Write down the rabbit hole…
Brookwood Cemetery is the UK's largest graveyard. It was built in 1854 and covers around 400 acres. In Victorian times trains carried the dead, divided by class, from the London Necropolis Station to this quiet, leafy town. I've wanted to visit Brookwood ever since reading 'Necropolis: London and its Dead' by Catharine Arnold. I've passed it… Continue reading Brookwood Cemetery – A Final Resting Place in the Woods
HMS Victory was the flagship of Lord Nelson, Vice Admiral of the British Navy. At Trafalgar, he and his ship won the day, but Nelson lost his life. Today Victory sits at Portsmouth Historic Dockyard where she's been carefully preserved providing a fantastic porthole into Navy life. I've been to Victory a number of times,… Continue reading Cast off! HMS Victory
Your plans are in place, your research is solid and your characters are ready to go. It's time for the first draft. Writing is what you love so this part should be easy right? Well not always. But it should at least be fun (most of the time). Read on for some advice on writing… Continue reading Writing a Book part 4 – the First Draft
It's taken four months, 21 pages and over 11.5K of words to complete my plan for 'The Cauldron Trilogy'. And whilst this is terrific, I'm fully aware that any book plan is on uneven ground once you start writing and your characters try to misbehave. This is the most complex writing project I've ever attempted,… Continue reading The Cauldron Trilogy – the Plan is done!
It's always nice to find an unexpected treat. At 'Velvet Rose' in Whitchurch, we discovered a whole shop full of them. If you love quirky, vintage jewellery, scarves, skirts, gloves and much more, this is the place for you. And as if it was meant to be, I'm now the proud owner of this gorgeous… Continue reading Jewellery for Bookworms
Are you a planner or a 'pantser'? As I've previously said there's no right or wrong way to write a book, but it's probably more usual to plan your book rather than just start writing. However, there are writers who simply sit and go. Douglas Adams was a famous 'pantser'. Personally, I'm a big planner… Continue reading Writing a Book part 3 – Plotting
I wanted to share a few photos of this exhibition, currently on in the Weston Library, but photography isn't allowed. That's understandable so instead please enjoy these photos of the notebook and badges I bought at the library shop. The exhibition itself isn't big but it's free and packed with artifacts from Tolkiens life and… Continue reading Notebook collection #9: Tolkien – Maker of Middle Earth
This is the next step I take writing a book, following on from 'Research'. After a sufficient amount of research under my belt, I move onto my characters. Research and character development will overlap. You might not have a clear idea of all the research you'll need to do for your characters until you start… Continue reading Writing a Book part 2 – Characters
There are some places you never think you'll see the inside of and a modern-day prison is certainly one of them. Dana Prison in Shrewsbury, which closed in 2013, offers visitors a rare glimpse behind bars. Originally opened in 1793, the current main building dates from 1877. It was stripped of most of its fixtures… Continue reading Unlocking the Secrets of Dana Prison, Shrewsbury
Want to write a book? Don't know where to start? Well, you're in the wrong place! But seriously, I'm no writing expert, I'm just going to throw out some writing advice based on my own experience. This is NOT a definitive 'How to write' guide because those don't exist. What works for one writer, may… Continue reading Writing a Book part 1 – Research
