Simon Cann’s news feed

Simon Says edition 106/August 2025

posted on: 12 August 2025

The August 2025 edition of Simon Says, my readers’ group communiqué, is out today.

In this month’s edition: the redemptive arc.

continue reading: Simon Says edition 106/August 2025

Simon Says edition 105/July 2025

posted on: 8 July 2025

The July 2025 edition of Simon Says, my readers’ group communiqué, is out today.

In this month’s edition: when good people do bad things.

continue reading: Simon Says edition 105/July 2025

Simon Says edition 104/June 2025

posted on: 10 June 2025

The June 2025 edition of Simon Says, my readers’ group communiqué, is out today.

In this month’s edition: it’s all about the questions you ask.

continue reading: Simon Says edition 104/June 2025

Simon Says edition 103/May 2025

posted on: 13 May 2025

The May 2025 edition of Simon Says, my readers’ group communiqué, is out today.

In this month’s edition: only watch the third episode.

continue reading: Simon Says edition 103/May 2025

Simon Says edition 102/April 2025

posted on: 8 April 2025

The April 2025 edition of Simon Says, my readers’ group communiqué, is out today.

In this month’s edition: moral hazard.

continue reading: Simon Says edition 102/April 2025

Simon Says edition 101/March 2025

posted on: 11 March 2025

The March 2025 edition of Simon Says, my readers’ group communiqué, is out today.

In this month’s edition: twenty-first century fortune seeking.

continue reading: Simon Says edition 101/March 2025

Simon Says edition 100/February 2025

posted on: 11 February 2025

The February 2025 edition of Simon Says, my readers’ group communiqué, is out today.

In this month’s edition: a razor that doesn’t cut.

continue reading: Simon Says edition 100/February 2025

Simon Says edition 099/January 2025

posted on: 14 January 2025

The January 2025 edition of Simon Says, my readers’ group communiqué, is out today.

In this month’s edition: the coming of middle age.

continue reading: Simon Says edition 099/January 2025

Simon Says edition 098/December 2024

posted on: 10 December 2024

The December 2024 edition of Simon Says, my readers’ group communiqué, is out today.

In this month’s edition: you don’t know the whole story.

continue reading: Simon Says edition 098/December 2024

Simon Says edition 097/November 2024

posted on: 12 November 2024

The November 2024 edition of Simon Says, my readers’ group communiqué, is out today.

In this month’s edition: does death matter in fiction?

continue reading: Simon Says edition 097/November 2024

Simon Says edition 096/October 2024

posted on: 8 October 2024

The October 2024 edition of Simon Says, my readers’ group communiqué, is out today.

In this month’s edition: actions speak louder—what people are really saying.

continue reading: Simon Says edition 096/October 2024

Simon Says edition 095/September 2024

posted on: 10 September 2024

The September 2024 edition of Simon Says, my readers’ group communiqué, is out today.

In this month’s edition: no one believes in coincidences.

continue reading: Simon Says edition 095/September 2024

Simon Says edition 094/August 2024

posted on: 13 August 2024

The August 2024 edition of Simon Says, my readers’ group communiqué, is out today.

In this month’s edition: the truth you want to believe.

continue reading: Simon Says edition 094/August 2024

Simon Says edition 093/July 2024

posted on: 9 July 2024

The July 2024 edition of Simon Says, my readers’ group communiqué, is out today.

In this month’s edition: a complete story in a few words.

continue reading: Simon Says edition 093/July 2024

Simon Says edition 092/June 2024

posted on: 11 June 2024

The June 2024 edition of Simon Says, my readers’ group communiqué, is out today.

In this month’s edition: the monster within.

continue reading: Simon Says edition 092/June 2024

Simon Says edition 091/May 2024

posted on: 14 May 2024

The May 2024 edition of Simon Says, my readers’ group communiqué, is out today.

In this month’s edition: freelance spies and corporate armies.

continue reading: Simon Says edition 091/May 2024

Simon Says edition 090/April 2024

posted on: 9 April 2024

The April 2024 edition of Simon Says, my readers’ group communiqué, is out today.

In this month’s edition: espionage in the 2020s.

continue reading: Simon Says edition 090/April 2024

Simon Says edition 089/March 2024

posted on: 12 March 2024

The March 2024 edition of Simon Says, my readers’ group communiqué, is out today.

In this month’s edition: every story starts twice.

continue reading: Simon Says edition 089/March 2024

Simon Says edition 088/February 2024

posted on: 13 February 2024

The February 2024 edition of Simon Says, my readers’ group communiqué, is out today.

In this month’s edition: nobody talks, but everybody whispers.

continue reading: Simon Says edition 088/February 2024

Simon Says edition 087/January 2024

posted on: 9 January 2024

The January 2024 edition of Simon Says, my readers’ group communiqué, is out today.

In this month’s edition: could modern medicine lead to a dystopian future?

continue reading: Simon Says edition 087/January 2024

Simon Says edition 086/December 2023

posted on: 12 December 2023

The December 2023 edition of Simon Says, my readers’ group communiqué, is out today.

In this month’s edition: characters and stakes.

continue reading: Simon Says edition 086/December 2023

Simon Says edition 085/November 2023

posted on: 14 November 2023

The November 2023 edition of Simon Says, my readers’ group communiqué, is out today.

In this month’s edition: Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip.

continue reading: Simon Says edition 085/November 2023

Simon Says edition 084/October 2023

posted on: 10 October 2023

The October 2023 edition of Simon Says, my readers’ group communiqué, is out today.

In this month’s edition: measuring inputs rather than outputs.

continue reading: Simon Says edition 084/October 2023

Simon Says edition 083/September 2023

posted on: 12 September 2023

The September 2023 edition of Simon Says, my readers’ group communiqué, is out today.

In this month’s edition: Policing in the Punjab.

continue reading: Simon Says edition 083/September 2023

Simon Says edition 082/August 2023

posted on: 8 August 2023

The August 2023 edition of Simon Says, my readers’ group communiqué, is out today.

In this month’s edition: what if a falsehood were true?

continue reading: Simon Says edition 082/August 2023

Simon Says edition 081/July 2023

posted on: 11 July 2023

The July 2023 edition of Simon Says, my readers’ group communiqué, is out today.

In this month’s edition: how to know when a character on TV or in a movie is about to die.

continue reading: Simon Says edition 081/July 2023

Simon Says edition 080/June 2023

posted on: 13 June 2023

The June 2023 edition of Simon Says, my readers’ group communiqué, is out today.

In this month’s edition: fixing the leaks.

continue reading: Simon Says edition 080/June 2023

Simon Says edition 079/May 2023

posted on: 9 May 2023

The May 2023 edition of Simon Says, my readers’ group communiqué, is out today.

In this month’s edition: a story in six words.

continue reading: Simon Says edition 079/May 2023

Simon Says edition 078/April 2023

posted on: 11 April 2023

The April 2023 edition of Simon Says, my readers’ group communiqué, is out today.

In this month’s edition: This is the Night They Come for You.

continue reading: Simon Says edition 078/April 2023

Simon Says edition 077/March 2023

posted on: 14 March 2023

The March 2023 edition of Simon Says, my readers’ group communiqué, is out today.

In this month’s edition: a Welsh heist.

continue reading: Simon Says edition 077/March 2023

Simon Says edition 076/February 2023

posted on: 14 February 2023

The February 2023 edition of Simon Says, my readers’ group communiqué, is out today.

In this month’s edition: will we read a novel written by a computer in 2023?

continue reading: Simon Says edition 076/February 2023

Simon Says edition 075/January 2023

posted on: 10 January 2023

The January 2023 edition of Simon Says, my readers’ group communiqué, is out today.

In this month’s edition: not in chronological order.

continue reading: Simon Says edition 075/January 2023

Simon Says edition 074/December 2022

posted on: 13 December 2022

The December 2022 edition of Simon Says, my readers’ group communiqué, is out today.

In this month’s edition: I’d like to introduce you to two new characters.

continue reading: Simon Says edition 074/December 2022

Simon Says edition 073/November 2022

posted on: 8 November 2022

The November 2022 edition of Simon Says, my readers’ group communiqué, is out today.

In this month’s edition: did you know the price you pay is optional?

continue reading: Simon Says edition 073/November 2022

Simon Says edition 072/October 2022

posted on: 11 October 2022

The October 2022 edition of Simon Says, my readers’ group communiqué, is out today.

In this month’s edition: what is a clipboard manager, and why might one be useful for you?

continue reading: Simon Says edition 072/October 2022

Simon Says edition 071/September 2022

posted on: 13 September 2022

The September 2022 edition of Simon Says, my readers’ group communiqué, is out today.

In this month’s edition: the cons we want to believe.

continue reading: Simon Says edition 071/September 2022

Simon Says edition 070/August 2022

posted on: 9 August 2022

The August 2022 edition of Simon Says, my readers’ group communiqué, is out today.

In this month’s edition: the best film score, ever.

continue reading: Simon Says edition 070/August 2022

Simon Says edition 069/July 2022

posted on: 12 July 2022

The July 2022 edition of Simon Says, my readers’ group communiqué, is out today.

In this month’s edition: a look at film noir—where it started, and how we feel its influence in movies and novels

continue reading: Simon Says edition 069/July 2022

Simon Says edition 068/June 2022

posted on: 14 June 2022

The June 2022 edition of Simon Says, my readers’ group communiqué, is out today.

In this month’s edition: We Own This City.

continue reading: Simon Says edition 068/June 2022

Simon Says edition 067/May 2022

posted on: 10 May 2022

The May 2022 edition of Simon Says, my readers’ group communiqué, is out today.

In this month’s edition: Can’t change the facts… Maybe you can change the context?

continue reading: Simon Says edition 067/May 2022

Simon Says edition 066/April 2022

posted on: 12 April 2022

The April 2022 edition of Simon Says, my readers’ group communiqué, is out today.

In this month’s edition: Wronged? Vengeful? Want to criticize?

continue reading: Simon Says edition 066/April 2022

Simon Says edition 065/March 2022

posted on: 8 March 2022

The March 2022 edition of Simon Says, my readers’ group communiqué, is out today.

In this month’s edition: Is it a crime to break the rules for crime fiction?

continue reading: Simon Says edition 065/March 2022

Simon Says edition 064/February 2022

posted on: 8 February 2022

The February 2022 edition of Simon Says, my readers’ group communiqué, is out today.

In this month’s edition: have you caught the Wordle bug yet?

continue reading: Simon Says edition 064/February 2022

Simon Says edition 063/January 2022

posted on: 11 January 2022

The January 2022 edition of Simon Says, my readers’ group communiqué, is out today.

In this month’s edition: why do we make changes?

continue reading: Simon Says edition 063/January 2022

Simon Says edition 062/December 2021

posted on: 14 December 2021

The December 2021 edition of Simon Says, my readers’ group communiqué, is out today.

In this month’s edition: have you watched Showtrial?

continue reading: Simon Says edition 062/December 2021

Simon Says edition 061/November 2021

posted on: 9 November 2021

The November 2021 edition of Simon Says, my readers’ group communiqué, is out today.

In this month’s edition: what notions will become so obsolete that they make no sense to future readers.

continue reading: Simon Says edition 061/November 2021

Simon Says edition 060/October 2021

posted on: 12 October 2021

The October 2021 edition of Simon Says, my readers’ group communiqué, is out today.

In this month’s edition: let me make the case for rereading books.

continue reading: Simon Says edition 060/October 2021

Simon Says edition 059/September 2021

posted on: 14 September 2021

The September 2021 edition of Simon Says, my readers’ group communiqué, is out today.

In this month’s edition: different ways to tell stories.

continue reading: Simon Says edition 059/September 2021

Simon Says edition 058/August 2021

posted on: 10 August 2021

The August 2021 edition of Simon Says, my readers’ group communiqué, is out today.

In this month’s edition: avoiding online surveillance.

continue reading: Simon Says edition 058/August 2021

Simon Says edition 057/July 2021

posted on: 13 July 2021

The July 2021 edition of Simon Says, my readers’ group communiqué, is out today.

In this month’s edition: guns, bullets and other things the movies get wrong.

continue reading: Simon Says edition 057/July 2021