Happy birthday to my big brother, Steve! Wandering the Howff again, trolling for material I suppose as always. That’s what I do all the time. You know that by now, don’t you? That’s what writers do: absorb everything and turn it sideways and fit it into stories. You have to turn it slant, as Emily…
Category: inspiration
The Magic Pencil
I’m a guest over at Women Writers, Women Books this week: Casting the Writer’s Spell In my creative writing courses, I wave my magic pencil over my students and declare them to be writers—at least for the duration of the semester. After that, I say, it’s up to them to take over the spell. They…
Writer Wednesday: Post Card Fiction Prizes
Making your mark in the world can be a tenuous thing; as long as the good will of others holds up or their indifference doesn’t take over, you stand the chances of being forgotten within your lifetime. You may find fame and fortune, but the odds are against it. So don’t be depressed by that!…
Friday’s Forgotten Books: Jean Craighead George
I was saddened to hear of the death of Jean Craighead George yesterday. I think Liz Hand first published a link on Facebook, but loads of others shared the news with the same feeling of loss for her absence and joy for her vivid adventures of the outdoors. One of my former students said she…
Six Sentence Sunday: The Claddagh Icon
Another Sunday has rolled around; in the States it’s Mother’s Day, so happy Mother’s Day to my mother and all the other mothers out there. It’s also Six Sentence Sunday, so I’ve selected another story to tease you with. It’s definitely a tease, because while I’ve sent the story off to my publisher in Italy,…
Reviews: Guerilla Blues & Beowulf
Guerrilla BluesAlessandra Bava People tend to think writers give their friends good reviews because they’re pals; the truth is you become friends with people who write stories or poems that inspire you to be better, to do more, to aim for dizzying heights. My jester — the poet of Rome — Alessandra’s new collection offers…
Writer Wednesday: Postcards, Bits & Bobs
The deadline is fast approaching for the inaugural Postcard Fiction Contest! Be sure to get your entries in the mail to me in order to be in the running for that $25 prize. Deadline is May 15, 2012. I’m interviewed over at Vic Watson’s blog about some of my current projects. Drop by, share, leave…
Tuesday’s Overlooked A/V: What is Creativity?
Sculpture by David Batchelor at the McManus Rabbit, rabbit! First of May and sumer is icumen in, lhude sing cucu! If you’re out protesting in the streets, I hope you’re enjoying a fine day. My film today is a bit of an odd choice, truly in the spirit of the “overlooked” like no other I’ve…
Writer Wednesday: Postcard Fiction Contest
An inspiration I had: a contest to celebrate brevity in fiction. Write a story that fits on a postcard! Send it to me. I’ll choose my favourite and give it a prize — let’s say $25. Entries open now until 15th May, 2012. All postcards I have received through that date will be in the…
Six Sentence Sunday: Horse Clock
This story was inspired by — wait for it — the clock on my mantelpiece and the Sekhmet postcard my friend Joey gave me. It started as a caption for the picture on my Facebook page. I liked the blue tone which resulted from the wrong setting on the phone (“fluorescent”? maybe). My friend Richard…