Yay! Back-flip! Whoop, whoop, I’m free! I’ve finished my book and handed it in for my Lovely Agent to have a read. A year of work and it’s done. (At least for the moment…I’m sure there will be plenty of change to make.) I actually wrote THE END. Hooray! That’s what I should be feeling… Continue Reading
Category Archives: Writing
Since publishing a book, one of the questions I’m asked most frequently is: ‘Where do you get your ideas from?’ It’s an interesting question because, for most authors I think, the truth is the ideas are just, well, there. Constantly. Like rather irritating ghosts. I might wake up in the middle of the night with… Continue Reading
With the launch date of Sworn Secret rapidly approaching my time is being sucked up in all sorts of ways. I am writing blog posts for a Blog Tour that I’m doing, answering questions for interviews, saying yes to appearing on BBC Berkshire, organising two launch events, trying to finish my second book, oh, and… Continue Reading
A friend sent me a link to a post by Meg Rosoff today. It’s a great post about keeping true to yourself, and essentially not worrying what everyone else is doing, and when it comes to writing, not panicking about word counts, genres, or zeitgeists. If you want to write about Cowboys and Indians, write… Continue Reading
I’m approaching the end of the first draft of my second novel. Everything I need – the ingredients of the book – is piled in front of me. I’ve spent months developing characters and plot in my head and in notebooks, and more months spewing out around 100,000 words. Now it’s time to turn this… Continue Reading
A friend of mine, Cathy Dreyer, asked me if I’d like to join her in an invite-only public reading that happened a few days ago. Cathy has just finished a Creative Writing course, and is a very talented writer, who has worked as a journalist, is now a copywriter, and is currently writing her first… Continue Reading
I have three children. I’m not talking about my daughters here, no, the children I refer to are my paper ones. The ones that have a beginning and an end and about a hundred thousand words between. Number One, I am sad to say, I’m greatly ashamed of. In fact, I’m so embarrassed by her… Continue Reading
I have a confession. I love a good anagram. My husband on the other hand thinks they’re ‘a bit twee’. But what can be sweeter to the pun-tuned ear than Mother-In-Law turning into Hitler Woman? ‘Eleven plus two‘ equalling ‘Twelve plus one’? What can be neater than Guns and Lies combined being Ugliness? Or Election result becoming… Continue Reading
While reading The Tiger Who Came to Tea to my daughter recently, it dawned on me that it’s actually the allegorical tale of a Stay at Home Mum who’s had one of those days. I’ve been that woman. I know how her day went. October half-term. Raining. She’s run out of let’s-have-fun things to do with her… Continue Reading
I’ve just reread Stephen King’s On Writing. I’ve now read it four times start to finish. It’s simply one of the best books I’ve found on the writing process and being a writer. King chats with his reader, as if over a coffee and slice of Victoria sponge, generously imparting his immense knowledge and encouragement. It’s an… Continue Reading