There’s an adage that says you have two ears and one mouth – use them in those proportions. Sound advice, you might say, but us writers have our pens and word processors. We often have an audience who like our words, which is why we write for them. We talk to them too on social … Continue reading "Let’s talk about listening"
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Did I really write that? Well, no one else did. It’s your name and title on the front cover. I could blame Harvey, my adorable West Highland white terrier, who sometimes wanders up, seeking attention or a treat. He may wonder what I do, sitting at my desk in Crouch Corner for most of the … Continue reading "How I rewrote my future."
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I learnt to run as a child, mainly to escape from the kids who didn’t like my stories and jokes. In time, this led to my selection for the school’s Junior Cross Country Team. Any initial euphoria at being selected soon paled when I finished a race sodden from the rain and covered in mud. … Continue reading "Running Commentary"
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Ideas are everywhere. Sometimes it feels like you can pluck them from the ether. And you can lose them just as quickly if you’re not careful. Many of my ideas come when I’m drifting off to sleep. Shaving in the morning seems to generate quite a few. Running seems to stimulate the creative juices too. … Continue reading "The next murder mystery novel is only an idea away"
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Maybe I should have been a copywriter. After all, I love words and I love playing with words. No, I’m not in search of an alternative career. It’s another of those random thoughts that flit through my head now I’ve completed the latest novel, No More Lies. It’s the recovery after the sprint finish, the … Continue reading "The hole after the whole"
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Last night, with forecasts of heavy drifts of snow, and ice all over the roads and pavements, I was tempted to go on the Internet to see if I could hire a digger or bulldozer. How else could I dig my way out to take Harvey for a walk in the morning? Not that my … Continue reading "Dogged determination to write crime fiction"
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There’s enough misery in the world without me adding to it. That’s why I like to escape into a fictional world. If I want gritty realism and the worst humanity has to offer, I can watch the news or a hard-hitting documentary or drama. When I’m reading, I want to be entertained with a great … Continue reading "Entertaining crime fiction"
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If you could go back in your life and change one decision you made, which would it be? We’re not talking about buying the wrong car here. We’re talking decisions that could be life changing – turning points, if you like. At the time, you don’t always realise the impact of some choices or decisions. … Continue reading "Would you turn back to change your life?"
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In my childhood I improvised to survive. At times my life was as fictitious as the stories I read. Pretence was sometimes the only reality. That’s what made me a writer. I was eight when my father died. Though sad at his loss, I had no idea of the struggles that lay ahead. We were … Continue reading "How deception made me a writer"
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Are you one of those people who like talking about your feelings and achievements? Me neither. If you’re an author, you want people to look at and buy your books. You have to tell them what’s good, why they invest time and money in you. The alternative is to hope readers will stumble across your … Continue reading "Getting going by going public"
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