I love a great whodunit and I adore a twist in the tale thriller. But when it comes to novels labelled a great ghost story, I tend to avoid them. There are two main reasons. One, the main character usually gets on my nerves. Two, the author gets so far into the story, builds up […]
The Coffin Path by Katherine Clements Read More »
Over twenty years ago I holidayed on the Greek island of Crete. I spent a fortnight in the sun before heading off to university, so money was tight. My shoestring budget allowed for one trip only and I had two choices: trek the Samaria Gorge or visit the former leper colony of Spinalonga. I chose
The Island by Victoria Hislop Read More »
Last week I switched off my mobile and unplugged my laptop. Going off grid is great or is it? For five days I shunned the digital world to commune with nature. In other words, I went camping in The Lake District. Back to basics in a little corner of Cumbria The Lake District. Three words
Going off grid is great or is it? Read More »
Starting The Satsuma Complex by Bob Mortimer I wasn’t sure what to expect. I’d never watched Shooting Stars or The Smell of Reeves and Mortimer. However, I like Bob Mortimer’s quirky sense of humour from watching the delightful Gone Fishing series multiple times. And I (like vast swathes of the public) laugh at his retelling
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‘It’s a year ago this week since I published Apokeri Bay,’ I remarked while unwrapping an Aldi Titan chocolate bar. An amusing name for a treat that would fit snugly in a gnome’s shirt pocket. My partner lounged on the sofa, watching another rerun of Would I Lie To You, and barely raised his head.
One year as a published author and what have I learned? Read More »
I picked up the House at Riverton by Kate Morton and flipped to the back cover. The very bottom line stated ‘one of the most successful debuts of all time’ – now that’s a way to get my attention. Coming in at almost six hundred pages, this was going to be a significant investment of
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There’s a wonderful world of book awards out there. For authors they are a stamp of approval. A way of shouting – hey my book is brilliant because it’s recognised above all the others. And who doesn’t love an accolade. I can’t imagine for one minute; any winner is going to turn around and say
The wonderful world of book awards and as a reader do you care? Read More »
A couple of weeks ago I was lucky enough to be at the New Writing North Newcastle Writing Conference and attend a fascinating panel event, featuring authors Karen Powell and Tawseef Khan. For both, the settings of their novels are intrinsically bound to the landscape. In Fifteen Wild Decembers, the bond between the wild Yorkshire
The importance of place in storytelling Read More »
I love writing. I love the art of storytelling, where you can conjure worlds and characters from your imagination. Where readers are gripped by the adventures of entertaining and intriguing characters. Through words I can go anywhere, do anything and be anyone. Isn’t imagination a fantastic thing? But is writing good for you? I took
Is Writing Good For You? Read More »
In this The Memory Garden by Rachel Hore review, I’m going to say straightaway that I had very high expectations. I loved A Week in Paris and hoped for more of the same. I wasn’t disappointed. Rachel delivers another knockout book. Again, it goes between two time periods. This time modern day and a hundred
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