Not with a bang, with a whimper...

On Wednesday it was reported that the Large Hadron Collider - the £3.6bn machine that's supposed to re-create the effects of the Big Bang - has broken down. Apparently a large amount of helium leaked into the tunnel on Friday, forcing the particle accelerator to be shut down, and, as a result, the LHC will be out of action until next year. So, it looks like we can all breathe a sigh of relief. There aren't going to be any Black Holes appearing under the Swiss Alps anytime soon.

What I want to knew is, did James Bond (or somebody like him) discover that the LHC was actually part of some insane megalomaniac billionaire's plan for world domination and shut it down falling some dramatic, and improbable, battle underground. I think the truth should be told!

This is the way the world ends
Not with a bang but a whimper.
—T.S. Eliot, The Hollow Men (1925)

Mood Music

I used to buy a lot of music. Every week or so I would pick up a new album or a classic CD to enjoy. However, I found that the music I listened to when I was writing had a big impact on how well I worked, and how effectively I stayed focused. Basically, classical music was the way to go - music without lyrics - film soundtracks.

These days, as I spend four days a week (plus evenings and weekends) writing, practically the only music I now buy is film soundtracks. The right piece of music helps to create the right mood in which to write.

Whilst writing the dramatic, action-packed chapters that lead up to the climax of my latest novel, Human Nature, I have been mostly listening to The Dark Knight, Beowulf and Casino Royale (specifically track 8, Miami International).

Of course, I have various other soundtracks in my collection, but I would be interested to hear what other people would recommend. Post your suggestions here.

And talking of the Miami International music, check out this remix of the train scene in Spiderman 2 set to the same piece from Casino Royale. It's amazing how much the dramatic highs and lows of the scene match David Arnold's music so well!