Tag Archives: reading

Where does your imagination reside?

Posted by Lynsey May on

Source: http://archann.deviantart.com/

This year, I am making a conscious effort to reawaken a sense of curiosity and do things that spark my imagination. It’s something I suppose I have been putting off for some time, because I guess I liked to think that I already possessed these qualities.

But now that I have more time to ponder and daydream, I’ve been forced to admit that they are not as strong as they once were and that I am more naturally inclined to think about, well, boring stuff when given half the chance.

Is this a symptom of getting older or does it have something to do with letting myself live a life that is ruled by deadlines and making enough money? I also wonder how much of it is just plain old laziness. Why imagine things when someone else could do it for me? (I do love it when someone else does it for me.)

As part of this project, I’m trying to work out exactly what it is that is most likely to persuade my imagination into a flight of fancy. I’m reading loads, going to exhibitions, restricting the watching of TV shows and generally trying to not check the emails on my phone every five minutes.

Me as a wee 'un

But am I missing something here? Is there anything you do to shake your mind out of the mundane?

I recently wrote a guest post for the lovely Kirsty Logan for her Thievery series – posts about the inspiration behind stories – and I enjoyed the process a lot, mainly because it encouraged me to recall some childhood holidays I hadn’t thought about for a long while.

Hurrah for Love your Library Day

Posted by Lynsey May on

I’ve never been a big fan of Valentine’s Day, too much of an excuse for forced decelerations of the kind of love I’d rather see seeping through in the day to day, so I’m chuffed to bits with the idea of a Feb day to pledge your adoration for libraries instead.

This year, Midlothian libraries are celebrating Love your Library Day on the 4th of February with a program of comedy, readings and gigs, all taking place in local libraries. With support from comedians like Frankie Boyle and Miles Jupp, popular Edinburgh bands and, of course, plenty of authors, it should be a great day to remember how much libraries mean to us all. Check out the Midlothian Libraries’ press release to find out what’s happening in a library near you.

Since deciding to freelance it up, I’ve spent a lot more time in my two local libraries in the last three months than in the 10 years before that, and I am amazed by the big mix of people that seem to spend a lot of time there. Sometimes I have to fight for a seat, once I got told off for accidentally sitting in the area reserved for teenagers and today I witnessed a rather elderly gentleman use the computer to check out the alluring yet badly formatted profiles of some ladies from Asia.

True, we all might get something a little different from our trips to the library, but whether it’s the chance to dream about an alternative and unlikely future or to become submerged in a story about the past, it’s very lucky we have somewhere to do it.

I am especially pleased that this year, I’ll be reading some stories in Penicuik Library along with the lovely ladies from my Leith writer’s group. This is the library my mum works in and the one that my little brothers go to, so it’s one I’m really looking forward to sharing a few words in.

Forget about flowers, chocolates and overpriced tat, show your love for your library with wonderful words and sounds this February.

One month in, freelancing funtimes

Posted by Lynsey May on

It’s officially been a month since I quit my full time job in favour of a freelance existence. So far, so good. I’m still in one piece, people have been paying my invoices in a timely fashion and I haven’t become addicted to day time TV (to be fair, we don’t have a TV aerial, so this is less to do with willpower than I would like to think).

I haven’t quite managed to write loads of stories, which to be honest was kind of the whole point, but I have really enjoyed the chance to pet a really cute dog, play with my bookshelves and do a lot more reading. There’ve been quite few train journeys in the last few weeks, so I’ve been making the most of my new wee Kindle.

That said, I was feeling quite discouraged for a while, because I think I read three novels on the trot which I’d heard were good but turned out to be kind of unsatisfying. I won’t say what they were, because I wouldn’t be able to sleep at night for the thought of author’s Googling their own names and making lists of every slightly negative thing anyone has said about them ever.

Luckily, this disappointing run was broken with A Visit from the Goon Squad, which I loved and which reminded me what it feels like to be in the hands of a capable author. More books like that please. How much time can I reasonably spend reading and pass it off as research?

I’m a freelance writing ninja now, right?

Posted by Lynsey May on

Source: Ian Dawson

It’s that time of year again, when all of my online information streams start creaking under the weight of Nano-related updates. Somehow, despite (or maybe because of) never taking part, the whole thing tends to make me feel a little blue.

Probably because when it comes to fiction, I am a very slow writer, and if I tried to complete 50,000 words in a month, I suspect I’d fail so badly I’d drive myself away from the notebook for a while. Still, when I see so many people hitting their wordcounts and creating something new in such a short space of time, I end up feeling a little jealous and I guess a little guilty too.

And it’s been very much in my mind this month, as it’s my first official month of being freelance – a.k.a that magical time when I will become some for of writing ninja. Needless to say, I have not been writing very much. It’s not that I haven’t been busy though, on the contrary my days have been pretty packed.

Putting together a new site for the Edinburgh Review has taken up lots of time, but I’m really happy we’ve got it up now, and that we’re planning on posting more extracts and excerpts from some of our contributors soon.

I also had the good fortune to take part in two readings this month, the first was for 4’33”, a wonderful audio magazine with lots of short stories for your listening pleasure, it was an excellent night and I was really impressed by the quality of the readers. A big thank you to Mike Wendling who runs the whole site solo and put on the cracking event for no monetary recompense.

Lynsey May reading at Words Per Minute, Photo Neil Douglas Thomas

Photo credit Neil Thomas Douglas (http://www.neilthomasdouglas.com/)

The second reading was at Words Per Minute, where I was again blown away to be included in such a sterling line up, and did very much enjoy getting to be part of their Sex Special. These lovely ladies – Kirsty Logan, Helen Sedgwick and Kirsten Innes, all fab writers themselves – do a grand job of choosing complementary acts and mixing readings with music and film in a way that ensures you’re always engaged.

So, I haven’t exactly been setting my wourdcount on fire, but I;m hoping there’s still time for that. Still almost a third of November left after all. I just have to remember that ninjas tend to get out of bed and get down to business more often than I’d necessarily like.

No notebook: my new night terror

Posted by Lynsey May on

Anxiety dreams sneak into your sleep in all kinds of insidious forms. The ones I know I share with a lot of other people are those involving teeth and nails, gruesome little numbers that wake you up scrabbling and wishing and hoping you were wrong, those little body parts are still attached and safe. Luckily, you generally were, and your disasters were only a figment of your overtaxed imagination.

I’ve added a new one to my collection though, one I’m actually almost ashamed of. Rather than dreaming about a real disaster I have to fight my way through, I find myself in an unfamiliar city with time to kill as dusk draws in.

I look around and decide to sit and a café or a bar to while away the time as I wait to meet the mysterious reason for my visit to the city. But as I approach my destination I realise there is no notebook in my bag, no pen.

One of my trusty notebooks

Mildly worried, I start scanning the streets, looking for somewhere I can buy a fountain pen and a notebook. Cue a dash around, as doors are shut in my face and shops show me to their scanty stationary sections. I never get my hands on a notebook in this dream, and I always wake up a bit pissed off rather than with sweaty palms and a hurried heartbeat, but it does make me feel a bit pretentious. Thanks subconscious, for adding such a wanky anxiety dream to my repertoire.

My first foray into a slush pile

Posted by Lynsey May on

Slush is a dirty word

Ian Dawson: White Paper Pile

I used to hate the term slush pile, really hate it. The thought of all those words I’d tweaked and printed and lovingly posted ending up melting into some kind of inky, grey sludge made me feel not only sad, but also kind of resentful. Back then, the realities of the world of publishing were pretty fuzzy for me. Not so these days, and especially not now I’ve had my first foray into slush pile reading.

When the slush still sounded scary

Once, I had a quick fire attitude towards sending my work out there. Submissions would be done in a flurry and I’d be sending out work practically with my eyes closed, because I was too scared to find out too much and be disheartened. In a way, it was both an act of extreme confidence and extreme lack of it – which sounds like it could pretty much describe the whole writing condition. I suspected my stories would end up slushed, so I tried not to find out too much, so as not to be discouraged.

Clearing the slush from my windscreen

After seeing the kind of stuff that pour through the doors of the journal I’m part-timing for (as well as reading a few good articles on slush), I’ve got an even better idea of why blind submissions are a waste of time – and an invitation for rejection and minor heartbreak. It really is a slush pile, because not only are some of the stories that come in not very good, but lots just aren’t in any way suitable. Really, you’re sifting the slush for the things that fit, as well as the stories that shine.

To be truthful, I can’t say I’ve come to love the term slush pile, but when you look at those snowy white submissions heaped up, full of spelling mistakes and unsuitable material, you can just image the way the black type begins to bleed and your mound becomes slushier and slushier.

A bum note of a book

Posted by Lynsey May on

Most of the time, I try and avoid saying anything bad or mean on here. I’d find it hard to slag someone’s work off to their face, so it’s not something I want to do online. However, I do make one exception – celebrity books.

Not all celebrity books obviously, because some stars are just sickeningly talented, and if they want to make a foray into prose that’s a-ok with me. But not many of them fall into that category, so there’s generally plenty for me to be gnashing my teeth over. The latest offender is an upcoming offering from P. Diddy.

It’s a book about women’s bums, apparently. Pitched as something for your coffee table, he plans to collect pictures of ladies’ backsides and treat us to a few anecdotes and memories – whether the memories are about the bums or just about his life in general, I haven’t quite managed to figure out.

This makes me very sad.

I mean, I like bums. I might even like a book about bums, in the right hands. Somehow I suspect this book will not make me feel good about bums. Which is a shame, because I like the idea of feeling good about bums in general.

Inky Fingers and Story Shop talk

Posted by Lynsey May on

August has always been one of my favourite months. I live in Edinburgh, how could it not be? Although, to be truthful, there have been plenty of times I’ve lost patience with the crowds, especially as I’ve had plenty of badly paid jobs in the centre of town over the years. Still, that’s just natural (for Lynsey’s) grouchiness and it’s normally banished with the help of some excellent comedy shows, talks and performances.

This year is looking to be even more exciting than most for me, as not only will I have a nice week off to run around seeing things, but I’ll also be doing a few readings myself.

First of all, on the 11th, I’ll be taking part in the Inky Fingers Minifest, with a lunchtime reading. I will do my best not to put anyone off their nachos, burritos and other tasty Forest fare.

I’m on in the Forest Café at 12.30, and looking forward to kicking off my holiday in style with a half hour slot.

Then, on the 14th I get to take part of the Edinburgh City of Literature Story Shop at the Edinburgh Book Festival. Having spent a couple of years helping out on the box office in the past, I am super excited about this.

Story shoppers are on every day at 4pm sharp, and we get to enjoy 15minutes of fame in the Spiegeltent at Charlotte’s Square.

Just to add to my excitement, both Inky Fingers and the City of Literature Salon (which I’ve been to a couple of times recently) have been featured as top literary picks by the Guardian. Ah Edinburgh, I do love you so!

Secret chocolate stash in old books

Posted by Lynsey May on

The Antiques Roadshow generally makes me think of that sad, Sunday feeling, but it does sometimes uncover a lovely story or two. The current favourite has to be that of Mr James, who was given some books by his schoolmaster back when he was 11 and, rather than giving them a read, he shoved them away unopened.

Skip forward a couple of decades, and his wife discovered that the inside of the books had been hollowed out and a variety of chocolate bars had been secreted inside.

Hollowed out book with sweets inside

Now, I disapprove of cutting up books in general (how can you deface those poor defenceless words, you monsters!) but this story did make me giggle. Just imagine the disappointment of that 11 year old, when he realised he’d passed up on the goods.

That said, I’d like to think that what you find in a decent book is even better than chocolate. It’s tends to last better, at least, but really, the ideal situation is a combination of both. Maybe with a bath and a glass of wine thrown in for good measure, mmm.

I did always want one of those fake books though, although I think the only thing I really wanted to hide at that age would be my diary, which would kind of defeat the purpose. Although I suppose it would be a grand way to hide my chocolate stash from Ink…

Mini adventures of the bookish kind

Posted by Lynsey May on

Recently I’ve had a bit more work-related travel than usual, and you know what that means – extra reading time! In the last few weeks I’ve read a whole bunch, including The Crimson Petal and the White – Michel Faber, Not so Perfect – Nik Perring and The Stars in the Bright Sky, which were a pretty ideal mix to be honest. All very different (and not just in length!) and great in their own ways.

But it’s not all been about reading quietly on the train, I also read a flash story out loud at the FlashMob event in Manchester. As always, a bit scary, but that’s the third time I’ve done it and I still haven’t burst into hysterical laughter or starting trying to scramble over the audience to escape, so I’ve chalking it up as a success.

All the folks were lovely, especially Nik Perring (the guest reader who read from the collection mentioned above) and the judges, especially Roland and Sarah-Clare and Tom, who made sure I ended my journey a bit tipsy and safe in the knowledge that girls who say ‘judge a man by his shoes and I don’t like politics’ are a little scary. All of the shortlisted stories are available to read online now, including my story Milk and honey and the worthy winners.

Another story of mine popped up on the web this week (always a flood or a drought eh?), and you get a squiz of Chewed Blankets in Spilling Ink Review number 5. In there you’ll also find Benjamin Judge, who happened to be one of the organizers of the FlashMob event. Almost like it was meant to happen… There’s also a nonfiction piece by the super Chelsea Cargill, who just happens to be in my writers group, hurrah.

It’s so nice to feel as though you are in good company, and that there are so many awesome and friendly writers out there – my faith in the community spirit of writing has been restored.