When I first started out on Twitter I was obsessed with the retweet button. I looked enviously upon people whose tweets were constantly reposted and fantasised that one day I would compose a 140-character message loaded with so much semantic gunpowder that it would fly around the world and light up computer screens from Inverness … Continue reading Twitter, eh? Bloody hell
Resolution
I'm not much of a one for New Year resolutions these days (see this post for evidence). For years I resolved faithfully each January to get a short story published. It might have helped matters if I'd actually written a few. And now I have - written a few, and had a smaller number rendered … Continue reading Resolution
(Almost) the last post
I'm delighted to have a story in this year's Federation of Writers (Scotland) anthology, Tracks in the Sand. As well as being a tapestry of good writing from these parts, it's put together by people who evidently care about what gets shoved between the covers. There's a lot of anecdotal evidence around that the quality … Continue reading (Almost) the last post
High notes and horned helmets: An interview with Gale Martin
One of my favourite pieces of writing advice comes from Raymond Chandler: “When in doubt, have a man come through a door with a gun in his hand.” In a similarly succinct vein there’s what’s evolved as the first unwritten rule of Nanowrimo: "If all else fails, have ninjas burst through the wall and attack … Continue reading High notes and horned helmets: An interview with Gale Martin
Of spoilers and Star Wars
I watched Star Wars for the first time ever the other week. (I know, I don’t know what I used to do on Easter Mondays either.) Thanks to the warp speed at which cultural life now operates, in just 30 years it has attained the status of a classic. Like Shakespeare’s plays, it is simultaneously … Continue reading Of spoilers and Star Wars
Making a killing: Reflections on The View From Here
Every story’s path to publication is a story in itself. In the case of Bright Eyed and Bushy Tailed, which went up on The View From Here website today, a small epic. I started writing it more than three years ago, in the early months of 2008. I had a sense when I’d finished it … Continue reading Making a killing: Reflections on The View From Here
Fighting colours: Talking Northern Ireland sport with Teddy Jamieson
My second blog guest in as many months is the Herald's excellent magazine writer Teddy Jamieson, whose first book (see right) casts a perceptive eye over the sporting landscape in the place where he grew up - Northern Ireland. Read on if you want to know which is the best supported football club in all … Continue reading Fighting colours: Talking Northern Ireland sport with Teddy Jamieson
Tension and tentacles: An appointment with Jonathan Pinnock
I’m delighted to welcome as my first blogging guest Mr Jonathan Pinnock, whose novel Mrs Darcy vs the Aliens has just landed in unsuspecting bookshops up and down the country. His ribald extraterrestrial Regency period mashup began life as an online web serial and has had an interesting gestation to say the least. (Jon is also … Continue reading Tension and tentacles: An appointment with Jonathan Pinnock
If publishing’s in the Last Chance Saloon, I’m ordering lunch
For the last 18 months I’ve been attending a group in my home town where writers, agents, publishers and anyone else with an interest in the book business meet, chat and have a few drinks. More often than not it goes like this: someone from the industry stands at the microphone and tells everyone that … Continue reading If publishing’s in the Last Chance Saloon, I’m ordering lunch
Chippings from the quarry #2: The railing
A thing I remembered recently: I’m really bad at hand gestures. Shouldn’t do them. It’s the same with dancing. Anything to do with spontaneous body posturing is just not my field. Fortunately I realised this and acted on it before the guy sprung from the ledge.It happened like this. I was on my way to … Continue reading Chippings from the quarry #2: The railing