What does August signify for you? Sandy beaches, barbecues in the garden, an easy-read book? For me, it’s a singing summer school (and, despite large gatherings still being prohibited, I have two virtual ones this year) and a chance to celebrate female novelists writing in languages other than English. I’m no linguist – although I’ve studied French and Spanish and have enjoyed picking up a smattering of the lingua franca on my travels – so I’m grateful to translators, who are far too often unacknowledged. As physical international travel is still problematic, it’s a great way of virtually visiting other countries. |
Since discovering the meme, my annual consumption of translated fiction by women has increased exponentially, from 3 to 7 to well into double digits. Between the beginning of September 2018 to the end of August 2019, I read and reviewed 24 books – check them out by clicking on the image to the right! If that feels too daunting, I’ve selected 12 of my favourites from the last few years to share my Lockdown Literature column at the Carrot Ranch. |
I’ll be sharing my women in translation reading over the last twelve months at the end of August: with 19 to date and three on my TBR pile (and a couple more in the post), the pressure’s mounting to match last year’s record!
Meanwhile, click on the image below to catch up on all my reviews and posts for July.
This week’s flash fiction prompt derives from my pandemic novel project, when I consulted Twitter regarding the interpretation of crowning glory. That said, it should have been easy to find my 99-word story, but I struggled, perhaps because my muse was preoccupied churning out ideas for my WIP. The fields finally delivered a fun story, but the resolution might not work without the images. |
Feathered frame for her face, her surprise lockdown hair was a triumph, visually. That couldn’t be said of the feel of the inglorious thicket that sprang from her crown. Sweat lathered her nape as the sun reported for duty. Fatigue in her arms as the queue formed outside the shower. Should she chop it to the bone, don a hat with her mask for the supermarket? No-one saw the back of her head on Zoom. Should she make it a feature: topknot, śikhā, Hindu thread to heaven? Inspiration dawned with a fungus: inky black dye topping her shopping list!