Tony Talbot's Blog, page 9
January 24, 2015
Writing Tips: Show-not-tell with dialogue
One of the things they always tell writers to do is show and not tell. “Don’t Tell Me the Moon Is Shining; Show Me the Glint of Light on Broken Glass” to paraphrase playwright Anton Chekov. Chekov was talking about describing the world, but here’s another way you can use that show-not-tell: to describe your […]
January 23, 2015
Review: You’re Next
4/5 Four year old Mike is dumped by his father at a foster home, with no real memories of who he is or where he came from. For years, he sits and waits for him to return. He grows into trouble as he matures, minor law breaking that will inevitably lead to major crimes and […]
January 18, 2015
Writing Whimsy: Lunch Break
When I was younger I was told never to put a plastic bag over my head. This was because if I did, I would die. Apparently I would suffocate to death. At the time I didn’t know what suffocate meant, but I knew it was bad. So I’ve never put a plastic bag over my […]
December 16, 2014
Review: Books of 2014
Thirty two books this year! That’s roughly half a book a week…some of them were monsters of 500 pages and some of them little snippets. Any that jump out at me now I look again? Looking through them, I’m glad I managed to get so many good books out of my choices. Of all of […]
October 30, 2014
Writing Whimsy: The Long Walk
The campfire was down to its last embers before Jonas turned to me and asked me to tell my tale. I smiled, but it didn’t reach my eyes. “It’s not really a ghost story, Jonas,” I replied. Circled around me, the kids of class nine yawned and rubbed their eyes. Billy McAllister was the only […]
October 26, 2014
Review: The Giver, Lois Lowry
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/3... 3/5 – Spoilers throughout When Jonas reaches the age of twelve, his career will be chosen for him, as it is for every twelve year old in the community where he lives. Some will become labourers, some mothers, some doctors. Jonas is the reciever of memory – every memory in the history of […]
October 22, 2014
Writing Whimsy: The Walk
“Some walks you have to take alone.” – Suzanne Collins, Mockingjay (Used with permission) I remember the first time we came this way, the two of us. I didn’t know you then, didn’t know your middle name or where you lived. Didn’t know the name of your first pet or the dreams you […]
September 30, 2014
Review: Trouble, Non Pratt
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1... 4/5 Hannah is a wild fifteen year old, who loves nothing more than drinking parties, socialising with her friends and not caring too much about school. Then she gets pregnant. I hadn’t heard much about this book before Becky’s enthusiastic and passionate review here (http://tinyurl.com/krzzevq). I follow every one of her reviews, and […]
September 15, 2014
Review: Doctor Sleep, Stephen King
4/5 https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1... Dan Torrance, the child protagonist of King’s The Shining, is now an alcoholic drifter, chased by the ghosts of his childhood and trying to drown them in drink. When he gets off a bus to nowhere in New Hampshire, his life begins to change… Including The Talisman – Black House books King […]
September 12, 2014
Double edges
On the street where I live,a solitary neighbour– let’s call him Paul – recently died. Paul was a nice guy, quiet, looked after his mother when she was terminally ill and looked after another old lady who lived across the road (We live on a street where most of our neighbours are retired and elderly. […]
