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
‘Are you sure that’s the saying?’ Paris asked. Helen nodded. The couple stared up at the giant wooden horse that had appeared overnight outside the walls of Troy. ‘Absolutely,’ Helen said eventually. ‘Never look a gift horse in the arse.’ ‘I thought it was mouth.’ Paris was a simple man, but to him it looked … Continue reading Flash fiction: The gift horse
Eve looked at the serpent. ‘So you are saying if we eat this apple we’ll get really clever?’ The serpent squirmed a little. He was still getting used to his new marketing role. He was telling the truth, obviously, just not ALL of it. ‘Yes,’ he hissed, nervously. ‘Cleverer.’ ‘And no side effects?’ asked Eve, … Continue reading Flash fiction: The apple
https://hawkeyebooks.com.au/winning-short-story-competitions/ By L.E. Daniels and C. Sawyer I bought this book on a whim: it’s an Australian publication and I live in the U.K. so not entirely sensible to get it posted (there’s no electronic copy). I’m glad I did, although it’s been excruciating to read. Not because it’s badly written - it’s excellently written. … Continue reading Review: Winning short story competitions
Just waving 