Image: Lizzy Siddal
And so, the madness is over for another year. Edinburgh is slowly returning to normality as all 250+ venues go back to what they did before—sell, display or hire out. Temporary venues disappear (goodbye Udderbelly) and backrooms and shops turn their attention back to quieter afternoons. Charlotte Square has emptied of readers and [...]
Image: Random
I thought I might delve a little deeper into my remark in yesterday’s post concerning the time I wanted to be an architect, to when it was abruptly halted after a fire in the centre of Glasgow. It’s an interesting tale.
I was on a work experience week at Scottish Homes in Glasgow many years [...]
Image: Black Knight
I mentioned yesterday that my wife only took a handful of photographs while in Portugal but the ones she did take were of a sunset. Well, I took some too, quite a few in fact, which is the reason they still aren’t ready to show off. I spent a while going through them [...]
Image: Go Springboard
As mentioned previously, this is my final monthly plan of work for my writing year. When this set of GDRs began in January 2009 I was still running from January to December but came to realise how important the Edinburgh Book Festival was in my writing life; it’s a month of recharging, re-evaluating, [...]
Image: Weekly Reader
Looking back, June was a great month. May had been good and I had been wanting to build on it, so when carrying out my GDR review of the past 30 days I was delighted with the results of both the amount of work I’ve got through, the quality of my submissions, the [...]
Image: Forward Press
A bath of ice. That’s what I need to cool my skin and return to a more normal temperature. I’m not really enjoying this week’s “great weather” because I can’t find a balance with clothes.
It’s not sunny but icky and sticky and sweaty (I’ve used that phrase before but I like it). The [...]
Image: The Mirror
England got a taste of what it’s like to be Scottish yesterday: dramatic failure after a bunch of promises about what might and should have been.
Yes, England failed in the most Scottish of ways; they inflated their own self worth and never saw the juggernaut of reality coming their way. Germany walked over [...]
Image: David Goehring
I’ve decided what I’ll submit to the Edinburgh UNESCO City of Literature Trust’s programme for reading slots at this year’s Edinburgh Book Festival. I wanted it to be something punchy, engaging and would prove a good advert.
I had two stories immediately in mind. I was cut between LETTING GO, a sad story [...]
Image: Elegant Chic
Yesterday was the 14th anniversary of my first ever Madness gig at a London venue. I’d seen them before by then, but travelling to London to see the Magnificent 7 on their home turf is like going to see Scotland playing at Hampden Park—it has an extra special something.
The occasion was the third [...]
Image: BBC
Margo Macdonald is at it again. She’s talking sense when all around her are going mad. Again. She’s the first MSP to come out with a case for scrapping the Edinburgh Trams farce altogether, citing the council’s plans to borrow a further £55 million and sack Bilfinger Berger, as well as the possibility of [...]
Image: Kellogs
Get this. Yesterday I mentioned one of my short stories was rejected on Tuesday after 3 days and that I’d sent the piece straight back out. That same piece was returned to me YESTERDAY—1 day on submission!!! Obviously it’s already back out there but come on! It’s a good story, people! It’s called WHISKY [...]
Image: Alan Cleaver
I was rather disappointed to see not a single Scot among the shortlist of best young crime writers from the CWA’s inaugural National Crime Fiction Week awards. All the finalists were English or Welsh, which I hope isn’t an indication that “tartan noir” is on the droop. Mind you, if it is, that [...]
Image: Green Office
I had a surprise day off work yesterday when I had to call in for some time so I could look after a sick family member. My doctor’s duties were called on until mid-afternoon, which meant I missed all of the warm sun that had been afforded Edinburgh. By the time I had [...]
Image: 123rf.com
I spent most of yesterday lathering after-sun cream on my pink forehead and the back of my neck. I was positively glowing as I walked around Edinburgh in the morning and stopped for a coffee and pastry to read the paper. No wonder people were looking at me and tourists were confused.
My neck is [...]
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