Martin Millar's Blog

This is the introduction to the sample from Simulation Bleed I included in my book of short stories, Troubled Cities.

'This is an extract from Simulation Bleed which started off as a series on my website. It ran for several years before being collected and published as a novel in 2020. It sees the return of the hostile and anti-social fairy Rainith the Red and the introduction of two unwanted companions, Mixt and Nakishdan, both of whom have been dragged through history into the present day. None of them are suited to working as government agents. However it happens and they're all stuck with it.

I wanted the serial to be based on things I knew a lot about. One main theme was punk and post-punk gigs in London. I went to very many of these. Most of the gigs in the serial are based on concerts I was at. I always enjoy the opportunity to talk about these early punk events, though this extract is set a few years before the advent of punk in London. It also features some gaming. I've spent a lot of time playing video games. The space adventure game that Mixt and Nakishdan play isn't described in much detail in Simulation Bleed but while writing about it I had Mass Effect in mind. Mass Effect is a great trilogy of games and I've played through them all many times.

Another theme of the serial, not exactly planned, is therapy. That's not what I'd call a favourite topic but I do know quite a lot about it from my own experience of treatment for anxiety and agoraphobia, both of which I've suffered from badly in the past. Things are feeling better at this moment. There's a scene in this extract where the outpatients in group therapy have to evacuate the building because the inpatients upstairs are rioting. That really happened to me.’

Supercutes Zukunft, a German translation of Supercute Futures, is now on sale at Amazon. https://www.amazon.de/dp/B0F3D1695X

"Mox und Mitsu gründeten Supercute als Teenager, nur ausgerüstet mit einem Telefon, einer Sammlung ihrer liebsten Kuscheltiere und einer Liebe zu allem Kawaii. Jetzt hat ihre Supercute Show Hunderte Millionen Fans und Supercute Enterprises ist zu einem der riesigen Konglomerate herangewachsen, die eine strauchelnde, ruinierte Welt beherrschen.    Der Erfolg hat seine eigenen Probleme mit sich gebracht. Neidische rivalisierende Konglomerate versuchen, sie zu zerstören. Feinde rücken näher. Mox und Mitsu werden sich das nicht gefallen lassen. Sie werden zurückschlagen. Das haben sie schon einmal getan. Supercute ist nicht so groß geworden, ohne auf dem Weg nach oben einige Opfer zu erleiden."

 My two cyberpunk/kawaii novels, Supercute Futures and Supercute Second Future.

'...We have plenty of explosives…Tell Sachi they're in a pink bag with Supercute Boom-Boom on the side.'

A poster from 2000 advertising the first three Thraxas books. Rather battered now, from moving house several times. After Orbit had agreed to publish the first book, they asked me to write another two to 'Establish a Presence on the Book Shelves,' I wrote these next two very quickly, much faster than I can manage now. The first Thraxas novel won the World Fantasy Award in 2000. I'm working on the thirteenth book in the series now, it will be available next year.

This is 'La Dea dei Ranuncoli e delle Margherite,' an Italian edition of my novel 'The Goddess of Buttercups and Daisies,'  just published by Plesio Editore.

https://bit.ly/3xWtFnr

As the world descends into chaos, my new book, Troubled Cities, has now been published. Short stories looking back to squatting days in Brixton, forward to female android assassins, violent fairies, anxious werewolves, music, kawaii, an anonymous spanking memoir and for some reason, more android assassins.

Paperback at Amazon UK  -- Amazon US

Ebook at Amazon UK -- Amazon US

Troubled Cities, my book of short stories and samples, will be published on January 12th. Here is the front cover and contents page. Paperback and ebook available to buy/order from Amazon & Apple Books worldwide, and bookshops in the UK & US. Amazon lets you pre-order the ebook, though not the paperback. https://bit.ly/48CYbjj

Troubled Cities. I've been preparing this collection of short stories for some time and it's now imminent.

'There are many troubled people in these cities. Troubled werewolves and fairies too, jostling for space, arguing with their families, running from danger, or just wondering where their absent lovers might be. Comprising eight short stories, one short autobiographical piece and five extracts from my novels, Troubled Cities serves as both a collection of urban entertainment and an overview of my writing career.' 

Cover by Simon Fraser

I've been using TikTok, in an ageing author sort of way. I've made three simple videos, for my two Supercute Books, for Lonely Werewolf Girl, and for Suzy Led Zeppelin and Me. Despite my videos being completely overwhelmed and lost in the vast ocean of TikTok, I'm quite pleased at my efforts.

My TikTok videos are here.

'Scenes From Author's Life.' New book, an old translation, and work that was terrible but paid well. Plus Japanese alcohol. OK, this isn't holding together very well. Never mind, carry on. The books are Supercute Second Future, just published, a nice German translation of Dreams of Sex and Stage Diving from around 1996 and Tank Girl, novelisation of the Film from 1994. With a bottle of Sakura Sarasara which is cherry blossom liqueur. Writing the novelisation of the Tank Girl film was an awful job. By the time they'd sorted out the contracts I had ten days to do it. Really. Still, it was lucrative so I wasn't complaining that much.