Penstricken
Andrew Ferguson – Author
Archives
Super Snappy Speed Reviews: Children’s Edition (vol. 2)
Posted on May 23, 2021 Leave a Comment
These reviews reflect nothing but my own personal opinions and impressions, sliced, diced and shredded into a few short sentences. The books I have selected have nothing in common, save the fact that they are all fictional stories for very young children.
5 Useful Fiction and Writing Blogs
Posted on May 22, 2021 1 Comment
Instead of sharing individual posts, I’m sharing links to whole blog sites that I find myself returning to again and again, either because they’re full of useful tips and resources or because they’re just plain enjoyable to read.
How to Help Your Audience Suspend Disbelief
Posted on May 21, 2021 Leave a Comment
You as the writer have a responsibility to write a story which makes it easy for the audience to suspend their disbelief…. The issue is not one of what is possible. The issue is of what is likely.
Book Review: Burning Bright
Posted on May 20, 2021 Leave a Comment
Originally published 27/01/2019 SPOILER ALERT Anyone who has not read Burning Bright by John Steinbeck is hereby advised that this post contains spoilers. Well, well, well, believe it or not, I’ve never reviewed a John Steinbeck book before, despite repeatedly implying that he’s one of my all time favourite authors. That changes today with this […]
What Should I Spend My Waterstones Vouchers On?
Posted on May 19, 2021 1 Comment
I’m calling on you, dear reader, to help me decide what to buy from Waterstones this year (while reserving the right to ignore all your suggestions if I don’t like them).
Get Your Copy of Penstricken: Collected Stories!
Posted on May 1, 2021 Leave a Comment
There are short stories, there are very short stories and then there is flash fiction: the delicate and often tricky art of telling a story in as few words as possible.The stories in this tiny little book (all originally published between 2015 and 2020 on the fiction blog, Penstricken) are deliberate exercises in brevity.
In total, this book contains twelve flash fictions ranging from fifty to 2,000 words apiece, plus six collections of six word stories.
While these stories vary in mood and genre, you will find in many that the author’s tongue was firmly entrenched in his cheek; whether it be in the brief tale of a Martian liberating his ‘kin’ from the deep fat fryer of a Glasgow chip shop or the nightmarish tragedy of Santa Claus’ true genesis, Penstricken: Collected Stories is a brief snapshot of one writer’s meandering imagination.
Super Snappy Speed Reviews: Children’s Books Edition
Posted on April 22, 2021 Leave a Comment
I might have mentioned once or twice before that I have a little daughter….
‘And so,’ my wife suggested, ‘why not write a Super Snappy Speed Reviews post about books for children?’
Juggling Multiple Writing Projects
Posted on April 19, 2021 Leave a Comment
You’re committed. Dedicated. Come what may, you’re getting this novel done, just by plodding along one word at a time.
Plod, plod… plod…
But then suddenly:
‘I say! Who’s that smokin’ hot piece of brand new idea?’
Book Review: Ready Player One
Posted on April 15, 2021 Leave a Comment
‘Enchanting. Willy Wonka meets The Matrix’ (USA Today). That’s what the little quotation says on the front cover of Ready Player One by Ernest Cline.
High praise indeed. High enough to make me buy it and read it. But I know what you’re thinking: ‘did it deliver?’
Theme: The Truth Behind the Tale
Posted on April 12, 2021 Leave a Comment
What fundamental truth(s) are you conveying in your idle fantasy? What aspects of real life are you exploring? And equally as important, how are you conveying that truth?
Penstricken 