Book review: 'I'm thinking of ending things' by Iain Reid

January 20, 2020January 20, 2020Leave a comment

The closest description I can give to the feeling that this novel gave me was the joyful uncertainty of IBS (and I'm sure that Reid will be psyched to know that I've made that comparison). But hear me out. You know something's wrong. You don't know what's causing it, you don't know how it's going to manifest itself - only that it will, and soon. You ain't gonna have any control, and you can't stop it. You feel a bit sick. This novel feels like a slow descent into that same feeling as it begins to spin uncontrollably away from you.

Short story: Alien

December 23, 2019December 23, 2019Leave a comment

“The DNA sample that you have provided does not match any of our records. Please return another sample to us.” He paused and read it again. Without saying anything, he flipped it over and skimmed the other side. It listed the countries: 0%, 0%, 0%. Another small line at the bottom: “Your DNA sample has not returned any matches.”

Life.

December 16, 2019Leave a comment

I've tried really hard over the last few months to upload every Monday - either a piece of writing or a book review. I've managed to do it through absolutely mad weeks - ones full of sickness, or 80 hour work weeks etc. But this week it just - hasn't been possible. I haven't had … Continue reading Life.

Short story: The Midnight Shuffle Part V, VI & VII (FINAL)

November 11, 2019Leave a comment

He kissed me with the kind of urgency you only really see in the movies. It was only now that I started to detect the slightest flavour of something charred and earthy in his tongue. He was definitely a smoker.

Short story: The Midnight Shuffle Part III & IV

October 28, 20191 Comment

As a society, we’ve been sharing our lives with the undead now for almost four years and the number of people with major anxiety has reached an incredible height. The chemical-ceiling has been pushed to the point where there’s call for more antidepressants and anti-anxiety meds than any of the pharmaceutical companies are able to make.

A week like this

October 22, 2019October 22, 2019Leave a comment

Yes, this week has been busy. I've been on a shoot, I've been to Southampton and back. I've re-visited and re-assessed myself. It's been busy, but I could have had time to write - to write, something. I wanted to write a book review this week. I read 70% of 'Let me not be mad' … Continue reading A week like this

Short story: The Midnight Shuffle Part I & II

October 14, 2019November 10, 20192 Comments

What do you do the morning after a one night stand when you cough and a decaying penis falls right out of your very own, very alive lady parts onto your shower floor?

Book review: ‘Ghost Wall’ by Sarah Moss

July 22, 2019Leave a comment

Ghost Wall is a highly acclaimed, multiple prize-winning novel that’s been described as a ‘short, sharp shock that closes around you like a vice as you read it’. It’s a story about a modern family reliving the Iron Age; about family, about abusive situations, about friendship. But for me, it fell far short of the dazzling, ‘burnished gem’ of a book that I’d been promised.

Welp, here we go.

June 4, 2019June 4, 2019Leave a comment

They say 'the first step is the hardest'. Or maybe it's 'the first cut is the deepest'. Can't be sure. This post is my blog-equivalent of scribbling all over the nice white first page of a new notepad, just to get past the mental hurdle of thinking that the first post has to be perfect. … Continue reading Welp, here we go.

Tostevin writes

You found me! Well, that was unexpected.

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