NextRead

Neil Gaiman has made a lovely post about writing. Here’s an extract:

Neil Gaiman - Neil Gaiman’s Journal: Why write?
The best thing about writing fiction is that moment where the story catches fire and comes to life on the page, and suddenly it all makes sense and you know what it’s about and why you’re doing it and what these people are saying and doing, and you get to feel like both the creator and the audience. Everything is suddenly both obvious and surprising (”but of course that’s why he was doing that, and that means that…”) and it’s magic and wonderful and strange.

I really really need to write more, and after an 18 month recharge it might be time to put pen to paper again. Have I mentioned I have a degree in Creative Writing?

And the Winner is:

Anne Enright takes the Booker | Special Reports | Guardian Unlimited Books
Against all the odds, and seeing off competition from favourites Ian McEwan and Lloyd Jones, rank outsider Anne Enright was tonight awarded the Man Booker prize for her “powerful, uncomfortable and even at times angry book” The Gathering.

Here’s what the bookerthon judges Dovegreyreader and John Self thought and I’m underwhelmed and unexcited. I’m still going to read Darkmans when it comes out in a more wallet friendly paperback. Not sure about the others though…

The BBC has a feature called 10 ways to get you to read a book:

BBC NEWS | Magazine | 10 ways to get you to read a book
As the Man Booker Prize looms, every competing publisher has every finger crossed that their book will be boosted into the stratosphere. But what are the reasons a book sells well?

No.1 being work of mouth - I wonder if bookblogs like this one could be considered work of mouth? I know it’s more words of a screen but hey.

The surprising one is No.3 Richard and Judy aka Oprah - they may single out a few books that go on to sell bucket loads but their effect on what is published can’t be all that surely. They don’t recommend the types of books I read.

I keep meaning to take some pictures of my four Ikea Billy Bookcases all double stacked with books but I find the idea kind of scary. What if there are books that are going to embarrass me on there! Bridget Jones’s Diary is certainly one.

Scott Pack has just announced a book that is right up my street - shame it’s going to take a while to come out. Though there is the original site for here

Me And My Big Mouth: Who Needs Frankfurt?
Shadowmagic by John Lenahan
Professional magician Lenahan’s debut novel for young adults (of all ages) set in the mythical Irish land of Tir na Nog.

The reading is going slowly and the reading pile is slowly going up. I just can’t get into it a the moment - but I hope I won’t be keeping you to long before I post the next review.

There is a new website devoted to the short story called The Fix:

The Fix | About
From the publisher of Interzone, Black Static, and Crimewave, The Fix online, like its print incarnation, provides you with in-depth reviews of short fiction from the full spectrum of magazines, webzines, anthologies, and single-author collections in the industry. We’ll also bring you interviews, a range of features and columns, and insightful articles and observations.

Oh and if anyone wants to offer me a job in the Cardiff area I’m free! Sadly.