You know how it is, no sooner than you update the writing situation, and bid a fond adieu to September and bam, October announces itself with a story acceptance. A few posts ago I wrote about two short stories I was having a bit of a time placing in publications. This is because these two … Continue reading The way it is
Stuff I Like
Filled with references to stuff I like in music, film, tv, reading, writing, online etc.
Life and writing happens
It happens in the writing life where projects are delayed, writing tasks are suspended, and deadlines are missed. It happens with my own self imposed writing timelines and it happens to the publishers and journals I submit my work to. Frankly, such delays and misadventures are because life happens, and it is happening pretty hard … Continue reading Life and writing happens
Going live
I am very happy to announce a poem of mine has been published over at Lucky Jefferson in their 365 Collection. Please visit if you feel so inclined. There's not much else to say. The poem will stand (or fall) by itself, on its own terms. I am just relieved some of my work is … Continue reading Going live
Somehow, it’s August
I have one flash fiction and one short story that I believe are probably close to the best things I have written so far. What they have in common, apart from me, is they both remain unpublished. I suspect these narratives are not genre-specific enough, but probably slightly too whimsical (?) for the literary publishers. … Continue reading Somehow, it’s August
Watcha watch?
Recent viewing includes the films Relic and, like everyone else, The Old Guard. These are two productions without anything in common except: family, loyalty, love, fear, death and violence. Relic is an atmospheric Australian horror film, full of luscious winter visuals and meaningful weather. The setting does a lot of the heavy lifting in this … Continue reading Watcha watch?
They come not as single spies
Things seem to have changed. Or I have changed. As a poet told me recently, there is the business of writing and the work of writing. The business is the endless search for journals and opportunities, and formatting, and sending submissions. The business has somehow come into alignment. I am finding places that want my … Continue reading They come not as single spies
Some enchanted telling
I was going to review the Tolkien biopic I saw the other day. And I will: it was solid story telling, took some minor appropriate liberties with the source material to heighten the drama, yet didn't compromise much. I enjoyed it. Basically, it was another thoughtful narrative mostly around the effects of a difficult childhood … Continue reading Some enchanted telling
Oh the monotony
I'm hoping this type of announcement post will get extremely monotonous as I reveal a second poem has been accepted for publication (in a different journal to the first one). It turns out sending poetry and stories to publications occasionally works. It's simple but it's still true, and I have been guilty of forgetting this. … Continue reading Oh the monotony
2020: too novel?
A year ago the most ludicrous thing I didn't have to imagine was a petition launched in the UK for a ban on the teaching of Arabic numerals. I thought it was some kind of stunt, but the woman responsible believed numbers were some kind of new fangled way to, I don't know, get whatever … Continue reading 2020: too novel?
Unsubstantiated support
If you're feeling a bit down, as I am in these uncertain, COVID-plagued days, there are things and people to turn to for a boost. I peered into this site's spam folder and discovered insights from anonymous spam-posting bots were the thing I didn't know I needed...and still don't: Very great post. I simply stumbled … Continue reading Unsubstantiated support
