Monthly Archives: October 2014

October 27, 2014 · 8:58 PM

5. Notes from a Small Island – Bill Bryson (100 book challenge)

I was thrilled to see Bill Bryson on the 100 book challenge list as he’s one of my favourite authors.

Notes from a small island

In saying that, I was surprised to see that they’d chosen ‘Notes from a Small Island’ as the book on the list. I started reading it a few years ago and lost interest, preferring to read his European adventures book (Neither Here Nor There) or the American counterpart (Notes from a Big Country).

I mean, really, what does the UK itself have to offer?

Sure, London’s pretty neat and Stonehenge can be impressive (for the first three minutes at least) but I always saw England as a travel destination from which to take other trips to more exotic places like Prague or Barcelona or Amsterdam.

Could someone really write a whole 265 pages on the England, Scotland and Wales alone?

Because it was on the list, I had to give it ago.

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October 22, 2014 · 9:01 PM

Extinction (Friday Fictioneers)

image

Image by The Reclining Gentleman at http://thereclininggentleman.wordpress.com

‘2040,’ he reads aloud, ‘last living bird, the common sparrow, dies from avian influenza.’

He moves along to the next panel and taps the touchscreen.

‘2078: the last female crocodile in captivity, and last reptile known, dies of old age.’

He shakes his head in disbelief.

‘2123: rising water temperatures lead to the death of all oceanic fish and mammals.’

He takes a deep breath before moving to the next screen.

‘2236: last mammal on earth, male human living in southern China, dies age 98.’

He taps his antennae together thoughtfully.

And with a flutter of wings he is gone.

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I felt a little sci-fi this week since my short story ‘Meet the Martians’ was recently published in the StringyBark Future Times Short Story anthology (hard copy and ebook). It’s an exciting moment to see my name in print, especially in a genre I’ve never attempted before. But bring it on! There’s something rather exhilarating about predicting the future, especially a future that’s been taken over by insects…

Friday Fictioneers is a challenge set by Rochelle Fields where writers around the world create 100 word stories inspired by the one image. For more information see: http://rochellewisofffields.wordpress.com/2014/10/22/24-october-2014/

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October 9, 2014 · 9:42 PM

100 books

Some good suggestions here, but I’d feel like I’d be cheating if I strayed from the list now!

Once uPUN a time...

Blogger and author Jessie Ansons has set a challenge to read (and, I presume, review) 100 must read books.  The list can be found here.  Skimming the selection got me thinking about the books that I think are missing from that list.

For example, I would love to see Toni Morrison’s Beloved on that list.  Morrison’s text showcases the complex interplay of past, present and future, and the difficult decisions which reverberate across time and space.

I would also like to see the much beloved John Green represented in the list.  My vote would be for Paper Towns or The Fault in our Stars, however I would be happy to see any of his works make the list.  Green has this uncanny ability to consistently craft engaging adolescent voices and it is for this, as much his story telling ability, that should earn him a place on the list.

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October 8, 2014 · 7:10 PM

Proud parents (Friday Fictioneers)

Copyright-Rochelle Fields

Image by Rochelle Wisoff-Fields at http://www.rochellewordart.com/please-say-kaddish-for-me.html

His parents knew the importance of providing their only child with a creative outlet. They filled his playroom with a drum kit, a guitar, an oboe and a double bass.

The first time he picked up the drumsticks his parents watched with keen interest.

A ray of sunshine hit the brass cymbals and reflected a distorted image of the room around him: the guitar, the oboe, the double bass and his parents’ beaming faces.

He lowered his drumsticks and turned to his parents.

He knew he needed to capture that moment.

‘Mum, Dad, I want to be a painter.’

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Read my reviews of books as I make my way through the 100 book challenge here.

Friday Fictioneers is a challenge set by Rochelle Fields where writers around the world create 100 word stories inspired by the one image. For more information see: http://rochellewisofffields.wordpress.com/2014/10/08/10-october-2014/  

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