I just heard the news about Rik Mayall and I'm so sad. When I was 10, I used to strut around the playground sticking two fingers up at people and snorting and calling them fascist and Thatcher and drawing anarchy signs on my homework diary because I wanted to be Rick from The Young Ones. I had no idea who Trotsky was but thanks to Rik Mayall, … [Read more...]
Short stories come in pairs
When I write short stories, I write them in pairs. This is why: I think the best gift a writer could have would be the ability to read their own work as if they'd never seen it before. But a truly objective perspective on your own work is impossible. It helps to leave a draft in the draw for a few days, weeks or months, but I've found that if I … [Read more...]
Reading and workshop at the London Short Story Festival, 21 June 2014
I'll be reading at an event called 'The weird and wonderful world of short stories' alongside fellow reality-benders Dan Powell and Robert Shearman at The London Short Story Festival on 21 June 2014, 11am–12pm. We'll be chaired by Tania Hershman. The event is at Waterstones Piccadilly. Tickets are £8. Full event details and booking here. An hour … [Read more...]
Reading at the Literary Kitchen Festival, London, 20 June 2014
I'll be reading alongside Stuart Evers, Naomi Wood and Douglas Cowie at the Literary Kitchen Festival on Friday 20 June. The event runs 7–11 at The Peckham Pelican. Tickets are £5/£3 concessions. Full event details and booking here. The festival is on 16–22 June 2014, and includes open-studio workshops; readings from folk such as Evie Wyld, Adam … [Read more...]
How do you like your story endings, open or closed?
Do you want clear answers at the end of a story, or do you prefer doing a little investigative work and close reading to unpick the clues, or do you dig story endings that are wide open, where you can chew over the story and make your own interpretation? I ask because I got another email this week from someone who'd read my story, The Stormchasers, … [Read more...]
Filofax, I missed you
One of my current obsessions is watching Filofax tours. If you search 'Filofax' on YouTube, you'll find hundreds of videos of people talking through the contents of their Filofaxes. They're fascinating, and strangely comforting. Seeing how other people organise their lives, what they choose to record about their daily activities, the tools they … [Read more...]
My week in painkillers
I just had the worst week. The pain following my tooth extractions built every day till Thursday as the swelling got worse and my cheeks puffed out into full chipmunk mode. I had to write down in my diary all the painkillers I was taking so I didn't double up on different meds or overdose, and so I knew exactly when I could take the next … [Read more...]
Short story course at Arvon – places available
There are a couple of places available on a short story course I'm teaching with Jane Feaver in May. It's a 5-day residential course at Arvon Totleigh Barton in Devon. Our mid-week guest reader is Lucy Wood. All abilities welcome. Full details here. If you've not been on an Arvon week before, check out my blog post about my first experience of … [Read more...]
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