Smoke

It seems to have taken an age, but finally the scaffolding has come down from outside a great London institution - the website of Smoke - A London Peculiar. After a considerable hiatus since the last issue of the magazine was published (was it really 2010? No, really?) the magazine has metamorphosed into a smart website of quirky and informed local writing, knitted together by Matt Haynes' joyful house style. There are also plans for Smoke books on London themes. Please have a look - you might feel inspired. I'd almost blame you if you weren't...

a shy little post about, uh, titles

One curious aspect of writing novels is that the title seems often the greatest secret in the work. Shyness seems to prevent writers from referring to their works in progress by the title firmly established in their head - they might know that it's called "Traffic", must be called "Traffic", and they have visualised "Traffic" appearing on the shelves - but they will refer to it to other writers only as the (mumble) y'know, traffic warden novel", taking further care to clearly enunciate it in lower case, as if to name it is to hex it. Well, I do anyway...