Ten generations ago the queen entered the earth. And each generation has had its drummer. Wee Whittler is ours. Small and dark and sombre, she sits cross-legged on top of the mound, at dawn and at dusk, and patters and pounds the world into waking. Into sleep. When I was a child … Continue reading
She never calls you back: Think back – or go through your email and the call history on your mobile. Is it always you initiating contact? Is that contact sometimes (perhaps even mostly) met with a resounding silence, or a request that you go away and leave her alone? You’re blocked! Has she blocked you on all … Continue reading
Happy New Year! It’s 2015, and I couldn’t be gladder than I am to be welcoming in this fresh new year which, as my old companion Anne Shirley of Green Gables used to say, has no mistakes in it. Not that making mistakes is a problem. One of my favourite … Continue reading
This piece is the second guest contribution from Maria Arena: you may have already read and delighted in her earlier piece Terminus Pty Ltd. Maria’s most recent book is a young adult horror novel, Sisterhood. You can find out more about Maria and her work by visiting her online. The dressing gown … Continue reading
This guest story in the 200 words/200 days series is brought to you by the inimitable, the awesome, the awe-inspiring Dr Sean Williams. I’m sure you already know who Sean is, but just in case you haven’t had the pleasure, Sean is a #1 New York Times bestselling author of over … Continue reading
When I was young I thought I understood everything. I thought I knew what pain was, and what to do with it, how to recover from it. I thought I knew what it would mean to bear a child, and raise them, and love them. I didn’t know enough to be frightened by … Continue reading
Eventually, someone you love will stop loving you. You can only imagine what will happen next. You will stand with your back against the wall in an empty room. Sliding down the wall. Sliding down until you are folded like a mirror of the letter N: your back a stem, your thighs a stroke, … Continue reading
The woman in the plane seat next to me looks uncomfortable. She has the kind of short, sparse hairstyle I associate with those receiving chemotherapy, or living in a concentration camp. I can see the paleness of her barely-protected scalp. She is wearing orthopaedic shoes and has a large, well-filled … Continue reading
What is your idea of perfect happiness? A blank page. A good book. Stimulating conversation. The pleasure of learning something new. The pleasure of giving someone the thing they most need. What is your most marked characteristic? Adaptability. What do you consider your greatest achievement? Learning to read. What is … Continue reading
For months now, you have swung violently between demanding friendship, and demanding distance. You have threatened me with homelessness, and poverty. With truths and lies and legal action. You have tried to silence me, and tried to make me speak. You have raged against me, like a cyclone. You have … Continue reading