Tag: blogging

My Bedside Books (2019)

In December 2018, I blogged about the sixteen books I’d read or dipped into during that year in My Year of Books. I’m a bedtime reader and often doze off with a book on my nose. And this is why I’m happy to report there were another sixteen fiction and nonfiction titles in my bedside books for 2019.

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Writing Presentations

On the vexed question of the ideal frequency for posting to blogs, Problogger’s Darren Rowse suggests it “varies considerably from blog to blog” (June 2008). I’ve been tardy with the frequency of my posts recently, not because I haven’t been writing. But because I’ve been busy writing presentations.

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Repurposed Writing

In a purple patch of writing in my early thirties, I churned out ideas and outlines for short stories and longer-form fiction almost daily. I was childless back then and had little to distract me from my notebook and keyboard. Some of my “churn” developed beyond half-baked plots — none was published.

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Homage to Technical Books

In these heady days of Google, Wikis, forums, YouTube and social media, it’s hard to believe technical books once sat on computer programmers’ desks. But old-timers, like me, recall when having a reference book at hand was invaluable for learning languages, filling knowledge gaps and keeping your job.

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The Gift of 1000 Pencils

It was my birthday recently. My brother and sister-in-law gave me a charity gift of 1000 pencils to be sent by Unicef to children in need to help further their education. The gift reminded me of my backpacking days, travelling in East Africa, and being beset by kids begging for pens and pencils.

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The Man Behind The Woman in the Window

I am a sucker for a good book cover. So, while I hadn’t registered the hype about A. J. Finn’s debut novel, The Woman in the Window, it had caught my eye in bookshops. And as I am also a fan of Jimmy Stewart’s Alfred Hitchcock movies, I was intrigued by its homage to the 1954 classic, Rear Window.

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Distractions

Writers and wannabes need to shut out distractions and focus on our writing. But sometimes, we find excuses, household chores, children to be fed and ferried to and from school, lives to be led, or perhaps a new dog training venture to set up? At least, that’s been my excuse for the past month.

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New Year’s Resolutions

I’m not into making New Year’s Resolutions, possibly because I don’t trust myself to keep them. However, while on holidays at the end of 2004, a barista with whom I grew friendly over morning coffee fixes, talked me into writing a list for 2005. The other day I found the list and my year-end review.

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Celebrating 200 Instagram Posts

In mid-October 2018, I posted my 200th #bookcovers and #firstsentences photo and quote to Instagram (posting as @tallandtruebooks). The series is an eclectic mix of fiction and nonfiction books, all from my bookshelf. And to celebrate (a little belatedly), here is another selection of posts from Instagram.

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Do You Reread Books?

Penguin Books asked a good question on Facebook last year: Do you reread books? I’ve kept all my favourite books with the thought of one day rereading them. And then I start a new book, and it’s added to my bookcase to read again — one day! However, there are three books I have reread at least once.

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Writing First Sentences

To help overcome writer’s block and start writing the first sentences of A Moveable Feast, Ernest Hemingway is said to have reminded himself: “Do not worry. You have always written before and you will write now. All you have to do is write one true sentence. Write the truest sentence that you know.”

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Published November 2023

By definition, brevity is the key to good microfiction. There is no time for plot and character development, so every word must count. ~ Robert Fairhead

Tall And True Microfiction by Robert Fairhead
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Published September 2022

I hope readers enjoy the short story journeys in Twelve More Furious Months and make it home in time for dinner. ~ Robert Fairhead

Twelve More Furious Months by Robert Fairhead
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Published April 2021

I look forward to the Writer's Centre's monthly Furious Fiction competitions because I've become addicted to the escapism of writing short stories! ~ Robert Fairhead

Twelve Furious Months by Robert Fairhead
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Published March 2020

This slim book is hard to put down. And the only regret we may feel after reading it is that we reached the end too quickly! ~ Denise O'Hagan

Both Sides of the Story by Robert Fairhead
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Share Your Writing

There is no greater agony than bearing an untold story inside you. ~ Maya Angelou

Share your untold story — fiction, nonfiction and reviews — on Tall And True, an online showcase and forum for writers, readers and publishers.

TallAndTrue.com