Fiction writing at it's best can be found in the book above available to buy from Nottingham Trent University, through me. £5 - bargain!
Of course, I would say it's great because one of my short stories is in it. I also know that it's crammed with the imagination of some damn talented students with contributions from award winning professional writers, who also happen to be our tutors, including Graham Joyce, David Almond, Georgina Lock, David Belbin, and Mahendra Solanki.
The new term, and my final year of study for my MA, started last week and I felt overwhelmingly inspired but at the same time terrified. We read and critiqued three pieces and I was truly amazed at the way my fellow students painted landscapes with well chosen words and methaphors. However, in two week's time it will be my turn to go under the spotlight and I'm working hard to match the standard of quality that has now been set.
I'm working on a short story about infidelity and I'm vountarily and involuntarily thinking about it all the time. It's got so deep into my head that it's physically making me sick. I'm even dreaming about it. I had a strange one the other night all about an engagement ring and the loss of two of it's four purple stones and I'm wondering where I can fit that metaphor into my story. I'm not entirely sure that this obsession is good for my health but I am almost there with it so the pain will be worth it. The resolution is bothering me a bit, though. Being an optimist about relationships, I'm trying to find a happy ending for my couple. Is love enough to forgive infidelity or does pride, self-respect, even sexism, come into the decision making process? (answers on a postcard, please, or the comments section below!)
This obsession and the amount of hard slog that I know is coming my way over the next year means there may be times when my blogging is light. If anyone wants to help me out and guest blog, get in touch. Otherwise I'll do my best to update as often as I can. I'm sure something is bound to hit the news that will have me screaming like my mate Banshee.
I'm not sure how many copies of the book are still available for sale, as it was published last summer, but if readers are interested in getting a copy, I can at least take orders. NTU students publish a similar anthology every year.
This book below is one that I wrote back in 2001 but it isn't fiction. It's local history and a damn good read as well. £5 - bargain. It's about the Lincoln riots of 1911 and the failure of the authorities to deal with three nights of violence. I think binge-drinking had a huge part to play here as well as the struggle of the working man (at least he could smoke back then!) Copies available from me.
