Author Archives: H.M. Goodchild
A year in books or, What I read in 2020
Overview This year, for the first time, I kept note of the books I read for pleasure or curiosity. As ever, it was mostly fiction. It’s been an odd year and, given external events, I tended towards books I thought … Continue reading
Banish misfortune (traditional music in fantasy)
Yesterday was the solstice, midwinter’s day here in the northern hemisphere. Dull it was too, a few cold spots of rain, and too overcast to see the Great Conjunction*, but this year is coming to its end and the dark … Continue reading
Book Review: ‘Of Kings and Griffins’ by Judith Starkston
A long time ago now I reviewed books for a now-mothballed website called Heroines of Fantasy. It put me in the way of books, I’d not otherwise have encountered. When the site shut down, I got on with other things, … Continue reading
How to begin? (pantoum)
I sat down at my desk this afternoon, wanting to write something but with neither time nor motivation for the novel in progress (sadly, writer’s block is very much a thing). Instead I looked up a list of writing prompts … Continue reading
Dawn Rising by A.F.E Smith
This isn’t so much a book review as a whoop of delight. A.F.E. Smith, author of the Darkhaven novels, has a new book out. It’s called Dawn Rising and is an absolutely fabulous read. I’ve been hoping it would appear … Continue reading
The false friend
Another silkie (well, one glimpsed a couple of weeks ago) and another villanelle. Silkies don’t usually fare well upon the land and this one is, I’m afraid, no exception. The false friend I took his skin and put it on, … Continue reading
Lovers’ vows
It’s a couple of days too late for this to be a Valentine. Beneath the tree (Lovers’ vows) An apple tree beside the sea, It grows for you and grows for me, And, in the shade, beneath the tree, A … Continue reading
An historical fragment
I usually write fantasy. That way I don’t get too bogged down in/side tracked by research. Making stuff up is so much easier when you’re not worrying about whether so-and-so was in such-and-such a place at any given time. I’m … Continue reading
Twitter – and other – poems
It’s been a long time, for which I offer neither explanation nor apology. Here are a few recent poems. The shorter ones have featured on twitter. I’m there more often than I’m here, but still not often. I took his … Continue reading
I’m on the radio!
A quick note to say in November 2017 I was the guest on Hannah’s Bookshelf, on North Manchester FM. We talked about books – mine and other people’s – ballads, biology, time, and what I’d save for a post-apocalyptic library. It was … Continue reading
Folksong and Fantasy 