Poets make the best prose writers. I’m no poet. So I should know. Speak, Memory is a collection of pre-Second World War articles published before Nabokov had written and published Lolita . I’ve read Lolita and Pale Fire . I use the past tense and use the term ‘read’ imaginatively. My memory isn’t good. Pale Fire, I didn’t like or remember much other than vague shadows or reasons which I also can’t remember or don’t really care, which is perhaps...

Brett Anderson is the lead singer of Suede. I’ve heard of the band, but not listened to any of their records. His first love was Justine Frischmann. She was also was a founding member of Suede and later became the frontwoman of Elastica. They both attended University College London in the late seventies. Nope. Never heard of her either. I can’t therefore be described as a fan. I don’t listen to music. I’m not likely to erect a flagpole and fly...

Abir Mukherjee has written five international bestsellers set in 1920s India, (Wyndham & Banerjee) still owned by the English between the First and Second World War. I’ve not read any of them. Hunted is my first stab at his work. The author informs readers it took three years to write almost 500 pages. He’s from Hamilton. Just up the road from me. I’m not saying that’s a great achievement, coming from Hamilton, many people do. But if he came...

Happiness is a warm keyboard and more than ever…it’s providing my escape from a sad reality. My guiding light, my shinning star, has gone out. The loss of my love, my spouse, my heart has changed the trajectory of my world. He encouraged my writing, championed my efforts and was the daily voice threaded through decades of my life. The love we shared was my muse when I created the hero and heroine of a tale; he was forefront in my thoughts,...

https://www.channel4.com/programmes/the-banshees-of-inisherin Critically acclaimed The Banshees of Inisherin reunited Colin Farrell and Brendan Gleeson with Richard McDonagh after their successful collaboration on In Bruges. McDonagh’s repertoire of works also includes award winning Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri and this was classified as a return to his roots. You get the message. This was or is a great film. One of the classics. To...

As i have never read a Blog on here, I did not know such a thing on here exsisted. Why would someone want to write a blog, where no one will find them? Is a blog worth it? MJG

If i haven't been quite on top of replying to comments etc. in the last couple of weeks, this is why

This has been the first week for a long time in which I haven't had an episode of one serial or another to write and publish, and I miss it! The latest Josiah and Archibald story, 'Dead Reckoning', finally reached its conclusion last week and I've been struggling to think of what to do next. Then it occurred to me that, when we last heard from them, Aefelthrith (sometimes known as Ethel) and Gwladys (who used to be her maid) were in a stolen...

Question Fifteen – Do you think men’s younger upbringing helps or disables them from unity with a 21 st century woman? Why / why not? Donna If he, like a female, is brought up properly, there would be no question that their upbringing would help them. However, I blame the break-up of nuclear families where there is no male role model to look up to, for when men become less able. Alyss I am going with a yes, it does, but maybe, slowly, that can...

Question Fourteen – Do you think women’s expectations of men are too high for what men can actually offer? If yes, in what way? These are the story-answers of some respondents Donna, No, why must a woman's expectations of a man change, when a man’s expectation of a woman doesn’t change. Alyss, I think back to fairytales and the images that women have of men, where they are all royal, strong, wealthy, attractive and can handle the dragons of life...