Quick Update
Apologies to anyone who’s been wondering what’s happened to me. I’ve been busy with all sorts of things, including the first draft of a novel and really, I probably ought to be honest with myself and admit that I need to take time off from my blog over the summer. But before I disappear again […]
Lost in a Good Book
Recently I had a few days of feeling under the weather and couldn’t face anything too demanding to read – especially after reading Thomas Mann’s FELIX KRULL: CONFESSIONS OF A CONFIDENCE MAN for my reading group – so turned to some old favourites. For me comfort reading is of two main types: breathless thrillers and […]
Coming Across a New Writer
I well remember how I first came across the work of that fine novelist, Elizabeth Taylor, when I picked up an old Penguin copy of A VIEW OF THE HARBOUR in Austin’s furniture repository and idly leafed through it. I was caught by it and that copy -for which I seem to recall I paid […]
When a Character Comes to Life
Well, strictly speaking, the main character in my new short story, ‘What If?,’ didn’t come to life, he was alive already and having him comment on what I had written about him was one of the strangest and most fascinating events in my writing life. This is how it came about. Last year, Ra Page, […]
But I told you last year that I loved you
As well as a reading life, I do of course have a writing life and it would be a lonely place at times without Sue Hepworth. She reads and comments on everything I write, sometimes several times as my work goes through successive drafts – and I do the same for her. I won’t say […]
Linda’s Book Launch
Something to add to my last blog. The launch of Linda Stratmann’s new novel, THE POISONOUS SEED, is at Waterstone’s Islington Green on Thursday 2 June from 6.30. I can’t be there, but maybe you can? All are welcome.While I’m here I’ll mention that Anne Fadiman’s second book of essays, AT LARGE AND AT SMALL: […]
Chloroform
I spent Thursday to Sunday last week at Crimefest, where I moderated a couple of panels. Linda Stratmann was on one of them. She is the author of a book entitled CHLOROFORM which I’d heard was good – and it is. As far as I’d thought at all about it, I’d been aware of chloroform […]
The Surgeon of Crowthorne
I am working full tilt on the first draft of a new novel and that makes it hard to find time to blog. It also makes it hard to find time to read fiction, or rather, it’s not so much a matter of time, more there is something about being deep in my own narrative […]
Night of the Jabberwock
Martin Edwards’ blog with the wonderful title: ‘Do You Write Under Your own Name?’ is a favourite of mine and I often pick up tips for books I might enjoy, especially in his forgotten books section. Not long ago he wrote a review of a novel by Fredric Brown which made me think that I’d […]