Review: Blow on a Dead Man's Embers

My review of Mari Strachan's Blow on a Dead Man's Embers is now up at The View From Here Magazine.

You can click through here to read the review > Blow on a Dead Man's Embers.

Spoiler: It was one of my favourite books from last year!

Dead Ink - Published Work - Cubicle Crimes / CVs are so last year

Dead Ink have republished two of my stories, Cubicle Crimes and CVs are so last year, over on their website. I think they work well as a pair - both looking at the passive aggressiveness of office life.

Here's the opening paragraph for Cubicle Crimes:

Armed with a freshly ironed pencil skirt, neutral make-up shades, non-offensive stud earrings and a briefcase with only jam sandwiches inside, I was a bundle of clichés. I strolled across town muttering quotes from the employee handbook. My head was clogged with regulations for open plan office spaces. I would have scooped the top prize if there were a game show on policies and procedures.

And here's the open paragraph for CVs are so last year:

Eyebrows are concrete, not hidden behind metaphors like eyes and lips. They are the truth.

You can read both stories via this link > Cubicle Crimes and CVs are so last year

3 Hundred and 65

Dave Kirkwood is currently running a project called 3 hundred and 65. Everyday a new contributor writes a tweet-length chapter (140 characters) for a story that will grow and expand over the year. Each contribution is illustrated.

3 hundred and 65 is raising money for the Teenage Cancer Trust through donations and an auction of the illustrations and notebooks. (I'll be donating on pay day). You can make a monetary donation via the 3 hundred and 65 website. There are even a few dates left if you want to contribute to the story.

Back in January, I picked the 20th February (my birthday). If you click through then you can read my contribution to 3 hundred and 65 and see the fabulous drawing. Here's the link > 20th February.

I'm really looking forward to see how the story develops.

For Book Lovers

To celebrate Valentine's Day, here is a short film made by Moonbot Studios, The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr Morris Lessmore. This beautifully animated short is a love letter to the people who devote themselves to books. Fantastic Flying Books has also been nominated for an Oscar. 

Book Review: The Buddha in the Attic

My review of Julie Otsuka's The Buddha in the Attic is now up at The View From Here Magazine.

You can click through on this link > The Buddha in the Attic.

The Snowman Who Said 'I'll Be Back'

Snowman: A Love Story, originally published at Metazen, has been republished over at Eunoia Review.

Here's the beginning to tempt you:

There was a woman down my road who fell in love with a snowman.

Margot wore only a thin nightdress and her slippers on the morning I found her transfixed by the snowman. The stout old woman’s usual trademarks were high heels and rouge lipstick. She scuttled back to her house without giving a wave or a cheery ‘hello’ like she did every morning. Margot glared through the frosted glass. She did not take her eyes off me until I had walked past the wonky-mouthed snowman.

You can read the story here > Snowman: A Love Story.