"Fabulous Storytelling" Mick Herron
I have been writing and publishing books on a variety of topics since my bestselling Angry White Pyjamas came out in 1997. Other bestsellers include Red Nile, a biography of the River Nile. In total I have written 15 mainstream books translated into 16 languages. The include creative non-fiction, novels, memoir, travel and self-help. My publishers include Harper Collins, Picador, Penguin and Hachette. I have won several awards including two top national prizes- the Somerset Maugham literary award and the William Hill sportsbook of the Year Award. I have also won the Newdigate Prize for poetry- one of the oldest poetry prizes in the world; past winners include Oscar Wilde, James Fenton and Fiona Sampson.
A more recent success was Micromastery, published by Penguin in the US and the UK as well as selling in eight other countries.
Micromastery is a way of learning new skills more efficiently. I include these methods when I coach people who want to improve as writers. If that's you, go to the section of this site titled I CAN HELP YOU WRITE. I have taught creative writing in schools and universities but I now find coaching and editing is where I can deliver the most value. In the past I have taught courses in both fiction and memoir at Moniack Mhor, the former Arvon teaching centre in Scotland.
"Micromastery is a triumph. A brilliant idea, utterly convincing, and superbly carried through" - Philip Pullman
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My instagram account is roberttwiggerinstantart HERE
Monday, June 17, 2013 at 9:11AM I have an event at Daunt books, Marylebone High street, 24th June 7pm. It is £8. It would be great to see people there! I will be talking about my new book Red Nile, the Egyptian revolution, big dams and storytelling among other things.
Monday, June 17, 2013 at 5:22AM nice review by Anthony Sattin in the Observer http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2013/jun/16/red-nile-robert-twigger-review
Saturday, June 15, 2013 at 7:05AM An interesting article that outlines many of the issues surrounding the construction of a giant canal through the Sudd swamp on the White Nile. The Sudd acts like a regulator on the Nile, drain it to increase water supplies to the north and all sorts of unintended consequences will follow. Giant water projects are usually a bad idea in the long run, micro-projects are better.
Saturday, June 15, 2013 at 4:37AM An article today in the Huffington Post gives a better indication why Egypt claims the lion's share of of water coming down the Blue Nile. The simple reason is: it has no other sources of water. Ethiopia- which seeks to limit Egypt's share of Nile water- is the water capital of Africa. In fact its current policy of building big hydro dams to export power reflects this surfeit of water. Poor old Egypt only has old father Nile to rely on. The article goes on to show that how much water you get shouldn't be some childish 'equal shares for all' but in reality should reflect how many people absolutely need that water. If the people of Wales suddenly turned off the taps to Birmingham and demanded half of all the water they sent to that city we'd think it odd. Similarly its crazy for Ethiopia to claim more water than it needs- especially from a country that has no other source of the stuff.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/06/14/egypt-map-ethiopia-grand-renaissance-dam_n_3437528.html
Friday, June 14, 2013 at 9:31AM The grand Renaissance Dam in Ethiopia will stop silt reaching the white Nile- during the high flood this used to colour the white nile red with the sediment. It was believed that a heavy flood was the source of the Biblical account of Moses' curse - in which God turned the Nile 'red with blood'. Well the Aswan dam stopped the silt getting to Cairo and this Ethiopian dam will stop it getting outside Ethiopia. Which means the grand Renaissance dam will silt up pretty fast and the Aswan and other dams will not. Evaporation from the new dam will cost Egypt 2% less water- it can stand this easily. The real damage will be to ordinary Nile dwelling Ethiopians. They wil not benefit from the electricity- 80% are off the grid and no grid is being proposed- the electricity is for export to cities in Kenya and Sudan.
For more general background this wiki piece is good; http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grand_Ethiopian_Renaissance_Dam
Friday, June 14, 2013 at 9:09AM The Omo river in Ethiopia has been dammed- and damned. Read this to find out more:
http://newswatch.nationalgeographic.com/2010/08/04/omo_river_dam_threatens_traditional_farmers/
Now it is the turn of the Blue Nile with the giant Renaissance dam project. It will destroy and disrupt far more than people imagine. An early 'ecological appraisal' stated only 800 people might lose their livlihoods when the 2000 square km lake is filled. It will be more like 8000. Or maybe more. this lake is about a third the size of lake Nasser- which caused an entire people - the Nubians- to lose their homeland, over 100,000 moved or displaced.
Friday, June 14, 2013 at 8:14AM 4 STAR RED NILE review by Theo Walden in that esteemed journal The Lady: http://www.lady.co.uk/culture/books/2483-book-reviews-10-june