And so I come to the final instalment of this blog inspired by a Threads game where one is challenged to name twenty books you'd read that had greatly influenced you - without commenting why or how. At first I didn't think much of it, but as I progressed I realised it was really quite interesting - possibly more so personally - to think whether or not... These authors and works, Have they influenced me as an author? So I figured as a blog I'd consider them in more detail, lo

I've been waiting all year for this. Quietly. Avoiding all the promotional material and videos, publicity, and the (often right-wing) nastiness that has erupted online over race and ethos, creed and core values. I don't believe the latter has any place in Middle Earth, and I'm pretty sure Tolkien himself would not approve, but this post is not about that. In preparation I have reread much of 'Lord of the Rings', finally finished, understood, and thoroughly enjoyed (at 53) 'Th

I tried reading the Silmarillion when I was about fourteen, after having finished (and falling in love with) The Lord of the Rings. I suppose it must have been 1983/1984. A time of the Tories under the evil that was Maggie Thatcher. There was the Miners Strike, National Front, Anarchy, Greenham Common, CND, great music and genre inspired fashion - Punks, New Romantics, Skinheads, Mods and Rockers haunting record shops and roaming streets - me hanging out at bus stops with fri