Thoughts about things I’ve written or read or heard or seen. An attempt to stay positive in a turbulent world.
Recent Articles
And now for a complete rewrite
When George Plimpton of The Paris Review [pages 6-7] asked Hemingway why he rewrote so many times, he said: I do it to get the words right He was right. Of course he was right. He always is. (He also wrote standing up. Perhaps I should try that.) Since 16 June, when I delivered what...Continue reading→
Thursday last …
… on Thursday last I gave my second novel, whose working title is Hope Remains, to my agent. And now I feel oddly bereft. I have become so used to spending my days immersed in the sadnesses and joys of the characters, in watching them move about in my head, in omitting long passages that...Continue reading→
Not posting, but writing
I’m working on my second novel so I won’t be posting for a while (not even to MAT). I don’t know how long a while is, and I won’t know until I get there, but the SOED says: A period of time, considered with respect to its duration. and, a little less obliquely: The time...Continue reading→
The White Tiger wins the Man Booker
Congratulations to Aravind Adiga whose first novel, The White Tiger, won the Man Booker prize last night. Michael Portillo – chair of the 2008 judges – said it ‘knocked his socks off’. I haven’t read it yet, so I’ve still got my socks on … but I heard Adiga interviewed this morning on the Today...Continue reading→
The Troubadour Cafe
The Troubadour is, as they say on their website, a proper cafe. It’s been around for years but it just gets better and better. It’s in London, find out where here, and it’s in Speaking of Love because, in the Sixties in London, it was the place for poets to read and perform their poetry....Continue reading→
The Man Booker Shortlist
So here they are: Aravind Adiga The White TigerSebastian Barry The Secret ScriptureAmitav Ghosh Sea of PoppiesLinda Grant The Clothes on Their BacksPhilip Hensher The Northern ClemencySteve Toltz A Fraction of the Whole Two first novels have made the shortlist, Adiga’s and Toltz’s, which is wondeful. But I’m very sad that John Berger’s book didn’t...Continue reading→
SW11 Literary Festival
I know I said I wasn’t going to post for a while because I’m writing … but I thought you might like to know that the SW11 (London) Literary Festival begins on Monday 8 September and ends on Monday 29 September. Here’s what Wandsworth Council – the organisers – say about it: The SW11 Literary...Continue reading→
Writing, not Posting
I am writing or, more to the point, doing this before I write. I have laid the foundations and now I’m building the trellises and the supports around which the plants of my story will grow. (image found here) I still agree with John Fowles when he says that writing is an organic process. He...Continue reading→
The Booker Longlist
I’m a bit late … it was announced on 29 July, here, but here they are: Aravind Adiga The White TigerGaynor Arnold Girl in a Blue DressSebastian Barry The Secret ScriptureJohn Berger From A to XMichelle de Kretser The Lost DogAmitav Ghosh Sea of PoppiesLinda Grant The Clothes on Their BacksMohammed Hanif A Case of...Continue reading→
Boldness
Sheri at One of the Best Things posted this (two quotes about writing and ideas). Which inspired me to post, in a comment, Goethe’s wonderful words: Whatever you can do, or dream you can, begin it. Boldness has genius, power and magic in it. And then I thought I’d post them here too, for double...Continue reading→
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