My scientist thinks they will. I say my scientist, because all of us writers attending the artificial life conference in Sicily got one. Mine was Professor Susan Stepney, a computer scientist at the University of York, and she's working on an incredible project to grow buildings from seed. Yes, buildings (that we live and work in), grown from … [Read more...]
The Mount Etna hat club
Earlier this week, I was stood on the edge of a volcano watching my publisher run down into it. This is not a metaphor. I was near the summit of Mount Etna with Ra Page from Comma Press and writers Robin Yassin-Kassab and Julian Gough. The walk up had been tough - a 45-degree slope of black volcanic marbles that rolled away beneath our feet. … [Read more...]
My Edinburgh Book Festival experience in seven souvenirs
I just got back from three days at the Edinburgh International Book Festival where I was talking about The Stone Thrower at an event with Rodge Glass. It was my first time there and I was overwhelmed by the size of it. The EIBF camp on Charlotte Square is a mini-village with a market square in the middle filled with deckchairs bearing quotes by … [Read more...]
Loving the Zagrebians: a photo-caption blog
I just got back from a spectacular week at the Festival of the European Short Story in Croatia. A whole week of literary mayhem. So much fun. Here's my report, in photo captions: … [Read more...]
Why you should write in your pyjamas, plus a workshop and new books
Write in your pyjamas A couple of weeks ago, I was back at Arvon's Totleigh Barton in Devon tutoring with the lovely Jen Hadfield. We were talking about our own writing habits, and discovered that one process had given us both a creative jump start. Early in our writing lives, Jen and I both read Julia Cameron's The Artist's Way. Have you read … [Read more...]
The London launch at What’s the story?: a photo-caption blog
Last night I launched The Stone Thrower in London at Cathy Galvin's new lit night: What's the story? Chris Paling, David Vann, Zoe Lambert and I read to a sell-out audience of beautiful people at The Society Club in Soho. Here's my picture caption report of the night. Click on any pic to open up the full size gallery. … [Read more...]
My day at the Manchester Literature Festival in bullet points
Had a blast at the Manchester Literature Festival, even if getting there was hell. Here's my report. • Naomi and the boys give me a lift to the train station. • There are men in luminous jackets all over the tracks. • This station is closed today. Eeek. • Naomi and the boys come back, drive me the first 20-min leg of my journey. • Discover … [Read more...]
The naughty angel of the north
The first time I went to the Lancaster Litfest, I went up to Lancaster Priory with Clare Wigfall before our events. One of the guys working there asked us if we'd like to see the practice carvings. These were carvings done on the underside of pews some time around the 1300s by apprentice carvers - I guess before they were let loose on the more … [Read more...]