Other Stories

Musical Interlude

A musical interlude today on Other Stories. Here is my own personal goddess KT Tunstall doing 'Stoppin' the Love' (from the first album).

PS launch party went very well. Met some very exciting people including ex-Booker judges, a rather eminent novelist, and other assorted bigwigs. Knackered today though, and suffering from blistered feet from hell. Stoopid shoes.

Black Books

For no other reason than because I think this is one of my favourite ever sitcom moments, here is Manny discovering he can play the piano.

It's Kitty Time!

*Genius*

Farewell Chairman Humph

When Boyfriend and I went to see the live show in Oxford last year, we all got kazoos. It was a marvellous show, and Humph played 'Well Meet Again' on his trumpet at the end. Glorious.

We shall be playing Swanney Kazoo in our house today in tribute.

Confuse-a-Cat! Bewild-a-Beast?

It's Friday afternoon, so this can mean only one thing: amusing videos of cats from YouTube!

As a friend of mine said in reaction to this video: "Makes me want to quit my job and dedicate my life to baffling cats." I just love the look on the second cat's face right at the end.

I should probably get out more really, shouldn't I?

The Proust Book Group

Academic Friend and I are taking on a mighty challenge: Proust.

Proust is scary. We all know he ended up in a padded cell, but the question is, will we? It's time to find out. In Search of Lost Time has even some academic quaking in their boots, but really, is there any reason why the two of us can't read it and get something out of it? We are educated women, Academic Friend is, well, nearly an Academic, give or take a viva. And so, we have decided to start The Proust Book Group! We shall be setting ourselves deadlines to read parts of the text, then we shall get together over a beer or three to see if we can't unravel the beast a little. We both now have our copies of volume one, Swann's Way, and shall shortly be starting in earnest.

Who knows, perhaps soon we'll be able to take part in our own All-England/Scotland/America Summarise Proust Competition...

Margaret Atwood Interview

I'm a big, big Margaret Atwood fan. I have been since I was recommended The Handmaid's Tale by my CSYS English teacher (who, though I haven't seen her for years, remains one of the most influential people ever to have been in my life). While passing some time with internet fripperies last night, I discovered this short, but sweet, interview with the lady herself, discussing her book Moral Disorder. I just had to share.

Friday Afternoon YouTubery - The Cats!

It's Friday afternoon. We know what that means! Videos of cats doing amusing things! Hooray!

I am not obsessed. I am NOT obsessed.

Well, maybe just a little.

Also, I know the credits at the end call the music "some random crap". I am tactfully ignoring that.

Friday Afternoon You Tubery

Ladies and gents, meet Patches the Horse...

I really don't know what to say.

Another cat video

Meanwhile, here's a cat in an aeroplane. Hurrah!

Moan complain whinge, etc

I have the cold, and it's making me grumpy. I'm also back to lectures this evening and at the moment the idea of shlepping through the London and back isn't filling me with a great deal of joy. I would very much like to be wrapped in duvet with a big mug of something hot and soothing, stuck in a book. Hurrumph.

In the meantime, here are some amusing felines, to the tune of 'It's oh so quiet' by Bjork.

On my Todd

Oh, this ticks so many of my boxes. Victorian! Weird Victorian! Weird Gothy Victorian! Singing! Alan Rickman!

But the blood. The blood! What is a squeamish gal to do? I suppose I'll just have to read the book. That's right. The book. Which we're publishing. Oh yes. I am *so* excited.

Bernard's Letter

It's YouTube week over here at Other Stories, mainly because the chance of me finishing Darkmans and writing about it by Friday are slim to none. So, sit back, and amuse thyneself with this rather excellent clip from the quite magnificent Black Books.