Person 1: My dog's got no nose. Person 2: Really, how does he smell? Of course he has a nose. But he does smell awful. It's like he found the Brussel Sprouts a week too early. What is going on with him? In our high anxiety household, a smelly dog is no joke. We took … Continue reading My dog’s got no nose …
I feel like a bad mum. I took my son’s phone away. He was reading fantasy books online and I didn’t like it. Wow. Hi my name’s Jackie and I’m a book denier. That doesn’t feel good at all. I learnt to read when I was three. No, really. At least, there was a book … Continue reading At what temperature do digital books burn? Asking for a friend.
George Saunders has a startling mind. It slides off the everyday and shows it slantwise, letting us see ourselves afresh. Saunders, said in The New Yorker recently: ‘What I am trying to do these days, in the story form, is surprise myself - get out beyond my conscious mind and what I already believe and … Continue reading Review: George Saunders
Full disclosure: I am unwell. Not with THAT. I’m 99% sure it isn’t THAT. ‘But how can you tell?’ wails my teenage daughter, who’s been sent home from school for two weeks because she shared a form room with a girl who does have it and as a result is in a state of delicious … Continue reading Review: Some new ambush
Not really. Hair’s a bit longer. I’m a bit fatter. It’s only September. But apart from that. New term at the Open University and I’ve swapped from poetry to fiction. That’s a lot more words to get on the page and a lot more editing, but the idea of reading any more poetry, well ... … Continue reading New year New Me
As you might expect from Stephen King, this book is very readable. It’s part memoir, part thoughts on writing, part chip on shoulder about snippy critics who think he’s too popular (very small chip. A chipette. And he acknowledges it too, so fair play to him). He gives background on his writing career and puts … Continue reading Review: Stephen King – On Writing
My summer of writing competitions. Here’s a virtual trophy to celebrate effort. The one given for ‘Progress’ to the child at the back. That’s me this summer. I’m going to get it engraved. It’s the only prize I’ll get in 2020 and it’s all my own fault. Photo by Giorgio Trovato on Unsplash You get lots of good … Continue reading Walking the writer’s walk
I’m slightly obsessed with David Sedaris. Slightly. Not stalker obsessed. I’ve never written to him. I mean, if one of you happens to know him, feel free to send this to him, but I’m not going to find out how to do it directly. That would be weird. He does live one county over from … Continue reading In praise of David Sedaris
Found this on WordPress. Didn’t write it. Very good! An interviewer once asked me, “If flash fiction were an animal, which animal would it be?” I considered a chicken because you can peck at the stories…13 Ways of Looking at Flash Fiction
Douglas the spider contemplated his dinner nervously. He’d never seen anything quite like this before. ‘Excuse me, but what are you?’ he enquired. ‘Poisonous?’ said the creature, hopefully. It’s response was somewhat muffled, but that was to be expected in the circumstances. Douglas sniffed the bundle. ‘I don’t think so,’ he said, though memories of … Continue reading Flash fiction: Spider
Just waving 