Me And My Big Mouth

On Friday

Every Friday, myself and a friend (who wishes to remain anonymous) take on a writing challenge.

So far, the challenges have included:

• Five opening lines to novels we will never write
• A board game, reimagined
• A story which starts with a sentence one word long, then two words, then three, all the way up to ten and back.
• A poem as a pill or a spell
• A 100 word story to contain the words 'washing machine', 'sunflower', 'cough' and 'regret'.

We take it in turns to set the challenge and the results are published at out On Friday tumblr blog.

Do please pop on over and take a look. At some point today I have to write a dramatic monologue so watch out for that, it is sure to be a treat.

As an Aside

Once a year or so I like to remind my attractive and fragrant readers of the exciting hot action taking place in my sidebars.

These are the colums to the left and right of the blog where I chuck all sorts of shite that I can't be bothered to write about at length here in the middle.

Allow me to elaborate.

I get sent lots of books to review, 5-10 a week on average, and when they arrive I log them in the New Arrivals column. I cannot possibly read them all but what I promise to do is have a gander at everything I receive, sample a decent chunk and then post my initial thoughts on the Quick Flicks section. These are not proper reviews, and shouldn't be considered as such, but they may well point you in the direction of some interesting books to check out. Or ones to avoid. All a matter of opinion, and certainly an inexact science, but I do want to give everything I receive a fair crack. The stuff I really like goes onto the To Be Read pile and will receive a full review in due course.

When I go to the movies, watch a DVD or see something good on the telly, I post a review in an area called Popcorn Moment. That is a rather silly name, perhaps I should call it something else?

Blogs & Links is self-explanatory but I woud like to point out that I only list the very best blogs and websites here. None of your old goat. If it is on there then it is a consistently excellent place to visit and almost certainly better than hanging around here.

I have been fortunate enough to interview some very interesting writers in the five or six years that this blog has been up and running. The pick of these can be found in the area I like to call Interviews.

Currently Reading is the book I am currently reading. Now Playing is the music I am playing now. There are reading recommendations from my two kids and I will also reveal what tome the wife has her nose in at any given time. Oh, and watch out for Hidden Gems where I attempt to highlight some lesser-known books that I think are rather splendid.

I have probably missed a few but I am sure you get the idea. I try to update these areas regularly, some of them every day, so even if you can't find anything of interest in this middle bit there might be something tasty on the side. So to speak.

Happy browsing!

 

Me and My Short Stories

Last year I read 365 short stories. A different one for every day of the year. I blogged reviews over at the Me and My Short Stories site.

Now that last year is, well, so last year, I am not blogging there as often but I do still post story reviews now and then.

There are a few more up there now actually, if you care to pop over.

Books and Swearing

You have to visit this blog.

It is my favourite thing on the web.

But best not pop over if you are offended by the word 'cunt'.

Don't say I didn't warn you.

Oh, and this one also promises to be great. Albeit with less swearing.

As is this.

Another Polite Reminder

I have another blog called Me and My Short Stories.

I read and review a different short story on there every single day of the year.

Do pop over if you get the chance.

Me and My Short Stories

As some of you are aware I have another blog called Me and My Short Stories. It is part of a year-long project to read a different short story for every day of 2011. Do please pop over if you get the chance, it will, hopefully, point you in the direction of some wonderful short fiction.

Below is a sample entry from last weekend to give you an idea of what you'll find there.

---

Story: The Road to the Shore

Author: Michael McLaverty

Collection: The Granta Book of the Irish Short Story

Despite an introduction by Anne Enright that made me want to throw the book out of the window - sweeping and inaccurate generalisations*, anti-English sentiment** and the fact that she, rather oddly, spends more time quoting American writers than Irish ones*** - I persevered and came upon this rather charming opening story about a group of nuns on their annual visit to the seaside.

McLaverty allows us to peer [I was about to write 'beneath the habit' here but that would be rather inappropriate of me] beneath the surface, the seemingly serene surface of convent life and rewards with a hint of the barely suppressed prejudice, bitchiness and in-fighting that we all secretly hope happens in convents when we aren't looking.

I just hope Enright continues to be better at compiling a story anthology than she is at introducing one.

Rating: ***

* ''Do you know if what you are writing is going to be a short story or a novel?' This is one of the questions writers get asked all the time. The answer is 'Yes,' because the writer also thinks in shapes.'

** 'Ó Faoláin says it pretty much straight out: what he likes in a short story is personality, and the problem with the English is that they don't have any.' and 'Dullness is their national ambition and preoccupation.'

*** Flannery O'Connor and Raymond Carver.

Rainwater Tea

If you are missing me, just a little bit, then I have made a guest appearance on Kat Stephen's blog where I read a poem about a cup of tea.

Go on, have a look.

Go on, go on, go on, go on....

In Short

My other blog, which you can find over here, is now into its fifty fourth day.

For those of you who don't know, I am reading a different short story every day for the whole of 2011 and blogging a review.

I have revisited some favourite stories, dipped into the shorter work of authors I admire and sampled a whole host of writers who are completely new to me.

If I had to pick out some highlights they would be:

Rain on the River by Jim Dodge

The Would-Be Father by Charles Baxter

The Man Who Drew the Brook by Richard Blandford

Philemon and Baucis by Tibor Dery

and

The Littlest Hitler by Ryan Boudinot

Do please pop over if you get the chance.

Shorts

Just a quickie to let you know, if you don't already, that I now have another blog.

On Me And My Short Stories I read a different short story every day and review it.

Not missed a day so far.

Am still posting the usual bollocks here as well.

Award-Winning

(as if I wasn't smug enough already)

Details here.

What You Missed

Well, I am back at work today and I guess many of you are too. No doubt my blog stats will surge back up again as a good 70% of my readers only seem to bother during the working week, so holiday season is pretty quiet.

Not that I am complaining. I probably didn't visit your blogs over Christmas either.

But you may have missed some good stuff.

For example, my list of the best 10 Books of the Year is full of corkers and I am pretty sure all of you could find at least one title to enjoy from amongst them.

Just scroll down to yesterday's post and you will find news of my new blog.

Then there was this interesting thing about the number 241543903.

My Movies of the Year sparked a number of comments here and on Twitter, which isn't bad when you consider most people were away.

And if you have a little root around here you should be able to find my Albums of the Year as well.

Oh, and finally, I'd hate for you to miss out on a free copy of this book or a chance to tell the world how fucking wonderful I am.

That is all. Back to work.

Most Wanted Book Blogger Awards

I have been nominated in the Most Wanted Book Blogger Awards.

Which is nice.

If you visit here, like what you see and can be arsed to vote for me that would be jolly decent of you.

No worries if not, I probably won't bother myself.

2011: A Short Reading Challenge

A couple of weeks ago I was asked by The Times to knock up a couple of hundred words looking forward to the world of books in 2011.

They published my words of wisdom on their website last Saturday (Dovegreyreader got hers into the print version, I was relegated to digital) but, due to the paywall, I am unable to link to the article here.

So I might as well repeat myself for your benefit, especially as there is a bit at the end I am very keen to tell you about:

The landscape of literature is changing and the modern reader is evolving at alarming speed. As evidence of this, 2011 will see ebooks really take hold in the UK and overtake the hardback in terms of influence with the reading public. The format is bringing a remarkable range of books to what is often a new audience and that audience is extremely vocal online, taking word-of-mouth to a higher level than ever before.

But my excitement about these digital developments is tempered by some significant concerns. Agents and publishers need to get their fingers out and ensure that our finest literary voices are fully represented on the format – too many modern classics have yet to be digitised. And newspaper literary pages (both online and off) have to start dedicating space to ebooks or they will seem out of date to the modern reader.

On a personal level I’m looking forward to the first volume of Haruki Murakami’s 1Q84 which is due for publication sometime during 2011, and I am going to immerse myself in a major reading challenge, starting a blog in which I read one short story every day for the whole of 2011.

Yep, in what is either a stroke of blogging genius or an act of complete stupidity, I am going to start an offshoot to Me And My Big Mouth in which I will read a different short story each day and blog about it. More on the project before the year is over.

Grub's Up

My mate Louise has a food blog.

It is called Chop, Stir, Grate.

It is yummy.

Go see.

Fiction Uncovered

May I point you in the direction of new literary website Fiction Uncovered?

I may? How splendid. You are being very accommodating today.

Fiction Uncovered is a website, blog and book promotion aimed at highlighting great fiction - novels, short stories, graphic novels - that has been otherwise overlooked.

It is a great idea and I was delighted to be asked to contribute an entry to their site.

No prizes for guessing which author I picked.

Inadequate, Pimpled, Single

The sex god that is Andrew Marr seemed to upset sectors of the blogosphere this week by suggesting that they are all sad virgins who spend most of their time masturbating into their keyboards.

However, the love gurus at the Independent have countered that argument with a selection of bloggers who 'offer up a unique or interesting perspective which adds to modern day journalism rather than takes from it'.

Quite why they chose me is a bit of a mystery but I am not complaining.

I shall endeavour to use my Midas touch wisely. No more masturbating for a start.

Sunday Digest

If you have yet to sample the delights of Dear Blank Please Blank I would recommend taking a peek. I have recently submitted the following entry:

Dear Um Bongo,

We have never even heard of you, let alone drunk any of your cartons of juice.

Sincerely,

the people of The Congo

Writer Jonathan Pinnock has posted a great review of the last Firestation Book Swap over at his blog.

And we also had a lovely write up in the Vancouver Sun of all places.

Which was nice.

 

Syndication's What You Need

As Roy Castle might have said, if he hadn't died before the internet took off.

Far be it from me to blow my own trumpet but I was chuffed to be asked by The Word Cloud, a writing forum from the people behind The Writers' Workshop, if they could syndicate my blog on their site. They seem to think that it might be of interest to their members.

Naturally, since they started chucking my posts up there I have written almost nothing about books or writing.

Ho hum.

Do have a gander at their site if it sounds like your bag.

Repeat: Nearest And Dearest

A reminder of one of the most moving blog posts I have ever read. Get your hankies out.

I am a cynical old bugger and am rarely moved by anything I read but browsing through John Lenahan's blog recently I came across this post and realised what an amazing writer he is.  It shouldn't come as a surprise really as I have signed up his debut novel but reading his fantasy fiction didn't really prepare me for this.

And the fact that it is followed by a post about Garfield socks somehow makes it all the more poignant. 

I am going to plant a kiss on the ones I love as they sleep upstairs once I have written this.

As An Aside

Seeing as my week-long free book giveaway is bringing loads of new people to the site may I draw your attention to my sidebars?

Sprinkled across, down and around the left and right columns are a plethora of extra bits and pieces and you are very welcome to browse them at your leisure.

There is the obvious stuff such as a list of all the books I have read this year, what CDs I am listening to and what I am currently reading.

But there are some more unusual trinkets. I have picked out some new and forthcoming books that you might want to keep an eye on, they just might be big hits. Or some hidden gems that may have passed you by. Quick Flicks are short reviews of books that I have dipped in to but, crucially, not actually finished. And you can even snoop through my own library.

And, as they say, lots lots more.

Have a ramble. Go mad. Be my guest.