Sublime

A writer’s greatest responsibility is to his readers, to keep providing them with the best work that he is capable of turning out.

Quite a strange man, thought James, watching him go – but what a relief to discover he still contained the capacity to be taken by surprise.

‘You’re our longest-serving contributor,’ said Carleton, flinching at the bang. ‘Our most admired. Indeed I should say our most popular.’ I’m beginning to speak like him, he thought: Thomas Hart is catching, that’s the trouble. ‘I’ve often heard it said that it’s a consolation – that’s the general feeling, as I said to the board – to wake on Thursd

The two-way twit-twoo of tawny owls.

change is at the root of all drama,