because:
Kirsten Krauth’s just_a_girl
This post is adapted from my speech for the Castlemaine launch of Kirsten Krauth's just_a_girl. There are three main characters in Kirsten Krauth’s excellent, powerful and confronting debut novel just_a_girl: teenage Layla, her mother Margot and a lonely Japanese man, Tadashi. As someone who had the internet at Layla’s age—14—I would also say her experience … Continue reading Kirsten Krauth’s just_a_girl
The Great Unknown authors: Rhys Tate
This is the second in a series of posts leading up to the release of The Great Unknown, where authors share their experience of writing eerie stories for the anthology, and give you an idea of what to expect (and, I hope, look forward to). The Great Unknown is available to pre-order from Booktopia, Readings, Fishpond (free shipping worldwide) and all good … Continue reading The Great Unknown authors: Rhys Tate
The Great Unknown authors: Carmel Bird
This is the first in a series of posts leading up to the release of The Great Unknown, where authors share their experience of writing eerie stories for the anthology, and give you an idea of what to expect (and, I hope, look forward to). The Great Unknown is available to pre-order from Booktopia, Readings, Fishpond (free shipping worldwide) … Continue reading The Great Unknown authors: Carmel Bird
Vertigo
Yesterday I climbed the mountain Beinn Eighe, and it was breathtaking. I get a bit of vertigo; when there's a drop by the path I have to lean away from it and not look down or else my legs crumble and my head spins. As I laid in bed last night, my muscles humming with … Continue reading Vertigo
Carmel Bird Award winner: Alex Cothren
I'm pleased to announce that the winner of the Carmel Bird Short Fiction Award 2013 is Alex Cothren, for his wonderful story 'A Cure'. 'A Cure' stood out for me due to its imaginative speculation on the limits of 'misery' entertainment (and potential abuses of brain-tech), and questions it raises around the effects of saturation … Continue reading Carmel Bird Award winner: Alex Cothren
Carmel Bird Award shortlist
The shortlist for the 2013 Carmel Bird Short Fiction Award has just been announced on the Spineless Wonders website. These are all excellent, imaginative stories, and I'm so excited that they will be joining those by the invited writers published in The Great Unknown (including Carmel Bird herself). They range from an existential story from the POV of … Continue reading Carmel Bird Award shortlist
A few choice quotes from EIBF
Hello! I've been meaning to add a final post after Edinburgh International Book Festival 2013, with some of my favourite quotes in the sessions I went along to. These are basically tweets I sent out during the festival, gathered together: Salman Rushdie described reclusive author Thomas Pynchon like this: he's tall, wears lumberjack shirts & … Continue reading A few choice quotes from EIBF
Carmel Bird Award longlist announced
Hello from the heart of the Speyside Scotch whisky trail! I'm working at a guesthouse here for all of September. There are three dogs, and there's whisky and time to write in the middle of the day. So I'm a pig in shit. Today I'm excited to announce the longlist for the Carmel Bird Short … Continue reading Carmel Bird Award longlist announced
EIBF 2013: is psychiatry doing more harm than good? (More brainy stuff.)
A version of this post was previously published on Stoffers James Davies is the author of Cracked: Why Psychiatry is Doing More Harm Than Good. The main points of his argument, in the talk he gave at the Edinburgh International Book Festival 2013, were: Psychiatric drugs often do not do what they say they do, … Continue reading EIBF 2013: is psychiatry doing more harm than good? (More brainy stuff.)
LiteraryMinded 