It’s been a while, but my second novel, Heartsound, is out soon! Set in Bath, Nottingham, London and Ljubljana, Heartsound is a literary coming-of-age novel that follows the fortunes of main character Chrissie through several decades. The narrative plays out … Read More
Last month Whitby in north Yorkshire set a new world record for the number of vampires gathered in one place. The event – planned for the 125th anniversary of Bram Stoker’s Dracula being published – saw 1,369 caped, fanged, ghoulish … Read More
You’ve written a novel. It has a beginning, middle and end. What should you do now? You’ve toiled over your manuscript and – doubtless – paid the price in sleepless nights and missed social engagements. Perhaps you locked yourself in … Read More
There are two things that keep writers awake. One is the fear monster that rears its head in the small hours of the night, the other is the creative brain going into overdrive. Both are sleep-slayers. For both, there’s an … Read More
After a last blast of summer, autumn is upon us. With its natural beauty, its distinct scents, its crisp air as temperatures drop, and all its associated emotions, it’s a season that has inspired writers throughout time. Today we are … Read More
September marks a new season in what has certainly been one of the strangest years in recent history For me, it brings with it another tentative step towards what we consider ‘normal.’ Last week I packed up my home office ready … Read More
Lockdown is lifting here in the UK (unless you’re in Leicester) – and with it comes a bewildering array of opinions on whether it’s the right thing or not. Some say we locked down too late, we’re opening up … Read More
We are living in very peculiar times. Possibly the strangest times many of us have lived through collectively. They are times of mixed emotions – some good, some bad. To begin with there was fear, anxiety, and a sense of … Read More
For some, lockdown’s provided an opportunity to have a clear-out and I for one have started sorting out boxes etc that have been hanging around for so long I’ve forgotten what’s in them. Some of what I’ve unearthed has been … Read More
Maggie’s Creative Writing Group: – Virtual Workshop 2 While the group I run at Maggie’s isn’t meeting, we are having virtual sessions instead, and I’m posting the exercises here for others to join in. Here’s today’s session. Exercise 1: A … Read More