Sarah Hargreaves

Writing, Reading and Listening

recent posts


  • Giovanni’s room

    Full disclosure: I discovered this book watching an interview with Zendaya where she said it was her favourite book.i was curious so I reserved it at my council library.

    Side note: I am trying to use the council library more, I was actually quite surprised how busy it was when I went to pick it up but I think we should support stuff like this more.

    I mean, yikes. I am not qualified to give any review of this book.

    To read it, is truly an experience.

    If you don’t know anything about this book, I urge you to read it blind like I did. The story of a man trying to deal with who he is and bein terrified of it.

    I also like Hella, trying to understand her role as a woman.

    Very sad, very thought-provoking.

    Some of the prose is a little flowery for my taste, but who am I to judge?

  • Lesson 6 get away from that screen

    I bought myself (quite cheaply from ebay) a thermal typewriter.

    I like getting away from the screen and being able to physically see how the parts of my story will fit.

    I also love a gadget and it is dead fun to tinker around with. Woop woop.

  • The furbies are onto us

    What’s a conspiracy theory you actually find believable?

    In the 90s there was a toy called the furby.

    I had a green one and a father Christmas themed one and I loved them. Until I couldn’t get them to shut up and they had to be in the car over night.

    But anyway, the conspiracy theory that they had secret cameras and microphones and they were listening to us is one I have always found amusing. Upon some research, apparently they were banned from offices at the pentagon.

  • Lesson 5 keep going

    Ok, its been a hot minute.

    Longer than a hot minute, try a few months.

    But, inspiration has struck.

    I have read back through the old writing and decided whilst its not brilliant I still like the basic premise.

    I have workshopped a few of the characters, given them backstories and got more into the fictional world I have created.

    A bit of time off has let the juices flow. Yay.

  • I shall focus on the area I want thanks

    How do you deal with uncertainty?

    Uncertainty in Maths is to estimate error.

    When I was doing my phd, I purposefully did not consider uncertainty. Much to the chagrin of many academics who would ask me this question constantly at conferences. This wasn’t me being difficult it just wasn’t the most interesting part of my research.

    So in my phd, I would have said, ‘I don’t’.

    But in life, I’d probably say ‘not well’ it causes me all kinds of anxiety.

  • Gifts

    What’s a moment when you realized you were officially an adult?

    When I realised I was genuinely pleased with the gardening gloves and plant food I had been given for my birthday.

  • It always starts with a cup of tea

    What are your morning rituals? What does the first hour of your day look like?

    Wake up either naturally or with an alarm.

    Make myself a cup of tea, get back into bed, let the dog come up for a cuddle.

    Walk the dog.

    When it’s winter and it’s dark outside the dog walking might be later, but it’s spring and it’s light at the moment and I love it!

  • It’s OK to give yourself a break

    What’s something most people don’t understand?

    I’ve not been on here for a while.

    I haven’t written my novel or even in my journal for a while.

    Life has been busy and tough recently but that’s OK.

    Taking the break I need and not feeling the ever constant guilt. It’s ok.

  • Any help would be good today

    What strategies do you use to cope with negative feelings?

    I’ve got nothing.

  • Daydreaming

    What activities do you lose yourself in?

    I wile away at lot of the day daydreaming. It sounds like a cliche, but I can also read for hours on end or making pottery.

    So many things to do, to little time to do them.