@robmclennan.bsky.social was nice enough to ask me some very good questions and i did my best to answer

As a writer currently suffering a crisis of confidence (it's Monday / it's how I feel when I write) I found this interview insightful and helpful. Thank you for such open-hearted responses to the questions - and thanks for sharing it.

Leonard Cohen's grave in the Congregation Shaar Hashomayim cemetery on Mount Royal.

A view of Montreal's west end from the belvedere on Mount Royal, the Crescent Street mural of Leonard Cohen in the foreground.

With the snow (finally) melted, I had a beautiful walk this morning on Mount Royal. Saw Leonard. #montreal

Thank you for buying The Long Gaze Back - this is the 2026 reprint, 11 (!) years after publication. Featuring @anakanaschofield.bsky.social, Maeve Brennan @lucycaldwell.bsky.social Mary Lavin @junec.bsky.social Norah Hoult @nualaoconnor.bsky.social @eimearryan.bsky.social @newislandbooks.bsky.social

Even from space, we can all agree that maple syrup belongs on pancakes.

Safe journey home to Colonel Jeremy Hansen and the entire Artemis II crew.

I switched to a Kobo. Works just like a Kindle (screen on the basic model is better than a Kindle’s) but without Amazon, and the library seems just as big. Canadian owned. Strongly recommend it.

[The Apollo 11 plaque] reads: "We came in peace for all Mankind." As the United States was dropping 7 ½ megatons of conventional explosives on small nations in Southeast Asia, we congratulated ourselves on our humanity. We would harm no one on a lifeless rock. - Carl Sagan

The world is a mist. And then the world is
minute and vast and clear. The tide
is higher or lower. He couldn’t tell you which.
His beak is focussed; he is preoccupied,

looking for something, something, something.
Poor bird, he is obsessed!

- from The Sandpiper by Elizabeth Bishop

Novel The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald Novella Short Stories Essay Train Dreams by Denis Johnson Chef's House by Raymond Carver Good Country People by Flannery O'Connor Reunion by John Cheever A Misfortune by Anton Chekhov, translated by Constance Garnett On Writing by Raymond Carver

Claire Keegan is giving a masterclass on fiction writing in Reykjavik this May.

The texts she is using in the class are these, so if you love her work you'll probably love them:

A Maple leaf for #MinimalMonday.

#BrucePeninsula #BruceCounty #ECK #photography #TenMinutesFromHome #GettingBackToBasics #VintageLens #ManualFocus

The brother of the Heated Rivalry casting director is now leader of Canada’s left party.

Yet this is life.

there was a young man
from cork who got limericks
and haikus confused

"Poetry is words in their least lucrative order."

(Recalled by Earle Birney)

Well I didn't win, but I'm encouraged that my story made the shortlist. On to the next revision! fishpublishing.com/2026/03/17/s...

You need to go do your art or something

‘I’ve learned first-hand how evil is tolerated’: Colm Tóibín on living in the US under Trump The Brooklyn author on immigration and the inspiration behind his latest collection of stories

ICYMI - Colm Tóibín on the moments that inspired the short stories in his new collection - and their long gestation - fascinating - you will rarely read a more detailed account

"The News from Dublin" is out later this week

www.theguardian.com/books/2026/m...

A chairde, Off The Scéal is back for our first session of the year with buíochas mór to our partners @poetryireland.bsky.social !

Join us for a multilingual open mic celebrating stories, poems, music, comedy, and spoken word in any language you care to bring.

***Cork World Book Festival Exclusive***
Join us for the launch of Rituals, Danielle McLaughlin’s second novel published by The Stinging Fly Press. Danielle will be in conversation with Siobhán Rea, a Dublin-based artist and teacher whose work spans the disciplines of painting, multi-media and

We are delighted to be partnering @mklitfest.bsky.social for a third year offering free online events with distinguished writers on Monday evenings throughout March 2026. This year’s theme is Borders in Literature.
All these events are free to attend.
Book your tickets at www.mklitfest.org/borders

Happy Birthday to Sister Rosetta Tharpe, and a massive thank you to her for inventing rock and roll

She was born on March 20th, 1915

Ready to start making summer writing plans? 🌞

Our 2026 Summer School opens for applications on Monday, 23rd March.

More info on our website:

🔗 stingingfly.org/summer-school/

It takes 20 minutes to read it. It took me 3 years to write it. Time well spent in both cases, if you ask me. #writing #shortstory #phew

"Beneath memory and experience, beneath imagination and invention, beneath words, there are rhythms to which memory and imagination and words all move. The writer's job is to go down deep enough to feel that rhythm, find it, move to it, be moved by it, and let it move memory and imagination to find words." — Ursula K. Le Guin, 2000

This quote comes from a talk Ursula gave as part of the Portland Arts & Lectures program of Literary Arts.

You can listen to the whole thing here: literary-arts.org/archive/ursu...

Jessie Buckley is now at a unique and fleeting moment in her career, like Neil Jordan was after Interview With The Vampire or Cillian Murphy was after Oppenheimer, to get a movie about a critical moment in Irish history made.

What would/should/could she pick?

The Contemporary Irish Short Story with Gerard Beirne - Irish Writers Centre 6-week online course exploring the Irish short story with Gerard Beirne. Starts Wednesday 15 April 2026, 7.00pm - 9.00pm.

Just over a month away, and I'll be facilitating this course on the contemporary Irish short story at the Irish Writers Centre @irishwriterscentre.bsky.social should you be interested.

irishwriterscentre.ie/courses/the-...

See bsky.app/profile/chri...

you know what's great about writing? writing. follow me for more insights.

In her debut collection, Natalie Southworth explores moments of disconnection, family fragility, and unexpected expressions of love.

Available now at the link in our bio! 📚