Nimbus isn’t due until October 2017, but I just got the cover and permission to let you all see it. So here it is: Nimbus, the third in the Psi-Tech trilogy. Cover by the fabulously talented Stephan Martiniere. In a … Continue reading →

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Gotten, Tannoy, and Trug

Posted on August 6, 2016 by Jacey Bedford

Another milestone. I just hit send and emailed the manuscript for my fourth book to my editor. It’s 134,200 words long which is roughly the same size as Winterwood. Silverwolf is scheduled for publication on Tuesday 3rd January 2017. It’s … Continue reading →

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Listen to Good Advice, but Trust Yourself

Posted on January 19, 2015 by Jacey Bedford

I’m a great advocate of writers’ critique groups, either face to face or online, but every person you show your writing to will have a different opinion: “You over-explain.” “I don’t understand X, could you unpack it a little more?” … Continue reading →

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Order Books For the Holidays

Posted on November 17, 2014 by Jacey Bedford

This is all about other people’s books because–well–BOOKS! We’re coming up to the gift-giving season, so don’t forget books. My mum, who will be 90 in January, is trying to read her way through all the Wilbur Smith back catalogue, … Continue reading →

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Guest Interview on Diabolical plots

Posted on November 16, 2014 by Jacey Bedford

There’s a guest interview with me on the Diabolocal Plots Website which hosts the excellent Submission Grinder story nmarkets discovery tool. http://www.diabolicalplots.com/?p=12558

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The Three Letter Word

Posted on November 13, 2014 by Jacey Bedford

My son congratulated me on getting my three book publishing deal and we talked about the first book, Empire of Dust. He was interested in word counts, outlining and revision – the writing process in general. He’s in the middle … Continue reading →

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Guest Post on Book View Cafe

Posted on November 6, 2014 by Jacey Bedford

So pleased to have the opportunity to answer Nancy Jane Moore’s interview questions on the ever-wonderful Book View Cafe blog. Here’s the piece: Whatever Makes You Weird.

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Guest Post on Chuck Wendig’s Terrible Minds Blog

Posted on November 6, 2014 by Jacey Bedford

I’m delighted to be on Chuck Wendig’s Terrible Minds blog in his series: Five Things I learned While Writing… In this case it’s Five Things I learned while Writing Empire of Dust, and here it is: http://terribleminds.com/ramble/2014/11/06/jacey-bedford-five-things-i-learned-writing-empire-of-dust/ Thanks, Chuck, much … Continue reading →

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It’s real

Posted on October 15, 2014 by Jacey Bedford

Though the official publication day isn’t until 4th November a box of advance promo copies of Empire of Dust arrived this morning. Five hundred and thirty two pages of papery goodness in my hot little hands at last. I can’t … Continue reading →

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Why I love my cover for Empire of Dust

Posted on October 3, 2014 by Jacey Bedford

When my editor, Sheila Gilbert at DAW, said she was planning to get Stephan Martiniere  to do the illustration for the cover of Empire of Dust I confess it was a name I didn’t know. Turns out I was showing … Continue reading →

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