Following a life-altering accident, our protagonist, Lewis, can only remember one thing and it’s so specific that it both helps and hinders his memory. Happy reading! To accompany this piece, listen to Glasgow-homed The Joy Hotel’s new single, Jeremiah. I’m eagerly awaiting the debut album! If you’re drunk on the wine of this story, rehydrate with the water of the archives. For books by other writers, click here. And for those of you who enjoy the photography I post here, I’ve started a new Instagram page for the sole purpose of posting my photos. Follow me here! imperr.png A post shared by ..read more

A motivational speaker, stopping for the night at a motel halfway back home, wakes up before dawn without the slightest feeling of tiredness. What does he do? He goes for a walk. Happy reading! To pair the main course of Before Dawn is a fine wine for your ears. This week, it’s The Offline’s L’eau. If you’re overcooked from the sun of this piece, take a dip in the pool of the archives. For books by other writers, click here. Make a donation #54 Before Dawn The first thing to pierce my consciousness was birdsong. Though ‘song’ is generous. It wasn’t a trilling, a beautiful lilt, or a satisfyin ..read more

Today, our protagonist battles with the definitiveness of life choices, and how to find your own path in a world of ideas about the right ways of doing things. As always, there’s a musical accompaniment for this work. The excellent Hurray For The Riff Raff has a new album, The Past is Alive, which is just so worth listening to. Enjoy! If this is whetting your appetite for more, deep fry your mind in the oil of the archive. For books by other writers, click here. #64 A Journey To Distant Lands Our little plane rocks and jolts while I gaze out the window at the endless whiteness of thick cloud ..read more

We’re back, baby. Let’s jump straight into some fiction. Today, our narrator lives out the story of a tragic pop song. What more could you want on this beautiful March morning? To join you on this journey is Devendra Banhart’s Baby. My recent musical discovery. Enjoy! If you’re after more, cradle the cot of the archive. For free e-books by other authors, click here. Support my work #63 Pop Song In Prose I met you as we stood over beers, our mutual friend explaining how the two of you knew each other, the smell of damp clinging to our coats, the sound of car wheels through rain sizzling in the ..read more

Today, I thought I would continue the non-fiction theme from last time, as I haven’t had brain capacity to think about any other fiction than the novel I’ve been working on. Hope you enjoy today’s newsletter. Before we dive in, as always, there’s a musical accompaniment for each piece. Today, I share with you Matt Maltese’s As The World Caves In. I saw Matt Maltese live at Electric Brixton last Thursday, and it was pure gold. Can you believe he released this song when he was 19? He’s now 25 and about to release his fourth album. Putting the rest of us to shame. If you’re gasping for a taste o ..read more

Morning, morning. Happy February! Today, I thought I’d try something a little different as for the best part of a year I’ve been pumping out stories every other week for you. I’ve simultaneously been plugging away at a novel and I’m starting to play the endgame: editing, restructuring, rewriting, rethinking it. I thought friends and strangers might enjoy a peak behind the curtain at the process, and the work that goes into it. Before, we do, your musical accompaniment for this piece is one of my favourite songs from my favourite album from 2023, by the immaculate Young Fathers. Just magical st ..read more

Good morning. Today, Jacob is a soldier, battling in a complicated, live military operation, but also believes he has what it takes to solve the conflict. There’s so much great music to choose from at the moment, for your accompanied listening. I’m writing to you from Porto, Portugal, so I’ll include one of the soundtracks of my trip, Weak In Your Light by Nations of Language, from their amazing album Strange Disciple. Here they are playing live for KEXP. If you’re a keen cyclist, switch gears on the bike of the archives. For stories by other writers I wouldn’t endorse, click here or here. Su ..read more

Hallo meine freunde! We’re here for my second story of 2024. I saw in the new year in beautiful, freezing Stockholm. One of the highlights of that trip was visiting the Moderna Museet on the island of Skeppsholmen. This story is inspired by a painting I saw there, Self Portrait with A Cat, by Lotte Laserstein at an exhibition of the German’s work. Lotte battles with Prinz, her cat, to get him to settle down for a self portrait. Your accompanied listening this week is Iemanjá by Tapioca, the song I was listening to when preparing this post! If you’re a keen traveller, step aboard the plane of ..read more

Happy new year my literary friends!! We’re starting this year with a double bill. I’ve written two very short ‘vignettes’, fictional snapshots, to kick us into motion with some energy for the year. Enjoy! Your paired listening to start the year is House of Woodcock, composed by Jonny Greenwood, for the film Phantom Thread from 2017. Here it is as part of the opening scene from the movie, an excellent work from my favourite director, Paul Thomas Anderson. If you have a voracious appetite, eat the baked goods of the archives. Support my work #58 Vignettes A Living Nightmare Please don’t call my ..read more

This is it. 2023. Over and Out. Our final story of the year and given the season, I thought it would be fun to write something festive. Sort of. In this story, Simon, an aspiring actor playing Santa at a Christmas market, thinks he’s reaching rock bottom when a miracle unfolds. Last week, I went to see a newish band called Jockstrap. Their music is a beautiful mish-mash of pop, ethereal ballad, and nightclub energy. It’s curious and weird and thoroughly addictive. I saw them at the Barbican Hall in London, with a full orchestra in support. Your paired listening is the mesmerising Concrete Over ..read more