If you've not yet read "Rosie" - this piece does contain the odd spoiler. Rose Tremain's new book - and the subject of her talk at Hay - was "Rosie: Scenes from a Vanished Life". I was drawn to Rose Tremain's talk for two reasons. The first obvious - but the second is that one... Continue Reading →
Maggie O’Farrell at the Hay Festival
If you've not yet read "I Am, I Am, I Am" - this piece does contain the odd spoiler. My Hay experience kicked off with Maggie O'Farrell, whose new release is "I Am, I Am, I Am: Seventeen Brushes with Death" a memoir with a twist. I'm a fan of Ms O'Farrell, so her book... Continue Reading →
The Hay Festival
Attending the Hay Festival has been on my wish list for a good many years. Each year I promise myself I'll do something about it "next year". Then next year arrives, I realise the Festival is already happening and I've done absolutely nothing. So ... this year I put it on my list of writing... Continue Reading →
#ISWG: Book titles or character names – what’s hardest to come up with?
I'm a recent recruit to Alex Cavanaugh’s Insecure Writers Support Group (the link takes you to details on what that means and how to join. You'll also find a list of bloggers signed up to the challenge - do check them out). On the first Wednesday of every month, we all post our thoughts, fears... Continue Reading →
“Once” by Ronel Janse van Vuuren
"Once" - a collection of short stories first published in her native Afrikaans by Ronel van Vuuren - will soon be reaching a wider audience with its publication in English. Ronel Janse van Vuuren is the author of New Adult, Young Adult and children’s fiction filled with mythology and folklore. Her dark fantasy stories can... Continue Reading →
Enchanted India
The idea for this story came from Fiction Can Be Fun's monthly's #FF prompt for May which was to select a book title from the Recent Books section of Project Gutenberg site as the title and prompt for your story. With a word limit of 500 words (ish) and a deadline which I missed -... Continue Reading →
ISWG: Spring has sprung …
I'm a new recruit to Alex Cavanaugh’s Insecure Writers Support Group (the link takes you to details on what that means and how to join. You'll also find a list of bloggers signed up to the challenge - do check them out). On the first Wednesday of every month, we all post our thoughts, fears... Continue Reading →
Getting to know me … the final part!
So, we're on the home stretch. I hope you've been answering these questions along with me - even if you don't share the answers, after all not everyone's comfortable with sharing their "stuff". Surprisingly few of the questions have had no relevance or resonance which I always think is a good sign. Links to Parts... Continue Reading →
Writing Resolutions – an update
Earlier this year, I put pen to paper, listing six writing-related resolutions for 2018. As the first quarter of the year is at an end, I thought I'd better re-visit them. Not simply to check on progress, for I could tell you how that's going off the top of my head, more to give myself... Continue Reading →
Getting to know me …
And here we are at Part 3. If you're doing this along with me, here are links to my answers for Part 1 and Part 2 in case they spark something in you. I hope you're finding this process as interesting as I am. 11. In what situation would you feel most out of place?... Continue Reading →