You know that feeling of excitement and joy you get when you first buy a new gadget or beautiful item? And how, after a very short time, that initial excitement starts to fade, and eventually, the item just becomes part of your background stuff? Well, that feeling of excitement never faded for my Fisher Space Pen. I love it every time I use it. It … [Read more...]
Archives for May 2013
Shortlisted for the Edge Hill Prize
Last week, while I was away tutoring at Arvon Lumb Bank with the brilliant Kate Clanchy, I got the news that The Stone Thrower has been shortlisted for the prestigious Edge Hill Short Story Prize, previously won by Colm Tóibín, Claire Keegan, Chris Beckett, Jeremy Dyson, Graham Mort and Sarah Hall. I'm thrilled. Just look whose company I'm in on … [Read more...]
The Stone Thrower playlist
My new book, The Stone Thrower, just came out in North America, published by the brilliant ECW Press, who also published Instruction Manual For Swallowing over there. As part of ECW's BackLit series, this edition has bonus material at the back: my desert island books, an extra story, and a playlist of music to throw stones to. I wanted to share … [Read more...]
Check out my monkey stamp
Naomi just bought me this ink stamp. Isn't it great? In our house I will forever be associated with monkeys and books (because my first published story was about a 40-litre monkey). This is the second reading-monkey item Naomi has given me. The first was the Christmas decoration she made a few years ago. I'm not sure what I'll stamp with this … [Read more...]