Introducing the writer Steven Augustine

I wanted to introduce you very briefly to a profound and prolific writer, Steven Augustine who lives in Berlin.

I first read him, talking about his writings on the Guardian Books Blog - where his own skilled articulation and viewpoints command immense respect and popularity - and I have stayed enthralled ever since. :-)

I'm sorry the introduction has to be on this rather lame blog as I really have gone off my own blog by now. Please do read Augustine's stories when you can and if any writer of deserving literary fiction, needs that extra link for a wider audience, it is him.

I find Augustine's fiction - to put it all rather simply - decidedly sharp and clever, even as it is slightly difficult to master. Read through slowly and carefully to get the true measure of the fiction's worth, would be my recommened instructions. He is atttuned to his own art in the same polished way, a puppeteer would take a shine to his favourite marionettes.

Here is a writer who doesn't care - at least in a way that is obvious to me - about the ruthless kill that the publishing industry offers to any individual creativity. He goes ahead and drums his talent up as some kind of a dynamic rollcall in cyberspace. He has also served as a real inspiration and motivation to my own writing ambitions at a time when I myself am trying to rise from a slump.

It is my belief that Augustine spots a genius in tackling the complications of somewhat difficult and uneasy human relationships. Some of my favourites - which I am still reading through include: Azura's Gift & The End of the World Club. - suzan abrams

Picture Credit: Denise Van Patten