I’d like to welcome ya’ll to the Eminem blog. But first, some self-pity. I’ve spoken positvely since I returned from holiday two months ago. Things have been going well. My motivation has been sky high and I’ve been soaring through projects. In writing, there was the completion of the next draft of my next novel. Read more about Man vs Bookshelf: Whatever You Say I Am[…]
As many of you know, I have long harboured dreams of becoming a writer. I’ve mentioned this a few times before, most recently in my blog on the book Creative Writing. In that, I made clear my feelings about books for writers. The important lessons come from reading fiction and from relentless never-ending writing. The Read more about Man vs Bookshelf: Story[…]
It’s been two months since I flew off on my holiday. Six weeks since I came back. You know the holiday I mean. The one where I promised to reboot my reading and writing efforts. Get back that motivation (or drive, wink face) I lost at the turn of the year. Two months later, it’s Read more about Man vs Bookshelf: Drive[…]
It occurs to me that all the football biographies I have so far read have contained a tint of tragedy. Towards the end of Brian Clough’s biography, the great manager made a tragic admission. That is, based on what we now know. Clough confessed he was aware of his problems with alcohol, but wrote he Read more about Man vs Bookshelf: Forever Young[…]
The game is afoot. Well, the blog is afoot. Another few days have slipped by. Six between me finishing The City trilogy and the two Horowitz Sherlock Holmes books. The time breezed by, and I can’t believe I am already back at the keyboard typing another blog. Will there never be any rest for this Read more about Man vs Bookshelf: Horowitz’s Holmes[…]
I feel good again. All year I’ve been feeling sorry for myself. Life shot my motivation. My writing went to pot and my reading followed close at its heels. Before I went on holiday I was at my lowest point. I’d pretty much given up on writing. I was struggling to finish books in seven Read more about Man vs Bookshelf: The City Trilogy[…]
Recently, I have been going back over the early blogs in this series. The ones written back when the challenge was fresh and exciting – before I had gone through 60+ books and 40+ reviews. Before 2018 had hit like a missile through my fragile productivity. Smashing it into so many pieces. Those early blogs Read more about Man vs Bookshelf: Quantum of Solace[…]
I’ve always wanted to be a writer. I know that sounds like hyperbole. People always say ‘no you haven’t. You used to shit yourself and your mother had to feed you – don’t tell me you wanted to be a writer while that was going on.’ Well, first off, thanks for reminding me there was Read more about Man vs Bookshelf: Creative Writing[…]
For the first eighteen years of my life, I had little interest in football. The interest I did have I forced. I was, to greater or lesser extent, a boy, and boys liked football. I should too. I had a team – Manchester United. Picked for my favourite colour (red) and favourite player (Beckham) who Read more about Man vs Bookshelf: Will You Manage?[…]
I’m not going to open this blog by saying ‘if there’s one thing I like, it’s moaning’, because I hate that saying. Nobody likes only one thing. Not even me, and I hate liars even more than I hate Cheerios so I’m going to open with honesty, and the following line: There are seven Read more about Man vs Bookshelf: The Moaning of Life[…]