Reposted by Rachel
There's scarcely been a day's writing when I've not had cause to recall my favourite ever quote from an author about their own work, from a Paris Review interview with John Banville in 2009.
Rachel
@farla.bsky.social
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Translator, proofreader, editor. Here for politics, comedy, dogs and general distraction.
![[Print of a cartoon strip by Stephen Collins. Images are just a series of the things described.]
Title:
HOLIDAY COTTAGE BINGO...
BLUNT KNIFE
CANVAS PRINT OF A BOAT
METAL SEAGULL
WOODEN HARE
CANVAS PRINT OF A FLOWER
TINY CHOPPING BOARD
5 TV REMOTES
WOBBLY PLASTIC-HANDLE PAN
3 TINY MUGS (WEIRD SHAPE)
FATHERLAND BY ROBERT HARRIS
SCRATCHED FRYING PAN
6-PAGE ESSAY IN THE GUESTBOOK
FRAMED SHEEP ILLUSTRATION
INSCRUTABLE COMBO OVEN & MICROWAVE
DVD OF MASTER AND COMMANDER
TINY WINE GLASS
DECORATIVE WOODEN THING OF SEASIDE
[Sun, Sand, Sea on wall mounted, painted driftwood]
GHOST OF DEAD FISHERMAN
[Fisherman's ghost pointing at you and wailing 'BE GONE"]
[Ends]](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:4m3we4apbjayclzcnhwe3pfp/bafkreiegrycd3blj26hon6q6wsvsjqhdsdkyr2m633a2xvil5lwuznoqzq)
![For this comic you have to imagine it as two separate pictures depicting almost identical scenes. There are three kids dressed as a devil, a ghost and a witch, and they are outside a person’s home receiving treats on a tray from the resident. In the background, their parents - parent 1, parent 2 and parent 3, watch on from the pavement. There are labels pointing to every person in each scene.
HALLOWEEN IN AMERICA
[Labels]:
Joyful [a person at a cosy party seen through the window of the house]
Ebullient [Another person at the party, we see them laughing through the window]
Charmed [A fully dracula-costumed guy handing out trates at the front door]
Home made skull cookies and lemonade [The contents of the man’s tray he is handing out to the kids]
Delighted [The first kid on the path, dressed as a devil]
Excited [The second kid on the path, dressed as a ghost]
Enraptured [The third kid on the path, dressed as a witch]
Emotional [Parent 1, stood back on the pavement, beaming in joy]
Proud [Parent 2, clasping their hands, tearful]
Capturing the moment [Parent 3, taking a photo on their phone]
HALLOWEEN IN BRITRIN
[The same sort of scene, but in Britain]
[Labels]:
Angry [A dog barking out the window. There is no party going on in the house. Through the window we see a woman just wtching telly]
Offended [The woman having her TV show interrupted]
Resentful [Guy dressed in normal clothes, grumpily handing out ‘treats’ on a tray at the door]
2 Celebrations and a Rennie [The contents of his tray]
Disappointed [Child 1]
Awkward [Child 2]
Awkward [Child 3]
Awkward [Parent 1, standing with arms folded]
Mortified [Parent 2, looking embarassed]
Checking for paedophiles [Parent 3, looking suspiciously at the guy answering the door]
[ends]](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:4m3we4apbjayclzcnhwe3pfp/bafkreiectvkbxvx4qhm6halid6gw2qzd5c3atdhxsdnkdvfkriabfrfny4)
