It's a scorching summer in the UK and records are being broken. It isn't the first hot summer and it won't be the last. In 2003, it was warm, although not to the same degree as this July. The reason for the year? Well, for one thing I needed dry…
“How unbelievable is that?” “That would never happen in real-life!” I’m sure some of us have said these things when reading a novel. How far should authors go with storylines that rely on remarkable events and coincidences, especially ones that requires readers to suspend their incredulity for the sake of…
Choosing a character’s name should be a fun part of writing a novel. Whether you have a name you’ve always wanted to use, perhaps even created a story specific to it, or relied on random selection, the book will always be known in your head as ‘so and so’s’ story.…
Between writing novels, it's refreshing to do something less demanding, and quicker. I keep an eye out for writing prompts, and a while ago, this one caught my attention: International Stale Bread Day. The resulting short story, I entitled Duck Day, and begins on a stretch of common land behind…
In the current unfortunate situation the world is facing doing as much as possible virtually is the best option. For an author the most rewarding way to celebrate a new book launch is to take it on tour, which I'm doing, but it's okay, nobody need leave their sofa to…
We’ve all seen public buildings in our towns and cities: hospitals, schools, churches and swimming pools. Old and new in style, they perform a function and have a familiar interior. Some of these buildings, though, we perhaps only recognise on the outside. I’ve passed courthouses, the magistrates and the crown…
Publication day is one month off, but if you can't wait, then you can pre-order the Kindle edition now. Paperback will be available, too. So, head on over to Amazon, and order or add to you wishlist. Still not sure? You can read the opening pages here. Beyond the Yew…
I do like researching. I'm a natural researcher when it comes to digging up information and for many years that was my main career: finding and managing information. These days, the closest I get to researching is watching programmes like Who do you think you are? It's not the celebrity…
A common question writers debate amongst themselves is do you write linear or not. Is it better for a writer to start at the beginning and move through the story to the end, or go to the part of the book that appeals most and start from there? Now, I…
There’s nothing more exciting and satisfying than seeing you book appear on Amazon. As it sells, which thankfully is happening for my books, I’m wondering who is buying my book and why. Books on Amazon are categorised and appear on lists which are linked to people’s reading habits. So where…