Farewell and vale Ursula Le Guin. Thank you for going down a left-handed path, and showing the likes of me a way. Even if I am late, and lost, and have not yet tapped all the stories stored in the container of my imagination. Thus, I am reading, again, your essay "The Carrier Bag Theory … Continue reading Over the edge of the world
Stories
Writing the dark side
In a writing group a member explained she had been criticised by a teacher for creative writing which featured a bleak theme. She was told no one reads dark stories. This is clearly wrong. I think her teacher meant "I don't read bleak stories." Of course our group came up with examples that contradicted her … Continue reading Writing the dark side
In deep
No man ever steps in the same river twice, for it's not the same river and he's not the same man. - Heraclitus I am getting to understand that in the swimming pool, the volume of the water bears you up as much as it weighs you down. One week I swore it was the deep end that was hard … Continue reading In deep
Nightswimming (classes)
Nightswimming deserves a quiet night. I made a decision when I was sick some months ago. Simple as sending an email when I couldn't sleep to change, put things in reverse. And learn. Now in my second term, the water seems more welcoming. Still. It's so much clearer. Each evening I leave my stuff at the water's … Continue reading Nightswimming (classes)
Amusing Me: to be or Knottbee.
Well reader I did it. A couple of posts ago I mused about setting up a blog (or some such) to publish some short story-like things I have stored in my computer from years ago. I can now announce it is done, or at least started. The site, called the Adventures of the Affronted Falcon, … Continue reading Amusing Me: to be or Knottbee.
Speaking ill of creativity
In my fevered imaginings last week as I lay sick, and in pain, I believed and almost still believe, I have an older sister called Nadine who died as a child. Am tempted to interrogate family members on this as it seemed so oddly specific. Then I concluded Prince Charles would never be king because … Continue reading Speaking ill of creativity
100 words before sleep
I couldn't sleep last night. Not for hours. So I wrote a Drabble for a contest over at 10 Minute Novelists, and the more likes it gets the more chance I have of winning (renown I think). A Drabble (named for Margaret Drabble) is a story that is exactly 100 words long and this contest had … Continue reading 100 words before sleep
And then I remembered
Completely forgetting about a short story being published is just one of the many ways I can tell I haven't coped very well with some less than wonderful personal happenings at the end of December and into January. But's that was how it was. And, I had a good day today full of art, and … Continue reading And then I remembered
Only stories left alive
Avoiding space Space is the ultimate void with which we fill with stories, because human nature abhors a vacuum. After seeing Rogue One and reading various articles about women and Star Wars (especially since the passing of Carrie Fischer) and after happening on a Twitter thread about symbolism in the Aliens franchise, space seems just … Continue reading Only stories left alive
Abracadabra
In headline news: a story published and a story submitted and a story rejected. I definitely got the feels all the kids are talking about. Should you wish to read my little story please follow this link. It is entitled Thoth for reasons that will soon become apparent should you mosey over to the Fewer than … Continue reading Abracadabra
Writing Bec 