Right. I'm going to admit it. I'm a massive cliche. I studied English Literature, I work in publishing, and I'm a blogger. And I write. Fiction. CLICHE. But let's give it a go, ok? Inspired by Hannah of Hannah Reads Stuff and Christa of A Voluptuous Mind, I have had a snoop around writingexercises.com for,… Continue reading An Experiment
Category: Fiction
The Grass Harp by Truman Capote (Part of the Capote Readathon)
This post is part of the Summer Capote Readathon with The Literary Sisters. Feel free to join in! I first read this novella in 2008 when I was in the midst of an obsession with Capote and his writing. I tore through his books and declared him to be one of my favourite writers.… Continue reading The Grass Harp by Truman Capote (Part of the Capote Readathon)
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Capote Readathon: Short Stories (Part One)
As part of the Capote Summer Readathon, Kirsty and I are reading the twelve short stories included in A Capote Reader. For July we have read the first six of these. They vary in length, style, and subject, and they are a joy to read. Which of these have or will you read? Miriam I… Continue reading Capote Readathon: Short Stories (Part One)
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Top 5 Books of 2014… So Far!
Already we have reached the sun of the year, the hot nights and outdoor lunchtimes that tell us it’s summer. Already it is July! We are about half way through 2014, and so it is a good time to look back at the year so far and assess what we’ve done, what we liked and… Continue reading Top 5 Books of 2014… So Far!
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The Blue Room by Hanne Orstavik (tr. Deborah Dawkin)
As a rule I think Peirene Press are pretty fantastic, and their output is always both unusual and interesting. Given that they only publish books that have never before been translated into English, to a degree this makes sense. All the stories are a little quirky and unconventional, which I like. But for me The Blue… Continue reading The Blue Room by Hanne Orstavik (tr. Deborah Dawkin)
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Re-Reading: How to Be a Good Wife by Emma Chapman
This article contains spoilers about key plot points that you will not want to find out if you have not read this book. Or you might want to, but I thought I'd let you know. Recently I wrote about re-reading - why we do or do not choose to re-read certain books, and what we… Continue reading Re-Reading: How to Be a Good Wife by Emma Chapman
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Sisters of Treason by Elizabeth Fremantle
What do you think of when you think of Lady Jane Grey? I instantly think of that horribly famous painting, 'The Execution of Lady Jane Grey' by Paul Delaroche. I remember seeing it first when learning about the Tudors at school and being struck by the sheer whiteness of Jane and her dress, and the… Continue reading Sisters of Treason by Elizabeth Fremantle
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Review of Sugar Hall on The Siren
I have just posted my first review on The Siren, and I could not wait to share it with you! The Siren is an online journal that publishes short fiction, creative writing, book reviews and comment. They very kindly invited me to review Sugar Hall by Tiffany Murray, an intriguing ghost story set near the… Continue reading Review of Sugar Hall on The Siren
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The Bone Seeker by M.J. McGrath
The Bone Seeker begins with both the style and plot of quite a standard crime novel. Teacher and ex-polar bear hunter Edie sees Martha Salliaq on a Friday afternoon at school. Martha drops her bag and make up falls out; Edie notes this is unusual for an Inuk girl. She asks Martha if she is… Continue reading The Bone Seeker by M.J. McGrath
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Song for an Approaching Storm by Peter Froberg Idling
Before reading this book I knew barely anything of the 20th century history of Cambodia. Song for an Approaching Storm attracted me with its cover but also because it ticked several boxes for my current reading tastes as it was by an author I had never read before, was translated, and was about a section of history of which… Continue reading Song for an Approaching Storm by Peter Froberg Idling
These Little Words 