Giselle

A quick glance at p.82, and I suspect it was the  brutal blowjob (but more subtly described). I am aware of a degree of wariness with each book of hers I buy but she always does it for me in the end. I am also very aware (in a science-minded family) I lack analytical skills, so can’t always justify my reasons to like or dislike (and hence am crap…[Read more]

In my notebook I put, ‘Gave up page 82. So many adjectives. Characters insufficiently interesting.’

I don’t know what was wrong with p 82 but I don’t think anything gruesome had happened yet.

Sounds super critical and a bit rich coming from someone so keen on Mrs Dalloway. I think basically it wasn’t my cup of tea, otherwise the adjectives would…[Read more]

He can also be stomach-turning gruesome!

‘really good’ 🙂

‘Butcher’s Perfume’ – I could see it was really could but I’m a wimp and I’m not sure I finished it.

Benjamin Myers – I tried The Offing. Historical fiction (which I write), lots of scenery and countryside (fab) and set in beautiful Yorkshire. What wasn’t to like? But I couldn’t get far with it.

Same here, with stories, although ‘Butcher’s perfume’ in ‘The Beautiful Indifference’ blew me away.

Have you discovered Benjamin Myers?* I’ve just finished his ‘Male Tears’ which is short stories and much less impactful (to me) than his novels.

*not at the Festival!

I loved ‘How to Paint a Dead Man.’ Also ‘Haweswater’. I find her short stories a hard read – often grisly or too troubling.

I confess I’ve never read Mrs Dalloway, but have ‘Burntcoat on my tbr pile. Fell heavily for Sarah Hall having picked up ‘How to paint a dead man’ in a charity shop, some years ago.

I’ll sign up for Sarah Hall, and Graham Macrae Burnet – among others.

Also Mrs Dalloway for whom I seem to have limitless capacity though others may groan 🙂

Quick count says I’ve bookmarked 19, but I don’t know if all are online, which they need to be because I’ll not be there in person :-(.

Thoughts for today

Writing this on the fifth day of June – my daughter’s 51st birthday and the third day of the Queen’s Jubilee celebrations of a reign of 70 years – my memories span a similar length of time. In June 1953, once again off school and suffering with the recurring pain of a persistent ear infection, my mother attempted to divert me…[Read more]

Well done @ Knicky – I agree with Sea, there should be more, because the writing was, as ever, fabulous. And I too had to check @Alex‘s on Google that my my guess was right. 1961, eh?

Awww, thanks @seagreen! I enjoyed writing this piece very much, and it is a very personal one to me. Just an anticipatory imagining of a band festival I attended quite recently, and how I wanted it to go. It went even better than what I wrote 🙂 haha

I too went on a Google search over @alex‘s piece, for the exact same reason 😄😄 It’s too funny you…[Read more]

Well done all of us, especially Knicky. A great read. And well, done Seagreen. Worth waiting for.

Apologies for the lateness of these results. You won’t believe how hard it’s been these past few days to find time to settle down with a cup of tea and a clear mind to give your entries the attention they deserve.

@Sandra – No worries. If you’re in the zone with ‘Mercy’, you’re in the zone.

@Knickylaurelle – This sparked with energy. Loved ‘…[Read more]

Sorry, all. The day has not gone to plan. I’ll try to get a look at your wonderful entries later tonight 👍