A spot of "life turbulence" has hit in the last few weeks but I wanted to share my (planned) first post on Substack. The idea is to combine a story analysis/review with a non-fiction idea. At the moment I’m standing by the side of the pool, deciding whether to dip a toe or dive into the platform... Batman Begins And The Masks We Wear When Nolan and David S. Goyer set out to reboot Batman in 2005, they weren’t simply trying to revive a sleepy franchise. They wanted to tell a powerful story...

I know I tend to beat the jungle drum about stories. But sometimes, a good one isn't everything. I went to see OVO by Cirque du Soleil last Saturday. A bucket list item for Liv. I wasn’t sure if it would be my jam. Honestly, the storyline was naff, with a few main characters speaking in gobbledygook (presumably insect language) in painful interludes. The humour felt a bit juvenile. We both rolled our eyes each time they returned to the stage. And yet, Liv said the show was 'one of the best...

Six weeks ago today, 7:15am, I checked into the Wimpole Clinic on Harley Street. It was time for the transplant. Of the hair variety. Why write about it on my writer newsletter? Because of stories. Particularly the ones we tell ourselves. Ones that can be faulty. I've written this off-the-cuff this morning though, so bear with me. No-Brainers So, there are some decisions in life that are straightforward. You don’t question them. What you might call no-brainers. This wasn’t one of them....