Peter's Books, Photography and Miscellaneous Musings
Daphne Cooper is a long-time friend, dating back to our days at the University of Cape Town Mountain and Ski Club. She is also an accomplished fellow writer. Seven or eight years ago she challenged me to a private writing contest. It’s been going on ever since.
This is how the challenge works:
Continue reading “The Great Writing Challenge: Daphne vs. Peter”
Today I want to plug someone else’s book – a marvelous little book that’s about 225 years old. I stumbled on it by chance, I don’t even know how anymore. It’s my favourite read of 2024 so far, and I’m overwhelmed by the story and the charm of it all.
Continue reading “The Strangest Tale: Trim and the Map of Australia”You might think this is a post about one of my books. Yes and no. It’s also about an argument with Mrs. S. concerning tombstone inscriptions; who Canada’s best authors are; and whether that should include Canadian poets and songwriters.
Let’s start with my book, Naarlen. It’s my fifth novel and the black sheep of them all. Most readers hate the book. It’s only redeeming feature is that a small number of determined readers love it. Fanatically. I would say “cult” but I think you need more than nine for a cult.
While writing “A Glimmer of Light” (now available) I had fun with famous – and not so famous – quotations for my chapter subheadings.
For the English literati, gurus, fans, readers, poets and writers out there, here are 25 of those quotations.
Give yourself one point for every quotation whose author you can identify without running to Google.
Beware, this is HARD.
Four points is good. Anything above is hugely impressive. Let me know how you did. The challenge winner gets bragging rights.
Continue reading “The Great Quotation Challenge”
In July 2017 I announced a “Spread The Word” competition for readers of my books. I said the prize would be a very, very, very good bottle of wine, to be awarded in October 2017.
The winner, AP of Montreal, championed “The Twelve Man Bilbo Choir” for her book club, and invited me to Montreal to chat with the book club.
I prepared a short presentation on the history behind the “Bilbo Choir” and on other, more famous works of literature that have been influenced by the same Continue reading “Of Book Clubs, Competitions and Very, Very, Very Good Wine”