Latest Posts
Where did that viral clip of Tom Hiddleston dancing to “Rasputin” come from?
Chat show, film, book, or a fan’s imagination? On IG, YouTube, TikTok, and everywhere else in the world where peopleContinue Reading
Tomorrow’s post…
Where did that viral clip of Tom Hiddleston dancing to “Rasputin” come from? (2026/06/15 at 10:12 am)
The poetry of Matthew McConaughey – “Poems are also prayers that rhyme”
Make no mistake, Matthew McConaughey can write poetry. He can rhyme. He can play around with forms and styles, andContinue Reading
This is a Lento: “Producing Perfection”
PRODUCING PERFECTIONSmile when you listen to that cool linewhile the beats run on in perfect time,and the hook repeats inContinue Reading
Do you know where your work fits? Part 4 – Putting it in a genre
This is the last part on the story on genres. I wrote these posts for all the people who makeContinue Reading
Where did he get that quote? Pulp Fiction or the Old Testament?
On Wednesday, April 15, the U.S., Secretary of Defence, Pete Hegseth, read what he called a prayer to attendees atContinue Reading
Do you know where your work fits? Part 3 – What’s with all the labels?
This is part 3 of 4 on a discussion about publishing and genres, for all the people who make andContinue Reading
Do you know where your work fits? Part 2 – DDCs and LLCNs, etc.
This is part 2 of 4 in a series of posts about books, and genres, and all those tricky categoriesContinue Reading
Do you know where your work fits? Part 1 – You need genres, but…
This is for all the people who make and sell their creations, the things they work at every day. Publication,Continue Reading
If you like cats and personal letters, here’s a treat: “Letters of Note: Cats”
My gift list never changes. I’d always like; 1. Something that’s been made just for me. 2. Same. 3. Ditto.Continue Reading
No, no, no! For heaven’s sake, it’s not real!
The film, Project Hail Mary, based on Andy Weir’s novel of the same name, has been released, and judging byContinue Reading
How to write about snow
It’s March. The week of March 9 was the first time this year that it snowed here where we live.Continue Reading
Lots to love about “Darby, Love…”
“Darby” in the book title, is Darby Hudson, a writer and poet from Melbourne, Australia. “Darby, love…” is how hisContinue Reading
Funny even if you know nothing about Physics and you’re not a cat
I admit that I suffer from dyscalculia, a learning disorder that affects a person’s ability to understand, process, and workContinue Reading
Another book to read before you see the movie, for good reason – “Project Hail Mary”
On March 20, 2026, the film Project Hail Mary will be released by Amazon MGM Studios (United States and Canada)Continue Reading
Something different happens when art and music merge
This is a long read. But it describes a project that has taken me two years. To begin at theContinue Reading
Timeless love letters – Agony and ecstasy
One reason for writing and reading poetry is that a poem is like a condensed emotion – a few words,Continue Reading
The reality of a literature blog
This website that you’re on was my bright idea in Jan. 2013, to serve as a showcase for my writing.Continue Reading
Hadrian and Antinous – Love and grief
Marguerite Yourcenar wrote so beautifully about the grief of Roman emperor Hadrian at the death of his lover, Antinous (alsoContinue Reading
Muses – Inspiration – Creativity
Do you have a muse? What is a muse? Do artists have muses these days? Definition: Muse (person): muse noun;Continue Reading
Soul Collective – “Wasps”
“Wasps”, from Soul Collective, by Marthe Bijman, 2nd ed. 2025, p. 16. Painting: “#47 WTAF?”, acrylic & permanent markers onContinue Reading
Very odd, very intimate – with a title too long for a header
I cannot resist the marked-down sections in book stores. When I see books that are on sale, I just loseContinue Reading
Read the novel of “Hamnet” before you watch the movie
On Jan. 11, 2026, “Hamnet”, directed by Chloé Zhao, won Best Motion Picture – Drama, and Best Actress in aContinue Reading
Describing what’s impossible – “Mr. Vertigo”
For a writer to describe something impossible or inconceivable, they might use metaphors, similes, understatement, incomplete phrases, invented words, blankContinue Reading
Soul Collective – “Joy”
This is a double waka about what makes him happy. JOY I have chairs and a table,a vase and flower,aContinue Reading
Odd bits of memory…
I suppose every book we’ve read and reread, and every movie we’ve watched more than once, and every song we’veContinue Reading
Soul Collective – “Light” and “You in Flower”
“Light” and “You in Flower” images and poems from: Soul Collective – Poems and Paintings, by Marthe Bijman, pp. 11-12.Continue Reading
This is a keeper: “Always Remember”
Charlie Mackesy’s first book, The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse, published in 2019, is special. It isContinue Reading
Soul Collective – “Appearances”
WHO MADE YOUWho turned the muscles in your armsso elegantly around the bone?Who sculptedthe column of your neckso perfectlyfrom marbledContinue Reading
Soul Collective – “Delete the Page”
DELETE THE PAGEDelete the pageThere is a new youAbout to enterThe stageRaise the barAnnounce the birth ofYour new, improvedAvatar “DeleteContinue Reading
Soul Collective – The life of a DJ
ENTRANCELook backTill you seeWhat’s in the darkLook backThe spotlightsCatch their eyesLook backAs they stretchTo see youLook backThen turn awayFrom theContinue Reading
Soul Collective
—Perfect You PERFECT YOU Trace the outline of his face —The amber eyes with feathered lashesThe bold nose with itsContinue Reading
That’s a LOT of books!
One of the admin jobs on a blog like this is updating the indexes. I am a child of librariansContinue Reading
One line that speaks volumes
Here is a line in a letter that the famous author Katherine Mansfield wrote on Aug. 25, 1915: “This isContinue Reading
Subdued but beautiful – A Short Walk from Harrods
To continue with my series on marvellous writing, here is another particularly beautiful and moving piece, from the memoir ofContinue Reading
It wasn’t trash after all
I’ve lost track of how many books and authors I’ve reviewed and written about. I’ve regularly published reviews since 2009,Continue Reading
Ooh, this one is fabulous!
I’ve just blown my hard-earned money on an unbirthday present to myself: I bought the Taschen edition of Hokusai, whichContinue Reading
From the sublime to the ridiculous: I really hate Reacher Season 3
I love the character of “Jack Reacher”. I love that authors Lee Child (and, lately, Andrew Child) have kept theContinue Reading
How can something sad also be beautiful?
I have lots of quotes from songs, poems and novels floating about in my head, probably taking up space thatContinue Reading
Beautiful and tragic – “…A deathless song”
There are many wonderful love stories. There are fewer love stories that are also tragedies. Here are the words, writtenContinue Reading
What is the value of a photograph? – Shop Cats of Hong Kong
Marcel Heijnen is a Dutch photographer who has lived and worked in Asia since 1992. He now divides his timeContinue Reading
How to describe happiness
I can’t remember who said it, but it was that when you are feeling absolutely miserable, or absolutely happy, onlyContinue Reading
A curated hallucination of perfection
The other day someone who’d read a couple of posts from this blog, told me that he was amazed atContinue Reading
How do you paint a picture of a city?
Cities are places of man-made structures. The attractions they have often lead us to perceiving them as beautiful, which theyContinue Reading
Love and forgetting – Beautiful Under Milk Wood
In Under Milk Wood, by Dylan Thomas, “Blind Captain Cat”, who listens to the goings-on in the little Welsh seasideContinue Reading
Woke up this morning to the colours of cold
We produced The Colours of Cold last year, a song about how beautiful it is in Winter when it snows.Continue Reading
Beautiful and quotable – Antinous was dead.
In the process of writing lyrics, I’ve been doing an awful lot of critical listening, and I’ve been reading aContinue Reading
Typos turned me off Michelangelo’s poems
I am often very loathe to give negative criticism of any published book, since a book takes an awful lotContinue Reading
A deep dive – My all-time favourite film
Finnish director Aki Kaurismäki made The Man Without a Past (Mies vailla menneisyyttä) in 2002. This, strange as it mayContinue Reading
The unexpected benefits of creative partnerships
Here’s a long-post. Expect it to be emo. A few months ago – it feels like a lifetime though –Continue Reading
There’s walls, and then there’s WALLS
On my new album, “Ticket to Mars”, the fourth track is “The Great Wall”. Cōdae · The Great Wall TheContinue Reading
Nothing more needs to be said
On this fine Spring morning, I woke up to this post from Nick Cave, on his Red Hand Files. NothingContinue Reading
What’s Nick Cave reading on holiday?
I take advice from my favourite writers on what to read. This morning, Nick Cave wrote about his holiday readingContinue Reading
Think on thy soul, for once
The header, “Think on thy soul, for once”, refers to the line by “Othello” to “Desdemona” in William Shakespeare’s play,Continue Reading
Poems about cats – What is it with poets and cats?
The Internet is full of blogs and Reddits and substacks and vlogs and IG feeds of people with their cats,Continue Reading
So THAT’S why it tickles your toes!
I found out long ago, that because of the way your brain processes visual information, for instance what you read,Continue Reading
The skills and talents of the nobility – Hype or reality?
Last week there was a mean little news snippet in the UK media about Sarah Ferguson – Sarah, Duchess ofContinue Reading
A spy thriller for connoisseurs of the genre – The Collector by Daniel Silva
Until a fellow bookworm told me about Daniel Silva, I did not even know this author existed. I found outContinue Reading
How Japan is to a gaijin – Abroad in Japan, by Chris Broad
This morning, Jan. 1, 2024, I woke up to news of a series of high-magnitude earthquakes on the West coastContinue Reading
Thank goodness for Jack Reacher – Reacher, Season 2
I am watching the second season of the TV show, Reacher. It premiered on Dec. 15, 2023. The first oneContinue Reading
Close to the bone, or perhaps prescient? – The Defector, by Chris Hadfield
When it comes to aeronautics, Commander Christ Hadfield knows what he’s talking about. So, when I read his latest novel,Continue Reading
I ‘m not falling for the clichés this year – In search of the true meaning of Christmas
Am I a Scrooge for not wanting to do the usual this year and send out packs of Christmas cardsContinue Reading
Failed to finish it – Tom Hanks’ “The Making of…”
This novel has a long title; The Making of Another Major Motion Picture Masterpiece. It alliterates nicely, and I’m sureContinue Reading
Time-travel into a nightmarish moment in history – The Marriage Portrait, by Maggie O’Farrell
Maggie O’Farrell wrote the sublime historical novel Hamnet and Judith, about the children of William Shakespeare. She has a wonderfulContinue Reading
Insurrection and corruption skillfully sorted – Contrarian, by L.E. Modesitt, Jr.
I’d been slavering for Contrarian, having really enjoyed the previous two novels in L.E. Modesitt Jr.’s The Grand Illusion trilogy,Continue Reading
The worst film I’ve ever seen
Let me tell you about a movie that is so bad in every way that I felt obliged to watchContinue Reading
Who knew Norse Mythology could be funny? – Norse Mythology, by Neil Gaiman
I was reading Neil Gaiman’s Norse Mythology, his retelling of the stories of the Old Norse gods that are containedContinue Reading
Simply This: Words of Praise and a Melody to Match
Psalm 139 is serious, deep and grave in tone, as befits a plea to God. When King David wrote it,Continue Reading
A Poem about Fall
It is Autumn here, or Fall, and let me not get into how and why the season has different namesContinue Reading
Getting to Grips with Transcendent Verses from a Dark and Dangerous Time
One tends to apply your own ideas and values – and judgment – to just about everything you hear andContinue Reading
One Sentence, One Puzzle from Medieval Times
When I wrote the lyrics for my song, “Havn”, I was getting rid of an earworm that had been hauntingContinue Reading
What happens when you poke around in ancient documents…gods and heroes!
“`Curiouser and curiouser!’ cried Alice (she was so much surprised, that for the moment she quite forgot how to speakContinue Reading
Words are the only victors
The conclusion of Victory City, Salman Rushdie’s latest novel, is an end to the novel, and an end to theContinue Reading
Gotta feed the algorithm, but ain’t got the energy
An associate of mine said to me a while ago that he was very busy “because he had to feedContinue Reading
Purposeful and puzzling crookedness – The Crooked Little Pieces Vol. 1, by Sophia Lambton
The word “crooked” in the title of this novel, the first in a series of seven, only partially describes it.Continue Reading
A richly detailed, feminism-themed fantasy – Victory City by Salman Rushdie
Victory City is a showcase for Salman Rushdie’s ability to create an entire new world in a novel – inContinue Reading
A Wee Bit of Silliness – “It Wants Eating, Does It?”
Ah, it’s Spring and time for Spring-cleaning. (Happy Belated First of May!) When I was looking into the freezer toContinue Reading
Another day, another dead bad guy, another win for Reacher (and why I like it)
No Plan B is the most recently published Jack Reacher novel. Ignore, as you should, that suspect line on theContinue Reading
Am I sad, mad or glad about this?
I stumbled on an announcement this week – as happens when you are mindlessly browsing the Interweb, that a newContinue Reading
Is the whole thing an illusion? – Councilor, by L.E. Modesitt Jr.
Councilor is no. 2 in the Grand Illusion series by L.E. Modesitt Jr. I am committed to reading the entireContinue Reading
The best response to the GPT controversy
GPT stands for Generative pre-trained transformers (GPT), a family of language models by OpenAI, that are generally trained on aContinue Reading
Now I know what generosity of spirit means
Allow me to get personal for once: Usually I try to remain objective and businesslike when I write on theseContinue Reading
Harry Hole and Horrible Homicides – Knife by Jo Nesbø
If your eyes are fine, do not read a book in large print format. I’m sure the format is indispensableContinue Reading
The result of Sunday afternoon boredom: A song about Mining
During the long dark tea-time of the soul in the last months of 2022, I found my myself looking forContinue Reading
That’s not how it’s supposed to go! – Sticking with Conventions (Not)
When authors write in the form of a specific genre, let’s say, Historical Fiction, there is always the play-off betweenContinue Reading
A New Winter Poemlet
We were schlepping through the deep snow on the trail near our house a few weeks ago, and it wasContinue Reading
A Moan about a Supernumerary
The biggest book news so far this year is about Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, and the uproar caused byContinue Reading
Welcome to 2023 – Time for a fresh reading list
Like it or lump it, the new year is upon us. “They” say (based on unknown data sources and noContinue Reading
About Sunday afternoon boredom and a song about Mining
This time of year I think of times gone by, of people I know and used to know, of absentContinue Reading
In 2022 I took the road less travelled by – And it was different and better
Seven Circumstances toddled along nicely this year, according to the site stats: Year Views Visitors Total 2012The birth of aContinue Reading
Once more, say it together: Good night, Night Vale. Good night.
I was charmed by the world of “Night Vale”, that strange desert town run by aliens, hairy monsters and disembodiedContinue Reading
Because it’s snowing today
Because it is snowing today – snowing properly, so that the snow is lying smooth and thick and perfect overContinue Reading
Stomach-turning: A Ballet of Lepers, by Leonard Cohen
Leonard Cohen, the famous musician, poet and lyricist, wrote the stories collected in A Ballet of Lepers in his youngContinue Reading
Today I learned about “pilsa”
I was reading about J.M. Coetzee‘s latest novel called El Polaco, which he has published first in Spanish, not English,Continue Reading
A peculiar Pandora’s Box – Red Milk, by Sjón
Sjón’s latest book, Red Milk, came out in English on Sept 21, 2022 and I got it as soon asContinue Reading
Looking at portraits looking back at us – The Man in the Red Coat, by Julian Barnes
This is a truly intriguing biography: a mystery brilliantly unravelled by a literary detective. It’s 288 pages long with noContinue Reading
Avatars, pen names, pseudonyms and the 4th Horseman of the Apocalypse
Isn’t it funny how things go round and round? It’s probably human nature to keep repeating history, but it sometimesContinue Reading
Goodbye Vangelis, Dame Hilary and Raymond Briggs
It’s weird how things coincide. There I was today, picking out some CDs I wanted to listen to again fromContinue Reading
A short, sharp reach: Jack Reacher – Better Off Dead
First things first: This novel is co-authored by Lee Child and Andrew Child. And in case you look at theirContinue Reading
David Sedaris is sad – and no wonder – and so am I
David Sedaris has amused and entertained his readers with his road shows and the collections of his essays, Squirrel SeeksContinue Reading
Waiting for these new books
In my previous post I gave myself a stern warning to not have preconceived notions about new books from authorsContinue Reading
I just could not get into it – The Book of Form and Emptiness by Ruth Ozeki
There is such a thing as an intended audience: when a writer produces a book outline for a publisher, itContinue Reading
TIL: Interesting things about author Hilary Mantel and “Mantel Pieces”
Dame Hilary Mantel, author of the Wolf Hall trilogy, used to be a book reviewer. I did not know that,Continue Reading
Sp(r)outing nonsense? The how-to of reviewing
On YouTube, the ultimate destination for everyone who has an opinion they want to share, there are many rants andContinue Reading
For once, something truly meaningful
I have been feeling very down lately, quite discouraged, because I am in the process of being retrained. I cannotContinue Reading
Novels on the list for a 2022 Hugo Award – Have you read them?
I was gratified to notice that I have not completely fallen off the planet in terms of my awareness ofContinue Reading
Aspiring to apotheosis – She Who Became the Sun, by Shelley Parker-Chan
She Who Became the Sun is a novel which, for the most part, reads like Historical Fiction, and as itContinue Reading
L.E. Modesitt Jr. redefines the term “isolate” with new novel
I am late to contribute to the raft of praise for L.E. Modesitt’s latest Fantasy book series, The Grand Illusion.Continue Reading
Today, like Hamlet, Prince of Denmark…
A particular speech by “Hamlet, Prince of Denmark”, often runs through my mind, and usually, I am singing the words.Continue Reading
What happens when you mix up languages in lyrics? Check out PSY, SUGA, and Adriano Celentano
PSY released his album PSY 9th on April 29, 2022, and I got the album immediately, because I like PSY.Continue Reading
Ha! Told you so. I was right about Neil Gaiman
After last week’s post, when I wrote about my reassessment of Neil Gaiman’s writing, I thought, oh dear, what ifContinue Reading
Don’t say you weren’t warned – Neil Gaiman’s Trigger Warning
On April 28, 2022, Neil Gaiman started doing again what all writers do when they make a living as aContinue Reading
Real and fictional geisha and what to read
Seven Circumstances investigates In my previous post about The Tale of Genji and The Tale of Murasaki, I mentioned thatContinue Reading
It is Spring – Here’s a lento for a tulip
The tulips came up a treat this month, and our little garden is looking quite festive. Posting on Facebook, myContinue Reading
It’s only ten days but it feels like forever – The Lincoln Highway, by Amor Towles
Amor Towles wrote the excellent novel, A Gentleman in Moscow (2019), which I thoroughly enjoyed. It received a lot ofContinue Reading
When absolute belief leads to absolute ruin – Firebrands, by Marc Ménard
If you want to really discover literature, you should read about subjects that you don’t know or don’t like. It’sContinue Reading
So many ways to get lost in translation…
A multilingual perspective Yesterday, someone asked me how my Spanish, Portuguese and French skills are, because those are the languagesContinue Reading
Where does inspiration come from? (and a poem about music)
I recently completed a collection of compositions that share the theme of heat. It’s called Thermós, and, until today, IContinue Reading
Two tales of Japan of more than a thousand years ago – The Tale of Genji and The Tale of Murasaki
Tension between Russia and Japan is increasing at the moment, because of the disputed nation status of the Kuril Islands,Continue Reading
Ever felt like it’s too quiet? Here’s a poem about that.
People have grown used to being in each other’s company all the time during the past two years, what withContinue Reading
I recognize that lump of rock – Alexa, what is there to know about love, by Brian Bilston
I’m intrigued by those things called Google Easter Eggs – which is the result you get if you type aContinue Reading
My new blog goes live
This weekend my new blog went live. It’s about my music, under the artist name I’ve picked, Cōdae. It isContinue Reading
Vampire Like Farms – What are the alternatives?
Regarding my rant against the sellers of fake reviews: If I look at the online presences of artists, I noticeContinue Reading
The Scourge of Vampire Like Farms
The heading does not have a grammar mistake: I am referring to the businesses – also called farms – thatContinue Reading
Josiah Bancroft’s “Books of Babel” Tetralogy Goes Out with an Almighty Bang (3)
This post concludes my review of the Fantasy novel, The Fall of Babel, by Josiah Bancroft, the last in theContinue Reading
Josiah Bancroft’s “Books of Babel” Tetralogy Goes Out with an Almighty Bang (2)
Fans of Josiah Bancroft’s popular series, The Books of Babel, had to wait two long years for The Fall ofContinue Reading
Josiah Bancroft’s “Books of Babel” Tetralogy Goes Out with an Almighty Bang
Fans of Josiah Bancroft’s popular series, The Books of Babel, had to wait two long years for The Fall ofContinue Reading
A rant in rhyme in praise of rain
The header image of this post is worded “un noo po-him”, or “ə ˈnuː ˈpoʊəm”, phonetically spelled: a new poem.Continue Reading
The “accidental dance between collected memory and influence” – Nick Cave’s affectionate honesty (2)
In the previous post, I wrote about how much I enjoy Nick Cave’s Red Hand Files. A recent Red HandContinue Reading
How to be kind to your fans – Nick Cave’s affectionate honesty (1)
The Red Hand Files, musician Nick Cave’s responses to questions from his fans, readers and listeners, has passed the 180Continue Reading
Hopefully, your opening line does not need a possum
I wondered what would happen if I added the random sentence, “But one day they found themselves on a possum woolContinue Reading
What is your unguilty pleasure? – ENYA, by Chilly Gonzales
Musician Chilly Gonzales (born Jason Charles Beck) hates bananas. I’m not that fond of bananas myself. It’s that sticky, doughyContinue Reading
Looking back on this year
Looking at the stats on this blog for this year, our Annus Horribilis II, the previous horrible year being 2020,Continue Reading
What does he mean – “later”?
Later was published on March 2, 2021, as a paperback Hard Case Crime edition from Titan Books, London, UK. ItContinue Reading
Too good not to repost
I got news this morning from one of my favourite television writers, Brent Butt – and I just had toContinue Reading
It cheers you up and also freaks you out a little – A Carnival of Snackery, by David Sedaris
David Sedaris keeps a diary, for the same reasons, I suspect, as do other high-profile social commentators and journalists, likeContinue Reading
You’re a writer – What is your time worth?
Over the years I have discovered that people, for many reasons, give their services or creative products away for free,Continue Reading
When a novelist turns to poetry
Poetry within Fiction: sometimes, for the sake of fully portraying a character, a writer may invent the poetry, stories orContinue Reading
A poem about the first snowfall of the season
Today was the first snowfall of the Winter, and we woke up to the brightness of snow blanketing everything outsideContinue Reading
“…Peace in a little heap of vivid dust” – The Leopard, by Tomasi di Lampedusa
Because I absolutely loved Lampedusa, by Steven Price, I had to go back to the novel which caused all theContinue Reading
Are you familiar with any of these contenders for awards?
It’s book awards season again, alas. I used to be one of those tail-wagging puppies that practically did zoomies whenContinue Reading
Getting the hang of the Chinese novel
Updated discussion and reviews After many years of reading and reviewing novels by Chinese authors, that have been translated into English,Continue Reading
All the little angels…
There’s a thing that really good authors do – and I don’t know what’s the word for it – theyContinue Reading
A winner of an alien – Project Hail Mary, by Andy Weir
Andy Weir’s latest Sci-Fi novel is on the subject of the end of the world: the sun is cooling downContinue Reading
A few words more on The Apollo Murders, by Chris Hadfield
Here are my final thoughts about The Apollo Murders, by Chris Hadfield: would using Cyrillic in the text have beenContinue Reading
Writing from rare experience – The Apollo Murders, by Chris Hadfield
So, if you had to pick someone to write a Crime Thriller about astronauts and space missions in the lateContinue Reading
Horrible lyrics and pitiful prose
My guilty pleasure is reading bad writing and then making savage but unspoken criticisms of it. It’s easy to lambastContinue Reading
Can you actually recite a famous poem? Bet you can’t.
I thunk me a thought these past few days, which was this: people were telling huge fibs about poetry, judgingContinue Reading
A man on the roof of a 70-storey building – Wolf Hall, by Hilary Mantel
Wolf Hall is 672 pages long. It is 672 pages in which every single line and every single word haveContinue Reading
SEVEN CIRCUMSTANCES 