Shortlisted
A year ago I wrote about being longlisted for a Short Story Competition. Well, things are looking up! This summer I find my that my story: “I Spy with my Little Eye” has been shortlisted for a Literary Prize. I [...]
World Book Night
April 23rd was World Book Night 2013. I was a party organised by Hamworthy Library in Poole with many local people and three other Dorset authors. We talked about our favourite books and took questions. I spoke about my admiration [...]
Cover Girl
This month, December, I ended up in black and white on the front cover of ‘Marshwood Vale Magazine’ – a free monthly that comes out in Somerset, Devon and Dorset (South West UK). It was slightly daunting to see myself [...]
U Kresu Dnia
My novel “To the End of the Day” has recently appeared in Poland with the title: “U Kresu Dnia.” It was translated by Teresa Komlosz and published in paperback by Proszynski Media in Warsaw with a price tag of Cena [...]
Cockles and Mussels
I was out yesterday in the pouring rain at Puddletown, Dorset to watch the Olympic Torchbearer come running past. In puddles below and with umbrellas above a few hundred other enthusiasts cheered and waved their Union Jacks. I have to [...]
Fact into Fiction
I’ve been giving a few talks recently on the subject of writing from experience. I was a speaker participating in the Essex Book Festival (27th February – 2nd April), and on 23rd April I spoke in Westbourne Library as part [...]
Research It!
Some writers do all their research before starting their book but I’m one of those who do it as they go along. I want to be sure that I really need the information to assist my storytelling before I spend [...]
Limerickture
I was in Salisbury at a writer’s lunch a couple of days ago and I won first prize in the Limerick Competition – we had all submitted limericks on the subject of Christmas. I was duly presented with the Chocolate [...]
Breakfast Show on Radio Solent
I have to get up really early this Saturday 26th November as I need to be at BBC Radio Solent in Southampton by 7am to read a pile of newspapers and be ready to talk live about what I find [...]
The Rest is Silence
I’ve been taking some time out from working on my new book to finish a short story. The original idea came from a short-lived attempt by me to give up speaking for Lent! It was hilarious – I had to [...]