OK. Now I've changed the look of this blog, even adding a photo, but can't figure out how to change the colour of some of the text below! So let's see if I can give you the link to the Zadie Smith essay -- two successive Saturdays in the Guardian Review (one my regular weekend pleasures). I know I should have a whole list of recommended links etcetera but really, there are hundreds of literary blogs out there already all linking to each other, so I'm sure my recommendations would be superfluous!

http://books.guardian.co.uk/departments/generalfiction/story/0,,1989004,00.html

I've been trying to make a web site

Just finished my new novel, Esther, Star of the Sea and was feeling at loose ends so thought I'd try to move myself even further into cyberspace.

And it ain't as easy as it looks. Using Nvu, the freeware from Mozilla, which is very user-friendly, but I still can't seem to get the banner or buttons right for linking -- maybe because I'm working off line. Anyhow, I thought I'd update my blog in the mean time.

If you're looking for inspiration you won't get it from me, but here are some things you should read:

Zadie Smith's two part essay in the Guardian Review
Orhan Pahmuk's nobel prize speech