Cheryl Burman's Blog: Blog posts for readers and writers, page 11

The Bookbinder of Jericho Pip Williams

The Bookbinder of Jericho by Pip Williams is my book of the month for June 2024. What a joy! Polished writing (brilliant editing, well done Vintage – a division of Penguin – there’s been a lot of poor editing from major houses recently), a beautiful story with so much packed into it without a lot of dramatic action.

Peggy is an identical twin, but while physically she and Maude are hard to distinguish, her twin is quite far on what today we know as the autistic spectrum. Peggy is not, and ha...

A desultory fan shifted the hot air side to side

A desultory fan shifted the hot air side to side is a writing prompt from my current work in progress, as yet untitled. The section it comes from is shown below. The story is a sequel to River Witch and a dual timeline – having fun with that!

The receptionist, hair limp, face pink and damp as she grappled with the unfamiliarities of a computer system – which, she muttered to Mara, was new and sending her mad – had nevertheless quickly found Kathryn Pearce by consulting a paper list under ...

She was last here five years ago

She was last here five years ago is a writing prompt from my current work in progress, as yet untitled. The paragraph it comes from is shown below. The story is a sequel to River Witch and a dual timeline – having fun with that!

At the T-junction, she  returned to the main road near the high school. School was coming out, and young cyclists, pedestrians, mums driving station wagons, crowded the way.

Mara turned right and joined the queue created by a lollipop lady’s stop sign held up...

Nothing breaks the serenity of the water

‘Nothing breaks the serenity of the water’ is a writing prompt from my current work in progress, as yet untitled. A sequel to River Witch and a dual timeline – having fun with that!

Is she content? Or has the goddess quenched her fire? Aaron would ask the river nymph below the bridge, if he thought the creature might answer.

He is spared the humiliation of talking out loud into the dusk, for when he opens his eyes and leans over the stone, she has gone. He dodges a hay-laden cart to...

He is hesitant

‘He is hesitant’ is a writing prompt from Cheryl’s current work in progress, as yet untitled. Readers of River Witch might recognise the character and the place, the even perhaps the situation Aaron refers to. Yes, it’s a sequel, and a dual timeline one at that to introduce more characters for your reading pleasure.

Midsummer 1897

With the sun emptying the remains of the day’s heat against the old stones of the Welsh bridge, Aaron steps to the lichen-stained balustrade.

He is hesitant...

A Night in the Lonesome October Roger Zelazny

My husband is a long time avid Sci Fi fan and we have quite a collection on the bookshelves accumulated over many years. Most of them are the older authors, like Asimov, Neal Asher, Ann McAffrey, Peter Hamilton and Frank Herbert (Dune) – and a lot of Zelazny. Some of these I’ve enjoyed too, the ones which are more Fantasy than Science Fiction, and when I was told the concept of A Night in the Lonesome October, I dived in happily. And was very glad I did.

There is an introduction by Neil Gaim...

The poet was having a bad day

The poet was having a bad day. And a worse night. There was no poetry left. He couldn’t find a word, rhyme or no rhyme, anywhere. He searched deep in his mind. Perhaps some haiku might help, something simple, disciplined, get the ball rolling.
Couldn’t get seventeen syllables to come together at all.

He needed a walk, despite it being past midnight. Too bad, He had to get out of the house, into the air. Communing with the summer moon and stars should shake this futility.

The poet threw ...

On Chesil Beach Ian McEwan

I was recently introduced to Ian McEwan’s books by a recommendation for Atonement, which I loved. So, on more recommendations, I bought this and was, frankly, disappointed.

The gorgeous writing is there, and the internal dialogue. But in my view, the very short length of this novella (printing it double-spaced is misleading in the product description!) means there’s no time for the reader to develop much of a relationship with either character.

Find On Chesil Beach here.

To me it ende...

A conversation between the walls of a house

‘Rising damp?’
‘I don’t think rising damp works this quickly.’
‘Your skirting board is getting wet.’
‘You should see yours.’
‘Hmm.’

‘Where’s the family?’
‘Out. Didn’t you hear them leave? Such a clutter and shouting, crying. Real drama.’
‘Drama?’
‘Yes, haven’t you worked it out yet?’
‘Hmm. You mean … again?’

‘Yes, again, and she won’t want to see her new carpets wet, muddy stinking.’
‘The stench will be like … like, last time?’
‘Yes. That was horrendous, remember? Sewage and rubbish, mud and debri...

Afterwards they bricked up the wall

The old house is due for demolition tomorrow.

‘Tomorrow? The Lewis place?’ Frank pushes his palms into the bar, dishcloth squeezed between his fingers. He leans towards Jake. ‘Sure?’

‘Yup.’ Jake sets his beer on the bar, missing the mat. It’ll leave a ring, but Frank can’t care. Not at this moment. ‘Heard it from the horse’s mouth,’ Jake says, defiance in his squinting eyes. ‘Not five minutes ago.’ He tilts his head in the direction of two hefty lads sitting by the window, hard hats on th...