Thoughts and words

Inspiration? It has nothing to do with me...well, perhaps a little bit...

“Any resemblance to persons living or dead is purely coincidental." The above disclaimer usually appears on opening the pages of a new novel. Several fellow writers have reported to me that they are often asked whether the characters in their stories are based either on people they know or on... Read more →

Mastering the universe - Far, Far the Mountain Peak

How has it come to this? I thought while opening up the throttle and accelerating fast up the Amman to Jerash road. The Ex-Jordanian-army BSA thundered through the desert, and the corners of my Kuffieh flapped in the wind. I was Lawrence of Arabia. It was 1973. What is going... Read more →

Inspiration from eccentricity. King Marcio

He styles himself His Royal Highness King Marcio and he has lived in a sandcastle for 22 years. Here is his castle in the pic below. It is on the beach in an upmarket area of Rio. Fake news? Apparently not. He says he likes the ephemeral lifestyle and that... Read more →

Inspiration from ruins - past, present and future in the same place

Regular readers of my blog will already know that the relationship between past and present is a theme that comes up time and time again in my short stories and novels. So it should come as no surprise at all that old buildings and ruins also fascinate me. I also... Read more →

Inspiration? A piece of cake...

Imagine you are standing on a street corner. The woman walking past you has a cigar between her teeth and two poodles trotting behind her. What would you make of this woman? Would you see her as an eccentric but interesting woman you would like to get to know? Suppose... Read more →