London torn. Night and day. Sinners and angels. Debut novel by Mark A. King, available now
The Terror by Dan Simmons My rating: 4 of 5 starsPart historical fiction, part horror, part supernatural, part mutiny, part survivor movie, the Terror is all these things, and more. At 946 pages long and 28 odd hours of my very precious time invested, this one was worth a blog post. Is it amazing?In places, …
So, how did my massive experiment with writing 50,000 words in a month go? It was, by all accounts, a great success. I am the proud owner of a shiny certificate, but, more importantly, I am the owner of a draft which totals more than half of a my second novel. A draft novel is …
Continue reading "Remember, remember, fifty thousand words in November"
Jerusalem is novel by Alan Moore. I am aware of his work. He is responsible for some seminal graphic novels (Watchmen, V for Vendetta etc). I haven’t read any of them, so I went into this with nothing more than a very interesting blurb which seemed to have some similar themes to my debut novel, …
Continue reading "Review: And was Jerusalem builded here, among these dark Satanic Mills?"
The Unreliable Narrator I’m what you might call an unreliable narrator. But you can trust me. I‘ve been summoned to tell tales of the theatre and this dashing gent, with his smouldering Oscar Wilde look about him, his unruly cravat, foppish hair and come-hither eyes. He is the greatest Shakespearian thespian that has ever lived. …
Continue reading "Flash! Friday: Vol 3 – 27 | Flash! Friday : The Unreliable Narrator"
Dice Man How do you fix a blunder of global proportions? Life was good. Fine wine and dry shelter. Camaraderie so great that we would happily die for each other. Now I sit and roll the dice in my palms pitted with callouses and scars – wounds inflicted by others, and shamefully, by myself. I …
Continue reading "Dice Man : Flash! Friday: Vol 3 – 17 | Flash! Friday"
FAQs We are near the end now. I once harboured you – in roughened houses, in biblical arks, behind strengthened doors and the curled razor barricades of Flanders. You cut me with sharpened metals from the earth. Peeled my skin. Pulped my flesh. Yet, you nurtured and respected me. We once were …
Continue reading "“FAQs” – Flash! Friday: Vol 3 – 8 | Flash! Friday"
The White Tail of the Metal Dragon The little boy plays in the field outside the city. He tenderly touches his father’s hand, looking for respite from the gathering of the crops. It has been so long since he rested. “These are times of war, son. You know we have to gather the crops to …
St George – Slayer of dragons and lover of honey. Saint George, or Georgios of Lydda, recalled the battle. The North Dragon had reeked of the seas; of ancient brine and decayed prey. The dragon glanced at him contemptuously. His face was coloured of pink coral and diluted blood. “You have no business here, boy …
So, Micro Bookends was a new Flash comp launched in October. I loved the concept. A photo prompt. A mandatory first and last word (hence the bookends). A word limit. Mega hard - but highly enjoyable. This was the very first week. First, we will fight them on the beaches. That’s what he thought he …
