31 Monday Jan 2011
Posted in Not So Perfect, Smokelong Quarterly
Just a quick one to let you know that submissions for my week of reading for Smokelong Quarterly are open. So, send me something brilliant please. Before next Monday.
And whoever’s story I choose gets a copy of Not So Perfect. What’s not to like?
And as a brief aside – please could you not tell me when you’ve sent something in. I need to be totally impartial and have absolutely no clue who’s written what.
Get to it!
27 Thursday Jan 2011
Posted in Michael Czyzniejewski, Smokelong Quarterly
Next week, for one week starting Monday, I’ll be the guest editor over at the wonderful Smokelong Quarterly.
It is an honour. Smokelong has been about my favourite place for short fiction for a good few years. The stories they publish are consistently brilliant and interesting. It’s a quality place. I can still remember how thrilled I was when they published one of my stories.
So, if you’ve got something (which is less than 1000 words) that you think is particularly brilliant, why not send it in? I’d love to read it.
You can read the guidelines here. And here’s one of my favourite stories that have appeared there recently. It’s called ‘Pregnant With Peanut Butter‘ by the brilliant Michael Czyzniejewski.
Good luck!
25 Tuesday Jan 2011
Posted in films
I’m a pretty big fan of stories. This should not surprise you, I know. And I don’t only mean written ones. Stories are everywhere: in life, on the streets of towns and cities and in people’s houses and heads; they’re in films and on radio and just about everywhere. And that’s exciting. Mostly, because a lot of them are waiting and wanting to be found.
But today, I’d like to focus on films. I don’t watch as many films as I should (not a conscious decision, it’s just how things are) and I thought I’d mention a few I’ve watched recently that I’ve thought excellent and that you may just want to check, if you’ve not done already. (Actually, if you have, it’s nice to know what you thought…)
So…
and an old favourite
21 Friday Jan 2011
Posted in Me and My Big Mouth, Not So Perfect
Rather thrilled to be mentioned here. And mentioned in the same sentence as Murakami no less. Cripes.
(I’m just looking forward to him reading Aimee Bender.)
(And, nope, no word from Jaymay. Yet…)
20 Thursday Jan 2011
Posted in Jaymay
Confession/Disclaimer: I am a little bit in love with Jaymay.*
I have been listening to, and loving, her music for a little while now and I think I know why (her album’s here by the way – I would recommend it highly). Sometimes art simply works. But I think it rarely (if ever) works without reason. There has to be craft there and there has to be truth. There has to be that special, that magical, that certain something. And all that has to appear to be effortless. And it has to move me (a person) in some way. It has to feel right in what it is.
And Jaymay’s music does that. It’s brilliant and it’s moving and there’s a universal truthfulness to it.
Take this one, ‘Rock, Scissors, Paper’. Listen to it. And I mean listen to the words. There’s a story there. It’s a story. A good story.
It simply works. Magic, see!
*And if Jaymay ever happens to be reading this and ever happens to be in the UK and at a loose end, then she is more than welcome to join me for coffee and conversation about art and stories and, well, whatever she likes.
19 Wednesday Jan 2011
Posted in Uncategorized
My laptop died the other day. To be honest, it’d been on its last legs for a while so it shouldn’t have come as a surprise (must say that it lasted longer than most I’ve had – almost two years). But it broke. And that kinda messed up my week. Mostly, because I couldn’t work.
So I bought another. And, for one reason and another (and another, and another) it took all of yesterday afternoon, and most of today, to get up and running. As a result, I’m a little behind with replying to things again. But I promise, I am on it. If you’re waiting for something from me, you shouldn’t be waiting all that much longer.*
* Yes, DO cross your fingers please.
13 Thursday Jan 2011
Posted in Bargain, Kelly Link, Magic For Beginners
So, last night I snuggled up with Magic For Beginners, by Kelly Link. From what I’ve read it’s something rather special. For the first time in ages I was able to read a story for what it is (something marvellous), and not get side-tracked by bullshit (I seem to have been side-tracked by bullshit a lot recently).
Anyway, I thought it was ace. And, for the stingier among you, you can read it for free here. You can visit Kelly’s website here – and that’s free too.
More soon…
12 Wednesday Jan 2011
Posted in Joe Strummer and theMascaleros
Not much to report here, really. So here’s some more music. It’s about take-away food. And music. You gotta love the words.
08 Saturday Jan 2011
I’ve been listening to The Wildhearts a lot recently. I used to listen to them an awful lot when I was younger. Their (brilliant) album PHUQ was rarely out of my cassette player (yes, that long ago).
And listening to them again (after far too long) I’m reminded just how good and underrated they are. They did proper songs. They didn’t compromise. They (well, Ginger, I’m assuming) wrote proper, honest, words. And words are so, so, so important.
Words such as:
‘Now that I’ve changed and the rest have all stayed
well, why do I feel so confused?
some of the best of me plans have been laid
and some of me best moments used
Some of the shit has sprouted in roses
and some of the roses have died
forced by meself to follow conviction
and ignore what I’m missing inside
I’ve been loved by the sweetest and hated by heroes
life’s still (a) surprise and the friends come and go
Wonderful.
And they could/can play live too. I give you exhibit A:
And the magnificent (and magnificently titled) exhibit B (the lyrics of which are most definitely worth looking up. Wonderful stuff – also wonderful is what they do with Day Tripper but I shall leave you to discover that for yourselves.).
06 Thursday Jan 2011
Posted in Anne Sexton, Caroline Smailes, Not So Perfect, ramble away
I think the best bit about being a writer with a book out (especially one like me) is when people get your work. And I’ve been lucky in that sense, really lucky, because that’s what people, in the main, have done. They’ve got my stories. And they’ve liked them too, mostly. Seriously, it’s a wonderful feeling.
It was a wonderful feeling too, seeing that someone has said that Not So Perfect was their book of the year. Seriously, thank you, Catt. That means an awful lot. And I know I’m in particularly good company – as well as being a good friend of hers, I’m a pretty huge Caroline Smailes fan – and I love Anne Sexton’s poetry.
So again, thank you, Catt. That means an awful lot. And thanks too to all who’ve got my stuff, whether they’ve told me or not.
