Monk's House was once the home of Virginia and Leonard Woolf. Today it's owned by the National Trust and the unassuming 18th century cottage with a beautiful big garden and orchard is a world away from the grand buildings it's known for. Virginia's writing shed can be found in the orchard, and she resides here... Continue Reading →
The real world rushed into focus recently in the worst way possible. It's why I've been so quiet on here. It was a full-on bolt from the blue and it's sent everything I knew spinning. We write to escape reality. Perhaps this is most true if you write fiction, but even those whose work is... Continue Reading →
Write I mean! On trains and buses, boats and rooftops, beaches, balconies and the bottom of the sea, we writers will do it anywhere (get your minds out of the gutter please!) I'm sure you know what it's like to have the Muse (or just the need to flex those writing muscles) strike at an... Continue Reading →
For every writing problem you have, there is an answer. Not necessarily an easy answer that involves lamps and Genies but an answer nevertheless. Here are four common roadblocks that stop you from writing - and four ways to steamroll them flat. 1) I don't have time to write When I was younger, there was a... Continue Reading →
You write so that when you fall, your descent will be arrested, by a silver net of words tied in knots onto the walls. And you ask, are they strong enough, tough enough, tall enough, what if they just break so that you crash into the floor? So you write and on you tie them... Continue Reading →
I grew up surrounded by fantasy and sci-fi. Maybe that's why it's what I love to write now. Bedtime stories were The Hobbit, Wind in the Willows, Roald Dahl. Daytime video viewing was Star Wars, Willow, Labyrinth and all the Disney films. It's still seen as odd if you're into fantasy and happen to be... Continue Reading →
It's all over. Both the year and my book. Completing the book has been my biggest achievement and one I didn't expect to happen. When I looked back at my New Years postfrom January 2015, I was surprised to find I'd gone beyond what I thought I could do. I completed the 2nd edit on... Continue Reading →
Well, I had to didn't I? The final Discworld novel. After this, there will be no more. I knew this day would come eventually, but it shouldn't have come so damn soon. I've started reading it and it's just as good as I expected albeit tinged with bittersweetness in every word. One day I shall... Continue Reading →
After many machinations, alterations, deletions, frustrations and other things ending with -tion I have finally finished The Book. I have bits of this book on my computer that date back to 2011 - yikes! All 29 chapters now stand before me, hovering somewhere between novella and novel (I haven't done a word count yet as... Continue Reading →
If you need some inspiration for gifts of a 'wordy' kind, then let me help with these lovely things I got for my birthday. First up, two lovely new notebooks for my collection. I like the clouds that appears on the pages in the Notebook for Dreamers. Next up a super soft pencil case decorated... Continue Reading →
