[One of many responses to the How To Issue] How To Guide: World Domination Some people use the holidays to give gifts, bond with families and eat too much. These people will never control the globe. Lots of people have a good string of days off this time of year when they are free of…
Category: writers
History Witch: Anglo-Saxon Death
I think the impulse that defines an academic nature is that one responds to difficult moments by turning to the past to see how others have coped with similar times. So still reeling from unexpected grief, I turn to history as I contemplate the ways we deal with the inevitability of parting from those we…
Harrogate
I wouldn’t say the swanky spa town of Harrogate gets completely taken over by the Theakston’s Old Peculier Crime Fest, but they do go all out. The first thing you see when you get off the train is this: It made me think of how Kalamazoo seems to adjust to the deluge of medievalists every…
The Maltman
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…
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…
Tuesday’s Overlooked A/V: A Gun for George
A Gun for George offers the new Walter Mitty for a 21st century. Terry Finch is a frustrated pulp fiction author and eternal loner looking for brutal revenge on the mean streets of East Kent. This short film offers a fascinating (and funny!) look at a few tropes that are instantly recognisable to any film…
Six Sentence Sunday: Grotesque
Another Sunday has rolled around, giving you the opportunity to spot new writers you might like with the Six Sentence Sunday crew. A great, simple concept that seems to be very effective. My six this week come from a short that’s been under submission for a bit now; I’ve become so good at the “submit…
Friday’s Forgotten Books: The Life of Christina of Markyate
I don’t think there’s much chance of overlap with this week’s choice. The life of a twelfth century recluse: it doesn’t scream popular appeal, I suppose. But it should! A fascinating story and an early biography of a woman in a time when few but kings and saints got their stories told (fortunately at least…
Writer Wednesday: Danielle Ackley-McPhaill
Award-winning author Danielle Ackley-McPhail has worked both sides of the publishing industry for over sixteen years. Currently, she is a project editor and promotions manager for Dark Quest Books. Her published works include four urban fantasy novels, Yesterday’s Dreams, Tomorrow’s Memories, the upcoming Today’s Promise, and The Halfling’s Court: A Bad-Ass Faerie Tale. She is…
Friday’s Forgotten Books: Angelica Lost and Found
When Russell Hoban died, I was among those who went first to Riddley Walker in mourning his passing. Somewhat neglected in the encomia was his latest book at the time, Angelica Lost and Found (though now Soonchild is out, too). Angelica finds its inspiration from Ariosto’s Orlando Furioso and from a painting of a key…