Miniatures

There is a topic that writers don’t like to talk about—namely, where exactly do ideas and plots come from? Usually either they pretend that they invent everything themselves, or they start nodding about some inspiration coming from above.

But the truth is that no writer, in general, writes anything entirely by himself. Different creatures are at work here. For example, some books were dictated to me by a creepy type in a yellow mask; some things were hummed by a kitten with a gold chain around its neck; and the stories included in this collection were written by a small green goblin living in my right boot. He often invents all sorts of things, and I listen carefully and write it down. A goblin lives in my left boot too—but I don’t listen to him. He comes up with such nonsense…