Comments on Caliban's End: An excellent gift for any occasion

Hi Kristin. You can call me Paul. Thanks so much ...

2008-05-25T15:15:00.000+09:30

Hi Kristin. You can call me Paul. Thanks so much for taking the time to have a look at my blog and write a comment.

As for my book, I'm quite pleased with it. The story makes for a challenging read but the concepts and characters are quite fresh so hopefully the promise of interesting ideas will help readers through the tough parts.

Now to your comments...

I've always loved the lost spaceship thing. I was a big fan of Voyager, especially once Seven of Nine came on board. Television is a pretty big influence on me. I introduced Firefly to many of my friends and I have an autographed copy of the DVD. As I said to your sister, anything written by Joss Whedon gets a thumbs up from me.

Authors I like? Well, writing three books hasn't left me much time to read, so I don't curl up with a book as much as I once did. That said, I did finish HP & the Deathly Hallows the weekend it was released.

Out of your list, I have read C.S Forester (a looong time ago; I tend to get my sea-faring fix from Patrick O'Brien - there's a few nautical chapters in 'What Lies Beneath' that borrow from O'Brien and Herman Melville) and I read lots of Frank Herbert when I was much younger (probably way before I was ready for it).

A lot of the books I have read over recent years are ones I have taught!

I went through a bit of an existentialist phase so writers such as Fowles, Conrad, Kafka, Camus et al. have played a part in my literary sensibilities. In the realm of fantasy, I think Tolkien, Peake and CS Lewis still bounce off the walls of my subconscious, but I have simply struggled to find time to read more modern writers. Similarly, my SF diet consists of writers who have been around for a while now (although I do like what Michael A Stackpole does in his books). Now I've finished my little trilogy, I'll probably devote a little more time to reading again.

Thanks for the good wishes. Writing's quite a solitary experience so it's nice to find so many people taking an interest in the work now it's (almost) done.

- Paul Stewart

Hello Mr. Stewart,My name is Kristin. I am the you...

2008-05-23T21:17:00.000+09:30

Hello Mr. Stewart,

My name is Kristin. I am the younger and much more smarter and generally better sister of Rebecca Skennar. Who apparently works with you.

Today, upon returning from work, Rebecca informed me of your recent writing success, and bid me humour you with support and the like. So here's my support:

...

I hope you enjoyed it. :-)

Okay. So Rebecca just read what I wrote above and told me that I shouldn't be a smart-ass because you don't know me and so you don't know that I'm just teasing because I'm jealous that I have not had anything published and instead have about a dozen unfinished stories. None of them are Sci-Fi/Fantasy, though one is Sci-Fi and one is Fantasy.

Your story sounds very good and highly original. Well, as original as is possible nowadays. I mean, I had this whole plan about a space ship getting lost somewhere out there in the universe, and lo, Voyager. And Lost in Space. Though I think if I add some massive biblical component to it, I could make it work. Hey, it worked for Dan Brown.

What other authors do you like? I know you mentioned a couple in the blog, but I didn't read everything. I just kind of skimmed. My favourites are David Farland, Terry Goodkind (despite his preachiness), Jaclyn Moriarty, Frank Herbert, Allison Croggon and C.S. Forester. And others but I won't list them all 'cause I doubt you'll care. But have you read any of the above?

Anyway. I need food now. So I'll leave it there. But I'll be sure to buy a copy of your book, and I'll make sure that my two best-friends (one works at Angus & Robertson, the other at Collins) porn it off to as many people as possible.

Best wishes,

Kristin Skennar

Thanks Donna. I appreciate the comment. What's n...

2008-05-17T06:54:00.000+09:30

Thanks Donna. I appreciate the comment. What's next? I'm justing ironing out the typo's from the next book 'Into the Endless' which will be out at the other side of winter.

Cheers, Paul

p.s. I think having a baby is a monumental achievement so kudos back at you.

Paul - congratulations on a monumental achievement...

2008-05-16T14:33:00.000+09:30

Paul - congratulations on a monumental achievement! Now I can say I know a published author. Well done! What next?