You know when you’ve read a book, and you really want to tell people about it? This blog does claim to be “booky,” and so as the year staggers to its end, I thought I’d ponder and discuss what I’ve been reading in 2020 (not necessarily...
Now that most of the people had been marched out, the city was almost quiet. There were carrion birds. Rachel daughter of Simeon had never been the kind of wife praised by the Proverbs writer, who excels in everything. Her weaving was barely adequate, and she...
It annoys me when authors invent an olde-worlde society in which all the characters seem basically to be modern people with a greater tolerance for violence and a capacity for magic. But then I am reminded, when writing pseudo-medieval stories or reading those written by others,...
Dear all It hadn't quite escaped my notice that no one had commented on any of my posts since August, but then three people told me that they'd attempted to do so and not been permitted to do so. (Thank you, Clint, Judith and Mark. My apologies...
I am very conscious that in writing this blog, I am treading on sensitive ground on which I am unqualified to set foot. As with my previous posts on JK Rowling and trans issues, I am educating myself, and it’s a slow work in progress. I...
So the Ragaris Fortnight has now finished, and I didn’t get too wet sitting out at the gate. As I said a few weeks ago, the “general objective [was] to acquire more readers, purchasers and name-recognition generally, but particularly a) online; and b) in my local area,...
Hi! Before we begin - A regular reader of this blog noted that a few of my recent posts had gone straight to his junk mail - I was shocked. Since the blog went to fortnightly, it's probably less easy to notice when it doesn't turn up,...
Please read the PS, but in the meantime: Some of you may remember that my favourite Diana Wynne Jones quote is: "All power corrupts, but we need electricity." It's very true. Some months ago, I wrote the following, intending to use it in a blog: Recently our central...
A little while ago I was intrigued to connect two fictional dates. 1st October 570 is the date of Dorac Kingsbrother’s trial, the beginning of the story of “We Do Not Kill Children.” 14th October is the date set aside by the New Governance as a day...
My Scripture Union Bible reading notes have recently been taking me through the life of the patriarch Jacob. If you don’t know this fascinating story, read Genesis chapters 25-35… or just look him up on Wikipedia. (Previous readers of the blog will know about my...