Alien Items
Alien Items - An Oolite Anthology
Alien Items – an Oolite Short Story Anthology
In 1984 two Cambridge Graduates David Braben and Ian Bell created one of the most amazing and enduring computer games… ever. It was called simply “Elite”. This game was unusual for its time, it was open ended, the player had a goal, but could effectively do what they wanted within the limits of the game’s capabilities. What the game couldn’t deliver, player’s imaginations filled in the gaps helped in no small part by the excellent user manual and novella supplied with the game written by the late, great Robert Holdstock.
The game has inspired many imitators and re-imaginings, one of the most successful is the game Oolite. That game has also inspired the imaginations of many, just as Robert Holdstock’s Novella, The Dark Wheel did all those years ago. It started with self-publishing author Drew Wagar, but he gathered around him a cadre of other writers, including Wordwatchers member John Hoggard.
Drew gathered up a baker’s dozen of the best Oolite inspired fan-fiction and as editor-in-chief pummelled the stories into a consistent format suitable for publication and wrapped them into the short story Anthology Alien Items.
Wordwatchers member John Hoggard, writing under his online gaming non de plume of DaddyHoggy, contributes two stories to the collection, Lazarus and Snake Charming.
Alien Items can be downloaded, for free, in a number of e-book formats, directly from Drew’s website – here.
John Potter's sensational fast-paced thriller, available now. 
John Potter explores the interesting balance between solitude and collaboration. 
Charlotte Betts' wonderful historical novel, available now. 
now, Wordwatchers' own Charlotte has been featured in Writing Magazine.