I was definitely a voracious reader as a kid, my parents would vouch for that. (And my husband would confirm that it’s no different today). When I was a child, I remember reading at night in bed before I went to sleep, and I even had a notebook where I’d write down words I didn’t know, and my parents would explain the definitions to me when they came to turn out the light.
Thanks to the influence (and book collection) of my mother, I was a mad keen fan of Enid …

First up, the goal-related news … I actually didn’t get much writing at all done in February. Even the posts you saw were mostly written in January, and I’m afraid that’ll be the case for the next couple of months, as I’ve been struck with pregnancy-carpal-tunnel – basically the same as regular carpal tunnel, but a whole lot better, because after I give birth to this kid in April my wrists and hands should return to normal and I’ll be typing away with the best of ‘em. So I’ve had …

There are great writers, and then there are great writers who use annoying local dialect in their dialogue which makes it really annoying to read. If you’re a loyal reader with a good memory you’ll know that a while ago I abandoned Irvine Welsh novels because of his (as perceived by me) overuse of Scottish dialect that was difficult to understand. (He’s the guy who wrote Trainspotting, among others, if you’re not sure.)
So, here’s the thing: Irvine Welsh, who I do think is a great writer apart from this flaw, …

“Are you bored yet?” This is the most common question that people have been asking me since I’ve become a bit housebound thanks to some pregnancy dramas. At first, I was a little surprised to be asked. Then it kept happening, and I realised that obviously a lot of people think they would be bored if they were in my situation, “stuck” at home.
Of course, I’d much prefer to be still at work teaching, and also able to get out of the house a bit more (although I don’t miss …

I guess that most writers out there are avid readers. I know I certainly am, and that doesn’t just mean I read a lot, but that I acquire books like some people acquire bread and milk, and then I read these books in various rooms of the house at various times and basically make a widespread book mess. And yes, it drives my husband quite mad.
I thought it’d be interesting to do a quick survey of the house and find out where my current reads are. Of course, there are …