Fantasy and science fiction author Neil Williamson’s first story was published in Territories Magazine in 1993. His other stories have been published in magazines such as The Third Alternative, Interzone and Lady Churchill's Rosebud Wristlet. Still more of his stories have been featured in anthologies that include The Thackery T. Lambshead Pocket Guide To Eccentric And Discredited Diseases; Nova Scotia: An Anthology of Scottish Speculative Fiction; and The Elastic Book Of Numbers. In a recent interview, Neil Williamson spoke about his first collection of short stories, The Ephemera (2006).
What is The Ephemera about?
The Ephemera is a collection of varied short stories about the length of time things last for. The stories are all fantastical in some way - science fiction, fantasy, supernatural or magic realism. The collection is made up of stories written over the last ten years or so. It was published by Elastic Press in May. The Ephemera is pretty much a summation of what I’ve written to date, but without the 100% science fiction stuff.
Which aspects of the work that you put into the book did you find most difficult?
I found choosing the stories difficult. There were ones that I wanted to have in there that just didn’t fit. And a whole bunch of new stories that I wanted to write for it, but didn’t have time.
What sets the book apart from the other things you have written?
I co-edited an anthology called Nova Scotia: New Scottish Speculative Fiction in 2005 (with Andrew J Wilson), but this is the first book that’s all my own work.
In your decision to become a writer and in the writing that you are doing, who would you say has influenced you the most?
I’m not sure I ever really decided that, it just sort of happened. I remember deciding that I wanted to give it a try. I’ve always been a reader, and when I was living in London in the early 1990s I got hooked on Interzone magazine. There were some terrific stories being published back then (and still are, check it out), and I admired one story in particular — ‘Well Loved’ by Ian McLeod — so much that I wanted to have a go at creating something like that myself.
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