Editorial – August 2024

Well, Worldcon happened. Not doing an issue last month was definitely a wise idea. And in fact it was touch and go whether I would get one out this month. Kevin has been staying with me since Worldcon, so I have been having a life outside of work for a change. It is very nice, but it means that I haven’t read or written much since getting back from Glasgow. Thankfully I had banked a few articles in July.

Worldcon went pretty well, as I explain in my con report. But things have been quite busy since I got back because I needed to process the accounts and order a lot more stock. The latter was quite urgent as I need copies of some books for Carmarthen Pride which is taking place tomorrow (Saturday 31st). Also I have a bunch of new books to get ready for BristolCon. If all goes well, I will have four new books on sale there. Plus I have a bunch of people interested in being published by Wizard’s Tower. That’s partly thanks to Juliet McKenna winning Best Novel in the BSFA Awards, and partly thanks to issues with other publishers. Wizard’s Tower was founded to help mid list authors who were being dropped by their publishers, so I am very happy to be able to help out again.

I won’t be at any conventions in September. Next issue will have more news about BristolCon, and about Fantastika in Stockholm the following weekend where Juliet will be a Guest of Honour. Nordic readers, I can’t import books into the EU, but the English Bookstore in Stockholm is able to do so and they will be handling getting copies of Juliet’s books for sale.

Finally I should say something about the ongoing Neil Gaiman situation. I haven’t said anything to date, partly because trying to explain things on social media is fairly pointless, and partly because I am just too angry. I’m angry with Neil, primarily for the way he treated those young women, but also for other reasons, including the damage this affair has done to the trans cause. I’m also angry with a whole bunch of other people who have pitched in in various unhelpful ways. Maybe when I have calmed down more about it I will say more.

What I will say is that the TERFs are not in this to protect women. Indeed, their insistence that trans women are the primary threat to the safety of cis women provides a valuable smokescreen for government who can claim to be doing something about VAWG (by removing trans rights) while leaving cis men free to continue preying on women unfettered. Having seen the way that TERFs have exploited vulnerable detransitioners, I am very worried about those of Neil’s victims who have fallen into their clutches.