The Bookshop Sketch (or How to Infuriate the Staff at a Bookshop)
Way back in 1967 John Cleese and Marty Feldman produced a hilarious sketch called The Bookshop. (It was not subtitledContinue Reading
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Creative Process Discussion of genre Discussion of writing style Modern fiction Readers and reading Review of anthology Review of modern fiction Review of new book Reviews of short stories
Many tantalizing twists in these tales – If It Bleeds, by Stephen King
What is Stephen King known for? Horror Fiction. Suspenseful mysteries. I bought If It Bleeds in the hope that IContinue Reading
children’s book Children’s Literature Creative Process Discussion of writing style Review of Illustrated Book Review of Literary Graphic Novel Review of new book Reviews of graphic novels and comic strips
Buy it because it’s beautiful – The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse, by Charlie Mackesy
This small book, with the tremendously long title printed in gold letters on the cover, is classified as a LiteraryContinue Reading
Absolutely excellent – Going Medieval on Pop Music
One of the books I’m reading now is William Shakespeare’s Get Thee…Back to the Future, by Ian Doescher, which isContinue Reading
The Blogess has a new book coming out – Broken, by Jenny Lawson
Here’s news from one of the writers I admire – Jenny Lawson, who made me laugh long and loud atContinue Reading
Authors to watch Current events Discussion of author’s portfolio getting published Non-fiction Poetry
From Babel to Borne – Upcoming Publications from Favourite Authors
What are my favourite authors doing next? My favourite authors have new works in the works, pardon the pun, soContinue Reading
Ever felt Liberfinisphobia?* Only the best books cause it.
*Made-up word!! Blogger, book lover, writer and member of the Rebusfontein writing collective, “Tannie Frannie”, meaning Auntie Frannie, posted thisContinue Reading
Authors to watch Current events Discussion of author’s portfolio Discussion of current events List of top books New Fiction Review of new book
Thrillers, Sci-Fi, History, Horror and Poetry – Reading list for the next six months
It’s the end of the first half of the year, and so far my reading time has been reduced byContinue Reading
by MMB
July 20, 2020
Art-themed Fiction Arts-themed novels Discussion of writing style Künstlerromane Modern fiction music musicians Review of literary fiction Review of modern fiction Review of new book Review of new novel rock opera The Who
Listening to Someone Else’s Dreams – The Age of Anxiety, by Pete Townshend
All the Aging Groovies like me out there would know the name Pete Townshend, the Pete Townshend – a.k.a. Peter DennisContinue Reading
by MMB
July 2, 2020
Art-themed Fiction Arts-themed novels CanLit Discussion of writing style kunstlerromane Review of Biographical Fiction Review of historical fiction Review of literary fiction Review of new book Review of new novel
Falling for the Leopard – Lampedusa, by Steven Price
Do you where Lampedusa is? Or what it is? Steven Price’s historical novel, Lampedusa, is not actually about the islandContinue Reading
by MMB
June 18, 2020
Constructed World Novel Discussion of writing style Review of new book Review of new science fiction Review of science fiction speculative fiction
A strange and moving book – Dead Astronauts by Jeff VanderMeer
If you enjoy poetry as well as Science Fiction, you will appreciate Dead Astronauts. The novel has elements of both.Continue Reading
by MMB
June 12, 2020
Backstories CanLit Creative Process Detective fiction Discussion of genre Discussion of writing style List of similar books Mysteries and Thrillers Published books Realistic Fiction
Real World Meets Realism – Devil’s Run, by Gordon Mohs (Part 3 of 3)
In this post I continue looking into the subject of factual accuracy in Fiction, and specifically Realistic Fiction and theContinue Reading
by MMB
June 5, 2020
Real World Meets Realism – Is It Fact or Fiction? (Part 2 of 3)
In this post I continue looking into the subject of factual accuracy in Fiction, and specifically Realistic Fiction and theContinue Reading
by MMB
May 22, 2020
Real World Meets Realism – Will the Real Robinson Crusoe Please Stand Up? (Part 1 of 3)
This month’s site header (below) is of a painting called The Tooth Extractor, by Dutch artist Theodoor Rombouts (1597–1637), in theContinue Reading
by MMB
May 15, 2020
Going off the rails – Too many alterations in the TV version of “Altered Carbon”
In my review of Richard Morgan’s Altered Carbon, I wrote that season 1 of the TV version of the bookContinue Reading
by MMB
May 10, 2020
The surprising results of using a machine text generator
Writers could encounter two problems specific to their profession: One is finding the right line or the right word, andContinue Reading
by MMB
May 2, 2020
Award-winning novel Constructed World Novel Discussion of author’s portfolio Discussion of film/TV series Discussion of writing style Review of Mysteries and Thrillers Review of science fiction Science Fiction Science Fiction Awards
The grossest – and most poetic – scenes of violence ever – Altered Carbon, by Richard Morgan
The concept on which Altered Carbon is based is ingenious – it was futuristic and fantastical when Richard Morgan wrote theContinue Reading
Current events Discussion of genre List of similar books List of top books Review of anthology Review of essay collection Review of modern fiction Review of previously published novel
Funny, witty, amusing books for light relief
To alleviate the “morbs” that might have descended on you from reading those books with pandemic and epidemics as themes,Continue Reading
Current events Horror Fiction List of similar books Review of classical novel Review of previously published novel speculative fiction
Horror Stories for Today – Epidemics and Pandemics in Fiction
Staying at home and feeling trapped or bored? Not in the mood for your usual type of book? Have aContinue Reading
by MMB
April 4, 2020
Discussion of genre Discussion of writing style Review of literary fiction Review of new book Review of new novel Review of science fiction
Challenging the limits of physicality – Frankissstein – A Love Story, by Jeanette Winterson
Frankissstein (with 3 s’es) is a collection of interwoven love stories that takes place from the mid 1800s to theContinue Reading
Albert Uderzo has died – but “Asterix” lives on
Sad news – Albert Uderzo has died. He passed away on 24 March 2020 at the age of 92 at hisContinue Reading
Falling down a rabbit hole when writing a book
I have been preoccupied for the past five months, rewriting my book about my family history, The Hope Chest, andContinue Reading
Music, love, dogged determination and good fortune – Me, by Elton John
Poor Elton John had to leave the stage during his show in New Zealand this week because he has walkingContinue Reading
Creative Process Discussion of genre Discussion of writing style Meta-data Review of new book Review of science fiction Reviews of graphic novels and comic strips Science Fiction
A perfect combination of Sci-Fi art and prose – Above the Timberline, by Gregory Manchess
Reading the screenplay of The Ballad of Buster Scruggs by Joel and Ethan Coen led me to the real artistContinue Reading
Art-themed Fiction Backstories Creative Process Meta-data Reviews of Screenplays and Dramas Reviews of short stories
From one book discovery to the next – The Ballad of Buster Scruggs screenplay
One of the enjoyable aspects of reading, is that in the process of sniffing out a particular book or authorContinue Reading
Organizing the info – an index of terms and tags for Seven Circumstances
A website like this can be difficult to negotiate because of its size – currently there are more than 3,000Continue Reading
Options for Authors – Back from the Future with Blog to Book
We’re going backwards. Back to print. First there was print. Then came the Internet, and there was JavaScript. And pdfs.Continue Reading
2019 Journey through Books
My journey through books this year It has been a very pleasant year in books for me. The activities onContinue Reading
A perfect little gem – The Strange Bird by Jeff VanderMeer
The Strange Bird is a little gem of a novel. Every carefully chosen word is just right. Each image isContinue Reading
Discussion of author’s portfolio Discussion of film/TV series Discussion of genre getting published Non-fiction Review of new book Science Fiction
Looking back at the original Star Trek – The Trouble with Tribbles
Which Sci-Fi devotee is not looking forward to the debut of Star Trek: Picard? (Roll on, January 23, 2020!) IContinue Reading
Goodbye, Clive James – Every word was meant, every image was meaningful
A big name in the world of literature, Clive James, died on November 24, 2019, in Cambridge, UK. He wasContinue Reading
by MMB
May 24, 2019
An Armload of Art-themed Novels
“Künstlerromane” are fictional depictions of the coming-of-age of artists or art prodigies – real or imagined, and their personal andContinue Reading
by MMB
May 17, 2019
Art-themed Fiction Best of 2018 Creative Process kunstlerromane Review of modern fiction Review of new novel Review of translated novel
An idea that asks to be murdered – Killing Commendatore, by Haruki Murakami
Killing Commendatore was published in Japanese with the title 騎士団長殺し (Kishidancho Goroshi) in 2017, and the English translation came outContinue Reading
by MMB
May 10, 2019
Best of 2018 Cold Climate Novels for Summer Discussion of writing style Fairytales Review of literary fiction Review of previously published novel Review of translated novel
Luminous, mysterious and bothersome – The Taiga Syndrome, by Cristina Rivera Garza
What is the Taiga? And what is the “Taiga Syndrome”? The Taiga is a snowy, fir-forested region in the highContinue Reading
“Don’t die, Dad – but they die.” Les Murray, The Bard of Bunyah, 17 October 1938 – 29 April 2019
The papers have been full with news of the death of Australia’s most world-famous poet, Les Murray. He died yesterdayContinue Reading
John Delacourt’s “Butterfly” in one-and-a-half minutes – Video-format review
Some novels really lend themselves to being discussed in visual terms – either their subject or setting is dramatic orContinue Reading
CanLit Discussion of genre Discussion of writing style List of similar books Review of Biographical Fiction Review of literary fiction Review of new book
A howl from the guts – White Out by Martine Delvaux
Before you read White Out it is best that you know that this book is written somewhat in the styleContinue Reading
Art-themed Fiction Backstories Discussion of writing style Review of classical fiction Review of classical novel Review of historical fiction Review of previously published novel
Two old people left behind, holding hands – The Fish Can Sing, by Halldór Laxness
A reader should approach with caution any book that has won a whole bunch of awards. A reader should alsoContinue Reading
by MMB
April 6, 2019
So it won a Nobel – so what?
Every so often I discover a wonderful writer by some confluence of good fortune. In this case, I got myContinue Reading
Totally not Moomintrollish – The Summer Book, by Tove Jansson
I’m just such a sucker for a feel-good story and lovely gobs of happiness, which is why I so enjoyedContinue Reading
Does it work to pick from an author’s shortlist of favourites? – Sjón’s Top 10
Since I’m a devoted Sjón fan, I duly sat down and ordered the novels on this Top 10 list ofContinue Reading
I composed something! – Machine Learning and the joys of aspiring to great art
Computer-generated artistic text and images tend to resemble FrankenArt and FrankenFiction. Using machine learning, designers can build software programs thatContinue Reading
“When Facebook Went Down”, “The Germs of Love”, and other new silly rhymes
Here are four new rhymes; about the 13th of March when Facebook crashed, about someone who can’t sing, about catchingContinue Reading
How to squish Sjón’s 528-page “CoDex 1962” into 2.5 minutes
It took four posts to finish saying what I wanted to say about CoDex 1962, the strange but marvellous novelContinue Reading
Art Crimes and War Crimes – Butterfly, by John Delacourt
John Delacourt’s novel Butterfly is hard to read, not because of his writing style, but because of the subject matterContinue Reading
53-second take on Undermajordomo Minor, by Patrick deWitt
Some novels just cry out to be made into films. Undermajordomo Minor, by Patrick deWitt, is one of those. IContinue Reading
Discussion of writing style Review of modern fiction Review of novel Review of previously published novel Review of translated novel
The Whispering Muse, by Sjón
“Sjón, the final frontier. These are the voyages of the Reader of Sjón. Her current mission: to explore strange new worlds, toContinue Reading
Award-winning novel Discussion of writing style Review of historical fiction Review of novel Review of previously published novel Review of translated novel
Revenge Served Cold in the Snow – The Blue Fox, by Sjón
“Sjón, the final frontier. These are the voyages of the Reader of Sjón. Her current mission: to explore strange new worlds, toContinue Reading
Discussion of writing style Literary analysis Review of historical fiction Review of literary fiction Review of new book
Moonstone – The Boy Who Never Was, by Sjón
Sjón: the final frontier. These are the voyages of the Reader of Sjón. Her current mission: to explore strange new worlds,Continue Reading
Award-winning novel Current events Humor Humour Modern fiction Review of modern fiction Review of new book satire
What a way to go – French Exit, by Patrick deWitt
After having enjoyed Patrick deWitt’s Undermajordomo Minor (2015) his most recent novel, French Exit, was a must-read. A “French exit” isContinue Reading
Told you so! Brian Bilston’s Diary of a Somebody shortlisted for Costa First Novel Award
Brian Bilston 21 hours ago on Facebook: “I’m really pleased – and somewhat astonished – to announce that my new bookContinue Reading
Ever wondered how a fox would sound if it could speak? – Fox 8 by George Saunders
I have often pointed out in these posts, that I favour brevity and carefully chosen words over flowery writing. ItContinue Reading
Simply perfect! Nick Cave explains the writing process
This post from Nick Cave’s Red Hand Files is too good not to share. From: Nick Cave Date: October 22,Continue Reading
We all have our little habits – what’s yours?
I saw the cartoon, “Things Book Lovers Do”, on Facebook, reposted by a UK company called forReadingAddicts, and for onceContinue Reading
How writers and reviewers connect, and how to avoid a war of words
A recent comment from an author on one of my book reviews got me thinking. I was pleased at theContinue Reading
The problem with this year’s Booker Prize selection
The Booker Award was announced on October 14, 2019, and for the first time they had two winners: The Testaments, by MargaretContinue Reading
Afrikaans Art Art-themed Fiction Authors to watch Award-winning novel Current events Discussion of current events Discussion of film/TV series Discussion of writing style Review of literary fiction Review of modern fiction Trending
Amazing Interconnectedness – The Garden of Evening Mists, by Tan Twan Eng (now a major film)
Some books have exotic contexts – there is a story about the story, and it helps the promotion of theContinue Reading
Backstories Best of 2018 Discussion of genre Discussion of writing style Review of science fiction Review of translated novel Science Fiction
An “Invention Story” about Futile Obsession – Ball Lightning, by Cixin Liu
LIU Cixin, or Cixin Liu as he is known in English, is the author of the famous Science Fiction trilogyContinue Reading
What is it about Rebusfontein and King Louis VIII?
On the subject of fictional worlds: I’d like to introduce you to “Rebusfontein”. Rebusfontein (pronounced rhéá-booz-fonteyn) is an Afrikaans name meaningContinue Reading
Discussion of author’s portfolio Humor Humour Review of modern fiction Review of new book Review of novel
A lot of Dutch sarcasm – “Live and let live”, by Hendrik Groen
“Anonymous”, also known as “Hendrik Groen” (a pseudonym) is famous for his creation of a gang of crotchety old folksContinue Reading
Backstories Creative Process Discussion of author’s portfolio Discussion of film/TV series List of similar books
Fascinating Fictional Fiction – Off the page into your hands (Part 3)
In the last of this series of posts on Fictional Fiction, I look into those famous authors whose invented booksContinue Reading
crime fiction Discussion of writing style Mysteries and Thrillers Review of Mysteries and Thrillers Review of new book
Death, not golf, in an idyllic town – Blindshot by Denis Coupal
When I read Denis Coupal’s thriller Blindshot, my overall impression of it was of competence – he had done allContinue Reading
This Year’s Hugo Winners and a Curiosity Courtesy of William Shatner
On August 18, 2019, at Worldcon 77 in Dublin, Mary Robinette Kowal was awarded the Hugo Award for the BestContinue Reading
Fascinating Fictional Fiction – You’re pulling my leg! (Part 2)
In this series of posts, I’m looking into some examples of “fictional fiction”. I’ve already spoiled the fun about books in Dr.Continue Reading
Fascinating fictional fiction – You never know if it’s real
Books associated with characters in a book or a film sometimes look real and are actual published books. But sometimesContinue Reading
A case for the quiet voice – The writing of Nick Cave
In a world filled with loud, angry voices, there’s something to be said for the quiet, thoughtful voice. Nick Cave,Continue Reading
A Source for the Perfect Rhyme? Sorry, there’s no easy solution
Rhyming is devilishly difficult. It’s a serious head-scratcher, as people who write poems, lyrics and rap well know. If youContinue Reading
Authors to watch Constructed World Novel Discussion of writing style Fairytales Review of Fantasy Review of new book
A good bet for a Hugo Award – Spinning Silver, by Naomi Novik
There are authors whose restraint, clear vision and graceful expression make their novels a quiet joy to read. I haveContinue Reading
by MMB
July 27, 2019
If you want a second career as an author, the clock’s ticking…
In the past few years, I have met quite a few authors, including self-published ones, who began writing late inContinue Reading
by MMB
July 12, 2019
Greg Hickey’s The Friar’s Lantern in 1 minute and a bit
When you have a mashup between a medieval-sounding title and a modern forensic mystery and a choice of choice ofContinue Reading
by MMB
July 2, 2019
Author interview Creative Process Mysteries and Thrillers Review of Gamebook (CYOA) Review of Mysteries and Thrillers
It’s up to you who lives and dies – The Friar’s Lantern, by Greg Hickey
When embarking on Greg Hickey’s novel, The Friar’s Lantern, you would be forgiven for thinking you are about to startContinue Reading
by MMB
July 1, 2019
A poem for Canada Day – “Home”
Today, July 1, is Canada Day. I am a Canadian, and this is what is means to me. Home byContinue Reading
by MMB
June 14, 2019
The long, hard road to getting a book published – Josiah Bancroft responds to eager fans
Josiah Bancroft is one of those authors who has defined his creative process with care and can explain how heContinue Reading
by MMB
June 11, 2019
Someone else calls it “indelibly awful” – The Mister, by E.L. James
It gives me great pleasure to re-post a review of E.L. James’ latest romance novel, The Mister, because I justContinue Reading
by MMB
June 8, 2019
Read the books before you judge the films – GoT and Florence Foster Jenkins
Game of Thrones has now ended, and amid the uproar about the storyline and perceived-as-unsatisfactory conclusion of the final season, despairingContinue Reading
by MMB
June 1, 2019
Picking up whispers of a murder – The Hearing Trumpet by Leonora Carrington
Forget for a moment that Leonora Carrington, who died in 2011 at the age of 94, was one of theContinue Reading
by MMB
March 7, 2019
The Charm/Curse of Cliffhangers – The Hod King, by Josiah Bancroft
The Hod King, Bancroft’s third book in his Books of Babel tetralogy, is an exercise in exquisite torture through cliffhangers.Continue Reading
Discussion of author’s portfolio Review of Fantasy Review of new book Review of Science Fiction and Fantasy
The Hods are revolting – but we love them anyway – The Hod King, by Josiah Bancroft
Writer Nicholas Tucker said about Richard Adams’ 50-hankie-bunny-weepie, Watership Down, “Adams … has bravely and successfully resurrected the big picaresque adventureContinue Reading
Best of 2018 Discussion of writing style Review of modern fiction Review of new book Review of new novel The Grim Reaper
Death Made Beautiful – Beirut Hellfire Society, by Rawi Hage
This is one those novels that will change the way you look at death and burial methods – and Beirut.Continue Reading
Mining Lullaby and Office Blues
I work for a firm of consulting engineers in the oil & gas and mining industries (my day job, whichContinue Reading
Julian Barnes on hard work, luck and serendipity in his writing career
Here is the fascinating first-hand exposé of how Julian Barnes wrote his first novel, Metroland, and got it published inContinue Reading
Backstories Current events Discussion of writing style Media and Technology Review of anthology Review of new book Review of new science fiction Review of science fiction Reviews of short stories
Science Fiction versus HARD Science Fiction – The real science behind the Twelve Tomorrows Anthology
John Scalzi’s Science Fiction (SF) novel Head On was taken a step closer to being real when, in December 2018,Continue Reading
Into the mind of an author – Helena Gunter on what motivates her to write
In a previous post, I commented on Helena Gunter’s recently published anthology of short stories called Tweespoor (meaning “Double Track”).Continue Reading
What tickles your funny-bone? Rhett and Link caption The New Yorker’s cartoons
Here’s something entertaining: the appearance on The New Yorker magazine’s video channel of my favourite You-tubers, Rhett McLaughlin and Link Neal,Continue Reading
Mannered throwaway lines and very bad people – Undermajordomo Minor, by Patrick deWitt
It seems to me that Hollywood film producers keep rehashing the same subjects and plots, which is why I rarelyContinue Reading
“The private, freaky sensuality of childhood” – “Tweespoor”(“Double Track”), by Helena Gunter
Helena Gunter’s skinny two-part work, with its dull brown cover featuring a faded-looking abstract drawing, looks harmless enough. What itContinue Reading
Mary, Mary, quite contrary, how does your website grow? Part 2 – Quite well, actually!
The statistics for 2018 for the Seven Circumstances book blog illustrate some basics about the world of book writing, publishingContinue Reading
Mary, Mary, quite contrary, how does your website grow? Growth factors in a book blog (part 1)
The statistics for 2018 for the Seven Circumstances book blog, released just before New Year, illustrate some basics about theContinue Reading
A Year in Books – Video of 2018 on Seven Circumstances
Readers who enjoy reading about the books they have read, and are searching for the next good book to read,Continue Reading
Backstories Discussion of writing style Humor Humour Pastoral Literature Review of memoir Review of new book
Gentle Gallic Escapism – My Twenty-Five Years in Provence, by Peter Mayle
Recently my nose led me to a stall in down-town Vancouver where people were selling lavender products made in Provence,Continue Reading
Backstories Discussion of writing style literary romance Review of literary fiction Review of new book
A codex of an Icelandic writer and his roots – CoDex, by Sjón (Part 4 – The nuclear fallout)
Part 4/4 of The Long Read review of Codex 1962, by Sjón (Back to part 3/4 of the review) TheContinue Reading
Backstories Discussion of writing style Literary analysis Review of literary fiction Review of new book
A codex of an Icelandic writer and his roots – CoDex 1962, by Sjón (Part 3 – The clay child)
Back to part 2 of the review of Codex 1962, by Sjón The parts of the Trilogy The three partsContinue Reading
Backstories Discussion of writing style Literary analysis Review of literary fiction Review of new book
A codex of an Icelandic writer and his roots – CoDex 1962, by Sjón (Part 2 – Turning people into zebras)
Part 2 of the review of CoDex 1962, by Sjón (Back to part 1) Antagonist/Protagonist Sjón comes close to directlyContinue Reading
Backstories Best of 2018 Discussion of writing style Literary analysis Review of literary fiction Review of new book
A codex of an Icelandic author and his roots – CoDex 1962 by Sjón (Part 1 – Roll-call of the dead)
CoDex 1962 is Icelandic author Sjón’s first new novel since Moonstone – The Boy Who Never Was, published in translation inContinue Reading
Backstories Current events List of similar books Modern fiction Published books Publishing technologies
Dismissive of mass market paperbacks? Think again.
This is the rack of “mass market” paperbacks that I see when I stand in the queue, every time IContinue Reading
The Genius of Genndy Tartakovsky – “Samurai Jack” returns one last time
I’m not an anime fan. I don’t do cosplay, and I generally like Hard Science Fiction more than novels aboutContinue Reading
This book needs no review – The Accidental Further Adventures of the Hundred-Year-old Man, by Jonas Jonasson
I have never written an easier review of a novel, than this one. Why? Because it does not need reviewingContinue Reading
Backstories Discussion of writing style Mysteries and Thrillers Review of modern fiction Review of new book Trending
“Bond” is back, courtesy of Anthony Horowitz in “Trigger Mortis” and “Forever and a Day”
“Plus ça change, plus c’est la même chose” – “the more things change, the more they stay the same”, said by French critic Alphonse Karr,Continue Reading
crime fiction Detective fiction Discussion of genre Discussion of writing style Modern fiction Review of Mysteries and Thrillers Review of new book
Homage to the Bard with Bloody-Handed Bastards and Gold Bars – Macbeth, by Jo Nesbo
Jo Nesbo is a masterful writer of crime fiction. In his particular niche, he is superb. That said, it probablyContinue Reading
One-minute video review – The Only Story by Julian Barnes
The novel is downbeat and intense, but demonstrates that what matters is love, what keeps people going is love, andContinue Reading
Constructed World Novel Discussion of writing style Review of previously published novel Review of science fiction
Want some Whuffie for that? Down and Out in the Magic Kingdom – The reprint edition
Cory Doctorow writes about the future as if it were today, as if it were about him and his buddies,Continue Reading
Indie author causes uproar in the French publishing industry – shrugs it off as a matter of survival
I rarely repost news articles in their entirety but this one is a real eyebrow-raiser: – an independent author’s novel,Continue Reading
The Creative Process & Publishing III – Meet the “Four Brothers Buksalesnikov”
In previous posts on this subject, I focused on finding a publisher, finding an agent and finding your voice asContinue Reading
Detective fiction detective novel Discussion of writing style Review of new book Review of science fiction
Not exactly lightheaded – Head On by John Scalzi
The last novel by John Scalzi I read, before this one, was Agent To the Stars (Tor Books, 2008), andContinue Reading
So many superlatives to fit in – Calypso by David Sedaris (a video critique)
The more I think about David Sedaris’ writing, the more I realize I’ve been missing out on a good thingContinue Reading
The Creative Process & Publishing II – Literary Agents
Step 2: Find a literary agent In my previous post, I went into why and how writers connect with publishersContinue Reading
The Creative Process & Publishing I – How to get published
There are thousands of aspiring authors, thousands of unpublished books, and millions of readers who have not connected with particularContinue Reading
Backstories Discussion of writing style Modern fiction Mysteries and Thrillers Review of modern fiction Review of Mysteries and Thrillers Review of new book
A precisely-crafted Alternative History – Break in Communication, by Jon Gliddon
What is the connection between Mining Engineering and writing fiction? None. In fact, the minds of Mining Engineers often workContinue Reading
Backstories Discussion of genre Discussion of writing style Review of classical fiction Review of classical novel Review of new non-fiction
Are you pondering what I’m pondering? – The lost, Icelandic version of “Dracula”
This is the Icelandic version of Bram Stoker’s famous Victorian Gothic novel, Dracula. Powers of Darkness, called Makt Myrkranna, “the powerContinue Reading
Discussion of writing style Review of literary fiction Review of modern fiction Review of new book Review of new novel romance Romances and Love Stories
It’s not about mixed doubles at all – The Only Story, by Julian Barnes
Julian Barnes’ latest novel is called The Only Story and, despite the subject (the “scandalous” love affair between a manContinue Reading
Today’s Loose Rhymes – emails and airplanes
I’ve been putting my poems on my poem-page on this website, mostly for my own amusement. I’ve noticed that justContinue Reading
Backstories Constructed World Novel Discussion of writing style Review of new book Review of science fiction
The scripts work – does the novel? Night Vale – A Novel, by Joseph Fink and Jeffrey Cranor
Can the same subjects, settings and characters be successfully used in a podcast, and in published script format, and in aContinue Reading
Why would you feed human offcuts to that turtle? Calypso, by David Sedaris
I did not, until now, understand why David Sedaris is regarded as one of the best essayist and satirists writingContinue Reading
by MMB
July 27, 2018
Author interview Authors to watch Award-winning novel Backstories Review of science fiction Review of Science Fiction and Fantasy Video
It’s 4 not 3! – Arm of the Sphinx, by Josiah Bancroft
Compact Crit. #12 – The Books of Babel, by Josiah Bancroft (In particular: Arm of the Sphinx) I am publishingContinue Reading
by MMB
July 20, 2018
Ten reasons why people don’t finish reading novels
Readers who are unable to finish reading a novel know that bothersome feeling – when you imagine that an inanimateContinue Reading
by MMB
July 18, 2018
Authors to watch Discussion of lyrics Discussion of poetry Discussion of writing style Humor Humour kunstlerromane Poetry Review of modern fiction Review of new book Review of new novel Review of poetry collection
A novel about a poet that’s filled with delightful poetry – Diary of a Somebody, by Brian Bilston
Comment from Brian Bilston: Brian Bilston “What a lovely review. Thank you so much. I’m delighted you enjoyed it – andContinue Reading
by MMB
July 6, 2018
Best of 2018 Constructed World Novel Discussion of genre Discussion of writing style Review of new book Review of new science fiction Review of science fiction
High calibre writing – Arm of the Sphinx, by Josiah Bancroft
Some writers write so clearly, elegantly and expressively that reading their words is like drinking a glass of the bestContinue Reading
by MMB
June 29, 2018
Discussion of writing style List of similar books Review of new book Review of new science fiction Review of science fiction
If it’s cute, tentacled and ravenous, don’t bring it home – Borne, by Jeff VanderMeer
“Borne” is the past participle of the verb “[to] bear”, which means to carry or transport, as in a weight orContinue Reading
by MMB
June 22, 2018
New video-format review: On the Bright Side – The New Diary of Hendrik Groen
Compact Crit. #10 – On the Bright Side – The New Diary of Hendrik Groen (a.k.a. Zolang Er Leven IsContinue Reading
by MMB
June 18, 2018
Discussion of writing style Non-fiction Pastoral Literature Review of new book Review of new non-fiction Subjective non-fiction
A different kind of oasis – Paradise Gardens, by Monty Don and Derry Moore
I have long been an admirer of Monty Don, the horticulturist and garden expert. I love watching him on hisContinue Reading
by MMB
June 15, 2018
Backstories Discussion of film/TV series Discussion of writing style Review of historical fiction Reviews of short stories
The mystery of the misquoted quote from “The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance”
Sometimes, a line from a book or a film just sounds to good to resist. It sticks in your headContinue Reading
by MMB
June 11, 2018
Books for Summer Discussion of writing style Modern fiction Review of modern fiction Review of new book Review of new novel
A long trip without a decent map – A Long Way From Home, by Peter Carey
Despite two trips to Australia, I have failed to figure out the archetypal Australian or the layout of the country.Continue Reading
by MMB
June 8, 2018
Anthony Bourdain is dead – No more “food-poetry”
Anthony Bourdain is dead – he killed himself. His body was found in Kaysersberg-Vignoble, France, on Friday, June 8, 2018. HeContinue Reading
by MMB
June 2, 2018
Authors to watch Discussion of author’s portfolio Discussion of writing style Mysteries and Thrillers Review of Mysteries and Thrillers Review of new book Review of Thriller
Give me Stockholm or give me death – Midnight Sun, by Jo Nesbo
Jo Nesbo’s famous “Harry Hole” detective novels, and his other works for adults, bear the marks of contemporary Scandinavian NoirContinue Reading
by MMB
June 1, 2018
75-seconds video review – More about the future of pleasure model robots
Compact Crit. #11 – The Pleasure Model Repairman, by Ruuf Wangersen It was great fun to read Ruuf Wangersen’s debut Sci-FiContinue Reading
by MMB
May 26, 2018
historical romance List of similar books List of top books literary romance romance Romances and Love Stories
Romantic novels to put you in the mood for love
It’s Spring, love is in the air and it’s wedding season, so now is the time to revisit some excellentContinue Reading
by MMB
May 21, 2018
Into the mind of an author: Ruuf Wangersen (author of The Pleasure Model Repairman)
Ruuf Wangersen’s debut novel is The Pleasure Model Repairman, reviewed here. I was fascinated by this new author and theContinue Reading
by MMB
May 19, 2018
Best of 2018 Constructed World Novel Current events Discussion of writing style Review of new book Review of science fiction
The fatal thrills of zero inhibitions – The Pleasure Model Repairman, by Ruuf Wangersen
Any novel that has the words “pleasure model” in the title could be automatically relegated to the category of “chickContinue Reading
by MMB
May 11, 2018
Authors to watch Backstories Current events Discussion of writing style Review of radio script Review of science fiction
Freaky bedtime stories from “Night Vale”, the town where nothing is normal
“Welcome to Night Vale” it says on the cover. Inside, there are stories about the town of “Night Vale”, somewhereContinue Reading
by MMB
May 4, 2018
The one, the only, the greatest – Literary one-hit wonders video
Like in music, one-hit wonders are a never-ending source of fascination for people. Depending on how you define a “one-hitContinue Reading
Authors to watch Backstories Current events Discussion of writing style Humor Humour Modern fiction Review of modern fiction Review of new book Trending
Hendrik Groen stubbornly clings to life – On the Bright Side, by Anonymous (Hendrik Groen)
The mystery over who “Hendrik Groen” is, continues. Groen is the pseudonym of a Dutch author who has produced twoContinue Reading
The Creative Process: What makes a literary one-hit wonder?
There is a lot more to the phenomenon of literary one-hit wonders than you’d think. There are many reasons forContinue Reading
New video-format review – The Memory Palace, by Edward Hollis
Compact Crit. #9 – The Memory Palace, by Edward Hollis Since Edward Hollis’ book, The Memory Palace, is mostly aboutContinue Reading
This is why we love our “stuff” – The Memory Palace, by Edward Hollis
When I studied Interior Decorating years ago, I didn’t have the foggiest idea about the real significance of interiors. YouContinue Reading
Seriously nasty, but sad – Lionel ASBO, by Martin Amis
This is satire, and it bites hard. “Lionel ASBO” ( his surname stands for Anti-Social Behaviour Order, which was placedContinue Reading
by MMB
April 9, 2018
Review in a compact video – Bloom County, by Berke Breathed
In my review of the return of the Bloom County comic strip, I had in my mind only the drawnContinue Reading
by MMB
April 6, 2018
Backstories children’s book Current events Discussion of author’s portfolio Discussion of film/TV series Discussion of writing style Trending
Oh dear, Mary Poppins Returns – here comes the spoonful of saccharine
The teaser trailer for the new film based on the Mary Poppins books by P.L. Travers was released to coincideContinue Reading
An amazing one-hit-wonder – Lives of the Monster Dogs, by Kirsten Bakis
Jean-Baptiste Alphonse Karr’s famous epigram reads; “Plus ça change, plus c’est la même chose” – “the more it changes, the more it’s the sameContinue Reading
Backstories Comic books Current events Humor Humour Reviews of graphic novels and comic strips Trending
The perks and perils of reanimating oldies but goodies – Bloom County, by Berke Breathed
After a 25-year absence, comic book artist Berkeley (“Berke”) Breathed restarted his famous and much-loved comic strip, Bloom County on Facebook,Continue Reading
5 The Creative Process – Conclusions
In the previous four posts on this subject, I looked into the link between addiction and mental problems of writersContinue Reading
4 The Creative Process – Performance enhancement for writers
In the previous article, I discussed the link between psychopathology and creativity. So here is a shortlist of authors whose bodyContinue Reading
54-second review of Insomniac City, by Bill Hayes
Compact Crits #7: 54-second review of Insomniac City, by Bill Hayes Read the whole story here. Make no mistake, thisContinue Reading
To read if you’re bone-tired, lonely or blue – Insomniac City, by Bill Hayes
Insomniac City made me cry – but in a nice way. I am an incurable romantic and Hayes’s revealing memoirContinue Reading
by MMB
March 9, 2018
3 The Creative Process – The redemptive power of fiction
In the previous article, part 2 of the Long Read about the creative process, I looked at the link betweenContinue Reading
by MMB
March 5, 2018
46-second review of The Last Kind Words Saloon
Compact Crits #5: 46-second review of The Last Kind Words Saloon, by Larry McMurtry
by MMB
March 2, 2018
The Fine Art of Economical Prose – The Last Kind Words Saloon, by Larry McMurtry
The title is probably one of the longest phrases in the novel, which is a mere 191 pages, including illustrationsContinue Reading
Review in a 48-second video – You Took the Last Bus Home, by Brian Bilston
Compact Crits #6: 48-second review of You Took the Last Bus Home, by Brian Bilston (poetry) Here’s the full reviewContinue Reading
2 The Creative Process – Unreliable authors and narrators
Does an unreliable narrator mean the author is also unreliable? In the previous article, about “mad, bad and dangerous toContinue Reading
Authors to watch Backstories Discussion of poetry Discussion of writing style Poetry Publishing technologies Review of poetry collection Web series and vlogs
Manipulating words like Legos – You Took the Last Bus Home, by Brian Bilston
Brian Bilston’s first anthology of poetry contains more than 200 poems, and despite some of them being only four linesContinue Reading
The funny, thoughtful poems of Brian Bilston, the Twitter poet
Brian Bilston’s saucy, witty and insightful poems on Twitter (@brian_bilston) have made him famous. In this podcast (recorded in 2016,Continue Reading
Marthe Bijman (left) reads for pleasure and in order to write reviews for this website, for certain publishers and, on special request for certain authors. To earn a living, she is a professional proposal writer and runs a communications and Geoscience consultancy called 
