Diversions

From the train, seven minutes late, alighted 19 passengers. Twelve women, seven men, all shapes and sizes. I will not describe them one...

My friend Sir Arthur Whatnot, the psychiatrist, read Jeremy Corbyn’s piece in this morning’s Observer, in which Corbyn called for Mrs May...

Just had a call from my mate Sidney. Sid is a diamond, not easily rattled. He’s not what you’d call a choirboy – wide as the Sargasso...

One day to go, so come on you lot, we writers at Arachne need a bit of help to get DUSK going, a wave of stories and poetry across the UK...

I need a rhyme for chocolate, But my best so far is cloudlet, Which, as I’m trying to work it into a convincing verse, without...

Ever wanted to give someone a story just for them? Now’s your chance. Some of the best fun I’ve had with writing has been through Arachne...

I have a Kindle, the one with a keyboard. It’s my third, the other two having taken offence at being trodden on. A few weeks ago my...

They are wonders! Cherry first, Lennie later. The marvellous Arachne Press is five years old. Happy Birthday. You have to be a touch...

Frank’s boots were a donation. Whoever had worn them previously had not known Frank, but had wanted someone like Frank to have his hiking...

I wrote recently how Theresa May had shamelessly commandeered her intimate love words with her husband as her election motif: ‘Let’s see,...

Sunday morning, a month before the general election. A rare leisurely breakfast together for the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and...

They sailed and they sailed As far as they could, Along the river And into a wood. Aarrhh, they did! Thus the Pirates of the River...

Tonight 7.30 at Oxford's Albion Beatnik, I'll be reading 'Mouse' from Shortest Day, Longest Night together with stories and poems from...

Poor Clive, it was all too much; the bright lights, the music, all the stuff of Christmas. but hope is at hand. Read all about it in...

Really pleased to be part of Solstice Shorts Festival in Greenwich for the third time on the evening of 21 December. I’m meeting and...

Wednesday 23rd. Last week the lovely people at Arachne Press published Liberty Tales. Think Magna Carta, maybe think all those kinds of...

A walk, a photograph and a sestude (62 words exactly). Have a look at 26 tiny postcards here. Mine is U to V, Urgashay to Vagg Copse on...

Brave teenagers in dangerous times, when foreign invasions threaten England. No, not the fantasies of young Brexiters, but 1066, with...

How did it go, the final of the Wimbledon BookFest short story competition? Twelve cracking stories read to an enthusiastic audience made...

Two days until the 'the audience decides' final of the short story competition run by Wimbledon Bookfest. A couple of big tents full of...