So here’s the thing: I haven’t posted much in a long while, but I have a good excuse: I’ve been working on the first draft of a new book. Well, not so much a first draft as a zeroth draft: 90,000 words of unconnected vignettes that don’t hang together. No change there, you might thinkContinue reading “A Return to the Blog (and a return to the novel)”
Category Archives: The Arts
Review of ‘The Bullet Catcher’s Daughter’ – Rod Duncan
I don’t usually blog about books I’ve read, but I’m going to make an exception for the Bullet Catcher’s Daughter, known to its friends as TBCD. The book deserves all the hype it’s getting elsewhere, and if you haven’t heard about it, then you’ve been spending too much time on the Scottish Referendum. The realContinue reading “Review of ‘The Bullet Catcher’s Daughter’ – Rod Duncan”
My Fury About English Literature GCSEs
Many of my writer friends have been getting very exercised this week about the suggestion that US novels are to be removed from English Literature GCSE syllabus. My Facebook account has caught fire with their indignation. Their excitation arises mainly from articles written by John Sutherland in the Guardian. For reference, look at http://www.theguardian.com/books/2014/may/26/10-american-writers-english-children-study-gcse-michael-Gove thoughContinue reading “My Fury About English Literature GCSEs”
Writing Clubs and Workshops – yes or no?
I recently read a very inspiring blog article on writers’ clubs ( see Mahsuda Snaith’s great post) which championed the power of work shopping prose in front of your peers. It got me thinking about my own experiences with writing groups. I have been associated with two writing groups in my life, and what aContinue reading “Writing Clubs and Workshops – yes or no?”
A Morality Tale Concerning Vinegar
This isn’t exactly about creative writing, but as a writer, I consider it a morality tale about the state of the modern world. Here’s the thing: for as long as I can remember, Sarsons have made vinegar in a convenient little glass bottle with a sprinkler thingy on the top that screwed off when youContinue reading “A Morality Tale Concerning Vinegar”
