Fiction
Némésis – Prologue
In this work of fiction I have used the term The Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) rather than the more familiar Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS). The term Daesh (al-Dawlah [more…]
Fiction
19th Century
A Bear’s Diary – Part 28
June 3rd, 1811. The city of New York lies in a broad river estuary whose wooded slopes give no hint of what will appear around the corner. The river is divided into several channels, forming [more…]
Fiction
Joe Malone, Part Nineteen
Sir Alan agreed with Mandelson. “Marmon has a file full of metaphorical green ink letters. All sorts of evil wished upon him.” “I didn’t see any such file in his home,” I told them. “That’s [more…]
19th Century
A Bear’s Diary – Part 27
April 24th, 1811. Our wanderings have brought us to Trinidad, the largest and almost the easternmost of the chain of islands which dot the edge of the Caribbean Sea. Skirting the western edge of the [more…]
Fiction
Joe Malone, Part Eighteen
Private Investigator is at the Reform Club. A guest of Lady Vanessa Bixby, as she meets with her diner guests. Mandelson and Stuart. So finally I stood up. Lifted the tray from the waiter’s hands [more…]
19th Century
A Bear’s Diary – Part 26
February 22nd, 1811. Late last night, as we were heading north-west in a moderate wind, a tremendous grinding crash threw the whole ship askew, and we found ourselves drifting with the sails flapping dangerously, threatening [more…]
Fiction
Joe Malone, Part Seventeen
Joe Malone and Vanessa Bixby are at the Reform Club. Vanessa has just pointed out Sir Alan Stuart, a spin doctor for Tony Blair, one of the two guests at the table. He was one [more…]
Arts
Careers Advisor
Brian felt a bit strange as he got up that morning, his bed seemed much more comfortable and his teasmade, whilst brewing his favourite mug of Yorkshire Tea was operating effectively, the radio seemed to [more…]
19th Century
A Bear’s Diary – Part 25
December 25th, 1810. We celebrate our first Christmas at sea – or at least, the English humans and bears of our party do, for the Russian crew prefer to wait until their laggard calendar produces [more…]