Sinking

As yet, my story is incomplete and I am not happy working to immoveable word counts, BUT I am adopting Marco Pierre White’s maxim: self control is TRUE POWER …

[well, in theory!]

Reading at night

Find it difficult to read at night so keep a notebook and pen by the bed – sods law – ideas strike just as I’ve got comfortable. But I do keep a selection of books – either reference (see photo) or books I can read short sections of without losing the plot. Have a great one at the moment; Douglas Coupland’s The Gum Thief. Multiple narrators advance the story in the form of letters between the characters – interspersed with surreal prose sections written from the POV of  ‘toast’ – plus extracts from (one of) the protagonist Roger’s unpublished novel, Glove Pond, which features thinly disguised characters drawn from the staff at the Staples store where he works. Worlds within worlds, brilliantly written – and best of all, it doesn’t keep me awake if I’m tired, neither does it interfere with my own writing, nor does it send me to sleep. Perfect bedtime reading …

Telling tales

Yes, I know life’s too short for procrastination but have to confess I’ve been doing quite a lot of it lately. The cause? A major deadline three weeks away for a 4000 word short story and accompanying 1000 word commentary. I’m three quarters of the way through the first draft but I’ll be much happier when I have a complete draft to work with.

Thought about using the cat’s (very bad) habit of sitting on the book that I’m reading (see above) as an excuse but she doesn’t stay there very long. Most of my procrastination activities count as research, but I can’t include this link to Bo Selecta – even though it was prompted by the word ‘magic’ which was relevant to something I was discussing online, and whilst it’s totally lacking in taste – it is simply very funny and I need the contrast of humour in my life!

On teeth

It is possible that I hold socialist opinions on teeth. My gums are red, my thoughts are too – coloured by the pain from the abscess that is gnawing its way through.

So I imagine a parallel universe where dentists wear smiles, welcome and treat patients on demand; toothache? Oh dear, can you wait fifteen minutes? Yes? Do sit down, they say. We’ll soon sort it out.

As I don’t know enough about applied quantum mechanics or the whereabouts of this potential universe to make this happen, I resort to mouthwash and when that fails to alleviate the condition, I bribe my doctor to provide me with antibiotics (yes, even in my universe, this is a possibility). And what do I bribe him with? No, not money, don’t be silly, with eggs – half a dozen freshly laid eggs – which hardly constitutes a bribe but is in no way tawdry and just as effective …

The logical part of me thinks like this: teeth are a part of the body; they emerge from the gum, like nails emerge on toes and finger ends – so why can they only be treated by dentists? Perhaps another universe exists where dental technicians are sited at a health centre? It would be so simple. The state of your teeth or gums is affecting your health? Then come and see our dental technician; he’ll fix it for you …

Of course this will never happen in my universe, where dentists – purveyors of implants and veneers – charge extortionate amounts of money so I can what … look good? Looking good, having straight white perfect teeth isn’t what I need, or want right now. If I did, I’d be prepared to pay for it. My priorities are healthy gums and teeth with which I can eat. I think that’s fair enough, isn’t it? And hardly radical …

La la la la la lala lala lala la la la l …

La la la la la lala lala lala la la la la la …

6S Vol 2

6S Vol 2 now available on Amazon.

My (very short) story Down To Earth is included in this new anthology of (very short) fiction!

Happy bunnies …

Happy bunnies – like me.