(written for a competition on the theme of vice) I try to reinvent my whole existence yet again today without recurring to the millennially soothing act of succumbing to smoke. Sounds easy enough, but the family history which precedes me assures my self-explanation for the need for nicotine, at least, on a daily basis. Most … Continue reading Archaic new beginnings (Personal essay)

First time I met my workmate, his incisive blue gaze had beaten my read on his. The faded tear-drop tattoo on the right side of his face caught my attention, its perpetuity contrasting with the frantic circumspection of his cerulean orbits. The shagginess of his dreadlocked mullet bordered with the military prowess of a pale … Continue reading Character sketch (200-words: written for a Genre Fiction unit)

There we were, starving, but happy to be together. The sun shone brightly against the water and the sound of old diesel and new outboard engines could be heard roaring through the ocean. We hadn’t eaten all day, apart from some minor green stuff. We’d been roaming around for a while and I knew she … Continue reading Point of view – short story

The most embarrassing moment of my life (that I can remember, at least) was at a golf country club south of Lisbon, when I was about thirteen years old. Sometime after his second marriage, my dad had developed a passion for the sport, and so every fifteen days when he had custody, we used to … Continue reading Most embarrassing moment – Personal essay

I sat back with a smoke and drink in hand, watching the table as one watches the countdown to a building demolition. The game had been going on for hours, as it did most nights, and multiple expensive cigars and amber-coloured drinks had fuelled the remaining players onwards. The lush dark-green felt was the setting … Continue reading The card game – short crime fiction (400 words)

(Interview excerpt) 'I find this to be one of the most important features of my writing habits, much like a donkey with a carrot on the end of a stick, if I know I have a nice piece of bacon as a reward for gathering all my brain cells, things just flow better.' Read the … Continue reading Slinkies publication interview: full interview now available in the link below.

When I tell people what I’m studying at university, the slight pause that follows is usually complemented by something along the lines of a “Oh yeah…”; as a creative writing student, this is the sort of awkward dialogue I live for. Artistical-minded people will usually inquire on what sort of writing I’m interested in next, … Continue reading Death of the art student: how the “Job Ready Graduates” reform will reshape Australia’s cultural landscape

Charles Bukowski’s Post Office Book review The first thing I would say to anyone who isn’t familiar with Charles Bukowski’s work is not meant for those who get offended easily. First published in 1971, the Post Office deconstructs the struggles of being a voiceless cog in the massive enterprise that was the U.S postal office … Continue reading Book review: Charles Bukowski’s ‘Post Office’

Her silky, golden wet skin gleamed on the ocean surface under the sweltering sun, demanding undivided attention in such a way that made my eyes hurt. Much like staring into an eclipse, she made you lose your ability to move altogether, let alone blink. Glistening through the water, she ran a most delicate hand through … Continue reading Character sketch (200-words: written for a Genre Fiction unit)