My first post here in 2012 – meaning it’s been about six months since Paintwork was first realeased. Madness. 2011 was a busy year for me – especially the second half – but it certainly doesn’t feel like it’s been that long.

Anyway, 2012 is here and Paintwork is still picking up some great reviews. Just this week Johann Carlisle pasted a wonderfully thoughtful and enthusisatic review over at the excellent Future Fire – one of my favourite SF ‘zines:

“The themes that recur in this volume include the importance of the street: not only as a space in which to travel from one venue to another, but as a place where people live (in some cases literally under road junctions). As a place where identity is situated and explored, where culture evolves organically, often orthogonally to mainstream and commercial trends; where language is coined and invented; where lives are broken and grow. These are very sensitive stories, bubbling with language and emotion and artistry, warped by the digital and the human…As a collection, this 100-page book displays not only its author’s mastery of writing science fiction, his love of urban culture, electronic music and gaming, but also his keen intellect and ability to build a story that is both entertaining and edifying at a single stroke. Very impressive stuff, and we should all look out for more cyberpunk fiction by Tim Maughan.”
-The Future Fire (read full review)

And just in case you missed me bleating on about it before Christmas, Cory Doctorow (yes, that Cory Doctorow) posted another great review over at Boing Boing:

“In an era of “post-cyberpunk” science fiction, Maughan is firmly cyberpunk — or maybe “cyberpunk++,” a genre that captures all the grit and glory of technology with a higher degree of plausibility and respect for real computers and networks than the genre had in its glory days…Maughan has a keen eye for the fictional possibilities of technology, a good hand with the what if/ten seconds in the future mode of storytelling, and he’s quite adept at filling his work with hyper-cool eyeball kicks. These stories are fun and thought-provoking, a great combination.”
- Cory Doctorow, author of Down and Out in the Magic Kingdom and Little Brother (read full review)

Paintwork is out now – you can get Kindle versions from Amazon US and Amazon UK, and versions for all other popular e-readers (including iPad and Nook) at Smashwords. Those of you that prefer to buy your eBooks from an independent store can grab it from The Wizard’s Tower.

Print versions are also available from Createspace or Amazon US and Amazon UK.

Shit like this makes it all worthwhile.

As I’ve mentioned previously I’ll be at Bristolcon later this month – and over on their site this week they’ve posted the official programme. It looks great – an amazing line up of authors and panelists – and I thought I’d take a few minutes here to highlight what I’ll be doing:

10.00 – When Did Science Become The Bad Guy?

Science seems to have become unfashionable and is now suffering from funding cuts. When and how did science lose its cool?

With Dev Agarwal (Mod), Eugene Byrne, Simon Breeze, Tim Maughan, Raven Dane & Jonathan Wright

13.00 – Copyright or Wrong?

Until recent changes in the law, copyright in the UK was regarded as being decades out of date, struggling to keep up with advances in technology. It’s clear copyright law must change and adapt in order to survive the impact of technology and remain relevant to new media. Copying is easy, affordable and everybody does it – what options does the creator have to combat copyright infringement? Or is it time to offer everything for free?

With Jonathan Wright (Mod), Juliet E McKenna, Mike Shevdon, Tim Maughan, Raven Dane & Bob Neilson

18.00 – Sci-Fi Now!

Sliding doors, tricorders, communicators, space stations, and exploration of Mars. What have we achieved that was only science fiction fifty years ago? What happened to teleporters, jetpacks and flying cars? Will we ever get our base on the moon for our vacations? If so, when?

With Gareth L Powell (Mod), John Meaney, Eugene Byrne, Dev Agarwal, Paul McAuley & Tim Maughan

I’ll also be doing a reading from Paintwork at 10.50 – straight after the ‘When Did Science Become The Bad Guy?’ panel.

Hopefully see you there!

Apologies for being quiet over the last few weeks, but I have been kind of busy. I was off making my inaugural visit to the Great American Empire, and I can report on my return that our colonial cousins – despite poisoning themselves with excessive use of corn syrup – seem to be doing jolly well. In fact I was so taken with this new nation that I decided to get wed there, in the virtual reality gaming and entertainment construct known as ‘Las Vegas’, followed by an enjoyably relaxing honeymoon on the delightfully terraformed orbital spa ‘Hawaii’. It was quite splendid.

Anyway, having got back, cleaned the airliner grime from my frame, and started to recover from a severe case of desynchronosis – it’s clear I have a few bits of news to get you guys up to speed on. First off I’m very pleased to report that Paintwork is continuing to pick up glowing reviews:

“Havana Augmented is the third short story in Tim Maughan’s excellent Paintwork (2011), a collection that focuses on the meaning of artistry in a near-future cyberpunk landscape…(it) follows two streams of conflict. Paul and Kim battle with enormous robots which is, frankly, awesome. Mr. Maughan knows how to write an action sequence without letting it take over. The battles are short, streamlined, vicious and very, very fun…this is the crown jewel of an excellent collection. I’m a sucker for sports movies, especially when the game or match has some sort of Great Significance. Mr. Maughan tugs at my heartstrings with Havana Augmented – a giant robot smackdown with a country’s future on the line.” – Pornokitsch

“The title story Paintwork is an interesting examination of the lives and work of graffiti artists in the near future, trying to keep their art relevant in a world whose environments can become virtual with the blink of an eye. This is a Bristol story through and through, and Tim has done a great job of taking our landmarks and weaving them into a world that is very futuristic while remaining completely familiar to residents of the city…anyone who has an interest in urban art will draw much from this story. I loved Paintwork. All three stories show a writer with a real gift for accelerating the world we know into a believable future, with a deft local touch that adds an extra something for us Bristol folk…(it’s) a great read, that pinches a few ingredients from the SF greats and blends them with a unique flavour all of its own.” – Guide2Bristol

“Tim writes in a small subgenre that could loosely be called cyberpunk, but perhaps would be more accurately described as virtual reality fiction. He brings his near future VR fiction to life in a gritty and believable subculture, and he is very good at it…All three are excellent stories that transport the reader to the action…Tim’s work is a hidden gem. I’m very excited that a story I selected was nominated for the BSFA short fiction award, and I was excited to read this small collection. It is well worth your time.” – Rick Novy

As Rick mentions in that review, he was responsible for my first ever fiction sale, for which I am forever grateful. He’s got a book out himself at the moment – Neanderthal Swan Song – which I heartily recommend you go and check out.

In other – just as exciting – news I’ve got a couple of appearances coming up. First up is The Bristol Festival of Literature, where I’ll be taking apart in a panel looking at politics in sci-fi with the brilliant title “Should David Cameron read more Science Fiction?” It’s on Friday 21 October at Hamilton House in Stokes Croft at 6pm. Tickets are £5 and can be ordered here.

And then the very next day is Bristol’s own sci-fi and fantasy convention Bristolcon, where I’ve officially been announced as a guest. Not sure quite yet what I’ll be up to exactly there – more details as I get them – but with an impressive line-up of authors and artists I’m very honoured to have been invited. If you’re in the area it looks like an unmissable event, so come down and say hi.

Paintwork is out now – you can get Kindle versions from Amazon US and Amazon UK, and versions for all other popular e-readers (including iPad and Nook) at Smashwords.

Print versions are now available from Createspace or Amazon US and Amazon UK.

This weekend saw the final unveiling of the the See No Evil project in Bristol; Europe’s largest street art exhibition. It is, to say the very least, an extraordinary, breathtaking achievement. Graffiti artists not just from Bristol but around the globe descended on Nelson Street, transforming the whole area from drab, urban decay into what feels like a new – almost virtual – space. It is truly something that needs to be experienced, but hopefully some of the photos I grabbed (along with the many on the official Flickr page) will give you some idea of its scale and raw beauty.

My own interest in graffiti art dates back to my first introduction to hip-hop culture in the mid 1980s, when the first images of New York subway art started to make their way over the pond. Apart from their raw visceral energy, both art-forms struck me as intensely science-fictional. Both are about the appropriation of technology to create something new – hip-hop taking samplers and turntables to generate new sounds they weren’t designed to make, and graf taking car repair paint and the very architecture of cities to create new visual spaces and canvases. They are, perhaps, the most literal expression of William Gibson’s famous cyberpunk-defining phrase ‘the street finds it own use for things’.

Even before cyberpunk, the city has long been one of the defining settings of science fiction for those that dare to look beyond the standard tropes of spaceships and alien worlds. Science fiction frequently views the city as a machine, with those of us that live within it variably as components, parasites or even unwilling prisoners. Graffiti becomes one of the most visceral, immediate statements of rebellion for us urban inmates; a bold, organic riot of colour against our drab, sterile prison.

The science fictional aspect of See No Evil becomes even more heightened when you consider the history of Nelson Street. It is yet another example, amongst the hundreds that dot the urban landscape of Britain, of 1950/60s post war planning and architecture that aimed to herald a new, futuristic, technology-driven utopia. But of course the future’s greatest strength is that it can never be predicted and tamed, let alone designed or planned. The town planners and architects failed, and as the decades passed they watched their dreams descend into decay, shunned by popular taste and left to become associated with poverty, depravation and failure. And to add the ultimate insult to their injuries, they saw their utopian designs become the defining science fiction image of a dystopian future.

“The group of architects who put (the plan) forward combined super highways with dreaming notions of pedestrian decks to create squares of Venetian splendour where Bristolians would gather in their thousands on election nights six metres above the smoothly uninterrupted flow of traffic.

“The major central area civic contribution of the sixties was the complex of pedestrian decks that survive in truncated form above the street at Lewins Mead and beyond and which virtually nobody uses. This was to be the essential link between the Centre – or even Forum’s great piazza above it – and the Broadmead shopping centre and beyond.”

The Fight for Bristol (ed. by Gordon Priest and Pamela Cobb; Redcliffe Press, 1980)

It’s this idea that was the driving force behind the story that leads my collection Paintwork; the use of graffiti to reclaim the space in which we live from corporate control. The technology that is subverted in Paintwork may be far more exotic – augmented reality, nanotechnology and QR Codes – but walking around Nelson Street made me feel that somehow I had actually managed to catch a little taste of Bristol’s zeitgeist with that story. That part of town usually feels dead and deserted, but on Saturday it was rammed with bodies – Bristol residents that had come out to be enthralled and entertained; to reclaim this urban decay for their own expression and enjoyment. And the fact that this was an officially organised event, done with the guidance and support of the same city that once made the mistake of trying to guess and plan the future is not only exciting in itself, but perhaps shows us a fleeting glimpse of a real, achievable urban utopia.

Paintwork is out now – you can get Kindle versions from Amazon US and Amazon UK, and versions for all other popular e-readers (including iPad and Nook) at Smashwords.

Print versions are now available from Createspace or Amazon US and Amazon UK.

Paintwork has been out for nearly two months now, so time for a little round-up of what has been happening recently…

Reviews are starting to trickle in:

“…an interesting, cool urban read. Like graffiti condensed into prose. If you’re already a fan of works like Neuromancer or Snow Crash, then it’s a pretty safe bet that you’ll probably enjoy Paintwork…either way, it will be a unique experience to say the least.” – Comic Attack

“A set of three short novellas set in the not-too distant future, Maughan’s debut work gleans much of its literary influence and style from that burning start of science fiction, William Gibson, but has enough punch to suggest that more interesting ideas could be on the way.” – What Froth

To my delight Paintwork has been doing pretty well in the Amazon bestseller lists – including a spell in the Science Fiction Short Stories top ten last month:

And right now – as I type away – the print copy is doing well in the Amazon US 4 for 3 promotion. Time to pick up a bargain:

And it’s not just Amazon where you can grab a copy – both electronic and print versions are available all over the internets now:

*In print at Amazon and Barnes and Noble
*For the iPad and iPhone from Apple eBooks/iTunes
*For the Nook from Barnes and Noble
*For the Kindle from Amazon US, Amazon UK and Amazon Germany
*And for all major eReaders from Smashwords

So there you go – no excuses to pick up a copy!

I’m very pleased to announce that the print version of Paintwork is finally available to order from Createspace now, and with Amazon to follow in just a few days. I received a proof copy earlier this week, and have to say it looks great. This is by far the best way to enjoy that fantastic Bobi Richardson designed cover.

It can be yours right away for $5.99, or if you can wait and feel like blowing some cash the Limited Edition Paintwork set is available for pre-order.

UPDATE: The LE set is now SOLD OUT. Thanks to everyone that bought one! I will hopefully be doing another run of these later in the year, so stay tuned.

The LE Set includes:

*A signed paperback copy of Paintwork, with personalised message if required

*A 1GB USB memory stick, containing:
-Over 3 hours of exclusive DJ mixes by me, featuring music that inspired Paintwork
-eBook versions of Paintwork for all major devices (Kindle, Nook, iPad, iPhone, PDF etc)
-Exclusive desktop and mobile device wallpapers
-Exclusive author’s notes
-Audio of interviews and podcast appearances

*FREE postage worldwide

Any questions? Ask away in the comments.

Paintwork is out now – you can get Kindle versions from Amazon US and Amazon UK, and versions for all other popular e-readers (including iPad and Nook) at Smashwords. Those of you that prefer to buy your eBooks from an independent store can grab it from The Wizard’s Tower.

Print versions are now available from Createspace or Amazon US and Amazon UK.

“In an era of “post-cyberpunk” science fiction, Maughan is firmly cyberpunk — or maybe “cyberpunk++,” a genre that captures all the grit and glory of technology with a higher degree of plausibility and respect for real computers and networks than the genre had in its glory days…Maughan has a keen eye for the fictional possibilities of technology, a good hand with the what if/ten seconds in the future mode of storytelling, and he’s quite adept at filling his work with hyper-cool eyeball kicks. These stories are fun and thought-provoking, a great combination.”
- Cory Doctorow, author of Down and Out in the Magic Kingdom and Little Brother (read full review)

“In our hothouse present, where technology is little more than vapour, Tim Maughan catches those fleeting moments of possibility in stories that ought to have no shelf-life whatsoever – and which, regardless, linger in the mind. I don’t know how he does this. I don’t know whether he is very naive, or very clever. One thing I do know: these stories are very, very good.”
- Simon Ings, author of Hot Head, The Weight of Numbers and Dead Water.

“They used to say that Science Fiction was hard to define, but that you’d know it when you saw it. How then to best recommend a collection like Paintwork? A book of augmented realties, icy conceptual surfaces and a healthy dose of contemporary corporate paranoia. Is even a simple book blurb as innocent as it first appears? The best Science Fiction isn’t a road map, it’s a toolkit, and Paintwork is a virtual users guide to a new kind of fictional future. A place where it’s fine to pretend life’s all a game, just so long as you stay on the winning team.

“If Science Fiction is a toolkit, Paintwork is the missing users manual.”
- Tom Hunter, Director, the Arthur C. Clarke Award

“Havana Augmented is the third short story in Tim Maughan’s excellent Paintwork (2011), a collection that focuses on the meaning of artistry in a near-future cyberpunk landscape…(it) follows two streams of conflict. Paul and Kim battle with enormous robots which is, frankly, awesome. Mr. Maughan knows how to write an action sequence without letting it take over. The battles are short, streamlined, vicious and very, very fun…this is the crown jewel of an excellent collection. I’m a sucker for sports movies, especially when the game or match has some sort of Great Significance. Mr. Maughan tugs at my heartstrings with Havana Augmented – a giant robot smackdown with a country’s future on the line.”
- Pornokitsch.com (read full review)

“Paintwork itself is about the making of art, and what it is that makes it authentic. Is it craft or is it result that matters? And following that, is the satisfaction to be gained from doing it properly personal or something more than that?…It would spoil the story’s denouement to go into much more detail, but it revolves around a fascinating set of dichotomies about art as inspiration or product, about the fashion in technologies, whether art is somehow more worthwhile if you go about it in one way or another…and this idea spills over into Havana Augmented, which is a joyful and outrageous story of young games programmers who have moved a virtual game into the augmented reality of their spex and are now playing Rolling Iron through the streets of Havana. Inevitably governments and big business become involved, and I can’t deny that the story’s ending smacks somewhat of the fairytale, but in the end, why not? In all, Paintwork is a very enjoyable and thought-provoking collection of stories about the place of art in the future.”
- Maureen Kincaid Speller, Paper Knife (read full review)

“Hip, cutting-edge cyberpunk with a techno rave attitude. Tim Maughan is definitely a writer to watch.”
- Gareth L. Powell, author of The Recollection.

“The title story Paintwork is an interesting examination of the lives and work of graffiti artists in the near future, trying to keep their art relevant in a world whose environments can become virtual with the blink of an eye. This is a Bristol story through and through, and Tim has done a great job of taking our landmarks and weaving them into a world that is very futuristic while remaining completely familiar to residents of the city…anyone who has an interest in urban art will draw much from this story. I loved Paintwork. All three stories show a writer with a real gift for accelerating the world we know into a believable future, with a deft local touch that adds an extra something for us Bristol folk…(it’s) a great read, that pinches a few ingredients from the SF greats and blends them with a unique flavour all of its own.”
- Guide2Bristol (read full review)

Augmented reality street artist 3Cube wants to break into the mainstream, and as one of the best in the graffiti mecca of Bristol he stands a real chance. Except that someone, some unseen rival, seems set on using even the most old-fashioned of methods to stop him from succeeding.

John Smith was successful once, if only for a fleeting moment. Now the documentary film maker is broke and jobless, and finds himself putting his life on the line as one of the new-breed of paparazzi – snapping celebrity video gamers in virtual worlds.

And on the sun-bleached streets of Havana two young Cubans find themselves locked in a fierce struggle with one of the world’s most powerful organisations, as a seemingly innocent video game tournament becomes a fight for both personal and national pride.

Paintwork is a collection of three stories from our imminent future by British science fiction author Tim Maughan, including the 2010 BSFA Short Fiction Award nominated ‘Havana Augmented’.

About the Author

Tim Maughan lives in Bristol in the South West of England, and when he’s not writing science fiction he writes about Japanese animation and comics for websites like Anime News Network and Tor. He also daydreams about being a techno DJ and spends far too much time on Twitter.

Paintwork is out now – you can get Kindle versions from Amazon US and Amazon UK, and versions for all other popular e-readers (including iPad and Nook) at Smashwords. Those of you that prefer to buy your eBooks from an independent store can grab it from The Wizard’s Tower.

Print versions are now available from Createspace or Amazon US and Amazon UK.

UPDATE: Paintwork is out now – you can get Kindle versions from Amazon US and Amazon UK, and versions for all other popular e-readers at Smashwords. Enjoy!

Not final artwork, but couldn’t resist sharing. Fantastic work from my much better half.

Paintwork will be out very shortly – in the meantime you can read a short extract here.

Another quick update – two podcasts I had the pleasure of guesting on over the last few weeks.

First up is the legendary behemoth opinionated anime podcasting that is Anime World Order, where it was a huge pleasure to join Daryl, Clarissa and Gerald to primarily discuss Redline – although we also spent some considerable time discussing everything from Akira and Macross Plus through to why western anime companies are getting their marketing all wrong. Because they are.

And if that isn’t enough of my dulcet tones all up in your ear-holes, I was also over at the Beta Male Experience alongside the formidable Ed Sizemore. Not directly anime related for once, we were chatting with host Corey about our top five science fiction movies of all time. Head over there now and see what made the grade.