A transdimensional library? This idea seems totally bonkers to me too – but imagine a library with its shelves filled with books – books that have never existed and have yet to be written.
I have two pieces published on the Eggplant Literary Productions site in the section they call Miscellanea: The Transdimensional Library.
1. Excerpt from Erotic Fiction.
2. 101 tips for a Great Transplanetary Workshop Continue reading “Erotic Fiction (for aliens)”
Hamlet seems weird – being basically about a man driven mad by a ghost’s accusations. The plots and characters in the current crop of Vampire books appear far more believable.
In fact, I should have finished reading this play before the term started – along with the other pre-term reading; Uncle Vanya, Private Lives and Top Girls. I enjoyed reading the other plays – especially Private Lives and Top Girls.
But Hamlet? Well, I am still ploughing through it.
Of course, I could take the easy option and just watch the 1996 film. Actually, I have never seen Hamlet performed either as a play or film. But I am determined to read the damn thing first.
I keep measuring the pages left to go against the pages I have actually read. I reckon I am half way through. When I try to read it in the evening, I fall asleep. When I read it today – as I did on the train – I fell asleep again and almost missed my station stop.
Hamlet seems weird – being basically about a man driven mad by a ghost’s accusations. The plots and characters in the current crop of Vampire books appear far more believable.
(Actually, it is well worth a visit to Stephenie Meyer’s website to find out how she was inspired by a dream and sat down to write the best-selling novel, Twilight. I went there in the name of research for this blog piece and Wikipedia is currently ‘down’ as a protest against proposed new legislation – but I digress and will get back on track in moment.)
So, confession time: I hated Shakespeare at school and haven’t recovered from being forced to read Twelfth Night in class – very slowly over the course of a whole year. Of course I didn’t understand much of the language and I still don’t. In my informed opinion, as a fifteen year old, twelfth Night had the most ridiculous plot ever and generated slightly less excitement than watching snooker on an old black and white TV.
And now, having managed to offend most Shakespeare lovers – and all snooker fans – I will shut up.
Recently, as part of my Open University course, ‘Start Writing Fiction’, I have been encouraged to look out for – and look up the meaning of – new words.
I used to read a great deal when I was young. And I mean, a great deal. Between the ages of 10 and 14, I probably read at least a book a week, and at one point I was reading a book a day. Having worked my way through the children’s section of the library, I started on the adult sections.
Admittedly, I often did not understand what I was reading. Rarely did I bother to look up new words. I just kept on reading and, eventually, through the context of their settings, I would get to understand what a word meant, including its various nuances of meaning.
Nowadays, when reading modern fiction, I rarely come across a word I have never met before. But recently, as part of my Open University course, ‘Start Writing Fiction’, I have been encouraged to look out for – and look up the meaning of – new words.
So here are two words I came across this morning while reading Solar by Ian McEwan:
- proscenium: originally meaning the area under the arch in front of a stage in the theatre, now meaning the space between the front curtain and the first backdrop curtain. The word comes from the Latin and means ‘in front of the scenery’.
- amanuensis: a scribe or copier of manuscripts, someone who copies writing by hand. Originally it comes from the Latin for hand servant or slave of the hand, depending how literally you translate it.
I have been reading furiously and have been too busy reading to write about reading.
Ruth Livingstone 