I've just read Sherrilyn Kenyon's biography on her website, and what a story that is!  It apparently took ten years to get her first novel from her  Dark Hunter series published, and her determination and tenacity throughout her difficult life has been amazing.  Many others in a similar situation would have given up.  Kudos to Sherrilyn! Read it here: http://www.sherrilynkenyon.com/about/history/

Architect Jacob Szczesny has designed what may be the world's narrowest house, which fits neatly into a small gap between two pre-existing buildings.  It's intended occupant is writer Etgar Keret. I'm not sure why the design is triangular, as from photos it seems like there's plenty of room for a rectangular house which would provide more space.  Also, I suspect the remote control stairs which flatten when raised to make a level floor space will be a mixed blessing.  No object (or person) could be left on that area of the floor as surely it (or they) will go flying whenever anyone wanted to leave the room.  Still, it might be an effective method of ejecting unwanted guests. The first floor is reached by a ladder surrounded by an alarming hole in the floor.  Where does the occupant store  clothes, groceries etc?  There doesn't seem to be a washing machine but then is it described as a workplace (and an art installation) rather than a home - though it does have

These little cross-stitch samplers will among my contributions to a fund-raising craft fair this coming Sunday.  I like the second one best.  Three watercolours of mine are in the raffle, too; two portraits and one landscape - sketches really, rather than finished paintings.

There is a rather lovely tribute to one of my favourite artists, Lucian Freud, who died this week, written by someone who knew him well:- Visit: http://www.guardian.co.uk/artanddesign/2011/jul/24/lucian-freud-william-feaver-appreciation

In the eleven years we've lived here, we've gone through four lawn mowers.  Whatever happened to electrical goods whose life extended long after the manufacterers' guarantees expired?  These-days products seem to be made as cheaply as possible in the full knowledge that items will develop faults sooner rather than later.  Perhaps it's a deliberate method of keeping the economy turning over, in that goods are made to break down so people will keep buying more of the same.  Repairs cost nearly as much as a new product, assuming spare parts are even available.  This is one contributing factor to the planet's ever-growing rubbish tips. It's also rather annoying.  Our high-pressure waterjet patio cleaner, for example, lasted one season before the plastic handle split, meaning all pressure was lost and water was pouring over the electric wiring.  Could a new handle be bought?  Of course not.  Our fairly new bread-making machine went on fire.  Our deep-fat fryer, o

Event poster.   Adele Cosgrove-Bray   Tim Hulme   Peter Caton   Dave   Peter   Audience participation from Helen Brickwood   Audience participation from Frank Hogan   Note:  The lovely photography exhibition which served as our backdrop is by pupils from West Kirby Residential School.

Press clipping from The Wirral News , 6th July, 2011, announcing Riverside Writers' event tomorrow.   Click on the image to see it in a larger size. The clipping's title makes it sound as if attendees will be expected to write all afternoon.  Not so!  People will be treated to a diverse range of original fiction and poetry from some of Riverside Writers longest-standing members, most of whom are published (and I do not mean self-published!). Telling Tales is the first of two literary events which I'll be organising this year, the other being Parallel Dimensions, the third annual Wirral Science-Fiction, Fantasy and Horror festival whose audience gets bigger each time. 

Have a play with this Death Clock.  No, not the cartoon death metal band; this gadget is supposed to be able to calculate the date of your death.  I got July 8th, 2054 - but this date doesn't take into consideration my cryo-preservation contract, or my other (shall we say philosophical?) pursuits. 

" We believe that the world needs a different ideological paradigm...  The new ideology should assert, as one of its priorities, the necessity of using breakthrough technology for an improvement of man himself and not only of his environment.  We believe that it is possible and necessary to eliminate aging and even death, and to overcome the fundamental limits of the physical and mental capabilities currently set by the restrictions of the physical body. "Scientists from various countries in the world are already developing technology that ensures the creation of an artificial human body prototype within the next decade.  We believe that before 2045 an artificial body will be created that will not only surpass the existing body in terms of functionality, but will achieve perfection of form and be no less attractive than the human body." Source: http://2045.com/plan/