I know, right? It's like they lurk in the shadow, ready to hit the fearsome button as soon as you post, uncanny. Thanks Lizzie, it's quite a big compliment, coming from a witty lady like you!
"I decided to go for a cheeky bit of cleavage. The fact is that – being as short as I am – showing a bit of leg means showing the whole of it, and that would be an overkill.'
Among my many reading interests has been the, let's call them, exploits of various intelligence services in the Cold War. Serious stuff, but at the same time, utterly bonkers shit happened too. Somewhere there's a quotation from a KGB agent to the effect that so much of what the Americans in particular did made so little sense they couldn't decide if the US was misdirecting
or gaslighting them or just incompetent.
Fertile ground for irony and more there.
I really like this and can hardly wait for part 2!
Yeah, it’s rarely just one thing. The world’s more complicated than that. (Some other time, I’ll rant, to you, or more likely in a post, about one-explanationism. Still, it’s fun to image the KGB discussions that must have taken place when the US did something really inexplicable!
Your intuition about The Memory Hole was astute: I already follow and enjoy it greatly!
And I have faith you’ll spin a good yarn. But I think you aren’t, I’ll give respectful, constructive feedback! (You might have guessed from my last post that I have a lot of practice at this, I suppose.)
I like the term 'one-explanationism', that post should spark an interesting debate.
Please do that, Cary. I'm neuro-divergent too and I've always been puzzled –especially as a little girl – as to why everyone around you tells you to always speak the truth but, the moment you do, they become really mad.
I can't say the truth will not hurt me, but what's the point in flattery? I want to be a writer – the best I can possibly be – and I need criticism. I have a lot of time for feedback from an intelligent reader.
Intriguing start. I'm particularly interested in the protagonist's attitude toward having sex with her chief. Did she just make the best of a bad situation, or did she actually think herself lucky (a lady with a pug-ugly mug) for being chosen by a handsome powerful man? Maybe a little bit of both... and the need to avoid being sent to Siberia?
Grazie, Gianni! She's still young and she works for a fearsome organisation, based in an autocratic nation. She was taught not to question authority. She said "I faced what I had to face", a quote from Henry James' 'The Turn of the Screw'. Plus, it was the 80's and the general consensus had it that it was normal for a powerful man to behave like this. How things change (luckily)! Besides, being ugly it's not necessarily a hindrance for a young, sassy, lively woman; I speak out of experience. ;-) OMG, many many thanks for the restack!
Cattleya orchid pollination tickles my fancy in a rushing rain storm pollen poking in a huddle room where regalia is regarded as useless and must be removed for immediate access to flowers inspection. Perhaps an Austin Power plant secretly ploys translation to best practices in the next chapter. Really enjoy word juggling and toys with my funny bone. Maybe my humerus. I know you’ll make right decisions and characters will develop. The world is your oyster Get Smart agent 99. Lead us into Russia rhapsody. Play on.
Oh, Portia, congratulations! It is so sarcastic, with KGB, tortures, and sex, and the main heroine with her puggish face. I don't know how you will hold all this sarcasm the whole novel, but the beginning is curious. And language! How do you know American slang!? "Rogering", "Russian fair cattleya?" What is it? By the way, Andrei Makin's novel, A Hero's Daughter, if you haven't read it in French (my god, you know so many languages, you are a polyglot!), is about how KGB hired professional translators for sex.
Thank you, Larisa, your praise means a lot to me. I don't know how I'm going to do it, I'm not a professional writer, but this silly story will be my training. I'll make sure I read Makine's novel. I read 'Le Testament français' (English title 'Dreams of my Russian Summers'), and found it good.
You are a smart girl; you found an intriguing topic for your literary training. Makine's novel,' of course, is tragic. What would you expect from a Russian writer, even if he is French now? I loved his Dreams and still love it; the book is on my shelf.
Brilliant. Very funny. And it's absolutely true about unsubscribes when you post. Sometimes within a second of posting!
I know, right? It's like they lurk in the shadow, ready to hit the fearsome button as soon as you post, uncanny. Thanks Lizzie, it's quite a big compliment, coming from a witty lady like you!
❤️❤️ The rough Russian rogering definitely reminded me of our Merv :-) We did a half-decent job of getting through the Covids didn’t we?
Chris, I'm so happy to meet you here again, how are you doing? We sure did, with you all it was a blast. Thank you for reading, don't be a stranger!
"I decided to go for a cheeky bit of cleavage. The fact is that – being as short as I am – showing a bit of leg means showing the whole of it, and that would be an overkill.'
Love it!
I'm so flattered, thanks again, Steve!
I really do love it. Made me laugh out loud.
<3
Among my many reading interests has been the, let's call them, exploits of various intelligence services in the Cold War. Serious stuff, but at the same time, utterly bonkers shit happened too. Somewhere there's a quotation from a KGB agent to the effect that so much of what the Americans in particular did made so little sense they couldn't decide if the US was misdirecting
or gaslighting them or just incompetent.
Fertile ground for irony and more there.
I really like this and can hardly wait for part 2!
Thanks Cary, it is bonkers indeed, it was probably a mix of all 3 things, and who knows what they're all up to these days.
BTW, you may find this Substack interesting: https://thememoryhole.substack.com/
I hope I won't disappoint you!
Yeah, it’s rarely just one thing. The world’s more complicated than that. (Some other time, I’ll rant, to you, or more likely in a post, about one-explanationism. Still, it’s fun to image the KGB discussions that must have taken place when the US did something really inexplicable!
Your intuition about The Memory Hole was astute: I already follow and enjoy it greatly!
And I have faith you’ll spin a good yarn. But I think you aren’t, I’ll give respectful, constructive feedback! (You might have guessed from my last post that I have a lot of practice at this, I suppose.)
I like the term 'one-explanationism', that post should spark an interesting debate.
Please do that, Cary. I'm neuro-divergent too and I've always been puzzled –especially as a little girl – as to why everyone around you tells you to always speak the truth but, the moment you do, they become really mad.
I can't say the truth will not hurt me, but what's the point in flattery? I want to be a writer – the best I can possibly be – and I need criticism. I have a lot of time for feedback from an intelligent reader.
Intriguing start. I'm particularly interested in the protagonist's attitude toward having sex with her chief. Did she just make the best of a bad situation, or did she actually think herself lucky (a lady with a pug-ugly mug) for being chosen by a handsome powerful man? Maybe a little bit of both... and the need to avoid being sent to Siberia?
Grazie, Gianni! She's still young and she works for a fearsome organisation, based in an autocratic nation. She was taught not to question authority. She said "I faced what I had to face", a quote from Henry James' 'The Turn of the Screw'. Plus, it was the 80's and the general consensus had it that it was normal for a powerful man to behave like this. How things change (luckily)! Besides, being ugly it's not necessarily a hindrance for a young, sassy, lively woman; I speak out of experience. ;-) OMG, many many thanks for the restack!
Narohodo, as they say in Japan.
Looking forward to part 2!
Love the Telemann. I'll gladly read more in this vein.
Remind me to tell you of the time I crossed paths with a double agent, and how I suspect I may have been vetted by a lazy KGB recruiting officer.
Witlof is hilarious btw.
Hey Monica, so you're the real International Woman of Mystery! You're full of surprises, and I have to know that story.
Looking forward to Chapter 2, Portia. I think the Telemann music is perfect, there’s a modern air of intrigue to it!
Thanks again, Paul. If they hadn't told me the composer was Telemann, I'd have thought it were Bartók, it sounds so 20th-century like.
I love your birches, Portia!
Thank you, Paul, I'm delighted you do!
So glad you posted this, Portia, and equally glad to have read it! Looking forward to the next installment. (And nice work weaving in the Proust!)
Amanda, thank you, what a compliment from a funny, witty lady like you!
Good clean fun! Looking forward to more, Portia 😊
Thanks Jeffrey, what an honour!
I just “discovered” you and you are funny, and sexy, which is a big compliment.
It is indeed, and you're kind and generous with your compliments, DK Brooklyn. Thank you so much!
Being sassy is always a good start!
Merci, monsieur David, j'en rougis!
Okay, I am looking forward to the next month’s installment!
谢谢, Yi Xue, what a lovely thing to say!
Cattleya orchid pollination tickles my fancy in a rushing rain storm pollen poking in a huddle room where regalia is regarded as useless and must be removed for immediate access to flowers inspection. Perhaps an Austin Power plant secretly ploys translation to best practices in the next chapter. Really enjoy word juggling and toys with my funny bone. Maybe my humerus. I know you’ll make right decisions and characters will develop. The world is your oyster Get Smart agent 99. Lead us into Russia rhapsody. Play on.
Aww, Richard, your comments are delightful, red and yellow wine to me.
Good start. Funny and subtle and snarky too. More please.
Thank you, Sue, you're so sweet!
Oh, Portia, congratulations! It is so sarcastic, with KGB, tortures, and sex, and the main heroine with her puggish face. I don't know how you will hold all this sarcasm the whole novel, but the beginning is curious. And language! How do you know American slang!? "Rogering", "Russian fair cattleya?" What is it? By the way, Andrei Makin's novel, A Hero's Daughter, if you haven't read it in French (my god, you know so many languages, you are a polyglot!), is about how KGB hired professional translators for sex.
Thank you, Larisa, your praise means a lot to me. I don't know how I'm going to do it, I'm not a professional writer, but this silly story will be my training. I'll make sure I read Makine's novel. I read 'Le Testament français' (English title 'Dreams of my Russian Summers'), and found it good.
You are a smart girl; you found an intriguing topic for your literary training. Makine's novel,' of course, is tragic. What would you expect from a Russian writer, even if he is French now? I loved his Dreams and still love it; the book is on my shelf.
Wish you success and wait for the next chapter of your work.