Things that make me happy No 1: Hipstamatic

(Taken with the Hipstamatic app on my iPod)

Quick, I have WiFi!

I've been working very very hard and enjoying myself immensely here at Internet-free Hawthornden Castle:

I won't jinx anything by talking about it too much yet, since I have another 10 days to go. I have escaped for the day into the Big City for a little Internet surfing (and, yes, an afternoon film, very decadent). Just wanted to plug a few lovely things I have been involved in over the last few weeks:

The wonderful Jen Campbell interviewed me about... short stories (there's a surprise) over at her blog. She asked some tough questions. A little snippet:

I get a kick from a great short story that is unlike any other reading experience, and I read everything, novels, poetry, non-fiction. But the short story discombobulates me, shakes me, moves me, in only a few pages or less, and it is these short stories I find I carry around with me, like whispering voices, for months, even years. I don't forget a short story I have loved. 

And a few weeks ago I was interviewed over at the excellent Shortfire press about, umm, yes, short stories:

I prefer a 'messy' story that may not be perfect but takes risks to a carefully written and 'safe' story that never strays into dangerous territory – and 'danger' can mean something incredibly small, but something risky nonetheless. I'd rather be slightly confused for lack of information than given far too much information and know exactly what's going on, what's happened and what's going to happen.

I was so honoured to be included in this amazing project, Photo Stories "an experiment in writing, photography, and design" - all the writers involved picked a photo, wrote a 500-word story inspired by that photo, and then a designer combined the photo and the story into a third, brand-new entity, a "typographic print" - and all the typographic prints are being exhibited at the Saatchi gallery in London RIGHT NOW (and no, I haven't seen it, sadly I missed the launch). If you are in London, head down there. But even if you can't, the typographs are for sale, check out the website. You can see the typograph of my story here.

Another few bits of story news - I have several flash stories in a new ebook anthology coming very soon, Peculiar Love Stories, being published by Rosa Mira Books in New Zealand. I have to say, I realised I tend to write a lot of very peculiar love stories! Check out the publisher's blog here.

And the antipodean theme continues - a brand new and very very odd flash story, Disease relics, has just been published in volume 1 of Australian online mag Inky Squib, (scroll to page 4).

OK, time to head back to the castle. I will write more about the experience when I get home at the end of the month. I will leave you with this thought: porridge and creativity, is there a link?

Photos of the Writing Shed

Very interesting discussion on revising short stories going on in the last blog post - and I am going to write more about that, I think it's a vital topic. But while I mull and gather opinions, here are the shed pics I've been promising this for a while! The writing shed is finally ready - and it is bliss! Here is a pictorial journey from start to finish:

Existing shed in the garden when we moved in...

 ...was a little cluttered...

We moved all the clutter out, and our wonderful builder, Simon, started work on the insulation...

...until it looked a little like a sauna.

 

Then I started moving my things in, including my crucial Einstein "Imagination is more important than knowledge" poster...

  

and all my short story collections on the shelves above and below the window...

Look at all those lovely books!

 

Simon even made me a special inner door for extra privacy. And a corner nook where I can work standing up (like Hemingway).

and also a desk.

 

Now all that remains is for me to spend lots of time in there and produce work worthy of such a shed!