My Most Hated Word:

From the famous manga Azumanga Daioh. Incidentally, The Japanese have 'PANTSU' which is at least gender-neutral. Call me Mr Crabby. Go on. Let it rip. Enjoy it. Because I am. I have become a 'Grumpy Old Man'. "Yay, I've made it at last!" And now (proudly weary my shiny new GOM badge) I'm going to …

Statistics, damned statistics, and total BS

So I belong to this huge online art community. There are many, but this is apparently the biggest: DEVIANT ART. some people sneer at it. And; yes: it is riddled with porn and fetish-art too. You can find me RIGHT HERE. [ No, no, no, it's not MY porn and fetish-art!] It's no big deal. …

“Yet the Town Moves” Manga review.

I used to think I didn't like a manga because of the style, the layout or the look of the characters ... but I was wrong. It was my failure to engage. Hotori Arashiyama as depicted in the Anime Put differently - it was the artist's failure to deliver characters and a story that engaged …

A Bride’s Story (Otoyomegatari); Review

Not like me to review stuff, but THIS! This is a work of genius, it really is. Put aside all your attitudes towards Japanese manga. ALL of them, and check this out. Regard it as a graphic novel - for that's what it is. No 'anime eyes', no panty-shots, no mecha or magical girls or …

3 *More* New Books, FYI!

Y'know, there are just days when you publish ten books. Happens to the best of us. TEARS BEFORE HALF-TIME:  Twelve-year-old Jamie gets swept into the world of his soccer-mad father and elder brother, but it soon becomes a nightmare for useless left-footed James Wigram. His heart and his mind are often far from the sportsfield. …

Announcing Yet Another Book!

QUICK LINK [go on; you know you want to read it!]: https://books2read.com/u/bOG8P9 Huddled in a dying town far from the pulse of Galactic civilisation, a sad and surly community of crims, losers and tough-arse truckies are saved by the 'miracle' of an old piano and a moody geisha, while the same Fates relentlessly flay a …

Announcing some New Books:

Yes - it's finally done and dusted, and put up on the (e-)shelf for all to see. My first and biggest "Epic" series; 6 books and some 800,000 words. I use the word "epic" not out of any arrogance that I think it meets the definition against some fairly significant competition in the field of …

A Press Release; NZ, just because:

New Series by NZ writer Ged Maybury Once described as “our county's leading writer in this field”*, Christchurch sci-fi writer Ged Maybury effectively disappeared after 15 years and 12 successful children's books – two of which made the finals of the NZ Children's Book of the Year Awards (1994, 2001). Now he is back with …

Taking (off) the Pith

I've reached a quiet decision. Steampunk is marvelous; I love it, and I have greatly enjoyed my many and various excursions therein, both fantastic (e.g. my book series), and in the real world. By that I mean the inventing, building, sculpting, costuming and ultimately cosplaying my wacko combos. And as much fun as it is …

Manning the Troll Gate

What's going on? I keep hearing about an organisation and everything about it is derogatory, inflammatory, or just plain gob-smacking. I always hear about it via the numerous online channels I follow.  It goes like this: 1) Some guy (an 'activist') makes a remark or takes an action about women, or feminism, or feminists, or …