A Week Of Firsts (and we're into the top 5)

Yes, that's right. Five posts to go before the big 1000 here. Watch this space. Cool stuff is being planned. And free stuff, which is probably better.

***

So, the firsts. Last night I stayed up and I watched The Oscars. I'll be honest, I was a bit disappointed and underwhelmed. It simply didn't seem that exciting, or glamorous or, well. Yes. It was a bit of a let down (Melissa Leo, Robert Downey Jnr, and Jeff Bridges aside - I also quite liked Kirk Douglas and was impossibly thankful that I didn't have to put up with anything remotely Gervais like and impressed that Russell Brand's appearance was fleeting).

But what I thought was the biggest let down was the length of time given to the winners to say thanks. Now, I know that there have been occasions in the past where certain people have gone on and on and on and on. But, come on, this is quite the thing for these people - it's quite the accolade - and I'd have liked to have seen a little more time given to the people who'd won stuff. It's their night, after all.

***

My other first is much more exciting. A few people have likened some of my stories to Murakami. I knew this was quite the compliment but I didn't quite get what they meant because I'd never actually read any of his work. My bad. I put that right this week and have started 'After Dark' which I am enjoying immensely. I very much like his style (and am even more flattered by the comparisons). More to come on that, I'm sure.

An Interesting Thing Happened Last Night

Yesterday evening I met up with a friend of mine and his wife (who, I should say, is also a friend). My friend is a writer (of non-fic, but that's kind of irrelevant) and I got to see what happens to me SO often happen to him; I got to be an observer. It made for interesting watching and conversation afterwards.

So. We, the three of us, got into conversation with a pair of chaps who were up here for work.

'What do you do?' one asked my friend.

'I'm a writer,' he replied.

And then it came. That test. That demand for someone to justify, to prove himself.

'Are you published?' asked the chap. 'What books have you written?'

Now, there was absolutely no malice or anything like that in the chap's question. But as my friend said afterwards, when you say you're a writer you almost always have to back it up.

If, for instance, someone said they were a bus driver, I very much doubt that anyone would have followed it up with, 'Really? So have you driven any buses? Have you driven any buses I'd have heard of?'

Or, if someone was a car salesman I doubt whether they'd have been asked if they'd sold any cars. Fish monger? 'Monged any fish?' And so it goes on.

Now, this whole thing raises two interesting points, as far as I'm concerned.

The first being that it can be frustrating to have to justify one's occupation (let's not forget that being a writer doesn't necessarily mean one writes books...). I AM a writer, I shouldn't have to give evidence - or should I? I know I've felt that often there's a level of suspicion when I tell people what I do (in fact, as an aside, I remember saying a little while ago, that I might stop telling people I write books because they often expect me to be far more interesting than I actually am).

(The second part of the first point is: writers can be grumpy and often mistake genuine interest for this supposed demand for evidence.)

Second point: what about those who call themselves writers but have yet to be published? Does someone asking them to prove themselves compound the worries and stresses they'll already have? Does it make them feel like failures? If it does, then does that mean that unpublished folk shouldn't say they're writers/novelists etc until they have something in print?

I'm not sure I know the answers to any of these questions and I'm certainly not suggesting that writers are being picked on - these are just some thoughts I've had that I thought I'd put out there. I'd be curious to know what you folks thought...

***

(6 to go...)

Yours

I am a little bit in love with this at the moment. I think it's fab. And I like sharing. Enjoy!





(7 to go...)

8 To Go

So. Only eight posts to go before I hit the 1,000 post mark. Wowsers. And I think I know what I'll do to celebrate. More of that closer to the time, though you can rest assured that it'll be pretty good. There will be discounts, there will be give aways, there will be signed books up for grabs and, most importantly (because we're all in this together) there will be sharing (and you, dear readers, I hope, will be very much involved).

As I say, more soon.

***

For now I'd like to point you in the direction of, the lovely, Jenny Beattie's blog, where she's had some pretty lovely things to say about Not So Perfect - which is always an ace thing to read - especially as she's very much GOT it. So, a rather big thank you to her.

(Incidentally, if anyone would like to share what they've thought of Not So Perfect on amazon, then I shall not stand in their way. Don't feel you have to but if you did you'd be doing me, and the book, a favour.)

My Friend's In a Huff

How cool is this? My friend, the very talented, Harry Oliver is in The Huffington Post today, talking about one of his books and the origins of expressions. It's rather interesting stuff. Go see.

And more of Harry's books here.

(9 posts to go...)

Things Like This Make Me Happy

I am a big believer in sharing. I like the idea of sharing good stuff, of helping to spread the good word of good literature. That kind of thing. And I try to do it on here, as much as I can. (This blog isn't always only about me, I hope!)

That's why seeing this kind of thing makes me happy. Not just because MY book's on there, but because it's on there with others, for people to see. A big thank you to top bookseller and brilliant writer (and, no, I'm not just saying that - it is very much true) Sara Crowley for taking the time to do things like this and also for posting pics like this one... (She didn't have to, you know.)

***

(Only 10 posts to go till the 1000th now...)

If You're Alone Today, It's All Right

(11 to go...)

V Day

So, it's that day when greetings cards companies are about as happy as they get. Oh yeah, and people talk about, and celebrate, that crazy little thing called love. Which is no bad thing. It makes the world go 'round after all, doesn't it?

Now, anyone who's read my stories or my books may have noticed that I don't do love stories. Not in the traditional sense. Mostly, when love's involved, it's in some sort of tragic way. I'm not very good at love - and I have tried. And that's why, perhaps, I have so much admiration for anyone who CAN do love well.

So, in the spirit of that, and in the spirit of Valentine's Day. Here's love done, in my opinion, very well.

First up, Jaymay. I LOVE the words here and the story as much as the sentiment. If I were to ever get married I think this might be a strong contender for first dance.




And then there's this. I don't think it matters which version you listen to, it's simply a beautiful, beautiful thing. I think an old Johnny Cash singing it gives it a little extra. It feels as though he's had years to know that this is exactly how he feels.




Any other suggestions?

***

And only 12 posts to go now, till the big 1000!

Your Suggestions Please

As I mentioned briefly yesterday, I noticed that I'm not too far off the 1000th entry here, on the blog.When I started it (to babble on about this book) in 2006 I think I kind of hoped I'd still have something to say a few posts/years down the line. And I'm very, very lucky because I have. And I'm very, very lucky because you folks keep coming back here and reading what I have to say (or should that be: indulging me?).

Anyway, without wanting to come across as arrogant or anything horrid like that, and to show my appreciation to everyone who's read what I've had to say here on my little old blog, I'd like to do something to mark the occasion. I'd like to celebrate it with you.

So, if anyone has any suggestions as to how we might celebrate this (mid-sized) milestone - do leave a comment.

And, if there's anything you'd like to see here, or for me to talk about, then let me know. I'll do my best to oblige.

(I've just had a look at the first few posts I did and found this photo, from the August of 2006. I doubt that suit still fits me.)

13 posts to go...

Nearly 1000

I've just noticed that in fourteen more posts I'll have hit 1000. Which is a lot. Any idea on how we can celebrate? Come on, let's have some suggestions...

Nearly 80 and Rejections

No. The title does not relate to how old I might be feeling. I'm actually feeling rather well at the moment. Let's hope that lasts.

"Nearly 80"  refers to the number of stories I've read over the past seven days, while being Guest Editor at the wonderful Smokelong Quarterly. I enjoyed it enormously, mostly, because the majority of those stories were really, really good, if not excellent. Which makes picking a winner very difficult. You will have to wait until the middle of next month to see which I picked.

What I wanted to say though - and this is An Important Thing, for any writer - is that even really excellent stories get rejected and being rejected isn't necessarily a reflection of a story's quality. Sometimes, of course, it is - and that's an easy thing to fix: keep writing and keep improving. But what to say to the writers of good stuff that, despite it being good has been rejected? Mostly: don't take it personally. Look for potential new homes for it and accept that, sometimes, it's not what an editor's looking for. Simple as that.

Of course, you should look at your story again and see if it can be improved, whether or not you've achieved what you wanted to achieve with it. And you should probably call the person who rejected it an idiot. I'm fine with that.

But don't, whatever you do, give up.

Someone said to me once that 'getting rejections means you're a writer' and they were right.

So, thanks to all who sent things in and I'm sorry if I've disappointed people in rejecting them. But at least I know that everyone I did say 'no' to is a writer. And that can't be too bad a thing, surely...!

News

The very lovely Claire Marriott has a piece in the current issue of Writers' News about the evolution of language. It's a good piece, and interesting. And there's a bit from me in there too, on why I'm drawn to short fiction.

And I said (among other things you'll have to buy the magazine to see..) this:

"I like that, in the short form, we're able, as writers and as readers, to get right to the point. We have the opportunity to tell the story of a moment, or a series of moments, efficiently and in one sitting. Often, the stories are exactly as long as the moments they're telling and I think that means that they can be effective, affecting and - I hope - accessible and, in some way, familiar. It's a bit like a first kiss - it may not last all that long but it stays with us for a long, long time."


I just thought I'd mention it.

Busy, busy

Well, I've been reading stories for Smokelong for six days now and I've been terribly impressed by the quality of what's been sent in. Picking one winner is going to be very, very difficult. But there are still a couple of days to go so, you know, you still have chance to have something considered. Just saying...