I used to berate myself if I didn't do any writing-related work during a day, but things have moved on: I now feel unsettled if I haven't done enough. I keep a log of where I spend my creative time; perhaps this is a little sad, but it keeps me honest! My target is four … Continue reading Yesterday & Today: 2nd January
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Yesterday & Today: 1st January
Hopefully it will be a common theme, but yesterday went pretty much as I had expected it would: revision work on "Tilt" and some more notes on what "C" might look like. One area where I did spend more time than anticipated was in working on draft courses / workshops for the writers' retreats at … Continue reading Yesterday & Today: 1st January
Yesterday & Today: 31st December
As with many days recently, some of yesterday was spent going through and validating my 2023 plan of writing and publishing activities. It will flex over time of course, but is pretty much there. In addition to some ongoing revision of the draft of a new novel - "Tilt" - I also managed to break … Continue reading Yesterday & Today: 31st December
“Armada”
It felt strange coming back to Brian Patten so many years after The Irrelevant Song and Vanishing Trick, but I found a copy of Armada in an Oxfam shop and simply couldn't resist. Why would you? In the main I was struck by a familiarity of tone, a kind of lazy meandering towards a conclusion … Continue reading “Armada”
“Case Study”
Having read Graeme Macrae Burnet's His Bloody Project, I was looking forward to Case Study - but unfortunately I was disappointed with what I found. I hadn't expected quite so much humour. Clearly not all of this is down to Burnet. I find humour in novels difficult, partly because I struggle to 'laugh out loud' … Continue reading “Case Study”
What’s in a name..?
Quite simply anything and everything. I have a file in which I keep lists of names: male christian names, female christian names, surnames. Occasionally I look at these lists and start to pair a christian name with a surname. Like 'Morgan Cowley' - just to pick two at random. And I can't help but start … Continue reading What’s in a name..?
It’s all about 2023…
Already - and so soon - it's all about 2023. It's about building on the foundations laid during this year. Kicking-on again. And maybe for the first time a new year won't be about production (that age old dilemma of what to write - and then struggling to do so!) but about recognition; of taking … Continue reading It’s all about 2023…
“When It Happened” – new podcast episode
I have just published a new episode on my Walking Thru Fire podcast. "When It Happened" is taken from my short story collection, Secrets & Wisdom. The story represents something of an unusual departure for me. Almost sci-fi, it posits the possibility of a new and better future driven by - well, who can say? … Continue reading “When It Happened” – new podcast episode
I’m being interviewed: the video!
About three weeks ago I was interviewed in Harrogate Library as part of their 'Books and Beverages' series. The interview covered both my writing and publishing exploits. The recording of the event is now available on YouTube and can be accessed via this link or here.. Settle down with a cup of coffee and a … Continue reading I’m being interviewed: the video!
On Parliament Hill – an updated edition
I have just published an updated edition of my novel, "On Parliament Hill". There are no dramatic changes in this version, just a few tweaks to sentence construction here and there, the odd word change etc. Slight stylistic adjustments, if you will. This is the fourth such updated edition after "At Maunston Quay" and my … Continue reading On Parliament Hill – an updated edition
Ian Gouge - Writer 