Heathrow to Kigali

Made it back to Kigali safe and sound :)

Spirit Badgers

Heading home to Rwanda tomorrow after a truly wonderful holiday in the UK. Last little bit of news before I go - a little art exchange with the wonderful Maria Strutz. 

80s TV Nostalgia

Wow, what a blast from the past! This was my entire childhood! Although, not to nit-pick, but I think TMNT were early 90s?

Anyway, my favourites in order:

1. Duckula was the greatest TV show ever!
2. Trapdoor had such a cool intro.
3. Dogtanian (I used to have the wallpaper!)
4. Dungeons & Dragons
5. Thundercats (slightly obsessed with Chetara) 
6. Fraggle Rock (*clap clap*)

Fingermouse and Bagpuss are missing, but they didn't have very catchy intros. The one that did was Whizbit ('haha this a way, haha that a way'). Rainbow was also going strong throughout the whole of the 80s. But I think they're only focusing on cartoons, in which case it's pretty exhaustive. 

And kudos for the Poddington Peas reminder, I'd totally forgotten that catchy theme song.

American Dialect Quiz

Hi guys. I've really been playing around with YouTube a lot more lately and writing fewer blog posts. Now suffering anxiety over whether people are put off by seeing authors in person or not. My books are all mysterious and poetic - and I'm a totally open book. I feel like I fall a little short of my author persona. But, on the other hand, I really do enjoy making videos... soooo.... 

Anyway, I went and did a video of the New York Times British-Irish Dialect Quiz. It was only after I finished, that I realised I had already done a version of this here on the blog back in 2019. And the strange thing is that the results were more accurate back then!

Weird. But then I decided to follow it up by taking the American Dialect Quiz to see where the closest match to my British accent is in the US. Place y'alls bets...

Tales Fae the Shed

 

If you like slightly strange folktales in a thick Scottish accent (a niche market, full of the best people), then check out Alan McClure's Tales Fae the Shed channel.

Short Story Reading: Mother of Words

Back in May I posted about winning the Bet Tuppi Near Eastern Historical Fiction Prize. I've just got a better microphone so rerecorded the reading. You can listen to the story above, or go to the beginning of the video to get some background.

Anthropodermic Books