One of the great things about writing a book, is when the book is finished and I can catch up on my reading! There’s a pure joy that comes from reading lots of books without the pressure of deadlines wrenching the book out of your hands! Now that Checkmate, the last book in my Noughts and Crosses trilogy is finally finished, I’ve been devouring the ever-growing stack of books by my side of the bed, and revisiting some old friends. I love short stories and think as a literary form they are much under-rated as well as undervalued. I’m currently reading Bali Rai’s short story anthology called Dominos. This collection is gripping, honest and sometimes brutal. I’m also dipping into Horrors! 365 Scary Stories as the mood takes me. My current bedtime book is Zoo by Graham Marks. A thrilling story which I’m loathe to put down. I’m not keen on stories where I can predict the ending and that’s certainly not the case with this one. I’m totally caught up in it.

I recently finished Rebecca by Daphne de Maurier. This is a favourite book of mine which I last read when I was a teenager. This is the epitome of a book that leads you down one path only to dramatically switch direction and pull you down another. From the haunting first line to the last, it draws you in and keeps you in. And I still love the fact that the book, from the title to its last chapter, is about a woman who is dead but still manages to weave a web around the lives of all those in the story. Masterful storytelling. And the writing – superb. I love, love, love this book. Also, Daphne de Maurier was a writer whose short stories are still amongst the best I’ve ever read.

Another book I recently finished is America Is Me by E. R. Frank. What can I say about this book? The blurb on the back describes it as harrowing and haunting but it’s much more than that. America is a boy that has fallen through the cracks of society through no fault of his own to end up written off in a secure facility. Until Dr B, a therapist, comes along to help him make sense and deal with his past. It’s a past that contains neglect, sexual abuse, guilt and love. The story strands of the past and present are skilfully interwoven to produce a story that is real, touching and unforgettable.

In a couple of weeks I shall be starting on the writing of my next book, but in the meantime I’m going to make the most each blissful free moment by surrounding myself with books and carrying at least two with me wherever I go.

Peace.

Malorie Blackman Books