In the absence of writing...

I have been reading. A lot. I actually find it difficult to read a lot while actively writing, especially when it comes to fiction. Why? I have the soul of a crow and tend to pick over other's literary leavings for juicy tidbits without meaning to. Unless I am extremely vigilant, my fiction takes the flavour and voice of whatever it was I last read, and this irks me. So here I am, void of the creative spark - reading a lot.

Things I have read lately:

Voice of the Fire by Alan Moore: The opening chapter of this was perhaps the single most delightful surprise I've had from any novel. Same with the closing chapter. All the bits between were beautiful, evocative and strange. I will not say too much about this book, on the chance I may spoil the surprises for someone else. All I can say is: read it.

Anansi Boys by Neil Gaiman: Laugh? Why, yes I did. I've studied trickster myths from all over the world, and Gaiman captures the spirit of those very well, the comic tragedy and the tragic comedian. I was moved to snortle out loud several times, which doesn't happen often enough, and then again perhaps too often - it is not the most attractive sound one can make. But I like that the book made me laugh. I like that Gaiman knows the trickster so well as to take liberties with him and get away with it.

The Damnation Game by Clive Barker: Being a veritable dinosaur, I purchased this book when it first came out and have been moved every few years to pick it up and read it again, ever since. This was Barker's first novel. What an absolute bastard. By which I mean, he did a very good job of it. I think the mass consciousness was not so jaded, back then - I recall being wonderfully appalled by the Razor-Eater, and Mamoulian's grinning 'secretary'. These days - it's been done and done again. But Barker did it back when sensual grue was tres cool and still relatively shocking, so this remains one of my favourite novels in the horror genre. Read it, if you don't mind smelly dead things committing heinous atrocities, and for whom you are obliged to hold sympathy.

Among others. I've also been recapping a deal of non-fiction research for my own novel, that elephantine mirage I am stumbling toward in excruciatingly small increments.

What have you been reading? What have you been writing? (I admit here to a slightly masochistic hope of being shamed into writing something of my own, in short order)