| Author | Message | ||
     Johnny_mains (Johnny_mains) Username: Johnny_mains Registered: 04-2010 Posted From: 82.22.75.99 |
To Allyson Bird and also to Joel Lane I apologise for my conduct in the past concerning Bullrunning and Never Again. While you may not forgive me, life is too short for stupid spats or ignoring each other at future conventions etc. I shan't have cheap pops in future. My behaviour has been rather shocking - and I've taken a long hard look in the mirror and have come to the realisation that you can't really achieve anything by trying to be the big I am and get reactions for kicks. I should let my work do the talking for me. So there you have it, accept it or not - I've become jaded about all of the in-fighting or the perceived in-fighting that's supposedly rife in this genre of ours which we ALL love. On a side issue, I deleted my facebook account cos I hit the brick wall with it. Personal stuff and other shite that's going on has made me realise that networking on that large an extent is just a massive waste of time. Have create a new one, and will be much smaller and low key - why the hell am I 'friends' with people I don't even know or wouldn't even want to know? Me, I'm just going to get on with what I do and try to do the best I can. So, a final, most definite apology. | ||
| Gary Fry (Gary_fry) Username: Gary_fry Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 86.31.244.154 |
It takes a man to say sorry. It takes an even better one to mean it. But the most honourable man of all is he who doesn't renege on his apology. With apologies for sexism language.  | ||
| Mick Curtis (Mick) Username: Mick Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 86.177.115.63 |
Nice one, Johnny - we love you! | ||
| Ian Alexander Martin (Iam) Username: Iam Registered: 10-2009 Posted From: 207.6.255.47 |
I wish I had something witty to say here, but don't. Hooray and huzzah to all, especially those joining in this spirit of group hug / "can't we all just get along?" sort of thing. | ||
| Simon Bestwick (Simon_b) Username: Simon_b Registered: 10-2008 Posted From: 86.24.209.217 |
Well said Johnny! See you at the next convention where I'll slip you a stiff one. (And a drink.)  | ||
| Mark West (Mark_west) Username: Mark_west Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 86.171.253.12 |
Nicely put - and it was good to see you at FCon too. | ||
| Joel (Joel) Username: Joel Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 91.110.205.63 |
Johnny, thanks. Keep working and let's all coexist in peace. | ||
| Allybird (Allybird) Username: Allybird Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 88.104.129.3 |
I'll be brief as my right eye is swollen shut (something wrong with my right tear duct.) The apology is appreciated and accepted. | ||
| Ian Alexander Martin (Iam) Username: Iam Registered: 10-2009 Posted From: 207.6.255.47 |
You should try to flush it out using a light saline mixture, possibly using a ratio of —  Oh, sorry; yes. Never mind. | ||
| Skunsworth (Skunsworth) Username: Skunsworth Registered: 05-2009 Posted From: 92.14.250.120 |
Nice one, Johnny. And, of course, if I'm not one of you new facebook friends, I'll start a spat with you and sulk mightily! S | ||
| Kate (Kathleen) Username: Kathleen Registered: 09-2009 Posted From: 81.152.74.159 |
You're a good man, Johnny. Even if you ARE Scottish.  | ||
| Frank (Frank) Username: Frank Registered: 09-2008 Posted From: 85.222.86.21 |
Nice one, mate. | ||
| Des (Des) Username: Des Registered: 09-2010 Posted From: 86.153.239.151 |
Utility (electricity, gas, water) 'mains' (certainly in the UK) are the responsibility of the property owner where those facilities are used - but where those 'mains' are outside the jurisdiction of the property then it is the responsibility of other Authorities. The big conundrum is where one jurisdiction begins and the other ends. Something one should grapple with when taking into account the planning of insurance. Unless one flies by the seat of one's pants or skate over thin ice in a laissez-faire manner. Or can't afford insurance. My experince. All these things change within one person on a regular basis. Verities become more slippery. And doubts become certainties, and vice versa. Never say never. | ||
| Johnny_mains (Johnny_mains) Username: Johnny_mains Registered: 04-2010 Posted From: 82.22.75.99 |
Des, you lost me at Utility... :D | ||
| Des (Des) Username: Des Registered: 09-2010 Posted From: 86.153.239.151 |
Baffles and Fables. | ||
| Gary Fry (Gary_fry) Username: Gary_fry Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 86.31.244.154 |
A new detective series from D F Lewis. | ||
| Ramsey Campbell (Ramsey) Username: Ramsey Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 195.93.21.68 |
Good on you, Johnny! | ||
| Carolinec (Carolinec) Username: Carolinec Registered: 06-2009 Posted From: 82.38.75.85 |
Aww! Can I join in the big group hug too please? But seriously, well said Johnny, and Ally and Joel too of course. I think this statement is the key to all of this: "I've become jaded about all of the in-fighting or the perceived in-fighting that's supposedly rife in this genre of ours which we ALL love." Whether you're a writer, editor, publisher or just a plain old fan and reader like me, the important thing is that we're all working in this brilliant genre, helping to keep the small presses alive, without which our literary worlds would be a whole lot poorer. Keep up the good work, folks, and let's all keep working together on this! Ally - that eye sounds nasty. Can your local pharmacist advise you on something you could use to clear it? | ||
| Allybird (Allybird) Username: Allybird Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 88.104.129.3 |
I'm on to it Caroline and have an appointment with the doctor at 4p.m. I'm sure it will be sorted soon :>) | ||
| Rhysaurus (Rhysaurus) Username: Rhysaurus Registered: 01-2010 Posted From: 212.219.233.223 |
I agree with what Gary said about how it takes a real man to say sorry, etc. But really... instead of saying sorry, isn't it better not to do the thing in the first place? This isn't directed at Johnny, but at the world in general. Everywhere I go I see people apologising. Great. But here's a better idea: just behave yourself in the first place. | ||
| Carolinec (Carolinec) Username: Carolinec Registered: 06-2009 Posted From: 82.38.75.85 |
True to a certain extent, Rhys, but we're all human (at least, I *think* we are  ). Who can be perfect every time? I know I've certainly done things I've regretted later - thought to myself about my behaviour "That was a bit silly / childish / petty / insensitive" (delete as appropriate). I doubt if there is anyone here who hasn't felt the same as that at some time, is there? (rhetorical question - no need to own up!) | ||
| John Forth (John) Username: John Registered: 05-2008 Posted From: 217.20.16.180 |
"the important thing is that we're all working in this brilliant genre, helping to keep the small presses alive" And there was me thinking that the small presses were keeping the writers alive!  | ||
| Carolinec (Carolinec) Username: Carolinec Registered: 06-2009 Posted From: 82.38.75.85 |
It's a circular argument though, John. No writers, no small presses. And no small presses, no market for the writer's books. No market, no readers. No readers, no writers. And so on. | ||
| Rhysaurus (Rhysaurus) Username: Rhysaurus Registered: 01-2010 Posted From: 212.219.233.223 |
I will point out, though, that the horror writing field does seem to have the most petty, vicious and small-minded disputes. That's petty, not pretty. The worst disputes in other genres (SF for example) are highly civilised in comparison. More often than not, I'm glad I'm only marginally involved with the horror genre. I say this as a simple observation from 20 years experience. | ||
| Gary Fry (Gary_fry) Username: Gary_fry Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 86.31.244.154 |
Petty? What do you mean? Gary Mc and I were arguing over a BIG issue the other day. Yes, I'm talking about TEA. The big debate, the one Andrew Marr never goes near for fear of controversy. Is TEA the best drink in the world? Well, is it? I'll chin ya if ye say no . . . | ||
| Ramsey Campbell (Ramsey) Username: Ramsey Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 195.93.21.68 |
"I will point out, though, that the horror writing field does seem to have the most petty, vicious and small-minded disputes. That's petty, not pretty. The worst disputes in other genres (SF for example) are highly civilised in comparison. More often than not, I'm glad I'm only marginally involved with the horror genre." Well, having observed both for the best part of fifty years, I'd say they're about the same - I've seen some feuds in the sf field that were as trivial as they were vicious, and very protracted too. | ||
| Carolinec (Carolinec) Username: Carolinec Registered: 06-2009 Posted From: 82.38.75.85 |
I totally agree with you Gary - tea is the best! In fact, I think I'll go and make myself a cup this very minute ... | ||
| Carolinec (Carolinec) Username: Carolinec Registered: 06-2009 Posted From: 82.38.75.85 |
Ooops, sorry, Ramsey - I was posting "silly" stuff at the same time as you were responding sensibly. | ||
| Stephen Theaker (Stephen_theaker) Username: Stephen_theaker Registered: 12-2009 Posted From: 62.30.117.235 |
Nice one, Johnny. I'd go along with what Stephen Jones said about this kind of stuff at the end of his BNH21 introduction. Rhys, I've never read a comment by a horror writer quite as vicious as Thomas Disch's after the death of Algis Budrys... "Ding dong the witch is dead!" | ||
| Stevie Walsh (Stephenw) Username: Stephenw Registered: 03-2009 Posted From: 194.32.31.1 |
As one looking in from the outside, on the antics of people I respect above all others - writers - I find it profoundly saddening at the amount of petty vitriol, name calling and nasty (as opposed to good natured) winding up that goes into some of these disputes, on all sides. I mean, sometimes you lot are more petulant than professional football players, for heaven's sake! Time to put away the handbags imo. Johnny, Joel & Ally are all decent, talented people - end of story. | ||
| Rhysaurus (Rhysaurus) Username: Rhysaurus Registered: 01-2010 Posted From: 212.219.233.223 |
I humbly defer to Ramsey and Stephen (Theaker) on this point. SF writers and fans can be twats as well. Shame really. Did Disch say that? How dainty of him! | ||
| Stephen Theaker (Stephen_theaker) Username: Stephen_theaker Registered: 12-2009 Posted From: 62.30.117.235 |
I think they had a lot of history, and Disch was suffering from severe depression. | ||
| Carolinec (Carolinec) Username: Carolinec Registered: 06-2009 Posted From: 82.38.75.85 |
To bring this thread back to positive thoughts, I have to say that my experience of this wonderful genre of ours is that you're a really nice bunch of people! I won't embarrass anyone with specific incidents, but my experience has been that the genre is full of helpful, friendly, lovely people. I think the "flare ups" and "backbiting" which goes on is limited to a minority - it's just that everyone notices (and lots of people get hurt and upset) when it happens. You're all really very nice IMHO! | ||
| Des (Des) Username: Des Registered: 09-2010 Posted From: 86.153.239.151 |
Hear! Hear! Caroline. des | ||
| Joel (Joel) Username: Joel Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 217.37.199.45 |
Welcome back, Des. | ||
| Skip (Wolfnoma) Username: Wolfnoma Registered: 07-2010 Posted From: 216.54.20.98 |
If there has been a nicer apology written I have yet to read it. And I don't even know what the fighting was all about since I am pretty much a newbie here. CONGRATS! |