Tuesday 1st July 2025
It's International Zine Month, but there's little chance of Steve making and publishing anything this month. It took me 12 hours to transfer notes from Facebook to my hard drive. I haven't been across the doorstep. I feel like I've got a bit of a cold coming on, but it might be pollen allergy. I didn't try anything too strenuous today. I've listened to Venom, Marissa and the Moths, Behemoth, and Suede. Eclectic, if nothing else. I still weigh 11 stone 6 pounds, which is great. But want to get down to 11 stone 3 pounds. That will be a loss of two stones since 7th April. It would be great to do it by next Monday. But without some strenuous physical exercise and skipping a meal or three, I don't see how it will be possible. 10.55pm.
Wednesday 2nd July 2025
Torrential rain prevented me from visiting Bits 4 Bikes this afternoon to start getting the Rockhopper roadworthy for the C2C. My left wrist hasn't been so much trouble today. Soon Will Come Thunder, my July 2023 pamphlet, tells me I had RSI that month, too. Possibly due to making runs of three different pamphlets in a month… Today I read some of ‘Notes from Underground: Zines and the Politics of Alternative Culture’ by Stephen Duncombe, did abdominal exercises, had a tuna salad for tea, cheese sandwich for supper. 10.51pm.
Thursday 3rd July 2025
Took my big list of repairs and modifications for the Rockhopper to Bits 4 Bikes. Didn't get back home till twelve. The buses were shit this morning and again this afternoon, so I didn't get to Waddington Street Centre until twenty to five. Setting up for Poetry Jam wasn't too difficult. We had a canny crowd in tonight. The open-floor poets were great as usual. All the guests were on form. Paul Sta was funny and did great intros to everything. Liz Haynes' book contains hardcore poems about farming life; her delivery really hit home. James Oates did a generous set of mostly new material, but a couple of poems from open-floor visits. A new book is surely long overdue. My pocket camcorder needs a new memory card. I bought one this morning, but it doesn't work. Jenni and I got a train back to Newcastle, then walked to Bensham. Thanks to James Oates for a magnificent steak pie. Thanks to Tony Gadd for the ‘Inquire Within’ poetry book. Thanks to all who come to Poetry Jam. Thanks to Waddy for the ace venue. 12.23am.
Friday 4th July 2025
Good to see a couple of Black Sabbath documentaries tonight. One was an overview of the band, including various post-Ozzy line-ups and changes in musical direction. One was an episode of Classic Albums featuring Paranoid. I had a big steak pie about one o’clock this morning, so I tried to cut back on the food for the rest of the day. Mainly just tuna, fruit salad, bit of Christmas cake. I've had a pain-free day as far as the wrist is concerned. I ordered a copy of Anthony Bray’s ‘View From The Metal Throne’ book about Venom. 9.37pm.
Saturday 5th July 2025
Canny day in Newcastle. Bought a pair of trousers and a long-sleeved top for a fiver. Saw some good books, including Defying Gravity: The Jordan Story and a Clive Barker coffee table book of art and insights. Also saw lots of music albums I'd like, but I've got enough. Packed up all my work stuff at Jen’s and got home around six. Tried to watch a 50p horror DVD with dolls in it, but fell asleep. Mixed online reactions to the Ozzy/Sabbath gig. 10.40pm.
Sunday 6th July 2025
If I lose another two pounds, I'll be two stone lighter than three months ago. Did some back-stretching exercises, read some poems and prose, and listened to a two-hour Jeff Mantas (Venom) interview. I've had a chicken salad and other smaller meals. Checked out Joan Johnson's poetry manuscript. OK. 10.43pm.
Monday 7th July 2025
Too many gaps in the diary. I've written more in rough books than directly to hardback, and it's all to copy up before the end of the year. Good ride on the Sonder trail bike this morning. Cleaned some little sections: exit climb off the bridge at Shotley, over rocky steps out onto the road. Front wheel ledge-drop into a stream, and out again. Up off a wooden bridge, over a log, tight right turn, then up a dusty slope onto the trail near Moorside… I've started taking poems and prose for the next Washington anthology. I've formatted a preliminary poetry-pamphlet layout for Joan Johnston. I’ve exercised with some light free weights. My left wrist seems to be holding up okay. I'm loving Lou Reed’s ‘The Blue Mask’ album. 11.00pm.
Tuesday 8th July 2025
Posted Joan a mock-up of her pamphlet plus examples of mine. Borrowed ‘Invisible Girl’ by Lisa Jewell from the library. One of the characters is having a rough time, and I've warmed to the book this evening. I went over to the quarry where I used to train for trials in the noughties. Sad to see all the lines and slabs of rock I used to ride now obstructed by big bushes and tall trees. So much erosion and mud, it's not worth taking a bike there now. Just as well I’ve got access to some mint trails down by the riverside. 11.20pm.
Wednesday 9th July 2025
Prepared for Friday's Washington Writers session. Mowed grass. Read more of ‘Invisible Girl’ by Lisa Jewell and sorted some logistics for the Bristol trip and C2C. The latter might not happen if I can't get enough back-to-back days for training before the end of August. I listened to a Jeff Mantis reworking of the Venom classic ‘Witching Hour’ tonight, some Judas Priest songs and a couple of Behemoth tracks, followed by a bit of Lou Reed. I'm still eating salads, still a couple of pounds shy of losing two stone. 10.21pm.
Thursday 10th July 2025
Disappointing day. Three hours trying to level out the dirt behind a fallen tree so I could step the bike up and onto the trail – but when I returned tonight with the bike, I got stuck because of two upright branches. I was too tired after about 10 attempts to hop my Sonder Frontier through a tiny gap, so I just returned home defeated. I double-checked my workshop handouts for Washington. Today has been a bit too hot. Tinnitus raging tonight. 11.26pm.
Friday 11th July 2025
Too hot to do much tonight. I tried to get an hour of sleep after tea so I could wake refreshed and read, but I still nodded off mid-sentence and ended up dreaming things completely unrelated to the narrative in my hands. Wilting at 23 degrees. The workshop seemed to go okay today. Eight people in. I quite candidly said at the start that I'm self-indulgently picking exercises from my own poems and favourite sessions. We each did six pieces of writing. Big Thanks to Alwyn Bathan for the ride to Gateshead. Later, in Consett, I stocked up on veg and tuna. I popped into Bits 4 Bikes. Got a quote for the work required. I’ll take the Rockhopper in as soon as possible, but I'm toying with another Sunderland ride tomorrow. 9.57pm.
Saturday 12th July 2025
The weather held, and so did my puny wrists. Since starting more intensive abdominal exercises, I've got a wee bit more core strength. I've started riding cycle paths with my back straight, head up, looking forward, rather than at my front tire. There's very little weight on my hands. 54 miles to Roker beach and back to Moorside. Some of the C2C signage is sadly lacking. But no matter, I had a good ride. 8.32pm.
Sunday 13th July 2025
Out with Jenni to buy things for her mam’s birthday. We had a meal in an Indian restaurant with Hillary and John, then drinks at the Station East pub. Tonight I ate chicken sandwiches. It's sweltering again today. I'm still tired after biking yesterday. 11.17pm.
Monday 14th July 2025
Jenni helped me out with bits and pieces for my Bristol trip. We watched the first of three ‘Live Aid at 40’ programmes, then the Psychoville Halloween special to lighten the mood a bit, then another from Live Aid. I read a bit of a New York Times interview in which Bob Geldof said it would never happen now because everyone has their very own little internet bubble, and no one gets real news. I read from a 2015 copy of Poor Lass zine (that Jenni picked up recently in London) on the bus back to Consett. The zine contained articles about health, and those unable to afford good dental care or psychotherapy. Back home, I discovered I've gained four pounds in weight since Saturday afternoon. I read some student poems by a writer concerned about performing them in public. Am I allowed supper? OK. 10.13pm.
Tuesday 15th July 2025
Morning pages. Email checks. Stationary purchases. Prep for Bristol Flash Fiction Festival. Thanks to Jude Higgins for travel advice. Thanks to Shaun at Bits 4 Bikes for help with the Rockhopper. 10.59pm.
Wednesday 16th July 2025
I printed out five little selection pamphlets of the readings taking place at the Flash Fiction Festival this weekend. About 70 to 80 pages of stories were sent to attendees. I'll get a lot more out of the evenings having all the work to hand. I spent most of the afternoon packing and checking my lists. It's only two-and-a-half days, but I seem to be taking a hell of a lot of clothes. I voiced in my notes tonight and watched one of the bonus features on the Hellraiser DVD. Unfortunately, it cut out before the end, but I think it's on YouTube… This time tomorrow night, I'll be off to Newcastle to start my big journey. 11.07pm.
Thursday 17th July 2025
The one time I take a genuine interest in a football match, it's two-all at extra time, going into a penalty shootout – and I need to leave after the first goal to get a bus across the water to Newcastle for the overnight coach to London. I am looking forward to the Flash Fiction Festival in Bristol this weekend, but I'm wondering, who won the footy, Sweden or England? The Manchester coach is late. I hope the London one is okay. I hope to get a good seven hours of sleep overnight. 11.15pm
Friday 18th July 2025
After a thirty-minute delay in London this morning, I made it to Trinity College in Bristol with help from a fellow Flash Fiction Festival participant and a Royal Mail postwoman. I enjoyed Kathy Fish’s three-hour workshop. I read one of my drafts and got a good response. Kathy said I write really dark. I filmed a lot of stuff coz my memory is so poor. I enjoyed the anthology readings tonight, but after a 12-hour journey, I needed to get back to the halls of residence for sleep. I think I may have overeaten a bit: I had fruit for breakfast, an all-day breakfast in a Bristol cafĂ© at twelve, and a chicken curry at Trinity after the workshop, but I'll be okay… I've done some abdominal exercises, I've been in touch with Jenni, I've got the windows open, and I'll be sleeping on top of the duvet, but I want another drink of water first. 10.34pm.
Saturday 19th July 2025
Absolutely smashed tonight. Twelve hours of flash fiction today. Great to meet Nancy Stohlman and hubby Jamil. Also, David Swann and Tim Craig, along with lots of other nice people. I ate lots of good food and will pay dearly for being a glutton, for sure. I got a lot more video footage and wrote another couple of pieces today. Thanks to Jude Higgins for feedback on Teenage Bangles written in her session at nine o’clock this morning. Good to meet KM Elkes as well. And to sit in on a novella-in-flash discussion hosted by Michael Loveday this afternoon. Also to participate in a Damian Dressick workshop. Chuffed to get his book signed. Also, David’s and Tim’s. 10.34pm.
Sunday 20th July 2025
I came away from Bristol Flash Fiction Festival a little bit early. I was whacked before the final day even started. The three workshops today felt more like lessons on a university course; a completely different vibe to yesterday, and for that reason, I struggled with them. Even Kathy Fish, whose Friday session had the element of performance with prompts, seemed more academic. Michael Loveday is deeply committed to his subject matter and is probably the leading figure on the concept of novella-in-flash, but I just wasn't functioning by three o’clock this afternoon. I left before the raffle draw in the dining room. I had a three-hour wait in Bristol for the coach to Birmingham. The waiting lounge here in Birmingham is spacious, and the coach departures are clearly stated. Mine is due in 35 minutes at half ten. I've had some great highlights: this morning, Tim Craig asked me to sign one of my books; this afternoon, I spoke to Vanessa Gebbie; and Damian Dressick stopped me in the corridor and said he liked my stuff. I wrote a couple more pieces today. I heard some great ideas. I just didn't get enough sleep last night, which is my own fault for eating way too much food. My diet is probably fucked, but I have loads of flash fiction books to read and a bunch of workshops on video. I aim to submit all the pieces I wrote this weekend to the Flash Fiction Festival anthology. Thanks to all the great people who spoke to me this weekend, especially Tim Craig and David Swann, who both bought Laughter to Split Glass – selling two poetry books at a flash fiction event is an achievement, I reckon. Well chuffed. OK. 10.03pm.
Monday 21st July 2025
I got into Newcastle at 25 past five this morning. I did morning pages at Jen’s around six, then got into bed. We chatted, mostly about the festival. I got up for a couple of hours but went back to bed after breakfast till eleven. We watched classic Emmerdale and Corrie this afternoon. Jenni transferred all the festival files to a new USB stick for me, all 58GB of them, about 10 or 12 hours, probably more. The last of three buses broke down tonight, so I dragged the wheelie case from The Grove to Moorside. I’m chuffed with all the new flash fiction books. 11.45pm.
Tuesday 22nd July 2025
Had a good chat with Ali today about the Waddy Writers and challenges faced regarding hard-to-motivate people. I did a canny two-hour session, but it wasn’t very well attended. Mainly just recap exercises as a warm-up for the summer. Afterwards, I got some half-marathon booklet covers printed, then a very slow bus ride to Consett. I read a few Tim Craig short stories today, but found it hard to concentrate on the bus. I will reread several times in the coming days. In Tesco, I saw a Facebook friend whom I haven’t spoken to face-to-face for 37 years. We chatted a good while in the bread aisle. It was good to see her. I came home and ate a chicken salad. Pleased I've only put on a pound or two. Very sad to hear that Ozzy Osbourne died today. I was thinking about him on Sunday evening as the coach pulled into Birmingham. I've listened to Ozzy and Sabbath sporadically since I was eleven or twelve years old. Such a shame to go so soon after his final gig. 10.32pm.
Wednesday 23rd July 2025
I've been on a bit of a go-slow since I got back from Bristol. Lethargic till midday. Then all afternoon into evening to make a dozen booklets and get prompts ready for Friday’s writing half-marathon. I've been reading more bits about Ozzy online. And some bits of flash fiction, particularly Tim Craig's stories from his ‘Now You See Him’ collection. He posted an ace photo on Facebook from the Flash Fiction Festival that he took onstage… I weighed 11 stone 4 pounds this morning. I've not been on a bike for over a week. 10.52pm.
Thursday 24th July 2025
So many gaps. The most concerning is the 15mm-wide hole in the brickwork by the front door. The wall is crawling with ants, coming and going, halfway up the side of the house. A moment’s pause. Then back indoors for a big can of bug spray. It seems to do little. But hours later – maybe just the drop in temperature – and the legion of ants is no more. And this particular gap, for the moment, is no longer a problem…
Today I was informed that I won a raffle prize at the Flash Fiction Festival and could I send a postal address. I wrote back with a thank-you and feedback. I did Poetry Jam publicity. I had a couple of hours out on the Sonder bike tonight. I watched a clip of Tony Iommi talking about the loss of Ozzy Osbourne, and I read some Kathy Fish stories online. OK. 9.50pm.
Friday 25th July 2025
Canny little writing half-marathon at Arts Centre Washington today. We did six rounds of writing and readbacks. Some great pieces produced. Big thanks to the writers. Big thanks to those who give me end-of-term chocolates and cards. Also, big thanks to Alwyn Bathan for the lift to Metro Centre. Back home, I ate a chicken salad, answered an e-mail, then out for This Be The Verse spoken word event. The bus was cancelled, but I had a good walk instead. Top turns on the open floor and two cracking guests: Gary the Hat and Sikander Jai. I entered the ‘definition’ competition, wrote three words and won five books. Many thanks to Mel and Steve Wood. I also got to see the Life on a NE Street anthology, which I shall be purchasing copies of at the Gateshead Baltic launch event on Thursday 28th August. Nice walk home. Chicken sandwich. Hope to bike tomorrow. OK. 11.05pm.
Saturday 26th July 2025
This morning, I felt very lethargic, but a phone call from Shaun at Bits 4 Bikes informing me that the Rockhopper is ready for collection got me out of the house. New bars, stem, grips, chain, chainrings, front derailleur, cassette, gear cables, and rear disc brake rotor. This afternoon I saw Amelia Coburn play a free short set on the BBC Proms ‘Introducing’ stage at The Glasshouse in Gateshead. She signed a copy of her debut album Between the Moon and the Milkman for me. This evening, I saw Renata Connors and Your Casket or Mine play unplugged sets at Lovaine Community Garden in North Shields. Mint gig. Found a pound on the pavement in Gateshead. OK. 10.48pm.
Sunday 27th July 2025
Mostly just listening to music on the radio and reading a few pages of ‘Stage Invasion: The Spoken Word Renaissance’ by Pete Bearder. Later, Jenni made a lush veggie curry, and we watched the England vs Spain Euro Women's football final. Listened to a Radio 2 Rock Show Ozzy tribute. OK. 10.45pm.
Monday 28th July 2025
Listened to the radio and watched reruns of Emmerdale and Coronation Street. I enjoyed an episode of Midsomer Murders, the first one I've ever seen. Got the 715pm bus back to Consett. I nipped into Tesco for tinned tuna, bananas, Warburton Thins, peanuts and red peppers. Consett Tesco never has Moroccan Vegetable or Bombay Potato and Spinach pasties. I read a bit of Apartment 16 by Adam Neville tonight. I am impressed by the ability to create atmosphere and setting capable of drawing you in, but can I commit to reading a 40O-page novel in summer? I want to read ‘View from The Metal Throne’ by former Venom drummer Tony Bray. And ‘Defying Gravity: The Jordan Story’ by Cathi Unsworth. OK. 11.05pm.
Tuesday 29th July 2025
I started reading a little book called ‘The Possession’ by French Nobel Prize-winning author Annie Ernaux on the bus to Durham. A short memoir of jealousy and obsession. Only 44 pages of first-person paragraphs. Almost a novella-in-flash but with untitled sections throughout… Waddy session was good today: Absurd Words, First Times, Objects and Lies, Emotional Resonance of days, Creative Wish Lists, Blessings… I finished ‘The Possession’ tonight in Consett library because the book was due back with a waiting list. Can’t remember details, but was taken by the candid voice, page layout, and brevity. I didn't get home till after eight. I spent a long while in Tesco. Got the 7.57pm bus home with all my clobber. I ate a meal consisting of two tins of tuna with half a tin of barbecued beans, followed by a slice of pineapple, then peanuts and sultanas. I checked out videos from American trials/trails bike legend Jeff Lenosky. Still pedalling through rock gardens and getting up big boulders in his fifties. I'm in bed early so I can put in a good day of admin tomorrow. Might read for a while, though. 10.08pm.
Wednesday 30th July 2025
Didn’t finish abdominal exercises till half ten this morning. 11 stone 2 pounds on the scales. Only a few nuts, sultanas, and a slice of pineapple for breakfast; tuna and more peanuts for dinner. This afternoon, I watched Ozzy’s final journey through the city of Birmingham online ahead of his private Buckinghamshire funeral tomorrow. Then I worked on some pamphlet edits for Joan Johnston. I ordered some tickets for WRITE Festival workshops taking place from the end of August through to mid-September at THE WORD in South Shields. And I ordered Clive Barker’s Dark Worlds, an illustrated retrospective hardback coffee table book. I wanted to bike tonight but stayed in to make vocal entries from my diary for this blog. Knocked off when the mobile’s battery ran low. I listened to Amelia Coburn’s debut album, ‘Between The Moon and the Milkman’. I’m tired and hope the weather holds in the morning so I can ride. 10.50pm.
Thursday 31st July 2025
Transferred files and Messenger text, but otherwise just a couple of hours on the Sonder bike down by the Derwent. I watched a couple of Clive Barker interviews and a Jack Ketchum interview. But otherwise, really slow. Forgot to do an invoice, forgot to sort a saddle bag and bar bag. Feel wrecked. If I don’t get to bed soon, I’m going to be sick. I want a big lie-in tomorrow. I’m going nowhere. I want to read some flash fiction and work on my own stuff. I have lots to get through. I hope I can still ride the bike long-distance the week after next. I won’t get a distance ride till Sunday. I don’t want to do a lot. Sometimes I want to jack in writing altogether, but the mood will pass. 9.51pm.