Raworth's "Hands"

Tom Raworth is a poet I very much admire, so I was really pleased to find this on YouTube. If the blurb is to be believed, it's a piece of "video art" (I suppose) by the man himself. Anyway, even if the hand is of another it's very beautiful indeed (though not as funny as the Lithuanian swimmer...).

Quote of the Day

"I just make the best book that I can and try to not worry about audience or if it will sell. The odds are against you, so why abuse your talent for the sake of a chimera? The only real pleasure for me in writing comes from pleasing myself." - William Vollman

Arise, Sir Roderick!

Someone knight him now, before I have to do it myself in a paper crown and with a wooden sword.

http://www.newstatesman.com/music/2008/08/roots-manuva-art-love-london

New Story

The good people of 3:AM have very kindly posted a short short story I wrote over the summer. I was originally going to read it at the reading I did at Boogaloo (see previous posts if you care) but I didn't have time. So, anyway, go here if you want to see it. It's not long...

Multi-Story

Matt Thorne asked me to take part in a strange kind of story relay with Ewan Morrison, Chris Manby, Stella Duffy, Alison Macleod and his good self. The result was called "Messenger," came out rather good and is now published in the new issue of Another Magazine. You can't actually read it on that link, just stare dreamily at a picture of Scarlett Johanson and imagine yourself drinking classic cocktails with a contemporary twist.

Link

Short interview with Susan Tomaselli at 3:AM here.

In Yer Dreams

I dreamt last night that I met Salman Rushdie and he told me that, having read my book, I should get a different career. With which he got into a chauffeur driven car and motored off. The dream would have been far worse if I hadn't been playing a strange cricket/tennis hybrid at the time, which knocked an edge of reality off it. Also, if I was a bigger admirer of Mr Rushdie's books in non-dream life. All the same, though, it seemed pretty low. Although I will laugh about it when I claim a gold in Crown Bowls at the 2012 Olympics or win next year's "Apprentice" or some such...