Taking the tinfoil hat off - momentarily, I promise - and putting my "professional" (ahem) hat on, here is some work-related news:

GIVING THE HORNET'S NEST A BIT OF A POKE NEWS
With impeccable timing, we began a series of seminars called "The Uses of Literature" - intended as an attempt to hash out why exactly we do this bloody thing we do and, of course, to take issue with the unacceptably utilitarian, actually terms of the question itself - on the same day the Comprehensive Spending Review was announced. We've done four now, with another tranche of speakers to follow this term, and it'sbeen spirited, heartening and even rather passionate. Heck, we've even started streaming 'em online, take a look:
http://inventionsofthetext.blogspot.com/

INCORRIGIBLE SELF PROMOTION NEWS
I reviewed Tom McCarthy's good-but-not-as-good-as-Remainder novel, C, for the Review of Contemporary Fiction here.

ends

Writer for hire!

If you've landed here looking for business, not pleasure, you'll need me with my work hat on over here. I'm a freelance writer, editor and researcher and - natch! - always available for commission...