I am pleased to announce the publication of a new work of Science Fiction, 2001, An Odyssey in Words, dedicated to the memory of one of the greatest writers of Science Fiction, Sir Arthur C. Clarke. The book has been edited by Ian Whates and Tom Hunter, both celebrated writers in their own right. and consistes of 27 original short stories each of which is exactle 2001 words in length.
This number in important as it is the title of a famous film, ‘2001: A Space Odyssey” which was written by Clarke and directed by Stanley Kubrick – but here I must be careful as the collaboration was somewhat complex and fraught. This can happen when two strong-willed and talented personalities clash. Those of you who wish to know more about the making of the film should consult Wikipedia. Suffice to say, it is a brilliant work of art, beautifully filmed and full of complex moments of suspence and visual surprises. Music lovers will relish the use of Richard Strauss’s Thus Spake Zarathustra.
The 27 authors, each of whom were invited to submit a story for the volume, have all been, at different times, finalist for the annual Arthur C. Clarke Award. First awarded in1987, the Clarke is a juried award given to the book deemed to be the best Science Fiction novel published in the UK during the previous calendar year.
Well… I can tell you that writing a short-story to an exact number of words is not easy. I tend to write longish short-stories, and so I found myself having to cut and cut until I reached the magical number 2001. The story I submitted, I Saw Three Ships, (a Christmas story using the birth and death dates of Clarke’s life) went through 5 draughts before I got it down to size. I would be interested to know how other authors coped.
But what a terrific idea for a volume of stories! The originators, Ian Whates and Tom Hunter, are to be congratulated. It is a handsome book, completed by short factual essays by Neil Gaiman and China Miéville and succinct biographies. Here are the details.
2001:An Odyssey in Words. Edited by Ian Whates and Tom Hunter, Newcon Press 2018.
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