Ian Gouge's Blog, page 17

Some remarkable things…

As I was trying to get back to sleep this morning (before I gave up and came down to my study an hour earlier than I’d intended) it stuck me how many remarkable things I had done in my life. And that it can be good to stand back and take stock. I have taught … Continue reading Some remarkable things… →

“The Hot Gates”

While some of the pieces may not have travelled that well through time, William Golding’s collection of short non-fiction – “The Hot Gates” – remains a delight. The breadth on Golding’s menu is extraordinary: Ancient Greece, the English Channel, Stratford-upon-Avon, a kind of critique of “War and Peace” – as well as his own “Lord … Continue reading “The Hot Gates” →

The ongoing adventure in Substack-land…

Here are links to some of my activity on Substack last week. Please check them out!

“Crow”

I’ll keep this one simple. Because I felt ashamed that I had never read Crow in its entirety, I decided I should. Simple as that. But I just couldn’t. I really tried, but had to give up. I daresay it was ground-breaking at the time it was written, but now? Isn’t it just too dull, … Continue reading “Crow” →

Looking for a last-minute present?

These are some of the great books I’ve published under my Coverstory books imprint – all of them are available, and none of them are mine! Click on each book for more information and for to links to some major retailers. All print-on-demand, so should be with you in around 7-10 days. Happy shopping!

Last week’s Substack activity

For the full experience – and to get these posts sent directly to your inbox – please consider subscribing to my Substack channel!

“Coming Through Slaughter”

Michael Ondaatje’s “Coming Through Slaughter” is a real jigsaw puzzle of a book, the narrative split into fragmented passages, different third and first person voices, a blend of fiction and fact. Often you are never really sure exactly where the boundaries lay between the two. Look-up Buddy Bolden on the internet and you will find … Continue reading “Coming Through Slaughter” →

“The Woman Who Rode Away”

If D.H.Lawrence were to submit some of the stories from this collection to a modern-day mentor or writing group, they might not go down too well. “All that repetition! Clumsy. Have you heard of editing? You could cut some of these down by twenty percent, then you might get to a decent short story…” Lawrence’s … Continue reading “The Woman Who Rode Away” →

The AI Critic…

Yesterday I had a short story rejected by a competition in which it was entered (at least I assume it has been unsuccessful). Along with the email came some specific feedback on my story. The email was very open: the response had been written by an Artificial Intelligence (AI) bot… Naturally I read it. The … Continue reading The AI Critic… →

Digest and links to my posts on Substack this week