The Story So Far...

So here we are in 2012... and so far so-so. At work we were asked for a short list of reading resolutions for this year (my place of work is a book shop in case you were wondering - no, we're not geeks... how dare you). My contribution to this wall of inspiration/shame, call it what you will, was given with almost minutes of thought and sits proudly with the following.

The Cider House Rules - John Irving
Post Office - Charles Bukowski
The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle - Haruki Murakami

I have also decided to read (wade through) a stack of crime/thrillers this year, I keep getting asked at work if I can recommend anything, what can I say I'm getting tired of making stuff up... well cobbling together recommendations from other customers. It's not like I tell porky-pies!


And by way of a round up, I thought I would leave you with my top-five posts from 2011. I'm glad to say that they are all my Microfiction - approximately 500 words each or less. What do I mean by Microfiction I hear you ask. Well let me try to explain.

If a novel takes you on a tour of a house and garden, a short story might show you a dinner party that was held in that house, showing you only the dining room, kitchen and maybe the toilet. Microfiction lets you sneak up to the front door of the story and poke your nose through the letterbox. It gives you a very limited view of what's inside. Now I would like to take credit for that little description of short-fictions place in the universe, but I can't. I read it somewhere a few years ago and whats worse I cannot even remember where it came from. Although I'm very grateful to whomever it was. I have read that Hemingway wrote - "For Sale, child's shoes, never worn."  This has been cited by many as one of the best examples of microfiction.

Anyhow on to my chart... As voted for by your good selves, when I say voted I mean more of you read these posts in 2011.

1 - The Dress

2 - His Beautiful Disappointment

3 - The Snowman

4 - Perfect Diction

5 - It's New Home

Well that's me just about done for now, I wish you all a Happy New Year and leave you with a question, what are your reading resolutions for this year? What books are you looking forward to? Let me know.

Until next time...