The music of ‘James’…
Aug 19th
…has been something I’ve only appreciated since I hit my late twenties (now early thirties and loving it even more).
If you haven’t seen James live you really should. I think they might go down as my favourite live band. The passion they put in, the performance they give, and the reaction from the [...]
Even More Tonto Short Stories (again!)
Jul 22nd
Hurray! The short story anthology ‘Even More Tonto Short Stories’ is officially out on 5th August (it really is I promise you) and it features a very short story from me (I think you may have gathered this by now…)
Please do buy and let me have your thoughts. A few very kind individuals [...]
Venturing into the world of self-employment and ‘contract’ work…
Jul 1st
Well I’ve done it…I’m definitely setting up my own PR and fundraising consultancy… I am dipping my toe at first by doing some short to medium term contract work. Hopefully whilst doing this I can build up couple of clients (on the PR side, can’t do charities until after due to conflict of [...]
One Day by David Nicholls
Jun 22nd
Since I’ve been a grown up (I am a grown up I tell you) I’ve only stayed up through the night on three occasions to finish a book I’ve been too engrossed in to even consider putting my head down and going to sleep. These were The Robber Bride by Margaret Atwood, Norwegian Wood [...]
#amediting
Jun 18th
Just a short post to say I have eventually realised you have to spend more time editing than you do writing, when you’re ehm…writing.
So the reason for the short post is that I am spending an unhealthy amount of time editing. But actually it is not as painful today as it usually is. [...]
Rejections, revisions and rewrites
Jun 13th
Ah I just had to find three words beginning with ‘r’ you see…
No it’s been a bit of a week this week for my writing (and therefore for me).
I have a lot of words to hand in for my Masters in Creative Writing. I have to send them to Jackie Kay (who [...]
First piece of writing?..
Jun 6th
I am sure I started writing very early on in childhood but when I think back to ‘What were the first things I ever wrote?’ two pieces (well I say pieces!) come to mind.
The first was a poem about a cat I wrote when I was about 8 or 9. With a rather [...]
Like Bees To Honey
May 20th
I’m delighted to be involved in the innovative ‘Blog Tour’ for Caroline Smailes’ new book ‘Like Bees to Honey’. She’s a great writer who deals with tough subjects honestly and innovates with form and language. Below you will find Chapter 12 of Caroline’s new book. Other chapters are dotted around writing blogs across the web. [...]
Bipolar for Dummies
May 19th
Mara can’t believe Katie has given her a book titled ‘Bipolar for Dummies’.
She’d bought if for herself and then thought Mara might find it ‘useful’. She has ‘usefully’ turned down pages and underlined sections she thinks Mara should read. Mara wonders if there is anywhere she can write to complain about the title, and the [...]
Highlights of New York trip
May 16th
New York was even better than I anticipated, and I anticipated great things. I’ll come onto my trip highlights and recommendations for others in a mo but I have to say there were a couple of things about New York that really surprised me, having in mind, as I did, that it may be similar [...]
