Blog
The post-PC, post-print revolution, and how it affects writers
Anyone who reads this blog, however occasionally, or knows me in real life, will be aware that I sit in the bizarre middle ground between “enthusiastic about new technology” and a semi-Luddite appreciation for the 19th century. I use modern technology every day, yet I study traditional signwriting and calligraphy;
Something a little different
Over the years, I have found that my appreciation for mountains is best expressed in three different ways: literature, music, and art. Literature is obvious enough (it’s the reason this blog exists, after all); for music, I find references in dozens of classical symphonies to the wonders of nature,
A gold mine
Just when I thought I was coming to the end of the research I have to do on my new project, something else has turned up to demonstrate just how little I know! I’ve been doing some research into Albert Smith, a popular mid-Victorian writer, and in the course
The boundary between research and prewriting
I’m gradually coming to the end of the research I originally planned for my new book. Since this project is set in a period of time that was until recently unfamiliar to me, the reading list was huge and the list of things to research even longer. I’m
Terra Incognita
Part of my research for 1848 has involved a study of the cartography and glaciology of that decade. The Alps were only partially explored, despite Chamouni (modern-day Chamonix) being almost permanently overrun by tourists from every corner of Europe. Mont Blanc had been climbed dozens of times, but most other
Rejection letter
Today I received my fifth rejection letter for The Only Genuine Jones. It contained some encouragement: “Thank you very much for the opportunity. It’s a nice idea but I’m afraid I don’t think it’s strong enough to compete in a hideously competitive marketplace. I hope you
Words of wisdom from Professor James Forbes
Professor James Forbes (1809 – 1868) was, in many ways, the first British explorer of the European Alps. Many other British climbers had scaled Mont Blanc, or journeyed throughout the Alps and climbed various mountains here and there–but none of them, until this remarkable man came along, ever made a
Writerly thoughts for the day
It’s remarkable how tiny mistakes have the power to persist in a manuscript that’s so far been rewritten from scratch three times and edited even more often. In this age of digital wizardry, storage clouds, ubiquitous information and the ability to both produce and edit content virtually anywhere,
Review: The History Of Pendennis
The History Of Pendennis by William Makepeace Thackeray My rating: 3 of 5 stars The History of Pendennis is the second of Thackeray’s novels that I’ve read, and to my mind not quite as good as Vanity Fair. The central themes are powerful and skillfully woven into the
The ice axe as a symbol
This is the Prima ice axe, similar to the one used by pioneering English climber Owen Glynne Jones in his last few years of life. Jones was killed on the Dent Blanche in 1899 and the splintered remains of his axe, and a few other items, were discovered on the