It gets a bit much, this writing malarkey. The weight of my own expectations. The need for validation. Blame my childhood. Blame my hormones. Something. When I get like this I retreat into books. The Artist’s Way tells me it’s imperative to have an Artist’s Date with myself. Quite tricky in lockdown, but there’s always … Continue reading New Year’s Eve 2020
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
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
Just waving 