The Mulcher!

Ok, apologies to anyone who reads my title and gets all excited at the thought of a horror story. I don’t write horror, don’t read it either so… you’re out of luck. My fellow writer Alex Laibourne does though. Look him up :)

My Barsetshire Diary — a very happy review

Without further ado — I love this quirky little book! Its gentle, understated humour had me chuckling and chortling like one of those horrible laughing toys we used to give our kids. As I do a lot of my reading on the loo I’m sure the neighbours must be…

It’s a lizard!

I have just spent a very tense hour and a bit trying to work out whether the ‘thing’ in the storm water pipe was a snake or a lizard. I am extraordinarily glad to be able to say it’s only a blue tongue lizard!

The Village Wit — a review

It has been a week since I finished reading Mark Beyer’s ‘The Village Wit’ and the story is still lurking in the back of my mind, stirring memories and making me think.

Did I enjoy it? Yes and no. Am I glad I read it? Absolutely. ‘The Village Wit’ is a…

Hugo Award winning story — ‘For Want of a Nail’

Winning a Hugo for best short story is probably recommendation enough but I am going to add my redundant praises for Mary Robinette Kowal’s ‘For want of a nail’ anyway. Quite simply it made me think in a way I have never done before — not just…

Snake? and bad bushfire weather

This weekend has not been fun. It began with the dog bailing something up behind the heating unit outside the back door. I could see a beige looking triangular head just poking out so locked the dog and cat inside and began a furious search for a snake catcher. I finally…

‘Shades of Milk and Honey’ by Mary Robinette Kowal

After being gobsmacked by Kowal’s short story ‘For Want of a Nail’, I just had to buy and read her novel — Shades of Milk and Honey. This book has confirmed Kowal as one of my new favourite authors.

Otherland — the mmo!

Warning! This post is for gamers [and those who read Otherland and never wanted to leave].

I’m both a reader and a gamer so I am doubly excited by the thought that some time soon [2012 or 2013] I may be able to indulge two of my passions at the same time!

Indie authors — the good, the bad and the ugly

Print On Demand [POD], ebook technology and Amazon have birthed a new phenomenon in the world of books — the indie author. Suddenly everyone who ever had an interesting idea or felt they had a story to tell has become an author… because they can…

Good intentions, bad writing

All fiction contains a seed of truth and sometimes that truth can inspire deep thought in the reader. That is good. Sometimes authors write fiction with the specific intention of bringing out a truth and making readers think. That can work as well, but only if the fictional part…