under another sun

A day of reading. I read Why You Should Read Children's Books, Even Though You Are So Old and Wise an excellent essay by Katherine Rundell that Rosie had recommended I read. Really stout defence of the value of children's literature and why adults should read it too. A couple of pleasingly anxious short stories by the horror writer Shirley Jackson, from my new collection The Lottery and Other Stories . I finished a group of four short stories by Thomas Ligotti called In a Foreign Town, in a Foreign Land. At one point I went to the laundrette and started The White Book by Han Kang, a book which I took from Janet's things last time I went to her flat with Madeline, as nobody had wanted it. There was a one-armed older man in the launderette.  I felt bad that I had nipped in and, without realising, used the only free drier before he had finished. A woman helped him load and unload the tumbler at one point, which was good. He pointed out I had dropped a  sock, and I wanted to...

Lorraine up very early this morning, which meant I was too. Horrid dreams all night. At my desk by 6:30 however, and transforming the story I had started last week and making it more about dogs. It is now called The Hounding, and is coming on very well. By the time noon arrived, I found I had worked for over five hours already, so I sloped off through the park to the gym. A surprisingly good session there, as I am feeling so much better than I have been. Walked back through the park feeling one of the strange feelings of well-being and happiness again. Full of a sense that I am happy to be alive. Got back to work for a bit, and then cooked. Lorraine and Beth arriving late. Early to bed. Reading a story by Thomas Ligotti from his collection of short stories, Teatro Grottesco .  Lorraine not wanting me to read her these stories.

Time to come home today. A quiet morning, then we all made off to the local café where we had some fairly excellent breakfasts, ranging from vegan to my own, which included peppery breakfast haggis as part of the Scottish Breakfast mix. Then fond farewells with Sam, who may or may not come down to Brighton next week, and jumped in a cab with Jade to take us to Waverley station. Jade leaped out at the University, and we were in good time for our train. A fairly unremarkable journey home, although the weather was spectacular and sunny, and Scotland looked lovely as Edinburgh slipped away. An ant line of people climbing up the steep hill of Arthur's seat outside the city. Edinburgh definitely a place I could live. I finished The Conspiracy Against the Human Race , by Thomas Ligotti on the train. Lorraine listening to her Buddhism audiobook. A annoying elderly couple on the train we sat opposite, who tutted when we sat opposite them on our reserved seats. At King's Cross zoom...

Finally finished reading Songs of a Dead Dreamer and Grimscribe two books collected in one Penguin Classics edition by Thomas Ligotti. Now straight onto his philosophical non-fiction book about pessimism called The Conspiracy Against The Human Race . I find him a very interesting writer.  Not an enormous amount going on. Bank accounts now at their lowest ebb, before my invoices start to get paid, with one due any day now. My brain not entirely focused today, for which I blame Anton.  I had a nice day writing and reading. Cooked, and then spent the evening chatting with Lorraine listening to Joni Mitchell and Paul Simon and other old singer songwriter types. Lorraine also negotiating with the neighbours to feed the cats when we are away. She has one day to go now before the end of term, I think I am looking forward to her being off work as much as she is.  

A rather glorious day, with all clients at bay, and time to think and read, and write a little of my own stuff. Woke up feeling lethargic and a bit rubbish, but decided to go to the gym early, and found I had gas in the tank and this perked me up lots. Read another story by Ligotti today, called Flowers of the Abyss , and started reading his philosophical work The Conspiracy Against the Human Race . Also researching horror podcasts. I am becoming increasingly interested by doing my own podcast in one form or another. In the evening, after cooking a rather spectacular chicken stew, and fed Lorraine leaving her about to watch The Great British Sewing Bee, I sloped down to the Rose Hill Tavern to watch a Jazz combo and meet Ben. Good to see him, and had lots of chats in between the music. He really is a lovely man. A strange night, with a troubled but talented saxophonist/clarinettist who kept complaining about his borrowed equipment, apologising for wrong notes that nobody could spot...

Another day manacled to my desk, albeit punctuated with brief walks. New agency phoned this afternoon. The client who selected the route I had created, with images of people and quotes, now says he is really happy with this route except he doesn't want images of people or quotes. Sigh. The agency knew this yesterday but only thought to tell me about it this afternoon. All the emails I have sent to the agency went into their junk folder. Naturally they still want the job delivered for Friday. More happily, Valerie phoned me from Paris, pleased with what I had done, and wanting a smidge more from me on Monday. Two agencies, but it's chalk and fromage. Had another Thomas Ligotti book delivered today, cheerfully entitled The Conspiracy Against The Human Race, and have discovered a podcast called The good friends of Jackson Elias, from a website called Blasphemous Tomes . They have a bazillion episodes mostly about H.P. Lovecraft, but horror in general, but it strays into H.P. L...

Waiting for an update from both clients today, but update came there none. Treated the day as a breather, and simply got on with my own horror work for a bit. And sent some of the photos to Richard. Looking again at the story that had come out of nowhere yesterday, and toying with another short story. Later I returned to the novel, when it was clear no freelance was going to arrive. Mooched into town this morning, and went to the gym, and came back and simply worked on my own stuff. Only did the cross trainer as my back was at me. Home and feeling tired I even had a luxury 40 minute snooze. Read The Last Feast of Harlequin today. Thomas Ligotti writes some excellent stuff, and this story a bit less clotted than some of his earlier stuff. Lorraine and I watched Fleabag which was excellent, lovely acting and every line a zinger. Here is the cover of my Ligotti book. I'm learning a lot from his approach to horror.

A nice day today. Lorraine and I up fairly late, and then sauntered into town for a general mooch (and to buy each other valentine's cards). We had a snack in the wee Spanish tapas place in the lanes which was fun, and reminded us of our Spanish holiday last year. Walked down to the sea afterwards, this was grey and rough, lots of gulls flying close to the waves, and the murmuration of starlings gathering over the water too, before they settle down on the struts under the pier. Cobwebs successfully blown off we zoomed home. Read another story by Thomas Ligotti. Like his stuff very much. Then all my email accounts dropped off again, which was rather enraging. Managed to sign on to my bt email through a browser when I found a rejection note from a poetry magazine (only 5 months it took them). Both things a bit galling.   However, we watched an interesting documentary on TV about David Bowie's pre-success years. And so to bed, where Lorraine read from The Box of Delights , we ...