The Great Escape
Well, it’s April, the world is a different place — and I’ve realised I haven’t blogged since last year! How time flies, and who knew? And...
Books with Hooks
I’ve been having a think recently about the concept of a ‘hook’ in writing. Specifically with reference to novels (obviously!). I was...
From Car Crash to Crawdads
When I first thought about doing this blog, I discarded the idea because ‘everyone’ does it. But then I decided that my choices are...
Lopping and chopping
A few weeks ago, I bought a pair of ratcheted loppers for the garden. Bear with me, because this is relevant. For those of you who may...
'A superbly disquieting psychological thriller'
I've borrowed this descriptor from Amazon, because I think it's so apt. Just after I read the book, I saw the play – at the Bridge...
Authors are Awesome
I’m in awe of authors. All of them — novelists, non-fiction writers, experts, short story writers, people who write cookery books,...
A Norwegian tale
I went on a Nordic cruise a few weeks ago, and someone recommended this book: The Unseen by Roy Jacobsen (translated by Don Bartlett and...
A simple question authors hate
As an author, one of the questions I’ve grown to hate is: “How are sales of [insert latest book] going?” You’d think that was a...
Learning to be a duck
Nobody likes rejection. Throughout life there are many occasions when we feel its pain: not being included in friendship groups at...
With a storyteller's eyes...
There are some authors who have a gift for creating a setting in their novels that truly resonates with readers. In writer-speak,...
